Ann's Abode

2010-09-12T22:23:00.000-07:00

A random thought just flew into my mind today...

Life is not about being perfect, but about being imperfect well!

Perfect is Imperfect...

2010-08-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

Dominique left.

She had just been on a date with a prominent architect.

On paper he seemed like a good idea, but in reality something was amiss. The Gaps in conversation had to be filled with words. It was too awkward otherwise. She tried but then she tired. The constant pressure didn't seem worth it. She stopped doing the needful.

She didn't ramble on to entertain the narcissistic, almighty architect, who expected it of her. She didn't like to do what was expected, so deliberately created and held onto the moments of silence. These were not comfortable for him. He accused her of never talking.

She smiled.

'What a child', she thought and looked through him.

Not a fan of meaningless small talk, her mind raced for an exit. She always got what she wanted.

A Face, A Person or A Missed Love?

2010-04-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

Shanaiya Bose was lost in thought. Her friend, asha shook her out of reverie.
"Helloooo, Is anyone in there? You look dazed.", she said waving her hands dramatically in front of her.

She had to blink twice, looked at Asha with deliberate concentration and said, "Yea, you were saying Mini was unfair to you." Asha seemed satisfied and carried on talking about her boss, whilst shanaiya drifted away again.

One of the things on her mind these days was a face, not just any, but a completely flawless, Adonis-like face with features chiseled from stone, if you may.

When Asha had pointed him out to her in the company bus as her friend who had just returned from an on-site trip and had later introduced them, she didn’t think much of him.

Reason 1; he was wearing huge glares, in effect covering up mesmerizing eyes and 2 ; The clothes weren’t a saving grace either, he had worn a loose checked formal shirt with loose cargoes, she would never have guessed the big, beautiful body that lay within.

Instead 1 & 2 combined gave the impression of someone who was trying too hard, ‘a total wannabe’; she judged and smiled politely when introduced.

The following day, as the bus halted at his stop, she saw a stunner standing there, without the glares this time & in crisp formals. She couldn’t help drooling. As realization dawned of who it was, she mentally kicked herself for being so dismissive of him.

As she stared at him disbelievingly from under the protection of her glares, she checked herself. Yes, she was immaculately dressed, accessorized well and wore subtle make-up which enhanced her features perfectly.

She wasn't sure about many thing, but one thing she was that she knew was that they would have some story together. It could be a chapter, a section, a page or even two lines long, but it would be there.

According to the subsequent inquiries, he was of a different religion. But then again, she thought, there was no harm in making him lose sleep over her.

To induce the first stir of desire, she looked right into his eyes every time their paths crossed. He almost nodded his head once, clearly to induce some sense of sanity...
Clearly she thought, this was completely new to him, he knew nothing of eye-games.

She was anyway without intention of striking up a conversation.

Soon it just became just this thing they did, her eyes automatically sought him out when he entered the bus and his did the same.

It was electric, no one saw what they were doing, it was like a common secret, a game no one else was privy to. They felt like the two of them were alone in the whole wide world for those two seconds.

It was cutting edge seduction.

It didn’t help though that he thought of himself as a ‘lovegod’ of sorts, so she knew she had to keep him off-balance, change the rules of the game and step back to heighten the intrigue. She was just delaying that phase as she was enjoying this too much in her otherwise boring life or lack of it, but what she never imagined was that circumstance will play spoilsport and interfere, so as to make her change course.

One afternoon after a solitary walk and with a much clearer head, she got into the lift to get to the destination floor (6th). When on the way, it halted on the 5th, where to her absolute surprise, he was waiting with friend in tow, the friend stepped in, but he didn’t, as you guessed it, she was at it again, looking him in the eye, but this time, with reckless abandon, without bother of who’s watching, he had never looked that good!

She was caught off-guard by the proximity of this encounter, also because they were on hallowed ground. She had never played eye games within office premises, so was shaken at this absolute invasion of private space.

Her eyes were almost begging him not to take the lift, displaying a lot of emotion in the bargain, he came up with his own vulnerable look too, which was 'oh-so-irresistible', She saw a softness in his otherwise hot & tough Adonis-like face, which made her melt, that was when she realized that this guy is more than a just a piece of meat, he is a man she could fall in love with!

That realization made her eyes intensify the pleading, asking him to go away, to not take the lift, he looked almost helpless now.

He actually would have let it go, if it was not for his friend asking him ‘What’s wrong?’ and prodding him in.

Once he was in, she could feel his eyes on her, observing curiously the bundle of nerves in front of him. She, on the other hand was half-pleased with herself for creating the supremely romantic moment (which she knew she would treasure until something better came up) and half-mad at herself for letting her face mirror her thoughts so clearly, she clenched her fist and waited with bated breath for the destination floor and rushed out, once there.

Later, She replayed the moment in her mind over and over again, trying to decipher just how much she might have emoted/ what he was thinking at that time/ how dashing he looked that time/ how beautiful he made her feel and also something completely new, now he was more than meat, he was a person, She had seen him vulnerable and so had he, now she was thinking of the person (let’s call it level 2), alarm bells were ringing in her head, but she tried and ignored the noise.

The warm fuzzy feeling that you feel, when you know you are desired, enveloped her and she was reveling in it, even when she met her Asha, in the evening.

She was reliving the eye-lock and enjoying it immensely, only half-listening to what Asha was saying. Actually, she was not even pretending to listen.

Shanaiya was clearly in another world and Asha wanted all the gory details.

She hesitated a bit, wondering if Asha, the realist, would break the bubble, but finally took the risk, as she was dying to talk about it.

Asha soon started teasing her with him, which she did not take to kindly, she feared that either it would trivialize the awesomeness of the moment or would build it up too much, so while trying bravely to control the blushing, she told her firmly to stop it.

Asha wanted to say something but hesitated and now it was Shanaiya who egged her on. Asha finally relented and said that ‘when such things happen, she prefers to laugh it out, so that it doesn’t play on the mind too much’

Damn! She knew Asha was right.

Asha asked her if she could see a future with him, she replied in the negative.

She didn’t want a ‘lovegod’ for a husband; why you ask? Well, for one she would get a complex and would live in constant fear of him straying. She was sure he would because the temptation for him would be too great, & the best part of temptation is the giving-in to it.

She loved the forbidden, but was getting the feeling that she had played with fire enough...

So, the voice of reason and the alarm bells in her head had made their point very clear.

The bubble broke and she was back in the real world with a clear mind et al.

So next day on, she gave him the royal ignore. (It irritated and amused her for a while that this stepping back was initially a part of her plan and that it would only pique his interest in her)

That very day, an article came in the paper which reverberated with her, she could identify with the quote:

When both speech and desire tremble on the threshold of silence…”We looked at each other without speaking, we spoke to each other, not knowing what we were saying”
- Giancomo Casanova

He doesn’t take the company bus anymore, travels by his new bike.

Once when she was out with her office buddies at D-mart after lunch to pick up some essentials (read chocolates, cookies), while they were looking for the least crowded counter to pay at, she spotted him at the farthest one, from where he was watching her, vulnerable look in place.

She gulped...

(warm, fuzzy feeling)

... and looked away.

My First...

2010-04-03T03:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks Supriya for my first Blog award ever... feels really special :)

This award comes with the following rules:

1. You must thank the person who has given you the award. - Done
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog. - Done
3. Link to the person who has nominated you for the award. - Done
4. Name 4 things about yourself that people might find interesting

I love being with nature, whether its adventurous activities like trekking, or just looking out my window at the plants swaying in the wind, wondering about the story the 150 year old mango tree wants to say, it leaves me with a sense of peace & contentment...

I write a lot, if not on a blog, then just on my cell, or a scrap of paper, especially when there are too many thoughts, i like to think of writing as my answer to Dumbledore's pensieve, a magical object into which the Hogwarts Headmaster pours his thoughts for preserving them, and i imagine also to get some headroom ;)

I love food, i have often wondered how people 'eat to live'; i have a friend to whom, once when i offered ice cream, she replied, "i am not hungry", let me just say: What?!!?!!?

I see people's aura, you know the electromagnetic field around a person. Due to this, some people have labeled me a Mystic & some an up & coming Witch... LOL!! Though it would be cool, i could use a slice of magic in life, but seeing auras only means you have just learnt to pay attention to what your eyes are capable of... i am not going into the details because i already have on this blog...

5. Nominate 4 other Kreativ Bloggers. -

I have nominated four of the most outstanding bloggers' i have read, it has been a very difficult selection procedure for me, but i overcame...

6. Post links to the 4 blogs you nominate. -

CRD - http://scriptedinsanity.blogspot.com/

Shaun D - http://beyondboredom.wordpress.com/

Sneha - http://reducedtoashesrecreatedinbeauty.blogspot.com/

Abhishek - http://eraogenouszone.blogspot.com/

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated... Done & Done

Pop pOp poPsy is BACK!!!

2010-03-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't really been able to write off-late, whenever i firmly resolve to & park my ass down, i ended up finding more ways to decorate my blog.

However, something changed this morning & made me realize why i started blogging in the first place.

I had not planned to write, but now i cannot stop myself... i feel like i have something to say, an incredible urge to put it out there & maybe then, then the excitement will subside...

So here goes:

My Dad is home. Its a once-in-a-year thing & a pretty big deal!

When mummy woke me up today, she was so much cuter than she usually is & she is very cute usually... God! How i love Blinky & Popsy!!! :)

His suitcase is a place of wonders, you never know what you might find, i swam through the haze of chocolates, purses, perfumes, shoes etc for a while, got carried away & then, found myself ...

I have already started subtly maneuvering my demands, rolled them up in sugar, mixed with flattery in the right amounts... can't help it, have turned into a little girl again... Oh, i might have a treadmill soon :P

I seem to be in smiley-land, that's because i feel so good deep within, like we are all complete now, not just a directionless body without its head...

I say that not only because the dad is the senior-most one here, but because he is also the most stable + sensible + sensitive + sweetest + funniest person i know... He is the one who keeps all the psychos together & bound as one...

Without him around, in a few days, we fall back into our old patterns of not respecting each other, taking each other for granted & the regular drama of 2 vs 1.

Let me explain.
Hardly any situation is resolved amicably, there is always side-taking & among the mum, bro & me, one of us always ends up playing the villian... So, there's always a:
Mum-dsnt-get-me phase for the bro n me,
James-is-so-mean phase for the mum n me &
Anu-is-such-a-bitch phase for the bro n mum...

LOL!! Yes, we are that juvenile... We need a stable, sensitive guy watching us & nodding his head in a mildly disapproving manner that says 'Kids, when will they grow up'

Yup, the Mum is just a kid only, with her big, innocent wide eyes & a smile that holds nothing back... (Of course, she is also Superwoman but that's another post.)

I love my awesome, kickass family!

:) :) :) :)

The Psycho Diaries!

2010-02-07T04:16:00.000-08:00

i just read I think, I dream, I wonder and therefore I am... and i am SHOCKED...

Being that depressed is all rite... but what i cannot stand is that i was absolutely certain that i would lose the phone i was going to buy! ! !

and guess what?

I DID... within just 4 months!
(i guess i was too ashamed of myself to blog about that)

i have moved on henceforth, but the newer, wiser me doesn't think that she'll lose this one till it completes 2 yrs in her possession...

She bought it on Dec 1 and has just completed its 2 month anniversary!

Yes, it is imperative to recognize that so as to remind the bozo in her that its just been 2 months, and she can't get careless yet, cos there's a good 1 yr and 10 months to go!!!

By the way, i loove The Apple ipad tablet.I am totally eyeing it, Can you blame me?

The plotting & planning to obtain it has officially begun...

You must fall in love 3 times

2010-02-06T23:38:00.000-08:00

*Before you can grow up, you must fall in love 3 times.

Once you must fall in love with your best friend, ruining your friendship forever. This will teach you who your true friends are, and the fine line between friendship and more.

Once you must fall in love with someone you believe to be perfect. You will learn that no one is perfect, and that you should never be treated as any less than you deserve.

And once you must fall in love with someone that is exactly like you. This will teach you about who you are, and who you want to be.

And when you’re through with all that, you learn that the people who care about you the most are the ones that you hurt, and the ones that hurt you are the ones that you needed the most.

But most of all, you learn that love is only a concept and is not something that can be defined, it is different to each person that experiences it. And you will learn to respect each and every person on this earth, knowing that everyone only wants to be loved.

*This is not written by me, its just a beautiful forward that i had to share with you...

Light vs. Darkness

2009-10-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

Dark thoughts arise

In the maze of games,

Should one play along?

Whims contradict Goals

Ambition leads...

Drama misleads...

Ambition makes you who you deserve to be,

Drama makes you forget who you were...

Paradigm shifts

Live, not act

Love, don't react...

To dream or not to dream...

2009-08-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

I had a real scary dream this morning, got up at 4:30 am because of it and even considered practicing accounts, just because i didn't wanna go back to sleep!!!

The Dream
After college, the train that was supposed to take me to Vashi, changed direction sometime and took me to Wadala instead... I was perplexed, shocked and confused, was just thinking about calling mom when a child with very hollow eyes, of about 12, tapped me on my arm, he had my phone and said he was calling my mom... I woke up terrified.

I was just wondering what was it that scared me so much?

I was also thinking about what my college counselor told me... She said that i hold the reins too tight around me, that i don't let myself be and asked me to 'give space to myself'. What that basically means is that i scold myself a lot more than even my mom does, so that's a lot! :P

Anyway, i realised what the dream was about and why it scared me more than it would most people...

The train to Vashi going to Wadala instead was representative of the things out of my control affecting my life (i don't like it one bit!) The child having in possession, my cellphone was terrifying because it signified that i had lost control of what should normally be within my grasp.

Now, on hindsight, why wouldn't that be terrifying to a supposed 'control freak' like me! ... And you thought this was about the kid with the hollow eyes lol! ;)

Mind at work

2009-08-23T02:16:00.001-07:00

Things are not always what you see them to be, there is always the prospect of deception, you tend to see things the way you want to and the way you believe to be true but not for what it really is. . .

If you see things for what they really are, then you see every being tormented by their demons, everyone appears fallible and vulnerable...

Well, almost everyone... there are always a chosen few who seem so unperturbed by circumstances, people or even by a frothy mixture of both.

These 'always-happy' people are the ones who see things the way they want to, only the way they believe to be true. . .

Then, there are the others who actually see through deceptions and can clearly see reality, but they have seen so much of it already that it doesn't trill them anymore, they see it all but are unaffected, they are NOT happy but 'NUMB'

So how does one get to that place where one isn't deceiving the self, hasn't become numb, but is truly happy...

...

By choosing to see the beauty in the world and in all,
By admiring their beauty and blessing them so their torments go away...
By loving every soul, helping and being there for them always...

Yes, I've found the secret to lasting happiness...

Sleeping with the enemy?

2009-07-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

After the Obituary to my dear cellfone, I've bought a new one now...

I know i should be really thrilled that I've found an alternate someone

who can keep all my favorite snapshots

who i can blab my heart out to, until i post it out here

who can remember everything i need to remember

who can utter my thoughts to all those who matter

who can sing to me, sensing my mood

But, then why does it still feel so bad,

as if i am being so insensitive...
as if i am not mourning the loss of my dearly-beloved-one-for-the-past-2-years (my longest such association, am i imagining it or is its metallic substitute for a heart bleeding for me too?)...

as if i am sleeping with the enemy...

I was ready to settle for a lesser substitute you know, but my mum's apparently way too generous :(

I did go to the police station today with the mother for her work.

The place stinks so much, has gruesome photos of mutilated beings, cobwebs all over the dusty registers, lazy policemen who avoid you till their lack-of-dignity allows them to, patchy walkies saying something undecipherable.

So, for obvious reasons, i dropped the idea-i-had-at-the-back-of-the-head.
They failed the test.
I didn't report the loss.

This one's actually better - lighter, sleeker and has all the frills that i would have missed so much.
Not difficult to get used to actually ;)

I'll be okay, dear friends, but pray, just pray that whoever got their filthy hands on it lives a miserable life, dies a terrible death and suffers in hell for all eternity...

Thank you so very much!

I think, I dream, I wonder and therefore I am...

2009-07-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

A twist of fate, a bad day, things going wrong, getting up n the wrong side of the bed... i don't believe in any of these things.

What i do believe in though, is altering the 'twist of fate' into an event that had to occur, find meaning in the loss of time/money/energy/anything that one's too attached to...

Yes, i am trying to come to grips with one such loss, i used to pride myself on being not as dependent on it, as my contemporaries are, but now i guess i was in denial...

Why won't i depend on someone...

who can keep all my favourite snapshots

who i can blab my heart out to, until i post it out here

who can remember everything i need to remember

who can utter my thoughts to all those who matter

who can sing to me, sensing my mood

Its true, i have lost my cellphone and i don't know how to even begin dealing with it.

i tell myself, its better that its gone because...

who needs snapshots to record every other occurence?

when did i really make time and sit down to transfer all the thoughts from the phone to my online dwelling?

the right music is therapheutic, but was also non-existent when required, even having em assorted playlists for all kind of moods weren't all that helpful

Simplistically speaking, the question is -> Can i really live with a phone minus the frills?

i can live without the smapshots, that exposes not only me, but all the other wonderful people recorded on my fone, to malicious intent, when in hands of one without scruples...

i can live without the music, which more often than not, was just noise because it was unable to keep in pace with my change of moods, mostly useful in just shutting out even more undesirabe noise and thoughts-without-immediate-solutions...

i probably can and losing it won't hurt so bad either... i know i will lose the phone i am about to buy too, this isn't pessimism either, its just a cold, hard fact, coming from someone whose just lost her fourth fone...

What i certainly cannot live without is my personal diary, that i could always clutch within my palm...

This is in memory of you, my darling phone...

Random Ramblings

2009-05-23T10:42:00.001-07:00

Hello der! How’s life treating ya? No, wait… correction….How are you treating life???

Did you know that the falling dream is actually an indication of you having lost control of some aspect of your daily life? One of my friends gets that dream repeatedly but she’s not gonna buy into this… very cynical babe that one…

And the Death dream actually symbolizes the death of worries in a person’s life! And indicates longevity and prosperity … had seen a very close friend in such a dream, was scared shitless and of course she did not fancy it either… yet

M brought a palmistry book yesterday, in which I saw that I have a psychic hand and have crosses in just the right place to make it as an occultist! Bring out the Crystal Ball already ;)

Sex and the City - The Movie Review

2009-05-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

I saw Sex and the City - The Movie yesterday, was very excited to finally see it!

But, it was not what I’d hoped it’d be.

For starters, it was not a delightful look into the lives of Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda.

The saucy script was conspicuous by its absence, the only hilarious moment being Charlotte crapping her pants! lolzzz

Otherwise, the movie left a bad taste in the mouth, something that happens only when one can’t digest what one has been put through!

Most importantly, what happened to ‘Friendship Conquers All’, which was the theme of all of the episodes!

The Movie, on the other hand, was all about the ‘All-Important Man’ as Carrie can’t believe she’s about to get married, gets left at the altar, sulks for most part of the movie, only to finally marry him – blaming it on ‘Love’.

Happy Ending?

I think not.

All in a day's work!

2009-04-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

We went for a quick drive and stopped for ice-creams at a gujju parlour, turn off your internal spell checks, ppl ;)

Later, a taxi strode right into office

Grill Sandwich at Blossom's... Ummm Heaven!

Hooked on for Good

2009-04-20T08:02:00.000-07:00

Confessions of a shopaholic - The movie was a whole lot of fun just like the trailers promised and yes the theatre was brimming with like, 90% girl population... i guess we can just smell a good chick flick in the air!

Gossip Girl - Yes, it sounds superficial, good thing is it doesn't claim to be anything else. The script's well written, witty, smart, bitchy... Music's darn good too and how can i forget the people look gorgeous!
Half the reason i watch is the clothes, styling & accessories, worth killing for! Oh Yeah... has to be seen to be believed!

Reading: Ascent of money
Niall Ferguson writes financial history in a such a simplified manner that rookies like me can understand how it all works. Banks, debt and stock market don't seem so daunting anymore. The book has turned into a popular Television Series, the music's catchy and the narration intriguing that no wonder its such a hit, but don't be fooled, its practically been read right out of the book.

&

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish that takes a walk down memory lane into the lives of the entrepreneurs of our time. People who said no to seven figure salaries to take plunge & those who crossed the bridge when they came to it, in all cases, Real inspiration.

Must-read: Our Ultimate Reality, if you are the kind of person who wonders about Life, Universe and Everything, this book is what you want!

Random snapshots...

2009-03-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

Are we vain or what!

Cool Artwork!

A mug i fell in love with...

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-01T23:06:00.000-08:00

As the decibels rose on the evening of the 30^th, the rooftop was the place to be at and like moths drawn to a fire, all of us gathered.

The organizing committee comprising of Priyanka (CCD), Yatin, Madhav, Priyanka (HP), Gayatri, Gautam, Punit, Meenakshi, Anil, Prady and Brinda had organized some wonderful games. The event soon gained in momentum as the games begun.

First among them was Fevicol ka Majboot Jod, for which groups of 15 were formed, a circle was made wherein each member locked hands with the rest and alternate members faced into and out of the circle. Once the hands were locked-in and positions fixed, the race was on!

There were five such teams and two raced at a time. Two got disqualified when hands lost their grip sometime during the pursuit of speed.

The finale between an all-girls team & all-boys team was a treat to watch, while the rest of us picked sides, placed bets and cheered on!

The complexity level was raised a bit this time, what with them racing diagonally this time. In the end though, it was a close call as the boys crossed the finish line just a few seconds before the girls.

Next was Hum Saath Saath Hain, wherein all the GCD teams were to move clockwise in a circle till the music played, but when it stopped and the host, Madhav, announced a number, groups of that particular number were to be formed. Anyone found in a group of lesser or greater number was disqualified. Most of the people stuck loyally to the initial group they had formed, others switched when the tide changed. It was fun as scheming and strategy occupied everyone’s minds and staying in the game became a priority. One could tell how much people were enjoying this game, by the looks of distress on their faces when disqualified.

Kunal, Sivakumar, Kiran, Sameer and Mahesh were the five who sustained till the end.

The Tug of War being a question of strength was a big deal. Strategies abounded about who will stand ahead, who behind, where the girls should be placed etc. Both the teams were geared up to give their best. So in hindsight, it’s no real surprise that the rope gave way, leaving the participants placed relatively behind, with the impression that their team had won. After rejoicing a bit, they were made aware about the status of the rope. The feelings of disbelief over the broken rope and disappointment over ‘not winning’ fizzled out soon and the participants were seen congratulating each other at having successfully broken the rope.

There were prizes for rare achievements like having the Maximum number of keys in a key ring; Winner – Sivakumar K, Possessor of red rimmed spectacles; Winner – Rithesh Shetty, Maximum number of buttons on an outfit – 80(!); Winner – Pravina Raorane.

The games sure took care of the fun quotient, while also making sure we interact with more than just our close coterie of friends and colleagues.

The cake was then cut by some of our most experienced Lionites, after which cake & appetizers were gobbled up.

By then it was time to hit the dance floor and most took to it with ease. In true party spirit, everyone grooved to the beats as the DJ belted out popular numbers one after the other.

It was good fun to see everybody's other side as they danced, tried to dance, stepped on toes and into a trance.

Time seemed to fly by, as once dinner was had; it was soon time to pack up and ship off, bringing to an end a truly memorable evening.

Carol singing Video

2008-12-31T23:11:00.000-08:00

Was that a Merry Xmas or what!

2008-12-31T22:54:00.000-08:00

It's been one helluva week, with us going LIVE with the carols on the three floors last wednesday, the potluck party on monday as well as the rooftop party yesterday! phew!

The carol practice, an hour daily for two weeks, before going LIVE on 24th, was like a breath of fresh air among the otherwise routine office life. Everyday felt like a friday... pure joy!

It went off real well also, couldn't have gone any other way after the extensive practice i guess, Samy and Christie rocked with the guitars as usual, while ronson rocked as the seconds singer. All of our voices rang loud and clear as we brought to each bay on every floor, the christmassy feeling, never mind the sore throat at the end of it.

i haven't really got a chance to miss the carol practice yet, cz our team & the GCD SBU found ways to keep us hooked.

A potluck party organised by the team required everyone to get a food item, making sure we had delicious food at its'authentic best.

The game 'Secret santa'(every1 brings a gift and dumps them in a garbage bag, once your turn comes to pick, you could choose to unwrap a gift or steal what someone else has. A gift can be stolen only twice.) took care of the fun quotient for hours on end, as we wiled away the monday happily!

Gifts involved dvd's of B grade flicks(!!!), calendars, comic books, cd cases, chocolates(lots of that), dinner sets, candles, showpieces, etc. There was a lot of stealing happening as the natural human tendencies took form. Everyone seemed to want what others had, thus rarely ending up with what you originally desired.

Yesterday's rooftop party was good fun, where we gotto see everbody's other side lolzzz, it was good fun as every1 danced and tried to dance, stepped on toes(sorry kunal) and into a trance. Finally when the sensible ones interceded, dinner was had and the last drop home taken.
Like i said, one helluva week!

Seeing your aura...

2008-12-14T22:17:00.000-08:00

It is not as mystical as it sounds, but once you see it... Of course, you can never go back to believing that all that you see is all there is. Your perception of Reality as it is gets modified.

See colors around you & people transforms you, because you start wondering what else might be, that i do not see? Could Guardian angels, fairies & mermaids be real? ... as real as us at least, maybe just living in another reality...

I researched a bit on how to observe aura colors and guess what, the following day when I was sitting idle at home, I tried the exercise I had read about and saw the color of my aura!

It was crystal in color!

It’s a very intriguing experience and makes you realize that the universe has a whole different side to it, one that can’t be directly seen and that ‘life’ as we call it, might actually be a transitory illusion.…

To see:

Hold your hand about 15 - 20 cms away from your eyes.
Make sure you have a plain neutral background (ideally white) so you can see the exact color and lighting should not be too bright/too dim. Try near balcony/window, wherever natural light flows in.
Narrow your vision, defocus your eyes and begin to notice the space around your hand. Gently hold and get used to that defocus but don't strain your eyes or tense your eyes or forehead.
Concentrate! You need a gentle, steady un-focus; it is similar to day-dreaming. In other words, look at your hand and day-dream while noticing the space around your hand, you will start to lose focus while holding on to it.
Look at this spot for 30 to 60 seconds or longer. After 30 seconds analyze surroundings with your peripheral vision (from the corner of your eye), while still looking at the same spot. Continuing the concentration is most important. Resist temptation to look around.

You should see that the background nearby the person is brighter and has a DIFFERENT color than the background further away. This is your own perception of the Aura.

The longer you concentrate, the better you will see it. Remember, concentration on one spot increases your sensitivity by accumulating the effect of the Aura vibration reaching your eyes.

Initially, you may become aware of distortions or waves - looking like a clear mist like the fumes petrol gives off initially.
As you focus in on these, you may pick up on the colors.

Note: When you need to blink, do so, or it will cause your eyes to tense and water. Blink normally and quickly without changing focus, and do not become preoccupied with it. It may cause the aura to disappear for a second, but it will reappear quickly if you stay relaxed and hold your focus.

There is a reason for this strange un-focus. Your outer field of vision is many times more sensitive than the focused area is. Have you ever seen a movement, out of the corner of your eye, only to turn and see nothing there? What you may have seen is an aura building up from something and your outer field of vision has detected it.

Non-living things have stronger aura’s than living beings, so you can try with books, idols etc first, it is better if the idol you choose fascinates you as you will be able to think about it and day-dream while noticing the space around it.

It takes practice to see the human aura, so don't be disappointed if you fail, or see very little, the first few times you try. If you managed to see the auric colors of the books, idols you can learn to see the human aura.

Using this training method stimulates the forehead chakra, which is responsible for this ability. With use, it will grow in strength, and become progressively easier to do.

The same exercise can be applied to seeing auras around people. You'll be surprised at what you might notice. Read more.

Is it the kids or is this really all about you?

2008-12-14T22:14:00.000-08:00

If I hear one more time that kids nowadays are so smart, they never made them like that in our ‘time’, I am going to puke and mind you I am talking about teenagers and twenty something’s talking like the oldies.

My response to such remarks is just that there were plenty of smart kids in my ‘time’; I just wasn’t one of them.

So the question I am leading up to is, by crediting the smarter kids to the changing times, are you in a way pacifying yourself that it’s okay; you weren’t that smart a kid?

Is it the kids or is this really all about you?

Smart Dog Who Doesn't Like Water

2008-12-11T23:16:00.000-08:00

i chanced upon this video of a 'Smart Dog Who Doesn't Like Water' from The Ellen Degeneres Show. Check it out!

Are you a cat person or a dog person?

2008-12-11T23:07:00.000-08:00

I’ve heard this ‘I am a cat/dog person’ comment so much that it makes me wonder how animals can differentiate people into two categories – The Cat people and The Dog people, just like that!

I find it even more difficult to comprehend as I happen to love them only at the zoo. That said, I do have this warm feeling for the dogs while cats seem too self-centered to me.

Anyway Lalita iyer, (the HT writer I am a big fan of) has an interesting take on this. She claims guys tend to love cats because of similar characteristics (read lazy) and women, the perennial multi-taskers bond with the dogs better. Cool, eh

She's a darn cool writer and is so good at what she does that after I read her food column on baking cakes, ‘Bake, bhai bake’, I actually made an edible chocolate cake. She just made it sound ‘oh-so-easy’ that I shopped for ingredients the same day and shocked the family on the next.

Back to cats and dogs, Ellen degeneres actually had a mock poll (which people took very seriously, wonder why they get so personal about pets) on her show, for the Best Pet, no prizes for guessing who the top contenders ended up being!

Love - Musings about et al

2008-12-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

Love is most certainly blind; I’ve noticed the formation of strange couples all through college life.

It’s induced (yes it can be induced), both by suffocating an insecure person with your presence, as well as by controlled visibility and being an assuring presence to a secure person.

There is a third way that which intrigues me, which I just don’t understand, when it just happens, just clicks!

I hope to fall in the third category and even more hopefully, the aforementioned blindness won’t infect me!

Moon smiley

2008-12-08T01:51:00.000-08:00

The other day Jupiter, Venus and the moon arranged themselves in a spectacular fashion so as to smile benevolently at us, our friends in the west were not so lucky as they had to made do with a frown.

Here are some pics.
Enjoy!

And here's the frown the americans saw, No wonder they weren't as excited.

Amazing, huh!

2008-12-07T03:00:00.000-08:00

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

Love the ones who treat you right.

Forget about the ones who don’t.

Believe everything happens for a reason.

If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said life would be easy.

They just promised it would be worth it.

I was having a good time, but then we ate at Papa John's...

2008-12-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

My colleagues and me were eyeing the newly introduced Tandoori pizza's at Papa John's for a while.

So one not so fine day, we ventured in to avail of the Papa John's Introductory offer for the new Tandoori Pizzas - Buy One Medium pizza and get 'pizza for one' (more like 'pizza for one kid', they left that out somehow) free!!!

I was having a good time, but then we ate at Papa John's.

I am entirely at blame, got enticed by their tandoori pizzas which looked so good on paper, how do they do that? Snap some other pizza? Or take a close-up of the teeny tiny pizzas they offer?

Take this: The tandoori paneer and tandoori chicken looked exactly the same with negligible amounts of chicken/ paneer respectively and with large doses of tomato, onion, corn… (screams)was more like an halfcooked utappam than a pizza.

The big red chillies, I thought, would be a saving grace, adding spice to the sad ordeal, but apparently that was too much to ask, the chillies were actually sour!!!(never seen that happen before, hence the special mention)

Quantity is less too, (that could be a good thing in retrospect) with the regular (normally 7-inches), they call it ‘pizza for one’ here (more like 'pizza for one kid', rolling eyes), being smaller than 6-inches and medium (normally 10-inches) being about 8-inches here.

The paneer is white by the way, my veggie friends seemed to have a problem with that, I can still hear them say: 'if it’s tandoori, it’s gotto be red'.
They have a point actually, after all we eat out even for the frills.

Like Saif said in the movie Salaam Namaste (wow, m quoting movies now) that: The wife is like ‘ghar ka khana’, when people are eating out, they expect a mistress.
(Saif played a Chef+Hotel Owner in the movie, that should take care of your wild imagination)

So the same day, I ordered the Chicken Bonanza from smoking joe’s (it doesn’t get better than that, very juicy chicken… mouth watering really) which finally satiated my pizza craving.

2008-12-05T21:39:00.000-08:00

The terror attacks have left a scar for sure, I feared going to the gateway of anger (like the news channels put it) to avoid any possible repercussions, if the terrorists turned up there too.

The govt too must have feared for the people there as they have imposed section 144 in Mumbai, i.e no more than 4 people can assemble at a time.

Though nothing can really be said about them put that into action, as the smoking ban which was imposed similarly is more like a joke with policemen sharing ciggies with the civilans.

War on Mumbai - child's tantrum or nefarious attack?

2008-11-29T04:24:00.000-08:00

Terror attacks in the city have been numbing more than anything. Nobody expected them to strike so soon.

One is safe nowhere, neither in the trains nor in the five star hotels. Before I feel ready to go to work, I will have to face a chilling truth and admit to myself that my life might not end the way I want it to.

I don’t want people to believe that they are avenging some injustice by causing more harm. I feel like addressing the terrorists, counseling them and most importantly listening to them and their grievances.

I think they just want to be heard and understood. Their attacks are more like kids’ tantrums to get his mothers’ attention than anything else.

In our search for a sophisticated motive, we overlook the ones that come naturally to us.

Though i don't know how such completely brainwashed minds can be shown the light of day, it still looks better to me than war which seems to be in the offing, what with all proof pointing only one way.

Dostana

2008-11-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

I don't know what is not to like about it!

I am feeling constrained to write about this after having heard time and again from ppl who have been dissapointed by the candyfloss flick.

They seem to have a problem with its frivolity, but then again what did they expect, considering the movie features two very masculine guys playing gay for crying out loud!!!

Okay Abhishek was way too convincing as the effeminate one, so what? Let the man play what comes naturally to him and lets give him credit for actually having more than one expression on his face this time (reference: Drona) and john was expressionless, none not even one.

Priyanka clearly stole the show for me, both acting and did i mention looks wise(Stunning clothes, make-up, accesories and of course body!!!) , playing the part to perfection.

The movie made for a great visual(read priyanka, john, cadilacs, miami, Abhi who?) .

All in all, you get your moneys' worth!

Calorie consciousness or Afraid of not being perfect?

2008-11-27T04:12:00.000-08:00

I've seen people aspiring to achieve some delusional standard of beauty... refusing food all the time to keep up the facade of perfection.

Anyone who doesn't follow these norms is as if not expected to feel beautiful even if they do feel good about who they are, that is when it came to me... Is this obsession really calorie consciousness? or fear of not being perfect?

Is it about taking care of your body? or about fitting in? being accepted?

Thought garnered from Desperate Housewives

2008-08-26T04:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was reminded why I watch desperate housewives...

When the episode ended, the narrator said:

What people are most afraid of are not Gruesome masks, not Giant spiders and Huge Monsters, what people are most afraid of is their own terrifying questions, and...

The camera pans on every leading lady;

Bree: did I do the right thing?;
Susan: is he really unhappy?;
Eedie: Has the chance for true love passed me by?

and then the camera pans on

Lynette: (who has just got the news that after months of extensive chemotherapy, he cancer is finally gone): We see her watching her kids sleep from the hallway

... the only way we survive these terrifying fears is by knowing, What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

2008-08-24T05:33:00.000-07:00

Hey... just cleared SCJP with a 77% ... feels like a big load has been lifted off my head... like i have finally completed my responsibility or something, so it's great ... m reading this great book from on The Art of Strategy by Partha Bose who has used the life of Alexander The Great, yeah the conqueror of most of india as a reference point to grant insight into the world of strategy...n picked up this book by u guessed it Mario Puzo, The fourth K, 1st few K's are supposed to be the Kennedy's... yeah doesnt sound too awesome but picked it up jus cz its a puzo, if he's even half as good as he was when he wrote The Godfather, The Last Don , The Sicilian and Omerta... it's well worth a read.

-A forgotten victory-

2008-04-08T10:22:00.000-07:00

i loved this poem, its from helium.com

I am mad about you and mad at you.
Mad at you for thousand reasons and no-reasons,
For not knowing, I am mad at you,
For not believing, I am mad about you!

What shall I offer with this heart and nothing?
I have neither riches nor a promise of many years,
I have little time that I want to spend with you,
So little is this desire.

Give me the words that can do this Impossible .
Give me the courage to show you my dreams.
I am your forgotten victory for a thousand years...
Claim or destroy.

2007-11-22T21:21:00.000-08:00

Courage is knowing what not to fear.

'Wise beyond years'

2007-11-22T04:42:00.000-08:00

My perception of me was thus. It shook yesterday, i came to terms with the reality of my existence.

The fact that i am just a fresher sunk in : Inexperienced and raw and that others expect nothing much of me, so i took the liberty of reducing my expectations of myself (finally!).

It did not come at an easy price. Debugging your own programs is never easy and this was years and years of malfunctioned programming that had gone into making me and my Mountain-sized ego.

Everything good that happened to me was a reinforcement of it , while every failure crushed it!

It was either exhilaration or grave depression for me.

That explains my fits when anyone insulted, blood boiled even when i did deserve it.

The Reality check has gotten me to start to actually live in the moment rather than in some fantasy land where i am the Next Bill Gates/Miss Universe/Donald Trump.

i am just anu, a nobody,
someone who might be somebody someday
and i could'nt be there tomorrow, if i was'nt here today so
i am very thankful for being here and for who i am today.

If at all i am proud of being me, it is only of my ability to Debugging my own programming ;)

My FunPix!

2007-11-18T21:02:00.001-08:00

2007-11-15T21:35:00.000-08:00

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.
Oprah Winfrey

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.
Albert Einstein

Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.
David Frost

Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose.
Bill Gates

Failure is success if we learn from it.
Malcolm Forbes

Ask others about themselves, at the same time, be on guard not to talk too much about yourself.
Mortimer Adler

To understand is to perceive patterns.
Isaiah Berlin

Apply yourself both now and in the next life. Without effort, you cannot be prosperous. Though the land be good, You cannot have an abundant crop without cultivation.
Plato

He who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition youth and age are equally a burden.
Plato

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.

To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.

Sawariya - A Rare Movie . . .

2007-11-12T03:46:00.000-08:00

To Love and Win is the Best Thing;
To Love and Lose is the Next Best.

For people who understand that, Sawariya is a beautiful movie.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali himself said in one of his interviews that
Unrequited love is his favourite form of love.He believed that, it
was the only way Love lasted forever and that romance begins to fade
when people begin to take their loved ones for granted once in their
hold.

I agree with him in the fact that there is a different beauty in
losing your love as long as you know they are happy.The dull ache in
the heart is something i know i miss when i recover.

Ah! So Great minds do think alike after all. ;)

Its a beautiful picturesque movie, exactly what Hollywood calls a musical.

The breaking into a melodious songs happens for a good reason each
time and not just for the sake of it -> A True rarity in Bollywood,
not just the timely occurence of songs but also the melody contained!

i heard it took 3 years for Monty Singh compose the music, years well
spent i say.
Me thinks whether this one sets the cash registers ringing or not,
it sure has a chance of bringing the coveted Golden statuette home.

He could have easily shown the idyllic picture of the hero and the
heroine walking away in the sunset which the average indian audience
is so accustomed to seeing that every time it does'nt happen,
something in us revolts, Remember Titanic? and scores of other such
movies which makes us want to yell out 'Why did it have it have to end
that way?'

It sure takes guts to defy convention and especially when crores of
rupees are at stake.

I salute the man for having the courage to follow his heart which sure
will give him a sense of pride in his product;
Something even tasting Box office success Bigtime cannot bring if one
has compromised one's product just to make it more commercially viable.

Have a good day
Signing Off,
Ann3004

How to Lose a Job!

2007-11-04T20:28:00.000-08:00

Trust me, i have enough expertise to write this so i thought i'll share my knowledge, i am finally laughing at myself through this and THAT as far as i know is the first step to moving on ...

U can treat this as a comprehensive guide to WHAT NOT TO DO... enjoy!

1) Get the often repeated Aptitude test paper of the previous years and base all your hopes on it, don't study anything else and Voila! The format gets completely changed for the first time ever exclusively for you!

2)When you hear about negative marking of 0.25 , take extra care about positive marking and mark only the answers which you are certain are correct even if those answers lie in only one section which leads you to exclaim after the paper "oh sh**, is there sectional cut-off?"

3)In the last round after you have been promised the job, when the interviewer (a biggie of a small but very successful company) asks you why you want to leave your previous job say "There is growth, but this branch i am working in is not huge " which leads him to say "My company is also not huge, so that means you'll leave me!"

4) When asked "Where do you see yourself in 3 years ?" say -> Working abroad in the technology you are training me in!

That's all i have for now ... but will surely update this with more of my pearls of wisdom!

Lesson learnt: Complacency does KILL!

Life has always been about ... Win some
Lose some

The Ultimate aim though is -> To Win all
but until then i can keep laughing at myself and yes, u can keep enjoying at my expense! :P

How much is too much?

2007-10-29T04:04:00.000-07:00

When does one know its time to draw the line?

Is Attachment possible without possessiveness kicking in?

And when it does kick in, what can be done to cure it ... Is mere denial enough? or one has to face facts and harder still ... Face People!

Is it ok to want something? and Hate the world and everything that belongs to it when you don't get what you desire even though you know its illogical as you know you were never meant to get it ...

What if you didn't want to want it ... but now that its gone, you realise u did and miss it being there...

What does one do when one realises one has taken one of life's most precious gifts for granted and now cant bear the thought of losing the spot of prominence in the loved one's life?

Friends

2007-10-26T04:16:00.003-07:00

Value the friend who for u finds time on his calendar, but Cherish the friend who for u does not consult his calendar . . .

Pearl? OR Drop? What do u wanna be!

2007-10-24T04:58:00.001-07:00

If a drop of water falls in lake there is no identity.

But if it falls on a leaf of lotus it shines like a pearl, So choose the best place where you would shine . . .

Fate ... Heart ... Friends

2007-10-23T23:03:00.001-07:00

We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over. So in a series of acts of kindness there is, at last, one which makes the heart run over.

FATE DETERMINES WHO COMES INTO OUR LIVES.....HEART DETERMINES WHO STAYS!

2007-10-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

Heya Pumpkins! i know i have been missing from action for quite a while ... i attribute that to all the perks that come with a gruelling job hunt, deciding where u want to be and then finally settling IN! but then again being the vagabond i am, u never know for how long that is unless i find someplace that just makes me stay with the warm culture, great work ethic and growth prospects. Now cmon' is that too much to ask or am i just hallucinating !

Anyway, what finally prompted me to write is the fact that i was shocked out of my wits and am still in shock actually even though the incident happened yesterday! My cell got stolen THRICE and this time from my bag from (quite literally) under my nose, but to my credit there was no place to move and i don't exactly know when it happened ... Yes, m talking about an unfortunate incident in the local trains of Mumbai!
Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time!

Its funny how other people's misfortunes tend to make u feel better, i met a woman while coming today whose pass even got stolen along with her cellphone, since then i am feeling a bit better but not for long until i realized that we had both done the same stupid mistake of leaving it in the front pocket of the purse, so all you dearies reading this BEWARE n BE ON HIGH ALERT lest the same misfortune befall you.

Now m taking ma shell shocked demeanour and getting out of here... Have a good day ... ciao!

Caroline Charles Autumn/Winter Collection 2007 London

2007-09-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

She has kicked the bar up a notch with these Posh, Elegant , Feminine and Girly dresses accessorized perfectly.

Whereas Satin still screams sophistication, though what caught my eye was the experimentation with the neckpieces ... Interesting !

<- Casual chic was also well-defined with nicely cut tops over sleek minis and stockings .

Colors were light on the eye ... i love this peach blouse on the darker toned skirt given an edge with the just the right necklace!

Corporate wear just got cooler!! ->

And that's a Wrap!

Life goes on no matter what...

2007-09-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

When we feel we have nothing left to give
And we are sure that the song has ended
When our day seems over and the shadows fall
And the darkness of night has descended.

Where can we go to find the strength
To valiantly keep on trying,
Where can we find the hand that will dry
The tears that the heart is crying.
There’s but one place to go and that is to God
And, dropping all pretense and pride,
We can pour out our problems without restraint
And gain strength from Him at our side.
And together we stand at life’s crossroads
And view what we think is the end
But God has a much bigger vision
And He tells us it’s only a bend.

For the road goes on and is smoother
And the pause in the song is a rest
And the part that’s unsung and unfinished
Is the sweetest and richest and best.

So rest and relax and grow stronger
Let go and let God share your load
Your work is not finished or ended,
You’ve just come to a bend in the road.

Imagination is at the center of all we call love . . .

2007-08-31T23:27:00.001-07:00

I happened to come across this quote. As I pondered through it … I found it so true!

After all what is love? And why is everyone’s definition of it .. so very different , yeah! You guessed it right .
Because it depends solely upon each one’s imagination as to what each one makes of it!
Phew! I am relieved coz never having been in love is not so bad now ..I am just not imaginative enough :P

Marks...An Over-Rated Commodity???

2007-08-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

I calculated my marks – the way I have never calculated
Found out the marks of every year !
My aggregate has come upto 54.34%
Its not fantastic! But I am satisfied . . .

I asked myself why and got this answer :

Because my aim in these 5 years has never been marks

Marks – I used to forget about it now and then; it was as if I had this ‘Been there done that’ feeling about marks. (I had done well in my 10th , 11th and 12th) so I got bored of scoring (oh yeah that happens to me) … I even get bored of winning and that’s when I know it’s time to change the game .. I have this conquer and move ahead kinda thinking and then I never look back.

But then was I aimless all these years … I think NOT!

I had an aim for which I have scoured all possible articles, read every other magazine and book to get closer to my ideal!

Yess .. my ideal was and has been for a while .. just to shape me .. to artistically create what I want to make of Anu .. my mind is always churning new ways to cross that next road block that stops me from me becoming who I want to be …Which is why I am absolutely sure .. ill get there ...

A good friend of mine had actually told me once that in your race to get somewhere else , it shouldn’t be that you don’t stop and enjoy where you are :)

ohh kats ! how do you know me so well but then again of course you do .. because you are the only person who I actually update when I cross every other ‘road - block’ .. thanks for listening and never mind the ‘u r always saying something ’ attitude of your's ! huh! (winks).

So I am enjoying the ride and cherishing what I have actually achieved in these five years ..

I have achieved a kickass personality , THIS is my GOLD!

2007-08-12T04:59:00.000-07:00

I now realise what Self-Motivation is all about . . .

I was travelling to college to study during my preparatory leave for my Semester 8 exams, when i bumped into this school friend of mine. She did seem thrilled to see me bt could/would not talk ..later i realised she could not as she had been practising for her play all of the previous day. . . but there was a serenity about her . . She was happy,satisfied and more importantly Content!

i envied her peace . . .

Soon she got up ,leaned out of the train and started taking pictures of the sun by the sea .

i envied her job. . .

Soon i heard myself rattling on and on to her about how unsure i am about this whole engineering thing and whether i am actually cut out for it .She heard me out patiently and then said you dont know what you are cut out for unless you experience it and rightly enough mugging from books does'nt make for experience as an engineer.

She then said you can be anything you want to be . . but for that you've got to know what you are NOT and what if This is what you want to be .This got me thinking what if i lose out on this 'opportunity ' due to my small- sightedness . . .

I now realise what Self-Motivation is all about . . .

I am more Self-Aware now and don't easily crib about life . . i watch my words now and more importantly my thoughts which is why that smile hardly leaves my face . . .

This is what life finally boils down to -> Living!

2007-07-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

This must be my most intimate post ever ... deepest thoughts revealed ... darkest questions answered ... life unveiled ... peace finally overflows!!!

I have been searching for the purpose of life since a while now, here's what I found.

The Journey begins here:

According to Hatha Yoga, there are seven chakras in our body situated in areas ranging from the Base of the Spine (1st chakra) to the Upper Brain (7th chakra).

The work "chakra" comes from the Sanskrit language of India and translated, means "wheel." Indians believe the body contains seven main chakras, arranged vertically from the base of the spine to the top of the head. These chakras are thought of as spinning vortexes of energy, thus wheels of light.
Each chakra is associated with particular functions within the body and with specific life issues and the way we handle them, both inside ourselves and in our interactions with the world.
Chakras can be thought of as sites where we receive, absorb, and distribute life energies. Through external situations and internal habits, a chakra can become either deficient or excessive, and imbalanced.
The lower chakras focus on details such as our home, family, and emotions, while the upper chakras focus on the spiritual aspect of our lives. All of the chakras affect one another and work together.
By balancing our chakras, we also balance our lives.
The 7th chakra is located at the crown of the head and serves as the crown of the entire chakra system, symbolizing the highest state of enlightenment.
The function of the 7th chakra is connection with the infinite.

In art, Christ is depicted with a halo around his head. This could represent the awakened spirituality of the 7th chakra.

The element of the 7th chakra is thought/cosmic consciousness/nirvana/Christ consciousness/Krishna consciousness/moksha.

They are all essentially the same thing!

It is the state one is in when one has achieved the 1st chakra of meditation, also called 'Super Consciousness'.

Western culture acknowledges this achievement as the Unity of mind, body and soul.
Any disunity has often led us to say, "I am feeling beside myself".

Try meditating and you will know what I mean … you will get distracted by one thought or the other; even the body might start twitching just because it doesn't want a master. We are usually at war with ourselves, wanting different things at the same time.

In this state of balance, one is said to be able to experience every other being around for miles e.g.: He can even feel the anxiety with which a mound of ants go about their work!!
The same way that God feels and knows all of us . . .

Once in this state he is one with God himself and doesn't ever want to return to the petty turmoil's of the world...This explains how the sadhu's meditate for years on end.

God himself is explained in various religions with the concept of three ---

 Christianity describes him as: The Holy Trinity; The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit, All are different BUT ONE!

 Hinduism describes him as: The Creator Bramha, The Preserver Vishnu and The Destroyer Shiva. All are different BUT ONE!

 Time is Past, Present and Future. All are different BUT ONE!

 Consciousness is Sub Consciousness, Consciousness and Super Consciousness... All are different BUT ONE!

There is nothing but HIM! …There is ONLY Him!

God had created man in his likeness so he could live life through him, which is why we have challenges placed in front of us time and again …so that God can live through everything and experience himself to the fullest. NO! This is no Exaggeration ...the expanse of one mind is so huge ...the shades one person can take are so diverse (There are dark and light shades to every person)... that knowing who one truly is CAN be a challenge!

We have been created by him and for him so that he can experience every possible emotion through us, later we all return to HIM!

But if he is trying to experience life through us ... Why are so many of us trying to become like him by attaining moksha/nirvana /Christ Consciousness/Krishna Consciousness… then

What is this ongoing hunt for spirituality all about anyway?

What we fail to understand is that Life is given to us, only for really living.

We can live it to the fullest only by being true to ourselves.

By being who we are.

By doing only what the Inner voice tells us to do.

[I strongly believe this inner voice is GOD himself as I have got the best solutions often just through introspection or as I like to call it through communication with GOD]

By not dismissing our First instincts (such as give to the poor when your first instinct is to give)...

BY loving first ourselves unconditionally!!! (without any condition just as we are, not a few pounds lighter, not one promotion later) because how can we love others if we don't love ourselves … Else how can we give what we ourselves do not possess?

What we cannot believe is that it's all so simple!

We don't need to bear ourselves … We need to celebrate ourselves!

We need to KNOW that we are Worthy... we need to LIVE...
To love ... To hurt . . . To be happy. . . To be distraught ... Because ‘now' is all there is!

So that was it .. everyone goes their own way ..

2007-06-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

But before that, We decided to go for our own little trip to a land Far,Far away ..

The place was called Arnala ...

It was so pretty the whole way that i realized how much i miss the lush greens n earthy houses of my native land :)

Anand Resort was checked out first but rejected soon because some people with an affinity for Public Loos did'nt find the place good enough then finally lodged in a hotel .. named Green Paradise resort! ..

okay No paradise but green it was!

The room provided us with some wet beds dumped on top of each other with NO MIRROR ..the girls would have gone into SHOCK ..
but i came to the rescue with my shining MIRROR! (Big grin).

But we made the best of it .. (by staying away from the room as much as possible .. unless absolutely necessary!!!)

I realized people were REALLY hungry when i saw them feeding themselves the upma and poha.Upma was utterly clumpy but the i liked the poha(maybe due to the generous presence of potatoes) .

Then it was time to hit the pool .. God bless sandy for being "Oh so careful" and getting an extra bunch of clothing .. giving me an opportunity to take a dip :D where Srividya had clearly mastered the art of floating in water !!!

Everyone of us tried n tried n tried and only sandy succeeded later while Joan just sat pretty n entertained us with her dance routines.

The water got to us after a while and after changing .. we set off for another adventure ..Explored a well ..................BY ENTERING IT!

i thought that was Pretty cool!

It was hilarious when Sri got a call in the well and everyone around went .." I' m Well " while Reef gave some good advice of the form : 'If ur scared , just look down' .

Lunch was had by all hence and this time no one complained except for the hard work that went into finding 'soft puris' .

It was followed by a round of dumb charades; was intended to shake off the lethargia but what really woke us up was the chai and golas later .. Umm .. Anurag won the Gola eating Marathon after eating 7 closely followed by saagar at 6.

As the evening set in .. We began walking toward Arnala Beach ..There was a good attempt at the Baywatch routine ...................by the GUYS!!!!!!!!

After which everyone got emotional and took snaps with their near and dear ones Awww!

So that was it .. everyone goes their own way ..

but ways can always meet ..

paths can surely cross and B.E. Comps shall be together again ..

i can feel it in the air ..

Can hear 'Tireeeeeeeeed' being echoed still .. .. .. .. .. Can you? ;)

Happy Realization ...

2007-05-27T00:34:00.000-07:00

i never realized whn we became so close to each other

never realized whn i started sharing my life wid u

never realized whn u started seeming so sweet to me

never realized that the friend i was searching 4 was in u..

A Friends' Love ..

2007-05-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

whenever i am with you
i get a good feeling inside
you make me feel in love
you make me feel alive

my world is not complete
without you being here
i think about you every second
my love for you is so dear

you are so perfect
you are so fine
your beauty is so great
i almost go blind

i love your looks, smile
and personality too
i love your eyes, your sense of humor
i love you

i really hope our friendship never ever ends
and we see each other later in life
and we will always be friends

Vivas .. OVER .. FOREVER!!

2007-05-09T23:42:00.001-07:00

MMS !!!!!!!!

i thought i was being soo smart when i made a q bank of all viva q's asked to ppl yest.. but i have'nt had time to prepare those even..
i WAnted to stay up,ok... which i y i was "Dazed" (somewhr between dreaming n studying n sleeping !) till 3 in the morning ..

Exhausted ..tired n confused ...NOT to mention ..FREAKED OUT ...i got up at 6 .. n started receiving calls frm ppl in the same state..
WAT IS IT ABOUT BEING IN THE SAME BOAT THAT IS SOO PEACEFUL..evn if it means ..gettin screweddddd....
oh yes!..dis ws da 2nd time i was going for a viva totally unprepared .. n the last time.. I FAILED!!

So decided to head to collg.. mayb i would actually grasp some knowledge der.. the idea REALLY was to make some smarty who knows everythin ..to explain!

But no one was any better dan the othr ..
and imagine ma surprise when i was asked the same questions i had soo comprehensively created! (He DID try to confuse me but i successfully screwed up his concepts on the same ... The MAGIX of confidence ;) )

:D

M thrilled!!

n m soooooooooo happy that these Viva thingies have ended for me on a good note :D

Ann ... Annilhilated!!!

2007-05-08T23:16:00.000-07:00

Today was some day ...
Starting with realizing that i am going to be the first person to go in for the viva to face none other than the EXTERNAL! (well,that has happened before for Dsp ..n tht was'nt soo bad ! ;) .. so i went with the attitude that FIRST does'nt havta be the WORST! :P )

n surprisingly enough,he turned out to be reaallly decent !(as in ...wasnt judgemental or too critical ... n din't give you the most hateful head shake that implies ..Y! God ,Y am i here!!!)
so was grateful to him for that n moreover,when i started BLUFFING (changing the topic ),he subtly brought me to task saying...m not answering HIS Question!
hehehe..

Unlike the internal who could'nt take it anymore and burst out laughing sayin..
I quote..
"U r shooting arrows in the dark... ki chalo kucch toh lag jaye!!! "...Hahahaha.. ROFLMAO!

somehow handled the situation by befriending him n asking .. But,sir How come ive not hrd of dis topic...whr ws it?.. :P

All in all... ma bluff got caught both times .. n realized all profs r not sooo DumB!

(m nervous bout tomm .. considering the kinda q's da MMS external 's asking ppl .. its nuthin frm da book!!.. but tht's a good thing i guess ..cz i know nuthin frm the book YET.. Huh!
so ran about n made this question bank kinda thing,comprising q's of all ppl were asked 2day! .. Hope it helps..)

Lady Ann..

2007-05-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

Alysson Hannigan s so cute!...she was the 'Dark Willow' of Buffy and is the ' ohh! so adorable ' wats her name in When i met your mother!!!
n by da way ...that show s Hilarious!
n actually thot of her coz i needed a new name for my blog..dis tumultuous mind thing s makin g me look like a freak!
so out with... Inner Ramblings of ma tumultuous mind!
n here comes... ahem ahem... Thoughts of Lady Ann !

THE DAY THAT LIES IN THE PAST

2007-04-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

I was walking by your lane
my heart was in your thoughts.
saw you running towards me
wearing a white robe
my face started glowing with a smile
but that moment did not stay for ever
you vanished with the air
I realized that I was dreaming
I fell down on my knees
pain and agony in my heart
I m still longing for that day
the day that lies in the past!!!!!

I was sleeping in my bed
your thoughts became my dream.
I saw you staring into my eyes
and I was staring back at yours
I saw the entire world in your eyes
but you vanished as my eyes opened
I got up from my dream
the world that was so beautiful through your eyes
has no meaning for me now
pain and agony in my heart
i am still longing for that day
the day that lies in the past!!!!!!

I was talking on the phone
your dream became my delusion.
I heard you telling me I Love you
I was crying out of joy
there was felicity in my voice
I could feel your face in front of me
but you vanished just as your sound
your face in front of me was long gone
pain and agony in my heart
i m still longing for that day
the day that lies in the past!!!!!

I was walking on a quiet lane
your delusion became my vision.
you held my hand and i felt your warmth
I felt the warmth of your love flowing through my body
I embraced you tight I didnt want you to go
but still you vanished like everytime
I fell down on my knees
pain and agony in my heart
I m still longing for that day
the day that lies in the past

A Friend like You....

2007-04-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

At “yet another crossroad” of life’s journey
I walked into a stranger who joined me in the odyssey of life.

Days went by....Time ticked it’s way through weeks,months and years as I trod life’s tortuous and unpredictable avenues never realizing the subtle presence of this cohort-my fellow traveler.

This span of time is all but a collection of moments-

Moments of your vanity...Moments of my consuming ego

Moments when I hurt you...Moments when you annoyed me

Moments when we differed...Moments when we conformed

Moments when you spoke...Moments when i listened

Moments when I didn’t speak...Moments when you still listened

Moments of laughing together..Moments when we remained silent

Moments when distances crept in..Moments when intimacy erased them

Moments when I comforted you...Moments when you understood me

Moments when you complained...Moments when I apologized

Moments when I asserted...Moments when you acknowledged

Pain inflicted,heart broken,sorrows lived,failures engulfed,existence torn apart,integrity interrogated,hopes crushed....but yet my heart bears no complains to GOD and LIFE who have endowed me with a

“A FRIEND LIKE YOU”

Back into Overdrive!

2007-04-24T03:29:00.000-07:00

frustrated...confused...may be i should have joined classes for everything,
then no cribbing no nuthing...could have just taught a bunch of people and gotten my way out of this HELLL! ...there would have been no nervousness as to...wat is goin to happen!!!
so my mom was rite!...but my pride will kill me before i admit it to HER! :P
itz crazzy... left me feelin lk ...m in a crisis situation!
20 days ...5 vivas n den papers where i am supposed to score at least a 63%!
but m sure ill rise above the odds...jus gotta live it through ...n keep striving!
feelin bttr already!
:-)

High Flyin lady!

2007-04-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

know what! .. got it ... i finally put the pieces of ME together :D
I am so happy!
ya ya.. it din't just strike me...i read an article that lead me through

its coz i m a High maintenance woman!..n stop smirkin coz that's not such a bad thing!
High maintenance means being fussy n being fussy means having standards n the last time i checked ..that was'nt such a bad thing ;)
The only ppl who see low maintenance as a good thing r those who want to give less without feelin guilty!

its lk...all making sense..y m so particular about the way i look?..y i BLUFF to da xternals? (ref prev blog :P)

(smiling) n hopefully at peace nw ..4 a while at least ..
so till ma mind goes into overdrive again!...
ciao..

The Object of Focus-less temperament!!!

2007-04-22T04:01:00.000-07:00

So ill just go crazy den... ;)

My confused mind is screaming out in absolute abandon...all it needs is some help!!
help...not of da advice variety ..help of da tight slap variety!... I am not gettin around to just FOCUS!

I realized tht i believe ...i can BULLSHIT ma way through anything...be it Vivas..or written exams or speeches!..as in..like...I believe in confusing and intimidating others enough so that dey think u knw wat ur talking about ..when dats soooooo not da case :P

mayb i dun bliv dey r smart nough 2 catch ma bluff.. or i jus dun bliv in maself nough 2 give da REAL moa!
dunno wat it is...as i said ...HELP!
neway,
enough blabbin' 4 2day !!
ciao ..