Quote for the day

"Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect; It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections."

Secrets of Greatness - An article worth reading

I came across this interesting article which says "Talent doesn't mean intelligence, motivation or personality traits. It's an innate ability to do some specific activity especially well."

Click here to read the whole article. It is an interesting read especially because it is based on thorough scientific research.

That one letter

May 1996:
A tall and beautiful girl walks into my dorm with moist eyes and sits on the empty bed next to mine. I watch her silently for a while and say "Dont worry, once you get involved in the hostel fun life, you wont miss your parents much". She forces a smile and says thanks. There begins a new friendship.
Over the months, I realize she is not only sensitive but also smart, down to earth, quick-witted and she doesn't take much time to become anyone's friend. Effortlessley, she becomes a sweetheart of everyone in the hostel and a very close friend of mine.

March 1997:
All of us are done with the board exams. Its the end of high school and time to depart. The same girl who had entered the hostel with moist eyes is crying again! This time she doesn't want to go back home leaving her friends, especially me. We dont know if we will ever meet again and even if we do....dont know when! But we make sure to exchange our contact addresses and phone numbers so that we can stay in touch. Everyone bids a tearful adieu to the alma mater, wishing that time would just rewind and we all go back to hostel.

From the day one at home, I start writing letters to my hostel friends. I start expecting replies though I know snail mails are not as quick as emails! I jump with happiness when I receive a letter from my dear friend. I waste no time in replying back and start expecting another letter from her.

One month has past and I dont receive any reply from her. I call her at the contact number and someone says she has gone out of station. "OK, let me wait for some more time and then write to her" I think. I write another letter to the same address. This time again hoping she replies.

Its been a year now. I am busy with my new school in a new place with new people around. I dont think about her often; but yes, I do sometimes expect a letter from her. I think about her whenever I feel lonely and wonder, she was such a wonderful friend; where did she disappear?

Its Graduation Day! Everyone is partying and rejoicing. I have graduated too. Even though I have made lots of new friends here, I can't forget that tall and beautiful girl who had walked into my dorm that day. Still wonder where on earth she is? Why can't she write to me? The old phone number has changed and there is no reply for my letters. None of my other hostel friends also know her whereabouts. I silently wish I get to meet her someday; maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe in the mall or in a cinema hall! anywhere.....but I want to meet her again.

Now I have a new life in a new country, so far away from home. The thought of meeting my mysteriously disappeared old pal still sometimes linger in my mind. With the Internet, VoIP, Cell phones, online friends' community etc etc, am getting in touch with lots of long lost friends. Thanks to the improving technologies for shrinking the globe! All the good old hostel pals who had lost touch with each other have suddenly got back together and busy updating about each others lives; remembering the old days, old pranks and sweet memories. Am really delighted to get back in touch with all of them. But one question remains unanswered among everyone: Where did that girl go? Nobody knows.

Sept 2006:
It has been 10 years now. I am sleepy and about to hit the bed. My dad calls me and says "You have received a Wedding Invitation and a letter from this girl named........" Oh my god! I don't believe my own ears. Did I hear her name???? Yes, it is from her.....that tall and beautiful girl! Yippieeee......I rejoice to glory. This is what I wanted from such a long time, finally she has written a letter to me. Wow, she is getting married now! Its none of the new technologies which did the wonders, its the old style of "Keep in touch through snail mail" which brought the friends back in touch.

Luckily in this letter, she has mentioned three contact numbers instead of one! Am wide awake now and I waste no time in calling her. I don't believe she remembers me just the way I always remembered her. I hang up and smile to myself for me having moist eyes this time :)

I want to catch a local bus.

Being born and brought up in India, as far as I remember....the first few words that I spoke when I was a kid were 'amma', 'appa' (meaning Mom n Dad respectively) followed by the word 'Auto'!!! (shortform for Autorickshaw)

Believe me....Autorickshaws are that common in our country! The minute you are out of your door steps, you are greeted by this screechy little thing on the road. Just get ready....walk to the curb, call or wave at a speeding auto and zooo..mmm comes the auto-driver in his tiny little escort. The best thing about having autos running around was, never in my life I had to worry about transportation. My mom till now hasn't bothered to learn driving because she knows wherever she goes in India, autos are there for her rescue.

Besides autorickshaws, in bigger cities you get to see buses/trains running around. The importance given to public transportation is the best thing I like about my country. I do agree that its not always a pleasent experience using these facilites, but this is overshadowed by the fact that it helps umpteen number of people to travel around without worrying about owning a vehicle which could've burnt a hole in their pockets.

I was so used to this kind of easy and inexpensive mode of transportation that I was frustrated during my first year of stay in Unites States. It was literally a 'house arrest' because I didnot know how to drive. Only after landing in this country, I realized one must know driving just like how you learn alphabet. I have observed that some thickly populated cities have good public transport facility but what about the people living in suburbs or towns? No choice....either ask for help from a friend or buy your own car!

I feel US must give lot of importance for providing public transport in all parts of the country and encourage more and more people to use it. Besides the fact that people miss their 'personal space' or many other reasons, it does have plenty of advantages. First of all, when 20 people travel in a bus rather than using 20 cars to reach the same destination, think of gallons of gas that could be saved and ofcourse the reduction in pollution. It helps people to be stressfree because once you are in, its the driver's responsiblity to drive you safely to your destination while you can sit and relax, enjoy a coffee....read a book...or just go to sleep! Finally, the money you can save on buying cars for each one in the family is noteworthy.

Well....am glad to read some articles which says many Americans favor public transportation. Can the government be more proactive about this?

A jog and a hog addiction!

Have u ever tried jogging for 50 minutes continuously?
- yes ofcourse...

Have u ever eaten your favourite ice-cream on a hot summer evening?
- yeah definitely....!

Now....tell me have u ever tried combining both of them?
- what do u mean? You mean, jog for 50 minutes on a hot summer evening and then hog an ice-cream????? phew...are u crazy!!!

yesss, thats a crazy, whacky idea! Let me explain how it feels to try this unusual thing.......
I'm all hungry, thirsty and sweaty after that long, tiring jog and finally enter Cold Stone Creamery which itself smells like a big ice-cream. I gaze at the menu for so long that I've tears in my eyes because I forgot to blink for sometime!! Finally I decide to try Strawberry Banana Rendezvous. As I order, the young-tall boy on the other side scoopes out a big ball of pink Strawberry ice-cream. I think...okey, am all set to take the ice-cream. But wait a minute, he just started with strawberry, what about banana and the renedezvous? So..I wait patiently trying to close my watering mouth!

Suddenly I see an unusual and interesting thing....the boy places the ice-cream on a cold stone, flatten it, adds few strawberries, few pieces of banana, Graham cracker pie crust and as per my request, adds roasted almonds and pecans instead of white chocolate chips since I feel chocolate chips isn't the right fit. He mixes the whole cocktail lovingly as though he just invented a whole new ice-cream! The cocktail is now stuffed into a tiny bowl and handed over to me. I rejoice from within as though I won a trophy for working hard for 50 mins and keeping my mouth wide open for so long in the shop!

Nooow comes the best part of et al. I settle down in a corner and put the first scoop of this creation in my mouth. Yoppieeeee...hmmm....~*its simply amazing*~! I feel as though I've floated a few inches into the heaven. For a few mintues, I see the world around me turning into beautiful red strawberries, bunches of bananas, lots of almonds and graham crackers, all of them blending in tonnes of strawberry ice-cream. I relish, relish aaaaand relish every bit of that ice-cream till I realize that am scrapping the bottom of the bowl!

I feel totally light and delighted after this no gain, no loss affair. Its a boost for my feel good factor coz on one hand am glad that I burnt 400 cal. and on the other hand I got to throughly enjoy this superb creation on earth, which ofcourse added 200 calories back.
So what? Think about the whole experience.....its priceless and memorable.
As I finish writing, I cant wait to go for my evening jog :)

First timer....

I am new to blogging....new to the world of writing. well... am better at talking, can talk non-stop for hours! After more than 2 decades of my existence, only today I realized how hard it is to write something that is meaningful and thoughtful. Was always skeptical or say shy, about writing something on the net where it is open to the whole wide world (www....). Better late than never....Can't I now give a shot at writing?

Am very thankful to a friend of mine who once told a wise saying: "You have to overcome fear, dont let the fear overcome you". wow..whatta inspirational thought! I recollect this almost everyday... everytime I find an obstacle. It has done wonders in helping me overcome so many fears in my day-to-day life.

Today I begin my blog by recollecting the same saying. I always feared writing; now I am trying to overcome the fear by posting my first blog on the net. Donno how far can I get with blogging..... Wish me luck, people!

phew.....without knowing where to begin or what to write, have I written so much? Not bad for the first time eh...or am I feeling too sheepish?????