You are an overflowing river , yet you didn't quench my thirst...
- V
Monday, October 30, 2023
Tuesday, February 04, 2020
Solitude
You are sad,
You feel pain.
But it makes you feel alive.
You live to fight these emotional demons within you,
Not knowing what or who is pulling you down .
Maybe it's him, maybe it's her or maybe it's them,
And then you realize that it's you.
Because it is you who hold the key to your freedom,
Freedom from the conflicts and the pain.
Free your soul so you can taste solitude -the state of loving yourself
And not needing him, her or them !
-Vinu
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Where did we fail for Shehala Sherin ?
I do not know where to begin as I write in grief hearing about the passing of 10 year old Shehala Sherin who as bitten by a snake in her classroom . Her teacher refused to believe the child and hence delayed taking her to hospital . This happened in the very place where students call their second home .
Kerala is considered to be one of the most literate state in India . But we fail in so many ways when it come to safety and hygiene.
This particular school Shehala studied in didn't have proper first aid facilities :(.. Isn't that one of the most important facility required. Our attitude towards safety has to change. I have come across many people in my life where they crib about wearing a helmet while riding a bike. Why is wearing a helmet even an option when you life is at stake. The logic and the rule on state that only the rider need to wear it confuses my mind because when a bike falls co passenger falls too ..even if there is no written rule in book to wear helmet for a co passenger shouldn't that be self thought .
In India you can find not two but four in a family ride with only the father wearing a helmet and the three other not wearing . Who is responsible for the safety of the wife and kids ? People blame the roads and poor governance( which is another topic in itself) but isn't that good enough reason to wear helmet 😐.
Another common sight is a parent sitting in front seat with a baby . Most dangerous place for a baby is in the hands of a mother /father sitting in front seat. A sudden break and the first person to hit the dashboard is your child ..the very person you are suppose to protect . When we have decided to have a child certain compromises have to be made to ensure the safety of your child ...like sit at the rear seat with your baby and not in front with your husband/wife . Get a car seat ..strap you child safely ,,
Teach young children these important safety instructions rather than to compete with each other for marks.. And stop mocking people who talks about safety, who ask you to wear a helmet while cycling ,wear knee pad while cycling , stop mocking people who get car seats for their child, stop treating safety and hygiene as luxury when it is the only thing at matters at the end of the day ..
We lost a young girl to ensure maintenance is done across all government schools. May your soul rest
in peace little angel..May your family find justice for you.
Stop blaming each other and lets do our bit for ourselves..
Kerala is considered to be one of the most literate state in India . But we fail in so many ways when it come to safety and hygiene.
This particular school Shehala studied in didn't have proper first aid facilities :(.. Isn't that one of the most important facility required. Our attitude towards safety has to change. I have come across many people in my life where they crib about wearing a helmet while riding a bike. Why is wearing a helmet even an option when you life is at stake. The logic and the rule on state that only the rider need to wear it confuses my mind because when a bike falls co passenger falls too ..even if there is no written rule in book to wear helmet for a co passenger shouldn't that be self thought .
In India you can find not two but four in a family ride with only the father wearing a helmet and the three other not wearing . Who is responsible for the safety of the wife and kids ? People blame the roads and poor governance( which is another topic in itself) but isn't that good enough reason to wear helmet 😐.
Another common sight is a parent sitting in front seat with a baby . Most dangerous place for a baby is in the hands of a mother /father sitting in front seat. A sudden break and the first person to hit the dashboard is your child ..the very person you are suppose to protect . When we have decided to have a child certain compromises have to be made to ensure the safety of your child ...like sit at the rear seat with your baby and not in front with your husband/wife . Get a car seat ..strap you child safely ,,
Teach young children these important safety instructions rather than to compete with each other for marks.. And stop mocking people who talks about safety, who ask you to wear a helmet while cycling ,wear knee pad while cycling , stop mocking people who get car seats for their child, stop treating safety and hygiene as luxury when it is the only thing at matters at the end of the day ..
We lost a young girl to ensure maintenance is done across all government schools. May your soul rest
in peace little angel..May your family find justice for you.
Stop blaming each other and lets do our bit for ourselves..
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
About beauty
We will feel as beautiful or happy as we feel within ;and not as we appear outwards.😇 (as thought by me :) )
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Random thoughts about life
I am a mother now :)... It is one of the best feelings in the world. My son is 7 years old, and I enjoy learning things from him. Being a parent is fun but not easy all the time. However, I have become more confident as a person since becoming a mother. I have started doing things I have always wanted to do. I don't know where that strength comes from, but I feel it is coming from a place where I want my child to see that one should dream fearlessly and make things happen.
Yes, he makes me want to set goals for myself. He makes me want to learn to dance, to perform, to watch the stars, to play, to cook, to be kind to others, to stay fit, to sing, to travel more, to be independent, to love better, to laugh harder, to cry and wipe off my tears, and much more.
That's what kids teach us: to rekindle every moment we forgot to live because we were busy trying to look pretty, find that perfect job, or please others by trying to be perfect. I now know there is no need to be perfect because no one is, and I want every child to know that it is okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from them. Let us, grown-ups, not put that pressure on our kids because they love us just the way we are, with all our flaws.
When he is upset, all he wants is my hug to make him feel better or a word of appreciation for his little achievements, as simple as brushing his teeth by himself. In the end, all that we, as adults, want too, is just to be appreciated for being ourselves. Let's do that for our kids and for grown-ups and create a better, more empathetic world for all of us.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
It's the little things in life....
It's the little things in life that truly matter .....Many have said this before and will say it again now and for times to come. But in our ever so busy life forget what or who really matters. We take for granted the moments and people that truly matter to us .
We think it is better to a million likes in social media while ignoring the opinion and feelings of people we meet and see everyday. I have come across people who do not talk to people who are right in front of them while they are busy texting away to someone so far away . (Me included sometimes )
I wanted to put down my thoughts and my beautiful moments that I cherish in my life so far. :)
In my journey so far I have come across many people who have made my wishes and dreams come true and supporting me and making this existence worth while . Ok this might sound like an Oscar thank you speech but oh well here goes :).........
First and foremost my parents : They are responsible for my existence for which I will be ever so grateful for gifting me this life . Parents touch your life in a different way . We learn a lot from them by watching them do things as in how they solved problems , what sacrifices they made for my siblings and I , how they asked us to be strong and face each problem boldly without giving up . I remember how my Mom would always ask us to be educated and independent or how my Dad said that "it's not the end of world and there's always a next time " each time we encountered a failure be it in exams or sports or not getting through an interview or personal reasons . All these little words but important ones makes me who I am and be the best version of myself .
My Grandparents : Appachan and Valiya mummy They are resting in peace now . But I cannot put in words how they have shaped my thoughts and actions. My grand parents were very progressive in their thoughts. Both of them were working in the education sector and believed in their children and grandkids getting educated and employed . They were very also active members in church and this has inspired me to work closely with church .
I fondly remember the letters we wrote to each other and my grand father asking me to remember Psalm 23 at all times of my life . I love you Appacha and I can still clearly remember the look in your eyes the day I was leaving to the airport and I never saw you after that :(... But I am so glad and proud to be your first grandchild and how you were so happy to have me around you :)
My grandma its been two years since you left us and I regret that I never told you too often how much I loved you . You and I had many arguments because of course I was rebellious and you were so understanding of all my craziness:).. You are one of the strongest woman I know and knew . I remember fondly all the stories you would tell me at night and I would sleep off half way and you would keep calling my name in between to make sure I was listening :) .. I miss making those late night calls to you whenever I was feeling low . But you remain my inspiration on how to live life fearlessly and be independent because I have seen you handle many challenges in life with your head held high and I still wish I knew the secret of your hair not greying till the age of 85 :)
Then my siblings ( V & V) ..We have had endless fun , fights, fall backs, tears and laughter but through it all managed to stick together and that cycle of fun, fights fall backs... continues :)
From this point I am just going to mention my precious moments that have touched my heart and soul so that I remember it just in case Alzheimer's kick in :)
We think it is better to a million likes in social media while ignoring the opinion and feelings of people we meet and see everyday. I have come across people who do not talk to people who are right in front of them while they are busy texting away to someone so far away . (Me included sometimes )
I wanted to put down my thoughts and my beautiful moments that I cherish in my life so far. :)
In my journey so far I have come across many people who have made my wishes and dreams come true and supporting me and making this existence worth while . Ok this might sound like an Oscar thank you speech but oh well here goes :).........
First and foremost my parents : They are responsible for my existence for which I will be ever so grateful for gifting me this life . Parents touch your life in a different way . We learn a lot from them by watching them do things as in how they solved problems , what sacrifices they made for my siblings and I , how they asked us to be strong and face each problem boldly without giving up . I remember how my Mom would always ask us to be educated and independent or how my Dad said that "it's not the end of world and there's always a next time " each time we encountered a failure be it in exams or sports or not getting through an interview or personal reasons . All these little words but important ones makes me who I am and be the best version of myself .
My Grandparents : Appachan and Valiya mummy They are resting in peace now . But I cannot put in words how they have shaped my thoughts and actions. My grand parents were very progressive in their thoughts. Both of them were working in the education sector and believed in their children and grandkids getting educated and employed . They were very also active members in church and this has inspired me to work closely with church .
I fondly remember the letters we wrote to each other and my grand father asking me to remember Psalm 23 at all times of my life . I love you Appacha and I can still clearly remember the look in your eyes the day I was leaving to the airport and I never saw you after that :(... But I am so glad and proud to be your first grandchild and how you were so happy to have me around you :)
My grandma its been two years since you left us and I regret that I never told you too often how much I loved you . You and I had many arguments because of course I was rebellious and you were so understanding of all my craziness:).. You are one of the strongest woman I know and knew . I remember fondly all the stories you would tell me at night and I would sleep off half way and you would keep calling my name in between to make sure I was listening :) .. I miss making those late night calls to you whenever I was feeling low . But you remain my inspiration on how to live life fearlessly and be independent because I have seen you handle many challenges in life with your head held high and I still wish I knew the secret of your hair not greying till the age of 85 :)
Then my siblings ( V & V) ..We have had endless fun , fights, fall backs, tears and laughter but through it all managed to stick together and that cycle of fun, fights fall backs... continues :)
From this point I am just going to mention my precious moments that have touched my heart and soul so that I remember it just in case Alzheimer's kick in :)
- I cannot and will never forget the feeling I got when my son R, only a day old, with this tiny hands held my hand (my index finger to be specific) . That was a moment of pure love and joy
- Meeting my favorite tennis player Rafael Nadal will not count as a little moment as it was a huge moment for me but I thank A for showing the enthusiasm to buy the tickets to watch the tournament.
- "Look at the sky , there's rainbow." V said to me. I would have missed that beautiful sight if I was not asked to keep quiet from my chirping and look at the sky :)
- While in college I got the opportunity to do a project at NISH (an institution catering to the education of kids with speech and hearing impairment) . I watched them communicate in sign language and that is a moment I felt I was at a disadvantage as I was not able to understand anything they were communicating among each other . But their twinkling eyes , laughter and joy was a wonderful moment to watch because they were truly happy and they don't need the so called "normal " to make them feel any special than they already are .
- D, my bff every little moments we have shared from school until now. Our little arguments and making up after that. We have wished each other on valentines day :) and dedicated songs to each other , written letters to each other and never forgets each others birthday ever( of course you always love to remind me that I get a year older, a month before you do :)).. I wish we stay this way for many years to come
- My history teacher for showing me that being honest is not bad at all :).. Let me tell you the story .. When I was in the 9th grade my dad bought some books from a salesman and he asked for references and I gave him my history teacher's phone number (without asking his permission) . And of course my teacher was not pleased and he didn't know who had given the number to the salesman. During the history hour my sir mentioned this incident and was not pleased and was wondering who gave his number and I saw that he was really angry but I stood up and I said " Sir , I gave your number". He was quiet and walked up to me and said that he was very angry that I had given the number without taking his permission , but he is very happy that I as honest to tell him that I had given the number . I actually calmed down and was relieved . I leant two important lessons that day ... one when ever someone ask information about other people always check if they are ok with me sharing it and two to be honest is much easier and save us from the trouble of cooking up stories to cover up a single lie. I am so glad he decided not to shout and rather appreciate honesty and this is something I practice with my son now ::)
- All the little lessons I learnt about people and life from my travels ( this will require another write up in itself :))... being lucky enough to see the humpback whales in the middle of the ocean :)
Monday, September 26, 2016
From My Brazilian Diary ....Part 1
"What!!! Are you out of you mind?" , that was my reaction when my husband told me that he was taking up a job in Rio de Janeiro. I was not ready to fly 14 hrs with an infant to a country far away from family and friends. Ok maybe I can deal with the journey and distance but was not ready to deal with the fact that Brazil is a Portuguese speaking country and no one speaks English there. I was worried about finding an English speaking pediatrician,friends etc etc ..
Anyways whatever said and done on the first week of November 2013, I was in Rio de Janeiro. To my surprise my son who just turned one on October handled the flight journey quiet well .
The airport is not at all posh or anything and of course no one speaks English in the immigration too but after I took the luggage we were offered help to handle the luggage by few people there because I was with an infant.My first encounter with the locals and I learned that Brazilians are very helpful in nature . I have traveled to so many countries and no one ever offered help unless I requested.
So let me begin my short lived (close to a year) Brazilian life ..I have lived only in Rio and did not see or experience any other parts of Brazil so my topic will revolve around places in Rio like Laranjeiras ,Botafogo and Miracema.
Laranjeiras (meaning Orange Trees ) is an upper middle class neighbourhood in Rio .Its a very beautiful residential neighbourhood. The specialty of this area is every Saturday there is a fair known as the ( Feira e roda de chorinho ). They sell fresh fruits and vegetables and meat produce. Its a festive mood on Saturdays with music and dance and merry making . I must say I have had the best of fruits and veggies in Rio.
After a couple of months we moved to Botofogo. Its a beach front neighbourhood and a small commercial area too. The Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pao de Acucar) is a big attraction there. We had a beautiful view of the mountain from our apartment. There are two ways to get there by either using a cable car from base to the first hill or you can walk up and then buy tickets for cable car from first to second hill. We took the cable car from the base. Its an amazing experience from up the mountain. There are restaurants and snack bars and there is also a little interactive museum
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| The beautiful sugar loaf mountain |
While in Botofogo, we used to frequently go to the Copacabana beach as it is only 10 mins by cab. This is one of the most beautiful beaches I have been to . The energy there is amazing with flurry of activities stretching its length. There are kids and adults playing football, beach volley, skating, walking ,running etc etc Its a positive feeling just walking along the Praie de copacabana .(Copacabana Promenade). Every Sundays the road stretching the beach is closed from 6am till 6 pm making it fully safe and accessible to people to move freely along the beach area.There are tourists and locals lining up for capririnhas (local drink) , fresh coconut water and beer .Let me warn you one has to be alert and not to walk around there in the dark to avoid being robbed. I cannot move further this post without mentioning about the beautiful Copacabana Palace Hotel. If you ever go to Rio you must dine at the restaurant Pergula. The food is amazing and so is the staff and view overlooking the beach . Its rated as one of the best hotels in Rio and South America's premier hotel. |
| (Sand art done at Copacabana Beach) |
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| Gorgeous sunset at Copacabana |
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| My little boy & I happy at the beach :) |
Well how could I live in Rio and not visit the Statue of Christ the Redeemer. One of the wonders of the world ,it is 98 ft tall and is situated on top of the Corcovado mountain. The best way to get there is by train as you can take advantage of the scenic route through the Tijuca National Park . You can go there by road too as there are bus and van services too . We took the train from Corcovado station and you can buy tickets from the station or its even sold at some malls or Riotur kiosque on Copacabana beach. There are train services every 20 mins. I was absolutely blown away with the breathtaking view from the top .
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| (Start point from Corcovado Station to Christ the Redeemer) |
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View of the Tijuca National Park
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| Breathtaking view from the top of the mountain |
See you in Part 2 hopefully not after another long gap :)
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Srilanka
Ayubowan! That's Welcome in Sinhalese :)
I started my new year with a trip to Srilanka and had to post my experience when it is still fresh in my mind.
Srilanka is a very warm and tourist friendly country .We flew by Srilankan Airlines, the flying time was only 1 hour from Kochi International airport. By the way, the Bandaranaike International Airport is located in Katunayake , which is near Negombo and there is a 1 hour drive to Colombo. ( I always thought the airport was located in Colombo) .
The roads are pretty decent and hence the drive is not tiring at all.For moving around we used the Tuk Tuks ( our autorickshaws :)!!) .Unlike our autos, the tuk tuks come in many colors like pink , green, red , purple etc
You have to bargain with the drivers before the journey as they tend to ask for higher charges. You can find Tata Nanos are used as budget taxis in Srilanka ( by the way our Tata nano costs a whopping 10 laks Srilankan rupees !!) . these taxis have meters on them so you can just give them the meter charge.
The period from November to April is the driest season on the south west coast and up in the hills and this is the best time to see the beach areas and the tea estates and spice gardens.
Food is very similar to Kerala cuisine. Srilankans usually have rice and curry and their curries are usually prepared with coconut milk. Breakfast specialties are Hopper(appams), String hoppers ( Kerala iddiappam), Pittu (similar to Kerala Puttu) etc. These are taken with vegetable or non vegetarian stews.
And about the drinks my husband enjoyed the local Srilankan arrack Old Reserve.And ofcourse tender coconut water for me :), known as King coconut in Srilanka. One should not forget the famous Srilankan tea which is really good .
We visited Colombo , Hikkaduwa , Galle, Nuwara Eliya , Kandy and Negombo.
Colombo:The largest city in Srilanka and indeed it is ! We had airport taxi pick up from the hotel Casa Colombo. This is a boutique hotel with only 12 suit rooms. We stayed in Chatham Street Suite. I must say the room is refreshingly different from the other hotels and a different experience. However their food menu is not vast but if you like to eat and try out different cuisines there are plenty of joints and restaurants nearby the hotel and there is always someone ready to help you in case you have any queries. You must try the local sweet dish Watalappan or Watalappam (something like a coconut custard made of coconut and palm sugar ) . Its really good dessert. We walked along the Galle Face beach in Colombo. You can find many hotels like Taj Samudra , Cinnamon Grand and Hilton . If you like sea facing locality then you can opt to stay there too . For shopping in Colombo you can find few malls. But the one I liked the best was ODEL. A visit to Colombo National Museum is fun too !
We had lunch at a restaurant in Cinnamon Grande hotel. The hotel has few good restaurants and they have a beautiful view and ambience.But since we weren't so hungry we had heavy snacks at the Breeze Bar of the hotel. There is also a shopping mall next to the hotel.
We had dinner at the the Gallery Café, is unlike any other restaurant in Sri Lanka,situated within the former office of Sri Lanka's renowned architect, Geoffrey Bawa.The ambience is very good and the menu does not have much local cuisine and has more international choices but I must tell you that their Double Chocolate Cheesecake is to die for !! One of the best cheesecakes we have ever had!
That was Colombo for us .
Next, we headed to Hikkaduwa and Galle with a local freind of my husband's. He was with us throughout which was a great help. We hired a car for the rest of the journey.
Hikkaduwa-Galle: The drive from Colombo to Galle takes about 3 hours and its a very good drive as you can see the beautiful coastal belt here. This drive also shows the effect of Tsunami in these areas. I must say its amazing how the Srilankans recovered from the disaster.Here we stayed at Chaaya Tranz hotel, Hikkaduwa which has an excellent private beach and very good rooms. All rooms are sea facing and the view is good. Beach is fantastic for swimming as well as snorkling. We took the glass boat ride which gives us a view of the corals and fishes underwater. There is a restaurant named Crab inside the hotel which has only crab dishes in the menu , We tried the Srilankan King Crab Curry which was really good !
We visited the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Hatchery in Galle District .This is also a huge tourist attraction. This was founded to protect the Srilankan turtles from extinction. Visitors can see huge tanks filled with new born turtle hatchlings. After being fed, the baby turtles are taken to the sea and released when they are 2-4 days old, usually during the safer hours of darkness. Although October to April is the main laying season, some eggs can be found at Kosgoda throughout the year. Also saw a 71- year old turtle who lost its limb in the tsunami. Its unable to move now! Then we headed to see the Galle Fort , which was first built by the Portuguese later modified by the Dutch during the 17th century. We saw the sunset up from the fort which was beautiful. A walk along the Galle town is good where you can see the wonderful colonial architecture.
Next up the tea estate at Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya: The drive from Galle to Nuwara Eliya was 6 hours. Nuwara Eliya is a mountain station at 1,868 m (6,128 ft) of altitude, in a splendid landscape, hence it is cold up there. Nuwara Eliya was built entirely during the 19th century and its architecture mimics that of an English country town. The drive is hectic as it is hilly area but the view is breath taking.We stayed in the Grand Hotel which has an excellent architectural structure and is also the former mansion of Sir Edward Barnes who was the Governor of Sri Lanka during 1830-1850. We went up there only to see the tea estates and we visited the Mackbrookes Tea plantation. I feel this place can be avoided unless you are keen on seeing hillstations.
Kandy: The distance from Nuwara Eliya and Kandy is 77 kms. A city in the center of Srilanka, Also known as hill capital of Srilanka. Kandy is famous for the Temple of Tooth, where Buddhas one tooth is being kept.Its a nice experience to visit. Kandy is also good for shopping. We got only one day in Kandy , We got lucky to visit the National Seminary of Kandy. We satyed at Amaya Hills which is located 7 kms away from city on the hill top which gives us a breath taking view from our room.
Last but not the least, on route to Negombo we visited the Pinnwela Elephant orphanage which is a huge tourist attraction. The daily highlight is the walk from the Orphanage down to the river to bathe the elephants. It's amazing to watch an entire herd splashing around and rolling in the river, just a few feet in front of you!
We decided to stay in Negombo in a place close to the airport and just took a stroll along the Negombo beach. Well that was Srilanka for us. My final verdict, a good holiday and Srilankans hospitality is warm and welcoming!
I started my new year with a trip to Srilanka and had to post my experience when it is still fresh in my mind.
The roads are pretty decent and hence the drive is not tiring at all.For moving around we used the Tuk Tuks ( our autorickshaws :)!!) .Unlike our autos, the tuk tuks come in many colors like pink , green, red , purple etc
You have to bargain with the drivers before the journey as they tend to ask for higher charges. You can find Tata Nanos are used as budget taxis in Srilanka ( by the way our Tata nano costs a whopping 10 laks Srilankan rupees !!) . these taxis have meters on them so you can just give them the meter charge.
The period from November to April is the driest season on the south west coast and up in the hills and this is the best time to see the beach areas and the tea estates and spice gardens.
Food is very similar to Kerala cuisine. Srilankans usually have rice and curry and their curries are usually prepared with coconut milk. Breakfast specialties are Hopper(appams), String hoppers ( Kerala iddiappam), Pittu (similar to Kerala Puttu) etc. These are taken with vegetable or non vegetarian stews.
And about the drinks my husband enjoyed the local Srilankan arrack Old Reserve.And ofcourse tender coconut water for me :), known as King coconut in Srilanka. One should not forget the famous Srilankan tea which is really good .
We visited Colombo , Hikkaduwa , Galle, Nuwara Eliya , Kandy and Negombo.
Colombo:The largest city in Srilanka and indeed it is ! We had airport taxi pick up from the hotel Casa Colombo. This is a boutique hotel with only 12 suit rooms. We stayed in Chatham Street Suite. I must say the room is refreshingly different from the other hotels and a different experience. However their food menu is not vast but if you like to eat and try out different cuisines there are plenty of joints and restaurants nearby the hotel and there is always someone ready to help you in case you have any queries. You must try the local sweet dish Watalappan or Watalappam (something like a coconut custard made of coconut and palm sugar ) . Its really good dessert. We walked along the Galle Face beach in Colombo. You can find many hotels like Taj Samudra , Cinnamon Grand and Hilton . If you like sea facing locality then you can opt to stay there too . For shopping in Colombo you can find few malls. But the one I liked the best was ODEL. A visit to Colombo National Museum is fun too !
We had lunch at a restaurant in Cinnamon Grande hotel. The hotel has few good restaurants and they have a beautiful view and ambience.But since we weren't so hungry we had heavy snacks at the Breeze Bar of the hotel. There is also a shopping mall next to the hotel.
We had dinner at the the Gallery Café, is unlike any other restaurant in Sri Lanka,situated within the former office of Sri Lanka's renowned architect, Geoffrey Bawa.The ambience is very good and the menu does not have much local cuisine and has more international choices but I must tell you that their Double Chocolate Cheesecake is to die for !! One of the best cheesecakes we have ever had!
That was Colombo for us .
Next, we headed to Hikkaduwa and Galle with a local freind of my husband's. He was with us throughout which was a great help. We hired a car for the rest of the journey.
Hikkaduwa-Galle: The drive from Colombo to Galle takes about 3 hours and its a very good drive as you can see the beautiful coastal belt here. This drive also shows the effect of Tsunami in these areas. I must say its amazing how the Srilankans recovered from the disaster.Here we stayed at Chaaya Tranz hotel, Hikkaduwa which has an excellent private beach and very good rooms. All rooms are sea facing and the view is good. Beach is fantastic for swimming as well as snorkling. We took the glass boat ride which gives us a view of the corals and fishes underwater. There is a restaurant named Crab inside the hotel which has only crab dishes in the menu , We tried the Srilankan King Crab Curry which was really good !
We visited the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Hatchery in Galle District .This is also a huge tourist attraction. This was founded to protect the Srilankan turtles from extinction. Visitors can see huge tanks filled with new born turtle hatchlings. After being fed, the baby turtles are taken to the sea and released when they are 2-4 days old, usually during the safer hours of darkness. Although October to April is the main laying season, some eggs can be found at Kosgoda throughout the year. Also saw a 71- year old turtle who lost its limb in the tsunami. Its unable to move now! Then we headed to see the Galle Fort , which was first built by the Portuguese later modified by the Dutch during the 17th century. We saw the sunset up from the fort which was beautiful. A walk along the Galle town is good where you can see the wonderful colonial architecture.
Next up the tea estate at Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya: The drive from Galle to Nuwara Eliya was 6 hours. Nuwara Eliya is a mountain station at 1,868 m (6,128 ft) of altitude, in a splendid landscape, hence it is cold up there. Nuwara Eliya was built entirely during the 19th century and its architecture mimics that of an English country town. The drive is hectic as it is hilly area but the view is breath taking.We stayed in the Grand Hotel which has an excellent architectural structure and is also the former mansion of Sir Edward Barnes who was the Governor of Sri Lanka during 1830-1850. We went up there only to see the tea estates and we visited the Mackbrookes Tea plantation. I feel this place can be avoided unless you are keen on seeing hillstations.
Kandy: The distance from Nuwara Eliya and Kandy is 77 kms. A city in the center of Srilanka, Also known as hill capital of Srilanka. Kandy is famous for the Temple of Tooth, where Buddhas one tooth is being kept.Its a nice experience to visit. Kandy is also good for shopping. We got only one day in Kandy , We got lucky to visit the National Seminary of Kandy. We satyed at Amaya Hills which is located 7 kms away from city on the hill top which gives us a breath taking view from our room.
Last but not the least, on route to Negombo we visited the Pinnwela Elephant orphanage which is a huge tourist attraction. The daily highlight is the walk from the Orphanage down to the river to bathe the elephants. It's amazing to watch an entire herd splashing around and rolling in the river, just a few feet in front of you!
We decided to stay in Negombo in a place close to the airport and just took a stroll along the Negombo beach. Well that was Srilanka for us. My final verdict, a good holiday and Srilankans hospitality is warm and welcoming!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
What a crab can do to us humans???
Today we had crab masala for lunch in the ship . Crab masala is an Indian receipe that cooks the crab in Indian spices. Its yummy !!!. The point I wanted to make is about the whole process of of eating the crab. Its pure joy and fun ..Its one dish that no matter how much you try to eat it in the best way possible you end up getting messy . And that's the fun of eating crabs .It makes group eating fun and enjoyable where everyone is trying bite or lick or chew and even better using both hands to eat like children :). Any dish on crab is one that anyone can enjoy and eat it like no ones watching ..Its just you and the crab !!! yummy!!!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I am a Malayalee!!
Wow!! It's been more than a year since I have posted something here . Personally it has been a hectic long year for me. Let's get to the post without wasting anymore time :)
I am a Malayalee , I speak Malayalam . I watch Malayalam TV shows and movies too . I was an NRI and I still can speak Malayalam and can read it too!! Should I be ashamed or be proud ? Of course I am very proud of it .I am proud that I am not ashamed to call myself a malayalee and very proud that I can speak my 'mother tongue'. And there is my point mother tongue ...Why are Malayalees ashamed of speaking their own language?? Forget the NRI's for a moment I find it so weird and funny to find TV anchors and new generation actresses who grew up here in Kerala speaking Manglish or trying to talk Malayalam with an English accent .How is is possible that someone who grew up in Kerala to not able to speak their mother tongue properly ? Let me tell these weirdos how I feel ...
About the NRI's I feel Malayalees in the US and UK atleast try to impart some cultural knowledge to their kids for the fear that they would be lost in the western culture by having cultural programs and language classes and attempt to speaking mother tongue at home where as in the Middle east we find kids very detached to the word India itself even though they have more privilege to be closer to home . Well I also was once like that where I was never fond of visiting my homeland , but here I am writing to you as a proud Malayalee. I have to thank my parents for pushing me to attend Malayalam class in school even though it was optional language and even though at that point in time i hated it I thank them for now I can atleast read it and even enjoy the movies :)!!!
I feel so sorry for some grandparents where they can't talk to their grandchildren only because of language barrier. Can you blame the kids? Certainly not,as it is the parents duty to pass on what they know to their kids.Why can't they give their kids a privilege to know their own language , a privilige to know their grandparents or why can't they understand the simple fact that the kids will anyways learn to speak read and write English in schools.
We are so eager to learn English but we forgot to learn the basic thing from them the fact that they are so proud of their own mother tongue and respect it!!!
I believe it is our duty to keep our language and roots alive . I mean its great you know English, French Spanish German inspite of being a Malayalee but its perfectly fine to admit you also know Malayalam as it is not a very easy language to master or learn so be proud that you are naturally born to know it :)!!!
P.S. These are my general opinion on the issue and not intended to hurt anyone's feelings .
Thursday, March 11, 2010
From Sea .........With love
Its been a while since I have blogged lots have happened while I was away..Got married, went sailing and is now learning to cook (which will be an ongoing process) and now decided to get back to blogging..
Sailing is the last thing on earth I thought I would do and that too in an oil tanker . But here I am married to a shippie and sailed happily ever after. :)
It’s a different life in a ship altogether. I had no clue what I was up against until I experienced it myself. I did know about sea sickness. But on the day I arrived, the ship was tied alongside so obviously it wasn’t moving and I was under the impression I wasn’t going to vomit after all (Yippee !!! ), until the ship started moving and unfortunately the engine had to be stopped due to some technical issues. Oh well I thought they just stopped to make sure everything is all right until I found myself moving in see-saw motion (By the way when ship is moving in see-saw motion its called "rolling" ) and I was not able to stand straight in one place . Then I heard sounds from the drawing room and I found things were falling down (Yes I just watched my husband’s laptop fall and break!!!). At that point I had no clue what to do sitting alone in my bedroom just moving along the flow and then I had this funny feeling in my stomach and the next thing I know is I ran to the wash room and found myself experiencing what is called sea sickness. But for the first time I felt good after throwing up because I felt like I could handle the rolling even though my head felt heavy. The first few lessons I learnt here to keep all things in safe locations so they don’t fall off and break due to irregular movements of the ship due to rough weather and in exceptional cases when they have to stop the ship in the middle of the ocean for engine repairs or bad weather.
About the people working here I would like to quote William Petty “Every seaman is not only a navigator,but a merchant and also a soldier.” I had to quote this beacuse I was thinking to myself how many of us working in a bank or restaurants or schools really know how to put off fire or in that case use a fire extinguisher . Are we really aware of safety standards at our work place or schools or home or do we really care how safe the environment is for our collegaues or freinds . I am sure I never thought about it, because we take it for granted that someone is appointed to take care of the emergency situation like fire,theft, accidents etc. But seamen do not have the luxury to take things for granted so they are trained to protect themselves and the lives of their collegues in times of emergency. They are very disciplined and have a clear idea of what is expected of them. Of course they do know how to have fun and enjoy every moment of the time they take off. The chit chats at the dining table is fun, informative and energetic. They think very fondly about their home and family and take every opportunity to be in touch with them because they miss them and do not take life or family for granted.
Many of my friends and family ask me about my experinces so I thought I would share it on my blog as well. These are most common ones.
I had many friends and relatives ask me about how food was stored in the ship especially when the journey lasts for 15 to 20 days . Well there are definitely huge cold storage rooms for meat, vegetables & fruits and dairy products separately and of course its replenished when the ship arrives at a port accordingly.
Some ask me about the places I visited.. I had the opportuniy to visit some beautiful countries in this journey ..NewZealand ,China, Singapore, Gibraltar, Italy and briefly France.. One of my favourite journey was at the time of crossing the Suez Canal where I could see Egypt from my cabin window. It felt great when I could see houses and people on both sides as against in mid sea where there is only water and nothing else.
I'd like to clarify a commom misconception people have (including me before me being aware of shipping life) as regards a shippie that he gets to visit all countries when the ship arrives in port. But the truth is they have more work when arrive on port. They get busy with inspections done by port, disscharging or taking cargo etc . Yes after they are done with their work and if time permits they go out. And also most shipping companies have zero tolerance on alcohol. If an employee is found to have taken alcohol while on contract is sacked without any notice ( This happens in the company where my husband works). Chances of being caught are high because when a person goes out there is alcohol test done when he comes back to the ship.
Some days were really horrible for me like the time we were crossing Somalia. To add to my worry there was news that the pirates hijacked a ship exactly a week before we were crossing. However priacy precautions and watch is done while crossing that area. Well we crossed it without any problems. Thank god for that !!!
To sum up I had a wonderful experience to be able to sail through the Red Sea and Mediterrianian Sea and many other seas and oceans between New Zeland and Europe , to travel through different time zones every two or three days, to travel through different climatic conditions, or to be in a situation where ship stopped a few days mid sea waiting for Typhoon Parma to clear our path is out of the ordinary experience and understand a life offshore was truly a rich and learning exprience I will cherish all my life. Hats off to seamen because its not every persons cup of tea!!!
See you with more post later...
Sailing is the last thing on earth I thought I would do and that too in an oil tanker . But here I am married to a shippie and sailed happily ever after. :)
It’s a different life in a ship altogether. I had no clue what I was up against until I experienced it myself. I did know about sea sickness. But on the day I arrived, the ship was tied alongside so obviously it wasn’t moving and I was under the impression I wasn’t going to vomit after all (Yippee !!! ), until the ship started moving and unfortunately the engine had to be stopped due to some technical issues. Oh well I thought they just stopped to make sure everything is all right until I found myself moving in see-saw motion (By the way when ship is moving in see-saw motion its called "rolling" ) and I was not able to stand straight in one place . Then I heard sounds from the drawing room and I found things were falling down (Yes I just watched my husband’s laptop fall and break!!!). At that point I had no clue what to do sitting alone in my bedroom just moving along the flow and then I had this funny feeling in my stomach and the next thing I know is I ran to the wash room and found myself experiencing what is called sea sickness. But for the first time I felt good after throwing up because I felt like I could handle the rolling even though my head felt heavy. The first few lessons I learnt here to keep all things in safe locations so they don’t fall off and break due to irregular movements of the ship due to rough weather and in exceptional cases when they have to stop the ship in the middle of the ocean for engine repairs or bad weather.
About the people working here I would like to quote William Petty “Every seaman is not only a navigator,but a merchant and also a soldier.” I had to quote this beacuse I was thinking to myself how many of us working in a bank or restaurants or schools really know how to put off fire or in that case use a fire extinguisher . Are we really aware of safety standards at our work place or schools or home or do we really care how safe the environment is for our collegaues or freinds . I am sure I never thought about it, because we take it for granted that someone is appointed to take care of the emergency situation like fire,theft, accidents etc. But seamen do not have the luxury to take things for granted so they are trained to protect themselves and the lives of their collegues in times of emergency. They are very disciplined and have a clear idea of what is expected of them. Of course they do know how to have fun and enjoy every moment of the time they take off. The chit chats at the dining table is fun, informative and energetic. They think very fondly about their home and family and take every opportunity to be in touch with them because they miss them and do not take life or family for granted.
Many of my friends and family ask me about my experinces so I thought I would share it on my blog as well. These are most common ones.
I had many friends and relatives ask me about how food was stored in the ship especially when the journey lasts for 15 to 20 days . Well there are definitely huge cold storage rooms for meat, vegetables & fruits and dairy products separately and of course its replenished when the ship arrives at a port accordingly.
Some ask me about the places I visited.. I had the opportuniy to visit some beautiful countries in this journey ..NewZealand ,China, Singapore, Gibraltar, Italy and briefly France.. One of my favourite journey was at the time of crossing the Suez Canal where I could see Egypt from my cabin window. It felt great when I could see houses and people on both sides as against in mid sea where there is only water and nothing else.
I'd like to clarify a commom misconception people have (including me before me being aware of shipping life) as regards a shippie that he gets to visit all countries when the ship arrives in port. But the truth is they have more work when arrive on port. They get busy with inspections done by port, disscharging or taking cargo etc . Yes after they are done with their work and if time permits they go out. And also most shipping companies have zero tolerance on alcohol. If an employee is found to have taken alcohol while on contract is sacked without any notice ( This happens in the company where my husband works). Chances of being caught are high because when a person goes out there is alcohol test done when he comes back to the ship.
Some days were really horrible for me like the time we were crossing Somalia. To add to my worry there was news that the pirates hijacked a ship exactly a week before we were crossing. However priacy precautions and watch is done while crossing that area. Well we crossed it without any problems. Thank god for that !!!
To sum up I had a wonderful experience to be able to sail through the Red Sea and Mediterrianian Sea and many other seas and oceans between New Zeland and Europe , to travel through different time zones every two or three days, to travel through different climatic conditions, or to be in a situation where ship stopped a few days mid sea waiting for Typhoon Parma to clear our path is out of the ordinary experience and understand a life offshore was truly a rich and learning exprience I will cherish all my life. Hats off to seamen because its not every persons cup of tea!!!
See you with more post later...
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Listen to this ..
The song is Inconsolable by the Backstreet Boys from the album Unbreakable. Its a beautiful song and I love the lyrics and the soulful voice of Brian and AJ. Enjoy it .
Monday, February 23, 2009
Some random happenings....
Last week has been stressful with work . But the good thing is I am having today off as a result of which I have got the time for this entry.Some random happenings last week.
- Its an amazing feeling that you get when you walk into te shop/store that you frequent and there is this one particular sales person who knows what your regualr purchase items are and you feel comfortable because you know everythings taken care of. Well there is such a shop that I frequent to recharge my cell phone prepaid connection and as usual I walk in give a smile to the sales person and hand over the money and smile and walk out and I know rest is taken care of. But last week I didnt find him and suddenly there was a change in my routine ,this time I had to give instructions as the the person attending to me didnt know me and I asked him where the other person was. Well I heard that he was not keeping well and probably something serious. Boy , that was hard for me to take in beacuse we think some people will always be around and take it for granted . Hope you get back to work soon because your service is needed and appreciated :)....
- I bought two pairs of sandals yesterday and the reason I brought it was to make myself feel good. I didn't realise it until I had brought them home. As I was driving back home I was thinking about a particular episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show which revealed what women do when they are upset or depressed. Some hogged and got fat (and I guess got more depressed because they didn't know how to lose all the fat!) and some shopped till they dropped. And at that point I didn't believe that it was true. Well I wasn't depressed but it wasn't the best day of my life but I must say purchasing the sandals did make me happy. So I guess there is some truth to being unhappy and shopping but I definitely don't want to try the hogging technique to make me happy :)
- Today of course was a great day . I started my day at 6.30 a.m. to watch the Oscars (of course to support Slumdog and mostly AR Rahman and Resul Pookutty ). It was a great feeling when they won. I was extremely happy that AR Rahman performed at the Oscars . Truly deserving win. I was clapping my hands with excitement when AR Rahman's name was called out. Anna Hathway and Penelope Cruz was looking gorgeous and touchy moment when Heath Ledger's family came to receive his award. And of course Kate Winslet's speech kinda reminded me of ShahRukh's acceptance speech in the movie Om Shanti Om :)...
- And if you love to read comics please visit www.gocomics.com . I found my favorite Love is... strip there :)
Back to work tomorrow . Gotta rush ..
Sunday, January 25, 2009
What's with the media?
It’s irritating to the mind with the way the Indian media projecting on the "black" word a lot since Obama became President. I mean is color seriously the only issue India is facing. I am thinking why the media is not talking about real issues India needs to address.
Yes America has come a long way of change and it is evident .But as far as India is concerned we talk, talk and talk and no result. Maybe the Indian media should also work towards that. Why is it even relevant to say that black actors and singers and sports people in US will be more famous since Obama became President. Doesn't the Indian media know the best and the most famous people in the entertainment and sports are black and they were famous way before Obama became President to name a few are Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce Knowles, Koby Byrant, Tiger Woods, Stevie Wonder, Halle Berry,Will Smith etc . Americans are focusing on uniting their states whereas I feel Indian media is trying to create rascist feeling among people within India. C’mon a dark actress in Bollywood is the last thought in the minds of real people. So stop bragging about what Americans have achieved and talk about what we can do to help ourselves. Seriously Indians do have real ground issues than color. Talk about caste, poor infrastructure, improving education, criminal politicians.
Why wait for a “slumdog” movie for the media to give attention to issues affecting children in slums in India, why wait for a terrorist attack to bring out the issues of security in India, or why wait for anything at all. I think the media should be proactive than react to things already said and done.
Off topic
- I am enjoying my guitar classes, never thought playing a musical instrument was so difficult, but I guess the pain will be worth it. Looking forward to get my new guitar.
- This is for the ladies; I enjoyed my oil massage today at Lakme. I suggest this to all ladies who love to pamper themselves. Lakme beauty parlor has professionals attending to you and it does make the time and money worth it :)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Do people really need a "social lubricant"?
Ah well ..yes people I am talking about social drinking.. I don't fall in the category of "social drinking" ( I do drink lots of water though :)),however I do have friends who drink at parties or make excuses and situations to drink and label it as social drinking.
Various situations that come to my mind( This situation can be also the other way round you know where she is the drinker and he non drinker )
Situation 1:
He: I am meeting a friend from school ? Haven't seen him in ages?
She : Where you guys meeting ?
He: At the bar? You know lots of catching up to do.
She : Sighs Ok ..Have fun and be safe
*************************************************************************************
Situation 2:
He : Hey my manager called me for a drink, I didn't want to go but had to say yes . You know what if he feels bad and he thought of calling me so I had to oblige.
She: Hmmm ok . You don't really have to drink if you don't want to but you can still give him company...
He: Ya but, thats not how it is ..
She : Ok .. Take care
************************************************************************************
Situation 3
She: Why do people think its important to drink at official parties or why do people think they need to have few shots to have fun at a party?
He: Well firstly at official parties when people drink it kinda breaks the ice between people and it becomes easier to connect and talk about things they couldn't otherwise. And when people take drinks at parties the mood lightens and ya....
She: Are you telling me that you cannot connect with a person or people at a normal dinner or lunch where they are sober and in their senses. Are you telling me that guys and gals need to have few shots to dance at a party? I thought good music and friends were sufficient. Besides what is fun when you cannot rememeber or recall what you said or did or the way you moved or who you danced with.. Beats me ..
He : Its not like that? Are you telling me that drinking is a sin ?
She : No its not a sin .Its not the drinking part thats bothering me . Its the attitude and reasons behind drinking that bothers me. If you want to have few drinks go ahead and drink. Don't make it seem like a necessary 'social lubricant'.
************************************************************************************
Various situations that come to my mind( This situation can be also the other way round you know where she is the drinker and he non drinker )
Situation 1:
He: I am meeting a friend from school ? Haven't seen him in ages?
She : Where you guys meeting ?
He: At the bar? You know lots of catching up to do.
She : Sighs Ok ..Have fun and be safe
*************************************************************************************
Situation 2:
He : Hey my manager called me for a drink, I didn't want to go but had to say yes . You know what if he feels bad and he thought of calling me so I had to oblige.
She: Hmmm ok . You don't really have to drink if you don't want to but you can still give him company...
He: Ya but, thats not how it is ..
She : Ok .. Take care
************************************************************************************
Situation 3
She: Why do people think its important to drink at official parties or why do people think they need to have few shots to have fun at a party?
He: Well firstly at official parties when people drink it kinda breaks the ice between people and it becomes easier to connect and talk about things they couldn't otherwise. And when people take drinks at parties the mood lightens and ya....
She: Are you telling me that you cannot connect with a person or people at a normal dinner or lunch where they are sober and in their senses. Are you telling me that guys and gals need to have few shots to dance at a party? I thought good music and friends were sufficient. Besides what is fun when you cannot rememeber or recall what you said or did or the way you moved or who you danced with.. Beats me ..
He : Its not like that? Are you telling me that drinking is a sin ?
She : No its not a sin .Its not the drinking part thats bothering me . Its the attitude and reasons behind drinking that bothers me. If you want to have few drinks go ahead and drink. Don't make it seem like a necessary 'social lubricant'.
************************************************************************************
Situation 4
She: Hey man!! Saw a pic of yours the other day on FB ? I didn't know you smoke ?
He: Am not a smoker but I smoke when I drink.
She: Ah! I see ...
He: Am not a smoker but I smoke when I drink.
She: Ah! I see ...
*************************************************************************************
I meet lots of new people everyday at work and I have also attended few parties where drinks were served so I had this chance to see what really happens at this official social drinking party ..Really nothing happened they had drinks and parted ways :)... Ya I had cola with the bunch of people who drink cola and ya we also talked things and parted ways.
I am not trying to judge drinkers and non drinkers but really one cannot say that social drinking is a must to be part of corporate life and I also feel social drinking is a choice. So if you have made a choice to drink accept it and don't give reasons for why one should drink.
I don't drink and I am not socially handicapped and so are many other people who do drink.
There are situations where people tend to over drink and end up hurting family and friends or how about irresponsible driving after drinking. These are not cases of responsible drinking but how can you know when the thin line to alcoholism is crossed ?. Sometimes innocent people lose life because one person chose to have fun. If you plan on drinking get someone who is not drinking to drive you home. Isn't that a more responsible behavior than hurting people around?.
This can go on and on forever ...And I am not able to type further
So Cheers :) and be safe ......
Here are few links of positive and negative sides to social drinking
http://vaden.stanford.edu/library/alcoholSocialDrinking.html
http://www.memorialhospital.org/Library/general/general-SOCIAL.html
http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=435
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Socialdrinking.aspx
Friday, August 15, 2008
Love Is...
No, I am not going to give gyan about what love is..? I am talking about my favorite comicstrip Love Is... which I miss reading since Comicspage stopped updating Love is... and many other comics on its webpage.
This comicstrip makes you realise how simple things in life can make a BIG difference in your life.
Those of you reading this and who were regular vistors to the page to read Love is... and those of you who would want to read Love is... can now visit
( www.gocomics.com ).. (Yiipeee!!!!)
Thanks to the Chinese girl who helped me find the link in Facebook :)...
The story behind Love Is..
Love is... is a comic strip created by New Zealand artist, Kim Grove in the late 1960s, later to be produced by Stefano Casali. The strip is syndicated worldwide by Tribune Media.
Love Is... (the title includes the ellipsis mark), began as a series of little love notes that Kim Grove drew for her future husband, Roberto Casali. The strip was first syndicated in 1970 and one of her most famous drawings, "Love Is...being able to say you are sorry", published on February 9, 1972, was marketed internationally for many years in print, on cards and on souvenirs. (Read more about it on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Is...)
Happy reading ...:)
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Life without Limbs- Amazing Nick Vujicic
Can you imagine a life without limbs? Not being able to walk,to touch, to hug, to run ..Unthinkable isn't ???? Well meet Nick Vujicic and see how amazing this person is..
I am speechless when I see these videos. Makes me feel silly when I fuss over small things thrown at me. The confidence and the way this guy holds his head up and walk inspires me to be more grateful for the life I have been given. Nick has appeared in the Oprah Winfrey show to promote his words and he is also releasing a book by 2009 called No Arms, No Legs, No Worries!
He also has a corporacorporate motivational speaking company "Attitude Is Altitude".te motivational speaking company "Attitude Is Altitude". (http://www.attitudeisaltitude.com/)
Nick Vujicic was born on December 4 ,1982 in Brisbane, Australia, limbless, missing both arms at shoulder level, and having one small foot with two toes protruding from his left thigh. Initially his parents were devastated, however Nick turned out to be otherwise perfectly healthy.
He is now a motivational speaker and the director for Life Without Limbs, an organization that is for the physically disabled. (http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/)
Nick graduated from college at the age of 21 with as a double major in Accounting and Financial Planning. He began his travels as a motivational speaker, focusing on the topics that today's teenagers face. He also speaks in the corporate sector, however his aim is to become an international inspirational speaker, in both Christian and non-Christian venues.
Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Vujicic
I am speechless when I see these videos. Makes me feel silly when I fuss over small things thrown at me. The confidence and the way this guy holds his head up and walk inspires me to be more grateful for the life I have been given. Nick has appeared in the Oprah Winfrey show to promote his words and he is also releasing a book by 2009 called No Arms, No Legs, No Worries!
He also has a corporacorporate motivational speaking company "Attitude Is Altitude".te motivational speaking company "Attitude Is Altitude". (http://www.attitudeisaltitude.com/)
Nick Vujicic was born on December 4 ,1982 in Brisbane, Australia, limbless, missing both arms at shoulder level, and having one small foot with two toes protruding from his left thigh. Initially his parents were devastated, however Nick turned out to be otherwise perfectly healthy.
He is now a motivational speaker and the director for Life Without Limbs, an organization that is for the physically disabled. (http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/)
Nick graduated from college at the age of 21 with as a double major in Accounting and Financial Planning. He began his travels as a motivational speaker, focusing on the topics that today's teenagers face. He also speaks in the corporate sector, however his aim is to become an international inspirational speaker, in both Christian and non-Christian venues.
Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Vujicic
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Psst!!! Look who's gossiping?
The best days of my life were definitely the ones spent at ASB, and I was truly sad to leave college. But as life moves on, we all found our jobs, some got married, and thanks to emails and mobile phones, we still keep in touch. Weddings, though, are the perfect occasion to reconnect with old friends, relax, and chat like there's no end. :)
I noticed the guys remembered so many things from college, and of course, they couldn’t resist making fun of people they thought were weird, joking about each other, and the usual banter. At one point, all I could say was, "Whoever said that men don't gossip clearly never heard a group of men talk!" :) The guys got defensive, and from there, the fun really started—girls against guys, and the debate went on forever.
What I don’t understand is why women are often labeled as gossips when men do the same thing. I believe people, regardless of gender, enjoy gossiping. And gossip isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone’s feelings. Sometimes, gossip even gives you information you might not have otherwise gotten. On a positive note, gossiping can be seen as a way of networking! :)
Here are two articles that I found interesting about gossip:
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year...
Welcome 2008!!!!
It's true when someone said "Absence makes the heart grow fonder'
It's when family members go different paths to pursue their interests, holidays and festivals seems to have more value.
The past two years I have been looking forward to these festive holidays as my brother comes home from Chennai which means lots of funny movies to watch, lot of rap music, lots more food, in short lots of fun :)... When he leaves, our home suddenly quite down :(... I am already waiting for the next holiday...
I didn't make any resolution this year as I know I am not going to stick to it. But I have added few more items to my secret wish list. I hope they come true this year :) [Chuckles!!!]
Have a great year everybody....
It's true when someone said "Absence makes the heart grow fonder'
It's when family members go different paths to pursue their interests, holidays and festivals seems to have more value.
The past two years I have been looking forward to these festive holidays as my brother comes home from Chennai which means lots of funny movies to watch, lot of rap music, lots more food, in short lots of fun :)... When he leaves, our home suddenly quite down :(... I am already waiting for the next holiday...
I didn't make any resolution this year as I know I am not going to stick to it. But I have added few more items to my secret wish list. I hope they come true this year :) [Chuckles!!!]
Have a great year everybody....
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