New me

For those who are checking this blog spot for updates which I suspect none, I am back into the blogging... At least thats what I would like to do in the coming weeks..

Vicious Circle of Life!!

I am pretty sure there are lots of persons who would disagree just on seeing the title but from my personal experience many a times i feel that life surely is a vicious circle. Why so a friend asked me recently.. my reply was its for you to discover that .. Looking back at my own past. As a child when I was so carefree I wanted to be a grown up adult so as to get the freedom which as a child would always wish for. Now as a adult we just want to shed our responsibilities and would give anything to go back in time just to be as carefree as a child. There are so much other instances that can be easily quoted at least from my life. When I was doing my undergrad I just wanted to go out and start working to earn money , and when I did start working i soon got tired of the monotonicity of life. I am right now doing my grad studies and here I am just wishing to get back to work to earn the green stuff. So Contradictory but then so Real.

I am pretty confident that a person who had understood whats the true meaning of life would surely appreciate living every point of it . Guess I really need to start working on that aspect. i have read somewhere that our life is actually a circle.. think about it.. We are born to this world as a baby, helpless and who needs full attention for survival, we grow stronger each day till we come to our prime, then comes slowly the reversal process of growing old. We soon become old and there comes a time where we need help for every single thing and we depart . The curious case of Benjamin Buttons has almost depicted it to perfection.

Hoping to see the world in a better light and enjoy what it gives ....

Men are Cooks too.

... From a family where men in kitchen is unheard of.. From a Nation where only women folk prepare dishes..but strange are the circumstances... they change everything. I never used to help in kitchen. I used to enter to smell the beautiful aroma when my mother prepares. They always keep me spellbound. But as like how the ways of the world are.. the good times are not always to stay. I left for India for my higher studies and then after which i started working... survial on outside food though initially was a pleasure soon turned out to be bad for health.., the indian way of cooking made sure that ghee and oil are in the utmost quantity.My roomies (name dawn and vimal) and I decided its high time we enter into the culinary world. We started with the essentials stove, gas connection and plates and all the necessary stuff..

But we hit upon the roadblock in our big plans.., none of us knew cooking.;-) we all had just seen our moms cooking and never did we attempt to help her out. So our first attempt was just barely eatable. Rice was over cooked more like paysam (semi solid almost like a paste) and the curry its better not to talk abt.. we even attempted with Chicken once and after we finished having it we had our hands full yellow due to the excess tumeric...

Our Moms were not the ones to watch us do the blunder so they started coaching us through phone and internet.. My mom stays in kuwait while Dawns in neighboring state.., It was fun.,. Mom says the whole recipe through the MSN and then while cooking if doubt arises she will come on voice chat.. it was fun. She might be busy in work (she works in airlines) and when she is busy with a customer I come pinging her "Ammas how much chilly ? 1 spoon or 1.5 spoon and is it teaspoon or big one?":D

Once we were armed with the basic cooking skills and were not bad at survival we decided to upgrade ourselves to the next level. The whole new portal which was revealed to us by the internet.. our fave site are pachakam.com and bawarchi.com . we used to experiment ourselves with exquisite dishes...from carrot halwa to pepper mushroom masala and lot others..

I moved to Korea and Dawn and Vimal moved to China for Job assignments and still our cooking skill didn't go to hibernation mode there.., I started experimenting korean style.. the sauces, thakalbee, bulkogee, kimchi... and we all came back and guess what.. we started doing fusion stuff.. Indo Korea, Thai Indo.. and some times when we are experimenting we just name something to it.. I remember the Chicken do Pyaza, Tuna Afghani.. nd many more..

Now don't u think that we were experimenting ourselves... my family had come and judged it and passed us.. . Dawns had come and also passed us.. Vimal's girl friend had come and said she couldn't believe that we cooked the appam and stew ourselves..

I wonder why at least from our side of state men are made to stay away from kitchen.. maybe its just the fact that men are truly good in mastering things..but i do agree to the fact that behind every success story of a man there is a woman.. and for us .. it was our mothers.., ;-)

some of the moments I had when i was with my roomies..

Gulab Jamun time.,


Parippu vada prepraration


Cooking in Korea


in US

Chassidy

...... ..... ..... ..... .... ..... .. ... ... ... .... ...... ..... ...... ...... ..... ....... ...... .... .. .......Actually my mind right now is just moving on like the dots in front..... The sight today which I saw made the greatest impact on me.. I don't think I have ever been influenced so much before....... before I go much into what exactly this is all abt and of course what exactly Chassidy means...

I am a person who takes matters revolving around work and studies seriously... Mybe even of life and relationship.. Guess that accounts for everything..So come work or studies If I have a deadline I do it round the clock to get it done.. Come Exams I never feel confident enough.. study this. study that.. it never ends.. and of course I keep wondering why God has abandoned me then... Might be too often I blame Allmighty for not helping me out.... Yeah i Do crib a lot to him on our personal communication channel..

After 4 years of work...being quite successful at what I was... I came here to Univ Of Texas to do my Masters.. and now and then I sometimes feel bad abt .. again being dependant on others.. like being short on money always.. asking for rides from others.... getting back to studies.., and so on..kinda judge me now ? Yeah I do know Life is not a bed of roses and there is no straight path .. and its full of challeneges.. and if there is no challeneges and no surprises then life would be monotonic and Black And White.. but yeah I do tend to crib when things dont go the way I feel... and the other person who listens to all my problem is my mom.. She hears me day and night.. and prays for the same.. yeah.. Its a big relief having both of them at the standby posts just to hear my worriees and calming me down...

Well next week is my Mid term for one of my courses and I was on my way to Study hall in the Central Library..Was wondering how long will i need to be there.. planning out my Algorithm course study schedule and my mid term study preparations...I pressed the up button on the elevator and was waiting for it to come.. in midst of thoughts.. i saw a Smiling face.. A face which had absolutely no worries... a lady who's face could bring u instant calmness.. my thought process stopped when i returned back a smile to her.. she was on a wheel chair.. she was not just having any disabilities.. she had only half of all her limbs.. they were just like stubs on her body...but She was still moving in a totally capable manner with her chair.... She was well dressed and even had a nice handbag on her shoulders... I asked her which floor she wanted to go and pressed the same for her.. She dropped off at her floor and went to some section I couldnt see from the elevator..,

when the elevator stopped at the floor i wanted to get down . I was not able to .. I wanted to know more abt her.., I wanted to talk to her.. I pressed the floor which she got down and saw her near the computer. She was in front of that looking on to the screen. I am really clueless on how she got on to that page.. I introduced myself and as like any other person in US. they were quite not sure how an Indian got such a Roman name and ..she introduced herself as Chassidy.. A Junior doing her studies in psychology.. a proper resident at texas.. She said that she used to come to library often and we parted by telling each other that we will catch up..

I till this point thought I had a tough time with my life..but here is Chassidy..who is taking Life as it gives to her.. and is living the life to its fullest in her means... she doesnt show any remorse or being left alone.. she infact is competing woth other students on their same level... She really made me feel a lot for my lack of confidence and my continual needless worries.. Sometimes we really don't tend to appreciate the good things in life we just see the bad parts and judge by it..So much that we even kill the joy of good things in our life.. but Chassidy has made me look into my life in a whole new perspective... and hope that it might bring some enlightment to those who are reading this and has the bad tendencies like me.....

Away from Family...

Over time the we move away from our family.. That’s how its meant to be.. Slowly and slowly we are pushed into the world far away from our family... First its a hostel, then study in some distant country, then work in a far more distant country ..... Why do we tend to drift away from our family... Far from our loving parents to the dearest siblings... Over years the number of times we see them also tends to decrease... This phenomena I am at least noticing in my own life and with great pains I am trying to take it in the worldly life's stride.. I remember my childhood days when the Titus bros of the valliazhathu family used to get together at our native places for vacation and have fun time.. My father has 3 bros and in all there are 5 Titus Bros of which only ma younger bros name is not Titus.., Of course there are 2 cuz sisters of mine too.. It was fun.. All the family getting together.. Enjoying the New year, Easter, Summer vacation, Onam and Xmas all .. Over the time each of our family went across the globe. Ourselves and ma Father's younger bro in Kuwait, Father's eldest bro settled in US and the Second bro of Father settled in India itself.., Now during times we come to our native place only 2 families can get together as its a tough job to synchronize each of our travels for the same time..

Well till this point only families were getting spread across the globe.. Yeah now it was the turn of the family members... Yeah me went to work at S Korea and My bro went to India for his studies. Getting to see now each of our family was now more like.. ok when’s the college hols? Will we get leave during that period? Is it the rush season? Do we get air tickets?.. So much complications..

My elder bro's marriage is in the coming month and all ma bros and family has been planning meticulously for past 1 year. All planning to reach at least 10 days at least before wedding day. I suddenly find myself pushed into a project where my contribution is of key role. I ask my managers, my group manager for leave, but they point out that "No , That day is our final release, You must be here only". Request even is sent to Group manager but turned down miserably... Whole of ma family is gonna be there and I can't make it.. They say this is a part of work and life.. But is it the way it’s supposed to be... Why Am I so enslaved to this work? Why can't I just walk out taking my own decision? Are we working for a living or living to work ? Man... All the thoughts pour on me where I work with a heavy heart.. Missing the old days where we were all near and and had no troubles of the modern world

Killing Fields of Goa

Everywhere you look , you can see Goa being publicized as the best tourist spot, but has anyone ever looked into the safety of these widely reputed beaches ? Has anyone ever noticed that the number of life guards over there are extremely less and life boats over there are bare minimum. Ever noticed the no of drownings happening in those beaches? Of course How do we.. when Goa beaches are being marketed as the best place to be.

Goa is one place where most amount of drownings happen in India and Still am pretty much surprised to see that no one from the tourist govt or from Goa administration has woken up for this cause. Below mentioned are some of the links for the lifeguards in Goa.
http://www.hostelbookers.com/info/news/18011094
http://in.news.yahoo.com/070808/211/6j6s7.html

My 2 friends drowned during a Sunday tragedy at Calangute beach (Goa) on 13th of august 2006. The lifeguards were on strike and there were no warnings about the condition on the beach. 8 persons were swept away by the under currents and some of the locals jumped to save them but could only rescue 2. We begged the authorities on the beach for Costal guards help and for some boats for our friends who were still unable to swim to shore. The Director of Tourism was present and said Costal guards will take 90 minutes and helicopter will come shortly but none turned up the whole night. While our friends were still struggling at sea, the Director instead of doing some immediate action started criticizing us and the public for going to the beach. He was more concerned about public relations and foreign tourist , It seemed he didn't even care for the desi tourists. When we enquired about the Helicopter he retorted back that we don't have the right to raise the voice. This all happened in the backdrop of our friend still seen struggling at the sea. Night turned up and none turned up for the rescue. Our friends would have survived if authorities would have been more pro active instead of criticizing.

How would the tourist know of the dangers especially with no warnings. Is this the way any officer should behave ? At such a place especially when tourists turns up in huge numbers why don't the authorities do immediate action when Life guards go on strike. Is this the way Tourism is promoted? I don't think Goa beaches are a tourist place it should be called the Killing Fields.

We need to ensure such things don't happen in future in our own way. Few points which needs to be noted are
1)Life Guards are like doctors. They can't Just Go on strike like that

2)Notices when issued for public safety are not just meant to be put up for the sake of it but With the true intention of reaching out to the public

3)Also We are talking about human lives over here which can never be brought up. And though painful thing We should have brought up a public litigation against the govt.....