Time for a wise quote:)

Heard my friend say:

"One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory, but I lost that key and can't remember where it is. "

The Little Penguin Parade

A couple of weeks back, we had gone to Philip Island to watch the penguin parade. Initially when we came to Melbourne, we had visited Philip Island Wildlife park. As we had very less time, we could not make it to the Penguin Parade. So this time, we went there only to see the penguins.

These special visitors ( penguins) arrive at the island only at sunset. So if you are planning to go to watch them during summer, then you will have to wait till 8:30 PM or later. These penguins are the smallest and their parade on the beach is the most awaited event in the island.

We were on time to watch the penguins. But it was a Sunday so there was a lot of rush to watch the parade. We managed to get the tickets for the general viewing platform. If you are an early bird, then you can buy tickets for Penguins Plus viewing platform from where you can get a closer look at the penguins.

So we sat there along with the other audience waiting for the special visitors. I found it a bit strange coz we all sat facing the ocean waiting for something to happen. And then we saw them: the little penguins. They are supposed to be the smallest penguins in the world. Initially we could just see a black mass movement along the beach. As the mass approached closer, we saw that it was actually a colony of penguins. It was great fun to see them tottering on the beach and waddling to their homes. Penguins are supposed to be social birds. So as soon as they landed on the beach, you could hear them cackling loudly as if they were catching up with each other after a long time.

We almost followed most of the penguins to their homes. It was an amazing experience to watch so many of them, that too so close! The experience was so fulfilling that we did not mind driving back home late at night. We carried home the image of the waddling little penguins with us.:)

Titbits of 18th December

I have added two more links to my favorite blogs list.

"Kamat's Potpourri" has been one of my inspirations to start a blog. This site is a mini encyclopedia by itself. It contains so many diverse topics so I don't think anyone reading it would be bored anytime. I have been reading it since few years now. Yep, I should have added the link before. Well, better late than never.:)

"Aamir's blog" has been one of my favorite stops recently. Of course, Aamir Khan has always been my favorite actor. We get to know more of him as an individual through his posts. It is good to see that his posts are frank and unmasked. Trust Aamir to do something different.:)

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There are so may things that I wanna blog about. Everytime I see something fascinating, I immediately think that I should blog about it. But as soon as I sit to write a new post, my mind goes blank. Writers' block, huh?:) Anyways, looks like mental notes of things are not enough. I need to put them into writing soon.

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Guess what? I got a copy of "The Appeal" by John Grisham at the library. The best thing is that it is his latest novel and I am excited about reading it. Lemme read it and tell you how I enjoyed it. Okay, lemme find my packet of chips and juice and the book of course.:)

My little guru

My daughter turns one and a half year old today. Man, can't believe that! She is only that old and she has changed my life forever. In fact, today in my life revolves around her.

She has me running around her the whole day ( ah, she is getting naughtier day by day). So at the end of the day, I would feel like a squashed orange. But she would be bubbling with energy forever. Her 10 teeth smile is such a destresser that no matter what she does, I find myself grinning at her every prank. Her ebullience and her ability to remain happy no-matter-what makes her my guru in every single way.:)

Addendum: One thing that I would like to add is what I think is the secret of my little guru's energy. She ( or any child) does not have any negative thought. All she knows is how to think positive. I think that helps in preserving energy. Hmmm...I think I need to do that. I definitely need energy right now.:)

Let her live her life

I was watching "Britney: For the Record" the other day. It is a documentary made about Britney's comeback. It sort of felt like a confession time for her. It looked like she wanted to clear many things.

As I sat watching it, I wondered why was I watching it? I am not a Britney fan but I do not hate her. I think her music is ok. At least she gives us some music to dance. I admit that she is a better dancer than a singer. And yes, I have enjoyed watching her music videos.:) But yet, all these reasons do not answer my question. Why was I watching this documentary at all?

I started watching it to see the glimpses of the life of a celebrity. As it progressed, I could feel the vulnerability of a celebrity. And when the documentary ended, I had one thing to say - "Let her live her life". After her first hit, she has been in news all the time. Her private life has been ripped apart by the paparazzi. They have followed her everywhere as if they depended on her for living. Her personal life became major headlines. Her music was not discussed any more.

She has made mistakes; so what? Isn't she a human like us? Does she have to pay this big price for being a celebrity? My heart goes out to her kids who deserve a very normal upbringing. Let her say- Oops, I did it again or Hit me Baby one more time. Let her do anything she wants in her personal life. Let us not judge her private moments. Let only her music catch our attention. Let her live a free life. Let her live her life in peace. Let her live a normal life like we all do.

Terrorists and Heroes

TERRORISTS- They think that they are spreading terror by targetting innocent lives. They think that they are winning the battle by spreading terror.

But do they know - what goes around comes around? Do they know that this inhumane act will cause the same terror to them and their families? Do they know that they could have been great warriors if they had fought for peace? Do they know that their lives would be meaningful if they had spread happiness and peace instead of terror? It is such a pity that they are sacrificing others' and theirs' lives for a worthless cause. It is a pity that they do not know that they are targetting themselves.

May God show them the right way to live life.

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HEROES- We pay our respects to those selfless people who have lost their lives defending the innocent ones. We thank them for upholding humanity and for fighting the evil. They are the clear winners in this battle against terrorism. Salute to these people who save lives by their bravery and fight for peace. They are definitely our heroes.

May God give all the courage and hope to the families of the Mumbai police who sacrificed their lives in these terrorists attacks.

Bharat Ratna for Panditji

Finally, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi gets Bharat Ratna. This 86 year old veteran might have limited his concerts now but his powerful voice will always echo in the hearts of music lovers. His music has always been appealing to the well-informed music scholars to the masses. In Karnataka, people can never forget Pandit's "Bhagayada Lakshmi Baaramma" that was and is almost played in every household. There have been numerous attempts to become another Bhimsen Joshi in vain. I don't think there would be another singer like Panditji any time. But it is a sad thing that his legacy does not have a deserving heir yet.

I have mentioned Panditji in the following post before.
http://madhooo.blogspot.com/2005/08/something-splendid-happens-to-me.html

Thanks, dear library - 2

I felt my last post was incomplete. Hence part two.

In my last post, I mentioned about the library that I have fallen in love with. I listed out the things I liked about it. In fact, I was surprised that we could actually gain so much from a library.

Before this, I had been to libraries:

- that had a huge collection of books but were never categorized. Trust me, searching for a
book was a painful process there.

- that did not cater to people of different age groups, especially kids below five years.

- that charged a very unreasonable fee for each book taken. Sometimes, I felt that buying
the book would be cheaper than borrowing it.

- that had librarians who just did not care about the books. I always thought that books
have felt like poor orphans there.

Hence I hope you can understand my gratification for finding a good library.:)

Thanks, dear library - 1

One of the best things that I am doing right now is getting back to my dearest friends- books.:) Yes, I have been doing plenty of reading after coming to this city. And I must definitely thank the library for enabling me to do so.

Initially, when I was handed over the library card, I was not that enthusiastic. I wondered if I could ever go to the library, select books and read any of them with my toddler clinging onto me. But when I went there, I found that I was mistaken.

First of all, there is a childrens' section that not only consists of plenty of kids' books, but also a handful of toys for the kids to play with. This section creates an environment for the kids to enjoy their time in the library.

The library has a wide variety of books, ranging from fiction, non-fiction and magazines. The best part is that there is not much of limitation about the number of books that one can borrow. I should also mention the very systematic arrangement of books that makes the browsing process easier.

Hold on, that is not the end of it. The library also has dvds of english movies and serials. You can borrow four dvds at a time. Isn't that wonderful? I must say that we are making the best use of this facility.

I have been reading so many books that I have lost tracks of their titles and authors (I think I should prepare a list). I am getting introduced to so many new ones. Many a times, I find it so tough to come out of this world of books.

My daughter also has fallen in love with the colorful books. I have been borrowing books for her too. Looks like there is another bibliophile in the making.;)

I really wanna thank this library for making me get in touch with my long-lost hobby- reading. It has been a wonderful experience so far. I will try to mention the books that I am reading in my blog from now on. Maybe I can mention the movies too. Hmm, not bad at all.:)

Light up your life

It is time to clean your closet. It is time to wipe away those negative thoughts. It is time to erase the pain and bring a smile on your face. It is time to light that lamp of eternal hope in your heart. Because it is Deepavali- the festival of lights ; it is the time to wish you all a very happy Deepavali. Have a blast with or without crackers.:)

Big Boss 2

I don't get to watch Indian channels here. Of course, I have not been very interested in saans-bahu serials . But at Bangalore, I used to watch lot of reality shows, especially the musical ones. So I miss doing that here. Yep, some of them are available on the Web. But right now, I am hooked to watching Big Boss 2.

I had seen Big Boss 1 before. It was interesting in the beginning. But the end was very predictable. So when I heard that Big Boss 2 was gonna start, I was curious to know who the contestants would be. Therefore I watched the first episode ( thanks to U tube). And then slowly, I started watching it everyday. And now, I must confess that I have been enjoying it.

It is fascinating to see how the inmates, who are of diverse characters, react to people and situations. I somehow, don't believe that this whole thing is scripted. It is very difficult to stick to acting when you are out of contact with the world and your comfort zone. For me, Big Boss reveals the different facets of human nature. It could be the bout of anger, the game of politics, the threads of friendship, the see saw of trust and betrayal, the momentary madness and the helplessness of cameras being all around you.

At this stage, there are seven contestants in the game:

Rahul mahajan: Best known as Pramod Mahajan's son. Other than that, he has been famous for all the wrong reasons. He has been one of the strong players in this game. Looks like he is enjoying the most, especially the flirting part with Payal Rohatagi and Monica Bedi.

Raja Chaudhary: Better known as Shweta Tiwari's ex-husband. Shweta Tiwari played "Prerna" in Kasauti Zindagi Kay. She had filed a complaint about him being violent and then broke up with him. Known for his eccentricities, he has been adding lot of spice to this show. His encounters with Rahul are very entertaining.

Monica Bedi: No one thought that she would be involved in a romantic angle at the house of Big Boss. She has been singing "Jahan Main Jaathi Hoon Wahi Chale Aate Ho" to Rahul Mahajan as of now. But I think she has become very camera conscious especially after her second entry. But must admit that she has been looking her best. She is a good dancer too.

Ashutosh: Supposed to be the winner of MTV Roadies. Speaks excellent pure hindi. Good fun.

Diana Hayden: The former Miss World should not have entered this game coz she is on the brink of becoming just another player. She comes across as a good human being but definitely she should not think of acting as a career.

Zulfi Sayed: I had seen him before in the kannada movie "O Mallige". As Farah Khan rightly pointed out, he has been following Rahul Roy (the previous winner of big boss). He seems to be the politically correct guy in the house.

Debojit: I have seen him in two musical reality shows before. No doubt that he is a very good singer but did he really need this stint in Big Boss? Definitely the most decent and honest person in the game.

I do not have any favorite players in this show. But it is just fun to watch all these semi-celebrities living their lives, one day at a time. As told before, I prefer watching Big Boss than the saans bahu serials.:)

Beaches, sea, beaches, travel, and beaches

We keep waiting for the weekends to explore new places. As soon as a Saturday arrives, we backpack our baby and her bag, and set out for the exploration. In case you are wondering what would our baby bag hold (parents-to-be, are you listening?):

• Nappies - Never, never forget them. If you do, you can forget all about exploring.:)
• Baby wipes - Very handy, especially if there is no water near by.;)
• Water/Milk/Snacks - Absolute must. Cannot do without them.
• Spare dress for your baby - You never know when you will need one.
• Toy/Book - You might need them if you are set on a long journey

Okay, let us move from the baby stuff to explorations.

This time, we got to see a couple of beaches here. On Friday evening, we had been to St.Kilda beach. We did not get into the water "coz it was quite cold and chilly. But it was a great visual treat. As soon as I saw it, I knew how much I had missed being on the beach.

On Sunday morning, we started off to Mornington Peninsula Island National Park. On the way as we drove uphill, we stopped at a point near Arthur Seat for a break. And I am so glad that we stopped there because the view from that place was absolutely stupefying. We could almost see the whole peninsula from there. I had never seen ocean from such an altitude before. It just spread out like a beautiful painting in front of us. I struggled to capture it in my camera. And then, I felt so stupid! I was feeling so dwarfed in front of God's magnanimous, breath-taking creation. And how could I ever, ever capture that in my little camera?

We reluctantly continued our journey and lost our way. And finally, we ended on the beaches of Rosebud. I just could not resist getting into water here. Nopes, I donno swimming. Yet, I always love to get into that salty water.:) We pulled puttu ( that is what I call my daughter) along to the shallow waters. Initially she was a bit scared. But at the end of it, she refused to come out of water. It was her first beach experience. Anyways, the two unwilling ladies had to be dragged to the car.:) Now you know why the title for this post has so many beaches.;) And that night, all I could dream about was the magnificient view of the ocean and the peninsula.

Life's calling

It has been such a long, long time since I wrote something. I almost feel like a newbie to the blogging world.:) Oh yes, I can give lot of excuses for this disappearance act. But I think they all don't matter now as I decided to renew my connections with the blogger in me. And I must confess that I am thoroughly enjoying writing after that dormant period.

Right now, I am sipping my cup of tea in our nest at Melbourne. We might stay here for few more months. And I guess that will give enough time for the traveller in me to get to know at least a small part of Australia.:) I always wanted to visit Australia some time so this has been a dream come true. The experience is enriching because I have never stayed outside India before and therefore everything is new to me. I feel like a dry sponge ready to absorb water as much as it can. Life's calling. Did you hear that too?