Alice in Never Never Land

A star in the night

2010-12-17T04:43:00.001-08:00

There is happiness everywhere
Christmas- the silver lining,
to mark the end of another year
The curtains closing gently,
over this another gift of time.
The world pauses for a brief second,
to ponder its joys,
its hardships and everything in between.
A sigh- of peace
and quiet contentment and gratefulness
Against a backdrop of laughter and merriment
A lone tree decorated,
a humble attempt at a crib,
a star lit up in the night- what Joys!
Old fears and foes forgotten-
even if only for a brief moment in time
Eyes close, in a dream world without any regret
Only frost on the windows of tomorrow-
not a care to be had
Today is beautiful and life is beautiful
May the joys of today be with you
now & always- wherever you are

--- Margaret

Canon Photo Marathon 2010

2010-09-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

Theme 1 - Caught in the Act

Caption: Caught Chocolate Handed

Theme 2 - Reflections

Caption: Shadow of Youth - Reflections of the Past

Theme 3 - Let there be Light

Caption: Music and Spirits can Light up your Life

Home is where the heart is

2010-08-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

I saw them in our homes

Creating, building… quietly, stoically...

Up and down the stairs they would go,

poor and always working

Glancing at us, curiously-

wondering about us as much as I wondered about them

An acceptance of this intrusion was unspoken-

both by them, as well as by us

We would eventually live in these homes

These homes that were built by their hands

And the earlier acceptance of co-existence will forever vanish

And they will be kept out of our homes, our societies

Cast away on account of being poor

Cast away on grounds of suspicion

And yet, we will live in those homes,

which wouldn’t have existed were it not for them

We will be sheltered,

while those who built our shelters, will be homeless

We will be protected,

while those who created our protection, will have none

We will prosper and be comfortable,

while those who were instrumental in creating that environment,

will be cold, wet & starving

We will all have to answer for this someday

And when that day comes,

I hope more mercy is shown to us,

than we choose to show to those who need it today.

-- Margaret

Invictus

2010-06-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

-- William Ernest Henley

Disruptive Influence

2010-06-23T02:22:00.000-07:00

Business Today has covered amagi as one of the hottest startups in 2010

A Dog Has Lived

2010-01-12T10:02:00.000-08:00

A dog has lived, a friendship shared,

Of silent lucidity, of humanity bared.

A sniff, a lick, an innocent pry,

Vivid conversations, through an intimate eye.

A loyal companion, with a powerful bust,

The gentle giant, a deterrent to trust.

A contagious spirit, he wags his tail,

To embark on journeys, to just set sail.

Alas so near, yet so far he's going,

He feels it too, on his face its showing.

The ghost breathes out, without a sigh,

Silenced by an angel's lullaby.

It leaves behind for us to see,

Fond memories, for all eternity.

And takes away as it departs,

The 'Scamper' that once lit our hearts.

A dog has lived, a friendship shared,
Of silent lucidity, of humanity bared.

--- Alistair D'souza (2010)

Happy New Year

2010-01-04T00:07:00.000-08:00

We partied, we played

We stayed up late, all dazed

We sang, we danced

We ate, we laughed

Through all the merriment

Through all the haze

2009 slipped away

2010 was upon us, all ablaze

A millennium has passed in our time

Now a decade within the millennium has also bid adieu

On the brink of another gift of time

I stop and reflect on what has gone by, And on what is to come

This of all years has been a defining one

I thank God for all He has given me

And for all that He chose not to give

I am sorry for a lot of things I did, and some that I didn’t do

As the curtains rise

On another road untraveled

May we make new mistakes

And get closer to who we are to become

May we learn to speak less

And listen more

May we choose to believe in God

And not rely solely on ourselves

May we cherish the gift of time

And be better than we have ever been before

Happy New Year!

--- Margaret Desouza

Canon photo marathon 2009

2009-10-26T06:41:00.001-07:00

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".

"On the Job"

Clicked this at the old age home we go to.

"Freedom"

Freedom means diff things to diff people who lead diff types of lives...

tried to capture that..

and sometimes freedom comes at a cost..

"Stand Out"

Felt real bad when the kid to the right innocently told me, "but I can't read"...

used the harry potter books so that it stands out more..

Eurotrip thoughts

2009-10-24T06:54:00.000-07:00

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.

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..

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.

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.

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...

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...

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 :)

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..

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..

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..

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 :)

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 :)

A select few are present here

The complete albums are here

I miss the dreams

2009-10-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

Random writing on a friday night on scraps of paper.

"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… 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 J no beginning, no end… just the journey" - Anonymous

Simple H1N1 preventive measures

2009-08-18T02:01:00.000-07:00

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.

Some tips for prevention from an AIMS doctor

=======================================

Friends,

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.

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.

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

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.

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):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

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.

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

dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

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.

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.

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.

The 12 disciples

2009-08-16T21:11:00.000-07:00

We attended mass at the Home for the Aged
That bright and beautiful Sunday morning
We entered the holy sanctuary and waited
The organ played a soulful melody
They sat in the front pews, 12 children under 3 feet tall
The celebrant began the Eucharist
I braced myself for distractions, noise and annoyance
I was indeed distracted with the children before me,
with awe though, rather than annoyance
The 12 children uttered prayers clearly, and slowly, all in unison
Their heads were bowed, their hands joined before them in prayer
They never turned right or left, their eyes never left the altar
They didn’t speak to each other, or murmur or giggle
Their knew every part of the mass and what it required of them
Their hearts were focused only on His Majesty
Those 12 children drowned the rest of us 500 gathered there
With their praise and worship of the Lord
I was humbled during that Eucharistic celebration
By voices and hearts much smaller and yet so much larger than mine
I learn't a lesson that beautiful Sunday morning in that Old aged home
Indeed, one has to be like those little children,
in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven

--- Margaret Desouza

Snapshots

2009-08-06T20:51:00.001-07:00

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.

But people say that the poetry never lasts, and they are right. Except of course it does.

Discover Sikkim

2009-05-24T02:20:00.000-07:00

Sikkim 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.

Gangtok siteseeing:

1) Rumtek monastery which is 1 hour drive from gangtok…

2) Tsongo lake (25 kms from gangtok),

3) nathula pass/ baba mandir (50+ kms from gangtok, 25kms from tsongo lake)

4) within gangtok city --- MG marg (shopping center),

5) 7 points in gangtok (you can skip this)…

Our driver was a nice person. Talk to him about siteseeing around gangtok..

Driver name: Karma – 9609851237

Gangtok is 140 km from Bagdogra Airport. You can take a vehicle from the airport to gangtok. No need of booking anything in advance.

Things to book in advance

- hotel in gangtok

- north sikkim tour

Pelling siteseeing:

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.

Pelling is 150 km from Bagdogra Airport and 135 Km from Gangtok.

North Sikkim Trip

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.

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.

Day 1

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.

Day 2

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.

Lunch back at Lachen. Drive from Lachen to Lachung in about 2 hours.

Day 3

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.

You would require passport size photographs and photocopies of your Identity card/passports as the same is required for the permit.

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.

IMP NOTE: 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.

Driver name: karma/denzing – 9474649411

Lachung (North Sikkim) is

116 Km from Gangtok

48 Km from Lachen

24 Km from Yumthang

38 Km from Donkiala (Zero point)

33 Km from Yumosomdong

26 Km from Katau

Lachen (North Sikkim) is

122 Km from Gangtok

48 Km from Lachung

28 Km from Thangu

60 Km from Gorudongmar

27 Km from Chungthang

Tour operators for North Sikkim: we went thru yak and yeti tours…

1) yak and yeti travels - info@yaknyeti.com, visitsikkim@yahoo.com, slg_yaknyeti@bsnl.in,

cost: Rs. 14,200- ( traveling in group of two persons). Inclusive or all meals, hotel stay, travelling, permits etc.

Satish Bardewa, Tel:+919434117418/+919933008822, visitsikkim@yahoo.com

www.yaknyeti.com www.summitsikkimhimalaya.com

2) Prabir Sen travels.. Costs a bit less than yak and yeti but yak and yeti is better…

Prabir Sen -- www.fortunalachung.com

e-mail address: prabsen@gmail.com

3) Marco Polo travels.

Hotel information:

Gangtok

1) The Nor-Khill, Gangtok

Telephone : 91-3592-205637, 200170, 200171, 220064

Fax : 91-3592-205639

email : norkhill@elginhotels.com

They are heritage hotels.

reservations@elginhotels.com

http://www.elginhotels.com/index.html

http://www.elginhotels.com/theelgin.html

2) Mayfair

Phone +91 359 2250009

Fax +91 359 2250009

e-Mail gangtok@mayfairhotels.com

3) Tashi Delek

http://www.hoteltashidelek.com/

M G Marg,

Gangtok 737 101,

Sikkim, India

Phone: (+91 3592) 202991, 202038, 204156 / 57 / 58

Fax: (+91 3592) 202362

e-mail : reservations@hoteltashidelek.com

4) Denzong Inn

Denzong Cinema Chowk, Lall Bazaar Road,

Gangtok 737 101

Sikkim, India

Phone: (+91 3592) 202692

Fax: (+91 3592) 202362

e-mail : denzonginn@rediffmail.com

5) orange village resort

http://www.orangevillageresort.com/gallery.htm

Direct Line : +91-3592-251442 / 251443. Mobile: +91-94342-35565. Fax: +91-3592-251518.

orangevillageresort@rediffmail.com

6) the royal plaza

http://www.theroyalplazahotel.com/

The Royal Plaza, Upper Syari, Gangtok - 737102, Sikkim.

Tel : +91-3592-280032 /280232; Fax : 03592-281112;

Email : trp@sarovarhotels.com

7) the royal demazong

http://www.theroyaldemazong.com/

The Royal Demazong(A Mountain Resort), GRBA Road, Chongay Tar,P.O. Raj Bhawan,

Gangtok-737103,East Sikkim. Phone: +91-3592-203043/44 Fax: 203045

Mobile:+91-94340 -24070 / 98320 - 87334 / 99330 - 07780(EPBX).

Email:info@theroyaldemazong.com, sikkiminfo@yahoo.com

8) hotel heruka

http://www.hotelheruka.com/

Hotel Heruka.

Near New Taxi Stand,

31 A, National Highway, Deorali, Gangtok, Sikkim.

Ph: 03592-280793.

Mobile: +91-9832544234.

E-mail: hotelheruka@gmail.com

9) samrasa resort

http://www.saramsaresort.com/

9474982226

enquiry@saramsaresort.com

Pelling

1) Elgin Mt Pandim

http://www.elginhotels.com/index.html

reservations@elginhotels.com

2) norbughang

http://www.sikkiminfo.net/norbughang/

Norbu Ghang Resort

Pelling - 737113

West Sikkim

Ph: (03595) 250566, 258272, 258245

Fax : (03592) 258271

3) tashi gang

http://www.tashigangresort.com/

Hotel Tashigang,

Yuksom, West District

Sikkim

Ph. No. (03595) 241202 / 241203

Darjeeling

1) The Elgin, Darjeeling

Telephone : 91-354-2254082/2257226/27

Fax : 91-354-2254267

email : elgin@elginhotels.com

reservations@elginhotels.com

http://www.elginhotels.com/index.html

http://www.elginhotels.com/theelgin.html

2) Mayfair, Darjeeling

http://www.mayfairhotels.com/darjeeling_about.aspx?page=darjeeling&sid=abt&lid=ovr

Phone +91 354 2256 376

Fax +91 354 2252 674

e-Mail darjeeling@mayfairhotels.com

3) windamere

http://www.windamerehotel.com/windamere.asp

reservations@windamerehotel.net

reservations@windamerehotel.com

4) the viceroy

http://viceroyhoteldrj.com/

V I C E R O Y - Hotel.Restaurant

17, Gandhi Road

Darjeeling-734101, West Bengal, India

Near Clock Towers, The Mall, Darjeeling

+91-354- 22 56165,22 59556

+91-354-22 59556

Reservation@viceroyhoteldrj.com,viceroydarj@sancharnet.in

5) fortune park

http://www.fortunehotels.in/

http://www.fortunehotels.in/HotelResort/main.aspx?ID=5+yeWJcHG7GSduIbKhSshg==&PType=PHvq0A5geZ3y1ymDUQbVHA==

Fortune Resort Central, Darjeeling

Robertson Road,

Darjeeling - 734101

Tel: 0354-2258721/22/23

Fax: 0354-2258720

e-mail: centralresort@fortunehotels.in

6) sinclairs

http://www.sinclairshotels.com/

http://www.sinclairshotels.com/darjeeling/index.php3

Hotel Sinclairs Darjeeling

181/1, Gandhi Road

Darjeeling

West Bengal 734 101

Tel : (+91 0354) 2256431, 2256432, 2256948, 2256949

Fax : (+91 0354) 2254355

darjeeling@sinclairshotels.com

7) cedar inn

http://www.cedarinndarjeeling.com/

Cedar Inn

Jalapahar Road, Darjeeling

West Bengal, India - 734101

Phone: +91-354-2254446/2253598

Fax: +91-354-2256764

Email: cedarinn@satyam.net.in

You are my Arms

2009-05-19T04:31:00.000-07:00

Mumble: Happy Feet

2009-03-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

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.

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!!!!

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.

And the People rejoiced as he mumbleth

"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."

The Reader

2009-02-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

Liked this quote from the movie "The Reader".

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."

Magipau in Never Never Land

2009-01-28T11:18:00.000-08:00

The Wedding Card

2009-01-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

Running the Mumbai Marathon

2009-01-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

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.

Emil Zatopek, Czech runner; winner of four Olympic gold medals:
"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."

Steve Prefontaine
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

Steve Prefontaine
"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."

Bill Rodgers, winner of four Boston and four NYC marathons:
"The marathon can humble you."

Hal Higdon, running writer and coach:
"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."

Rob de Castella:
"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."

Mike Fanelli, running club coach:
"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."

Jacqueline Gareau, 1980 Boston Marathon champ:
"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."

John J. Kelly, winner of the 1952 Boston Marathon:
"Marathoning is just another form of insanity."

The Bookmark

2008-12-11T20:59:00.001-08:00

Amagi going Live from December 15th in Hyderabad

2008-11-26T00:03:00.001-08:00

We at Amagi (www.amagi.com) provide an innovative way of advertising on national TV channels on a significantly cost-effective basis. We have tied up with top English and Hindi national news channels to provide Hyderabad-only advertising through our local ad-insertion technology.

So, the viewers watching these channels in Hyderabad will see local advertisements. Please note that this is regular TV commercial advertising (10 sec, 20 sec, 30 second ad spots) and not a banner/ticker.

Local advertisers can now advertise on these national channels targeting only Hyderabad paying a much lower rate per spot on these channels.

This provides following major advantages:
- Access to higher income (SEC A & A+) households that the national news channels provide
- Stronger Brand image through association with national channels
- Campaign all through the month at a significantly lower cost compared to newspapers – you can get a few hundred spots a month across these premium channels for the cost of a single quarter-page advertisement in the local edition!!!

And, this could be at a rate significantly lower than national rates for these premium channels.

We can provide complete solution including TV creatives (ads) as required...

If you (or your friends in hyderabad) know the management in any of the following businesses in hyderabad, that are looking to advertise locally, could you let them know about us.

For example the local businesses could be any of the following
Real estate
Media – print, radio etc.
Retail – jewelry, textiles, malls, cinemas, interiors, furniture, home ware etc.
Hospitals
Colleges, schools, other educational institutions
Tutorial colleges
Hotels
Restaurants
Resorts
Spas/theme parks
Auto dealers – 2 wheeler, 4-wheelers
Event management / concerts
Companies who are recruiting
Election campaign management

Follow the yellow brick road

2008-11-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

map loading...

And the Caterpillar said to Alice
'Come back here I have something important to say'

Follow the yellow brick road'.

I just realized something.

The yellow brick road, it is not made of gold,

and the wicked witch of the east just burnt her Red Ruby slippers.

Right then! What do we do now?

A personal request:

We have just a couple of hours to celebrate the start of a lifetime! Considering Mumbai's time restriction we will start (Wedding mass/ Wedding reception) on time. As most would know, there is a certain sequence of events at the reception and we would like you to be there every step of the way!

Wedding Mass:

In case you would like to come for the Wedding mass, it is advised that you reach the Church by 05:00 pm so as to get seating within the Church. The mass is a regular one in the Church and hence there would be limited seating.

Distances (in time and not kms- as is always the case for Mumbaikars!):

It takes about 15 minutes from Inorbit Mall (please see map) to the Orlem Church (Wedding mass- ‘Our Lady Of Lourdes Church’); about 30 minutes from the Orlem Church to Samara (Wedding reception venue); about 40 minutes from Inorbit Mall to Samara; about 90 minutes from Bandra to Samara.

Please note: Once you turn left at the INS Hamla board on Malad Marve road, it is a 12-15 minute drive to Samara. The road is quiet and relatively deserted compared to the rest of the city- so hang in there and please don’t panic! ☺

Distances in kms

Samara (wedding reception venue) is 10 kms away from Orlem Church. The left turn at the INS Hamla board is 4 kms away from Orlem church. From here its 6 kms to the reception. Samara is 700 meters away from The Retreat hotel. Look at this link for kms markers along the route.

Conveyance:

We will have a bus leaving from Orlem Church to Samara for the Reception at 06:30 pm. Conveyance from Samara (after the Reception) is difficult. We will have a bus shuttle between Samara and Orlem Church- every half hour from 09:30 pm to 11:00 pm (for those who don’t have their own conveyance). Public conveyance from Orlem Church can then be availed.

We would appreciate receiving an email/ call if you would like to avail of the bus from the Church to Samara, so that we can plan the number of buses accordingly.

We look forward to seeing you on the 15th!

Margaret & Alistair

Feb 15th, 2009

Once upon a time

2008-11-07T03:28:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time…

Somewhere beyond the rainbow.

A smile spreads across a face like a butterfly.

Stealing glances, we see our fragility,

Thru same wavelengths on our eyelids.

Calm winds stroke the blue canvas,

Painting a breathless reverie.

Imagination is manifest to the fullest,

Senses being their own artist.

And within all that magic realism,

Poetry is turned into prose.

Like a silent whisper it comes,

With a consciousness of its own.

It comes in a second,

The only time we know its real.

Certainty caresses a frozen sea,

Piercing the subconscious.

Silence repeats itself,

Like echoes in resonant rhetoric.

An unlearning rephrases rationality,

Making connections that transcend.

And then we exhale,

Exhale the wisdom,

That lies in a single simple deep breath.

Once upon a time…

Or so the story begins

Cause we all remember fairytales in our own way.

--- Alice & Magipau in Never Never Land

October 2008

NaNoWriMo

2008-11-01T04:03:00.001-07:00

I completed NaNoWriMo 2006. Have decided to give it another try this year. Magipau will be writing too :)

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.

Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that's a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.

As you spend November writing, you can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and—when the thing is done—the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.

In 2007, we had over 100,000 participants. More than 15,000 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.

So, to recap:

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month's time.

Who: You! We can't do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let's write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.

Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

When: You can sign up anytime to add your name to the roster and browse the forums. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.

Still confused?

How NaNoWriMo Works (in Ten Easy Steps)

1) Sign up for the event by clicking the "Sign up Now" link at the top of the site. It's right at the tip of the runner's pencil.

2) Read the ginormous email our noveling robots send you. It will have "Love" in the subject line.

3) Log into your account and use the links on the My NaNoWriMo page to set your timezone, affiliate with a region, and tell us a little bit about yourself.

4) Begin procrastinating by reading through all the great advice and funny stories in the forums. Post some stories and questions of your own. Get excited. Get nervous. Try to rope someone else into doing this with you. Eat lots of chocolate and stockpile noveling rewards.

5) On November 1, begin writing your novel. Your goal is to write a 50,000-word novel by midnight, local time, on November 30th. You write on your own computer, using whatever software you prefer.

6) This is not as scary as it sounds.

7) Starting November 1, you can update your word count in that box at the top of the site, and post excerpts of your work for others to read. Watch your word-count accumulate and story take shape. Feel a little giddy.

8) Write with other NaNoWriMo participants in your area. Write by yourself. Write. Write. Write.

9) If you write 50,000 words of fiction by midnight, local time, November 30th, you can upload your novel for official verification, and be added to our hallowed Winner’s Page and receive a handsome winner’s certificate and web badge. We'll post step-by-step instructions on how to scramble and upload your novel starting in mid-November.

10) Win or lose, you rock for even trying.

Once: Falling Slowly

2008-10-31T23:24:00.000-07:00

Title song of the Movie "Once"

Glen Hansard - Falling Slowly Lyrics

I don't know you

But I want you

All the more for that

Words fall through me

And always fool me

And I can't react

And games that never amount

To more than they're meant

Will play themselves out

Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice

You've made it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me

And I can't go back

Moods that take me and erase me

And I'm painted black

You have suffered enough

And warred with yourself

It's time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice

You've made it now

Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice

You've made it now

Falling slowly sing your melody

I'll sing along

A single simple deep breath

2008-10-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

"It comes in a second. Thats the only time I know its real", her whisper saw realization unclothe itself, laying aside its inhibitions.

"We are beginning to discover each other and ourselves. Isn't it amazing, unlearning and discovering what is already there", the overtone found its way through waxing epiphany.

Her voice felt the reverberations of its thoughts, "The more complex we get, the simpler our thinking needs to be. Its like for example the human body- the more we try and explain the seemingly 'simple'; 'seemingly simple' coz we who are so intelligent still cannot create life at will; the more complex our explanations are getting. And yet, it is so simple the way we give life! and yet cannot give life at will! Thats where I think the unlearning part is; at the heart of something we are all overlooking; understanding something greater by unlearning.

Take the pyramids. I honestly believe we have gotten so damn complex in our thinking, that we just cannot fathom how the hell the pyramids were built all that time ago and yet they must have used something so simple, that it escapes our understanding as a race. We have this need to get complex, increase the entropy for no apparent larger reason and yet.... and yet..", a simple smile inhaled its fresh crisp sensing touch, taking it all in.

"And yet there is so much wisdom in a single simple deep breath"

Connections that transcend

2008-10-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

"What you thinking", he asked as silence resonated and awaited an understanding.

A whispering echo then found its way back, "Are all connected... in a manner that transcends beyond our human weaknesses.. and makes us almost human in its fullest potential... well... the essence being that humanness- in its weakness and in its strength- can fill in a void as large possibly as the universe... and all within a single being... all within the mind... it begins and ends there and all that is in between can fill a huge void we cant even begin to understand and yet we do it everyday... We transcend".

Discovering Silence

2008-10-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

Was talking about 'silence' with a friend and what it does to you. She managed to bring out the gist pretty well, including 'discovery' and its process.

"There is no 'discovery' of self in the way we set out to find it. We 'discover' who we are by unlearning, reverting to a more basic self. A self we all lose touch with as we live life. We add on layers and explanations and rationale and we "coat" that self. And then set out at some point in life to "discover" it. When in fact it was always there. We just stop reconginizing who we are.

Thats what a quiet serene place does. It helps that unlearning process, in a manner no other place can.

All people - brilliant achievers, they reach a stage in life where they stop trying to show what they know. They are 'almost' simple. u know? Its like they reach a stage where they know something more precious than all that knowledge and experience they have attained."

Never saw blue like that

2008-09-06T12:51:00.001-07:00

Today I took a walk up the street

And picked a flower and climbed the hill

Above the lake

And secret thoughts were said aloud

We watched the faces in the clouds

Until the clouds had blown away

And were we ever somewhere else

You know, it's hard to say

And I never saw blue like that before

Across the sky

Around the world

You've given me all you have and more

And no one else has ever shown me how

To see the world the way I see it now

Oh, I, I never saw blue like that

I can't believe a month ago

I was alone, I didn't know you

I hadn't seen or heard you're name

And even now, I'm so amazed

It's like a dream, It's like a rainbow, it's like the rain

And somethings are the way they are

And words just can't explain

Cause I never saw blue like that before

Across the sky

Around the world

You've given me all you have and more

And no one else has ever shown me how

To see the world the way I see it now

Oh, I, I never saw blue like that before

And it feels like now,

And it feels always,

And it feels like coming home

I never saw blue like that before

Across the sky

Around the world

You've given me all you have and more

And no one else has ever shown me how

To see the world the way I see it now

Oh, I, I never saw blue like that before

Oh, I, I never saw blue like that

-- Shawn Colvin

Be a Writer@NGOPost

2008-09-03T05:04:00.002-07:00

Are you tired with the current state of media reporting? Do you want to share stories about social change on a global platform?

NGOpost is a web based community for sharing news and ideas about various social welfare initiatives. In loose terms you can refer to it as "orkut" for people who are interested in making a difference.

NGOpost is actively seeking writers, who are keen on creating something which would have far reaching benefits.

Some simple questions answered.

Do I need to have writing experience?
Not necessary. As long as you know English and can form meaningful sentences it should fine.

What do I have to write on?
Write about the social change you see happening around you. Or write about the change that is needed. It could be interviewing someone who is silently doing great work, and whose work would be an inspiration for others, or it could be an organization doing great job in its respective field. There could also be generic articles like Open education tools available for schools or benefits of organ donation. Otherwise we have list of unending topics which we want people to write on, you can choose from them.

What is the benefit for me in writing for NGOPost?
* NGOpost has readership in 150 countries around the world and it has been increasing. Your article will reach hundreds of people every day!
* Each month we send out our newsletter, which goes to about ~5k people. Your name will featured there along with the link to your profile. Personally if you are a blogger, that would give your blog a lot of visibility.
* More than all this it is the satisfaction of writing about something, which would be of use to hundreds of people. We keep getting feedback how reading some articles on NGOpost helped them solve their own problems and helped them connect with relevant people.
* Going ahead we are working on the partnering with print magazines/newspapers wherein selected articles from NGOpost will get published there. Hence there is a possibility that your article might go in print :).

So Join the band wagon of people who are keen to make a positive difference. If you are interested or have further queries write to us at parul@ngopost.org or goli@ngopost.org

A Moment

2008-09-02T04:42:00.000-07:00

I sit by the window
The warmth on my face
A distant noise can be heard
But the warmth and quiet inside makes me forget
For a moment I am transported
To a simple time of dreams
To a simple longing for the vaguely familiar
I breathe deeply and exhale
My eyes close and mind opens
A gentle whispering
From the past
Someone I used to be
Someone I try to now connect with
The distant noise gets louder
Just the way it always does
The quiet now gets distant, as does the past
And my eyes open
My breathing back to being labored
My past gone
I am in the now again
And I am me

-- Margaret Desouza

Obsession

2008-08-30T02:55:00.001-07:00

My little world, I wrap myself in
Day in and day out, obsessing
If only this and if only that I say
Inner silence I shatter
'I me and myself' so my days pass
Relativity I forget
Till I hear of another being and his struggle
I stop dead ashamed
I wonder who what and why
My obsession masking what is true
I tend to forget how precious life is
How utterly delicate and taken for granted
I feel worse than I did before
For the thankfulness lasts but a second
Such is the irony of obsession
With oneself and ones own little world
How many more beings would it take
For the seconds to extend to forever
But I end this moment with hope
That we are given time to change
To realize and learn and be thankful
To let go, give in and take the journey

-- Margaret Desouza

Love

2008-08-30T01:08:00.000-07:00

To those who know it, it's our greatest need
To those who have seen it, it's our greatest wonder
To those who have lost it, it's our greatest hurt
To those who have experienced it, it defines our humanness

Yet, We who have known it and recognized it as our greatest need,
still find it so difficult to share with another…
We who have seen it and stood in awe in its presence,
still chose to run away from it…
We who have lost it and been hurt greatly by its loss,
still risk losing it all over again…
& We who have experienced it, and through it our humanness,
still chose to deny it…

And yet, it still continues to conquer us, humble us, and teach us
About ourselves and our world…
About whats important and what matters…
& About why we exist…

-- Margaret Desouza

The Pacemaker

2008-08-29T01:01:00.000-07:00

I always thought that I was strong
as strong as any one could be
I have always had my walls all around
my fortress or so I believed!
I have hidden there
and fooled myself into thinking that I was safe
Untill the walls came crumbling down…
and I lay there exposed and afraid

I struggled to build my walls up again,
hoping and longing for familiarity
I wanted to lose myself in sweet oblivion
within the fortress that had now abandoned me
Day in and day out I would lie awake
wondering when the nightmare would end
The time had come though, I finally realized,
that life would never be the same again

My life's journey feels like it began that fateful day
when realization hit home
That the innocence and carefree days of childhood and youth
were only a trial run
That the actual race has now begun…
and we each will have to brave the storm
Alone, we will have to run…
and will be often be faced with self doubt

With these somber thoughts I start my journey
and already feel like I am running behind
I look around and seem to be the last one there…
with the rest of the pack way ahead
I wonder if I will ever catch up…
if there is any point to all this pain
And for a moment, just for a moment,
I allow myself to slow down and be afraid

Its at that particular moment that I understood
why I felt the way I did
It was because I always saw myself
having to run alone in that race of life
But in that instance of surrender, I lost myself
and for the first time in a long time- felt safe again.

My journey has just begun and I still do not know
where the road will lead
But I do know the one who knows the way
and pray for the one who will chose to run alongside me
We were not built to run alone, to build our walls and be safe…
we were built to last…
Created to run together… With someone leading the way

-- Margaret Desouza

Willingly Willed

2008-08-28T01:50:00.000-07:00

Free-will, they say, is precious
From past mistakes, I tend oft to disagree
And yet, failure is what builds character they say
Why then are we today, still frustratingly so un-free

We don't know what's to come tomorrow
And we rarely understand & reflect on our past
Hence we oft choose, foolishly, looking at the flitting present
And with these decisions then, on us the die is cast

How then, does one choose wisely in the 'now'
Does one rely on the foolish heart or the ignorant mind
Perhaps, its only belief and faith then, that do feature
In this, life's test of time

We were created to believe in someone greater
Look inside you, and your quiet wise soul will concur
Yet we choose to blissfully ignore its precious wisdom
For flitting present gains, our belief and faith are made to blur

We are not who we think we are
And it would seem foolish to think we know it all
Lets not, then, paradoxically rely on ourselves to exercise free-will today
But rather, on the one who created all things- big and small

-- Margaret Desouza

A Little Prayer

2008-08-28T01:01:00.000-07:00

I said a little prayer today
To our God who loves us all...
I knelt before His alter today
And begged Him to answer my call...

I went to Him since I was lost
In a maze that never seems to end...
His light was what I needed to find
There, at His feet, I needed a friend...

He didn't say a word to me
In His wisdom, He first let me cry...
He didn't say Do this or Do that
In His love, He first just held me tight...

I still don't have my answers
I still can't see the end...
My journey through the maze continues
But this time, I have by my side a friend...

And so my daily bread of comfort
Today I have received...
Tomorrow I will be back at His feet again
And His comfort, again, I will seek...

-- Margaret Desouza

Eyes

2008-08-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Writer in Me

2008-08-22T00:03:00.000-07:00

Ab Tak Untees!!!

2008-07-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

The Imaginative Sense

2008-07-16T10:52:00.008-07:00

I was chatting with a friend trying to understand her approach to the various arts that she has tried out. Was interested in knowing the art in which she felt she could create something out of nothingness versus when she had to use something as a reference. Just thought that she brought out the crux very well; the subconscious process behind it all, so decided to put her thoughts up here. Cut pasted her thoughts from gtalk below.

"I suppose that in any activity that requires sensual stimulation, imagination will probably be the artist, without needing to copy something else. But those that need rationality in some sense may curb imagination.

To experience a superb sunset you don't need to compare it with how it looked yesterday and whether today is less perfect. You're sense has passed its judgement without external comparison (senses being their own artist). But if you wanted to see if that big beautiful sun's color is depicting a rainy or sunny day (rationality required) then comparison with a sunset on a rainy day would be required. So when senses rule, imagination is manifest to its fullest as opposed to when you want to SEE the perfect and not necessarily FEEL it." - Margaret Desouza.

Desiderata

2008-07-13T10:23:00.003-07:00

A friend sent me this poem by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be
greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career
however humble;
it is a real possession in the
changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you
to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit
to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham,
drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

by Max Ehrmann

Wanted !

2008-07-12T03:52:00.001-07:00

Thank you for the poetry

2008-07-10T01:59:00.000-07:00

Joined a new startup called Amagi. Its founded by the founders of Impulsesoft. The previous startup that I worked in and that got acquired by SiRF. Was wondering what to tell my everyone that I've worked with for the past 5 years at Impulsesoft then SiRF. I tried to summarize it in the email below without trying to be too corny :-)

[snip]
Its been 5 years since I met most of you guys. But more than the duration there have been so many opportunities to look at people’s approaches to various things; the quiet, the humorous, the mechanical, the poetic, the romantic, the restless, the passionate, the fearless, the brave, the courageous, the lucid.

Different approaches which have helped me to approach various things, not just work.

Poetry begets (inspires) poetry. Thank you for the poetry.
The Hand
Paper Monster

Thanks,
Alistair
[snip]

The GodFather Part 2

2008-06-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

June the 15th, a day which he would be made to remember, as he lay there, floating in equilibrium, enveloped by the covering that protected him from the elements. Crouched, asleep, unaware of what was happening around him, he gave into teleportation, from his never never land into reality, as he lay there in his most angelic dimension.

He slowly opened his eyes, fighting the resistance that light endured on his being. The warmth of the wavelengths on his eyelids slowly started to form vague lines that seemed to coalesce and then disseminate and then coalesce again to form the outline of abstractness; the aura of objects. Color began to illuminate the surface of the objects and then fade a bit only to finally refurbish a different hue.

He exhaled, releasing the sensations that crept through his nerves; the air unwinding its way into the open only to be sucked back in. And in doing so igniting a million sensory buds as they came alive, deciphering the crisp smell of the cold air; a pungent subtleness intermingled with it, finally exposing itself; a brush with ambience; the flavor of freshness.

And then he exhaled again as a faint sound reverberated through his chest cavity, waxing its way through his larynx, entering the hollow of his mouth for sometime only to find its way back down that tube to its source; waning, waning as it went down, dying out in silent staccato attempts and then the cavity lay barren.

His tongue traced its way through his lips as they broke free from each other, revealing the pinkish tip that licked their rims, quickly sneaking back in to examine the taste as it mixed with saliva.

His hand brushed the fabric that lay beneath his self and as he moved, his fingertips unconsciously traced the patterns that embedded the sheet. The smooth friction between touch and being touched, transferred a tingling sensation through his palms and wrists and his fingers twitched.

Slowly drowsiness and resistance gave in as the objects began to darken, the smell slowly fading, the sound unwinding, taste stagnating and touch losing its sensation. And like a newborn, unconsciously experiencing its first sensations, he slowly drifted back into never never land.

And then the phone rang, awaking him from his reverie and he heard a voice at the other end, "Water broke. Going to the hospital".

I Believe

2008-05-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

To believe in God do you need to believe in People.

Should you're religion become you're beliefs or should you're beliefs become you're religion.

The Idea

2008-05-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

Without Limits

2008-05-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

Running Without Limits - Marathon Legs

Bingo

2008-05-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

iPhone iGoogle iCare

2008-05-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

Running for NGOpost

2008-05-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

We have the world richest 10K run coming up in bangalore this weekend...
http://sunfeastworld10k.indiatimes.com/
needless to say i will NOT win any of that money!!!

Anyways.. about 30+ of us have decided to run for NGOpost this coming sunday. Many have never run 10K before...

Someone was doing a practice run and I'm not sure where he was looking but he tripped on stones and fell down... bruising his knee and injuring his thumb.... however he will run... this time a bit more focused... There are two who ran 11 kms to office on wednesday, just as a practice run!! One of them took a lift inbetween.
And then there is another who tells ppl that its NOT a marathon. Its just 10Kms. So its quite a motley bunch. But what we have in common is that we all will be running for an NGO called NGOpost (www.ngopost.org)

*What is NGOpost?
*NGOpost is a place where people share news, stories related to NGOs. The thought is to make it a one stop platform for getting all news, updates and information about social welfare initiatives. You could also post a problem and ask for suggestions or help to solve it. This initiative was started about 8 months back, and as on date it has over 400 users, with an average of 5-8 stories daily, and most of them real good inspiring stories like this

During the run you will be able to spot us amongst the many runners by the t-shirts we will be wearing. The basic idea is "I phone, I google, I care" and "iPhone iGoogle iCare". Since ngopost.org is an online NGO the idea behind the words are to cover ppl that use the latest technology for communication. Also I sometimes like to keep things a bit abstract so as to make ppl curious to know what its all about :-)

You can support our run by telling more ppl about the site www.ngopost.org.
Also if you wish you can make a donation to our running cause at
http://ngopost.org/donate.php

Thanks,
Alistair

for those at bangalore...
PS: registrations should still be open. So if you would like to join us please let us know. online registration can be done here...
http://reg.sunfeastworld10k.indiatimes.com/marathon/marathon.jsp
or you can directly register at kanteerva stadium till saturday evening

Here is a mail form Parul who started NGO post.
----------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends,

Most of you know that I have been involved with NGO Post - a web-platform for sharing ideas and information related to various social issues and helping people work together for their solutions across the globe. It started at UCSD in August 07 with a friend(Nitin) and I, and we have since grown to a team of 10 students and young techies. Going further we have lot of plans for making it a powerful network for people interested in social welfare, get experts to drive technology to places which need them and so on. Big dreams but we are on our way :-)

With all the enthusiasm building around Sunfeast 10k run in Bangalore, I, Goli (a NGOpost team member) and 20 of our friends will be running for NGOpost's cause. Here's How you can help:

Support NGO Post in the Bangalore Sunfeast 10K run

If you are running or know anyone else who is, please join the NGO Post troop! There are about 20 of us so far.
Donate for NGO Post. Every small contribution matters! Our parent organization, Sewa Bharti Nidhi Trust is registered as a Public Charitable Trust with the Govt of India and is an official charity partner for the Sunfeast marathon.

Participate - Since NGO Post is all about exchanging ideas and connecting people for social change, the more people use it, the more useful it becomes! Go to NGO Post, share stories and ideas about various social issues, vote for the best stories and connect with other changemakers!
Spread the word - Let your friends know about NGO Post! A few ways to do it:

Link to http://ngopost.org/ from your websites, blogs, orkut/facebook profiles. We have a scrolling widget that displays the most popular stories which you can add to your site.
Pass this mail on to as many people as you can. Please PLEEEASE :-)

The Builder

2008-05-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

The Builder
by Pablo Neruda

I chose my own illusion,
from frozen salt I made its likeness--
I based my time on the great rain
and, even so, I am still alive.

It is true that my long mastery
divided up the dreams
and without my knowing there arose
walls, separations, endlessly.

Then I went to the coast.

I saw the beginnings of the ship,
I touched it, smooth as the sacred fish--
it quivered like the harp of heaven,
the woodwork was clean,
it had the scent of honey.
And when it did not come back,
the ship did not come back,
everyone drowned in his own tears
while I went back to the wood
with an ax naked as a star.

My faith lay in those ships.

I have no recourse but to live.

Unforgiven

2008-04-13T11:12:00.001-07:00

I knew what I wanted to capture. I tried out some trial shots the previous evening and was waiting for day to break, when I would get my chance again. The sun shone on the motorbike that had just romanced the road over a couple of hundreds of kms. I asked Dhruv to move his bike closer to the tree, facing away from it. He stood beside it and smiled at the camera. I clicked a snap and then said, "Now move!".

Unforgiven. That was the image that lay in my head. I had seen the movie 'Unforgiven' a couple of years back. Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris and Clint Eastwood himself, it deals with the man and the myth in all those tough western movies.

It begins with the Clint Eastwood digging his wife's grave below a tree, the woman who reformed him from the thief and murderer that he was. The movie ends with him standing below the tree at his wife's grave. Unforgiven, is about forgiveness and the lack of it. An insight into the movie can be found here.

How to Sit in Dog Shit and Influence People

2008-04-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

You are on the road again; armed with that open mind and that adventurous spirit. You've romanced the road a couple of times before. Only to be blown away by the wind as it whistles seductive overtones, revealing itself and the secret of memories; those simple answers that are forever blowin in the wind.

But memories have a way of trying to erase themselves, as you inch forward; trying desperately to break away from the pack. The exhaust fumes find their way to you and you inhale them with a nonchalant demeanor. You are given no other choice. Everything is moving bumper to bumper as time tries to move faster and ends up piling up the seconds, which in turn pile up the minutes; nearly half an hours worth of them. The distance traversed is less than a kilometer and uneasiness starts to creep in, threatening to take over everything, including you're plans. The honking gets to you and pierces deep. Pressure mounts and frustrations soar; you need to break free; free from all of it. You just need a little space for yourself and you need to see the road ahead in silent lucidity. You start to wonder if the open road is just an illusion. But then out of nowhere the wind beckons and carves its path, an opening, and right there in front of you lies the open road; seductive and raring to be romanced all over again.

A plan was floated but hindsight was more accurate as it engulfled Shravanabelagola and Belur as detours in the 630kms that were covered by motorbikes over two days, covering 85 kms in an hour in the fastest stretch. The destination turned out to be Mullayangiri, Karnataka's highest peak, with an overnight stay at a temple at Seetalaingiri, where we were tested in more ways than one.

A 3 km walk to the peak and we met a very nice little boy named Madan, who stays up there. We could have camped in the cave just below but we didn't have tents. A walk in the dark without torchlight and we reached the temple again, only to hike back at 5 the next morning. Since food was being prepared we decided to sit out in the grass and munch on chips. Three dogs tried hard to convince us that chips are good for them but we thought otherwise. Just then someone put his hand into something and felt it go squish and as they say the rest will go down as his story. I jumped up and told everyone to check their pants and just about then my hand felt something and as they say the rest will go down as my story.

Being in deep shit can surely do things to your mind. Being in dog shit can do even more. And with every such situation lies the opportunity to rise as individuals and influence others to do the same. As pointed out by Dale Carnegie in 'How to win friends and influence people' is can be very very simple. But everyone tries it in there own way.

"Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never tell someone they are wrong."

yeah sure... what an idea... to sit in the grass in the dark

"Begin in a friendly way."

Errr... with a pat on the back ? which hand should I use...

"Start with questions the other person will answer yes to."

it wasn't his idea and it wasn't his idea and it wasn't his either.... errr... so whose idea was it to sit in the grass in the dark ?

"Let the other person do the talking."

well... its tough to talk with you're hands full isn't it :-)

"Let the other person feel the idea is his/hers."

so whose idea was it to sit in the grass in the dark ?

"Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view."

err... so how did it feel when you put you're hand in it ?

"Sympathize with the other person."

We gotta go eat food now... with our hands... you know that right...

"Throw down a challenge."

"Ok food is ready... lets eat".

"Dramatize your ideas."

[And do it while eating food.. and smile to give it that effect] Errr... I was thinking.... what if....

The night is cold as the ground shivers with the continuous pounding of the wind and rain outside. It seeks comfort from you as it drains your warmth and finally you wake up in yet another predawn. And right there begins a new day that promises to be even better then the last one cause you now know how to sit in dog shit and influence people.

Dreams and Ambitions

2008-04-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

Someone I know got this email from a friend who studies in the 12th std.

sorry xxxx, it was too much, the stress n the pressure was just too much, i dont think i'll make it, i couldnt study, i tried my best, but what bothers me the most is that i can feel my dreams n ambitions slip away, it was that difficult, my memory n understanding was so poor, u know failure means delay not defeat but i dont want a 2nd attempt, i guess all that i can do is just sit at home and make toys, its exam time i shouldn't be sending mails but i really needed to talk u know. physics was so easy but on the day before the exam all that courage i had suddenly shattered and i started crying, never touched the book again and i couldnt do well in the exam, and i dont want to take it as a challenge ever again u know, its too much, way too much, i'm sorry.

Into the Wild

2008-04-01T07:58:00.000-07:00

my mom, dad and sis were down to goa with me for a wedding. We were at one of our relation's place. So my dad says that there is a wild life sanctuary close by. His book says it about 40 kms away from us. Its afternoon, as the hot wind blows naughty/sarcastic jokes around, everyone is lazying about, the sea and some of its species in your belly. And then my dad and I decide to go to the sanctuary... others who have lived in Goa since biblical times say, "there is a sanctuary in Goa ?"... my mom in her subtle way tries to postpone our trip for later, knowing that it won't happen later... and others suddenly realize that they have stuff to do... "I have to go kill my tailor .. I gave him one design and he stitched something else"... "I have some plumbing to do".... basically it was very very hot.....

and so I packed fours lenses; a zoom, a macro, a wide angle stabilizer and a normal one hoping to capture some good pics... and the two of us travelled for 2 hours, and did a lot of bus hoping... looking thru windows as the countryside passes you by.... and you inquire about hiring jeeps to go thru the sanctuary and they tell you "you can walk around".... it was actually a zoo... the open type ones... hmmm....

and then we finally reach our destination and they tell us, "thursday closed"....

The Wedding Toaster - Toasted

2008-03-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

Unplugged and err brownish. The preparatory notes are out here. In a nutshell the toast revolved around fairytales. But fair is for fairytales which we all remember in our own ways.

Anyways, so I was in Goa for a wedding and was asked to raise the toast. They told me to keep it short; ideally not more than 3 minutes. So then I got into speech mode around 2 days before the wedding day. Wasn't tense but wanted to make a good impression, if you know what I mean :-)

So I started to think of flow. Broke up the toast into parts as mentioned out here. Wrote a poetry called "Finding Never Never Land" (about fairytales) to end with. And since ppl wouldn't want to listen to serious stuff, I padded the beginning and end with some humour. So it was 90 seconds of humour/sarcasm/pokes at family etc to start with and then 90 seconds of poetry and some subtle humor to end with.

I searched on the net for marriage jokes but everything seemed too run-of-the-mill types and stuff that everyone must have heard a thousand times (if they attend many weddings). So the week before that in Pune I met this lady who told me about how she had raised a toast with picture ppts and then another one where she used this particular 'upper hand' joke which I had not heard of till then. And since I attend a lot of weddings I thought it was something nice to start with. It was actually something that no one who I spoke to had heard of before. So I polished the joke, added it to the flow.It had this pretty good punch to start the proceedings with and grab people's attention. It had modulated tones and changes in diction and subtle eye expressions etc etc...

Now the compere/MC was supposed to introduce me before I raised the toast. So he calls the bride and groom to the cake and just before I start uses the very same 'upper hand' joke in a different flavour. The joke that not many had heard of till now. And everyone laughed... and then he asked me to raise the toast....

And so I started without the joke that would set things in flow. But otherwise the toast was decent.

The Wedding Toaster - Notes

2008-03-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

[keep points for each topic/flow but not complete sentences. say something to this effect]

[start with a strong joke to grab people's attention]
As I raise the toast, I would request Vijay to take Manisha's hands and place his right hand over them (pause and change to a soft lovey dovey tone) and look deeeeeeeep into her eyes and cherish this moment (pause). Cause this may be the last time he has the upper hand (the punch line should be delivered with good timing).

We are the choices that we have made. Some choose to get married and some choose to proudly proclaim that they are single by choice (pause). But they never mention whose choice, do they. (punchline to be delivered with a quick, querying and serious tone/sarcastic humor).

And then there are the choices of falling in love, where we dream of fairytales and build castles in the air. But that doesn't happen. And then we make the choice that falling in love is not about finding the perfect person but about learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.

[change the flow from love to introduce the families. No qualifications/degrees/designations, but try to bring out humanity]

But love is the union of souls and marriage is the union of families and friends. Vijay and his close knit family are from Malaysia. I know Manisha and her family from 3 years back, when my Mom was visiting her cousins in Goa. I had other plans since I didn't know any of them. But the "what re", "Ahh voice" and "no men" were delivered in such a homely manner that I ended up extending my trip to 2 weeks. So basically what I'm trying to say (looking at Vijay) is that for the first 2-3 weeks they'll be good to you (pause) and then (pause and make people think of the punchline).... I'm sure they'll be ever better.

[if ppl are laughing then make a comment with subtle humor to mark the demarcation where you are finally getting serious]
So now that I have everyone's attention, I think its time I raised the toast (pause).

I've written a poem on Fairytales called 'Finding never Never Land' and it goes something like this.

[read out the poem]

Finding Never Never Land

Once upon a time,
Or so the fiction begins.
Everyone lived happily ever after,
And so the fiction ends.
And the poetry in translation,
In certainty, is what its all about.
So that once upon a time,
Ends with happily ever after.

And so once upon a time,
Somewhere beyond the rainbow.

The cards are dealt as we play our parts,
With poetic license, the rhyming starts.

A blank canvas, that gaping void,
Those dreamy strokes, retracing Freud,

Resolutions to make, and some to keep,
As the mind starts to wander, far and deep.

Coup de main, a consensus breached,
Caught unawares, the rainbow bleached.

Consenting adults, the coming of age,
Juvenile passions, each considered a sage.

Same is the cross, but different the nails,
Those runaway trains, on imaginary rails,

Beneath the embers, as the ashes take form,
From silent lucidity, comes a silent storm.

Astray in the darkness, with each echoing word,
The dialogue begins, others feelings are heard.

Timeless shadows, lurking in the soul,
A solemn understanding, in parts, then in whole,

Out of the blue a whisper passes by,
You tend to ignore it, you seem to know why.

The silent whisper in a world of the blind,
It starts to resonate, is it your kind.

The yellow brick road, a vision, depart,
In search of courage, some wisdom, some heart.

Perchance to dream, a sculptor's bliss,
Those Hands that builds out of nothingness.

They rock the cradle, a dream unfurled,
Hand in Hand, they rule the world.

Our place in the sun, if the books we trust,
From ashes to ashes, just a handful of dust.

As reality abides, we walk on our own,
The Secret of Memories, we are not alone.

The Angel's lullaby, the soprano's song,
The silent whispers still linger on.

Finding Never Never Land, for each I say,
Cause we all remember fairytales in our own way.

So here's to Manisha and Vijay.
Through the wrinkles of time,
May you share everything.
(pause for the punchline)
Including the housework.

Finding Never Never Land

2008-03-30T10:27:00.000-07:00