Happy New Year 2005

Saturday, January 01, 2005

Wish you all a very happy, prosperous, joyous and a wonderfulNew Year 2005.God bless all

Posted by Vidya GKK on 12:54 AM
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Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Life is fragile, Handle with Prayer

Watching the cold waters of pacific, from the cliffs of Torrey pines en route to San Diego, we were discussing the beaches of India. Goa, Kerala and chennai with warm waters and hot sands. Little did we know that those very shores of Chennai would witness the largest catastrophes ever. I was going to write a post about Christmas in SanDiego, but cannot.The ripples of the Tsunami have crossed the seven oceans and overwhelmed me too.There are so many images...gut wrenching.
Following are the lines of a poem by William Cowper,I read in school. Although I cannot quite understand it right now...Something to hang on to till the world straightens itself out a bit..

God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a better taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.

William Cowper

Posted by Vidya GKK on 09:40 AM
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Monday, December 20, 2004

Made in ....?

In the movie ‘Fatal attraction’, as Dan Callagher (played by Michael Douglas) stands in the rain, struggling with an umbrella that has blown itself backwards, Alex (his nightmare-to-be played by Glenn Close) comes out of an office building and looks at him and asks ‘Made in Taiwan?’ Such an innocent question…but then look again is it?

Oh, no I am not discussing the movie or the cast. Sorry for misleading…this post is about, outsourcing. A topic, that is on the top for Lou Dobbs. He can barely contain his angst, while discussing about China or India. This is a topic that Americans have strong opinions about depending on whether they belong to a company that is outsourcing or a person who has lost his job because of it.

Oh, no I am not discussing the politics of out sourcing either. Let me skip the preamble and let me come straight to…what my experiences are, about out sourcing.

‘Oh no, I don’t, Thanks bye’. It seems to be the umpteenth time; I am having the same conversation. It is always the same girl at the other end. ‘ Ma am, I am calling on behalf of SBC. Would you like to change your phone connection to SBC..we are offering ….’. I am tired of refusing her offer of a connection, which would give us cheaper rates to call our folks in India. I have begun to dread the phone. So, why not change? ‘It will be cheaper’, I say. “Because, we already have SBC”, says my husband. What? Let us overlook the fact, that I am irresponsible enough, not to know, what phone we are using. Think about the poor girl, doing her job meticulously, awake at night a continent away(to catch us during our day time), wasting her time and companies money... equipped with a faulty database. So next time she called, I told her the same ‘I am sorry, but we already have SBC.’ A pause..Then she replies’ Oh sorry, Ma am. I think this list is probably not updated’. ‘ In case you need any info..’ she continues in American accent. Nothing to score, but unwilling to abandon her post. I cut to the chase ‘Hey!’ I say smiling‘ What is your name? You know mine.’ She gets it. Ashley Smith, real name Madhu.” Now we both are good friends..and she calls me to just talk shop!

Oh and then there are the products. Among the goods flooding the market, for Christmas, searching for a ‘Made in USA’ tag, is like..is like..*Blink* searching for a needle in a haystack. On a shirt as I see a tag reading ‘ Made in Austria’ I remember…Two years back.. we were shopping in the busy Chickpet area of Bangalore. We had found this small shop that was exporting shirts and they also catered to the local populace. As my husband was scanning the shirts, he read aloud ‘ Made in Austria ? Do you import or export?’. Sheepishly, the salesman says..’It is made here, but different tags have different market, so we export with the tag the customer wants’. So the shirt that is in my hand now.. may have been made in an export garment unit in Bangalore ?!

Smug that my country is self sufficient and can manufacture what it requires, I look at the Chinese group who have boarded the plane in Taipei, en route to Los Angeles. As, I take out a stainless steel flask, that I have bought in Bangalore, a man across the aisle takes out an identical one. Whoa! I think, so we must be exporting to the great exporter, China. His face breaks into a smile, and points to my flask and says ‘My company makes’. What? When did this happen?

But then it is bound to happen. The world is becoming a smaller place and all that. Even Brigade road (Hang out place – Bangalore) is not spared. Half the young ‘uns there speak in American accent and the rest in British accent!

Oh incidentally if you cannot find ‘Fatal attraction’, you can watch the Hindi version ‘Pyar Tune Kya kiya‘. Hmm. ..So America is also exporting…film stories. But I think they are upset, because they are not getting paid for it, hahn?

Posted by Vidya GKK on 09:22 AM
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Wednesday, December 15, 2004

'Kurai ondrum illai..'(I have no worries/regrets..)

A favorite song sung by MS SubbulakshmiM S Subbhalakshmi passed away, and I am deeply saddened. Although my relationship with carnatic music is only third level…

Let me explain…in the top level, is MS and singers of her genre. In the second level, are those, lucky enough, to be able, to appreciate and revel, in the classical tunes. They are either, gifted by god to do so; or have pursued formal education, and can carry a raga, with ease themselves. My parents, and sister-in-law are in the second level. I am in the third level. I accompany them to concerts and hear it, when they choose to play it, in the house; but I cannot completely comprehend carnatic music. Watching the second levelers, I can sense, there is something significant in the atmosphere. Then, a string or two, in my heart, tunes in to this aura, that fills the hall and I become one with the serene, magnificent, positive, divine melody.

I feel MS had a special voice, magical. It satisfied the educated critics but also struck a chord in the junta, like me. There was ba certain timber. A certain openness, strength, appeal all at the same time. Her ‘Hanuman chalisa’ can put courage and faith in the feeblest of hearts. Many a gods, all over south India, arise in the morning, in response to her appeal in ‘Suprabhatam’. In Tirupathi, as the masses await 'darshan', shivering in the dawn, her rendition of ‘Vishnu sahasranamam’, warms and sanctifies them, before they enter the sanctum sanctorum.

At the Independence Day celebrations in 1947, Gandhiji asked her to sing ‘Vaishnava Janato’. She refused, because she did not know the language. He, reportedly told that, he would rather have it read out by her, than hear it sung by anybody else. So she sang in the celebrations. She received many awards and there are many inspiring stories about her. But somehow, somewhere, these have become incidental. The significance, I feel, is in the fact that as she practiced her ‘sadhana’ singing about the gods and goddess, they listened and rejoiced. We must be thankful, for being let to stand in the fringes and witness a miracle…

Posted by Vidya GKK on 09:02 AM
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Sunday, December 05, 2004
Hair Facts..

Most men and women I know advocate short hair. Even Oprah says, as a woman grows older, her hair should get shorter. According to that dictat, me, being of an age where the candles cost more than the birthday cake, should have what my generation calls ‘boy-cut’. But I am not ready yet. The fun to be had with long hair is many, and I am not ready to forfeit those. May be the day I discover a white hair…easier to dye…short hair…. but not yet. I have time.

Fun with long hair! Yep.. after the weight of hair has pulled your head back the whole day, and your forehead is ready to surrender and slip to the back of your head (gross?)……just put some oil and back brush it. The feeling is amazing. But do not hurry with it. It needs to be done properly. Sit comfortably, apply oil, or the back brushing will entangle your hair real bad. Then take a brush that is strong, and brush right from the nape to the forehead. Do not forget to bring the hair from behind your ears to the front too… This will either make you drowsy enough for one of the best sleeps you ever had, or make you alert enough to write a post for your blog!

Oh then there is the fun of applying curd/henna or what ever gooey substance is your favorite. The first coat cools you down real fast. Especially in the middle of summer, and you feel like sticking your head in a refrigerator, but can not..this works. Only after it dries…your head weighs a ton.

That brings us to the next fun thing you can do…Wash it. As the henna dissolves and runs down the bathtub, try not to worry about the cleaning that will have to be done later. Concentrate on the top, because it starts to feel real light. I mean real light, because it is not just the henna going, some of your hair is too.

The next fun part is drying. No not the hair dryer…that gives me a headache. Best is to sit in the sun. The moisture will slowly leave the hair, but will get caught in the strands and if you sit real still, you can feel tiny eddy currents of steam on the scalp, while the sun beats down on your head. And if you are lucky a slight breeze, a real gentle one mind you, will come and rustle your hair. The feeling is tickly, but to enjoy it you have to overlook the discomfort, of the sun burning your back. Of course, if a strong gust of wind comes and whips your hair around your face, you can try to try to get a ‘wind blown’ look. You will have to be real careful to gauge the wind direction and face into it. Or you will end up with just a ‘bad hair day’ look. Another way is to jump on a two wheeler and drive. You will get similar results and your hair will dry faster! But try combing it after that….

A word of warning…try the above in hot summer. If you do any of the above in cold, cloudy yucky weather…you can catch a cold…aaaaacchhooooo. The short hair theory ….may be..just may be…not so bad after all. aaaachhoooo! Oh my… aaaaacchhooooo Super cuts here I come…

Posted by Vidya GKK on 11:25 PM
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Wednesday, November 24, 2004

SMS SMS Everywhere, I need more time 2 thinkThe first time I read the board, near the road, I could not control my laughter. It said clearly, 'Right Lane Must turn right'. what? Where else can the right lane turn? Do roads have any choice?For a second, I thought I had read something wrong. In the next traffic signal, it was there again. I had no idea, why there was any need for the americans, to control their roads that way. I finally asked my husband, after my bout of laughter subsided. He knows that once I start laughing like that, anything he says would only send me into another fit. After that it made sense. What the boards meant were, that the traffic on the right lane should not try to cross over to other lanes after that point and must continue turning right. Wouldn't a simple addition of 'ers' make it more meaningful. "Right Laners must turn right". I am sure it would not occupy too much more space.

Then there is 'PED Xing". That is "Pedestrian crossing". The last time I checked, you had to put a dot, when you ate up half the word. That would be "Ped. Xing". Now that Xing... Maybe a "X-ing". I am not trying to nitpick here, but I find I am not the only one.

There was this news about the use of "ing" in the news as they reported election results. "Wisconsin going Kerry". What does it mean? We can make out that Mr.Kerry should be happy; something positive about Kerry and Wisconsin. But has it gone to him already, or is it going to go to him, or is it currently going but do not know about the future ?

These short forms and SMS are good, in the sense that they save time. However to put things in perspective, we need some grammar. " To go" means (at a restaurant) I want my order packed, so that I can take it with me. Agreed it takes longer in propah English, but we have that much time don't we ? But now, it is not about the time anymore. It is, just that if you say anything, other than 'here' or ' To go' in that instant, you will simply not be understood. I fear these short forms will become a habit and we will lose the freedom of expression.

I am not talking about the grammatical mistakes that people might make. That is OK. But cutting corners, slicing and chopping of words and vowels...

Ah! I have received mails that are so short that U have to search your screen for the message. One says ' t' and next line "O". That is, "Thanks" and the persons name beginning with "O". That, after I spent one and a half days to draw up an important report for this person! Can I have a regular "Thank You", please ? No, seriously, is it too much to ask?

BTW, what is this? 'By the way', is something that is used when you have something to add on a related topic. But, because there is a short form, I find it used indiscriminately. Well.. I am treading dangerous waters here,I guess. I know "BTW" is a favorite, so let's leave it at that.Whew!..Got serious there didn't I?

That is it. Thank you all who read my last post and sent in comments..I am searching for your blogs...

Posted by Vidya GKK on 11:10 AM
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Saturday, November 20, 2004

Choti Si Baat

I am desperately trying to teach my one year old son to say 'Hello'. Desperately because a lady in 'mommy and me' class told me over her 20 month old daughter ' Girls learn faster, she was saying hello when she was one'.

We are a living in California, in an area where, surprisingly, there are very few Indians ! My neighbhours include a Romanian lady who 'Spik no Englez'. So although I know an international language-English, national language-Hindi and regional language-tamil, I have absolutely no way of communicating with her. There is also a lady from morrocco. Her communication during our first meeting was her finger on her lips, head shake with 'English No'. Huh..I am a social person, but I can only try..

My son came equipped with a smile, and has now learnt to 'do' 'bye-bye'. Yeah,I say do, because he still cannot 'say it'. He waves his hands, like he is scooping icecream from the air, with fingers splayed.This, however seems to be enough in a world that provides no communication abilities to someone I know, who knows three languages. The Romanian lady comes out regularly to smoke. All my son has to do is walk towards her with his single action vocabulary(?) and she put her smoke down and waves back. The morroccan lady too finds the 'bye-bye' too interesting for words. These ladies can keep waving as long as my son wants. To me, it seems like hours...What else can you feel, when all you can do is smile in the background. Some times he wraps one chubby hand around my finger, and I am thankful for being included in the friendly scene. Other times he abandons me to go ahead and reward them with his smiles and cackles while his mommy hangs around here and there studying trees and flowers and ...bushes and....trees..(Ok that's all there is).

The minute he sees his dad coming up the path, he shouts with laughter and toddly-runs towards him. The ladies give me a smile as they retire into their homes. As I look up the path, I am thinking "He needs to learn to say hello..."

Posted by Vidya GKK on 11:25 AM
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