On blogging and more.........

I am one of those few people who thinks better as the pen gets to paper. I have loads of personal diaries at home which were never opened once written. Many of them have gone to trash with my conscience decision. Blogging was a fun way to express my personal thoughts on a public platform and see what other people felt about it.

I have been blogging for over two years now and grown with the experience. Thanks to all my blog pals and visitors to my blogs. But I have a few mixed and strong feelings about blogging which I want to share , at this point of maturity in my life.

Blogs can be used in many forms. To create discussion forums. Sharing snapshots of your life with people, exhausting your passions and ideas, marketing thoughts and creating an impression on people at least hoping the way you think you want to....and so on. Frankly speaking, I have gotten better at writing. There is a long way to go to improving my communication skills though. I am totally aware of my strengths as well.

Many of my articles have been trashed by professional writers who came across them. A few of them asked me to go a few more extra miles and that I am almost there. And quite a few people know me through my blogs and it is very very surprising. When I meet the same people in person, they treat me differently when they talk about my blogs and its quite welcoming.

Expressing oneself comes with a price, isn't it? Doing anything with no fear always comes with a price package. In many ways its worth it.

In my dull and depressed moments, I have taken a look at my blogs two years ago. I have connected back to myself. And then shaken myself saying, well this is 'Me!'.

Writing or blogging, is a hobby for me. It gives me immense joy irrespective of the positive/negative feedbacks I receive.For many people it may be playing a game, talking, carpentry,poetry, doing yoga, singing, dancing , organizing events and creating something new in countless ways I cant really think of. There are a few other people I know, for whom doing business and making money is a hobby as well.

In conclusion, I would like to make a general statement. Not related to blogging as such:

If something comes to you very naturally you will be yourself doing it. And when you are yourself, you are in resonance with nature. And in that resonance, life becomes blissful. Here's wishing that everyone finds their personal arena - where they can be themselves, and experience that ultimate happiness!

The train rides........

Its an hour en half one way commute to work in total. I take the Caltrain. Its a pretty sight in the mornings . Especially when the fog spills on the water body and makes it real hazy , sometimes jamming traffic. Nevertheless I love it.

The crisp sunny rays brighten up earthly hues, enhancing the fading Fall colors: red-crimson-orange painted on the foliage.

In the beginning, I hated the train rides...since it gave me all the time in the world, but on a jerky and shaky platform . Whilst I am the least likely candidate to sit in one place and do only one thing at a time. And that is what the ride has exactly taught me. Being with oneself and enjoying it.

Train rides can actually be quite amusing. I never miss the opportunity to watch people rushing to get on the train. Some of them with a cycle, a coffee cup a bag and newspaper all managed in two hands only and very efficiently.

The women almost use every reflecting surface to do their make up .....touch up....uff! Sometimes it is just the second touch up. Sometimes the third and sometimes all through their journey they keep touching up their faces, lips and hair.....and so on.

It is amazing to watch the kids learn and understand the train ride. Kids below two years can be really creative in interpreting the concept of a train. There was this kid who was not convinced that he was on a train until the train ride got bumpy and he happened to hit his head to the window twice.

I have learned the art of getting ready in less than half hour and grab a coffee in one hand and some bread in the other as I walk to/fro the train. But seriously speaking the train ride gives ample time to read, relax , reflect and plan things which I had never imagined I would be able to pull off.

It is amazing what people can do on a train to kill that one hour.....the laptops go on definitely. Some people write.....and the others go jab jab not really worried that they can be heard and actually understood. Some people doze off like they never wanna leave the train....I have woken almost one person every week. I really wonder what makes them so confident of getting off on the right stop when they go to sleep.

Well......there they are the train rides! They are quite a lot of fun. Small figments of life where everything around you is moving and dynamic and you are still with yourself till you become a part of that dynamic world again....

Pep tips which work for me

Few things which relax and cheer me up:

Watching India win against Pakistan in the Final of a cricket match.

Getting an extension on a deadline.

Sleeping like there are no commitments for tomorrow.

Dancing like I was a professional in front of the bath room mirror. Thats holds for singing too.

Loving and caring, in every way, for my kith and kin.

Getting a compliment from a really hard to please boss.

Feeling the cool breeze after a heavy work out.

Thinking about all the naughty things I did in my childhood .

Playing a really hard tune on the keyboard...... without even a single slip..... and play it in my head again and again......

Holding my cute 8 month old nephew gently in my arms and putting him to sleep.

Winning over people who once wrote me off.

Meeting eyes with a cute stranger.

Thinking about things I do just like my mom and dad.

Watching the fish move very gracefully in an aquarium.

Holding my breath still as I watch the reflections in a still pond.

Crying off my pent up emotions and smiling at how silly I could get.

Making someone's day with a simple and genuine compliment and get one myself.

Dressing well and feeling fit.

A lot more....these were just on the top of the head. Even thinking of them brings a smile to my face.

The Today's Indian Woman

Chic, suave and savvy....today's Indian woman is truly the super-woman in every sense. From her ability to create recipe delights with instant food packets (hubby-the guinea pig!) to attaining quick promotions and lead her projects at a Multi national corporation, she is everywhere.

Be it in India or abroad, Indian women have risen from strength to strength by tapping fingers on the keys of their laptops - shopping for accessories or travel deals or books even! Life has become more encompassing in every sense. We no longer need to watch a Yash Chopra or a Bond movie to enjoy breath taking spectacles of nature. We look up for the right deal and make life as happening as you could imagine!

Infinite space on the web to share your thoughts, passions and even memorable moments with your loved ones - faster and more connective. You no longer need to drool at those slick designer clothes. They are all accessible and wearable. Because style and class are the middle name of the Indian women. Semi traditional and head turners are the order of the day.

The NRI woman is as Indian in her culture and traditions as the woman back in India is western. Get lost in this delicious chaos. What is getting churned out is an unimaginably creative and beautiful world of go- getters. Most NRI kids are well trained in all elements of Indian tradition and you can feel it all when you sit through those classical recitals or dance performances or even see people thronging at the Yoga camps. Indian kids back home are gearing up to take over various corners of the world. And she is making it all happen.

Kudos to all those Indian women back home and abroad!

Shekhar Kapur's blog

Shekhar Kapur has always been one of my favorite movie directors. I adored his 'Masoom' , loved his 'Mr India'- so ahead of its time! His latest movie - 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age' is up for release and the promos look amazing.

I have often wondered what it takes to create such overwhelming magic on screen. Being a huge movie buff myself, I have longed to get into the mind of a director......peek into those thoughts which lead to unsurpassed imaginations.

I stepped on Shekhar Kapur's blog by chance. He has many sections in his blog. It is very entertaining, informative, gripping and thought provoking. Shekhar Kapur is like a spring of freshness and creativity .

I particularly liked the thoughts he shares with his daughter on his Birthday -

" my daughter on my Birthday,

My wealth lies more in the faliures of my life than my succeses. My wealth lies in people I have known and lost. My wealth lies in the pain and the heartache of living.

My wealth lies in the memories of those moments of love that were given to me. And given by me. But my wealth also lies in letting those joyous moments and people go.

My wealth lies in all those unfullfilled dreams. In all those longings that aroused my passions. My wealth lies in all the passions I have ever felt and expressed. And those not expressed.

My wealth lies in every moment of guilt that I carry for actions done or imagined. That burden too is my wealth.

My wealth lies in every breath that I have ever breathed. Each imbued with doubts and questions and hopes and dreams. And fears.

All this wealth I bequeath to you. For you to squander to the winds..

Daddy ". Now that is a lateral view on the concept of optimism /hope.

Check out his blog to find out more about the man and his thoughts behind some incredible achievement!
http://www.shekharkapur.com/blog/welcome.htm

In Dhirubhai Ambani's words

A compilation of several quotes of Dhirubhai Ambani (at various instances) taken from Rediff.com - Business, dated August 02, 2007. It's a bit lengthy, but worth a read. Needless to say Dhirubhai continues to be the North star of Liberal India.
* True entrepreneurship comes only from risk-taking.

* Pursue your goal, even in the face of difficulties. Convert difficulties into opportunities. Keep your morale high, in spite of setbacks. At the end you are bound to succeed.

* My advice to young entrepreneurs is not to accept defeat in the face of odds. Challenge negative forces with hope, self-confidence and conviction. I believe that ambition and initiative will ultimately triumph. The success of the young entrepreneur will be the key to India's transformation in the new millennium.

* Dhirubhai will go one day. But Reliance's employees and shareholders will keep it afloat. Reliance is now a concept in which the Ambanis have become irrelevant.

* I have trusted people and they have put their trust in me. I have encouraged youth, and they have never let me down. I have asked my people to take initiative and to take risks. It has paid me rich dividends. I insist on excellence. This helps us to be leaders. Reliance is built on some of these principles.

* The secret of Reliance's success was to have ambition and to know the minds of men.

* Growth has no limit at Reliance. I keep revising my vision. Only when you dream it you can do it.

* The problem with Indians is that we have lost the habit of thinking big! * We can prove to the world that India can do it. That Indians are not afraid of competition. That India is a nation of achievers. * I dream India of becoming a great economic superpower. * We must forge a new partnership for a great India. A strong and constructive partnership between industry, government and society. * We must always go for the best. Do not compromise on quality. Reject if it is not the best -- not only the best in India, but globally. * If India wants to be a great nation, we must have courage to trust. This is my sincere belief. * All we have to do is to break the shackles that chain the energies of our people, and India's economy will record a quantum leap and move into a new, higher orbit of growth, competitiveness and productivity. * I can never fully repay the debt I owe to Mumbai. To all of you. My past was shaped in Mumbai. * For those who dare to dream, there is a whole world to win! * I am deaf to the word 'no.' * I am 100 per cent pro-liberalisation. I do not think any industrialist is against it. But we should protect our industries, from unfair competition. * There is no question about that (retirement). Business is my hobby. It is not a burden to me. In any case Reliance now can run without me. * I give least importance to being Number one. I consider myself to be fortunate in this position and would like to contribute to nation building in some way. * Does making money excite me? No, but I have to make money for my shareholders. What excites me is achievement, doing something difficult. In this room extraordinary things must happen. * Think big, think fast, think ahead. Ideas are no one's monopoly. * Our dreams have to be bigger. Our ambitions higher. Our commitment deeper. And our efforts greater. This is my dream for Reliance and for India. * First and foremost, I owe my success and achievements to the affection, friendship and trust of millions of employees, customers, shareholders, and business associates, who have stood by me and been a major source of my strength all along. * I believe that the success of Reliance cannot be attributed to the qualities and achievements of one individual, or even a group of individuals, but has to be viewed as a triumph of a process, and a spirit that binds the entire Reliance family together. * I consider myself a pathfinder. I have been excavating the jungle and making the road for others to walk. I like to be the first in everything I do. * I, as school kid, was a member of the Civil Guard, something like today's NCC. We had to salute our officers who went round in jeeps. So I thought one day I will also ride in a jeep and somebody else will salute me. * My fulfillment lies in the satisfaction of every member of the Reliance family, comprising thousands of workers, managers, business associates and over five million shareholders. Being instrumental in creating wealth for over 5 million India families, and bringing prosperity and well being to their life is the best source of satisfaction and joy for me. * Give the youth a proper environment. Motivate them. Extend them the support they need. Each one of them has infinite source of energy. They will deliver. * You do not require an invitation to make profits. * If you work with determination and with perfection, success will follow. * Between my past, the present and the future, there is one common factor: Relationship and Trust. This is the foundation of our growth. * We bet on people. * Meeting the deadlines is not good enough, beating the deadlines is my expectation. * Don't give up, courage is my conviction. * We cannot change our rulers, but we can change the way they rule us. As A G Krishnamurthy, founder of Mudra Communications, writes in his book, Dhirubhaism, about some of the Reliance founder's doctrines: * Roll up your sleeves and help. You and your team share the same DNA. * Be a safety net for your team. * Always be the silent benefactor. Don't tom-tom about how you helped someone. * Dream big, but dream with your eyes open. * Leave the professional alone! * Change your orbit, constantly! * Money is not a product by itself, it is a by-product, so don't chase it.

A talk to remember

It was not the usual Friday where I would wait for the evening to herald the start of another weekend. I had to be at a get together/potluck at 6:30 pm. What to cook and how, what to wear etc, were the part of my usual thought process. I landed at my friends place as planned. I had totally forgotten that there was to be a speaker at the get together. So basically I was more interested in the food and the usual hi, hello....

And so it was.....amazing food, hi, hellos.....they went on for an hour and more.

And then there was this cheerful,self effacing man whom everyone pointed out as the speaker. It was new for me to see a speaker ,at a friends place, over a get together. Aged between 65-70 , this man was an honorary writer and eminent literary figure in the Kannada Sahithya Academy. As a mark of respect for him, a classical singer from India was put on speaker phone and she sang some of his famous song compositions. I must admit, rhetorics add as much rhythm to the song as to bring out the right emotion .

And then he spoke......with absolute ardent passion for the Kannada language, its history and legacy. Proficient in Greek, Kannada, English,Bengali and Hindi literatures his talk spanned the prominent works in each of these languages. For the first time I realized from his scientific references and explanations that Kannada is as rich as Sanskrit in its contributions to various languages. He tossed and turned between prose and poetry excerpts of Wordsworth, Keating,Kabir,Purandara dasa,Kanaka dasa, Shakespeare, Pampa,Ranna, Basavanna, Akkamahadevi ,Tagore , Kuvempu,Da Ra Bedre, Karanth, Bhairappa.....like people switch between letters to make new words.

He referred to different versions of Mahabharatha, which the ancient Kannada poets wrote for sheer satisfaction and expression of their poetic and intellectual desires. As he dramatized each incident from different versions of the great epic, the emotions spanned from anger, lust, greed, love, fear, pathos, longingness......can I even capture them in words? Different versions glorified characters like Karna or Duryodhana who were otherwise treated to be fairly negative characters in the original version of Mahabharatha.

There were too many things running in my mind.....because his talk was artistic , emotional and equally scientific in its reasoning. I suddenly felt so grateful to all the Kannada poets, writers and teachers who had influenced my thoughts.

"Language is just like the earth which gives us life and sustains us. We should sustain it too"......is what he said concluding his talk....which none of us realized to have spanned 2 hours. Only a man with such regard for literature and language could have attained a mastery to such heights.....

It sure was a talk to remember!

Desi America

Its been about 3 weeks since I have been visiting the gym after relocating to Sunnyvale. It is located close to our apartment and so different from the that at the University. I am used to hitting the university gym quite often. If I had to choose between playing squash or badminton or mere working out, it meant shifting between the basement and first floor . Here things are very different. I meet atleast one desi everyday .

On the first day of my gymming I had in mind the University facilities as I walked into my apartment gym. Atleast 25-30 machines and catering to all needs, etc.Here I saw only three machines. A stepper, a treadmill and a cycle. And the space for gym was less than 1/10th of the space allotted for work out in the university gym.Hmm...!

And then a lady walks in salwaar with chappals (with heels!). She has lived in the same apartment complex for three years. But she has not visited the gym until she developed high blood pressure. She kept asking me what each button meant. It was really not a bother! She was actually sweet and her chappals provided suitable music and rhythm for exercising. This was Desi number 1 at the gym.

On day six, there came another lady. She has also lived in the same apartment complex for about a year and a half. She did not ask me how to use the machines, but she kept telling on and off that she was not working because of her kids and that she had all the requisites to get a job. And it was her husband who asked her to stay home. Poor her....she should have spent all that energy in talking for stepping effectively. She promised to meet me same time everyday. I havent seen her since! This was Desi number 2 at the gym.

On day ten, there came another smart young lady. She smiled and dint talk much. She dint even ask me how to use the machines. But after her came her kid. And after the kid came its grandma. The grandma was trying to feed the baby delicious dhal chawal. All inside the gym! It was steaming hot and smelled good. It kind of made me go home 10 minutes earlier than planned and buy ingredients for dhal and cook it that day. This was Desi number 3 at the gym.


And after the sixteenth day , I decided to join 'Power Yoga' classes. The first class went on for 1.5 hours. Only one hour more than my regular schedule! At the end of 45 minutes I wanted to scream out loud- 'I need air'. In the entire 1.5 hours of Yoga at an elevated temperature, we were allowed fresh air only twice! And then I came home sore every-possible-where!

Havent been to Power Yoga since!

And now I continue to gym daily. There is another person I see everyday. I havent really spoken to him. I talk to his kid though. Because she likes me so much. She follows me everywhere. Even when I go to the rest room to geta tissue to wipe off the sweat. Sometimes she gets so close as to be touched by my foot as I cycle. So I have to kind of baby sit her as her father is busy on the stepper with headphones on! This was Desi number 4 at the gym.

I can go on but may be I should stop......All in all I am living in a Desi-America! Or atleast close to it.....

Savor the peace

Quiet Thursday morning. Don't know who takes the credit. Is it the luscious green airs of California or the stillness in my mind?

The new place we have moved into seems like a small nest and needs to be made a home. The footsteps I used to hear seem to have fallen in frequency. So also the noise around. In an unguarded moment, I sometimes miss the buzz of life at school in Philadelphia.

This part of Cali reminds me of Bangalore. In many ways. The weather, the people, their attitude towards life. Basically there is so much attached to silicon and savings!

I am glad to see that I am getting to explore many aspects of living I had never thought about. Its an easy life here, but that makes it more challenging.

Before I switch over to the noisy mode in every sense ..... wait a moment , till I savor the peace!

Part pained.....part relieved

My yahoo account seems 70% occupied. I start deleting emails......and it becomes harder as I get to the older ones. This process is taking me on the chariots of time back to the past. Reminds me of the days when I first landed in US and the struggle I had to put up to get here.

I must confess it was anything but easy. Today I am almost done with graduation requirements. It is still difficult to believe that its all over. May be the Convocation hat and gown will give the right feel.

All those priceless moments of freedom ,wisdom (....the fine line between compromising and learning to persist) , learning to toddle and walk on my own. And watching other people do it with me. The laughters and tears we shared, absolutely heart-out! It was worth it all ....... in many ways.

I found the real meaning of a 'friend' here. Far away from home. Here everything is your own choice and hence your own responsibility. Its very different being independent here.....than being so back home. At least for me. Many of my pals fit right in from day one. Guess they were already ahead in the rat race.

I must admit friends and hobbies are a big help in consuming ones time other than work (of course). There were times where I had one foot amidst people and the other between books. And then times where being lonely used to kill...!

The laptop has become as indispensable as the breath of air or the rising sun. And of course the 'Coffee cup'! I have formed an unbreakable bond with it. Every new task hard or small, was and continues to be preceded by that steaming cup of Coffee....

Now there is moving on.......and all over again. I wonder if it will be simpler or harder this time...or am I used to it? I really cant tell....

Current Mood: Part pained, part relieved.....but definitely running through memories!

The best Ash interview yet

by: Lata Khubchandani
- mid-day.com


Over the span of a decade, I’ve interviewed Aishwarya Rai on various facets of herself. Here I reproduce her take on herself which is interesting because it so closely matches what others say about her.

It shows that she doesn’t suffer from any great illusions about herself but neither is she being unduly modest.

Now that she enters a new phase of life, one can see that she probably will enjoy domesticity as much as she enjoys celebrityhood if she’s given a chance to play housewife.

It is amply clear that she gives her best shot to most things she does and one assumes she’ll do the same to her new role as wife and homemaker...

I was not perfect

I was not a terribly naughty child, rather, disciplined and normal. I always did my work and was a good student.

I was into most activities, academic and extra curricular. I learnt dance and music for five years and I love to sing and dance though I never had my arangetram.

I used to top in my studies and always took that for granted. I was a regular student, but not too perfect as people think, yet I wasn’t the sort who was punished or shaken up either.

Even as a child I enjoyed dancing and that’s why I find it easy now that I’m in films. As a child I used to follow mummy into the kitchen and I learned the basics of cooking just by watching her. So I can cook and sew and iron — things which people find boring.

I love ironing and stitching

I’m not one of these ‘Angrezi’ types who doesn’t know how to handle herself in the kitchen. I love ironing and stitching — I find these therapeutic, though I don’t get to do them much. I enjoy them.

I always had a lot of friends. I always loved music, to listen to and sing and till today if I’m free I’d switch on a music channel rather than anything else.

As a kid everyone called me a doll and raved about my looks but I never did think it was anything special. I always felt happier if I did well in my studies.

I was into most extra curricular activities in school; except for sports, I enjoyed most things.

After school I started modelling while still in my teens so that left little time for other things. I loved to dance and even before I modelled I had the sort of body language that models have.

I used to be teased for posing but truly it was very natural to me to walk with a swing or use my hands in a certain way.

While a student I was sure that I’d get into medicine because everything about science and the human body fascinated me.

But slowly, I realised that to like a subject and making it a career are two vastly different things.

I also enjoyed the arts so I got into architecture. I was earning quite early in life and my perceptions of life have been very adult so that has made me a sort of child woman quite early.

My interactions with people have always been on a very grounded level. I was good in academics and in other co-curricular activities too. Mostly because I did generally put my best into whatever I did.

As a child and a teenager I used to get a second look wherever I went but I’d got so used to this that I never really took it seriously.

The greatest high for me would be when I topped the class. Like I remember the greatest disappointment was when I didn’t top in the 10th standard after having become so used to getting a rank. It made me realise the value of it.

Life after winning Miss World

Miss World happened to me and I realised that I’m in exactly the correct profession. I take every experience as a learning experience and I’m enjoying acting very much.

Consciously and subconsciously I’ve adopted this mode — that of studentship. I think I’ve always been before my time, not only now but even as a teenager — my interactions with people, my wants and desires were all more mature than others my age — I was never frivolous.

I’m not saying I’m oh so drab and grey. I’m a dreamer but I can’t help it if I believe eight out of 10 times that I have been quite perceptive and God has given me that knack.

At times it seems that life would be a little easier if we were a little dim about things or a little blind so we could drift through life without seeing too much too clearly. I think it has something to do with ones upbringing and immediate surroundings and the sum total of all one’s experiences.

If acting hadn’t happened I’d have gone through life in a routine way but I’m glad acting did happen because I realise I’m not cut out for routine.

As I was a good student I’d immediately have enrolled for some professional course so that’s what my life would have been too.

My acting ability has actually helped me to keep some kind of a balance. And yet never have I felt like a failure — nor am I carried away by praise, adulation and success.

Audiences felt that my failure to make the box office tinkle was a sign of failure but I was willing to listen to constructive criticism always having been a willing student.

I was definitely listening — I was all ears but I was able to see the difference between constructive criticism and just brickbats — and I was able to discern, this thanks to the confidence of my directors and fans. I was already interacting with audiences because I was seen as a star due to my Miss World status.

I’ve been asked often how all the attention I get feels like, and I cannot deny that I’ve always had a lot of attention — perhaps that’s why it has worked as a boon. Instead of making me bigheaded — it’s worked in a contrary fashion in that I don’t feel anything at all.

I’m not conceited at all. Attention — the horizons of which cannot be gauged — it could be within the four walls of your house or your street, your city, your country your world - what you can only experience is those two eyes looking at you at any point of time. That could affect you adversely, positively or anyway. Now that attention I’ve had all my time. I know it’s there, I’m made aware of it, but I don’t necessarily experience it all the time. Except perhaps on stage. Right from childhood I’ve received that extra glance but honestly it’s never become an issue.

I’ve never understood why I’ve been called 'cold'

It may be that the image I present appears cold. Most people, once they’ve met me, do discard that opinion but I’ve decided that there must be something about me which makes people say I’m cold and mysterious and difficult to understand.

On the contrary, I’ve always loved being with people so there’s this ambivalence but instead of trying to decipher it, I’ve decided to sit back and enjoy it.

Dream or realization

There was a thick layer of fog between me and my goals. I shrieked for help. And then I found an arm......it stayed and made me smile...soon it went away. Then there was another one...it went away too and another one....and so on. And there were no more arms to hold on to .I had no choice but to go on.

'Hope and dream' speeches are mighty entertaining. But they don't provide an arm to a lost man trying to find his way. So I trashed them.

And then, I realized. I had the arms of God. I had them in the form of the two, swinging by my side, as a part of me. And so, I knew....I dint have to shriek for help!

Thoughts let loose.....

Soothing music plays in my head phones.....its about an hour to dawn. I am at another threshold in my life.....

People,places,events,grad school,wedlock......every term....every exam....every deadline....every day,every love,every cheer,every tear,every feat,every defeat....every challenge.Life definitely comes in chapters. So new....so beautiful, so enigmatic....so annoying. I wish I could hold on to it like the morning dew in the sockets of my palms...

Am caught between ideas, ideologies,present,past and future.....sometimes it gets very tiring. Dreams run beneath my eyes close en open, and every other second reality bites in....its not so simple.

Living is a search till you find yourself, you find happiness. Where does happiness lie then? In the means or the end?

Its snowing ....

Winter is here after all the dilly dallying. After it kept us waiting for thanks giving ,Christmas and even New year. It was so unlike Philly not be cold and chilly on these days.

There have been many light snow showers making it uniquely memorable. Reminds me of my first snow in philly. I had fallen straight into it after sliding on the wooden steps. I dint have the right snow shoes then. Now I tread the steps more carefully and enjoy every bit of the chilly breeze blocked partly by my jacket and muffler.

Beautiful as the sight is getting with snow, this time it is flightier. It feels best when u can see through the snow as it clearly cuddles into your palms.

I had so less time during my first year to think about the snow. It was more like,'Why does it ever snow?', because I felt most of it under my shoes when I was running between classes,labs and on campus jobs. Not to mention the oodles of snow which went inside my jacket and in my face (unexpectedly every time),when I was trying to stay away from my pals who were playing with snow. I somehow never realized my resolute to give it back to them (with interest).

Also that time when I posed for camera shots with me in my first snow. And later on realized that the camera had gone out of memory and efficiently displayed flashes only. Thanks to my roomie!

I can go on and on. Because its just not snow. There have been a million tags to it ,people,places and moments attached ....

%^&#$

It has been so long that thoughts have gotten to paper (or feelings on to keys?)....my inner voice seems to make meaningless babbles and I hear them fading away..

Painting emotions onto words makes little sense....as there is something more important always....

The child is angry because the woman is taking over....?#$&*!!