Symmetry and colors!

Went to the mall!

A SALE! HURRAY!

$1: Pick any nail polish :))

I picked six!!!

The pics depict colors and symmetry for me :)

Very chick post, right? I know :P

My heart weighs those additional XXX pounds....

Its some kind of a heavy feeling,
That makes my heart weigh,
Those additional XXX pounds,
I struggle to breathe in and out,
Drowning in my own worries,
The terrible loneliness surrounds!

I need some air, And that too fresh,
A brand new breeze, to help thoughts un-mesh,
Someone who can teach me to be least bothered,
If at all i can learn to stay un-quivered!

I want my heart to explode for once,
Throw it all out and find a balance,
Keeping it inside makes my brain go numb,
I really want it all again, to be blithefully blithesome!

PS: Blithesome: Cheerful, merry

A trip to.....Somewhere or Nowhere!

This post is submitted to clear trip "my purpose" contest,"Tell us about an interesting trip you took and it's purpose!" Vote for me :)

No, i don't want to take you on a tour, neither do i want to be your tour guide. Mine is not a travelogue, so i definitely won't be writing every second of the day 1 to day 6 of my trip. I would rather like to focus on "the purpose". A million trips to same place are different for millions of "different us". Yes, may it be India's splendid Taj Mahal or New York's rocking Time Square, our unique perceptions create different versions of the same place. So every trip in my opinion is unique to YOU and thus, the place hardly matters.

You are bored with your routine chores, make a trip to "somewhere".
You are exhausted from work, take a break to "somewhere".
You want to find your Self, go "somewhere".
You want to wander a little, where? "somewhere" :)

This going "somewhere" always has a reason, a purpose. We had one too. Me and my husband Mandar planned a road trip in the spring of 2008.

The constant existance and support of technology, flights to fly you around the world, laptops where ever you go, GPS if you are traveling in cars, iphones to give you traffic updates, is somehow making us too dependent. So-very-handicap, that we don't want to memorize roads anymore, we don't want to look at the directions, we might possibly get lost looking at the maps, we won't be surprised to look at the jammed traffics because we know it all in advance with the help of a million gadgets surrounding us. They won't let you think beyond the extra-comfort and the instant-assistance.

So, we decided to leave it all at home, plan nothing, allow ourselves to bungle a little and try our luck at the most exciting road trip to..............where? Well, we didn't know yet. The purpose of the trip was to make it to somewhere without the technological armaments :) Instead we grabbed an Alabama state road map and..............we left :)

Coming to a traffic signal from where we were suppose to turn left for highway X and go straight for highway Y, but of course we didn't know which one to follow. So we left it up to the traffic signal. First come, first serve :) and thus we turned left because it was the first one to turn green. Progressing through the journey to nowhere, the map came handy and we spotted an excitingly beautiful destination, The Talladega National Forests of Alabama USA. It was a few exits away from where we were on highway X and we stamped it, Talladega it is! The air felt romantic. Enjoying the company of the greenest nature, windows open, music aloud, and lovely spring weather, we drove, drove and drove without any specific destination to go to.

Few hours later.................we were LOST! Majorly! The map was 2 years old, we figured it out when we were surrounded by huge trees, extreme silence and boggling shade of the approaching evening. The roads were new which misled us somewhere deep into the forest and we didn't know where we were and how to get out of there. Suddenly the air felt scary, the breeze was too cold and the greenest forest seemed to be staring at both of us. No network on the phone and rest everything was at home. So, us, map, car and a non working phone in Talladega!

Lost in the map, still trying to figure out what exactly to do, after 2 and half hours of wait, i saw two lights blinking far away, slowly coming towards us and what do we see! Ah! A Cop's car, he stopped by, and asked "Can i help you guys?" OMG! a big big sigh! "Yes sir, you sure can :) We are lost and blah blah blah". This was the first time when an American cop escorted us to the nearest town instead of handing a traffic ticket :PP

We found a hotel to crash in and talk a little more about the day we had spent with heaps of mixed emotions. Roamed around the town, saw some countryside, clicked a few pictures, made some new memories and returned to Birmingham 2 days later. One heck of a trip through which we experienced freedom, endurance, adventure, thrill and a dynamic energy that surrounds us in the name of Nature. Plus, a satisfaction on the completion of an independent, non-technology-assisted trip full of spirit :)

That was Talladega for us in our unique way. We rocked it and you?
Give it a try some day to somewhere or nowhere :)


Image Courtesy: Google Images, of course!

Happy CNY!

Happy Chinese new year everyone. Went to the CNY celebrations the other day. Chinatown was crowded, oh! i am saying this as if any other area of Singapore is not. Yes, Singapore is always crowded, whichever part of the city it may be, whatever day you choose and the time of course doesn't matter to Singaporeans. They run at 2 in the night, health freaks i tell you. No offense :)

Chinatown has fireworks on the CNY eve, very similar crowd to the one on 4th of July in the US. I definitely noticed the difference in the way the fireworks were shot in the sky. On the 4th, fireworks used do be really pretty, organized, one after the other, streamlined. Here in Singapore, the fireworks were definitely not as random as it is in Diwali, neither were as streamlined as they used to be in Birmingham. It didn't give a feel of a monotonous parade, it was lively, colorful and warm. I thoroughly enjoyed the 5 minutes of extreme sound pollution, colored sky, rapidly blinking eyelashes around, religiously pouring rain in the background, umbrellas not so much on the heads but in the hands and the heads looking up in the sky, mouths shut and open, mild smiles on faces, breeze breathing through hairs and the happiness around.

Pics:

For Agnes!

Back to my soul after a long break indeed! I know, 2011 has started and January is half way through. This is my 1st post in 2011 and 101 th overall. So happy new year to all you readers and writers out there.

India trip was awesome. One month just passed by. Other things are same as they were. While in India, i hardly visited my blog, so all my fellow bloggers, i am yet to catch up on your December posts.

After coming back to Singapore, when i first visited my blog, browsed through the updates from my blogger friends. I had mixed emotions when i saw an update from Agnes, one of my favorite bloggers. She was struggling with her husband's cancer for last few months and had hardly updated her blog. Her title update said, 16th Jan....which didn't give me any good or bad news. I was nervous to click on the link and didn't want to see anything that i didn't want to know about. I was scared for her like she is my childhood friend, my family or somebody who i have known forever. Surprisingly none of this is true. I have known her, her husband, her cats, her dresses, her boots, her purses and everything about her, through her one stop blog. I don't know how i got so attached through words, only words. Finally i gathered the courage to visit her page and saw what i hated to see. One picture, him and her, and one line which said, "He died in my arms". I broke into tears, lots of tears, unstoppable tears. Mandar was worried because he kept asking and i never said a word, just cried, for a long time.

Agnes,

I didn't want to blog about this, was going to send you an email instead. However, the hundred times i visited my blog to write something after that day, i couldn't. I was just so emotional every single time i saw your name on my page. I couldn't. So this is my attempt to support you in your hard time and get over my mental block and clear my mind.

I know how positive, how creative, how strong, how different of a girl you are. I hate to see you tearing apart. So this post is to help you gain your strength.

Love you. Be strong!
Shalmalee

My 100th post for Akshaya Patra!

2 Indian words with a Sanskrit meaning,
Akshaya= Immortal, Indestructible, Inexhaustible
Patra= Vessel

The organization, Akshaya Patra, http://www.akshayapatra.org/ has given an entirely new meaning to these 2 sanskrit words.

Their slogans say,

Feed a Child
Click a smile
No child must be deprived from food
Children can learn faster than you can imagine, all it takes is a filling meal

Akshaya Patra feeds, 1,253,266 children everyday and the goal is to reach 5 million by 2020 and note, its a NPO. What do i write about them, watch their very own video to see the unbelievable work they are doing for the children of India and their one filling meal.



This is my 100th post and i don't think it would have been any more special without this worthy and outstanding cause. Thanks to http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=31 for such an opportunity to blog and feed 50 more children. Yes, that is what they say, 1 blog post for their cause=food for 50 hungry children :)

My few cents for these kids of India. May your futures be the brightest, kids :)
For donations, http://www.akshayapatra.org/why-donate

Save me through this one pleaseeeeeee :(

The trip to Bintan was amazing. This island brings to mind the words like indulge, explore, rejuvenate and refresh. Beautiful 2 days where i refreshed the memories Mandar and i made together since we met and fall in love. I wanted to blog about the serene beach, splendid resort, the beach view from our room, peacefulness in the widespread greenery, calmness about the south asian culture, the incredible customer service at Angsana resort, the flawless floral arrangements on various tables, the candles elevating your mood, the mellow asian music, the comforting aromas from the scented oil burners and so much more.

But, back to reality!

Oh god! Oh god!Oh lord!

Guess what! Its not just the beautiful memories i brought back with me to Singapore. OMG, these buggers i tell you. Sandfly its called i guess. Bless my heart, i have sandfly bites all over me :( Red rashes that itch like crazy. First i thought its the sunburn thats giving me a hard time and then i suddenly recalled this caution board that i almost ignored, read "Beware of Sandflies"....Awwwwwwww God, why did i miss it and never applied the insect repellent. I hate myself for being careless when it comes to reading NOTES/CAUTIONS/SIGNS/FINE PRINTS arghhhh! Now this will take weeks to heal, thats what the forums are saying!

Save me through this one!

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 30th: A as in Appreciate, Applause and Accomplishment!

A big Sigh of Relief first!
And then, a bigggggg Wohooooooooooooooooooo :)))))))))))
What a month, hey November 2010, you totally rocked :)
Last day, Last alphabet and a Last post, until next time of course!

I am not in a mood to compose anything today. This is going to be a short and sweet Bye-Bye to the Z-A challenge in 26 days. A big Appreciating Applause for Leo, the host of this challenge and an even bigger pat on my back for the Accomplishment :)

The day i decided to do it, i was excited. In the mean time, their were days when i was short of words, ideas, time, commitment and enthusiasm. Inspite, i decided not to quit, only to experience this feeling that i am having today. I am on cloud nine.

Thanks to all those who have been following, reading, commenting, not commenting, suggesting and most of all, having fun! The idea was to Create and have fun. Their was nothing to compete against anyone. The goal was to challenge yourself, which i did and won :)

Now, huh! Its time to take a break :) I will be off to Bintan, Indonesia, for the weekend and will update here only after that. Its our 3rd anniversary :))))))))

Until next time,
Shalmalee!

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 29th: B as in Bar!

Oh come on now, not a booze bar of course!
I am talking about the "Max Brenner Chocolate Bar". Yummmmmmm!

This place in Singapore serves irresistible chocolate delicacies that are deliciously creamy and rich. I had a Hug Mug Hot Chocolate. What an interesting name! Equally interesting is the menu, crockery and their presentation style. I pretty much chose my hot chocolate after loving the picture of this mug. It doesn't have a handle to hold on to, you just have to hug it and savor your hot drink to experience the heaven :)


Ya ya, i know, you all chocolate lovers out there are wanting to have a sip or two right now, isn't it? Don't give a damn about calories for now, just go and make yourself a cuppa hot CHOCOLATE and try to satisfy that insatiable craving you are having in this very moment :))

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 27th: C as in Colors!

Colors make me happy. Colors are the spice of my life.
Everything's dull if i am not surrounded with those vibrant shades.









Image Credits:
Prachi at http://purplehomes.blogspot.com/
Archana at http://rangdecor.blogspot.com/
Kathakali at http://kattykally.blogspot.com/
Archana at http://shortsnippets.blogspot.com/

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 26th: D as in Dimple!

For Ridima, my little sister who is Not so little. Ya, she is 5'8" and four years younger than me :( OMG, i look like, shhhh shh shh...ya, really short in front of her....you know, wink wink! Well, she is a darling and more or less, a part of me.

Her tantalizing eyes, captures every glimpse,
Her dark long hair, with a natural crimp,
Her soothing smile with a sparkling crisp,
Two cute Dimples, beauty at its tip!

She's a darling,
She's a sweetheart,
How i miss her,
Its hard to depart!

A part of me she is,
The love we share,
Will only increase,
An understanding,
That will never cease!

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 25th: E as in Ecstasy!

I light the incense stick,

And watch the smoke mystic!
I urge to close my eyes,
Sensing the emotional rise!

Magical smell surrounds,
Blissful Ecstasy abounds,
An experience, profound,
Vibrant divineness around!

A long breath i take in,
Still staring with a mild grin.

This scented stick, makes the room smell "Rose",
I take a quick glance around and notice,
How differently now, everything glows!

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 24th: F as in Frustration!

Frustration at its peak,
Tensions continue to creep,
Letting my stable mind creak,
And they call me, a stress freak!

Why o why?

New country, new place, new people, and most of all, new visa rules...
Every day is coming with a new surprise lately, i feel i almost have the right to be stressed out. 24th November will be a memorable day for me this year onwards. Situation had almost slipped from my hands today...some goodwill somewhere saved me, i think. I need some positive energy here. I feel awful :(

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 23rd: G as in Ganesha!

This is a video that i simply adoreeeeee :)
Just watch her, Ayona, she is world's cutest little thing!
She gives a speech where she makes the mythology and Lord Ganesha's story sound interesting and cute :)

Notice, she says, "Ganeepati Pappa Moraya" :PPP instead of Ganpati Bappa Moraya!!!

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 22nd: H words and H adjectives for H as in Hemali :)

Yes...she is the one who is loaded with millions of PJ's. Did i tell you she keeps reminding you about her birthday on every 10th of the year till November? Everyone will like to be the first one to pull her leg...thats how she is built, you know! Don't trust her if she says she is not emotional. She will act like the strongest person on this earth in front of you and cry like a baby when she is away. She manages to be the favorite in the bunch, i still don't know how :PP She can make friends with all ages, all genders, all races, no ifs and buts. She falls in the genre of people who effortlessly share your secrets but don't find it easy to open their own book. You can barely tell, A is her best friend and B is not, she likes C more and D irritates her :P

She has this little appearance with a few centimeters of height ;) & a few pounds here and there that she weighs but a massively huge heart that can fit just anyone inside her.

Another amongst my dear ones, H for Hemali. She reserved this alphabet for herself when i was still writing Y. She didn't have to. I wouldn't have wrote H for anything else other than the lovely, Hemali :)

I found on the journey of life,
This, One, darling friend,
Our bond reaching heights,
There is nothing to descend.

A heavenly friend, that Hemali has been to me, i am heart-fully thankful to God for how such relations have happened to be a part of my life. This hard to find, Heteroclitic breed, Hemali, how i love her :)



PS:
Heteroclite: Different

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 20th: I as in Implumous!

Beach-side, i was taking a walk,

And saw it lying by the rock,
Trying to make its way to the sky,
A bird, hurt wings, Implumous, Sigh!
I sat by this bird, watching it strive,
And felt so helpless, to see it rive!
I wish i had super powers, to make it fly,
Would have granted feathers, to see it up high!

PS:
Implumous: without feathers
Rive: tear apart

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 19th: J as in Jinn, Jinni or Jeannie, whichever you like :)

Me and my thoughts....

Me: I want to be with Mom today.
Thoughts: You can't be.

Me: What can i do?
Thoughts: Hmmm, nothing.

Me: Its her 50th birthday.
Thoughts: I already know that, isn't it?

Me: I did send her 50 flowers though.
Thoughts: No, the florist screwed up, its proly more than 50.

Me: Oh ya! right!
Thoughts: Back to me, i mean, back to your thoughts.

Me: Ya, i need that lamp.
Thoughts: The Jinn, you mean?

Me: Yes, i want to be a Jeannie. So i can be home in seconds.
Thoughts: Fraction of seconds actually.

Me: Hmmm. Ma will be so happy. Hey, wait. Is Jeannie spelt as Jinni or Genie?
Thoughts: Starts with a J mostly.

Me: Probably...
Thoughts: Google it!

Me: Yes! Jeannie, Jinn or Jinni, anyone. All J's.
Thoughts: Yes! You got your word for today then, J as in Jeannie :) Now write.

Me: Yeah....thats the one.
Thoughts: Happy now??

And hence i started....

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 18th: K as in Kathakali!

I have saved every post-it note she gave me,
I remember every tea talk i have had with her,
I miss her when i recall how she woke me up on lazy mornings,
I was fond of the midnight gossip we did laying in our beds,
I crave for those brownies we baked at half passed 12,
I feel the need for her wisdom words in my melancholy times,
I learnt to write a few bengali alphabets with her,
I got inspired to read books from her,
I shared all facts "about me" with her and if i didn't, she figured it out, somehow!

Most people call her Kay-jee, short for Kathakali Ghosh. I call her KG. Few relations just click, no explanations needed. This one is out of those few for me. My room-mate, KG, we lived together for a very small span. However, the connection was instant. The day she left Birmingham, i felt empty deep down in my heart and since then we haven't met as of today. Her last image in my eyes is still clear, she said, " Hum Milenge, Rona Nahi" ("we will meet, don't cry").

This post is for her. I look forward to meet her and give her a longing hug, hopefully soon :)

Yours,
Babooni (that is what she calls me :))

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 17th: L as in Letter!

Electronic age definitely saves both, time and hassle, and hence email is the mosttttt convenient medium of conversation to date. However, emotions are more, ahhh, how do i say it, "flowy", yes flowy is exactly what i want to say, when hands actually write, not type. Writing letters is something that still needs pen and paper, i think! and you?

Lately it is kind of forgotten,
Early on it used to be written,
Technology shows its own wonder,
Terminates dear old pen and paper,
E-mail is now, what we prefer,
Racks full of P-mail, is a mere clutter :(

Z-A challenge in 26 days: November 16th: M as in Mid!

Hmm...Its 1:00 pm, i know, i know, past 12 on the 16th November, huh! Out of the 26 alphabets, its M, the 13th letter today. So MID for coming midway in this challenge :)

What a stressful day,
Thats why, this little delay.
Morning started with a surprise bouquet,
And I thought Today's gonna be my Way.

Alas! Noon came with horrible things in reserve,
One after another, shocks hitting my nerve,
Brain went dead analyzing options, this or that,
I and the problems, facing each other, in a combat!

16th November, 11:30 to 12:00 PM,
Restlessly rushing through work i am,
Want to get home and write up that 13th letter M,
Its the MID today, now don't want to lose, damn!

But i missed the clock by a few ticks,
And Decided not to sleep before this is fixed!

So i tried to compose
This day full of torture,
I am not giving up,
---A hard Core blogger :)

Btw, this is the bouquet that my friend from India sent me as a bday gift. It arrived this morning :) Lovely, isnt it? Thanks darling Anu!