tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91783269044528518422024-03-12T20:10:37.827-07:00The Path Untaken...thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-41334548103991215932013-12-18T19:35:00.003-08:002013-12-18T19:35:34.115-08:00Indulging with Oprah magazine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I had subscribed for a couple of magazines as a part of a donation program at my nephew'school and the magazines finally arrived a couple of days back. One of them, the Oprah magazine is filled with all goody goody stuff just to give you the right kick. Reading through it has been such a pleasure so far! I just wait to sit down with it. It has a perfume sampler in it so the magazine smells fabulous every time you pick it up. Ah! the small luxuries! :-) Happy happy! </div>
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-2553762813710494772013-12-16T20:34:00.002-08:002013-12-16T20:40:09.169-08:00 "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Is it? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: left;">Albert Einstein once said that imagination is more important than knowledge. How true can that be? What is knowledge? </span><span style="text-align: left;">The web says it is - "<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 13.63636302947998px;"><i>facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject"</i></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 13.63636302947998px;">. So now, what is imagination? The Merriam Webster dictionary says it is<i> th</i></span><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">e act or power of forming a mental </span>image</i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"><i> of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality.</i> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">You see, how easy it is to collect information in this digital age? Few seconds is all it takes and it is open to the world wide web! Now, I am not down right putting down the importance of knowledge. It takes a lot a lot of time and effort to even get to the right state of mind to accept and perceive this kind of information, and one might actually lead a good life out of this </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">knowledge</span><span style="line-height: 20px;">. But a person may lead a much better life with lesser knowledge and more of imagination.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Think of some of the world leaders in various fields. Be it Gandhi, Mandela, or </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">the NASA team that successfully landed on Moon or </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg .Were they the world's most knowledgeable people? Probably not! But what really </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">separated</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> them from the rest of the world was their imagination. They imagined freedom, a passion to explore beyond earth and a world of personal computers and a digital era. They imagined something much much larger than themselves. Can you think of a world without them today? How very different it would be!</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Oh </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">imagination wins hands down! Absolutely. </span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Here is another favorite of mine from Einstein:</span></span><br />
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-24940130653131620692013-12-11T20:15:00.001-08:002013-12-11T20:15:18.897-08:00A road less traveled...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The older you grow, the more prone you are to mundane, routine things. I feel kind of sloppy even saying that, but its true for me. So in that light, its been years since I have actually participated in any kind of sport.<div>
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Came in an opportunity at my husband's office where spouses were also allowed to join for a corporate challenge. With many hesitations I joined their badminton team. After the first practice session, my limbs were taking a walk and were in protest. It hit me that its been a loooong time since I had moved around so much. </div>
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I slowly got used to these guys and that was that! We had a blast. We somehow made time on weekdays and some weekends. My game gradually improved and it was so much fun just being out there. The funniest part was playing as my husband's partner. We fought so much both on and off the court that the captain decided that it would be better if we partnered with others. </div>
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The tournament was extremely memorable. My stomach was churning before the first match. I hadn't had those kind of emotions in since my undergrad days. We were super confident and had a bad loss in the second round. We met the same team in the finals and had a nail biting double elimination. We won!!! It was unbelievable getting a medal. I showed them off to my parents like a kid. :-)</div>
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-52753938632064512112013-12-10T20:10:00.002-08:002013-12-10T20:10:48.932-08:00Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A quotation from C.S. Lewis (author of Chronicles of Narnia fame), it sets me thinking. In my opinion humility is about treating someone with respect and grace no matter what your intellectual, moral or economic stature is. In a way it is a kind of calm confidence that you have in your self and you don't let yourself turn into a pigheaded person.<br />
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For the most part I would like to believe that humility is one of my virtues but as I re-read this quote, I wonder, if I am confusing humility with being polite. Lets separate people into 3 zones. Zone 1: Super familiar people, Zone 2: People met here and there at office or say strangers in the airplane, mall etc., Zone 3: Globally, say kids in Somalia. <br />
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With Zone 2 its the best, because its so easy to convince someone for short term :-). With Zone 1, time to time they would have seen signs of impatience and haughtiness but still I would thing it would average out to be on the positive side. For Zone 3, its an absolute zero for I am so involved in myself and the first two zones that I just don't seem to care about anyone outside of it.<br />
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In answer to the exact question "How good are you of placing others before yourself?" I would say, I am doing just about ok here. I could do better with both the first and second part of the quote.</div>
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Man, this is a deep topic and all I can think of at this point is hitting the sack. Toodles!</div>
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-8521694333301964812013-12-09T21:08:00.002-08:002013-12-09T21:08:53.907-08:00If I could banish one thing from this planet....Rape!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I imagine for a second that I am God and I have the absolute power to abolish something from my own creation, a mistake I made. What would that be? Now, I did see Elysium. But <span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>mankind</i></span> is greedy and stupid. How could <span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>he</i></span> imagine that I would banish death. Have you ever thought of actually living an endless life? How futile would that be!<br />
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Haha..that was fun, acting like God. Well, but seriously if I had that kind of power the one thing that I would banish would be rape. I am sure, most people would have heard of the rape incidents in India in the past few months. I felt like a sinking piece of metal as I read about them. Something that ashamed and saddened me to no ends. And the question that kept coming into my mind again and again at this cruel, sadistic deed was - Why? Why would anyone do this? Is this something designed in our biology? What forces men to do this?<br />
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There could be a whole lot of debate and discussion on this. But this what it comes to. I have listed out the factors that I think are the root cause of this evil in that order:<br />
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Male chauvinistic society with suppressed women<br />
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Extreme competition between men (economically/socially/physically) to prove their worth and extreme suppression<br />
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Man's dominance over women (physically/socially/economically), a way to ascertain his masculinity<br />
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Disastrous situations --> rape<br />
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Problem made stronger by weak laws<br />
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Continues on as a heritage - vicious loop!<br />
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Top all of the above with the fact that man is genetically wired to spread his seeds across as much as possible, whereas a woman to only receive, bear the pain, deliver and nurture.<br />
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I read a very very interesting article <a href="http://ocd-cribbing.blogspot.com/2013/12/indian-menu-planning-dec13.html" target="_blank">here</a> from a leading daily in India, The Hindu. It talks about how some other mammals are also known to rape, but the cruelty involved may be more characteristic of us pathetic humans. It also says that some native human tribes known for brutal wars and other masculine attributes, have zero instances of rape because of the inherent respect and equality that women of the tribe enjoy. Food for thought?<br />
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Perhaps our "Man"kind would be "kind" enough to think this through?<br />
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-27169769041699443362013-12-08T20:25:00.001-08:002013-12-08T20:28:34.229-08:00Indian Menu Planning - Dec'13<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: center;">I made a curry out of Banana tree flower - vazhaipoo (dish taken from <a href="http://www.rakskitchen.net/2010/09/vazhaippoo-poriyal-recipe.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">here</span></a>), for the very first time. It turned out wonderful! I am eating it after many many years I believe.</span><br />
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Menu planning is the single most sensible thing I have been doing for the past couple of months and its a life savior for the crazy week days. Trust me, planning this out saves so much time! It was pretty elaborate when I began but it has trickled into something like this:<br />
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Monday:<br />
Palak Paneer, Oven baked Gobi, Bajri roti<br />
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Tuesday:<br />
Chole, Baingan bartha, Roti<br />
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Wednesday:<br />
Daal, Mixed veggie, Mooli paratha<br />
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Thursday:<br />
Carrot, Pumpkin soup, Quinoa pulav<br />
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Friday:<br />
Cabbage sabzi, Kara kozhambu<br />
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Friday is always a surprise, you never know how it turns out, so I have something planned out just in case. Happy week ahead! Tagging this to <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/" style="color: #cc0000;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">I''m an Organizing Junkie's</span></a><span style="color: #cc0000;"> - <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://orgjunkie.com/menu-plan-monday-guidelines" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Menu Plan Mondays</span></a>.</span></span><br />
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-89609479562316481042013-12-07T21:47:00.000-08:002013-12-07T21:48:37.409-08:00The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This book is an absolutely riveting murder mystery. It has a special place in my memory as I read it while I was in S.Korea, mostly nestled in a cafe completely engrossed. The first chapter was a bit of a drag and you wonder where its leading. Mikael Blomkvist's career is tarnished and he seems to be doomed. How the Swedish financial journalist ends up with the job of solving a murder case, four decades old, in collaboration with Lisbeth Salander a social outcast and a mystery in herself - forms the story. What makes it more interesting is the Swedish backdrop. The characters and the chemistry between them is all very unique that way. Its a tad bit too brutal but my mother read it and she survived. :-)</div>
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Did you know that these book series were published posthumously? Alas, the author did not see how popular he became with his books.</div>
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-71403910068548866052013-12-06T22:42:00.000-08:002013-12-06T22:42:40.524-08:00If I had more time each day?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Time, that elusive silky thief! The older you grow, the lesser you seem to have. It seems laughable now that as a child we often wish for time to fly by so we could grow faster and do "grown up" things. Ah, now I wish I could go the other way round. This reminds me of a funny Woody Allen quote:<br />
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<i><br />“In my next life I want to live my life backwards. You start out dead and get that out of the way. Then you wake up in an old people's home feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy, go collect your pension, and then when you start work, you get a gold watch and a party on your first day. You work for 40 years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You party, drink alcohol, and are generally promiscuous, then you are ready for high school. You then go to primary school, you become a kid, you play. You have no responsibilities, you become a baby until you are born. And then you spend your last 9 months floating in luxurious spa-like conditions with central heating and room service on tap, larger quarters every day and then Voila! You finish off as an orgasm!”</i></div>
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Okie, so moving on, if I had more time each day I would like to do three things:</div>
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1. Exercise/Meditate</div>
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2. Follow news around the world more closely</div>
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3. Write more often</div>
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My problem is this list usually has like 50 items in it and I am scatterbrained enough to keep randomly jumping around all of them from time to time. Focus is another of my issues. Enough said for now, will crib about it some other day. </div>
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Cheated a bit by writing 2 posts on the same day. But the snowstorm and the resulting power outage is to be blamed for that. </div>
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-53867744874660978042013-12-06T21:31:00.001-08:002013-12-06T21:31:14.841-08:00The iPhone washer/drier survival story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ah! the lovely surprise I gave my husband a few days back on Thanksgiving! I decided to start my day by doing some chores and promptly fished out the dirty laundry lying around. Dumped them all into the washer and began to prepare for some breakfast.<br />
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Tra..la..la...had breakfast, dumped the clothes into the drier, tra..la.la..laaa....My husband goes,<br />
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H: Where is my phone? Did you see it?<br />
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Me: Not really..trying calling it.<br />
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H: Hmmm..(picks up landline phone and calls his number)<br />
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Phone: tringgg...(muffled volume)<br />
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Frantic search for the phone. Horror at realizing that its is coming from the drier.<br />
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H: It went something like this -<br />
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Countless arguments on whose fault it was later, we decided it was best to focus on the phone's survival first. After frantically switching off the super hot, water filled phone and one day's worth of rest in a rice filled zip lock bag in the oven (multiple websites suggest to do so), the phone made a miraculous come back the next day. We took it to a repair shop nevertheless and changed the screen and checked it out again. $150 later the phone functions perfectly fine. All is well and life once again returned to normalcy. Phew!<br />
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It is so hard to write in 10 minutes! It took 15 minutes for this one! </div>
thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-63746102689225265742013-12-04T21:20:00.001-08:002013-12-04T21:21:41.612-08:00Second servings...sigh!!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This is topic is very close to my heart at the moment as I struggle to lose a few unruly pounds off myself. As I enter my 30's, gone are the carefree days when I huffed at people counting calories and smirked at people struggling to lose weight. Well, I have read 2 books on nutrition and diet this year, which is a miracle in itself. Man, its hard to lose even a single pound. I weigh myself in everyday and often blame the scale for playing tricks on the up and down readings it shows.<br />
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Sigh! the second servings are so hard to control. The worst meal of a week day for me is dinner. I am typically hungry, then angry and I gulp down a large meal before I can think straight. The diet books I have been reading suggest an astonishingly full meal with lots of snacks and multiple meals. At the crux of it other than the obvious no junk, no sugar etc., is a pretty low carb diet.<br />
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Strangely enough though as I try to achieve this, I find more and more that it makes sense. I ate a single roti (say a slice of bread) for dinner today with some lentils and veggies and I am surprisingly still full. I would usually eat three rotis. Am beginning to read the labels on food boxes finally, know the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats, have begin to use quinoa, drink plenty of green tea, exercise regul *cough cough* rarely ..man I am entering strongly into my 30's. Woohoo..<br />
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I may actually never stop going for seconds though, for in South Indian tradition, we have to complete the meal with buttermilk or yogurt. Lets just make that low fat, high protein Greek yogurt. :-)</div>
thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-34635406444316949292013-12-03T20:36:00.001-08:002013-12-03T20:36:19.007-08:00Vitruvian Lights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As we embrace the chilly winter this year, one thing that certainly cheers up everyone is Christmas lights. <a href="http://www.addisontexas.net/about_addison/VitruvianLights.asp" target="_blank">Vitruvian Lights</a> is a lighted decoration that lasts from Thanksgiving up until the New Year. The lighting is well done and is actually pleasing unlike a few other wacko ones I have seen around here (seriously, they seem to turn the light on every single leaf on the tree). If you are in the neighborhood, you should check it out. Its a wonderful place to stroll by, take some pictures and probably have a drink at the bar nearby. On Fridays during this period, there is usually a concert, few food trucks and some other funky stalls to make it more entertaining.<br />
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Lucky me! I live right over this area, so I get to see it everyday!<br />
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<a href="http://www.nablopomo.com/"><img alt="NaBloPoMo December 2013" height="255" src="https://www.blogher.com/files/NaBloPoMo_MoreLess.jpg" width="298" /></a><br />
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Today's NoBloPoMo topic - half full or half empty, how do I view a glass? Well, I am perfectly fine with a half empty glass. I can always fill it up again as I need it. Maybe I would fill it with something different too! :-) </div>
thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-88932815081303362592013-12-02T20:23:00.002-08:002013-12-02T20:24:47.972-08:00Arbor Hills Nature Preserve<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Location: 6701 W Parker Rd, Plano.<br />
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Living in a new city, we are still trying to figure out on things we can do and places we can visit. I plan to list out the worthwhile places here, so it may perhaps help someone else and also so that I could revisit them someday.<br />
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Arbor Hills nature preserve is a beautiful park, picnic area with a bunch of cemented and natural trails. We were genuinely surprised to see such a green, slightly hilly (OMG! yes actually hilly) terrain right in the middle of Plano. The trails are about 3-4 miles long, but could be combined to make a longer route. Enjoy nature lovers!<br />
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This would also be an attempt at my December month's NaBloPoMo event. Lets see how this turns out.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nablopomo.com/"><img alt="NaBloPoMo December 2013" height="255" src="https://www.blogher.com/files/NaBloPoMo_MoreLess.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-33082707790726114572013-08-14T20:16:00.001-07:002013-08-14T20:16:19.629-07:00Day13: Five famous men I find incredibly attractive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am skipping two days to keep up pace with August <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/marathonbloggers/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Blogging Marathon</span></a>. </b>Haha! This is one's gonna make some one jealoussss!<br />
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This is in no particular order and is probably as cheesy as it can get :-)<br />
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Gordon Ramsay, the super chef who uses the 'f' word like it were a part of his breathing rhythm portrays a hard exterior and soft interior. Sigh, even I feel like joining a cooking show. Though God knows, I would probably get into America's worst cooks. </div>
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Surya! My undergrad days heart throb! He made many of us South Indian gals swoon.</div>
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Gosh! Prince William was perhaps my first major crush ever!</div>
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The 4th on this list is a fictional character, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Such men can rarely ever exist in true life and that's why generations of women love him. </div>
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The final hunk on my list is someone whom I had to include in the list after many a threats, treats, bribes and occasional breakfast in bed - my husband of course! Love you..You are the best! Well, he is really famous in <i>my</i> world so that still counts :-)</div>
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-46904890884715798892013-08-12T20:20:00.000-07:002013-08-12T20:20:49.706-07:00Day10: Highs and lows of last year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/marathonbloggers/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Marathon Bloggers'</span></b></a>s Day 10 post.</div>
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High: I lived in Grenoble (French Capital of Alps) for 3 months last year. It was heaven! I had to keep reminding myself that I was there for work not vacation. Hands down the best city I have ever lived in.</div>
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Low: I sort of did not have an address last year. I lived in 4 countries across 3 continents. Crazyyy living out of suitcase situations. I packed and unpacked so many times that I have had packing nightmares, if that even makes any sense.</div>
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-60474967853338490182013-08-11T09:50:00.000-07:002013-08-11T09:52:05.388-07:00Day9: Dream to visit this place<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Hope to visit Egypt one day!</i></div>
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-55297344798829301392013-08-09T06:19:00.002-07:002013-08-09T06:20:50.176-07:00Day8: 14 facts about myself<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/marathonbloggers/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Marathon Bloggers</span></b></a>' next topic would definitely let the narcissist inside me indulge. I will try hard to make this a bit interesting for the other's though. So here are 14 "amazing" facts about this "me, myself and moi" creature.<br />
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1. When I was probably 6-7 years old, I was bitten/scratched (nobody could actually clarify which and I was just super dazed when it happened) by a neighbor's dog. I remember that my sister used to periodically check on the dog to see if was ok for a few days after that. I was terrified of dogs for many many years. Now I am seriously considering having a dog as a pet (Texas being a super friendly pet state and all...)<br />
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2. I am the quintessential Jack of all trades, master of none. I dabble into too many things - writing, photography, drawing, running and the list goes on. As someone put it for me, while the horizontal line of my talents "T" is quite long, the vertical line is rather short.:-S<br />
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3. Decorating my apartment is something I love to do. My handy work can be on full display on certain things. This one got mercilessly pushed to our washroom. It doesn't look that bad right?!<br />
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4. My teacher in high school nicknamed me "Absent Minded Professor" for some of my lapses. My best so far has been forgetting my brand new phone at Macy's, which I had purchased an hour before <i>on</i> Thanksgiving day. Very thankfully, I found my precious item. I will argue to the end of the earth though if someone calls me absentminded.<br />
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5. I have loooong toes. A lady whom I was meeting for the second time greeted me saying "Ah! I couldn't place your face in my mind, but the second I looked at your feet, I recognized you. :-O. Who ever says that! 99% of my shoes are hence close toed. Thanks to my grandma --> dad --> me inheritance. Very rich I say!<br />
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6. I learnt swimming thrice and still can't swim! :-( I will keep it at it until I can finally atleast drift through water somehow.<br />
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7. Once, I had a close call while driving my car in downtown San Francisco. I was taking a turn and so was a huge truck whose rear tire (which was the height my hatchback), sort of jumped lanes and hit against my car. The worst part was, I was a minute away from my destination and my cell phone had switched off with no battery. I used the truck driver's phone to call 911 because he refused to do so. :-| Everything ended ok eventually.<br />
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8. I am allergic to avacado and pineapples. I don't know when I developed the allergy because I used to eat them perfectly fine in my childhood.<br />
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9. They made me the captain of the volleyball team in my college days simply because I was the most enthusiastic player in the team. I used to come for practice in the wee hours of the morning from my house which was about 15 km away. I would still be the first, when compared to the girls living in the hostel a few hundred meters away.<br />
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10. In high school I was actually aiming to become a doctor, but my scores didn't carry me through to it. In my childhood though I wanted to become a hair stylist.<br />
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11. I believe in some form of existence after death. Looking at the grand scale of the universe and our microscopic life on earth, there has to be some explanation to what the hell our existence is supposed to mean and that I am hoping will come to light after death.<br />
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12. Perhaps I could compete in a human mosquito trap competition. I am super good at just clapping them to death, which is very handy during the monsoon seasons in India. Didn't I mention before that I am multi-talented ;-)<br />
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13. Horror movies scare the wits out of me but I always pretend its no big deal to watch them.<br />
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14. Date of birth is supposed to be the last fact. Lets just say it involves three things --> Alphabets in English, Scorpion, George Orwell's famous book.</div>
thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-10041611069750350892013-08-07T19:39:00.000-07:002013-08-07T19:41:58.977-07:00Day7: Obsession with Zodiac Signs?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Day 7 of the<b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/marathonbloggers/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">August Marathon</span></a></b>. Am I obsessed with zodiac signs? I was to some extent when I was much younger and first got to understand what the whole deal was. I was fascinated by my sign Scorpio and have obsessed over whether or not I have what it takes to be one. I have read over daily forecasts and have desperately tried to match it with what actually happened on a particular day, always looking for some mysterious hints.<br />
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Only after a sometime I realized that as I read the qualities of other signs, I could actually picture myself into most of those qualities. And the daily horoscopes are so general and vague that one could apply it to absolutely anything and everything.<br />
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So in short, zodiac signs are just some old fashioned mumbo jumbo in my opinion. Sure, sometimes if I am flipping through a magazine, I would definitely look over the daily/weekly horoscope section, just for some kicks. I used to read the ones from this <b><a href="http://www.californiapsychics.com/index.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">site</span></a> </b>with some interest (in the days when iGoogle was popular). </div>
thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-7853231820563555642013-08-06T21:32:00.001-07:002013-08-07T19:39:28.734-07:00Day6: Favorite Books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Thanks to <a href="http://yeaah-life.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lopa</a>, I am going to give the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/marathonbloggers/" target="_blank">Marathon Blogger's</a> August Marathon a shot. I have missed out the first 5 days. But who knows, maybe 6 is my lucky number. Today's topic is Favorite Books.<br />
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This is a tricky one. There are so many genres and the list of favorite books is ever growing. But I am going to list the top 5 that come my mind.<br />
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The first one is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I remember reading this book twice when I was 13-14. And it was quite a miracle because I never like to read the same book twice. But what was even more amazing was that I read this book 15 years later, quite recently and was still as breathless as I was when I had read it for the first time. Ooh Darcy! Sighhhh! I am just born in the wrong era perhaps!<br />
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The second is the Harry Potter series. The books opened up a Pandora's box I believe not just for me but for the whole world. Suddenly fantasy novels became quite the rage for people of all ages. For me it was like traveling to an alternate universe. I read so much of fantasy after this that at some point I had to stop myself and wake up to reality :-)</div>
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The third in this list is Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle. Its funny how I lay my hands on his work. Thanks to the guy who forgot his book in a train. I have read and admired many many murder mysteries of all kind (Agatha Christie is very close second), but Sherlock is just thoroughly captivating.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.90625px; text-align: -webkit-right;"><b style="color: purple;">" I swear by my life and my love of it - that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine"</b> ~ famous quote from the book</span></div>
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I remember writing a long essay after reading this book (when I was 19-20), part bashing the author and part analyzing and agreeing to what Ayn Rand says in Atlas Shrugged. And this essay was not even a school assignment. So it being written definitely means something. It left a deep impact on me. </div>
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I am still reading this one, but I already know that this book will stick in my mind for a long time. Its a very very intriguing look into the life of Steve Jobs. </div>
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And that completes my list! I know when I wake up tomorrow I may not agree to this list as being the top five at all. So before I change my mind, I am going to hit the publish button! </div>
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thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-91182817870943860802012-07-10T07:21:00.000-07:002012-07-10T07:22:26.068-07:001Q84 - Haruki Murakami<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have not read George Orwell's "1984", so I wouldn't know what kind of a take Haruki Murakami's 1Q84 is of the classic, but of its own, 1Q84 can stand alone and be proud of itself. I decided to read this ginormous work of Murakami after reading some glorious reviews of this famous Japanese author. <br />
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The book is a twisted fantasy/love story in 3 books. Tengo, an upcoming author (who might never really make it) and Aomame, a fitness expert (and a hired hitman with serious issues) are probably as mundane and as twisted as any other Jack and Jill in this world. A mere fraction of their childhood together seems to have left an indelible mark on both of them and while they live completely oblivious of each other, the strange plot of the story brings them inch by inch closer.<br />
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This is no vampire/Harry Potter sort of fiction (though I love those too!). It has a plot that slowly creeps into the real world and you are left wondering initially "What the ?". As you read on the story pulls you along until you really cannot make out between the real and the alternate world.<br />
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Strangely enough my favorite character of this book is the absolute bad guy Ushikawa. What a classic!<br />
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It is a one of a kind read which I must warn though requires some level of patience. I can bet you on one thing though. After reading this book, the next time you look up into the night sky, you will actually look for the <em>other</em> moon, somehow waiting for it pop up somewhere! :)</div>thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-66082563528012860342012-05-28T07:55:00.000-07:002012-05-28T08:00:05.652-07:00In South Korea - Completely and utterly lost in translation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Of all the places, I never once imagined that I would come to South Korea. Not even as a tourist. But, here I am for the past 3 months, living in "Asia's Best Kept Secret" as they call it. I would have thought as an Asian, it can't be that hard to live here. Right? Wrong! I mean its not like the hardest thing on the planet. But this is the farthest from my culture, language and normal living that I have ever been. <br />
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I am here for work, living in this crowded section of a city called Suwon. Not to the extent that I would have prefered but we Indians as ever, have managed to establish some presence here as well. Proof? 3 Indian restaurants, 10 minutes from the hotel I stay in :-). Well here are a bunch of things I oberved:<br />
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1. South Korea is super modernized. It is almost like any western country (by which I actually mean the US). Especially the cities. One would be amazed to see the number of Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts here. <br />
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2. Fasshhhiiiooon! I have to say the people here are perhaps among the best dressed in the world. The women are super petite and have such beautiful skin. I am pushed to XL size here. Booohoooo! There is a craze for well manicured and fancy decorated nails. I hear that Seoul is also very famous for plastic surgery :|<br />
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3. Finding vegetarian food here is literally like finding a needle in a haystack. Vegetable bibimbap (some kind of semi boiled long strips of vegetables with rice) and Sundubu (dubu for tofu) are the few I have tried. Gob bless my furnished apartment with kitchen. Almost every meal in some small way involves meat. They find it incredible that I am a vegetarian and my patience ebbs aways each time I desperately do some hand gestures and try to explain - no meat, no fish and no egg. <br />
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4. The people here are nice. When lost, they literally take your hand and lead you to the right way. Its heart warming when they do that! <br />
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5. Samsung, the company has a HuuuGE presence here. Going in, you feel like you are entering a town in itself. It is a unique experience to enter their fabs. The security is no less than that of an airport, with passport checks, metal detectors and what not. I must be the only or among the very few who sneaked in with Sambar rice lunch box. :-D. I really have huge food woes in the cafeteria they have. <br />
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6. People brush their teeth after lunch. They have huge toothbrush stands in washrooms and office goers diligently brush after lunch. <br />
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7. The taxi drivers are a scary lot. They have a GPS plus small television in front of them which they mostly use to watch TV (duh!) while driving!!!! at 130km/hr!!!!!!!!<br />
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8. Seoul is simply fantastic. It is a beautiful blend of east and west. Filled with quaint streets with nick nacks, cozy coffee shops and restaurants. Charming is the word. <br />
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9. Speaking of coffee shops, there is a plethora of them. Prices could be on par with Starbucks. There is also a craze for bakeries. You would find a "Paris Baguette"on every street corner. <br />
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10. "Omma" = mother, "Appa" = father. Two Korean words are almost the same as in my language (Tamil). <br />
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What has been the best part of my stay here so far? I have never in my entire life been complimented so often for being beautiful! One lady at the Ginseng shop told me in the same breath - "Indian women very beautiful. Big eyes..."and gesturing towards my middle section "....big hips." I am still confused whether she actually complimented me or not. </div>thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com1Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea37.2635727 127.028600937.2130242 126.9496369 37.314121199999995 127.1075649tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-83157022007198295662012-01-05T05:37:00.000-08:002012-01-05T05:37:17.175-08:00Happy New Year 2012!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7S-SlZd7Go/TwWi2ZZimBI/AAAAAAAALHA/NcY9doG2eeM/s1600/new+year+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7S-SlZd7Go/TwWi2ZZimBI/AAAAAAAALHA/NcY9doG2eeM/s320/new+year+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><i>Wish you all a super duper absolutely fantabulous New Year 2012! </i></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">2011 has been a year of transition for me in some ways. Entering marital bliss (no single people, run!!! ;-)), completing my degree, moving from the Netherlands to the US, looking for jobs and gaining a few (a lot actually :-( ) pounds. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n1WwNV-LtKE/TwWlbi758bI/AAAAAAAALHM/L2r8KPfgZfQ/s1600/New+Year+072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n1WwNV-LtKE/TwWlbi758bI/AAAAAAAALHM/L2r8KPfgZfQ/s320/New+Year+072.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Had one of the best new year's eve celebration with my cousins in NYC, standing in that tightly packed crowd, right next to the big apple! You have to believe me. In that crazy crowd, that is as close as close gets!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Lets see how things roll out this year!!! Happpppy Newwwww Yeaaarrrrr people!!!</div></div>thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-75363668947324441232011-11-16T05:38:00.000-08:002011-11-16T05:38:47.219-08:00Watchmen - Alan Moore (Illustration - Dave Gibbons)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qW88f4pZ2sI/TsO3urXgjPI/AAAAAAAALGo/29kEHmcsrro/s1600/10206_400x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qW88f4pZ2sI/TsO3urXgjPI/AAAAAAAALGo/29kEHmcsrro/s320/10206_400x600.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
I got this book at random will just to read something light and easy. Boy was I surprised at the outcome! Watchmen is on the list of Time's top 100 novels of all times and I was not disappointed.<br />
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Imagine a bunch of costumed super-heroes. One would immediately think of Spidey and Batty and the lot. What happens to them as they grow old though? What happens if Spidey and Batty got into a fight? Or if they just got bored of their job? Well Watchmen is a story of such super heroes and their lives outside of just being great and strong and all goody goody. It is about their weaknesses, vulnerabilities and their not so super heroic sides. The story is set in the 1980s about an impending World War III and how our super heroes save the day yet again..or do they actually? That is the question.<br />
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I simply loved the novel and just couldn't put it down. And the graphics! Rich graphics! It just enhances the reading experience so much. I must say that in some sense it limits your mind by already feeding it with images but its just a different experience altogether. I am not sure if the subject as such is everybody's cup of tea, but just give it a shot.<br />
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Grab the book! The only question I have is where can I find more??? </div>thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-43194626458816230792011-11-07T06:01:00.000-08:002011-11-07T06:01:11.546-08:00Friday Fragments - 4th November<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Heyylooo! Here I am back with my weekly ritual of unloading. Its been 3 long weeks since the last Friday Fragments. So here's what has been happening.<br />
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---) We visited my cousin's place in Virginia and headed towards Luray Caverns and Shenondoah Valley.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uhylEz3hTB4/Trfd9Ezp9oI/AAAAAAAALEQ/G9_5BlDnuPE/s1600/Virginia+058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uhylEz3hTB4/Trfd9Ezp9oI/AAAAAAAALEQ/G9_5BlDnuPE/s320/Virginia+058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Stalactites - hold on 'tight' to roof and Stalagmites - 'might' reach the sky - the guide told us how to remember which is which </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HOdlf0GD4XU/TrfeBZ9xbdI/AAAAAAAALEY/jzeeMliZ1BU/s1600/Virginia+118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HOdlf0GD4XU/TrfeBZ9xbdI/AAAAAAAALEY/jzeeMliZ1BU/s320/Virginia+118.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Dark Hollow Falls at Shenondoah Valley</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The entry fee to the Luray caverns in quite steep - $23 each, but once you are there what choice do you have right?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">---) Two great friends of mine from Netherlands and Canada visited me in the same week. I am becoming a better NYC tourist guide day by day! :-) Two cool things happened when in NYC with my NL friend. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MJrMEP8hIQk/TrfghZplSyI/AAAAAAAALEg/dmk4Omux8Cc/s1600/snoop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MJrMEP8hIQk/TrfghZplSyI/AAAAAAAALEg/dmk4Omux8Cc/s1600/snoop.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">One - We both could swear we saw SnoopDogg in the metro! Nobody even realized it man! We kept staring at him until he walked off at some station. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Two - We were standing outside a restaurant in downtown Manhattan trying to figure out where we were and there was this guy all suited up standing right next to us and fidgeting. Within minutes 2 shady looking guys came and handed him a small packet. In exchange the guy in the suit gave them a big bundle of rolled up cash and left in a hurry. It was like a scene out of CSI NY!!! We looked around to check if cameras were rolling somewhere. But No! Hmmmm....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">With my friend from Canada, I still can't believe how we managed to talk non-stop for most part of the day! The day flew away so quickly! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">---) Diwali the festival of lights co-incided with my b'day this year. We went to Pennsylvania to celebrate it with some friends. We were all dressed up in traditional clothes and did like 101 poses in front of the camera. :-) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">---) My sister sent us some home-made sweets and savories all the way from Canada. Hubby who barely touches most of the sweets, fought with me for the last one. We want mooreeeee! Are you listening sis :-D? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">---) Whats with the crazy snow storm last week? NJ faced incredible snow fall with quite serious power cuts and falling trees everywhere. The houses just next block had power shutdowns for upto 4 days!!!! We barely escaped! They even shifted the Halloween trick or treating days in some neighborhoods here. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">---) I got an amazing pair of boots last Saturday - weather proof, furry and all...Just in case :-) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Do join <a href="http://www.halfpastkissintime.com/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Mrs. 4444</span></b></a> for the Friday Fragments fun by clicking the button below! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div></div>thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-17344666349001560952011-11-02T05:45:00.000-07:002011-11-02T05:45:42.790-07:00Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_eLNoUOYkrE/TrBbbbu3G5I/AAAAAAAALEI/ZIV2csfJEHk/s1600/eatpraylove-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_eLNoUOYkrE/TrBbbbu3G5I/AAAAAAAALEI/ZIV2csfJEHk/s320/eatpraylove-lg.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><br />
This book had been in much discussion in 2010 so decided to pick it up from the library. I read it within two 5 hour flight trips I took recently - which is rarity these days as I seem to be reading multiple books for several months together with no signs of completing most of them soon :).<br />
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The author talks about her own real life in this book. Liz Gilbert has everything that a woman of her age could possibly want - a husband, a house and a career. Somewhere in her mid-life though she begins to wonder whether if all this is what she actually wants or has she been living a life that the society accepts as "normal" enough. A messy divorce and a messier affair later, she decides to take a break from everything.<br />
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Liz sets off to three countries - Italy, India and Indonesia over a period of a year to get a new perspective of things. In Italy she discovers the pleasure of food and as the Italians say the "art of doing nothing", in India she spends all her time in an Ashram where she meditates for inner peace and in Indonesia she looks to bring a balance between a normal life while holding on to her spiritual side. How she completes the journey forms the crux of the book.<br />
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The book is fascinating in several ways. Liz feels the pulse of the world and her descriptions of places are not "tourist book" type, rather on how she relates to a place/person making things really interesting. I found the India part of her book quite interesting. Her experiences with meditation and prayers are intriguing though I must warn you if you are someone how thinks meditation is an excuse for people to sleep longer, then some details may actually help you get initiated into "meditation" :). If Bali is as beautiful as the author describes, I would want to live there someday!<br />
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A good dose of "spiritual/wake up call" book of modern times. </div>thamaraihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13310669992639071083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9178326904452851842.post-79096753819443040972011-10-14T13:22:00.000-07:002011-10-14T13:22:49.632-07:00Friday Fragments - 14th October<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Its Fridayyyyy! :-) This week was good. Time really does fly like crazy, it has been almost 6 months since I came to the US.<br />
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So here are this week's highlights. <br />
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---) I had my first job interview since coming here (ya, it took that long!)and have been selected to go to round 2. Keeping my fingers tightly crossed! <br />
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---) You know that afternoon time after lunch, that lull period when you wish the world would wrap up for just a bit so you can snatch a quick look into that enchanted world? Seriously! that afternoon siesta is like the bestest thing in the world. After a long time I went to that enchanted world yesterday. Bliss! :) <br />
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---) We have been provided with free Hindi (regional language)channels by our cable people again! All the super "saas" (mother-in-laws) and "bahus" (daughter-in-laws) beware! <br />
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---) I made quesedillas today for lunch today from this recipe <a href="http://www.honeywhatscooking.com/2011/06/broccoli-red-pepper-quesadillas-healthy.html">here</a>. It was just so yummy, I wonder why I have never ventured much into this before despite having a grill. <br />
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---) We surprised our neighbor on her birthday with a nice cake and a gift at the stroke of midnight. She was so surprised by us that she was skipping around like a child. Totally worth it :)<br />
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---) Its pouring cats and dogs here at the moment. We are off to Virginia and Pennsylvania this weekend to meet up some family and friends. <br />
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Have a great weekend all you peeps!!! <br />
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Click on the link below to join the "<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Friday Fragments</span></b>" fun at <a href="http://www.halfpastkissintime.com/">Mrs.4444's</a> blog. <br />
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