tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-130260742024-03-13T08:21:06.823-07:00Alice in Never Never LandMy friends call me Alice. My favourite colour is blue. I am just a pigment of my motley palate. I am a night writer cause thats when we are supposed to dream. And oh yeah, its not 'Alice in Wonderland'. Its 'Alice in Never Never Land'. And the difference is crucial. Thats cause we all remember fairytales in our own way. Until one day we follow the white rabbit down the rabbit hole, never to return, even with red ruby slippers.Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.comBlogger272125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-16475695889149389782017-05-02T09:20:00.003-07:002017-05-02T09:21:21.066-07:00Privacy Policy<br />
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<br />Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-88210951420929055562013-05-13T05:10:00.000-07:002013-05-13T05:26:52.049-07:00We all need mirrors to remind us of who we are<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-68539451167423980602012-02-12T21:04:00.000-08:002012-02-12T21:05:25.196-08:00Change<div style="text-align: center;"><br />A change is brewing </div> <div style="text-align: center;">Swift and strong</div> <div style="text-align: center;">It engulfs those ready</div> <div style="text-align: center;">And carries them along</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;">Those unprepared</div> <div style="text-align: center;">It leaves them in ache </div><div style="text-align: center;">And those who resist</div> <div style="text-align: center;">It devastates in its wake</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;">Like a whirlwind it comes</div> <div style="text-align: center;">In the blink of an eye</div> <div style="text-align: center;">Ripping from the seams</div> <div style="text-align: center;">Without so much as a sigh</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;">Unsuspecting like the grim reaper</div> <div style="text-align: center;">And just as dark it sometimes is</div> <div style="text-align: center;">Look it straight in the eye though</div> <div style="text-align: center;">And its purpose can't be missed</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;">The wisdom that hindsight affords</div> <div style="text-align: center;">Reveals change as a friend </div> <div style="text-align: center;">One that has shaped and almost nurtured</div> <div style="text-align: center;">According to a master plan</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div> <div style="text-align: center;">Hence what might seem painful today</div> <div style="text-align: center;">Might just be a blessing in disguise</div> <div style="text-align: center;">So don't despair just yet</div> <div style="text-align: center;">You might just be pleasantly surprised<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">-- Margaret Desouza<br /><br /></div></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-59871337576505294022012-02-07T18:33:00.000-08:002012-02-07T18:47:28.492-08:00Blude's thicker than water<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />When Sir Walter Scott said "Blude's thicker than water", I wonder if he thought of the phrase based on acceptance (on what is and should be complete acceptance within a family) or perhaps he was referring to loyalty or even love. Also, did he actually mean "outsiders" can't accept/have loyalty/love as much as family would?<br /><br />Is one who truely loves another- more likely to "accept" *everything* the person is- whether or not certain actions are *right*? Put another way- could complete acceptance in the name of 'love and family' sometimes lead to a *compromise of conscience*?<br /><br />Where then, does 'tough love' come in- where one needs to pull up another out of a deep love/concern for their well being? Does it mean, this person who pulls up another out of concern, has a lower acceptance? In which case, would I prefer a lower acceptance (or tolerance) of my behavior from one who loves me, rather than 'complete acceptance' and a 'free hand' based on compromise?<br /><br />Now where does 'judgement' fit in? Can one not judge another, and still demonstrate a low tolerance to an action that is wrong? Is low tolerance construed as 'judgement'? And if tough love is a right approach to a beloved, won't it at some level imply judgement and/or 'non-acceptance'?<br /><br />Perhaps it finally comes down to the approach one takes when dealing with another; one can hold another and still correct the person's wrongdoing; perhaps that is acceptance- like how a parent would hold their child and tell them what is right or wrong;<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">-- thoughts of a friend<br /><br /></div></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-57849528818814150782012-02-07T18:16:00.001-08:002012-02-07T18:41:25.120-08:00Thats me in the corner; losing my religion.<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I rest my head against the ground and plug in to the earth- and it tells me it’s secrets.<br /><br />The background noise fades, the internal voices are quieted, and breathing slows down and fills the moment. I am transported to a new place. Here, my rational world is rendered irrational & senseless; perspective reaches new heights and wisdom rears its wondrous head. In this place, the things that truly matter in the larger scheme of things- take center stage and the rest are just a blur in the background- career, entertainment, the stock market- even the very things that I think are important to me and define who I am- none of it really matters. It’s a dream we live in- which passes in a blink of the universal eye; so precious and yet so flitting and frivolously lived. We are given such precious gifts and we don’t even know it; we are capable of so much as a race. We pay more attention (for example)- at signing petitions for not cutting a tree, at being vegetarian, but often walk past a starving/troubled human being without a second glance. We have lost our way and most of the time, don’t even know it.<br /><br />I rest my head against the ground and plug in to the earth- and it tells me its secrets- if only we would listen.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">-- thoughts of a friend<br /><br /></div></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-80271577947541015132010-12-17T04:43:00.001-08:002010-12-17T04:50:19.175-08:00A star in the night<div style="text-align: center;"><br />There is happiness everywhere<br />Christmas- the silver lining,<br />to mark the end of another year<br />The curtains closing gently,<br />over this another gift of time.<br />The world pauses for a brief second,<br />to ponder its joys,<br />its hardships and everything in between.<br />A sigh- of peace<br />and quiet contentment and gratefulness<br />Against a backdrop of laughter and merriment<br />A lone tree decorated,<br />a humble attempt at a crib,<br />a star lit up in the night- what Joys!<br />Old fears and foes forgotten-<br />even if only for a brief moment in time<br />Eyes close, in a dream world without any regret<br />Only frost on the windows of tomorrow-<br />not a care to be had<br />Today is beautiful and life is beautiful<br />May the joys of today be with you<br />now & always- wherever you are<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;">--- Margaret<br /><br /></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-10639411593452898452010-09-26T09:22:00.000-07:002010-09-26T10:06:38.923-07:00Canon Photo Marathon 2010<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center; "><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Margaret and I took part in the Canon Photo Marathon this weekend. We were given 3 themes, one at a time and had 1 1/2 hour to capture a picture per theme. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wanted to capture military personnel for the first one. Make three, four of them stand at attention and one of them indulge in a chocolate. Capture a side view, depth of focus shot, zoom shot but couldn't convince them. The second idea was to capture a back view of one old man in the middle with two old women on either side with walking sticks et al and then would play around with their hands to get the 'caught in the act' shot. Too ambitious... I know!!! Finally Margaret agreed to indulge when there was less than 5 mins left for submission.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">Theme 1 - Caught in the Act</div><div style="text-align: center; ">Caption: Caught Chocolate Handed</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNImqwQDEV_UwG0Dteagr2vFxujRzFF5wNsoW1LPtfRmG2irM9DadRk91EwW4NOtOU7y5Pl_cjeFN1k_ok0xwBzCghOfAzZnfN6zhSgssXgfsCu1aLASIRWVD8mLSIY2TMTir-Q/s1600/Caught+Chocolate+Handed.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNImqwQDEV_UwG0Dteagr2vFxujRzFF5wNsoW1LPtfRmG2irM9DadRk91EwW4NOtOU7y5Pl_cjeFN1k_ok0xwBzCghOfAzZnfN6zhSgssXgfsCu1aLASIRWVD8mLSIY2TMTir-Q/s400/Caught+Chocolate+Handed.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521258959061951058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">Theme 2 - Reflections</div><div style="text-align: center; ">Caption: Shadow of Youth - Reflections of the Past</div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijx1x0E7B0rFpCcz7IBoZ51f16qDxJ1uBkdKTghhuOiL9iCR3BUnvC3zgCyD-0worKr2ZbvuTDpfaEN27BeZjKcrO8EDInmnWMmkfqcW-HTWYhbyH3H2VJizpC5Vr5T5txDNm6Fw/s1600/Shadow+of+youth+-+Reflections+of+the+past.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijx1x0E7B0rFpCcz7IBoZ51f16qDxJ1uBkdKTghhuOiL9iCR3BUnvC3zgCyD-0worKr2ZbvuTDpfaEN27BeZjKcrO8EDInmnWMmkfqcW-HTWYhbyH3H2VJizpC5Vr5T5txDNm6Fw/s400/Shadow+of+youth+-+Reflections+of+the+past.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521258967845654050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Theme 3 - Let there be Light</div><div style="text-align: center;">Caption: Music and Spirits can Light up your Life</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ywo3Uf04jPZRB315fwish9rNPkSxufGOC7PWkdZg-veFhQVSAWZbRTyACioIKzUN4WvPFmDGeYnuYqVc5MAYnIfXiFCQWozYpS8-shoSH1ByYqhN-o8Ma8ppln_SPenEuuH_Ig/s1600/Music+and+Spirits+can+light+up+your+life.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ywo3Uf04jPZRB315fwish9rNPkSxufGOC7PWkdZg-veFhQVSAWZbRTyACioIKzUN4WvPFmDGeYnuYqVc5MAYnIfXiFCQWozYpS8-shoSH1ByYqhN-o8Ma8ppln_SPenEuuH_Ig/s400/Music+and+Spirits+can+light+up+your+life.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521258974009477810" /></a><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-4010907504500262282010-08-26T10:20:00.000-07:002010-08-26T10:22:58.249-07:00Home is where the heart is<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">I saw them in our homes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Creating, building… quietly, stoically...</div><div style="text-align: center;">Up and down the stairs they would go,</div><div style="text-align: center;">poor and always working</div><div style="text-align: center;">Glancing at us, curiously-</div><div style="text-align: center;">wondering about us as much as I wondered about them</div><div style="text-align: center;">An acceptance of this intrusion was unspoken-</div><div style="text-align: center;">both by them, as well as by us</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We would eventually live in these homes</div><div style="text-align: center;">These homes that were built by their hands</div><div style="text-align: center;">And the earlier acceptance of co-existence will forever vanish</div><div style="text-align: center;">And they will be kept out of our homes, our societies</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cast away on account of being poor</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cast away on grounds of suspicion</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And yet, we will live in those homes,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which wouldn’t have existed were it not for them</div><div style="text-align: center;">We will be sheltered,</div><div style="text-align: center;">while those who built our shelters, will be homeless</div><div style="text-align: center;">We will be protected,</div><div style="text-align: center;">while those who created our protection, will have none</div><div style="text-align: center;">We will prosper and be comfortable,</div><div style="text-align: center;">while those who were instrumental in creating that environment,</div><div style="text-align: center;">will be cold, wet & starving</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We will all have to answer for this someday</div><div style="text-align: center;">And when that day comes,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope more mercy is shown to us,</div><div style="text-align: center;">than we choose to show to those who need it today.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;">-- Margaret</div></div><div><br /></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-49511198471683152572010-06-30T10:23:00.000-07:002010-06-30T10:25:07.853-07:00Invictus<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Out of the night that covers me,</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><div style="text-align: center;">Black as the Pit from pole to pole,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I thank whatever gods may be</div><div style="text-align: center;">For my unconquerable soul.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the fell clutch of circumstance</div><div style="text-align: center;">I have not winced nor cried aloud.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Under the bludgeonings of chance</div><div style="text-align: center;">My head is bloody, but unbowed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Beyond this place of wrath and tears</div><div style="text-align: center;">Looms but the Horror of the shade,</div><div style="text-align: center;">And yet the menace of the years</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It matters not how strait the gate,</div><div style="text-align: center;">How charged with punishments the scroll.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I am the master of my fate:</div><div style="text-align: center;">I am the captain of my soul. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 20px; "><div style="text-align: right;">-- William Ernest Henley</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div></span></span>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-81483395006770688192010-06-23T02:22:00.000-07:002010-06-23T02:36:07.831-07:00Disruptive Influence<div style="text-align: center;"><br />Business Today has covered amagi as one of the hottest startups in 2010<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqkUoRddnMOV6KHk7ISZz0mUSfr2tavqCHQoHSHPt6jHOW8Z0qr1UplABaRAy2DvcJdaXfd-oUsgDKwZ8YwgbFMq-UPeTMZFg21cK5bgf-Qijs0cldaH8QwmAc5VkcMlcf-BA3w/s1600/businesstoday-june2010.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqkUoRddnMOV6KHk7ISZz0mUSfr2tavqCHQoHSHPt6jHOW8Z0qr1UplABaRAy2DvcJdaXfd-oUsgDKwZ8YwgbFMq-UPeTMZFg21cK5bgf-Qijs0cldaH8QwmAc5VkcMlcf-BA3w/s400/businesstoday-june2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485897374892227730" border="0" /></a>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-6233044731119768512010-01-12T10:02:00.000-08:002010-01-14T10:25:56.841-08:00A Dog Has Lived<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSo6WV1UpmOh5ssITdInyrjUU0tmXNFm7N3WnxtZ0nt0QT1RCDG7HklUexgytFya6ienOBg8o_biZ2Ssv2g5XQeuqzcZ11TotS5X_sCmw2idzi_NwWp7BC5qM4Zz9xHEzI7MLJ5w/s1600-h/IMG_0802.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSo6WV1UpmOh5ssITdInyrjUU0tmXNFm7N3WnxtZ0nt0QT1RCDG7HklUexgytFya6ienOBg8o_biZ2Ssv2g5XQeuqzcZ11TotS5X_sCmw2idzi_NwWp7BC5qM4Zz9xHEzI7MLJ5w/s400/IMG_0802.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425965824772132114" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(41, 48, 59); font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><p align="center" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; line-height: normal;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span></p><p align="center" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 24px;font-size:16px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p></span><p align="center" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>A dog has lived, a friendship shared,</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>Of silent lucidity, of humanity bared.</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i><br /></i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>A sniff, a lick, an innocent pry,</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>Vivid conversations, through an intimate eye.</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i><br /></i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>A loyal companion, with a powerful bust,</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>The gentle giant, a deterrent to trust.</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i><br /></i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>A contagious spirit, he wags his tail,</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>To embark on journeys, to just set sail.</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i><br /></i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>Alas so near, yet so far he's going,</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>He feels it too, on his face its showing.</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i><br /></i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>The ghost breathes out, without a sigh,</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>Silenced by an angel's lullaby.</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i><br /></i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>It leaves behind for us to see,</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i>Fond memories, for all eternity.</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i><br /></i></p><p></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><i>And takes away as it departs,</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><i>The 'Scamper' that once lit our hearts.</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><i><br /></i></p><p align="center" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "></span></i></p><i><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><i>A dog has lived, a friendship shared,</i></p><p align="center" style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><i>Of silent lucidity, of humanity bared.</i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 19px; ">--- Alistair D'souza (2010)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 19px; "><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: right;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 19px; "><br /></span></i></div></i><p></p>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-51364633230470615702010-01-04T00:07:00.000-08:002010-01-04T00:43:55.761-08:00Happy New Year<div id=":2j9" class="ii gt"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />We partied, we played<br /><br />We stayed up late, all dazed<br /><br />We sang, we danced<br /><br />We ate, we laughed<br /><br />Through all the merriment<br /><br />Through all the haze<br /><br />2009 slipped away<br /><br />2010 was upon us, all ablaze<br /><br />A millennium has passed in our time<br /><br />Now a decade within the millennium has also bid adieu<br /><br />On the brink of another gift of time<br /><br />I stop and reflect on what has gone by, And on what is to come<br /><br />This of all years has been a defining one<br /><br />I thank God for all He has given me<br /><br />And for all that He chose not to give<br /><br />I am sorry for a lot of things I did, and some that I didn’t do<br /><br />As the curtains rise<br /><br />On another road untraveled<br /><br />May we make new mistakes<br /><br />And get closer to who we are to become<br /><br />May we learn to speak less<br /><br />And listen more<br /><br />May we choose to believe in God<br /><br />And not rely solely on ourselves<br /><br />May we cherish the gift of time<br /><br />And be better than we have ever been before<br /><br /><br />Happy New Year!<br /><br />--- Margaret Desouza<br /><br /></span> </div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-27691724547903510152009-10-26T06:41:00.001-07:002009-10-26T21:35:47.729-07:00Canon photo marathon 2009<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were given 3 themes one by one. We had 1hr 30 mins to click a photo on each theme. It started at 8:30 am and went on till 3:30 pm.... The themes were "On the job", "Freedom" and "Stand out".</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFJhQ8_V8GuJJm3wESfxfyQ5bFtdFOsHIaZNM2NBy98-yQfQnBm6zLm-Ggb8LDCadHA4KvzE0w_dgXONHTPx8aakRYcQoo3eUoVgYAxx7jHccKtL_8wkPneSoXPP87P3Foi4pPQ/s1600-h/On+the+job.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvFJhQ8_V8GuJJm3wESfxfyQ5bFtdFOsHIaZNM2NBy98-yQfQnBm6zLm-Ggb8LDCadHA4KvzE0w_dgXONHTPx8aakRYcQoo3eUoVgYAxx7jHccKtL_8wkPneSoXPP87P3Foi4pPQ/s400/On+the+job.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396903926473189634" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">"On the Job"</div><div style="text-align: center;">Clicked this at the old age home we go to.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2L6jM5561I4k4Vn85y-vJKhEE8YgP8gTqtLku1uFiLvK2GEB028RoqHzj-fL9DsOM6H6aw4RJ3KkItYcWCY8GbCgApe9c9782CDZvtzyete5i7PW6LLeAgQ8ZWmU6yW3pS33fg/s1600-h/Freedom.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2L6jM5561I4k4Vn85y-vJKhEE8YgP8gTqtLku1uFiLvK2GEB028RoqHzj-fL9DsOM6H6aw4RJ3KkItYcWCY8GbCgApe9c9782CDZvtzyete5i7PW6LLeAgQ8ZWmU6yW3pS33fg/s400/Freedom.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396903931804735730" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">"Freedom"</div><div style="text-align: center;">Freedom means diff things to diff people who lead diff types of lives... </div><div style="text-align: center;">tried to capture that.. </div><div style="text-align: center;">and sometimes freedom comes at a cost..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShaPrJ9l_lZNv2NGOHyZeyRe1_7JMYPt34d5cO2c9dqiezBQeBnQpxcnLSR6vudAEjrZIqxCN7EU_6Tz_Jq6yIrLjJ0VVWQdeoILHg8IIq4qurJFwAH0mNejCMRieFYwzNDlvTw/s1600-h/Stand+out.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShaPrJ9l_lZNv2NGOHyZeyRe1_7JMYPt34d5cO2c9dqiezBQeBnQpxcnLSR6vudAEjrZIqxCN7EU_6Tz_Jq6yIrLjJ0VVWQdeoILHg8IIq4qurJFwAH0mNejCMRieFYwzNDlvTw/s400/Stand+out.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396903937579288978" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">"Stand Out"</div><div style="text-align: center;">Felt real bad when the kid to the right innocently told me, "but I can't read"... </div><div style="text-align: center;">used the harry potter books so that it stands out more..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-38786100250792832322009-10-24T06:54:00.000-07:002009-10-26T21:37:02.808-07:00Eurotrip thoughts<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were planning on planning a long trip someplace... just take off from work but the plan was just not falling in place. A meeting was coming up for Margaret in Antwerp and so we suddenly got into planning mode. The lonelyplanet, eurorail was hit on from all angles and after a lot of permutations and combinations the itinerary took shape.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Started with london. Margaret's brother Edward is there who gave us a good feel of the city. One must do is the live theatre scene out there. From london we headed by rail to belgium.. went around Brussels and a beautiful place called Brugges (watch the movie "in bruges").. Bruges is out of this world... like out of a fairytale stuck in time.. it was a trade center like venice but then silt accumulated in the waterways and cut trade.. ppl left the city then returned a few centuries back and rebuilt the place.. the architecture is stuck in medieval times.. very quaint and untouched... cobblestone roads still cover most of the city.. the horses are massive... waterways and canals run thru the city.. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">when margaret was working I went around Antwerp (diamond capital of the world), Gent, made a second trip to Bruges and then Rotterdam.. Antwerp is quite a nice city with a lot to see. They were celebrating the completion of the rail station with the release of a book which was written in 5 days and was based around the station.. Each day some famous author would sit in the station and continue where the previous one left off. They setup a makeshift printing press in the same location for the release of the book.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Gent they were shooting a film at the station.. Belgium is known for its award winning intellectual films. I found the people to be very warm and polished in Belgium. They seems to go into details which shows in their intricate knitwork, their showpieces. When I as leaving the station they were completing the final scene of the film. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">after Margaret's meeting we went to Amsterdam.. walked thru Anne Frank's place where she wrote her dairy. It was quite an experience.. toured Van Gogh's museum.. at first I was wondering how a looney guy with not much painting skills got so famous.. I mean if you compare his stuff to Rembrant's visually appealing skills you start to wonder... but then slowly it grows on you... the strokes, the style, the abstractness, his thoughts and if I think of it now his ones were the most abstract but are also the ones which have a very strong visual picture in my mind.. you can probably compare him to Frank Kafka who didn't have a real good writing style but his concepts, humanity and _depth_ of thinking comes out thru his writing... it almost like he painted for himself first... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">we then took the train from Antwerp to Paris where we spent a couple of days... paris was grand... had a different charm to it unlike Bruges. It is pretty in all its grandeur, Notre Dame, Champs Elysee, Arc de Triumph, Eiffel tour, the Louvre, the art work... the mona lisa was tiny though :) We picked up a B&W painting there and margaret added some red to it back in bangalore.. its come out quite well... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">went overnight by train to venice after running from station to station in paris and nearly missing the train :) its in situations like these when you feel that you need to know the local language to survive.. but I guess the travel was going too smoothly till then and we needly that adrenalin rush.. this was our only overnight trip and the station at venice was easier to follow... some of the paintings there were mouth watering.. picked one from there.. the glass work is freaking pretty and intricate.. the grand canal is nice but the narrow canal ways are not maintained that well.. a bit of a let down after seeing bruges :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">rome came after that where we stayed at a hostel run by nuns. There was this very sweet nun who was trying hard to converse with us and find out our relationship before allowing us to stay in the same room :) rome has a lot of history but again we felt it could be maintained better. ppl are a bit lazy in general.. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">we saw the pope and attended mass at st peter's basilica.. the basilica has michaelangelo's Pieta.. pure genius... The sistine chapel is wonderful.. you need to know its relevance to appreciate it.. from a pure skill point of view, i liked his marble sculpture (pieta and some at the louvre) better than his paintings in the sistine chapel... but the concepts and thoughts to bring that all together in the sistine chapel is genius..</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We walked a lot in rome, the colosseum at night was lovely.. The piazzas were quite lively with art of all forms... Jazz on the street is something.. the way those guys improvise and communicate... they were enjoying themselves.. extremely talented to have to earn a living on the street.. picked some water colour paintings in rome... oh and then you had these nice roley poley gladiators charming tourists.. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">it seems the locals can easily point a pickpocketer from amongst the crowd.. managed not to get pick-pocketed in rome inspite of the dead give-away. big camera around the neck, map in one hand, travel bag, fake italian accent :) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">from there we headed back to london and were treated to some of edward's culinary skills and then to bengalore where I watch "Nigella bites" under the pretense of learning how to cook :) </div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>A select few are present <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ylc48ph">here</a> </div><div>The complete albums are <a href="http://www.blogger.com/alistairdsouza.shutterfly.com">here</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-9zAvwDVIR76omXrDf9ydpOcqe7zyy1OcY2peZtnvwBVIyKdNe1BOdQd7r4NmDkMLvPX7kpwdzzMHxjX5kDlWHo0ICn8istF9PhtyL59H3Rj0FprSLx5Jini74RsLAr_-VV_eg/s1600-h/IMG_7530.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; 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display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPs6XQrRUn65wFnqNmf6vR-ztQsS6wAbqvGx_r_f3hiy8WYSqIJuB-9R-GMYTf2Cjom9w8u4w_vANjjyf4b0Y41KdrEN7YrIQWqsQP3N3LwldcZUSTYNYmq0Ib8CSDytEGc7j1Ew/s400/IMG_6254.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396911063593391458" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rf8Rh8Xz7Ufp94OpywcwXUFcVx8ORp47yR4jyNygfMTuvCbHJKy7dnDWi5YgtueK78Q2SpHM0PWa5f5_WDD0EUy6GnfYxD5VgK3n7pH8aLy4imP2PRptrVBsWmj4Dt35altmuA/s1600-h/IMG_6087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rf8Rh8Xz7Ufp94OpywcwXUFcVx8ORp47yR4jyNygfMTuvCbHJKy7dnDWi5YgtueK78Q2SpHM0PWa5f5_WDD0EUy6GnfYxD5VgK3n7pH8aLy4imP2PRptrVBsWmj4Dt35altmuA/s400/IMG_6087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396910212259073378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQi1J7D4JDn_Ug8qHV45dQNEBlO7kBelBQAhhf-H0p4CQvflUt-h8PDKSRjrqv3PnVnVMdzZZtfSpZv8BMErKjCz65gdKpTd2OAIuKWQ34GMcTJb1dJGamhD0fKG_SPcyXj3GUQ/s1600-h/IMG_5934.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQi1J7D4JDn_Ug8qHV45dQNEBlO7kBelBQAhhf-H0p4CQvflUt-h8PDKSRjrqv3PnVnVMdzZZtfSpZv8BMErKjCz65gdKpTd2OAIuKWQ34GMcTJb1dJGamhD0fKG_SPcyXj3GUQ/s400/IMG_5934.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396910202754321698" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvE1pfmEejdccCk1Grlq4V1jOi8dVLbbcqb97w9irQtdMB9U1FU-kZtAfrOyyt8g9ZARGg0s4rKhw0NN-CyC2ZCzuNOlPxVo2jfo_-o3t3lam6eK9pHU9nw2Wux0dzego-Bf4ZOg/s1600-h/IMG_5920.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvE1pfmEejdccCk1Grlq4V1jOi8dVLbbcqb97w9irQtdMB9U1FU-kZtAfrOyyt8g9ZARGg0s4rKhw0NN-CyC2ZCzuNOlPxVo2jfo_-o3t3lam6eK9pHU9nw2Wux0dzego-Bf4ZOg/s400/IMG_5920.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396910195612172914" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-1058830260536097572009-10-23T22:34:00.000-07:002009-10-23T22:40:05.634-07:00I miss the dreams<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;">Random writing on a friday night on scraps of paper.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; border-collapse: collapse; ">"I miss the dreams… is it maturity that kills the dreams… for the life of me I can’t figure it out… the dreams were always big though- me as a jazz concert pianist, me as a world famous painter, me as a sports hero… strange that I could still be any of those things… I miss the simplicity of youth.. the silly problems and thoughts that had me all worried for nothing… indeed everything is relative… I long to connect… it happens so rarely though.. I never thought myself to be a people person… but yet, I yearn for the connections… everyone is so caught up in a whirlwind of the present though, and don’t really have the time or inclination for real conversations… the ones without the crap and façade… ah to be free- to write without caution… a real conversation albeit with a piece of paper.. still feels good… is that what we have been reduced to… conversations and connections- the real ones- with inanimate matter and masks with the people. my brain is riddled with thought unexpressed in consciousness… that’s probably why I love to sleep… that’s when we possibly truly dream… <span> </span>I don’t think we laugh enough either… at ourselves, at our lives, at our silliness and obsession with everything… we also don’t let go… we carry this nonsensical baggage everywhere and then complain life is tough… I have no idea where all this is going… and it feels great <span style="font-family: Wingdings; "><span>J</span></span> no beginning, no end… just the journey" - Anonymous</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-86548163845650284782009-08-18T02:01:00.000-07:002009-08-18T02:30:33.883-07:00Simple H1N1 preventive measures<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: justify; ">Got this as a forward and found it to be quite logical and useful. Contains a simple explanation of the stages before you get infected by H1N1 virus. It also suggests simple preventive measures. </div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; ">Some tips for prevention from an AIMS doctor</div><div style="text-align: center; ">=======================================</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Friends,</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Thanks to media hype about H1N1, several people who trust me have either approached or called me to advice. The hype in media about the utility of face masks and N95 respirators as a tool for general protection against H1N1 can't be deplored enough. Yesterday, a friend who listened wanted me to write down briefly what I advised so that he could tell others in similar words. Hence this short email to friends whom I have advised recently (and others whom I haven't yet). Please realize that this is not an official advice, especially the one about face masks or N95.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Most N95 respirators are designed to filter 95% particulates of 0.3µ, while the size of H1N1 virus is about 0.1µ. Hence, dependence on N95 to protect against H1N1 is like protecting against rain with an umbrella made of mosquito net.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Tamiflu does not kill but prevents H1N1 from further proliferation till the virus limits itself in about 1-2 weeks (its natural cycle). H1N1, like other Influenza A viruses, only infects the upper</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">respiratory tract and proliferates (only) there. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps - not fully highlighted in most official communications - can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption. </div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">All these are simple ways to prevent, within means of most households, and certainly much less painful than to wait in long queues outside public hospitals.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div></div></span></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-24177601951213990192009-08-16T21:11:00.000-07:002009-08-16T21:16:35.891-07:00The 12 disciples<div style="text-align: center;"><br />We attended mass at the Home for the Aged<br />That bright and beautiful Sunday morning<br />We entered the holy sanctuary and waited<br />The organ played a soulful melody<br />They sat in the front pews, 12 children under 3 feet tall<br />The celebrant began the Eucharist<br />I braced myself for distractions, noise and annoyance<br />I was indeed distracted with the children before me,<br />with awe though, rather than annoyance<br />The 12 children uttered prayers clearly, and slowly, all in unison<br />Their heads were bowed, their hands joined before them in prayer<br />They never turned right or left, their eyes never left the altar<br />They didn’t speak to each other, or murmur or giggle<br />Their knew every part of the mass and what it required of them<br />Their hearts were focused only on His Majesty<br />Those 12 children drowned the rest of us 500 gathered there<br />With their praise and worship of the Lord<br />I was humbled during that Eucharistic celebration<br />By voices and hearts much smaller and yet so much larger than mine<br />I learn't a lesson that beautiful Sunday morning in that Old aged home<br />Indeed, one has to be like those little children,<br />in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">--- Margaret Desouza<br /><br /></div></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-69049574924518226782009-08-06T20:51:00.001-07:002009-08-06T20:52:52.846-07:00Snapshots<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />But like our obsessions our dreams do reappear, fueled by chance and circumstance, like the essentials of Spontaneous Prose, that are captured in random words and abstract pictures. Finally he wakes up in a dream to pen down his thoughts; white noise follows streams of consciousness, groping in the darkness, retracing Freud, forming patterns out of randomness. His heartbeat screeches to a halt but the world around chugs forward in constant motion. Words give way to snapshots as he identifies the background, the repetitive sunrise to sunset, that drives the focal length to infinity, the elements in constant motion; working together, widening the depth of focus. He identifies the background and then waits for the subject to find its place; those random words and abstract pictures which in continuum form a poem. And it’s always poetry that begets poetry. There is no other way.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">But people say that the poetry never lasts, and they are right. Except of course it does.<br /><br /><br /></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-7366422757281060282009-05-24T02:20:00.000-07:002009-05-24T04:31:01.875-07:00Discover Sikkim<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUQv6goivkjQ8h7cdyh1TO-sgGgNUEpzPLGJ0_ElQ0XjTpetiqC5yyQiJv3kB4HQtJlAeZKwo220Jm_TQBFiQwqFkSIFoNMVi0CStbUzPk8SmRtj77eTU9FfBy49yy79LBwuGCg/s1600-h/IMG_3823.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUQv6goivkjQ8h7cdyh1TO-sgGgNUEpzPLGJ0_ElQ0XjTpetiqC5yyQiJv3kB4HQtJlAeZKwo220Jm_TQBFiQwqFkSIFoNMVi0CStbUzPk8SmRtj77eTU9FfBy49yy79LBwuGCg/s400/IMG_3823.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339324502340183570" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikkim">Sikkim</a> is nicely tucked into the Eastern Himalayas. A trip to Sikkim is not complete without breathing in the views of North Sikkim (Lachen and Lachung). A short trip to Pelling is also recommended which offers upclose and intimate conversations with Mount Kanchenenjunga, the world's third tallest peak. Gangtok is the access point for North Sikkim so you could spend 2 days exploring Tsongo lake, Nathula Pass, Baba Mandir and Rumtek monastery from there.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Gangtok siteseeing:</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">1) Rumtek monastery which is 1 hour drive from gangtok…<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">2) Tsongo lake (25 kms from gangtok), </div><div style="text-align: justify; ">3) nathula pass/ baba mandir (50+ kms from gangtok, 25kms from tsongo lake)</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">4) within gangtok city --- MG marg (shopping center), </div><div style="text-align: justify; ">5) 7 points in gangtok (you can skip this)…</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><div style="text-align: justify; ">Our driver was a nice person. Talk to him about siteseeing around gangtok.. </div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Driver name: Karma – 9609851237</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><br /></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify; ">Gangtok is 140 km from Bagdogra Airport. You can take a vehicle from the airport to gangtok. No need of booking anything in advance.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Things to book in advance</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>hotel in gangtok</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>north sikkim tour</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Pelling siteseeing:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Visit Pelling which is about 4-5 hrs from gangtok. You could stay at Mt Pandim (Elgin group hotel). The view of Mount Kanchenjunga from the hotel is just amazing.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Pelling is 150 km from Bagdogra Airport and 135 Km from Gangtok.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">North Sikkim Trip</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify; ">North sikkim can be done only thru tour operators. They charge for the complete package including travel from/to gangtok, hotel stay/food/permits in north sikkim.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">I would suggest you keep a day in gangtok before heading to north sikkim cause you would need to acclimatize. You can do the local site seeing in gangtok on the first day.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Day 1</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Drive from Gangtok to Lachen village in North Sikkim. Lunch on the way. Sight seeing of waterfalls and places. (5 hrs. drive). Stay at Lachen.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Day 2</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Drive to Gurudongmar lake at 17500 ft. Its about 2:30 hrs -3:00 hrs one way. Ideally leave early so that you reach Gurudongmar at around 10:00 AM. Remain there for 1 -1:30 hr and then return. You can see tibet along the way. Gurudongmar is accesible only to Indian citizens. You would find army bunkers along the way to the lake.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Lunch back at Lachen. Drive from Lachen to Lachung in about 2 hours.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Day 3</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify; ">After breakfast an excursion to Yumgthang valley and Shingbha Rhododendron sanctuary and Hot spring. Return to Lachung for Lunch. After Lunch drive from Lachung to Gangtok. Its a 4-4:30 hour drive. Sight seeing and lunch on the way. Tour ends with a drop to Gangtok.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">You would require passport size photographs and photocopies of your Identity card/passports as the same is required for the permit.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">We did not plan to cover Zero point. You coud ask the Tour operators about it. Zero point would have to be covered from Lachung as a base. i.e. on Day 3.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">IMP NOTE</span>: Our driver was a nice chap… talk to him first and see if he can organize your north sikkim trip. i.e. don’t go thru the tour operators but thru him since it will cost less. The tour operators anyway would ask someone like him to organize your trip.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Driver name: karma/denzing – 9474649411</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Lachung (North Sikkim) is</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify; ">116 Km from Gangtok</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">48 Km from Lachen</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">24 Km from Yumthang</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">38 Km from Donkiala (Zero point)</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">33 Km from Yumosomdong</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">26 Km from Katau<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Lachen (North Sikkim) is</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">122 Km from Gangtok</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">48 Km from Lachung</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">28 Km from Thangu</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">60 Km from Gorudongmar</div><div style="text-align: justify; ">27 Km from Chungthang</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Tour operators for North Sikkim</span>: we went thru yak and yeti tours…</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) yak and yeti travels - info@yaknyeti.com, visitsikkim@yahoo.com, slg_yaknyeti@bsnl.in, </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">cost: Rs. 14,200- ( traveling in group of two persons). Inclusive or all meals, hotel stay, travelling, permits etc.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Satish Bardewa, Tel:+919434117418/+919933008822, visitsikkim@yahoo.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;">www.yaknyeti.com www.summitsikkimhimalaya.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) Prabir Sen travels.. Costs a bit less than yak and yeti but yak and yeti is better…</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prabir Sen -- www.fortunalachung.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;">e-mail address: prabsen@gmail.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) Marco Polo travels.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Hotel information:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gangtok</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) The Nor-Khill, Gangtok</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Telephone :<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>91-3592-205637, 200170, 200171, 220064</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fax :<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>91-3592-205639</div><div style="text-align: justify;">email :<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>norkhill@elginhotels.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They are heritage hotels.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">reservations@elginhotels.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> http://www.elginhotels.com/index.html</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> http://www.elginhotels.com/theelgin.html </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) Mayfair</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Phone<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> +91 359 2250009</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Fax<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> +91 359 2250009</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> e-Mail<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> gangtok@mayfairhotels.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) Tashi Delek</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.hoteltashidelek.com/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">M G Marg,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gangtok 737 101,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sikkim, India</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Phone: (+91 3592) 202991, 202038, 204156 / 57 / 58</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fax: (+91 3592) 202362</div><div style="text-align: justify;">e-mail : reservations@hoteltashidelek.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4) Denzong Inn </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Denzong Cinema Chowk, Lall Bazaar Road,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gangtok 737 101</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sikkim, India</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Phone: (+91 3592) 202692</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fax: (+91 3592) 202362 </div><div style="text-align: justify;">e-mail : denzonginn@rediffmail.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5) orange village resort</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.orangevillageresort.com/gallery.htm</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Direct Line : +91-3592-251442 / 251443. Mobile: +91-94342-35565. Fax: +91-3592-251518. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">orangevillageresort@rediffmail.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">6) the royal plaza</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.theroyalplazahotel.com/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Royal Plaza, Upper Syari, Gangtok - 737102, Sikkim.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tel : +91-3592-280032 /280232; Fax : 03592-281112; </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Email : trp@sarovarhotels.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">7) the royal demazong</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.theroyaldemazong.com/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Royal Demazong(A Mountain Resort), GRBA Road, Chongay Tar,P.O. Raj Bhawan,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gangtok-737103,East Sikkim. Phone: +91-3592-203043/44 Fax: 203045</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mobile:+91-94340 -24070 / 98320 - 87334 / 99330 - 07780(EPBX). </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Email:info@theroyaldemazong.com, sikkiminfo@yahoo.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">8) hotel heruka</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.hotelheruka.com/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hotel Heruka.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Near New Taxi Stand, </div><div style="text-align: justify;">31 A, National Highway, Deorali, Gangtok, Sikkim.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ph: 03592-280793.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Mobile: +91-9832544234. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">E-mail: hotelheruka@gmail.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">9) samrasa resort</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.saramsaresort.com/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">9474982226</div><div style="text-align: justify;">enquiry@saramsaresort.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pelling</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) Elgin Mt Pandim</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.elginhotels.com/index.html</div><div style="text-align: justify;">reservations@elginhotels.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) norbughang</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.sikkiminfo.net/norbughang/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Norbu Ghang Resort</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pelling - 737113</div><div style="text-align: justify;">West Sikkim</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ph: (03595) 250566, 258272, 258245</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fax : (03592) 258271 </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) tashi gang</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.tashigangresort.com/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hotel Tashigang,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yuksom, West District</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sikkim</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ph. No. (03595) 241202 / 241203</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Darjeeling</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) The Elgin, Darjeeling</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Telephone :<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>91-354-2254082/2257226/27</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fax :<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>91-354-2254267</div><div style="text-align: justify;">email :<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>elgin@elginhotels.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">reservations@elginhotels.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> http://www.elginhotels.com/index.html</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> http://www.elginhotels.com/theelgin.html </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) Mayfair, Darjeeling</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.mayfairhotels.com/darjeeling_about.aspx?page=darjeeling&sid=abt&lid=ovr</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Phone<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> +91 354 2256 376</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Fax<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> +91 354 2252 674</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> e-Mail<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> darjeeling@mayfairhotels.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) windamere</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.windamerehotel.com/windamere.asp</div><div style="text-align: justify;">reservations@windamerehotel.net</div><div style="text-align: justify;">reservations@windamerehotel.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4) the viceroy</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://viceroyhoteldrj.com/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">V I C E R O Y - Hotel.Restaurant</div><div style="text-align: justify;">17, Gandhi Road</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Darjeeling-734101, West Bengal, India</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Near Clock Towers, The Mall, Darjeeling</div><div style="text-align: justify;">+91-354- 22 56165,22 59556</div><div style="text-align: justify;">+91-354-22 59556</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Reservation@viceroyhoteldrj.com,viceroydarj@sancharnet.in</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5) fortune park</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.fortunehotels.in/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.fortunehotels.in/HotelResort/main.aspx?ID=5+yeWJcHG7GSduIbKhSshg==&PType=PHvq0A5geZ3y1ymDUQbVHA==</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fortune Resort Central, Darjeeling</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Robertson Road,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Darjeeling - 734101</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tel: 0354-2258721/22/23</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fax: 0354-2258720</div><div style="text-align: justify;">e-mail: centralresort@fortunehotels.in</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">6) sinclairs</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.sinclairshotels.com/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.sinclairshotels.com/darjeeling/index.php3</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hotel Sinclairs Darjeeling </div><div style="text-align: justify;">181/1, Gandhi Road </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Darjeeling </div><div style="text-align: justify;">West Bengal 734 101 </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tel : (+91 0354) 2256431, 2256432, 2256948, 2256949 </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fax : (+91 0354) 2254355</div><div style="text-align: justify;">darjeeling@sinclairshotels.com</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">7) cedar inn</div><div style="text-align: justify;">http://www.cedarinndarjeeling.com/</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cedar Inn</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jalapahar Road, Darjeeling</div><div style="text-align: justify;">West Bengal, India - 734101</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Phone: +91-354-2254446/2253598</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fax: +91-354-2256764</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Email: cedarinn@satyam.net.in</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-57815706176997719222009-05-19T04:31:00.000-07:002009-05-19T09:37:04.665-07:00You are my Arms<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDOOqFf711s3_S2LgwQvnYLr1jLevIyW98ehDAo1qnR8_snnYrk045b4tuQ1dt1pqNFVrzsJ3LHH8Ohv-Ww1dVuE8MXwokkJkKeE2GXAnkdrObr5wVnfqDDrbao_s17QyV7SnBQ/s1600-h/You+are+my+arms.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDOOqFf711s3_S2LgwQvnYLr1jLevIyW98ehDAo1qnR8_snnYrk045b4tuQ1dt1pqNFVrzsJ3LHH8Ohv-Ww1dVuE8MXwokkJkKeE2GXAnkdrObr5wVnfqDDrbao_s17QyV7SnBQ/s400/You+are+my+arms.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337574914361091362" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-84370985101485578852009-03-16T12:22:00.000-07:002009-03-18T09:02:02.965-07:00Mumble: Happy Feet<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And on the 15th day of the seventh month, when the sun was past its bedtime, the smile reappeared. Previous sightings were reported and for that one second time stoppeth; nope the battery didn't run outteth, and the People rejoiced. Then on the tenth second, of the eleventh minute, of the twelth hour of that fateful day a voice was heard and the silence was spoketh. The reverberations of that mumble spread far and wide and touched the very ball bearings of his soul. The echo resounded as she exerted no resistance; the words were formed from carefully muttered syllables, "Me too". And the People rejoiced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Time passeth and a lot of water flowed under the bridge; a lot of streams of consciousness too. And they thought to themsleves, 'Lets hooketh and booketh and come upeth with a planeth.' By Jupiter! plan plan not planeth, it started to get confusing!!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And the news spread far and wide and people began to appear from the East and from the West to the Land of Confetti (and cake and wine and sorpotel). To prepare himself for the task at hand he scribbled down the flow on a napkin.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.websequencediagrams.com/cgi-bin/cdraw?lz=QWxpY2UtPk1hZ2lwYXU6IE11bWJsZQpub3RlIHJpZ2h0IG9mIAAVCVNtaWxlIHNwcmVhZHMgYWNyb3NzIHRoZVxuZmFjZSBsaWtlIGEgYnV0dGVyZmx5CgBQBy0-AGIFOiBNZSB0b28&s=napkin"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 352px; height: 271px;" src="http://www.websequencediagrams.com/cgi-bin/cdraw?lz=QWxpY2UtPk1hZ2lwYXU6IE11bWJsZQpub3RlIHJpZ2h0IG9mIAAVCVNtaWxlIHNwcmVhZHMgYWNyb3NzIHRoZVxuZmFjZSBsaWtlIGEgYnV0dGVyZmx5CgBQBy0-AGIFOiBNZSB0b28&s=napkin" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><div style="text-align: justify; "><div style="text-align: justify; ">And the People rejoiced as he mumbleth</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"It seems like we've known each other for a long long time. At the same time it feels almost like yesterday when I managed to mumble something and she mumbled, 'Me too'. And then smiles spread across our faces with a certainty that comes a few times in a life time. I remember this quote I once read, 'Falling in love is not about finding the perfect person. Its about learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.' But thats just falling in love, like the red beginnings of a rose. Love is whats left when the rose dries up. I wish that we are all able to find it in our own way."</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div></div></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-77026191854807589362009-02-10T10:26:00.000-08:002009-03-16T12:40:59.494-07:00The Reader<div>Liked this quote from the movie "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0976051/">The Reader</a>".</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not frightened. I'm not frightened of anything. The more I suffer, the more I love. Danger will only increase my love, will sharpen it, will give it spice. I will be the only angel you need. You will leave life even more beautiful than you entered it. Heaven will take you back and look at you and say: "Only one thing can make a soul complete and that thing is love."<br /></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-13504930786905123272009-01-28T11:18:00.000-08:002009-01-29T10:57:57.490-08:00Magipau in Never Never Land<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ytT4tSTHYkT_G_g7hztDeYAqxPBuEqO6HXJ6gYQWUaSUJRg88b1ciCcpNXmjITjCYZ4-H_Hox8CsbEwnRb5gjGNbB_i0OktEM6y5M8uISrui5ULct8mXIMS-NrWrIWfdENvERQ/s1600-h/IMG_2683.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ytT4tSTHYkT_G_g7hztDeYAqxPBuEqO6HXJ6gYQWUaSUJRg88b1ciCcpNXmjITjCYZ4-H_Hox8CsbEwnRb5gjGNbB_i0OktEM6y5M8uISrui5ULct8mXIMS-NrWrIWfdENvERQ/s400/IMG_2683.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296428121001292546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWd2EfXgV_mZ0rNLkBuOV7Eo1JcSnBhMHcniRS2WoFyyr2uGbrXy-MhH_Em5jZ7UkvW6ZBYDMzQn4xLACytTooNH7mBxg9eIWZ416Db5niYg318-GqIcFRtBzbeMm_BuLWlvBOGQ/s1600-h/DPP_0044.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWd2EfXgV_mZ0rNLkBuOV7Eo1JcSnBhMHcniRS2WoFyyr2uGbrXy-MhH_Em5jZ7UkvW6ZBYDMzQn4xLACytTooNH7mBxg9eIWZ416Db5niYg318-GqIcFRtBzbeMm_BuLWlvBOGQ/s400/DPP_0044.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296431333813884002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WIP9ESRzpeGba2vdbb-TRbTN7tB2UjqjE3UcpuboKZTyolAXROYwIoes-odsebKxeyYCpk4G7WVIKhVozcxW4r8DuTL3Z92zKSur5Ko601pPoJz0Wj-APpYQQw38oqilZqxXqQ/s1600-h/The+eyelashes.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WIP9ESRzpeGba2vdbb-TRbTN7tB2UjqjE3UcpuboKZTyolAXROYwIoes-odsebKxeyYCpk4G7WVIKhVozcxW4r8DuTL3Z92zKSur5Ko601pPoJz0Wj-APpYQQw38oqilZqxXqQ/s400/The+eyelashes.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238513094063921970" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWeea6oIAreIzGaw3zW0CrCuJnBCmYtV3yNV1M-FWFho1gPq2rATg-QIeeQ6fhYLn68c2OhKbysGr48VPra4ddr6x47LiIEiN288WK4LRQcSG5-AldN0JbADwVY9mBGVrR7N3jw/s1600-h/DPP_0012.JPG"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0FVwu55Ix-FhA5TdkxPNH6v10-qrjGGbqmOTQ1GNALn513Ngbraq-dSEOVGwOkysl5WU-lhrYWR0X-S674off9U-l6jj3xnLqTwAj2TrdGfsM9vEhIJwia1t_Kxl0uR0Vx2asw/s400/IMG_2729.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296428135615580930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-pw5nlnArninUi3GCXAnU4tKGqm6kA8MYM55TaSru4aBi20UsV1nNDwvU2MG6IFl5CU2bcljEb8RnylOGvbe7iNapSbOiz8rmGEEX54GFHCDiVflNDvo4rsx95Jr7WcDW7l8Qw/s1600-h/IMG_2612.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 252px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-pw5nlnArninUi3GCXAnU4tKGqm6kA8MYM55TaSru4aBi20UsV1nNDwvU2MG6IFl5CU2bcljEb8RnylOGvbe7iNapSbOiz8rmGEEX54GFHCDiVflNDvo4rsx95Jr7WcDW7l8Qw/s400/IMG_2612.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296428128533229522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUspty9LZ1RNENgg8IZui8pUBzJLFx8qiXSP9ecVGNjlxNrO6hvuaSEiJvosoakxX6kTUJD-YuI1osxvMLJy1l0w9TQsCJyONvCk1G6_Bp6BATOMlfquEXGw9qAYvuRSFdZ1i_A/s1600-h/20012009657.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 384px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUspty9LZ1RNENgg8IZui8pUBzJLFx8qiXSP9ecVGNjlxNrO6hvuaSEiJvosoakxX6kTUJD-YuI1osxvMLJy1l0w9TQsCJyONvCk1G6_Bp6BATOMlfquEXGw9qAYvuRSFdZ1i_A/s400/20012009657.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296428117570998354" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-16149143733411865422009-01-20T09:56:00.000-08:002009-02-01T03:27:09.643-08:00The Wedding Card<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_b8VpRKNl7nzXUwCnADPTgg7MpKyQh9SH2h6UCi2g2zG5mkhT-aZft5uhuhpY0MwXHs7dIbmoBUK5IxVBMvpiKF89mfBvcd6jtB0zyxVpd3XZLdSH7JmrKFRzqV_VxxLSRk0_w/s1600-h/IMG_3004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQF1ldYAcmEHfZMy-R8Xa19DnAZRxOvZ1lx03qYKM78zCkDr0t30Tvk4tc-jiqFivDiWeqYI3Yg-n6V6LBb7P8LacTB05xC-s3geXJyoxN_g33XpccDCFWMhHXVMbfxBIOrT2zQ/s400/IMG_2910.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296405670108997042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxj9NeGXF5Oe2vZJgdb5EvsXcDAy4YGPtKWlzjpQ2iW_vWE71zNR4ZhNv6I66ATAywRSwGeecdzvBRMH6Prtir_a3ceuH_l9uQQMiY3Le_DPFLlsATktrrgdfNvCARZPJxtRuNsg/s1600-h/IMG_2924.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxj9NeGXF5Oe2vZJgdb5EvsXcDAy4YGPtKWlzjpQ2iW_vWE71zNR4ZhNv6I66ATAywRSwGeecdzvBRMH6Prtir_a3ceuH_l9uQQMiY3Le_DPFLlsATktrrgdfNvCARZPJxtRuNsg/s400/IMG_2924.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296424752599684754" /></a>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13026074.post-3996195376419111502009-01-04T20:03:00.000-08:002009-01-04T20:27:05.765-08:00Running the Mumbai Marathon<div style="text-align: justify;"> I will be running the mumbai marathon on 18th Jan. Have run a full marathon there in 2007. This will be my third full marathon.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span>Emil Zatopek, Czech runner; winner of four Olympic gold medals:</span><br />"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Steve Prefontaine</span><br />"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Steve Prefontaine</span><br />"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bill Rodgers, winner of four Boston and four NYC marathons:</span><br />"The marathon can humble you."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hal Higdon, running writer and coach:</span><br />"The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rob de Castella:</span><br />"The marathon's about being in contention over the last 10K. That's when it's about what you have in your core. You have run all the strength, all the superficial fitness out of yourself, and it really comes down to what's left inside you. To be able to draw deep and pull something out of yourself is one of the most tremendous things about the marathon."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mike Fanelli, running club coach:</span><br />"I tell our runners to divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jacqueline Gareau, 1980 Boston Marathon champ:</span><br />"The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy...It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">John J. Kelly, winner of the 1952 Boston Marathon:</span><br />"Marathoning is just another form of insanity."<br /><br /></div>Alistair D'souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02144549337028962752noreply@blogger.com14