There are very few songs from the rock bands that have the soothing, allaying effect on me. Hence I reluctantly agreed to my friend's suggestion to listen to her current favorite song from a rock group. My mind was in turmoil then and I was planning to appease it with some classical or Celtic music. Still on my friend's insistence, I decided to listen to this song, "Afterglow" by INXS. I had not heard INXS before.
And there I sat dumbfounded when I listened to it for the first time. From then on, I have been listening to it. Indeed, a very beautiful song! It gives me an impression of sailing on a smooth sea.:)
An important trivia about this song is that the new lead singer is J.D. Fortune. Yes, you guessed it right. He was the winner of the Rock star show. He has got a very enchanting, penetrating voice. How I wish we could get such winners on our Indian Idol shows (sigh!!)!!
And by the way, I thought I heard Saarangi here and there in this song. If you guys ever happen to listen to this song, lemme know if you heard it too! And if that is Saarangi, then I must say that it is a very good fusion experimentation that they have done.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
The Pleasure of Giving:)
I must confess that I love giving gifts to people. I love their smiles and expressions when they receive the gifts. It is more fun when you give surprise gifts to people.:) I always find that gifts are more meaningful when you give people what they always wanted to buy. But then it is not very easy to find out what the person wants and even if you get to know, you will have to check if that is within your budget. :D
Most of them find it tough to get the right gifts for the right people. A couple of days back, my friend was complaining to me that she was getting a bit jaded about her husband's gifts. She said that she found the gifts from him quite bizarre. Once he gave her a huge painting and my friend, who barely understood art, did not even understand the head or the tail of that piece. Next time, he gave her this western classical CD. And she said that she never opened it till to date.:) Now I know that her husband is a very, very good human being. My friend feared that she would hurt his feelings if she spoke to him about the gifts.:)
Another friend of mine finds it tough to select gifts for people. So she prefers taking people to the shop, asking them to select whatever they want and then buying it for them. She says that she finds this more satisfying because atleast she knows that they are getting what they want!:)
Some people find this whole process of buying gifts very complicated so they resort to giving money as a gift. Now, you can also get gift certificates from different shops. But that reminds me of an experience that I had. One of the organizations, that I worked with before, had gifted us with a gift certificate worth Rs.1000 at one of the very reputed, expensive home stores. But we started discovering that most of the useful items there were priced much, much above Rs.1000.:) So then we had to buy things which we did not want and the only reason we bought them was that those items cost less.:)
Well, whatever it is, I am definitely in love with the giving part. The concept of gifts might sound very materialistic to some. But for me , they give abundant pleasure. As I mentioned before, the smiles on the faces are very priceless and remind me about the joy of giving.:)
Most of them find it tough to get the right gifts for the right people. A couple of days back, my friend was complaining to me that she was getting a bit jaded about her husband's gifts. She said that she found the gifts from him quite bizarre. Once he gave her a huge painting and my friend, who barely understood art, did not even understand the head or the tail of that piece. Next time, he gave her this western classical CD. And she said that she never opened it till to date.:) Now I know that her husband is a very, very good human being. My friend feared that she would hurt his feelings if she spoke to him about the gifts.:)
Another friend of mine finds it tough to select gifts for people. So she prefers taking people to the shop, asking them to select whatever they want and then buying it for them. She says that she finds this more satisfying because atleast she knows that they are getting what they want!:)
Some people find this whole process of buying gifts very complicated so they resort to giving money as a gift. Now, you can also get gift certificates from different shops. But that reminds me of an experience that I had. One of the organizations, that I worked with before, had gifted us with a gift certificate worth Rs.1000 at one of the very reputed, expensive home stores. But we started discovering that most of the useful items there were priced much, much above Rs.1000.:) So then we had to buy things which we did not want and the only reason we bought them was that those items cost less.:)
Well, whatever it is, I am definitely in love with the giving part. The concept of gifts might sound very materialistic to some. But for me , they give abundant pleasure. As I mentioned before, the smiles on the faces are very priceless and remind me about the joy of giving.:)
Monday, June 19, 2006
Aaa....aaaa...aakshiiii!!
I have been sneezing and sneezing since one week. This common ( I wonder why it is called common!!!) cold is getting nastier and nastier. I start sneezing all of a sudden and take people by surprise ( or shall i say shock??) . Just when I am at an interesting point of narration, I sneeze. As I am crossing the most busiest road, I sneeze. When there is a pin drop silence in the conference room, I sneeze. And the problem is that, it does not end with one sneeze. It is a chain of sneezings. And my state after this series of sneezings is absolutely hapless. I feel so sapped out of energy and I become so teary-eyed. Many a times, people mistake that I am sobbing and they come to console me or give me suspicious glances.:)
An interesting trivia about sneezing that I got from abcnews.com (may be i will feel better about sneezing after I read this!!):
It turns out your sneeze may not be as original as you think. According to researchers, a sneeze style may be a genetic trait passed down from generation to generation.
An interesting trivia about sneezing that I got from abcnews.com (may be i will feel better about sneezing after I read this!!):
So what does your sneeze say about you?
If you're a single sneezer that turns away when you sneeze, Wood would classify you as a "nice sneezer." These people are characterized as being warm, helpful, supportive and nurturing of others.
Or are you the type to let a big loud sneeze out? These sneezers, or "get it done" sneezers, are found to be fast, decisive and to the point. They typically make the best leaders.
Do you always keep tissues handy and cover your mouth when you feel a sneeze coming? These are the "be right" sneezers and are typically the careful, accurate, deep-thinking type.
The last group are the "enthusiastic" sneezers, Wood said. These are the people with sneezes you notice — such as your grandfather whose sneezes perhaps terrify you, or your co-worker who always sneezes five times. The enthusiastic sneezers were found to be charismatic and social and have the ability to motivate others.
It turns out your sneeze may not be as original as you think. According to researchers, a sneeze style may be a genetic trait passed down from generation to generation.
"There is a certain innate pattern to the way we sneeze, and it probably is genetic in some ways," said Dr. Frederic Little, assistant professor of medicine at Boston University.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Tishnagi
I think the lyrics of this song TISHNAGI by Shaan are very meaningful. I also liked the way Shaan has sung this.
Few lines from the song:
Naa koi kami hai
Naa hai kisise ranjish koi
Yu to har khushi hai
Phir bhi jaane kyun main khush nahi
Aye meri zindagi
Jane kiski talaash mein hain sabhi
Bas itanaa bataa kab bujhegi meri tishnagi
Few lines from the song:
Naa koi kami hai
Naa hai kisise ranjish koi
Yu to har khushi hai
Phir bhi jaane kyun main khush nahi
Aye meri zindagi
Jane kiski talaash mein hain sabhi
Bas itanaa bataa kab bujhegi meri tishnagi
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
A melancholic song
I know her from my childhood. She stayed at our house for some time during her job hunt phase. I was very surprised when I got the news that she had announced at home that she had found her to-be-husband herself. It was somewhat a revolutionary act considering the type of conservative household she came from. She did not ask anyone's consent and went ahead with the marriage.
After her marriage, I did not see much of her. I heard that even her mom's family did not see much of her too. Someone also told me that she had left her job. I also heard rumours that her husband was a very passive man and would not work at all. Life went on and her memories were blurred. All of a sudden, one day she came to our house unannounced. But this time, she was not alone. She had come with her family- her husband and two kids. We got to know that her husband had been trying out all new ventures in vain. He had lost all the money that he had. Now they wanted to go to Mysore and start some new venture there. She knew that my dad had a house at Mysore. So she wanted to know if he could rent it out to them. My parents generously agreed to their request.
And she disappeared again. Through my dad, I got to know that her family was going through financial crisis and were not paying the rent regularly. This went on for a couple of years. Somewhere I felt that she was taking advantage of my parents' softheartedness. She appeared at our doorstep again after a couple of years. This time she had come to tell us that she and her family would be moving to another house in Mysore itself. This time she looked very pale and weak. Her kids ate as if they had not eaten since months.
Life moved on and I forgot about her again until today. My mom told me that she and her family had come home. There are chances that she is suffering from leukemia. Her husband has a non-earning business. They are trying to put their kids in some ashram because they are not able to take care of them. And now a relative of theirs has volunteered to pay for the Upanayana of their elder son. And finally her husband wants to come to Bangalore to take up some job.
What a life! Is this destiny or self trodden path? Who should be blamed for this state? I have no answers at all.
After her marriage, I did not see much of her. I heard that even her mom's family did not see much of her too. Someone also told me that she had left her job. I also heard rumours that her husband was a very passive man and would not work at all. Life went on and her memories were blurred. All of a sudden, one day she came to our house unannounced. But this time, she was not alone. She had come with her family- her husband and two kids. We got to know that her husband had been trying out all new ventures in vain. He had lost all the money that he had. Now they wanted to go to Mysore and start some new venture there. She knew that my dad had a house at Mysore. So she wanted to know if he could rent it out to them. My parents generously agreed to their request.
And she disappeared again. Through my dad, I got to know that her family was going through financial crisis and were not paying the rent regularly. This went on for a couple of years. Somewhere I felt that she was taking advantage of my parents' softheartedness. She appeared at our doorstep again after a couple of years. This time she had come to tell us that she and her family would be moving to another house in Mysore itself. This time she looked very pale and weak. Her kids ate as if they had not eaten since months.
Life moved on and I forgot about her again until today. My mom told me that she and her family had come home. There are chances that she is suffering from leukemia. Her husband has a non-earning business. They are trying to put their kids in some ashram because they are not able to take care of them. And now a relative of theirs has volunteered to pay for the Upanayana of their elder son. And finally her husband wants to come to Bangalore to take up some job.
What a life! Is this destiny or self trodden path? Who should be blamed for this state? I have no answers at all.
A Little While, A Little While
A little while, a little while,
The weary task is put away,
And I can sing and I can smile,
Alike, while I have holiday.
Why wilt thou go, my harassed heart,
What thought, what scene invites thee now?
What spot, or near or far,
Has rest for thee, my weary brow?
There is a spot, mid barren hills,
Where winter howls, and driving rain;
But if the dreary tempest chills,
There is a light that warms again.
The house is old, the trees are bare,
Moonless above bends twilight's dome;
But what on earth is half so dear,
So longed for, as the hearth of home?
The mute bird sitting on the stone,
The dank moss dripping from the wall,
The thorn-trees gaunt, the walks o'ergrown,
I love them, how I love them all!
Still, as I mused, the naked room,
The alien firelight died away,
And from the midst of cheerless gloom
I passed to bright unclouded day.
A little and a lone green lane
That opened on a common wide;
A distant, dreamy, dim blue chain
Of mountains circling every side;
A heaven so clear, an earth so calm,
So sweet, so soft, so hushed an air;
And, deepening still the dream-like charm,
Wild moor-sheep feeding everywhere.
That was the scene, I knew it well;
I knew the turfy pathway's sweep
That, winding o'er each billowy swell,
Marked out the tracks of wandering sheep.
Even as I stood with raptured eye,
Absorbed in bliss so deep and dear,
My hour of rest had fleeted by,
And back came labour, bondage, care.
Emily Brontë
A little while, a little while,
The weary task is put away,
And I can sing and I can smile,
Alike, while I have holiday.
Why wilt thou go, my harassed heart,
What thought, what scene invites thee now?
What spot, or near or far,
Has rest for thee, my weary brow?
There is a spot, mid barren hills,
Where winter howls, and driving rain;
But if the dreary tempest chills,
There is a light that warms again.
The house is old, the trees are bare,
Moonless above bends twilight's dome;
But what on earth is half so dear,
So longed for, as the hearth of home?
The mute bird sitting on the stone,
The dank moss dripping from the wall,
The thorn-trees gaunt, the walks o'ergrown,
I love them, how I love them all!
Still, as I mused, the naked room,
The alien firelight died away,
And from the midst of cheerless gloom
I passed to bright unclouded day.
A little and a lone green lane
That opened on a common wide;
A distant, dreamy, dim blue chain
Of mountains circling every side;
A heaven so clear, an earth so calm,
So sweet, so soft, so hushed an air;
And, deepening still the dream-like charm,
Wild moor-sheep feeding everywhere.
That was the scene, I knew it well;
I knew the turfy pathway's sweep
That, winding o'er each billowy swell,
Marked out the tracks of wandering sheep.
Even as I stood with raptured eye,
Absorbed in bliss so deep and dear,
My hour of rest had fleeted by,
And back came labour, bondage, care.
Emily Brontë
Sunday, June 11, 2006
My Return Journey
It has been a week since I reached Bangalore.
The whole tour was a very memorable one except few hiccups here and there. Of course, you already know about the lost camera( ouch, that hurts!). But I think the return journey from San Francisco to Bangalore is one of the horrifying experinces I ever had. So the following is an account of my return journey:
I was supposed to fly by British Airways from San Francisco at 4:30 on 2nd June,2006, reach Heathrow at 11:00 AM on 3rd June, 2006 and then take the connecting flight (British Airways) to Bangalore at 14:05 on 3rd June,2006. But when I reached the San Francisco airport, I found that the flight was delayed by 5 hours. So the flight would be at 9:30 PM instead of 4:30 PM. The British Airways staff said that they would put me on Virgin Atlantic till Heathrow as the flight was delayed. So they asked me to check in at Virgin Atlantic counter. But the Virgin Atlantic people told me that they would not do a through check in till Bangalore as British Airways had not asked them to do so. So I ran back to the British Airways counter to clarify on this. They insisted that I fly by Virgin Atlantic so that I would not miss the connecting flight at Heathrow. They said that I would have to re-check in my luggage at Heathrow. I did not think it was practical because I would have only 2 hours at Heathrow. But then the British Airways staff insisted on this. So I agreed to fly by Virgin Atlantic to Heathrow.
While checking in, the Virgin Atlantic staff told me that the baggage restriction was 23 kgs and not 32 kgs ( 32 kgs was the maximum weight specified by British Airways). So I had to pay the extra weight charges.
So amidst all this chaos, I could not properly bid farwell to my aunt and uncle. My mind was all befuddled about what would happen next and if I would be able to handle the situation at Heathrow.
Unfortunately the Virgin Atlantic flight from San Francisco was delayed too by 3 hours. So I reached Heathrow at 13:30 on 3rd June. I went to the baggage counter to claim my luggage as I had to re-check in. But then the airport authorities refused to give my baggage as I did not have the UK visa. And by then I had missed my connecting flight too. So I had to go to the British Airways counter. But the task of approaching the counter itself was so tiresome because of the tight security. And also these terminals are so far that I had to catch a bus every time.
I narrated my story to British Airways staff. They booked me on a flight on Virgin Atlantic to Mumbai at 18:30 on the same day and then on another flight from Mumbai to Bangalore. They were not sure about the baggage problem. So they asked me to approach Virgin Atlantic for this.
I had to catch a bus again to terminal three. When I spoke to them, the Virgin Atlantic staff told me that they had already sent the baggage to British Airways. By this time, I was very, very tired and depressed. So I told them that I would not be able to go back to British Airways and
requested them to do something about it. They called up British Airways and then gave the baggage number. They told me that most probably I would have to lodge a complaint about missing luggage at Mumbai.
So before boarding the Heathrow-Mumbai flight, I spoke to the crew responsible for baggage. And thankfully, my luggage had arrived!!!
I reached Mumbai at 7:30 AM on 4th June. I had to re-check in my luggage for the next flight at 10:30 AM to Bangalore. Finally I reached Bangalore at 12:45 PM on 4th June.
Phew! That was quite a long story.:) Now when I look back at this experience, I know this incident made me wiser and stronger. I guess that is what bad experinces are for, aren't they?
The whole tour was a very memorable one except few hiccups here and there. Of course, you already know about the lost camera( ouch, that hurts!). But I think the return journey from San Francisco to Bangalore is one of the horrifying experinces I ever had. So the following is an account of my return journey:
I was supposed to fly by British Airways from San Francisco at 4:30 on 2nd June,2006, reach Heathrow at 11:00 AM on 3rd June, 2006 and then take the connecting flight (British Airways) to Bangalore at 14:05 on 3rd June,2006. But when I reached the San Francisco airport, I found that the flight was delayed by 5 hours. So the flight would be at 9:30 PM instead of 4:30 PM. The British Airways staff said that they would put me on Virgin Atlantic till Heathrow as the flight was delayed. So they asked me to check in at Virgin Atlantic counter. But the Virgin Atlantic people told me that they would not do a through check in till Bangalore as British Airways had not asked them to do so. So I ran back to the British Airways counter to clarify on this. They insisted that I fly by Virgin Atlantic so that I would not miss the connecting flight at Heathrow. They said that I would have to re-check in my luggage at Heathrow. I did not think it was practical because I would have only 2 hours at Heathrow. But then the British Airways staff insisted on this. So I agreed to fly by Virgin Atlantic to Heathrow.
While checking in, the Virgin Atlantic staff told me that the baggage restriction was 23 kgs and not 32 kgs ( 32 kgs was the maximum weight specified by British Airways). So I had to pay the extra weight charges.
So amidst all this chaos, I could not properly bid farwell to my aunt and uncle. My mind was all befuddled about what would happen next and if I would be able to handle the situation at Heathrow.
Unfortunately the Virgin Atlantic flight from San Francisco was delayed too by 3 hours. So I reached Heathrow at 13:30 on 3rd June. I went to the baggage counter to claim my luggage as I had to re-check in. But then the airport authorities refused to give my baggage as I did not have the UK visa. And by then I had missed my connecting flight too. So I had to go to the British Airways counter. But the task of approaching the counter itself was so tiresome because of the tight security. And also these terminals are so far that I had to catch a bus every time.
I narrated my story to British Airways staff. They booked me on a flight on Virgin Atlantic to Mumbai at 18:30 on the same day and then on another flight from Mumbai to Bangalore. They were not sure about the baggage problem. So they asked me to approach Virgin Atlantic for this.
I had to catch a bus again to terminal three. When I spoke to them, the Virgin Atlantic staff told me that they had already sent the baggage to British Airways. By this time, I was very, very tired and depressed. So I told them that I would not be able to go back to British Airways and
requested them to do something about it. They called up British Airways and then gave the baggage number. They told me that most probably I would have to lodge a complaint about missing luggage at Mumbai.
So before boarding the Heathrow-Mumbai flight, I spoke to the crew responsible for baggage. And thankfully, my luggage had arrived!!!
I reached Mumbai at 7:30 AM on 4th June. I had to re-check in my luggage for the next flight at 10:30 AM to Bangalore. Finally I reached Bangalore at 12:45 PM on 4th June.
Phew! That was quite a long story.:) Now when I look back at this experience, I know this incident made me wiser and stronger. I guess that is what bad experinces are for, aren't they?
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