Chic-a-Go: Changing Colours...

Blog: Wanting to recollect and type was becoming an effort. Blogging has always been my hobby but I have been busy and self-obsessed for quite a few months :) What do I do with myself?

Lets talk about the city I love. Chicago is a Windy City. Though its cold like any other place, in fact there are places which are more colder than Chicago, this place can be a bit worse. Thanks to the winds from Lake Michigan. There are two temperatures shown for Chicago: The actual degree Fahrenheit and feels like degree :) which will be higher.

Lake Michigan

The first time I landed in Chicago it was cold but missed the snow and I was so upset. The next year, I am not sure of others, but I was so eagerly waiting for the snow. The first snow I experienced was while in the car en-route to another state called Milwaukee for an Art of Living Course. It was just flurries, like the rain drizzles. Nevertheless I could not contain my excitement. Then it snowed in Chicago and I was walking on the deserted streets, silenced due to snow and less traffic. The first walk in the snow is something I will never forget. However before snow comes Fall. This is another season I had missed.

Snow at the Swami Narayan Temple, Chicago

Fall: The wallpaper scenic views on streets; Red, orange, yellow, brown, green, barren trees scream for attention, the place has a festive look for few weeks. It will be cold outside, but there are days when we can witness yellow and orange leaves being kissed by the evening sun-rays. Breathtaking is a small word for the happiness it brings about.

Fall Colours

Thanksgiving Dinner at cousin's place

Within days it will be the Thanksgiving Week (28th November 2013). I love this week for two reasons and it is not even remotely related to the purpose of the event. Winter officially begins this week so its bitter cold. This week has a long weekend so it means R will be home for most of the days of the week :) and we go shopping at wee hours as prices are slashed during this day. Thanksgiving is the official start of holiday season as within less than a month Christmas and then New Year is here. Who does not love the holiday season?

Love

Me

Going 6 Places....

I love travelling, but not sight-seeing as much....:) But there are many places close to my heart :)

1. 'Vijay Vihar' Mangalore, home of mine, is a place that cannot be replaced anywhere, anytime. I need not say anything more, as it is our 'Home'.

2. It would be Art of Living Ashram at Bangalore. Every corner of the Ashram is my Home. You are there and you know 'You are special'. The environment can influence a behaviour. Don't agree? Come over :)

3. Munnar! I just went there once,but like the place, it has given me ever-green memories. The place where one can become poetic with nature and romantic in the clouds. The journey uphill and down-hill , encapsulates the richness, in its true-form. I love the Club Mahindra there, as we stayed there ;)

4. I am a very nostalgic person, if you may say so. The maternal Tharvadu (Ancestral home) would be the one I associate my childhood with. The house carried itself in my maiden -name. Vadakke Madam or in the area known by the direction, Kezhakke Madom. The orange and white painted home, with a grilled window, and a TV room. Achachan's (Grand-father) chair outside, and his umbrella tucked on to the window. The vast fields surrounding the home, is the place where I learnt to be grounded and love my traditional roots :). I miss...

5. Though I did not spend more than 2 days there, Ratheesh's Tharvad (Kunnath) would occupy a special place too. It may be because, it so closely resembles my Achan's Tharvad at Kannadiparambu or might be because of lovely people there or the village like atmosphere, or may be the Shiva Temple in the vicinity, or the pond surrounded by the greens.

6. It would be Chicago. The house I entered with Ratheesh in Chicago Downtown at Millenium Park Plaza. The first house, we attempted, in making a home.

What happens in Las Vegas, stays in my Blog!!!!

There is a popular saying, ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’. I thought there is no necessity of this adage. In fact there are realizations that can be helpful to us in the long run. Now Las Vegas is the place, which when mentioned itself, people go ga-ga. Thanks to the curiosity created by the adage mentioned. The whole post is high on ‘bias’ and is opinionated. Read it at your own risk and with less-expectations.

Las Vegas! We drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. 

The entry into the Nevada (State which hosts this city) is indicated by the outskirts casinos. The weather is very hot and dry, topped with hot and non-humid wind tingling the city every now and then, till about  one early morning. The city is filled to brim with lights, smoke (Read: Nicotine), semi-clad people, and casinos. The moment I entered the vicinity of the area, I already felt, ‘This is it????’. Casino is a place where people gamble, some for fun, some for the sake of fun. The crowd is surprisingly amazing. Globalization = Las Vegas. People from all over the world, come with their baggage here, testing their luck. I have seen new-born babies, pregnant ladies, handicapped people, blind man, saree-clad aunty, old men and women who are finding it difficult to read the menus too trying their luck here. Watching them itself can get addictive.

The things I learnt from Vegas:

·         There are n number of casinos, owned and managed by different people. All casino hotels are different, look-wise as well as attraction wise, though the casino in real-sense everywhere is the same. They have brought the attractions of the whole world, to this place. For instance, there is an Eiffel Tower, in the casino called Paris, which is an amazing attempt. There are Gondola Rides, in Venetian Casino, and even a Statue of Liberty. They are cashing on the attractions.

Lesson: I need to be grateful and proud of the world I live in.

The casinos are not as much run by competition. You ask any casino, the information of the other one, they would oblige with detailed information and in fact many of them volunteered to go and enjoy the other ones. While in ‘Paris’, they gave us information about ‘Venetian’.

Lesson: Competing with others can lead to bankruptcy. Yeah! Las Vegas is the city, because of which Nevada has never known what is bankruptcy . When we lend a hand and support others, it does not mean pushing our talents down. Talents shine better.

None of them have the same attractions. It is sort of like delegated work. Every casino is unique so there is no sense of negative competition seen or felt during interaction.

Lesson: Know what I am good at, for my betterment. Delegating work, is good for me in the long run, if at all I feel, in shorter run it is taxing on the credits I am earning. Remember the -sharpening the axe by wood-cutter story.

People who stay in Las Vegas rarely gamble as they know the ill-effects of them -shared byNiccolas, the gondola rider, during our conversation. He gambles once every six months for maximum $30 and regrets it, every six months :).

All places have lessons to be told. It depends on me, if I am open to learning. The moment I landed here, I knew I would be taken care of, as I was here to experience something new. I am a pure-vegetarian. But I got amazing vegetarian food everywhere I went. I did not gamble, drink or smoke but I had enough and more fun, minus the hangover and after-effects. I met new people, saw that same things can be seen from a different perspective.

A new page has been added to my book, rich by experience and observation, and attitude-polishing. Ratheesh said this to me during the initial headache I had, “Why are you feeling it’s a negative place, you can always add positivity to it.” So I So-Hummed above the Casino J.

Being an outsider...

This is the very feeling we find it difficult to come in terms with. Just imagine walking in the pathway, where all are staring at you as if, they have never... you can't even comprehend their gestures and words yet the two blocks seems eternal. We all have gone through it at some point of time or the other. Whether it is our first day at the new school, or the new job, seminar, or for that matter meeting new people. There is so many conversations happening within, and it is so convincing that we construct it out. We live in our own world. So we cannot blame  anyone.

Why these thoughts stuck me???

 Ratheesh is a very good orator and good at debates. His one article happened to be there in the laptop. The title was the same as mentioned in this post. It was beautifully written and I knew thoughts were just flowing. This was his experience on  first few days of his MS at IIT, Chicago, his first job at the gas station, where he learnt a bit of native Spanish for day to day communication and to act out the connection and even the first few days of his new job, where he was leading ten others.

The above thingy happens in all its modified version in each one of our lives.We stop. We think. We act very late and the end result is compromise. I act in front of weaker person, but when it comes to strong ones (again a make of my mind) I stop, think and of course COMPROMISE. A very cool English term.

Somehow because Ratheesh is already here and other family and friends, I don't feel that here to the extend. Probably I owe it to all the above mentioned people, experience and being with Youths from across the wold. Nothing seems to entice me, and am Happy about it :)
Love Thy Nation !!!!!

Chennai- Abudhabi- Chicago

Leaving alone the bouts of climate meeting our general health, I can proudly say, we both have successfully transformed a 'Good House' to a 'Beautiful Abode'. My favourite play during my childhood was House-House, where in, my sister and myself would be running a household, dually for about 2 hours, until our father comes home for lunch, in person :). I used to always wonder how it is to run, be a part of good (our home, shopping, preparing, taking charge) as well as headache (finance, budget, early morning getting ups etc) items be...

The moment I stepped into the Chennai Airport with both my set of parents right beside me, I had this eerie feeling of, 'will I be able to'. I was pampered in the airport. Thanks to Raghavendra Uncle, Achan's friend who took me directly to security check - Much to the dismay of the people standing in long Qs for the emmigration stamp. Lovely! Business Class flight for the sobbing Vini !!! Thanks to Surya (My SIL) and her friend who upgraded my seat. My trip to Abu Dhabi was really short :( My stopover at Abu Dhabi was short and sweet. Alice in wonderland, where I took my own time to explore the nook and corners of Abu Dhabi Duty Free and observe everything around. Timings! You want Indian time, UAE or Chicago timings ?!!!???$%^&&*

My Chicago Flight. With six movies and awesome food, Kriya and many rounds of Nadishodhans, the 16 hour flight was awesomely boring. Transcending boredom was seriously not possible. Desperation to reach Chicago sank in, as going back was not possible. By the time it was time to get down, I was so tired and non-passionate of all the things around.

But the wait and boredom was worth it. The anxiety and relief was seen in the eyes of my hubby, Ratheesh. He had no words and dutifully obliged to hear my side of Mahabharath. It was COLD out there. Not JUST COLD.Get it? It became warm, as soon as I saw the  Limo coming into the pathway to pick us. My romantic husband had arranged for the same. This was my time to be silent....

Rest will continue.....

Random Thoughts in the most random way

It was a beautiful ride since long. There has been fun, frolic, love and disappointment. But all led to ultimate joy. Yeah got engaged!!!! Will write about this when I am in those mushy-mushy atmosphere. Right now its official vacation for me, kids are back home. The emptiness of not meeting them has already set in. Realized that life teaches me a lesson, through people. I am always gifted with people and situations the moment I want to learn a lesson or the life wants to teach  me one. (PS: Its always the latter part.) :) Recently, Almas, Saji, Shantha Miss and myself had been to Coffee Day, just to wile away our time. Started talking, gossiping and sharing subtle truths on how life takes a turn after every milestone. Whether it is an engagement, marriage, birth of a kid or even the first day of schooling for that tiny-tot.
I will be stepping into a new family, new culture, traditions, relationship etc. The only prayer from my side is, 'I got to be natural.' The beautiful experience of having two families to back on is actually nice. Small wavy jitters have set in. But as Saji puts in, 'Almas and myself will be Bindaas.'

Random Realizations in a Random Manner :)

Last fews days beautifully added to the pages of my life. :) :) :)

TTC (Teachers Training Course) has actually changed and polished my life. Sharika is leaving for the same. It is going to be a beautiful milestone in this Journey of ours. Life is all about accommodating people into the realm of love. Unlike the Reality shows jargon, it is about 'Selection', rather than 'Elimination'.
Only a lighted candle can light other candles. And a candle does not limit its light to itself. Just like Mother-Nature it is there to give and serve. Since few months i realized, how by sharing and caring, we are in harmony with the nature and the nature goes to any extent to 'Take Care' of us. You all are light! Spread the light!

Possession Vs Love! Guruji says it beautifully. The moment we see something or sense something/someone really nice, we want to possess it. Instead of soaking in the beauty we plan and design ways to possess it! Not just possess it, but possess it FOREVER. The moment we decide to drop this feeling, we feel light from within. At least there is this better feeling than the feelings we have while we Thought we owned it.

Last week was a thunderous week! Intro-Talk training in Mangalore and YES!+ course in Manipal :)
Nature was so happy, that she saw to it that , it rained while I was there so that I feel even more good.
Lives transformed...

Chennai: Hot and awesome!

In Chennai my niece Shreya gave me company. In her play school though, she speaks Tamil so fluently and gave my visit wholesome publicity. Had gone to drop this tiny-tot to her play school, she just could not control her happiness and smile. She told all the people in the locality that, “Ennode Chitti”. Translation: My aunt.

Went around, met our relatives. This was one of my first long trips where only my mother and myself were together. So it was even jollier. Went around Chennai, challenging the Surya Bhagawan. Nathan, a YES!+ Volunteer took me to this beautiful beach in Besant Nagar. Though it was afternoon, it was breezy and loved the shores and the waters.

                                                               Rajakeeyam Food
 
Then we went to ‘Sanjeevanam’, a purely Satvic restaurant. Awesome food! Bawa loved it and wrote about it. So you can read about it in the link! I do not remember why I wrote this. Had scribbled before leaving to Mysore though.

Love 

Me

Management Intro Talks

A week before was in Chennai. It is so hot there. I and my wishes! When Bawa told Chennai is hot, I wanted to experience it. Never knew it would get fulfilled so fast you see. Had actually been there for an interview which I beautifully termed it as “Management Introductory Talk (MIT)”. Why?!?! The very nice part about my life is, I am qualified for the job for which I studied, but there is no experience you see. Speak of Catch-22 situation. All companies want experienced people hence not ready to take in fresher. It is nice, as I don’t want to so quickly become old and worn out. Actually I will never be!

Now why a MIT?!!

Interviewer: Excellent Curriculum Vitae (CV), awesome personality skills, so much of dynamism etc etc... But oh know, experience wise a bit low. Anyways tell us about yourself.

Yours truly: Blah... Blah... I am also a faculty of YES!+. (and wait for them to question me)

Interviewer: What is YES!+?

Yours truly: YES!+ is nothing but one of the most finest and challenging courses for the youths world over... It is known as Youth Empowerment and Skills Workshop.. (Rest some of you know my intro talks, I enlighten them on the same).

Interviewer: Hmmm continue...

Yours truly: YES!+, Sri Sri, My experiences, how youths have benefited, how we should be responsible and give back to society etc are the main topics.

Interviewer: Woah! I will take your resume back to our place. Don’t you think you are more fit as YES!+ faculty? We would love to have you in the company, but your experience level makes us think twice. All the best for a bright future.

Yours truly: Smile... Smile... Smile. Thank you.

Yours truly all happy and peaceful. I made the ever serious interview board members Smile for around 20 minutes and also think. Cool Me... Cooler my Boss :)

Love
Me 

Contemplation...

Yesterday took up a follow-up in Manipal. Lucky to meet many pearls, literally chosen by Him. Its so nice to see the adults getting inspired and infused by the spirit in us YOUTHS. We have this unique combination of energy, age and time with us. We in YES!+ also have Guru with us, always we know we are taken care.



Guru is a TATVA, its a consciousness which we have and is one with the nature. I realised in last few days. This word “fear” got annihilated in the fire of “Big mind”. I don’t know what to express or how to express the bliss I am going through. Feel like; have just finished a blissful Advance course in the presence of Guruji. After Navrathri, and homas in the Ashrams around the world and within me (Yeah our body too is an Ashram...Realise it...) feeling like a diamond getting polished and strong. Spreading His knowledge is not the only aim, but being in Knowledge in the process is the ICING in the CAKE.


Just read an experience sharing which was held in Kollam (District in Kerala, India), was forwarded by Sharika. There are moments in life when you are in the awe and aura of gratitude, when words turn silly, and breath becomes prayer. This was one such moment when I just read that sharing. Life is taking turns, and I can’t stop Smiling .


Jai Guru Dev.


Have fun. Live every moment.

Bitter Truths and My Silence

While returning back from Chennai in Train, we were traveling in AC compartment. As we all know, we are given the bed sheets, blankets and pillows as well as a towel in the train. Its nice to observe the things happening around. I had taken up the upper birth and slept off reading my book. Woke up in a jolt when train stopped in a station. I saw this guy come like a thief and take away the bed-sheets which was kept for the lower-occupants who were yet to get into the train. Hmmmm. In the morning the old uncle sitting and sipping the tea told me that he did not have a bed sheet. I felt bad. Here was this old man who needed bed sheet which was rightly his. Mistake was in my part also i.e. My Silence in the night. I realize.

My father was speaking to the boys in the train who were hurriedly folding all the bed sheets and keeping it in the order. Father jokingly asked if these things go missing. With a tinge of pain and mockery this guy replies,” yes sir, not even the towels are spared. That is why we fold it so fast so that they don’t carry it away.” And the bitter truth is, if something goes missing, these boys’ salaries are deducted. With lots of irony he says, “Traveling in AC Compartment why do they have to act so cheap. And we can’t even check their baggages, as they feel offended.”
I could not help but awe the Mind of ours.

Chennai!!! Njan Varuvae

(Shreya hugged by Unnimaya)

Had been to Chennai for Krithi Didi’s sister Priyanka’s wedding. It was so nice. There were nice rituals and traditions which came alive. Some funny, some emotional, some nice. It was an amalgamation of Tamil Brahmin and Kannada Brahmin cultures. There were lots of colors and happenings around, a get-together of family and friends lit up the festive hearts of all there. Was visiting Chennai after 20 yrs. Yeah went there when I was really small. I did not like the weather at all. It was yuck! But it did not seem I was visiting the place for the first time.

Chennai, I feel, is a mixture of Bangalore areas and people, Mysore buildings and Mangalore touch and a metro-feel. I thought I saw all these places in one go. Being in this family, I am gifted with so many relatives and kid-cousins. So here I visited my cousin, whose daughter Shreya is so coochie-coochie. She is so fluent in Tamil more than Malayalam. It’s so nice, the way she eats cream-biscuits by licking the cream, 100%, and literally throwing the biscuit. She laughs when she hears the duck-toy says Quack-Quack.

If anything is missing from the place Satish Chetan (Shreya’s dad) asks his dear daughter where this thing is, and she promptly directs them to it. Woah when she calls my name its music to my ears!!