white chrysanthemums

meeting

2011-10-30T02:21:00.000-07:00

out beyond the ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing,

there is a field; I will meet you there. *

out there where the mornings and evenings

greet, at that horizon of the sphere.

out where joy and sorrow merge,
ill look for you where the tides surge.

beyond all that speaking and listening,

there is a silent song i will be singing.

no windows or walls, and no doors,

where the perpetual wait sits on the thresholds.

there is a field, I will meet you there,

in that moment void of all that is, now, here ...

-jm

------------------

* The first two lines are by Rumi

2011-10-29T08:44:00.000-07:00

If you can explain why you love someone, then its not really love!

~jm

cold and long winters

2011-10-24T16:18:00.000-07:00

Dialogue 1:

i waited for u.. winter long
u seem to be where i belong
its all illusion anyway...

Dialogue 2:
now i have lost you .. now the winter is truly cold
there were days, i knew where to find you but
now you are gone .. far and beyond ..
now i look for you within or is it an illusion?
anyway!

the music continues to play . . .

2011-09-29T04:39:00.000-07:00

Thank GOD some wishes don't come true!

i have new found faith in the cosmic intelligence ... not entirely "new found" but reaffirmed like a miracle occurring right before my eyes! i am talking in riddles ... the idea for writing this post is that if you are reading this and right now if there is one thing you are aching for but things are just not working out, know this that as cliched as it sounds, "its all for the best"!

---------------------

3/4 of 2011 over!

what was it like? eventful to say the least ...

for me it was a year full of new people and new perspectives which grounded me even further in my faith in that cosmic force! it was a year that tested my patience with self and others, trust within and outside... forced me to redefine my limitations and draw new boundaries...

all intellectual pursuits took a backseat as i got thrown into intellectually bankrupt situations and company but it was necessary to know and grow ... to be in such a situation is like having to sit through a very poorly performed musical concert held in a beautiful venue! yes - that's what my year was like - it was like sitting through a very boring musical concert being performed in one of the best venues! ... having sat through this concert, i know that my lonesome ride is a far better deal!

the grass is no longer greener on the other side! the grass in my yard has its problems and its not perfect to look at, but its mine, it paves the way to my home!

-jm

kyon ki chott nahin lagati!

2011-08-28T17:19:00.001-07:00

पैरों तले ज़मीन खिसक गयी,

और पाँव आसमान पर जड़ गए,

पर आदत से मजबूर, रोज़ गिरती हूँ,

मगर चोट नहीं लगती!

कोई छोटा सा बादल संभाल लेता है,

नज़रें उठाती हूँ तो ज़मीन सर के ऊपर,

एक आध पत्थर गिरती है,

मगर चोट नहीं लगाती!

यहाँ तारे साज़-ओ-सामान हैं,

और चांदनी मेहमान है,

पर तेरे दर का पता ढूँढती हूँ,

क्योंकि यहाँ पर चोट नहीं लगाती...

-jm

Options

2011-08-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

For what its worth, its never too late,

Be whoever you are,

Whoever you wanna be,

There’s no time limit.

Start whenever you want.

You can change or stay the same.

There are no rules to this thing.

We can make the best of the worst of it.

I hope you make the best of it.

I hope you see things that startle you.

I hope you feel things you never felt before.

I hope you meet people with a different point of view.

I hope you live a life you are proud of.

And if you find that you are not,

I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

~ From "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Aise hi . . .

2011-06-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

इक नोवां पहर होता है,

सब इंतज़ार मुक जाते हैं.

-jm

Question: 6-2-2011

2011-06-02T15:29:00.001-07:00

Do people still send postcards?

Quote: March 22, 2011

2011-03-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

The more a man judges, the less he loves.

~Honore de Balzac

तुम्हारी आँखों का रंग

2011-03-11T17:04:00.000-08:00

वोह अभी तक पुल पर खड़ी थी. अतीत से आती हुई हंसी और आवाज़ बहुत दूर नहीं लगी ऐसे ही लगा जैसे आवाज़ अभी तक बीती नहीं. शायद कोहरे मैं हाथ बढ़ाये तो छू ही ले उसे. घडी देखि, सेकंड की सुई अपने पहरे पर परदे कर रही थी. और अभी तक उसके आने की कोई आहात नहीं थी. रात में शालाफ आ गया था; crack आ गया था! आधी रात कट चुकी थी …वोह रात भी ऐसे ही कटी थी … इक्कीसवीं मंजिल पर , एक गूमते हुए restaurant में … शायद Toronto में था ! वोह दो ही थे और घडी देखि थी तो उसने अपना हाथ रख दिया था उस पर . कितना बड़ा हाथ था उसका ! उसकी दोनों कलाईयाँ उसमे बंद हो जाया करती थीं. Lock हो जाती थीं. अपने बोझिल हाथों से उसने देखा था उसकी तरफ और उसकी आँखों की आवाज़ सुने दी थी ... तुम्हारी आँखों का रंग भी तो आसमानी है!

- Gulzaar

Quote: March 9, 2011

2011-03-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

The bravest sight in the world is to see a great man struggling against adversity.

~Seneca

Hallmark-ed Out!

2011-03-03T14:21:00.000-08:00

First and foremost – Dear Lara Logan, I am rooting for you!

It’s a Hallmark Kinda Life!


Japanese Cherry Blossoms

In the past few weeks a mundane sort of a happy-feeling has taken over me. We had many Hallmark kind of beautiful days here where the sky was in its perfect blue hue, the naked trees revealed their pregnant branches ready to be covered with the perfect green bloom and the Cherry Blossoms were already laden with the perfect Pink!

I think the Cherry Blossoms are my American version of Indian Gulmohars! These trees are capable of turning that concrete river we call a road into something absolutely bearable.


Gulmohars

So – I actually considered changing the name of the blog to “Cherry Blossoms”!

Hmmm …. Nahhhhhh!

By the way, even perfection when stagnated, is worthless!

Maybe, I may-be Religious!?

Jasleen – I thought you said you are spiritual!!!

Oh! For God’s sake (no pun intended), I don’t know!

Why do we have to have a definition of our relationship with Mr. Almighty God.

Do I love him?

Do I fear him?

Do I expect miracles from him?

Do I want to be like him so that he likes me?

Do I even believe it’s a him and not a her!

I have never really denied the presence of a higher force – like all magical and supernatural … the be all, end all of everything! But I also believe we are all walking Gods – we make miracles happen but we don't have a good eyesight to see when it does happen . .

I am always caught up in one grid-lock or another when it comes to the “religious” aspect of me! Constantly wondering where do I fit? What I should and I should not believe?

So here is the answer – I don’t know! I don’t care to know! What I feel now is working and soon it will evolve to what works for my tomorrow. . .

Don’t worry be happy!

Even Aristotle (that Greek, wise, old guy) said, “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence”.

Listening to this on repeat these days; check it out!

It felt like springtime on this February morning
In the courtyard birds were singing your praise
I'm still recalling things you said to make me feel alright
I carried them with me today, Now

As I lay me down to sleep
This I pray
That you will hold me dear
Though I'm far away
I'll whisper your name into the sky
And I will wake up happy

I wonder why I feel so high
Though I am not above the sorrow
Heavy hearted
Till you call my name
And it sounds like church bells
Or the whistle of a train
On a summer evening
I'll run to meet you
Barefoot barely breathing

It's not too near for me
Like a flower I need the rain
Though it's not clear to me
Every season has its change
And I will see you
When the sun comes out again

Dear fellow bloggers & readers – I loveeee all the emails :)

Thank you for being my fellow travellers on this beaten path – let’s plant a marigold or two along the way!

Baarishein

2011-02-24T22:21:00.000-08:00

A few days back, Rahul sent the following piece in a random email ... I fell in love with the simplicity of expression! Immediately I wrote back to him to ask if I can write further and make it a collaborative piece!

----------------------------------------------------------------

I want it to rain today.

With dark clouds hugging the

lonely city tight. Want to stare at

nothin' through the trillions of
pouring raindrops. Sit by the window of

my clam house. Want to

listen to the drums of raindrops.

Want to smell the sweet earth.

Feel the wet wind. Aaah the

splashing water on the hardly visible

streets..

I want it to rain today.

(Rahul)

---------------------------

Aapki window aur meri khidki ke darmiyan,

Us chotey sey faasle mein hi,

Kuch boondein baadlon sey phisal ayeiin,

Pehle to light si pittar-patter thi,

Ab ghata ganghor hai,

From your windows,

To my panes,

Yeh kaisa shor hai?

Tum saath ho to dil karta hai phir bachchey ban jayen,

Mummy ki purani magazines churayein,

Kagaz ki rang-birangi naao banayein,

Der tak tairaaein aur door tak use jata dekhte rahein

Kiski aage nikal gayi aur kaun doob gaya . . .

Iska hisaab bhool jaayein!

(jasleen)

Quote: 2-17-2011

2011-02-17T14:58:00.000-08:00

We have been told, O Krishna,

that people whose family traditions are destroyed

necessarily dwell in hell for a long time.

Krishna

From Bhagwad Gita

ek khayaal ... aise hi!

2011-02-03T11:58:00.000-08:00

कितनी राहत है दिल

टूट जाने के बाद

ज़िन्दगी से मिले

मौत आने के बाद

Photo Credit: http://www.istockphoto.com/

http://stuffnoonetoldme.blogspot.com/

2011-01-26T15:58:00.000-08:00

From: Stuff No One Told Me

There is so much more of funnier stuff that I would have added here except I am feeling a little blue because those india-blogger peeps found some racy (!!!???) material here! I am sure Gulzar, Ghalib, Kaifi and other poets I quote here would disagree and that is enough to console me in this hour of disgrace ...

Meanwhile, this is just a sample - go check out this blog asap!

aise hi!

2011-01-25T15:00:00.000-08:00

कागज़ की कश्ती में दरीया पार कीया

देखो हमको क्या-क्या करतब आते हैं

gul zar

2011-01-18T21:42:00.000-08:00

wo aasman khula hai kyon,
kyon zameen tang hai,
tune to kaha tha,
ye dono ek rang hain!

-gulzar

Quote: 1-18-2011

2011-01-18T18:21:00.000-08:00

‎... And in that distance,

the division between the seer and the thing seen,

in that division, the whole conflict of man exists.

- J. Krishnamurti

7 Doe & Deer

2011-01-17T16:16:00.000-08:00

You may get a bit of a motion sickness watching this video but its still blog-worthy because I shot it! What an experience ...

aisa hi Guru bhaave!

2011-01-16T23:34:00.000-08:00

This is one of the most spiritual movie songs from "Sur Sangam". One of my most favorite movies and the soundtrack is a timeless gem.

Sung by Pt. Rajan Misra & Pt. Sajan Misra.

saadho aisa hi Guru bhave
raag rang ka bhar bhar pyaala
peevey aur pilaavey

naad chipaa tan mein
leh man mein
koi pata naa pavey
chaand suraj ka lochan Guru ka
dekhe aur dikaavey

karam hans Guru ans roop
jab hirday beech virajey
saat suron ko baani meri
Omkaar dhun gavey

Yellow Agony: Forget love. I want to fall in chocolate !

2011-01-16T21:48:00.000-08:00

Yellow Agony: Forget love. I want to fall in chocolate !

Gotta read this for if you are a Desi ... or even a non-Desi :)

baandh ghoongra prem ka . . .

2011-01-14T22:32:00.000-08:00

there are pieces of art which just connect with you - like they were meant to speak to you and for you! that is how this picture above makes me feel. it makes me smile and its just perfect for my blog's title ...

just like this meera-bhajan ...

saanware rang raachi

raana ji hoon to

baandh ghoongra prem ka

hoon to hari ke aage naachi

ek nirkhat, ek parkhat hai

ek karat more haasi

aur log mahare kaai karsi

hoon to hari ji, prabhu ji ki daasi

raano vish ko pyaalo bhejo

hoon to himmat ki dhanchi

meera charna lagai che saanchi

sanware rang raachi

raana ji hoon to ...

Another one for 1-13-2011

2011-01-13T22:43:00.000-08:00

Do not fear death...only the unlived life.
You don't have to live forever,
you just have to live.

-Natalie Babbit
From Tuck Everlasting

Thought for the day: 1-13-2011

2011-01-13T17:22:00.000-08:00

The minute you think of giving up any relation, think of the reason why you held it so long....

Courtesy: my very wise cousin's facebook status of the day.

this and that of 11011

2011-01-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

Did you notice that today's date is a palindrome: 11011
Thought someone besides me would get a kick out of it too ... and tomorrow it is 1-11-11 :)
Yeah - I am easily amused!

Well, the concept of "perfection" has been on my mind today. I asked a co-worker why he won't propose to his girl-friend whom he loves and knows he wants to spend the rest of his life with! He said, he needs to "gel all my ducks in a row". I said, "you mean you are looking for perfection and whats crazy, you think you have that kind of control over circumstances. What is to say that when things are perfect for you, they would be perfect for her too!"

I may not have convinced him but I got him thinking... Besides, I have no affinity or tolerance for perfection. I think you may like someone/something for whatever reasons but you stay in a certain situation once you make peace with the imperfections.

An old proverb I found online, seems to agree with me: A beautiful thing is never perfect!

Rhetoric Under Fire!

2011-01-10T16:34:00.000-08:00

Jared Lee Loughner’s ghastly smile continues to haunt me today. There is an immense sense of discomfort in his smile which seems victorious. I scan through the pictures of the six who lost their lives to this senselessness. Christina’s full-of-life smile makes me miss her like I knew her personally. I quietly talk to God and put in a request he makes the void some bearable for their families…

What now?

Try to put 2 and 2 together to add to 4!

Why did this happen?

· Loughner had mental health issues which were noticeable by people he interacted with!

· Did Sarah Palin instigate this?

· Are the journos/Media responsible for using provocative language?

· Is the First Amendment under fire?

Who/What to blame?

What is being said? How is it perceived? What is the appropriate reaction?

What exactly does the “right to freedom of speech” entail? How do you define Politically Correct?

In the coming days, there is going to be immense scrutiny about one of the most basic human needs/rights/responsibility --- Verbal Expression!

We all have very strong opinion about it but in the coming days, for those following this case, lot of our opinions and beliefs in regards to this subject are going to be questioned and tested --- not just in the “civic” context but also the “personal interactions” context. The blurry lines of vocal-civility will be challenged and may become uncomfortably prominent.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have often though of this time when someone said to me that “I don’t mind giving lip-service. I will say what the other person wants to hear.” At that time, that approach confused me! I was surprised that someone was ready to be so passive in their daily dealings. I thought it was impossible to keep yourself in check and not react honestly but perhaps that person was more enlightened than Me! Maybe that is the way to be. Maybe that is the the key in this volatile culture we have created; it is best to wear a veil of verbal-non-offense and live in a comatose-ic/amnesiac-consciousness.

aise bikhre hain raat din jaise

2011-01-09T23:25:00.000-08:00

Motiyon vaala haar toot gaya

Tumne mujhko piro ke rakha thaa …

Aadmi bulbula hai paani ka

Aur paani ki behti setteh par

Toot-ta bhi hai, doobta bhi hai

Phir ubharta hai, phir sey behta hai

Na samandar nigal saka isko

Na tavareekh tod paayi hai

Waqt ki mauj par sada behta

Aadmi bulbula hai paani ka

Zindagi kya hai Jan-ne ke liye

Zinda rehna bahut zaroori hai

Aaj tak koi bhi raha to nahin

Saari waadi udaas baithi hai

Mausam-e-gul ne khud-kashi kar li

Kisne barood boya baagon mein

Aao hum sab pehen lein aaiine

Saare dekhenge apna hi chehra

Sabko saarey haseen lagenge yahaan

Hai nahin jo dikhaai deta hai

Aaiine par chappa hua chehra

Tarjooma aaiine ka theek nahin

Humko Ghalib ne yeh dua di thi

Tum salaamat raho hazaar baras

Yeh baras to faqat dinon mein gaya

Lab tere Mir ne bhi dekhi hain

Pankhudi ik gulaab se hain

Baatein sunte to Ghalib ho jaate

Aise bikhre hain raat din jaise

Motiyon vaala haar toot gaya

Tumne mujhko piro ke rakha thaa …

Thought for 1-6-2011

2011-01-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

Alas, stupid has no boundaries... only if un-stupid

played by the stupid rules, we may actually enjoy

the intelligence God intended for us!

-jm

ohhh this is straight mean! ...

Dishoom Dishoom

2011-01-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

I have the typical Sardarni temperament!

Typical - like how you ask? You know - kick-back for the most part but when it rears its ugliness... phewww... I can control it mostly except when I know that I have been made a fool of or have been taken for granted! Come to think of it, that is like pretty much all humans with five senses working like tik-tok.

However, the problem is not the temper part. The problem begins when the temper calms down and all its wrath and fury has been leveraged to the deserving/non-deserving bystanders ... like dhadaaam!!! Once that phase is over and all the bridges have been burnt, the after feeling is something like those Bollywood films from the 80s. You know when in the climax, the hero beats up all the bad guys and kills the villain but also has to pay the price because the best friend/father/brother/the bar-dancer who loves him, also dies trying to save his life by coming in the middle of the gun shot by the villain right before he is killed by the hero! ... It is bitter-sweet! The credit reads "The End" with a tag line, "and they lived happily ever after"! But do they?

After the movie is over and the hero continues to live "happily ever after", does the hero never wonder about that life that was lost trying to save his life... When the heroine/wife puts too much mirch in the sabji, does he not think, if she danced like that bar-dancer, then perhaps this sabji would be ok but this moti better learn to cook or else get in shape to look like Helen! I mean, does it really get picture perfect!

Based on the above analogy, I can safely conclude that there is no "happily ever after". There is definitely a new movie waiting to begin from that "The End" with its own set of side-kicks and villains.

Well - back to ME! Once the rush of emotions have subsided and the temper voltage has shot down to normal levels, I am wondering about my 3-hour of movie of which the biggest mistake was horrible editing. It was too long! The ending was as stale as the beginning - no progress! Why did I continue to sit in the theater?

My movie is a bigger disaster than "Gigli"!
But you know what - down but not out... script-work in progress :)

Happy 2011 ...

w

2010-12-21T14:03:00.000-08:00

A man with one watch knows what time it is;

a man with two watches is never quite sure.

Don't look where you fall,

but where you slipped.

Look at life through the wind-shield,

not the rear-view mirror.

People will doubt what you say,

but they will believe what you do.

Be nice to people on your way up,

because you will need them on your way down.

Never explain!

Your friends don't need it

and your enemies will not believe it.

While seeking revenge, dig two graves -

one for yourself!

Time you enjoyed wasting,

was not wasted!

Courage in not lack of fear,

but the ability to act while facing fear.

If you are heading in the wrong direction,

you are allowed a U-turn.

You've got to do your own growing,

no matter how tall your father was.

I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself.

A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough

without having felt sorry for itself.

The best way to predict future is

to create it!

*** I think its worth opening up those forwards sporadically! You never know . . .

PJ - Hall of Famer!

2010-12-21T12:17:00.000-08:00

A woman who passed away ended up in heaven.

God was surprised to hear her heart continued to beat. He asked the woman and she replied, "I may be dead but my lover still lives in my heart."

The woman was sent to hell for over-acting!

Quote: 12-20-2010

2010-12-20T13:05:00.000-08:00

Every so often it is important to see things up close and personal becuase "all that glitters is not gold".

O hell! what have we here?
A carrion Death, within whose empty eye
There is a written scroll! I'll read the writing.
All that glitters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms enfold.
Had you been as wise as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgment old,
Your answer had not been inscroll'd:
Fare you well; your suit is cold.

-Wm. Shakespeare

From The Merchant of Venice

Quote: 12-15-2010

2010-12-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

Osho's No Thought of the Day on Facebook!
How close to home does this hit? Did not know he was a clairaudient!

"You see the people ― they are miserable because they have compromised on every point, and they cannot forgive themselves because they have compromised.They know that they could have dared, but they proved cowards. ...In their own eyes they have fallen, they have lost self-respect. That´s what compromise does" Osho

thought and question!?

2010-12-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

Desh Kapoor's thoughts on his visit to India:

So many things are changing in India, but why does it still seem the same? It seems that "Jugaad" (workaround) mindset defines our life & world-view. Lately, have been asking this question - how could a populace which was steeped in complete and global well-being (as evidenced in Vedic mantras and Vedantic wisdom etc) stoop to a point where only momentary survival became the most overwhelming driving force of life?

mein bhi ... kaminey!

2010-12-11T21:30:00.000-08:00

This post – is infected with ambiguity!

The writer – is just plain infectious (mostly literally and a little figuratively).

The mood – is frivolous banter laced with unintentional poignance.

There are days you wake up and immediately want to crawl right back to avoid that “ick” which your instinct warns of that awaits right outside the door. Friday was just that day! And boy, were my instincts correct! I woke up to a feeling of an immense void … (Serious case of delayed reaction!) . . . As the day progressed, much of what I have known to be stable in my life was not so anymore. Events occurred which will have some significant effect on my future plans.

I felt like I was loosing balance and tried to hold on to all that I felt was precious enough to hold onto. I made an effort which I shouldn’t have because it involves another and it was rather imposing … I felt horrible and worse after …I should not have… I won’t do it again!

I left work early. Everything was falling apart but my iPod knew exactly what would soothe my anxiety-ridden soul … meri aarzooo kamineee/mere khawab bhi kaminey . . . great lyrics and music to play in the fore-ground of my thoughts! . . . what can make this drive feel even better? A Frap … I pulled into the local Starbucks … As I pulled into the driveway, a woman wearing a Santa Hat waved at me. She had the most beautiful smile. She was accompanied by a young girl. Her daughter, I assumed!

“Spare any extra change?” she asked.

“I am sorry, I have no cash on me.” …

“Oh! Merry Christmas!” She waved as she continued to smile.

I noticed she had a board sitting next to her – something “homeless”. It’s not a rarity these days. Something stopped me and I turned around, “can I buy you girls a cup of coffee perhaps; it’s a cold evening.” They both looked at each other, “sure”!

~ ~ ~

Okay – I thought, so I am over-reacting! So if this is “over”-reaction – what would be the “normal”-reaction? Everything that I know as stable seems to be collapsing and to top it, I have lost that connected-feeling with someone who has been a very significant feature in my days! There is something else that is gone with that . . . The void became bigger!

As I drove home, I could not stop thinking of the ladies who allowed me the pleasure of their company. I thought, please God – let things work out for them soon. Hmmm…Good thought! I said to myself, you know Jasleen, they need that prayer more than you – you still have so much to go home to! One thought led to another and I revisited a few similar people who allowed me to share a few minutes of their lives . . .

~ ~ ~

He must have been a boy of about eight years of age.

Stopped at a traffic light in New Delhi, as I bought a magazine from one of the hawkers, he approached my window and said, “didi, aap bahut beautiful ho”.

I laughed and said, “thank you”.

He said, “didi, ten do na”.

I said, “kyon?”

He said, “kaha na, aap bahut beautiful ho.”

I said, “tum to mujhse zada beautiful ho; tum mujhey fifteen to.”

He was a little shocked - “Nahin didi, aap sach mein bahut beautiful ho.”

I wanted to continue the conversation but the traffic was starting to move. I gave him what he had asked for and pulled out my hand from the window for a hand shake, I said, “friends”! He smiled and ran away!

I loved his style! He must make so many women feel better about themselves . . . by the way, he really was one of the most beautiful little boys I have ever seen.

~ ~ ~

Setting: Again Delhi J

Realizing that I have to wait for 30 minutes for the dry cleaners to get my Sari ready, I decided to treat myself to a meetha-paan.

I felt so in control of the transaction when I said, “bhaiya – thoda aur gulkand.” The paan-waala gave me a smirky look knowing fully well that I am pretending to be a local.

I stuffed the whole paan in my mouth like the pros do; I decided to walk around the market. When I returned, my dry-cleaning was still not ready; “another ten minutes madam.” Ufff! I walked out and planted myself on a concrete pavement right outside the shop . . . Soon a little girl of maybe twelve, walked up to me and said, “mem sahib, mehndi lagwaogi?”

I said, “nahi.”

“Jaldi se lag jayegi.”

“nahi, mujhey nahin lagwani.” (I had had a painful experience only a few weeks back with the mehndi vendors – I was still no over that)

“acha – theek hai, to 20 hi de do.”

Slightly perturbed, “tum mehndi lagati ho ya paise mangti ho?”

“dono – to 20 dogi?” – like she was doing me a favor.

I began to like that interaction due to her confidence.

“20 thoda zada nahin hai mangne ke liye?”

“to kitne dogi.”

“doosrey kitney dete hain?”

“bees mil jaatey hain”

I gave her look full of dis-belief. She said, “15 to mil hi jatey hain.”

“paanch dete huye dekha hai maine to”, I said.

“acha dus hi de do.”

“nahin – mein to nau (9) doongi”

“acha baba – nau hi theek hain. Do!”

“mere paas nahin hain!”

She was starting to loose patience. “To kitney hain?”

“dus – chootta karva kar rupaya vapas karogi?”

Confused but still enthused to be released from this extraordinary situation, she said, “haan, do”.

I handed her the ten – not knowing if she would return back to give me my rupaya back. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. Soon she disappeared in the crowd. Ten minutes later she had still not returned but my dry-cleaning was ready. I paid for it and as I stepped out to look for a three-wheeler to take me back home, a little girl tugged on my sleeve – place a rupaya on my palm and ran off.

Holding that coin, I smiled through my ride back.

~ ~ ~

As I exited from the freeway, the song was still on repeat . . .

Kabhi zindagi se maanga,

Pinjrey mein chaand laa do,

Kabhi laalten deke,

Kaha aasmaan pe tango …

Jeene ke sab kareeney

They hamesha se kamineyy

Meri daastan kamini,

Mere raastey kaminey . . .

चौखट by Rahul Vidwans

2010-12-11T19:21:00.000-08:00

जाने क्यों
हसी मेरी, तुम्हारे साथ चले है अब भी
ना जाने क्यों खो जाऊ
और कदम तुम्हारा लहर उछाले अब भी

ना जाने क्यों
खुशबु तुम्हारी आए मेरे खून से
धड़कन क्यों न आजाद अब भी
तुम्हारी आँखों की कक्षा से

ना जाने क्यों
लगती हो बस तुम सच; धुंधला माहोल बाकी
और खुद भी धुंधला बैठा
उजागर न हूँ अब भी

ना जाने क्यों
दुनिया चतुर्थ मिती है, और मैं जीए हूँ तेरी आवाज में
पानी पिघल भीग जाए या हाथ तुम्हारा हाथ में

होटल टेबल के कोनो से टपकता मैं
और हवा में ठण्ड बन गुमसुम तुम
पता है फिर भी,
कोहरे में आजाद मेरा अपना सच - तुम

पर मैं अटका खडा अब भी उसी उथली चौखट में
ना जाने क्यों.

Direct Link: http://rahulvidwans.blogspot.com/2010/12/chaukhat.html

Quote: December 4, 2010

2010-12-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

‎Only if you carry your life on your sleeves

can you enter the path of divine love.

-Hafez

Aise hi!

2010-12-03T16:44:00.000-08:00

Many months back, I began to write a story from male perspective when this thought came to me! It was an effort to reflect someone's longing for the unattainable. As I read this again, I can't help but wonder how human emotions can't remain untouched from the "wanting something to hold on to" aspect . . . Even in the following lines, the speaker wants something tangible to hold on to . . . I suppose emotions are an amalgamation of mind and heart. Maybe our reactions are different due to the different ratios of mind and heart which goes in to our respective emotions . . . I am 73.9 % heart, 19.5 % mind, wait that does not add up!!!

आज पौन किलो धूप तोल कर लाया हूँ.
शाम ढले, अपनी छत्त पर रोज़ की तरह तेरी राह दाखूंगा.
जब तू मेरी अँधेरी गली से गुज़रेगी, तो सोचता हूँ,
की थोड़ी से धूप तेरे ऊपर फेंकूंगा. . .
तू तो चली जायेगी,
तेरा साया संभाल लूँगा . . .

resolute-ify-ing!

2010-12-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

Here is what I would want to say to anyone who is wondering about my New Year's Resolution!

j/k (not really; but I don't wanna come across as an abrupt narcissist ... a subtle one perhaps!)

Pensive note: Why do the dates on the calendar have such a marked effect on us making the needful changes in our lives? For instance: "I will start getting healthier from Monday onwards." / "I will quit smoking from the first of xyz month" / "I am going to start cleaning up on Sunday morning" / "I will call that person I upset, tomorrow, during lunch." etc. . . Why do we procrastinate and continue with the wrong in spite of the conscious realization that a certain situation needs to change? Why do we take the precious moments of our lives for granted? What makes today less meaningful and important than the future? Isn't today the future we dreamt of yesterday?

Well the only change I will consciously start working on is that as soon as I realize that things need to change, I will put in my best to make that change - nothing is small enough to be ignored, nothing is big enough to be impossible! If Nike can, so can I "Just Do It!"

Quote: November 25, 2010

2010-11-25T12:19:00.000-08:00

The soul who meditates on the Self
is content to serve the Self
and rests satisfied within the Self;
there remains nothing more for him to accomplish.

-Bhagwad Gita

...Thank you!

2010-11-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

This year I started to create a list of everyone and everything I am greateful for - you know the traditional kind ... I am absolutely elated at how much I received this year! I want to post it here except without the names, it would not make sense and I don't want to use names in a public-domain blog!

So here are few lines I quickly jotted down as a token of love and gratitude to God for everyone and you!

Thanks for yesterday, thanks for to-day;
Thanks for all you give, even if I don't pray.
Thanks for giving, thanks for taking;
Thanks for coming, thanks for leaving!
Thank the Gods, thank the mortals;
Thanks to not All, but definietly not few.
Oh! this is ridiulous, all I want to say is,
Thank you!

-jm

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Here is what I am truly thankful for; life's little smiles!
I woke up to breakfast in bed prepared by the best brother in the world. I love you!


Breakfast like a King . . . !

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This truly gives meaning to my favorite mantra for daily life;

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon!

This advice has yet to disappoint me! Hope you reap the rewards as well as we approach closure of yet another calender year!

*** contrary to the fwd-email-land-belief, that gives Dalai Lama the credit for this quote, it is actually by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. from his "Life's Little Instructions Book".

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Namaste to all!

Take a moment to watch this informative video of Pastor Eddie D. Smith explaining the meaning of "Namaste" to his congregation.

Namaste means,

The divinity within me,

Salutes the divinity within you!

Udne Do!

2010-11-15T18:46:00.000-08:00

pankhon ko hawa zara si lagne do
dil bole ... soya tha abhi jagne do ....
Udne do - o - o . . .

शोर-शराबा

2010-11-06T04:05:00.000-07:00

फिर कोई शोर-शराबा हो
एक बार फिर चौंक जायें.
फिर आधी मूंदी आँखों
के सपने अधूरे रह जायें.
फिर आँखें मूँद लें
वोह था जो सपने में
फिर अपनी झलक दिखला जाए.
अधूरी कोई बात थी
उसे पूरा कर जाए.

फिर कोई शोर-शराबा हो
एक बार कोई फिर बुलाये
उस पुराने नाम से
जो भूल चुके हैं
एक बार फिर याद आये.
उसकी भीगी सी आवाज़
इतनी शोर में भी
जानी पहचानी सी
सुनाई दे जाए.

फिर कहीं शोर उठे
उसमें सब ख़याल
घुल जाएँ
धुल जाएँ.
उस शोर-शराबे में
सच और झूठ के
दायरे से परे
कुछ याद रखें
कुछ भूल जाएँ.

kuch aise hi!

2010-11-04T16:15:00.000-07:00

A very Happy Diwali to all those who celebrate and

a Happier Diwali to those you don’t so you start celebrating!

Picture Credit

Sad Keanu?!

Wow – this has been going on for? Google “sad keanu” and find hundreds and hundreds of results with blogs, plogs, web-pages dedicated to the lets cheer up Sad Keanu cause! It apparently started a few months back when a reporter took a photograph of Keanu Reeves eating a sandwich alone! Since then, it has become a complete rage to photoshop that picture titled “sad Keanu”. By the way, the charming and gracious Mr. Reeves responded, “Well, it sounds like harmless, good clean fun.”

Mr. Reeves talks about this and that: http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/10/vulture_tells_keanu_reeves_abo.html

Example of Sad Keanu Photoshops

Shoe worry of the month!

How can a shoe this cute be so uncomfortable? Before you speak, you must know that it’s a Clarks! These are made to be super confortable! These are sooo cute – perfect for my upcoming trips! I have tried all Dr. Scholl’s remedies. More home remedies are welcome!

Just Girls

Am I really that careless or are people a bit too paranoid? Ok here is a conversation that occurred between a girl-friend and I while we hung out downtown.

At crossing (without lights):

GF: Dude, I can’t believe you just venture out assuming that the driver will definitely stop.

JM: Why won’t he? It’s a pedestrian crossing; I am a pedestrian. Common sense! Stop! We are losing faith in our fellow citizens for no reason.

GF: You know you have “being too trusting” issues!

JM: And you are over-paranoid.

GF: At least I won’t be the vegetable! Knowing your luck, you won’t really die if hit . . .

JM: Hmmm … I feel like Vegetable soup …

Off to lunch!

Really people! I do the whole prescribed road-crossing thing! How can one always be so skeptical and afraid of things going wrong? Kick back and have a bit o faith in each other! Its the least you can do during this Holiday season =)

Stuff it!

2010-10-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

I really should not be reading Calvin and Hobbes - I have tons to do but for some reason, I can't seem to grow out of my comics obsession! BTW I found Chacha Chaudhary online!!! eeeekssss! <---the good - happy kind of eeeeekksss! (yes, there is a good - happy kind of eeeeekkkssss!) ... I will post Chacha Chaudhury too soon ... For the uninitiated, Chacha Chaudury is an Indian comic character ... a masterpiece and a fictional legend!

Meanwhile this C & H from 11-19-1985 must be posted and shared for all who pay me a TGIF visit:

V

2010-10-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

Sooo share-worthy!

Click on the below link.. You will get a black page. Click your mouse anywhere (& everywhere) on the page & see what happens! Better yet, click & drag your mouse over the black page.

Hope you will like it.

Smile Away =)

Repairing

2010-10-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

As I described my current situation to a friend who wondered – I don’t want to talk about it; I am in repair mode! … This is part of an interaction with someone who had contacted me after almost four years to re-touch a piece I had written about, “Falling out of Love”. This friend did a fabulous analysis of the piece back then. There was actually a reason for that write up - a very mean reason! :( ... So you won’t believe my surprise when that interaction which had occurred about four years back, turned up in my inbox a few days back! What timing, I thought. What surprised me even more was my fear to revisit the piece. I did not want to read it. Have I become and emotional coward? This reaction was so “not me”.

God finds a way to talk to you if you really have faith. I always gloated about being his most fearless child … He must be frustrated with who I have become! … This renewed interaction where this friend is making me analyze all the points is perhaps just that. Making me break my boundaries and venture into those spots I have become so fearful of. Dear friend, you are reading this… thank you! I have faith that you are God-sent because only he is capable of such good timing.

Project: to resuscitate my super-adventurous soul! Stop being such a coward because - a coward dies a million deaths a day and the brave lives a million breaths a day! I choose to live!

Reminds me of Ghalib’s “mujhey kya bura tha marna, agar ek baar hota.”

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I have bigger worries now!

Yesterday, I hit the "next blog" button on the toolbar on top of this page and to my surprise which transformed into shock which transformed into disbelief combined with some dismay and eventually effected my writer-ego quite a bit -- it was a blog of a man who likes to take nude pictures of self!

Why O Why have the Google Gods put my rated PG blog in the same line up as a Rated R / X Rated blog? Who have I upset with my poetry and music and an occasional "Oh Romeo" ranting?

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BTW - this Monkey is asking a very valid question: "why is there no mouse flavored cat-food?"

Sudha Malhotra's Khwaab Tha . . .

2010-10-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

Maybe not a recognizable name today, but when Sudha Malhotra first appeared on the Hindi Film Music scene, she was considered a possible competition for the Mangeshkar sisters. Its seems that she eventually became more memorable for being involved with Sahir Ludhianvi, one of India's most respected poets and lyricist, than for her singing. As noted by Khushwant Singh,

Sudha Malhotra’s name was linked with Sahir correctly. Sahir had gone out of way to promote this upcoming singer. She ditched him. When Sahir caught a glimpse of newly married Sudha Malhotra at a party, the immortal lines “Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jayeen hum dono” flashed across his mind.

(Link: Tortured Soul)

I personally could never find anything unique about her voice or her delivery but one of the songs rendered by her has been in my "absolute favorites" list since the first time I heard it on a five-CD-set titled "Gazal Ka Safar". I think all Gazal lovers have this collection. I found myself playing this song on repeat for many days. For what its worth her voice quality gave this nazm that nostalgic feel that the lyrics demaded. The music is mesmerizing but the lyrics/poetry is what will remain with you ... Somewhere in the middle of the day today, I found myself wondering --- maah tha ki saal thaa kya tha? Thank God for google!

Here is Sudha Malhotra singing this song for a BBC Special:

Khwab tha ya Khayal tha kya tha

hijr tha ya wisal tha kya tha

chamki bijli si par na samjhe hum

husn tha ya jamal tha kya tha

jis ko hum roz-e-hijr samjhe the

mah tha wo ke sal tha kya tha

`Mussafi` kal jo chup sa baiTha tha

kya tujhe kuch malal tha kya tha

aise hi!

2010-10-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

पता नहीं कब की बात है - एक audio-recording सुनी थी ... साहिर लुधिआनवी की आवाज़ थी. किसी महफ़िल में अपनी नज़्म "कभी कभी' पढ़ रहा था वोह. यह वोह version नहीं है जो हमने यश चोपड़ा की फिल्म में सुना है. यह उस गाने का original था. Original version की voice pessimistic थी. उस version में एक never-ending longing का एहसास था. Internet पर मैंने वोह नज़्म पढ़ी भी थी . . . words तो याद नहीं - पर उसकी आवाज़ memory में store हो गयी थी. शायरों की आवाज़ बड़ी ही different होती है. जैसे poems में जान डालने के लिए कुछ extra ढ़ाल दिया हो भगवान् ने. शायद वोह जब शायर बना रहे होते हैं तब उसकी आवाज़ एक extra fine-tuning करते हैं. कभी वक़्त मिले तो youtube पर फैज़, कैफ़ी आज़मी, गुलज़ार की आवाज़ सुनना... मुझे आवाज़ नहीं भूलती - चेहरे और नाम भूल जाते हैं - पर आवाज़ हमेशा दिमाग में गूंजती है. कभी कभी जब साहिर लुधिआनवी के लिखे गाने सुनती हूँ तो, गाने वाले की आवाज़ साहिर की आवाज़ में metamorph हो जाती है.

एक साहिर का लिखे गाने की कुछ lines हैं जो automatically उसकी अपनी आवाज़ में मेरे mind में आती है . . . पढने से पहले ख्याल रहे, these words will ring in your head for a very long time . . . so read at your own risk!

ख़ाक को बुत
और बुत को
देवता करता है
इश्क
इन्तेहाँ यह है की
बंदे को
खुदा करता है
इश्क . . .

The Mirrors of Perception

2010-10-19T03:36:00.000-07:00

Dos-ing Away!

I am not kidding; I woke up dreaming of Dosaz! Really! I was at this restaurant in Haryana, where we always stop when we cross that place going back and forth between New Delhi and Punjab. The best Dosaz I have ever had. Completely authentic! In my dream, I kept on waiting and waiting and waiting and eating the nariyal cutney but the dosaz never made it & my alarm went off! Ufff!

I was craving Dosaz a few months back too - It all re-started with one of my friends posting – “craving Dosas” on his Facebook status update. So the background is that he is a Bay Area native who retired to Myrtle Beach a few years back. In the Bay Area, obviously, finding a Dosa place is not much of a challenge. But apparently for the Myrtle Beach residents the closest Dosa place is in Charlotte – 200 miles away! He said he was almost tempted to drive 200 miles – but he has a wife to keep things in perspective! … I miss old friends who move far away!

X-tra, extra!

View from Surf City Billiards, Santa Cruz, Ca

So - about that article my friend Desh wrote about Jasleen feels like an extra in the movie of life! I read that piece several times only to realize how all our senses are really about perception; how we perceive things! For ex. something may taste too salty to me and too bland to the next person.

D. told me that these words were ringing in his head during a five-hour flight when he wrote that piece. Well, based on that piece, he pretty much took that phrase and made it his own – his reading was more in the context of achievements – far more personal than my emotions when I said it. My context was more in terms of being an observant – like that timed-out kid on the bleachers during a base-ball game and not feeling too bad about it either. Get an occasional wave and a smile from the players but for the most part I get to watch the action from a third-person perspective!

After reading Desh’s piece, I got a super-sweet Facebook Wall Post from anther brilliant friend, Dr. Garrimaa Singh who upon my request for a relative poem quickly penned the following:

Kya likhein kya kahein
sochte hee reh gaye
saaree duniya aage chaldee
ham peeche hee reh gaye
ye nahi ki wo bhee khush hain
...ek uljhan kashmakash hai
aisa lagta hai sabhi ke
sapne adhoore reh gaye
dil ke arman unke bhee
banke aansu beh gaye
kya likhein kya kahein
kehne ko kuch baaki nahi hai

-Dr. Garrimaa Singh

Yeh bhi ek soch hai, ek khayal hai.

Yeh bhi perspective ka kamaal hai!

The Other Perspective!

In listening to a close friend go through a severely difficult emotional phase, I realized how one-dimensional I have been; how I have always assumed that everyone deals with hurt the way I do! He thanked me for “being there” the other day and all I wanted to do was hug him and say, you don’t have any idea how much you have helped me.

Advise: “Put yourself in the other person’s shoes” – don’t take this phrase lightly! Really, every so often put yourself in the shoes of the person you seem to not understand. You may still not understand but at least you may find a release for your negative emotions towards that person.

Lesson: We are all entitled to our perspectives =)

Quote: 10-13-2010

2010-10-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

What you keep to yourself, you loose,

what you give away, you keep forever!

~Axel Munthe

I Want To Meet Myself by Desh Kapoor

2010-10-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

From Desh Kapoor's Blog, Drishtikone.

Jasleen, a dear friend once said in a casual conversation - in one of her rather low moments - "In the movie of life, I feel like an extra". That one simple sentence resonated with so many people on my Facebook page when I put it there, that it truly surprised me. It was not only the cry of Jasleen's heart, but mine as well, and as I learnt of many others. Some openly and publicly acknowledged it, while I am sure many more others quietly nodded in their minds. It doesn't matter how accomplished we are. It doesn't matter how great our pretense of distinctions and great work we are doing, the fact is that we always seem "less than perfect" in our own way. And when we say "perfect' its not some benchmark outside, but what we think we can do even by our own standards.

When Tansen was on his deathbed, a legend about him goes, he was asked if there was anything that he thought he could do more that he couldn't. He eagerly said, "Yes, perfect Raag Bhairavi a bit more". Tansen was the creator of this decidedly the most popular Raag in the history of Indian Classical music!

There is something in us that "knows" its capability. Whatever height or perfection we may get to. It keeps pushing on. Can we ever be happy with our selves? For us beings, who constantly live in the world of comparisons, it seems almost impossible for us to just perform at our peak and be happy about it - but that is really how it works. At the "peak of our being", probably that urge to expand and perfect satiates a bit.

Continue reading here: http://drishtikone.com/blog/i-want-meet-myself

Guncha Koi by Mohit Chauhan

2010-10-10T23:15:00.000-07:00

From Silk Route, "Guncha Koi" by Mohit Chauhan.

Mohit Chauhan has a quality of "quite-ness" to his delivery which gives this neo-Gazal its own identity. The lyrics are rather simple and the music is average but the singer makes this song something that I would like to share here:

Quote: 10-10-10

2010-10-10T01:26:00.000-07:00

While I know myself to be the creation of God,

I am also obligated to realize and remember that

everyone else and everything are also God's creation.

-Maya Angelou

fall-ing into randomness

2010-10-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

Go with the FLOW!

Lately I have been pondering over how we all deliberate too much!

In impressive stories of older generations, which I have heard or read or watched movies about, they were all so action-oriented! While we sit in front of our computer screens and read reviews and/or opinions of anything and everything, they were out their making those stories and things to be reviewed about. We are on our way to become a stagnating clan!

We have dug ourselves in a hole of “too much information” which leads to “too much thinking/deliberation” and since we are really not and will never will be “know-it-alls” we make too many “ass-u-me-tions” (sp.) and loose great opportunities life pretty much serves us in a silver-platter because we are cowards who need a review with start-ratings and dozen opinions. . . soon the babies will be asking for the ratings on their mother’s milk quality! . . . That’s going too far . . . is it?

Well, I am not suited for this sort of an environment . . . I would rather be the one writing the reviews and give opinions . . . so I go with the flow! Take a deep breath and just enjoy this moment because this will not come back . . . and so I dared to advice a friend:

Jasleen’s Friend: So, what do I do now?

Jasleen: Just go with the flow . . . stop thinking and follow your first instinct . . .

Jasleen’s Friend: I’m not good at flowing; more like sinking, rising, hitting a dam, white water rapids . . . Rinse, Repeat . . .

Jasleen laughed – my friend is absolutely amazing with words. Most of the people I tend to hang on to are quite eloquent. I am blessed . . .

Happy Navratri!

. . . & I feel truly blessed to be here – I can smell it and I think almost touch it too; the non-stop festivities that start with Navratri. I love Navratri! The beautiful Goddess Durga pictures on Indian News Channels; dozens of different Pundits giving their own version of “how to do the Puja?” . . .the works. I usually fast during the Navratris but this year I am passing on it – lame excuses really . . . But the spirit of the festival is still with me. . . Its time for acceptance and embracing the old for what it is and just being happy and greatful . . .

That reminds me - of a few things which I have experienced second-hand in a past few months, I want to stand on the roof tops and tell everyone to never let go of those who were there to see you through when things were so bad that you don't want to remember that time any more. If in the effort to re-start you loose those who held your hand during that phase, you will have nothing but regrets because you would have lost the biggest treasure of life! HOLD ON because that is the strongest foundation to build upon!

Mahi Ve by Atif Aslam

So – I wonder how I missed this song from his album, “Doorie”! This Punjabi song is amazing; it is one of the best Hard-Rock numbers I have heard. Love it! Atif finally won me over!

Check it out although the video is meh!

kade aa maahiyaa saadey vehrey
muk jaaney merey saarey vichorey!
Mahiii Veyy ...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok I was a bit didactic but I am quite wise . . . so I hear and I don't believe everything I hear unless it comes from sources like my friends who give me quotable quotes which I can blog about; ex. the dialogue above!

So I must include a PJ:

Mrs. Santa Singh caught her husband Santa Singh searching high and low all around his living room.

Mrs. Santa Singh: What are you searching for?

Santa: Hidden cameras!

Mrs. Santa Singh: And what makes you think that there are hidden cameras here? Santa: That guy on TV knows exactly what I am doing. Why every few minutes he keeps saying, You are watching the Star World channel. How does he know that?

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Quote: October 6, 2010

2010-10-06T21:22:00.000-07:00

all truths wait in all things,

they never hasten their own delivery

nor resist it.

-walt whitman

Very Desi - A Historic Letter

2010-10-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

Indian Railways - A Historic Letter

A letter sent by a railway passenger to the authorities.........

A Historic Letter!!!!!!!!

"I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too much swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with 'lotah' in one hand and 'dhoti' in the next, when I am fall over and expose all my shocking to man and female women on platform.

I am got leaved at Ahmedpur station.

This too much bad, if passenger go to make dung that dam guard not wait train five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honour to make big fine on that guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report to papers."

Okhil Chandra Sen wrote this letter to the Sahibganj Divisional Railway Office in 1909. It is on display at the Railway Museum in New Delhi . It was also reproduced under the caption "Travellers' Tales" in the Far Eastern Economic Review.

Any guesses why this letter was of historic value?

It apparently led to the introduction of toilets in trains.

definition of life

2010-09-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

There as six billion Gods and six billion definitions of life out there at this moment! Although, I like all the different Gods I come across.. like the Baby God (Krishna, Little Christ), the youthful God out to get rid of evil (Rama, Guru Gobind Singh), the kind, loving, saintly God (Christ, Guru Nanak, Sai Baba), the enlightened recluse (Buddha), the angry God (Zeus), the innocent God (Shiva) - I am not sure if I like that angry God guy - I mean why would God be angry! He has all the control buttons. He can make shit happen like he wants to. I think just to make the game funner, he left the Love button control, out-of-even-his-control. I think he may regret it some days. But you know even he wants the free-will kind of love from us! So he may be a little human too.

I wonder what is God's definition of life!

Calvin shares his idea with Hobbes - "Life is like topography, Hobbes. There are summits of happiness and success, flat stretches of boring routine, and valleys of frustration and failure."

I think life has a different definition everyday but eventually it all boils down to the need to be happy and the desire to be loved!

5 Mistakes Everyone Should Make

2010-09-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

Loved this list; some of the points resonated some of my previous posts - especially, don't be afraid to take risks and embarrass yourself!

Totally embarrass yourself.
Ruffle people's feathers.
Follow trends blindly.
Be willing to fail - do something you love.
Carelessly put yourself at risk.

Direct link: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/5-mistakes-everyone-should-make-2391721/

Lehrein . . .

2010-09-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, this is a sad song!

When I posted it on Facebook, I really did not get the sad part of it. IDK. I don't pay attention to all the details. So after the queries of "are you part of the sad-people club?" started to flow in, I wondered ... hmmm! Am I? Why do I like this song? Anyways - my introspection apart, this is a beautiful song: fabulous instruments playing, gorgeous composition, beautiful voice, and yeah the lyrics - they sound like words straight from the heart!

Check out the violin at the beginning of the song!!!

Kya Kahun Kyun Yeh Dil Udaas Hai
Ab Koi Door Hai Na Paas Hai
Choo Le Jo Dil Woh Baatein Ab Kahan
Woh Din Kahan Raatein Ab Kahan
Jo Bhi Dhakhal Hai Ab Khawab Sa
Ab Dil Mera Hai Betaab Sa
Saari Kaliyan Murja Gayi
Rang Unke Yaadon Mein Beh Gaye
Saare Gharaande Reet Ke
Lehrein Aayi, Lehron Mein Beh Gayi, Beh Gaye ...

Dreams!

2010-09-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

How do you perceive your dreams?

Does remembering your dream when you wake up, have an effect on your day? Does a happy dream make you smile for the rest of the day?

The interpretation of dreams is split between spirituality and science. The first thing that comes to mind when you think of interpreting dreams is the Fruedian Psychoanalysis Theory, which is essentially that your dreams are a reflection of your subconscious. The eastern schools of thoughts believe otherwise; per them, dreams are symbolic hints of what the superpower is trying to tell you – it’s a guidance mechanism.

I am sure that there is something to Sigmund Freud’s theories but to me dreams have always been symbolic directions from that unknown force. I have always faced all my fears and hurt through my dreams – which has been plenty in the recent past! Subsequently, I have had many dreams…

One of the dreams that has been on my mind for a few days now is very symbolic – I can’t really make out what it is about! In my dream, I was alone in a poorly lit, large, rectangular room with hardly any walls – it was all doors. I was closing the doors frantically but each time I closed one, another would open. Each door had a different view from it when I looked out.

This dream keeps on reminding me of that old adage, “when one door closes, God opens another one!” The recent events in my life have been something along the lines of “doors reopening” – maybe with slightly different scenery.

Per the Sikh philosophy, this world is an illusion, like a dream, … and if that is true, then we must be God’s dream. If all this is occurring in God’s mind, no dream is any less inconsequential as what we call the reality.

A very wise old lady had once said to me, “Jasleen – where do you think dreams come from? Do you really think they are a mere imagination of a sleeping brain…” I think – it may be our foray into that parallel universe because why does our subconscious construct absolutely new and irrelevant places in our dreams. It must all exist somewhere in a different illusion, a different plane.

email, fax, pigeon, telepathy or call on my BB ...

2010-09-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

My Blackberry Affair! It started about two and half years back. That one summer afternoon I decided to stop by the local AT&T store to see if I can play with a few gadgets and collect some thinking fodder about which would be a suitable accessory. My main criterion was a comfortable qwerty keypad for convenient texting. My girlfriend had a Palm (who is now an iPhone convert) and she swore by it! I went in to look at the Palm. As a memory refresher – the Palm on display was the model that spelled their doom! For a smartphone novice like me, even I was not impressed. The keys were so small! As I turned around, the Customer Svc. Rep. led me to the new Blackberry Curve which was also on sale! I love on-sale products. As soon as I held the curvy-curve in my palm, the romance had begun. It was love at first sight. I walked out with one that day! I have had the same phone ever since in spite of the accidents poor thing has had to endure: It has been dropped in the ocean water (yes, it survived after serious remedies were exercised with lots of TLC). It has also been stolen – but it would not cheat and hence it came back to me although with lifelong scars (aka. Scratches).

But considering it is two and a half years old - which is like a 100 in phone-years, it has been dropping hints about a possible retirement. So I was back in my local AT&T store to check out the new, very fancy gadgets. They have come a long way even for my Curve. For obvious reasons, I am biased towards the new Torch in spite of the not-so-good reviews. I have always loved sliders – a Blackberry Slider is like finding a perfect phone!

However, right now the epicenter of the cell-phone- game is the iPhone. Leaving the Palms and the Blackberries far behind in the game, this power-packed or apps-packed gadget is a must have. I would say a good 90% of my friends swear by its functionality but we all know that it is a ‘status symbol’. Meanwhile, to sell me on it, I constantly have had friends demonstrate such a variety of apps on this thing that I can’t say that I was not swayed the iPhone way.

A week or two back, I played with the iPhone 4 and could not deny that it has all the frills and thrills but for some reason, that Torch continued to pull me towards it! I thought what the heck, let me get this iPhone 4 and join the masses. Now I can say fortunately, they did not have it in stock!!! Wow – that popular! That was kind of a turn-off. I don’t know, I like a touch of uniqueness to all my accessories! I am going to have this thing in my purse for a few years! I walked in the gym that night and first thing I saw was a couple of kids pull out their iPhones. That’s it, I don’t want an iPhone – it has bit of a “trite” characteristic associated with its persona! I came so close to "cheating" but I sincerely believe that, that day that iPhone stock being depleted was divine intervention. God sent me a signal! I must stay true to my love. I will continue my love affair with the Blackberry. I will soon pick up my Torch!

Besides, seems like the over-played iPhone is loosing ground with a set of customers who steer clear of triteness in their accessories – the winner is… nope not the Blackberry; the Androids! It’s the attack of the Droids!

Oh here is another self-confessed Blackberry-addicts, who has one of the most heartwarming stories to tell! Read away and smile . . .

Shekhar Kapur’s The Blackberry Addict, Part 2: The Story of Lattoo

“You should be accepting credit cards” I said. “No one carries cash anymore you know, get one of those machines that waiters have?”
The young boy grinned widely. Smiling benignly at my perfectly impossible request. Probably has never seen the inside of a restaurant that takes credit cards.
“How much does it cost ?” I asked pointing at one of the five ‘original’ Blackberry car chargers he was holding up. I am one of those that regularly charge my Blackberry last thing before I sleep, but often forget to turn ‘on’ the main power switch. Don’t you get confused between the US and India, where off is on, and on is off ?

Continue reading the rest of the story here:http://shekharkapur.com/blog/2010/08/a-blackberry-addict-discovers-even-more-grassroots-enterprise-in-india-the-story-of-lattoo/comment-page-1/#comment-18690

Quote: 9-22-2010

2010-09-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

That’s the trouble with you sad-city types:

a place has to be miserable and dull as ditchwater before you believe it’s real.

—Salman Rushdie, as Blabbermouth, Haroun and the Sea of Stories

Aatma ki shanti ke liye...

2010-09-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

... nonsense type ke jokes zaroori hain!

This joke made me crack-up. I even immed it to a few friends who speak Hindi:

Ek aadmi sasural gaya. Uski saasu-maa ney usey saat din tak subah-shaam paalak ki sabzi khilaayi.
Aathvein din poocha, "beta, kya khaoge?"
Damaad bola, "khet dikha do, khud hi char aaonga!"

Lack of Friendships and Longer Working Hours

2010-09-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

Desh Kapoor analyzes and differentiates between collegues and friends. He has a set of guidelines to refer to in case we need help differentiating. This is only part of the article; to read the complete piece, follow the link below.

If you are wondering if your colleagues are your "friends" or not, lets ask some questions that may help us:
If your friend left the company, would you still be in touch with him/her in a year?
If you have a personal emergency, would you consider asking your friend for help?
Do you hang out with your friend outside of the office? (Weekday lunches, happy hours and business trips don't count)
Have you met your friend's significant other? What about his friends outside of office?
if your friend received the promotion you were banking on, would you be genuinely happy for him/her?
If you ran into your friend in the store, would you be able to talk to him for 10 minutes without mentioning work?
Have you seen where your friend lives?
Do you and your friend have anything in common besides your age and your job?

What was your score? Tough was it? :)

Direct Link: http://www.drishtikone.com/blog/lack-friendships-and-longer-working-hours

Albuterol Diaries

2010-09-21T01:58:00.000-07:00

Super stupid post – my excuse is the lack of oxygen supply to my brain – what is the next door politician’s?

I hate asthma attacks. Well, who doesn't? Although, I am not complaining, this is probably my first one of the whole year and far milder than the last one. I think the worst one was around this time last year while I was driving. Luckily, I was close to a shopping complex so I could pull in the parking lot and contemplate calling emergency help. However, before I could contemplate anything, I think I passed out or fell asleep. I could never tell what happened. I just remember waking up at least an hour and a half later…gathered my entire strength and drove home.

I have often questioned God about this whole asthma ordeal! I mean, if he was going to attach a life long malady, why not something attractive. Asthma is sooo un-cool sounding. Hmmm… well no disease has a sexy ring to it but didn’t Rajesh Khanna manage to make "lymphosarcoma of the intestine" sound so charming in "Anand?" Well – in the movies, the diseases are always fatal with the inflicted character well aware of the approaching fate and dealing with it like super-beings. Oh – I still cry each time I watch "Anand" or "Mili" or "Kal Ho Na Ho" (although - I think Priety Zinta was better off with Saif in the end anyways. And I cried at other places in that movie like when Priety is missing her dad) … well I cry easily watching movies or even reading books… I remember crying at the airport while reading Elie Wiesel’s autobiographical “Night”.

It’s interesting though – the prejudices attached with this illness. Each time one of my desi friend learns of this, they immediately associate it with Jasleen being a typical angrez with her allergies and asthma and for the rest, it is such a desi problem! But I am delighted to say that the fellow sufferers I have known have been from all walks of life and ethnicities. We have a close clique – I mean can you tell if someone just took a hit of albuterol? Okay –its not that hard; the after effects are shaky … like you just drank a dozen cups of coffee…! Not a good feeling but better than feeling like you are drowning…

Okay – looking at my inhaler, I am thinking considering it is an essential part of my accessory bag, I would recommend the manufacturer to come up with some creative skins … you know like the smart-phones! … nice – I am impressed. Inspite of the lack of oxygen in my brain, I have come up with an idea which may be copyrightable.

… ick, I think the Vicodin just kicked in! Good night!

Quote: 9-20-2010

2010-09-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Not everything that counts, can be counted;

Not everything that can be counted, counts.

-Einstein

Yellow Agony: So much to miss

2010-09-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

Yellow Agony: So much to miss:
(From Nikhil's Blog)

Its kinda ~~cleshay~~ cliché but heard it today casually somewhere & loved it- life is not how many moments you take your breath. Its how many moments take your breath away.

Ain't it cute ? So how many moments took your breath today ? :)

Anyhow I started this post for something else. I came to know a weird fact. 60% of human communication is through body language. 30% is through tone only. Its only rest 10% in words.
How I wonder I am missing 90% of conversations when I am only "communicating" through chatting all the day or 60% when I am on phone.

Really so much to miss!

Update: Thanks to Shretima for pointing out that actually word is not cleshay but cliché. :)

aise hi!

2010-09-17T23:08:00.000-07:00

aye hairath-e aashiqui
   jagaa mat
   pairon se zameen
   zameen lagaa mat
   sun mere humdum
hameshaa ishq mein hi jeenaaa....

...this fabulous surge of joy, have not felt this for a while... you know the feeling of light and happy for absolutely no bloody reason! Its that floating feeling - the one you get for a few moments as you jump out of a plane (sky-diving)... that insane quite-ness is absolutely amazing!

a smile for anyone who chances upon this blog and reads this...hope you get a surge of intoxicating no-reason happiness too ... a perfect split-second or more, when things could not be better ...

it was such a beautiful dream i woke up to this morning... hope the dream continues as i fall asleep in a few ...

... when September ends!

2010-09-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog –

Summer has come and passed

The innocent can never last

Wake me up when September ends . . .

Oh, but I really did not intend to sleep walk through September. I love fall – September and October in particular…Although the trees are shedding leaves, there is a feeling of satisfaction in this “letting go.”

-----------------------------

A straw that broke the camel’s back – here is the straw that did it for me: this certain someone who I don’t know very well started to disclose a lot about his past, present and intentions to me only for me to be flabbergasted at how much vicious-ness and devious-ness is possible by a human being! Out of respect for this person’s privacy, I won’t disclose the details however, here is what I said as my final adios – “you are scary; please cease all forms of communications with me. Don’t think of concocting any harmful strategies towards me, you will be sorry you did!” Following that, I received one text which seemed like a feeble effort to salvage the communication which I did not respond back to. However this episode left me absolutely drained of energy. I came home and collapsed on the floor. The negativity was mind-numbing. I could not stop thinking – am I some sort of a psycho-magnet? …

Meanwhile, I was playing soundboard to another friend who is very dear to me – in listening to him; all the goodness in people was reaffirmed! As he was sorting out his problems and I was giving him advice – he came up with the solution … the age old, “give her/him an ultimatum”. I have always been an anti-ultimatum person. It is almost like blackmail – either my way or the highway. Yuck – so controlling! If the person does not give in, they don’t give in but if they do, you will be left wondering, would they be there if it were not for that ultimatum? That would drive me nuts to know that people were not there because that’s where they really wanted to be! … But this whole ultimatum thing got me thinking – its not about giving others and ultimatum; its about time I gave myself an ultimatum! Yesssss – that’s it! That my answer… I said dude – STOP! So tell me, what do you think; I am going to put myself on a timeline ultimatum! He was a little irritated as he lost the center of the conversation-attention but still supportive. We did a quick outline and brainstorming of the situation and he said, Jasleen – October 1^st is when you STOP!

Reminds me of the 12-step program …

-------------------------------------

But STOP what? I know there is something very wrong with this situation but what is wrong? How did I get here? I used to be such an “I know it all” person. How did I become “I don’t know” person? I thought I had all the answers and now I don’t even have the questions! WTF! There is such a loud conversation going on in my head and I don’t know what its about???

Anyways – I am making the change. First thing – I went through my phone book and deleted a lot of phone numbers which were there as an obligation… Now on to the next step … I have not figured it out yet! But come Oct 1^st things are changing ... definitely !

Hey – thanks for listening J

-j

Quote: September 9, 2010

2010-09-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

A diamond is merely a lump of coal that did well under pressure.

-Henry Kissinger

*Thanks to my friend (SSH) for sharing some of the coolest articles/pictures/quotes with me.

From, "Into My Own"

2010-09-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

I do not see why I should e'er turn back,

Or those should not set forth upon my track

To overtake me, who should miss me here

And long to know if still I held them dear.

-"Into My Own" by Robert Frost

Emmys 2010

2010-08-30T14:32:00.001-07:00

Emmys played in the background last night as I caught up on my Sunday evening chores. I caught a few moments and here is my fragmented spill on Emmys – not so boring like the Academy Awards…

· Jimmy Fallon and his Guitar. Well anytime Fallon was on TV, I was forced to put down the laundry I was folding… he was that good!

· I realized, I hate George Clooney! Nooooo I love George Clooney… George Clooney has got only one suit and it is magical! It makes any man (and some women) look like George Clooney. Seriously – this dashing man got a well-deserved Bob Hope Humanitarian Award. Do I hear President Clooney?

· Jewel Kilcher performed an unrecorded song as the montage of all the Industry people who passed away this year rolled. It was beautiful - there is a hole in my heart / and it is in the shape of you! … what an amazing poetess – she is capable of manufacturing tangible inspiration:

if I could tell the world just one thing, it would be we are all OK,

not to worry cuz worry is wasteful and useless in times like these,

and I won’t be made useless and be idle with despair,

I will wrap myself around my faith, cuz light is the darkness’ most fear… (from: Hands)

· 2 desi gals in the house and both took home an Emmy!: Padmalakshmi for her “Top Chef” show …I am taking notes – to be so beautiful and be a cook who has her own TV show! I think she is living the dreamlife. This is the ultimate combo! & Archie Punjabi – won for the best supporting actress for “The Good Wife”. Her speech was ummm … kk and her dress was safe!

· The evening was full of jokes but here is my favorite cuz nothing makes me more happy than the circulated-to-death email-jokes retold in an entertaining manner:

A neutron walks into a bar and says, “how much for a drink?"

The bar-tender looks at him and says, “for you, no charge!"

tee hee!

Inception in 3 seconds!

2010-08-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

From Perez Hilton's TwitPic.

Droolicious !

2010-08-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

Un-Courtesy of: Nikhil (From his Facebook)

This evil photograph was posted by Nikhil this afternoon, right about lunch time. After looking at this, my options seemed drastically limited for the first time ever - considering I am located in a highly eclectic downtown especially when it comes to the culinary varieties including Indian cuisine!

This is being posted here because misery loves company!

tu dhoop hai, channnnn sey bikhar!!!

2010-08-25T14:16:00.001-07:00

…. The title has absolutely nothing to do with this post... It’s just that, I really like this line.

Moving on from the tenth grade to the eleventh grade, one of my teachers had asked us all to write a letter to self which she said, she would post when we went into the twelfth grade. While the rest of my class mates got busy grinding the lead of their pencils, I pulled out a dollar bill and wrote – “today you are a dollar richer.” Wrapped it up and gave it to my teacher. She looked at what I had written and gave me a quick hug!

I used to write a journal even back then but I was in a habit of tearing up the old journal when I started the new one. I only have two journals starting from 2002 onwards. A few entries made in my journals is rather interesting – makes me realize that I have actually gotten quite foolish with age. That “me” who wrote that journal was far wiser … That “me” who left a dollar was wiser than the “me” who received it.

All the knowledge that experience brings with age on one hand and wisdom of that child-like innocence on the other – is the trade-off really worth it?

Anyways – aging is mandatory. You must learn to carry the corruptions that time adds on to your character because some of them are mandatory for survival in this world. . . finally that is sinking in my head! Trust carefully! But still write a few lines somewhere about “who you are?” every so often so that in the future when everything else may become a big question-mark, you can remind yourself of “who you are!” … don’t lose that essence of YOU …

Om in differnt languages!

2010-08-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

share-worthy!

Thought for 8-24-2010

2010-08-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

I died from minerality and became vegetable;

And From vegetativeness I died and became animal.

I died from animality and became man.

Then why fear disappearance through death?

Next time I shall die

Bringing forth wings and feathers like angels;

After that, soaring higher than angels -

What you cannot imagine,

I shall be that.

-Rumi

Wadali Brothers - Tu Mane Ya Na Mane

2010-08-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

rab bande di zaat ikko
jiven kapde di zaat hai roon
kapde de vich roon hai lukiyaa
jiden vich bande de toon
aapey boley aap bulavein
aap karein huu huu

tu maney yaa naa maney dildaara
asaan tey tenu rab maneya
das hor kehra rab da dwara
asaan tey tenu rab maneya

apney tan ki khaak udaai
tab yeh ishq ki manzil paai
meri saanson ka boley iktara
asaan te tenu rab maneya

kisi key naak mein heera, kisi key kaan mein heera
humein heeron sey matlab kya
mera to yaar hai heera
asaan te tenu rab maneya

tujh bin jeena bhi kya jeena
teri chaukhat mera medina
kahin aur ka na sajda gawara
asaan te tenu rab maneya

hastey-hastey har gham sehna
raaji teri raza mein rehna
tune mujhko sikhaya hai yaara
asaan te tenu rab maneya

*This Qwaalli is from Wadali Brothers' album, "Dil Dena Dilbar Ko".
**The Wadali Brothers (Puranchand Wadali & Pyarelal Wadali) are Sufi singers and musicians from Guru ki Wadali in the Amritsar District in Punjab, India.
**Also watch The Wadali Brothers perform Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Sahib's Yaad Piya Ki Aaye - absolutely divine. I have a decent collection of Khan Sahib's Thumris and I am certain he would have been mesmerzied as well if he heard the brothers perform...
***Per tradition, Sufi music is romantic because Sufis address to the almighty as their lover and thematically based on longing of the lover! There is a sense of abandon of all but love and longing for the object of their affection, one and only Lord Almighty. It has a very universal voice which makes it very popular with majority of Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi speaking populace.

On Time or In Time

2010-08-14T23:51:00.001-07:00

Jai Ho!

I am sitting with my copy of “An Advanced History of India” by R.C. Majumdar, H.C. Raychaudhuri, and Kalikinkar Datta. Why? I am writing for a friend’s blog on Indian Independence Day 2010 … So anyways, I have been collecting keywords on a piece of paper I keep on me all the time.

I get distracted by T’s “I hate

India

” rants on my Facebook wall to which I retort back “I will convert you into a Hindu soon!” Hehehe … He will be at my desk on Monday morning to relate the horrors he witnessed in my motherland. I say – Dude, spend a night in East Side Oakland and then complain. All nations have their share of puss-filled boils that mar the beauty of the rest of their landscape.

I feel like I am in college again trying to meet a homework deadline!

As I write, I can’t seem to move away from the mundane complains in regards to Indian system. Perhaps reiteration is the key and not forgetting the issues is far more important than being entertaining in this matter.
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How do you know

I watched the trailer of “How do you know” on imdb.com today. Steller cast – Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson AND Jack NICHOLSON!!! Oh – I like films based on contemporary themes.

Here is a dialogue to encourage you to click on that hyperlink and watch the trailer:

“How do you know you are in love with her?”

“Here is how I figure it out - I think I am in love with somebody when I wear a condom with other girls”

“uhhh.. I think I am in love”

It’s set to release coming X-mas. Hmmm … my favorite X-mas romance movie is definitely, “While You Were Sleeping”. Set in Chicago, it captures the 90s holiday spirit. It has that warm-fuzzy thing going for it. Loved the ending!

So – I was thinking of giving the “love guruess” in me a rest for a while but it’s not my fault, I am a chronic romantic. I have always been “in love” with time, nature, good-ole-almighty’s beautiful creation, the trees, the way the sky looks – that far away cloud in the clear blue sky today… the plastic rose someone gave me eons back which still sits in the pencil holder on my desk. I would rather have this mystified feeling than get all bitter and skeptical. Being a skeptic is just so distasteful – like, to not trust people – oh, that would be really horrific.

That reminds me of my brother’s brotherly advice: make sure you find someone who takes a drink or two (that is more for the comfort of his Punjabi soul than mine) but he justifies it – men who drink are not afraid to speak the truth. Okay second, make sure he uses cuss words! Huh! Again some honesty related justification is provided. But jokes apart, the most important advice – his ego is not more important than you… hmmm this makes sense. He said that after fighting with his wife he doesn’t feel the need to even the score; he would rather apologize to her than see her sad … wow – now you must know this is not a guy who does not believe in “forgiving and forgetting”. Do not cross his path! In the past, he has he has surprised me at times at how long he can carry a grudge …

So - there is method to figure out how you are in love but how do you ensure you have fallen out? I think it’s a very clear cut transition – you have that mind-numbing sadness à the absence of happy and sad both – a neutral state of mind! Of course there is more to it but this, I think is the simplest diagram of what happens…
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Music and Mehndi

Welcome fall and my favorite TV show is back – Sa Re Ga Ma. I only caught the last few minutes of the show. The judges gave a fifteen year old girl to sing for them although due to age restrictions, she can’t participate in the show. She sang Asha Bholse’s “Dil Dhadakne ka Sabab Yaad Aaya” from Meraj-E-Gazal.

Daler Mehndi, one of the judges was so mesmerized that he sang a couple of lines – took me back to the time when he was struggling in the bay area. My family used ot be invited to Mehfils where the Mehndi brothers would sing. I remember the host, a very well known Sitar artiste had learned of my love for Gazals and one evening they asked me to put in requests and they sang. I was such a young one – I felt so special that evening … I vaguely remember them performing this song as well…I am glad, I am reminded of how musically blessed these brothers are! For the most part, I have forgotten those days and think of them as the jokers they seem on TV.
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Life is too short … to do what?

Lately lot of people are using the “Life is too short” prefix for their facebook statuses …. followed by a didactic nonsense for their facebook buddies! Their advice is too obvious that it sounds foolish! … Yes, life is too short if you don’t respect today because if you don’t respect today, you will have a lot of catching up to do tomorrow! & Yes, time is kind that way, it keeps the second chances hidden away in surprise pockets of the future!
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More Rosesh ki super-hit Kavita
(Mirza Ghalib would have been sooo happy if he had met him)

aasmaan mein udh raha hai kabootar
aasmaan mein udh raha hai kabootar
FLUTTER ... FLUTTER ... FLUTTER
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The stunning decline of Barack Obama: 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency is in meltdown

2010-08-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

The stunning decline of Barack Obama: 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency is in meltdown

Read worthy article... it takes Brits to point this very in-the-face ten-point line-up for us!

Some ਬਟਾਲਵੀ

2010-08-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

aise hi!

2010-08-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

wondering: why can't you have YOUR cake and eat it too?
isn't that the whole point of buying the cake!

-jm

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Rosesh ki Kavita
(ultimate example of optimism)

is teen pair valey kuttey ko bhagana nahi padhta,

isey susu kartey waqt apna pair uthana nahin padhta.

I wish, I was ...

2010-08-08T02:55:00.000-07:00

The owl is scratching my window again! I enjoy the nocturnal predator’s random visits!

I continue my humming --- yup, I am creep, I am a weirdoooo / what the hell am I doin’ here? I don’t belong here … nananana – RADIOHEAD rocks! They gave that insecure little someone, who hides inside everyone, a song to sing --- I WANT A PERFECT BODY/I WANT A PERFECT SOULLLL … I wish I was special …

…. but all I do is hide behind veils and cloaks of words and seven notes … till a few days back I had a curtain of curls to hide behind but they came under the attack of a vicious pair of scissors handled by an evil troll who looked like a nice hair-dresser at the first sight! Before I knew it, a good four inches were chopped off! I was not prepared for this – after the shock wore off, I cried a tear or two... Now my cloak of hair is gone that would constantly fall on my face and I must face the world in all its unglory… whosoever said, it’s a harsh world out there probably said so after a fresh bad hair cut…

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maybe only in California or maybe at other places too – I think God’s cameraman changed the tint filter of the daylight. Last few days have been seeming slightly fuzzed out with a shade of blue. I mean, I am not complaining; its kinda cool – even my worn out jeans look brand new.

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Its fall! My most favorite time of the year – I think I like it because in my mind it is associated with the “sepia” tone of the spectrum. Sepia is like the past that embraces you and holds you a little while longer before you forge into an unknown future …

Uncontrolled Sepia would be orangish – like the real pumpkins sitting outside people’s houses who celebrate Halloween …. or like Thanksgiving’s slightly over baked pumpkin pies…maybe thats why holidays seem out of control. I always get a feeling of newness around holidays ... maybe its the new year approaching that kicks in its enthusiasm.. whats really the big deal about new things? i like old and mundane far better - its familiar like family or the old dog whose signs you can read so well that you have full on conversation with him.

... This fall I wish for “green” tone instead …

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bhi chus shab sa subah

milyth doshvai juda

bhi chus labh sa dua

milyth doshvai juda … I wish I could write music ! I wish I had been more proactive and done a lot of things I did not do …

I wish I could sing as sweet as the humming bird and I wish I could dance like Sinatra …

Saajnaaa …. Maahiyaaaaaaaa…

I have decided, in my next lifetime, I am going to be a music composer … a really good one!

Tickets go on sale now …

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I feel like including one of my favorite "happy videos" here; its random snippets of Audrey Hepburn's dance scenes from various movies:

lovely kaur ke saral nuskhey!

2010-08-05T22:44:00.000-07:00

if there is a dream job out there for me, it is that of an "agony aunt"...the following dialogue (very real/not fiction) demonstrates how good i would be at my job! ... any takers???

lovely kaur: hello ji ... i am lovely kaur. i will solve all your life problems.

pati ho yaa wife,

aao chai peeyain

aur solve karein life!

dukhi aatma #1: hello ji, meri biwi ghar sey bhaag gayi hai par bhains abhi bhi theek thaak ghar mein hai ... madam kya karoon?
lovely kaur: leh, you are to bhai very lucky!
what would you do if bhains bhaag jaati aur biwi reh jaati?

sukhi aatma #1: hahahah ... badi true gal kitti hai lovely ji!

lovely kaur: vadhia; ok ji - agla swaal koi bibi puchegi!

dukhi aatma #2: mera pati meri saath vaali ko dekhta hai, par uska pati mujhey nahin dekhta ... kya karoon?
lovely kaur: pados badal lo. you live in the wrong house! vastu dosh hai...
kisi numbri kaminey ki padosan ban jao... pati pareshaan, tum hairaan, ...sab kuch fit fataang!
sukhi aatma #2: hahahaha ... tussi great ho lovely ji..

lovely kaur: bas ji ... itni appreciation bhaut hai; main to apki seva mein hazir hoon ji.
sukhi aatma #2: thank you hai jee!!

I Likes!

2010-08-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

Mahatma Gandhi walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. So he was a super callused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

~unknown

*tee hee

**as you can tell by now, don't like the guy - just don't!

***I couldn't agree more with Osho when he called Gandhi the most Conniving Politician

**** Freedom at Midnight

*** Article: The Real Gandhi: Schizophrenic and a Sadist

**Personally, I don't get the point - whats the relevance between his odd and unhygienic personal habits and being a Mahatma. I don't believe renunciation has anything to with a man's moral character!

*For those who disagree, do so on your own blog!

?

2010-08-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

Me thinks the teachers were all wrong in phrasing the questions - for example, "what will I do when I grow up?" ... The correct question would have been, "what will I do IF I grow up?"

Raghu Dixit's Ambar

2010-08-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

ambar par milte hain kadmon ke nishaan, tere hi har shaam,

khidki pe likhe os ki boondon se, tera hi naam . . .

* Share-worthy artist: Raghu Dixit has a very unique voice and delivery. He has a crystal clear voice with a free flowing like a river quality.

** The YouTube video uses a still-shot of Raghu Dixit (I am assuming); I loved the feel effused by that picture - he is wearing ghunghroo as he plays and sings to little kids! Check out the joy on their faces...

*** @ 4:11 - there is a Sitar interlude with Sitar being the primary instrument and the Guitar giving it a background support. Heavenly!

Quote: August 1, 2010

2010-08-02T00:40:00.000-07:00

If it is true that there are as many minds as there are heads,

then there is as many kinds of love as there are hearts.

-Tolstoy

सुबह

2010-07-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

शायद यह वक़्त मुझसे

कोई चाल चल गया.

ख़याल की खाइयों में मेरा

वजूद बिखर गया.

गेहेरयिओं में पीले पात्तों के नीचे

इक लाश दफन मिली.

उसकी उँगलियों की छाप पर मेरी

परछाइयाँ हैं जड़ी.

उन अध् खुली पलकों में

इक अक्स समाया है.

करीब से देखा कोई

जाना हुआ साया है.

आधे चाँद की चांदनी में

अंधेरे नीचोड़ रही है.

क्यों अपनी सिसकियों से मेरा

आँचल झिंझोड़ रही है?

मैं नहीं जानती तुझे

क्यों मुझे तोड़ रही है?

मेरी कहानी तो
आज भी अधूरी है.
उजली किरणों में बंधी
इक शुरुआत सुनहरी है.

...कुछ देर में सुबह होगी,

मेरा जागना ज़रूरी है.

-jm

*the first line is from the nazm, "us mod sey shuru karein".

**its a poem I wrote in reaction to at least two different poems I had heard/read in the past few days. it can easily be categorized as an "inspired" piece.

***one of the first things my poetry professor had said that i will never forget - when reading and analyzing prose or poetry, please try to remember that it is not a reflection of the writer and his/her emotions. it is a universal voice which may {dis} connect with the reader.

****i found it different than most of my other writings; it has a very "discomforting" quality. i am feeling a sense of satisfaction in the realization that it has a "discomforting" quality.

vaise hi!

2010-07-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

वोह भी क्या दिन थे

की हर वेहेम यकीन होता था

अब हकीकत नज़र आई तो

उसे क्या समझूं

-अहमद नदीम कासमी

aise hi!

2010-07-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

तू जो रूठा है'

यह हयात भी रूठ चली है,

ग़म इस बात का है की,

अब तेरी याद भी रूठ चली है

Vicco Turmeric Ayurvedic Cream

2010-07-24T00:34:00.000-07:00

do they still make this? is Vicco still in business? I remember this advertisement would appear every 8-10 minutes on the Video Tapes of Indian movies my parents rented when we first moved from India. I thought the woman in this advert was more beautiful than many heroines in the movies.

I even had someone bring a Vicco turmeric cream from India for me - oh the smell was super-strong... I think mom used it. It soothed her desi emotions!

Total notalgia ... tvacha ki raksha karey antiseptic creaammm ...

Quotes: 7-22-2010

2010-07-22T11:18:00.000-07:00

This is the key--the inner part of it is silence,

and the outer part of the key is celebration, laughter.

Be festive and silent.

OSHO

I love Snoopy

2010-07-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

... sort of reminds me of my Charlie. Everyone must have a doggy! They teach you so much about loving and living ... and apprecating the small things of life ...

Moms don't know Everything!

2010-07-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

Quote: July 19, 2010

2010-07-19T00:18:00.000-07:00

deh Shiva bar mohey ehey,

shubh karman tey kabhoo naa taroon,

na daroon arson jab jahey laroon,

nishchai kar apni jeet karoon.

O Lord, give me this boon
May I never ever shirk from doing good deeds
Never may I fear when I go to fight the enemy
With surety, victory will be mine.

-Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji

One Packet of Daily Bakwaas

2010-07-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

Commensurate the weekendification festivialities!

glitchhhhh... yeh mere saath hi kyon hota hai! mein sochti kuch hoon, ho kuch aur jata hai! - Woke up to my computer being all moody; the laptop won't start. I kissed it, I hugged it, I assured it that it would be my favorite no matter what - I have a hunch it had sensed my joy over getting a new computer at work! My lifeline gadget was getting jealous :( ... Took it in to the Comp Doc and as soon as the Doc pushed the start button it started as if it were brand new. ughhh Gadgets! After-all, most of them were invented by Men! (yes, I am thoda-thoda bitter) ... So now the little rascal sits at the clinic to get a thorough wash :) ...

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hmmmm ... so let me save some time for a few who land here and redundantly look for keywords - "nude/actress/pictures" ... sorry! out of luck here fellas; good luck in your search! ... thought I would clarify cuz my stat-counter has been giving me that twisted look like "what the heck have you been up to?" in spite of me telling it, "mein kuch nahin kitta".

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Shareworthy story of a man who decides to go the other way - from a 4000 sqft house to an 89 sqft house!Reconnecting with nature would be just the beginning of the list of perks in this type of a lifestyle.

Also, fellow desis, if you have watched the Indian Love Story , this cabin will remind you of the song, "dekho maine dekha hai yeh ik sapna/ phoolon ke sheher mein ho ghar apna"

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uuu-aaauh! This is the pits: Outsourcing Pregnancy to India.

Well more Indians the merrier ;) .... but stilll ... uaaah! (Tim the toolman ishtyle)
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Oh! I can't believe, I actually found Tim the toolman Taylor's "collection of grunts" on YouTube..

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Since my tweet-world excursion, someting has been hurting my brain - will write about it soon! Meanwhile check out this uber-cute tweet :

MrDonaldGlover

My mom: "I don't know why it's a big deal if Spider-Man is black. Most spiders are black anyway." #bestthingseversaid #momlogic/love

I love how moms are always right although I can do away with the whole "i told you so" thing!
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Richard Haass may be on to something here: Richard Haass in Newsweek - Rethink Afghanistan because nationbuilding is not working and we are not winning!
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Come what may, I am I am I am watching "Inception" this weekend.
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Hope all your weekend plans are panning out as planned =)
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i believe . . .

2010-07-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

more than a song, its a pop-culture anthem . . .

I believe the sun should never set upon an argument
I believe we place our happiness in other people's hands
I believe that junk food tastes so good because it's bad for you
I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do
I believe that beauty magazines promote low self esteem
I believe I'm loved when I'm completely by myself alone

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

I believe you can't control or choose your sexuality
I believe that trust is more important than monogamy
I believe your most attractive features are your heart and soul
I believe that family is worth more than money or gold

I believe the struggle for financial freedom is unfair
I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

I believe forgiveness is the key to your unhappiness
I believe that wedded bliss negates the need to be undressed
I believe that God does not endorse TV evangelists
I believe in love surviving death into eternity

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

(Hats off to Savage Garden)

white chrysanthemums

meeting

cold and long winters

the music continues to play . . .

kyon ki chott nahin lagati!

Options

Aise hi . . .

Question: 6-2-2011

Quote: March 22, 2011

तुम्हारी आँखों का रंग

Quote: March 9, 2011

Hallmark-ed Out!

Baarishein

Quote: 2-17-2011

ek khayaal ... aise hi!

http://stuffnoonetoldme.blogspot.com/

aise hi!

gul zar

Quote: 1-18-2011

7 Doe & Deer

aisa hi Guru bhaave!

Yellow Agony: Forget love. I want to fall in chocolate !

baandh ghoongra prem ka . . .

Another one for 1-13-2011

Thought for the day: 1-13-2011

The minute you think of giving up any relation, think of the reason why you held it so long....

Courtesy: my very wise cousin's facebook status of the day.

this and that of 11011

Rhetoric Under Fire!

aise bikhre hain raat din jaise

Thought for 1-6-2011

Dishoom Dishoom

*w*

PJ - Hall of Famer!

Quote: 12-20-2010

Quote: 12-15-2010

thought and question!?

mein bhi ... kaminey!

चौखट by Rahul Vidwans

Quote: December 4, 2010

‎Only if you carry your life on your sleeves

can you enter the path of divine love.

Aise hi!

resolute-ify-ing!

Quote: November 25, 2010

...Thank you!

Udne Do!

शोर-शराबा

kuch aise hi!

Stuff it!

*V*

Repairing

Sudha Malhotra's Khwaab Tha . . .

aise hi!

The Mirrors of Perception

Quote: 10-13-2010

I Want To Meet Myself by Desh Kapoor

Guncha Koi by Mohit Chauhan

Quote: 10-10-10

fall-ing into randomness

Quote: October 6, 2010

Very Desi - A Historic Letter

definition of life

5 Mistakes Everyone Should Make

Lehrein . . .

Dreams!

email, fax, pigeon, telepathy or call on my BB ...

Quote: 9-22-2010

Aatma ki shanti ke liye...

Lack of Friendships and Longer Working Hours

Albuterol Diaries

Quote: 9-20-2010

Yellow Agony: So much to miss

aise hi!

... when September ends!

Quote: September 9, 2010

From, "Into My Own"

Emmys 2010

Inception in 3 seconds!

Droolicious !

w

V

?