1. I call myself a realist (practical-ist) when what I really am is a pessimist.
2. I make excellent onion bajjis.
3. I appreciate all things beautiful and when I say beautiful I refer exclusively to my good friend Saranya (Krishnamoorthy)
4. I am easy to please.
5. I am ALSO eager to please.
6. I cant say no to people.
7. I cant stand other people's fingerprints on my stuff.
8. I like driving in the rain with a plastic bag on my head.
9. I whine incessantly.
10. I like the word "awww" and I use it everywhere.
11. I think poetry is the hardest thing to write.
12. I hate technology and gadgets.
13. I have a knack of cracking people up.
14. I laugh at random things.
15. I can be your bestest friend, which also proves that I can be highly egoistical.
16. I love bags in all shapes, sizes and colours.
17. I am generally an agony aunt.
18. I can talk for endless periods of time. I can also listen for endless periods of time.
19. Although I dont admit it, I like Shah Rukh Khan.
20. I can put on a Tam Brahm accent and talk to confuse and irritate people.
21. I am a geek
22. When i was in LKG, i dint cry on the first day of school. I cried one month later when everyone else had settled down.
23. I once put my tongue out at a photographer for a passport size photo and he clicked AND printed it!
24. I say everything is boring, even before I get down to doing it.
25. I love all things soft.
Saturday 30 January 2010
Saturday 10 October 2009
Journey of a Woman
An article I wrote for a friend's journal. Good enough to be posted? Comments are most welcome :)
The woman. The mother. The virgin. The symbol of all that is pure and chaste. The eternal manifestation of beauty. God’s loveliest creation. When John Keats said “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”, we have every reason to believe that he was referring to the creation that is; a woman. Love her or hate her, you definitely cannot afford to ignore her. From being the apple of her father’s eyes, to doting on her grandchildren, there are many roles a woman fulfills in one lifetime. Yet you never hear her complain. A peep into the journey of a woman – as a daughter, a mother, a friend and more…
Daddy’s Little Princess
There is something about a little girl dressed in pink. Not only does she look as cute as a button, but there is pure innocence that shines in her eyes. In her world, everything is simple. There is nothing that Daddy cannot do. When Daddy says “You are my little princess”, she knows that he means it. “A daughter is definitely easier to bring up than a son” says Kripa Subramaniam, mother of two, a son and a daughter. “My daughter was calmer and a much easier baby growing up. She threw lesser tantrums and even helped me take care of my son, although she was just a little girl herself. My son, on the other hand, was the exact opposite.”
Maternal instincts seem to spring up quite young in little girls. “I remember when I was young,” reminisces Paarika, an IT employee, “the world was a much simpler place to live in. I had my Barbie and my kitchen set and that was all that I needed.” she adds. Stuffed toys, miniature utensils, playing “house-house”, endless make up trials on dolls and baking mud pies is all that is needed to keep a little girl occupied and let her weave her dreams of her perfect home. Most girls would even have names picked out for their children. “Its true”, says Vedika, a college student. “I picked out the names of my kids when I was around 12 years old. There is a certain perception that we have about life that is quite different from men. Being women, naturally, factors such as home and children make a very essential part of planning the life process at that age” she adds with a smile.
Growing Up
Some one very wise once said, “An adolescent is somebody who is in-between things. A teenager is someone who is kind of permanently there.” Kripa agrees.”When my daughter blossomed into a beautiful young girl, I saw less and less of her. She was always on the phone with her friends, sometimes even late at night,” she says. Teenage is considered to be synonymous with rebellion. Women being as emancipated as they are today, refuse to take it lying down. She does a lot of things that she would not be particularly proud of later on, but hey, at least, she’s living life king errr queen size! “That is so true”, says Deepthi, an aspiring film maker. “I got my nose pierced when I was seventeen. Dad was so angry, he refused to talk to me for three days,” she laughs. “That however did not deter me from getting my first tattoo on my eighteenth birthday. For me, it was more than body art. It was a form of self expression,” she adds with a grin.
A lot of the innocence and charm of childhood is invariably lost when the little girls grow breasts and begin to pay more attention to their bodies. The little girl in pink strangely vanishes, and her wardrobe is replaced either predominantly with the color black, or an array of loud and jarring colors. Clothes too mysteriously begin to shorten in length as she grows up. Fashion, films, friends and more importantly boys become the centre of their world. Right from crushes, to boyfriends, to piercings, tattoos and heavy metal bands– there are many firsts that a teenage girl witnesses. However dark and testing this period may seem, this is when the woman metamorphosizes into what she ultimately turn out to be. Pyjama parties bring forth friends for life. As teenage begins to draw out into adult hood, she is armed with the realization that the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair, but is the real woman that lies within her, making her truly beautiful.
The Institution of Marriage
Marriage is an important milestone in every girl’s life. “Marriage is a commitment one makes for life,” says social worker Anjali Chandhok. “To me, that (marriage as well as commitment) is extremely sacred,” she says. The sanctity of marriage is what a lot of women swear by. It is not something that grows overnight; the planning begins very early on. “I had my whole wedding planned out when I was about nineteen or twenty,” laughs Neethi Chandra, a homemaker. “I had to get married to understand that marriages and weddings are completely different. The wedding was a mere ceremony. Marriage was a whole different ballgame.”
Moving out from the parental home into a strange household is a mentally taxing process. Changes, in the form of lifestyle, freedom and relationships can take any woman by surprise. A great deal of adjustment and understanding is what a marriage initially means to most women. Adapting to the change can be extremely difficult and that is what causes most marriages to fail. Mothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and various other in-law’s become something that women begin to fear at first, and then detest. However that is not the case all the time. As Neethi says “I had the most wonderful mother in law. She was just like my own mother and we seldom disagreed on anything.” Women today are smarter and mature enough to deal with nagging mothers-in-law. “Most urban women share a deep bond of understanding with their in-laws. The feeling is not just one sided. It is mutual,” concludes Neethi.
Maa Tujhe Salaam
The life cycle of a woman is truly complete when she becomes a mother. Becoming a parent, a mother at that is not an easy job. If you are a working woman, you can just about kiss your peaceful life goodbye once the baby comes. “As a woman who has always been and into her work, it was scary when I realized that I was going to become a mother. I thought of all the sacrifices I was going to have to make and it literally drove me up the wall. It has been a year now, and I don’t regret a single day that I have spent at home, looking after my kid” writes Shravani Singh, an assistant news editor with a leading newspaper and a full time mother on her blog. Bringing up a child can be a lot of fun and hard work at the same time. “It doesn’t matter if you are working or a full time mom, either way you’d wish that the day had at least 30 hours,” she writes.
Watching your bundle of joy take its first baby steps, utter its first words and laugh at the sound of its mother’s voice is what makes motherhood the divine experience that it is. But all good things have to come to an end. As the little one grows up into a beautiful young lady or a handsome young lad, the woman comes to realize that it is finally time to let them go. “Today, I see my daughter is starting to exercise her will. I would like to see her fly, but I fear that I will have to let to let my baby grow. That is life,” Sharavani writes with an air of understanding. “She will have her share of triumphs and will also make her mistakes, but I know that she’s aware of the fact that we will laugh them over and at times cry over them too”.
“Both my son and my daughter are grown up and married. They are the sun and moon to me and given a choice, I would do it all over again, without changing a thing,” says Anita Nair, a retired teacher. “Even today, they come to me for advice and when they need someone to talk to. That is when I realized that I can never stop becoming their mother. Whether they are five or fifty, it’s a comforting feeling to know that I am still needed” she continues. Like Oscar Wilde once said: All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his.
All in all women can be charming and exquisite, sexy and infinitely cleverer than most men. They can also be less pompous and less important. They can entice a man to destruction. They can be sex symbols or prostitutes, bar dancers or feminists. They can be power hungry career women or content homemakers. They are the women that seduce you on screen; they are the ones that clean your house. Yet, they don’t stop being beautiful. For true beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but is reflected in her soul. It is the care that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years. And that like the lyrics of a popular English song; is the strength of a woman.
The woman. The mother. The virgin. The symbol of all that is pure and chaste. The eternal manifestation of beauty. God’s loveliest creation. When John Keats said “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”, we have every reason to believe that he was referring to the creation that is; a woman. Love her or hate her, you definitely cannot afford to ignore her. From being the apple of her father’s eyes, to doting on her grandchildren, there are many roles a woman fulfills in one lifetime. Yet you never hear her complain. A peep into the journey of a woman – as a daughter, a mother, a friend and more…
Daddy’s Little Princess
There is something about a little girl dressed in pink. Not only does she look as cute as a button, but there is pure innocence that shines in her eyes. In her world, everything is simple. There is nothing that Daddy cannot do. When Daddy says “You are my little princess”, she knows that he means it. “A daughter is definitely easier to bring up than a son” says Kripa Subramaniam, mother of two, a son and a daughter. “My daughter was calmer and a much easier baby growing up. She threw lesser tantrums and even helped me take care of my son, although she was just a little girl herself. My son, on the other hand, was the exact opposite.”
Maternal instincts seem to spring up quite young in little girls. “I remember when I was young,” reminisces Paarika, an IT employee, “the world was a much simpler place to live in. I had my Barbie and my kitchen set and that was all that I needed.” she adds. Stuffed toys, miniature utensils, playing “house-house”, endless make up trials on dolls and baking mud pies is all that is needed to keep a little girl occupied and let her weave her dreams of her perfect home. Most girls would even have names picked out for their children. “Its true”, says Vedika, a college student. “I picked out the names of my kids when I was around 12 years old. There is a certain perception that we have about life that is quite different from men. Being women, naturally, factors such as home and children make a very essential part of planning the life process at that age” she adds with a smile.
Growing Up
Some one very wise once said, “An adolescent is somebody who is in-between things. A teenager is someone who is kind of permanently there.” Kripa agrees.”When my daughter blossomed into a beautiful young girl, I saw less and less of her. She was always on the phone with her friends, sometimes even late at night,” she says. Teenage is considered to be synonymous with rebellion. Women being as emancipated as they are today, refuse to take it lying down. She does a lot of things that she would not be particularly proud of later on, but hey, at least, she’s living life king errr queen size! “That is so true”, says Deepthi, an aspiring film maker. “I got my nose pierced when I was seventeen. Dad was so angry, he refused to talk to me for three days,” she laughs. “That however did not deter me from getting my first tattoo on my eighteenth birthday. For me, it was more than body art. It was a form of self expression,” she adds with a grin.
A lot of the innocence and charm of childhood is invariably lost when the little girls grow breasts and begin to pay more attention to their bodies. The little girl in pink strangely vanishes, and her wardrobe is replaced either predominantly with the color black, or an array of loud and jarring colors. Clothes too mysteriously begin to shorten in length as she grows up. Fashion, films, friends and more importantly boys become the centre of their world. Right from crushes, to boyfriends, to piercings, tattoos and heavy metal bands– there are many firsts that a teenage girl witnesses. However dark and testing this period may seem, this is when the woman metamorphosizes into what she ultimately turn out to be. Pyjama parties bring forth friends for life. As teenage begins to draw out into adult hood, she is armed with the realization that the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair, but is the real woman that lies within her, making her truly beautiful.
The Institution of Marriage
Marriage is an important milestone in every girl’s life. “Marriage is a commitment one makes for life,” says social worker Anjali Chandhok. “To me, that (marriage as well as commitment) is extremely sacred,” she says. The sanctity of marriage is what a lot of women swear by. It is not something that grows overnight; the planning begins very early on. “I had my whole wedding planned out when I was about nineteen or twenty,” laughs Neethi Chandra, a homemaker. “I had to get married to understand that marriages and weddings are completely different. The wedding was a mere ceremony. Marriage was a whole different ballgame.”
Moving out from the parental home into a strange household is a mentally taxing process. Changes, in the form of lifestyle, freedom and relationships can take any woman by surprise. A great deal of adjustment and understanding is what a marriage initially means to most women. Adapting to the change can be extremely difficult and that is what causes most marriages to fail. Mothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and various other in-law’s become something that women begin to fear at first, and then detest. However that is not the case all the time. As Neethi says “I had the most wonderful mother in law. She was just like my own mother and we seldom disagreed on anything.” Women today are smarter and mature enough to deal with nagging mothers-in-law. “Most urban women share a deep bond of understanding with their in-laws. The feeling is not just one sided. It is mutual,” concludes Neethi.
Maa Tujhe Salaam
The life cycle of a woman is truly complete when she becomes a mother. Becoming a parent, a mother at that is not an easy job. If you are a working woman, you can just about kiss your peaceful life goodbye once the baby comes. “As a woman who has always been and into her work, it was scary when I realized that I was going to become a mother. I thought of all the sacrifices I was going to have to make and it literally drove me up the wall. It has been a year now, and I don’t regret a single day that I have spent at home, looking after my kid” writes Shravani Singh, an assistant news editor with a leading newspaper and a full time mother on her blog. Bringing up a child can be a lot of fun and hard work at the same time. “It doesn’t matter if you are working or a full time mom, either way you’d wish that the day had at least 30 hours,” she writes.
Watching your bundle of joy take its first baby steps, utter its first words and laugh at the sound of its mother’s voice is what makes motherhood the divine experience that it is. But all good things have to come to an end. As the little one grows up into a beautiful young lady or a handsome young lad, the woman comes to realize that it is finally time to let them go. “Today, I see my daughter is starting to exercise her will. I would like to see her fly, but I fear that I will have to let to let my baby grow. That is life,” Sharavani writes with an air of understanding. “She will have her share of triumphs and will also make her mistakes, but I know that she’s aware of the fact that we will laugh them over and at times cry over them too”.
“Both my son and my daughter are grown up and married. They are the sun and moon to me and given a choice, I would do it all over again, without changing a thing,” says Anita Nair, a retired teacher. “Even today, they come to me for advice and when they need someone to talk to. That is when I realized that I can never stop becoming their mother. Whether they are five or fifty, it’s a comforting feeling to know that I am still needed” she continues. Like Oscar Wilde once said: All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his.
All in all women can be charming and exquisite, sexy and infinitely cleverer than most men. They can also be less pompous and less important. They can entice a man to destruction. They can be sex symbols or prostitutes, bar dancers or feminists. They can be power hungry career women or content homemakers. They are the women that seduce you on screen; they are the ones that clean your house. Yet, they don’t stop being beautiful. For true beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but is reflected in her soul. It is the care that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years. And that like the lyrics of a popular English song; is the strength of a woman.
Sunday 23 August 2009
What Women Want
Mel Gibson had to shock himself in the movie “What Women Want” in order to truly answer that question and gain perspective into a woman’s mind. Most men, when it comes to women aren’t so lucky. The eternal complaint among most members of the male species is that women are extremely hard to understand and thus they are left at a loss when it comes to figuring out what women really want!
Impressing a woman by trying to act cool or say things that are considered to be “pick up” lines can be very big turn off’s to most women. Pick up lines which most men use are very redundant and the woman is so used to being hit on with these pick up lines that they get bored easily and sometimes even get irritated. Bad shoes, body odor and sloppy dressing are big no-no’s when it comes to going on a date. Women prefer men who are well turned out and pay a little attention to themselves. Women make the effort, so why cant men? While on a date, eating in a disgusting way, talking about themselves, being rude the waiters and boring the living daylights out a person are considered to be dating disasters by a majority of women.
But all hope is not lost! When it comes to figuring out women, men just need to think simply and out of the box. Women appreciate and in fact love simplicity. What she needs for her birthday is not that expensive watch that can seem to be the perfect gift, but just a simple bouquet of roses and a box of candy which could work wonders. Women are suckers for chivalry. Therefore, opening the door for a woman, standing up when she gets up to leave or when she enters and other small acts of chivalry such as complimenting her can earn a man brownie points not only on a date, but otherwise as well. Honesty is another thing that most women swear by, so if a man is impressed by a woman and really likes her, he should just go ahead and tell her so genuinely. Women can see right through all attempts of trying to put on a show of being very gallant, so the best thing would be to try and not act gallant. A guy who can tickle a woman’s funny bone makes an immediate headway when it comes to impressing her. Any woman loves a guy who can make her laugh. Being funny without being crude is an art by itself, so being funny is definitely an added advantage. A woman’s biggest grouse is that men don’t listen when they talk. So, all men out there who look like they are in a history class when their women talk, one piece of advice – listen!
Figuring out what women want is not necessarily simple, but it is not that complicated either. Like the lyrics of Christina Aguilera’s song goes, what a woman wants is just what makes her happy and sets her free.
Impressing a woman by trying to act cool or say things that are considered to be “pick up” lines can be very big turn off’s to most women. Pick up lines which most men use are very redundant and the woman is so used to being hit on with these pick up lines that they get bored easily and sometimes even get irritated. Bad shoes, body odor and sloppy dressing are big no-no’s when it comes to going on a date. Women prefer men who are well turned out and pay a little attention to themselves. Women make the effort, so why cant men? While on a date, eating in a disgusting way, talking about themselves, being rude the waiters and boring the living daylights out a person are considered to be dating disasters by a majority of women.
But all hope is not lost! When it comes to figuring out women, men just need to think simply and out of the box. Women appreciate and in fact love simplicity. What she needs for her birthday is not that expensive watch that can seem to be the perfect gift, but just a simple bouquet of roses and a box of candy which could work wonders. Women are suckers for chivalry. Therefore, opening the door for a woman, standing up when she gets up to leave or when she enters and other small acts of chivalry such as complimenting her can earn a man brownie points not only on a date, but otherwise as well. Honesty is another thing that most women swear by, so if a man is impressed by a woman and really likes her, he should just go ahead and tell her so genuinely. Women can see right through all attempts of trying to put on a show of being very gallant, so the best thing would be to try and not act gallant. A guy who can tickle a woman’s funny bone makes an immediate headway when it comes to impressing her. Any woman loves a guy who can make her laugh. Being funny without being crude is an art by itself, so being funny is definitely an added advantage. A woman’s biggest grouse is that men don’t listen when they talk. So, all men out there who look like they are in a history class when their women talk, one piece of advice – listen!
Figuring out what women want is not necessarily simple, but it is not that complicated either. Like the lyrics of Christina Aguilera’s song goes, what a woman wants is just what makes her happy and sets her free.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Happiness
Happiness is, was and will always continue to be a very relative and strangely misunderstood term. The search for happiness or atleast to find an answer to the question as to what happiness really means is never ending. People often lose sight of themselves in the pursuit of this so called relative happiness. People change in this pursuit. Why? Why are people, people like me and you really clueless about the true meaning of happiness? The bottom line is… do we really know what makes us happy? Are we really the true masters of what makes us happy?
I asked a few people, a few friends actually what happiness meant to them. If they really could define happiness. I got a couple of interesting and really thoughtful answers. A good friend of mine defined happiness most beautifully. If there ever could be a way to describe it, this would fit perfectly. "Happiness is a feeling, something that you experience when your needs are fulfilled". I went like "Wow". I was stumped. That was a pretty good insight of things. Being the kind of person I am, I got more curious and I decided to probe.
I ask him "So are you telling me that materialistic things make you happy?"
Pat comes the reply "No".
"But doesnt that just contradict what you just told me?" , I question further.
"Not necessarily" he says to me " You can also be happy if you are able to quench your thirst when you are relieve. You could be happy when you think of an old memory, of someone or something right"
"Hmmm". I wonder. And the conversation ends there.
That got me wondering. Can a memory of someone or something really trigger off a feeling of happiness? I tried to think of something, a memory that triggered a feeling of happiness in me. Luckily (??) I found that I had plenty to choose from. My first job, completing a tough photofeature on time (whew that was a task altogether), writing about things that really matter (sometimes that don't) were all memories that triggered happiness or in plain simple terms made me feel good. Next, I thought of the people that made me happy. Once again, I had a handful of them picked out - the ones that brought a smile to my face when I thought of them or the times that I spent with them.
At the end of this I realised something. There were plenty of happy memories, plenty of people who made me happy; but there hasn't been a single day of my life where I can look back and say: "Wow! What a great day!!" Something or the other has to invariably go wrong with it.
It was almost as if it were a crime to be happy all the time!! Alright. 24 hours.
This realization hit me like a stone in the face. Was my life this sad? In the 22 odd years I have lived, I have just 22 people or 22 memories to pick from? What kind of a sad life did I live anyway? Was I really that hopeless.
Then came another realisation (yes there was another :P)
My happiness would have been confined to 22 memories or 22 people, but it has been these 22 memories and these 22 people that have shown me the true meaning of what it is like to feel loved and wanted. What it is like to be happy. What it is like to be me.
Happily signing off!!!
P.S: First post of the year comes a shameful 4 months after it has begun. Must resolve to write more often.
Wednesday 10 December 2008
A Toast!!
They say that it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them a day to love them and an entire lifetime to forget them. Well I maynot have lived a lifetime but I want to take a moment and retrospect. I want to thank those special people in my life and what better way to do it than here.
This is part one. Dedicated to the MEN. The ones whom I have learned a lot from. The ones indeed who have made a difference. (No offense ladies! I started out with this one because the list is shorter :P and its more easier to put down. There is one more coming up exclusively to all of you).
So here is a big thank you to all of you listed below for in your own special little way, you have made my life more special :)
1. Mr N.Sadashivan Nair - My grandfather - The single one person whom I cannot imagine my life without. If I am what I am today its only because of you and I am deeply deeply greatful for that. From you I learned that no task is impossible and no goal is unattainable. I couldnt want more from you.
2. R.Ravi - My father - For being the kind of father that he is. From him I learned that everyone makes mistakes and life is all about forgiving those little mistakes. Thanks Acha for breaking your traditional ways and letting me be the way I am.
3. Rahul S Narayanan - My friend, philosopher and guide. From you I have learned that a guy and a girl can indeed be the BEST of friends despite all distances. He is the guy I can call up and talk to in the middle of the night, even if I havent spoken to him in months.
4. Ganesh R - My best friend - From you I learned patience and tolerance, things that I dint think I had in me. From you I learned that men are as sensitive as women and most importantly, they need to be taken care of. From you I also learned what it is like to be so passionate about something, that you forget the world around you. Thank you Ganesh for telling me that life is about appreciating the beauty of the little things around you.
5. Jonathan Lamech - One of my closest pals - From you I learned to appreciate the darker side of things. You taught me one big lesson - the art of accepting people for what they are. Thanks for all the times that you have told me not to let people walk all over me and thanks for being one of the most constant things in my life since I met you. It does mean a lot that I have someone to fall back on when everything else goes haywire.
6. Ravi Chaitanyaa - Colleague and more from IGS - Simply put - For being my mirror reflection.
7. Tarun Shan - The friend I love to hate - From you I learned the art of giving my best shot at something that I believe in. You taught me about committment and how difficult it is to stick to them. Trust me I am still learning. Most important of all, you taught me in your own little way that people's lives did matter and that is probably the one big thing that I respect you for. Otherwise Tarun, you are a jerk :P
8. Mohan Ram - My best friend's boyfriend - From you I learned about commitment of a different kind. I learned what it takes to be comitted to a relationship. Thanks to you, I have gone from being a feminist to someone who supports gender equality. :) Thank you Mohan, for making me see the other side and being the best boyfriend to one of the most important people in my life.
9. Ernest Reynold Paiva - Colleague and friend from IGS - From you I learned how to take things lightly. Thanks for being that person whom I can identify with most of the time.
10. Ranjith Nair - My brother - For being the brat that he is. For showing me my dark side. For proving to me that I can get really angry and frustrated. For making me cry by saying the worst of atrocities. However there is something that perhaps nobody else would have taught me but him - that blood indeed is thicker than water.
11. Seshasayee Gopi - For showing me the beauty of the written English language. For moving me to tears with his work. For giving me the chance to put my thoughts onto paper and having faith in me.
12. Vasanth Thomas - Colleague and Friend from IGS - For making me laugh my guts out.
13. Krishnan N - Team Leader for PE at Ajuba - For showing me that being a leader or being in charge of a team did not mean dictatorship and for simply being the wonderful person that he is and always will be.
14. Ratheesh Chandran - For being an absolute darling and paying for everything..Lol not only that, for just being the most genuine show off that he is.
15. Sam/ Manjunath - For showing me that friends sometimes are not forever. For making the three years of my life extremely memorable in a class filled with women hating men..!! For holding my hand all the times I cried and for taking turns to sleep when the exams were on. If you happen to read this, please gimme a call!!!
I think that about sums it up and contrary to what I thought, the list is indeed gone past the 10 mark. Now I know for a fact that probably not even ONE of these 15 souls mentioned here is going to read this but then, in case you do happen to read this, I want to clarify that there is no particular order of some sort that I followed while writing this. It is just names that came into my mind at random and I put them down. I guess what I am trying to say is that I wasnt trying to be partial in anyway. Everyone of you are special in your own different ways, and it means a lot.
Comments are welcome.
P.S if i have forgotten anyone please do leave a comment. :P
This is part one. Dedicated to the MEN. The ones whom I have learned a lot from. The ones indeed who have made a difference. (No offense ladies! I started out with this one because the list is shorter :P and its more easier to put down. There is one more coming up exclusively to all of you).
So here is a big thank you to all of you listed below for in your own special little way, you have made my life more special :)
1. Mr N.Sadashivan Nair - My grandfather - The single one person whom I cannot imagine my life without. If I am what I am today its only because of you and I am deeply deeply greatful for that. From you I learned that no task is impossible and no goal is unattainable. I couldnt want more from you.
2. R.Ravi - My father - For being the kind of father that he is. From him I learned that everyone makes mistakes and life is all about forgiving those little mistakes. Thanks Acha for breaking your traditional ways and letting me be the way I am.
3. Rahul S Narayanan - My friend, philosopher and guide. From you I have learned that a guy and a girl can indeed be the BEST of friends despite all distances. He is the guy I can call up and talk to in the middle of the night, even if I havent spoken to him in months.
4. Ganesh R - My best friend - From you I learned patience and tolerance, things that I dint think I had in me. From you I learned that men are as sensitive as women and most importantly, they need to be taken care of. From you I also learned what it is like to be so passionate about something, that you forget the world around you. Thank you Ganesh for telling me that life is about appreciating the beauty of the little things around you.
5. Jonathan Lamech - One of my closest pals - From you I learned to appreciate the darker side of things. You taught me one big lesson - the art of accepting people for what they are. Thanks for all the times that you have told me not to let people walk all over me and thanks for being one of the most constant things in my life since I met you. It does mean a lot that I have someone to fall back on when everything else goes haywire.
6. Ravi Chaitanyaa - Colleague and more from IGS - Simply put - For being my mirror reflection.
7. Tarun Shan - The friend I love to hate - From you I learned the art of giving my best shot at something that I believe in. You taught me about committment and how difficult it is to stick to them. Trust me I am still learning. Most important of all, you taught me in your own little way that people's lives did matter and that is probably the one big thing that I respect you for. Otherwise Tarun, you are a jerk :P
8. Mohan Ram - My best friend's boyfriend - From you I learned about commitment of a different kind. I learned what it takes to be comitted to a relationship. Thanks to you, I have gone from being a feminist to someone who supports gender equality. :) Thank you Mohan, for making me see the other side and being the best boyfriend to one of the most important people in my life.
9. Ernest Reynold Paiva - Colleague and friend from IGS - From you I learned how to take things lightly. Thanks for being that person whom I can identify with most of the time.
10. Ranjith Nair - My brother - For being the brat that he is. For showing me my dark side. For proving to me that I can get really angry and frustrated. For making me cry by saying the worst of atrocities. However there is something that perhaps nobody else would have taught me but him - that blood indeed is thicker than water.
11. Seshasayee Gopi - For showing me the beauty of the written English language. For moving me to tears with his work. For giving me the chance to put my thoughts onto paper and having faith in me.
12. Vasanth Thomas - Colleague and Friend from IGS - For making me laugh my guts out.
13. Krishnan N - Team Leader for PE at Ajuba - For showing me that being a leader or being in charge of a team did not mean dictatorship and for simply being the wonderful person that he is and always will be.
14. Ratheesh Chandran - For being an absolute darling and paying for everything..Lol not only that, for just being the most genuine show off that he is.
15. Sam/ Manjunath - For showing me that friends sometimes are not forever. For making the three years of my life extremely memorable in a class filled with women hating men..!! For holding my hand all the times I cried and for taking turns to sleep when the exams were on. If you happen to read this, please gimme a call!!!
I think that about sums it up and contrary to what I thought, the list is indeed gone past the 10 mark. Now I know for a fact that probably not even ONE of these 15 souls mentioned here is going to read this but then, in case you do happen to read this, I want to clarify that there is no particular order of some sort that I followed while writing this. It is just names that came into my mind at random and I put them down. I guess what I am trying to say is that I wasnt trying to be partial in anyway. Everyone of you are special in your own different ways, and it means a lot.
Comments are welcome.
P.S if i have forgotten anyone please do leave a comment. :P
Tuesday 28 October 2008
India Shining?
India's youth is a standing representation of the nation on a global scale. They are the torch bearers of the nation's pride - the pioneers of India's future. Some of the nation's youth have succeeded in making a mark in various fields like sports, art, cinema and business - A genre of Indians we could call global Indians perhaps? Although the achievement of these Indians are commendable and has made a difference, why is that the development come to a standstill on a national scale? The energetic youngsters who are excelling in almost everything they do, shying away from politics wherein lies the real development and future of the nation?
The involvement of youth in politics seems to be confined to election day. Some dont even go through the trouble of casting their votes, however are on the forefront when it comes to criticizing the nation's existent leaders and its policies. The politicians in the parliament today may lack morality or integrity (or in some cases, both)but how fair is it to pass a judgment on them? Its about time the focus be shifted and the youth of the country learn to value their rights and bring about significant changes in the political governance rather than resorting to complaint and criticism.
General knowledge and basic civic sense is what needs to incorporated in the school and college syllabi which concentrates mainly on science and math. It is only of a person is truly informed and educated that he/she can be truly active and productive members of the society. A thorough understanding of legal and political system of the country as well as proposing solutions to the problems faced by these sectors needs to be the primary focus.
Lack of exposure has led student political movements to take a back seat in campuses today. The government has to realise its duty towards the youth and develop means by which they can express themselves either by expansion of interschool networks or through their local council. Publications and forums that allow young people to voice their opinions must be encouraged.
The need of a young politician on the front benches suggest that age is vice by itself. No government can survive without seasoned voices. Some of the notable performers of the government have also been its connoisseur campaigners. What the nation needs is a healthy balance between youth and experience. A superior government that can lead the country into a victorious march is the need of the hour - with the young guns (hopefully) leading the way.
The involvement of youth in politics seems to be confined to election day. Some dont even go through the trouble of casting their votes, however are on the forefront when it comes to criticizing the nation's existent leaders and its policies. The politicians in the parliament today may lack morality or integrity (or in some cases, both)but how fair is it to pass a judgment on them? Its about time the focus be shifted and the youth of the country learn to value their rights and bring about significant changes in the political governance rather than resorting to complaint and criticism.
General knowledge and basic civic sense is what needs to incorporated in the school and college syllabi which concentrates mainly on science and math. It is only of a person is truly informed and educated that he/she can be truly active and productive members of the society. A thorough understanding of legal and political system of the country as well as proposing solutions to the problems faced by these sectors needs to be the primary focus.
Lack of exposure has led student political movements to take a back seat in campuses today. The government has to realise its duty towards the youth and develop means by which they can express themselves either by expansion of interschool networks or through their local council. Publications and forums that allow young people to voice their opinions must be encouraged.
The need of a young politician on the front benches suggest that age is vice by itself. No government can survive without seasoned voices. Some of the notable performers of the government have also been its connoisseur campaigners. What the nation needs is a healthy balance between youth and experience. A superior government that can lead the country into a victorious march is the need of the hour - with the young guns (hopefully) leading the way.
Friday 24 October 2008
Confused Ramblings
The concept of God has always been a controversial one. I often wonder why. For some it is an easy thing to accept whereas for others it quite is not. For me it is not. Why? Why cant I accept that there is a God? Maybe I do. Well the truth is I dont really know.
I am a firm believer in destiny. I believe that destiny can be controlled and it is something that I have control over. I have always lived my life the way I have wanted to and hence I strongly believe that I am the creator of my destiny. I also believe that I have been put here for a purpose. Now that is something that I am yet to figure out. My purpose. I know that I am not the kind who is going to make some significant contribution to the world or something. Lets just leave that to the brainy ones and the ones who truly believe that they can make a difference. I know I am not cut out for it. I just want to lead a good life, I tell myself.
Well then why is it that I dont believe in God. Does that make me an aethesit? I am not too sure. I know there is something that is bigger than me. Something that "allows" me to write my destiny and ultimately will lead me to fulfill my purpose, whatever that is. Do you want to call that GOD? Well. Maybe it is, maybe it really isnt.
For me, God is definately not in the idol that I worship. I grew up listening to the same stories that everyone does. Stories of Krishna and Shiva. Stories of Jesus and Allah. These remained to be just stories for me. Somehow it never affected my relegious faith or whatever. It never even struck me for an instant that I was from a different relegion as my friend. If this thought could have been planted in my head then I am sure that it could have been planted in a million other heads too.
A strange thing happened to me once. Somehow I feel an intense connection with churches. There is this church that I go to. I go to this church when I am in the lowest point of my life. When I feel all is lost and I just need things to be right. I sit at the church and just talk to myself and at the end of it I wish for something to happen. Contrary to whatever reservations I have about the existance of God and everything, I got my wish EVERY single time. Did I pray at the church, NO. Did I believe in Christianity? NO. I just needed to lift my spirits. I guess this is what the term miracle means.
This is turning out to sound confused isnt it? First I say no god. Then I say yeah maybe there is...miracles. The truth of it is that I have something that I believe in. Whether that belief is what I would call faith in God or myself or destiny - I still dont know. There are times when not knowing things in itself clears out confusion and things seem clearer. Maybe, just maybe this is one of those times.
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