Of late, I've been feeling quite lazy about blogging but when a sweet person like Twinkletoes tags you, you just have to do it. So here I go:
1.LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER:
Om Shanti Om!
It's a long story. One morning, Mahi woke up and declared: Om Shanti Om! I have to see it to-day. So, off we went in the evening to Lamcy but it was running houseful and so we drove all the way to Ibn Battuta Mall only to discover that only the front rows were available. You should have seen Mahi's face. So we booked for the next morning, took her to her favourite fast food joint and then drove home. Next morning we skipped church and watched OSO with empty balcony seats for company. But it was worth all that trouble... we enjoyed it thoroughly, though the story lacked originality and stuff like that.
2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Reading it for the second time and still loving it. Loved his first book as well
3. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Any board game reminds me of the long lazy summer afternoons I spent during my childhood, playing indoor board games as it was too hot outside. Snakes and Ladders,Monopoly, Ludo....btw,can we include carroms? Scrabble, no doubt , is my eternal favourite
4. FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Readers Digest from the good old days.....
5. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Smell of new books, coffee blossom, Yardley Lavender Talcum Powder, smell of the earth after the first rain....
6. FAVORITE SOUND?
The melodious tinkle of my Korean chime....it reverberates throughout the house,spreading positive energy...
7. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
Feeling lost....
8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE?
Oh God,I wish it was a holiday....why do Fridays fly and office days crawl????
9. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
TGI Friday (thank God, it's Friday!)
10. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?
Did you mean future grandchild? Dittu, obviously (check out Mahi's blog)
11. FINISH THIS STATEMENT. "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I'D...?
zip around the world in my own jet
12. DO YOU DRIVE FAST?“
I do backseat driving only!LOL! Hubby will vouch for that
13. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
Yup. It's called a P-I-L-L-O-W and it is stuffed with feathers.
14. STORMS-COOL OR SCARY?
Scary!
15. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
The mighty Ambassador...that was a long time ago....when we were kids. After I got married, we had a Maruti 800, then a Nissan, now its a Lexus, but as I said, strictly back seat driving.
16. FAVORITE DRINK?
Pomegranate Juice (in some restaurants, I'm met with raised eyebrows when I ask for it), Fruit cocktail, filter coffee
17. FINISH THIS STATEMENT, "IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD .....
write books "
18. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Yessss! Weird?
19. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
VIBGYOR!
20. NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS YOU HAVE LIVED IN.
Bangalore, Bombay, Hyderabad, Madras, Tiruvalla, Kollam , Chengannur, Kochi, Sharjah & Dubai.
21. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Cricket....because my hubby is a cricket freak, I'm forced to watch it on TV; though occasionally I stare at the screen and tune out
22. ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU.
A sweet lass....with a great smile
23. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?
Books
24. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN?
Absolutely. Only as myself.
25. MORNING PERSON, OR NIGHT OWL?
Night Owl
26. OVER EASY, OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Sunny side up, shiny and cholesterol rich...runny inside, with a dash of of pepper and salt
27. FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
In my favourite rocking chair with a good book
28. FAVORITE PIE?
Cutie pie...that's what I call Mahi whenever I'm feeling pleased with her (no, not with her wardrobe in view!)
29. FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Vanilla, Butterscotch, chocolate.....any of the 31 favours at Baskin Robbins
30. OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU TAGGED THIS TO, WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
Hillgrandmom: please don't let me down!
Hey, now that I've done it, I'd like to tag Jawahara and Hillgrandmom....and anyone else who would like to take it
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Ring out 2007, Ring in 2008
RING OUT, WILD BELLS....
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkenss of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
- Lord Tennyson
Happy New Year, everyone! Make as many resolutions as you can ....after all, resolutions are made to be b-r-o-k-e-n!
Friday, December 07, 2007
May You be Blessed this Christmas Season!
During this Christmas season,
May you be blessed
With the spirit of the season,
which is peace,
The gladness of the season,
which is hope,
And the heart of the season,
which is love
Somehow, not only for Christmas
But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others
Is the joy that comes back to you.
And the more you spend in blessing
The poor and lonely and sad,
The more of your heart's possessing
Returns to you glad.
-John Greenleaf Whittier
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Musings of a New Mother
This is a poem I wrote 17 years ago when my baby daughter was born....
A new star
On the horizon;
A new dawn
In my life;
New aspirations
Within my heart;
A new individual –
My daughter!
A new dream
I now weave;
A new hope
In my soul;
New dimensions
To my thoughts;
A new role to play –
Her mother!
A new life
In this world;
A new change
In my routine;
New worries, anxieties
As time rolls;
A new world to build
My daughter grows!
-Geeta Abraham Jose
A new star
On the horizon;
A new dawn
In my life;
New aspirations
Within my heart;
A new individual –
My daughter!
A new dream
I now weave;
A new hope
In my soul;
New dimensions
To my thoughts;
A new role to play –
Her mother!
A new life
In this world;
A new change
In my routine;
New worries, anxieties
As time rolls;
A new world to build
My daughter grows!
-Geeta Abraham Jose
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Istanbul: Memories of a City
Book Excerpt:
At least once in a lifetime, self-reflection leads us to examine the circumstances of our birth. Why were we born in this particular corner of the world, on this particular date? These families into which we were born, these countries and cities to which the lottery of life has assigned us - they expect love from us, and in the end, we do love them, from the bottom of our hearts - but did we perhaps deserve better? I sometimes think myself unlucky to have been born in an ageing and impoverished city buried under the ashes of a ruined empire. But a voice inside me always insists this was really a piece of luck. If it were a matter of wealth, then I could certainly count myself fortunate to have been born into an affluent family at a time when the city was at its lowest ebb (though some have ably argued the contrary). Mostly I am disinclined to complain: I've accepted the city into which I was born in the same way I've accepted my body (much as I would have preferred to be more handsome and better built) and my gender (even though I still ask myself, naively, whether I might have been better off had I been born a woman). This is my fate, and there's sense arguing with it.
-Orhan Pamuk (Winner of Nobel Prize in Literature, 2006) Book: Istanbul:Memories of a City
At least once in a lifetime, self-reflection leads us to examine the circumstances of our birth. Why were we born in this particular corner of the world, on this particular date? These families into which we were born, these countries and cities to which the lottery of life has assigned us - they expect love from us, and in the end, we do love them, from the bottom of our hearts - but did we perhaps deserve better? I sometimes think myself unlucky to have been born in an ageing and impoverished city buried under the ashes of a ruined empire. But a voice inside me always insists this was really a piece of luck. If it were a matter of wealth, then I could certainly count myself fortunate to have been born into an affluent family at a time when the city was at its lowest ebb (though some have ably argued the contrary). Mostly I am disinclined to complain: I've accepted the city into which I was born in the same way I've accepted my body (much as I would have preferred to be more handsome and better built) and my gender (even though I still ask myself, naively, whether I might have been better off had I been born a woman). This is my fate, and there's sense arguing with it.
-Orhan Pamuk (Winner of Nobel Prize in Literature, 2006) Book: Istanbul:Memories of a City
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Tagged by three!!!
I was tagged by Dot, Hillgran and Jac. So there's no way out; here goes mine:
There are 3 rules.
Rule 1. Same as for the last tag
Rule 2 You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
Rule 3. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
My middle name is Abraham. But I'd like to shorten it to ABE so that I can do the tag quickly and not postpone it to to-morrow as I have been doing the last few days. And to-morrow never comes, they say...So let me do it TO-DAY.
A: ATTITUDE : Having the right attitude is crucial for getting ahead in life. A positive attitude works wonders in one's life. A great thinker (I don't remember who) once said that the greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. As you think, so shall you be.
B: BEAUTY: Beauty, they say, is skin deep. But when I think of beauty, it is the inner beauty that manifests itself through good words, kind deeds and supreme sacrifices. If you were ask me to name the most beautiful woman on earth in recent times, my answer would be: Mother Teresa.
E: EMPATHY: One of the greatest qualities that sets man apart from beasts is his capacity to empathize with fellow beings. It originates deep within your soul and spreads out to your fellow being who is suffering physically, mentally or spiritually. My favourite quote on Empathy is: I do not ask the wounded person how he feels. I simply become the wounded person…...
So mine is done, Jac,Hillgran, Dot. Now who shall I tag? Hmmmm....yes..got it
1.Dr.Hope and Love
2.mm
3.Sarah
There are 3 rules.
Rule 1. Same as for the last tag
Rule 2 You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
Rule 3. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
My middle name is Abraham. But I'd like to shorten it to ABE so that I can do the tag quickly and not postpone it to to-morrow as I have been doing the last few days. And to-morrow never comes, they say...So let me do it TO-DAY.
A: ATTITUDE : Having the right attitude is crucial for getting ahead in life. A positive attitude works wonders in one's life. A great thinker (I don't remember who) once said that the greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. As you think, so shall you be.
B: BEAUTY: Beauty, they say, is skin deep. But when I think of beauty, it is the inner beauty that manifests itself through good words, kind deeds and supreme sacrifices. If you were ask me to name the most beautiful woman on earth in recent times, my answer would be: Mother Teresa.
E: EMPATHY: One of the greatest qualities that sets man apart from beasts is his capacity to empathize with fellow beings. It originates deep within your soul and spreads out to your fellow being who is suffering physically, mentally or spiritually. My favourite quote on Empathy is: I do not ask the wounded person how he feels. I simply become the wounded person…...
So mine is done, Jac,Hillgran, Dot. Now who shall I tag? Hmmmm....yes..got it
1.Dr.Hope and Love
2.mm
3.Sarah
Monday, September 10, 2007
The Day the World Changed Forever
Invisible City
Sweet and bitter smoke stains the air
The verb stains has a thread torn out
I step out to the linden grove
Bruised trees are the color of sand.
Something uncoils and blows at my feet.
Sliver of mist? Bolt of beatitude?
A scrap of what was once called sky?
I murmur words that come to me
Tall towers, twin towers I used to see.
A bloody seam of sense drops free.
By Liberty Street, on a knot of rubble
In altered light, I see a bird cry.
by Meena Alexander(author of Fault Lines, Nampally Road etc)
Sweet and bitter smoke stains the air
The verb stains has a thread torn out
I step out to the linden grove
Bruised trees are the color of sand.
Something uncoils and blows at my feet.
Sliver of mist? Bolt of beatitude?
A scrap of what was once called sky?
I murmur words that come to me
Tall towers, twin towers I used to see.
A bloody seam of sense drops free.
By Liberty Street, on a knot of rubble
In altered light, I see a bird cry.
by Meena Alexander(author of Fault Lines, Nampally Road etc)
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