tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29437807831384183852024-03-21T06:10:59.506-07:00Life-O-HolicAmrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-69440807361556834842015-08-13T22:21:00.003-07:002015-08-13T22:23:08.889-07:00Embarrass yourself and learn to like it!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKWYGEbw7s98PBvo2NtH4zWbN2e5ZHCYEL8QFzdyMcl8_tvWK_ZwyN1e5EJuXo2UDAAkyJsTTQnYhO8-It8Yu6cru_1ADtELqj38PX_HiWMWPI-APmVNHNh9q1zRjg08dHYYuNVCBnkoK/s1600/the-fedss-huge-crackdown-on-wall-street-is-an-embarrassment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKWYGEbw7s98PBvo2NtH4zWbN2e5ZHCYEL8QFzdyMcl8_tvWK_ZwyN1e5EJuXo2UDAAkyJsTTQnYhO8-It8Yu6cru_1ADtELqj38PX_HiWMWPI-APmVNHNh9q1zRjg08dHYYuNVCBnkoK/s400/the-fedss-huge-crackdown-on-wall-street-is-an-embarrassment.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-feds-huge-crackdown-on-wall-street-is-embarassing-2010-12?IR=T" target="_blank">Link</a></td></tr>
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Reading old posts is indeed embarrassing. I am reminded of the overexcited , naive and innocent girl who used to think that the world is so complex yet beautiful. Today, when I read the posts, I am reliving my thought process, before I abandoned this blog.<br />
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Should I delete the old posts or should I not? For the time being I think I will keep them. Just to remind myself how I have changed over the years. </div>
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Amruta </div>
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Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-61286821217323285002012-11-21T04:02:00.004-08:002012-11-21T04:09:18.736-08:00A View From The Top<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAEUFfIq05hjb36xf2HLaB8Kji3213S8AEn96l4eNpVoE1J60VD5NQRP5bP8gOqUj36HdjgtLIeVvvsvP5HcDslpqwMoDkM-RxrosBzXR5V7DOPwuQIwfz3eLexD4MibBmm_oVplwduLe/s1600/113504853078075097_WyrlaB2H_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAEUFfIq05hjb36xf2HLaB8Kji3213S8AEn96l4eNpVoE1J60VD5NQRP5bP8gOqUj36HdjgtLIeVvvsvP5HcDslpqwMoDkM-RxrosBzXR5V7DOPwuQIwfz3eLexD4MibBmm_oVplwduLe/s640/113504853078075097_WyrlaB2H_c.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: weheartit</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">Rat Race! Yes that is what it is called...Now a days, every article about busy life in metro cities is incomplete without the mention of the word rat race. We mention it as if it is an inevitable verb, something we cannot do anything about and something we all have surrendered to...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">I wake up and till the moment I sleep, my mind constantly keeps on worrying , multi-tasking, sorting, prioratizing and worrying some more. When I complain about this to people, their responses are pretty standard. "This is the reality of life" or " what else do you expect from life in Mumbai" etc. But no one has a solution, or no one can really say they "know" exactly what needs to be done to escape from it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">And trust me , if you are part of a rat race, no matter how much you try to bring some empty space in your life and some balance, you are always defeated by the fast pace of the race. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">Moments like these, make me wonder whether I consciously signed up for such life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">The answer is yes, I did. But then why is it that the fascination and enigma of a "I am busy because I am important" fades away? Why is it that you realise that the fun of mad rush is fun only untill you do not realise the emptiness in your life?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">One question is , what do you do to still keep yourself alive in the rat race. Should you be like a machine or should you try to find creative ways in which you can steal some moments for your self. The answer is never easy., and I bet no one has found the exact answer yet! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">But I think it is still a great achievement if you realise the true state of your life. If you realise that you are part of rat race, a race that will only take you to a finish line but won't let you enjoy the journey, maybe that can begin a new thought process..</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">Then, maybe someday, you can learn to steal some moments from your life and look at the view from the top....look at the other people rushing through the fast lane...and just simply stare and enjoy the moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;">Amruta.</span></div>
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<br />Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-19824136122005365252012-08-24T00:33:00.000-07:002012-08-24T00:36:11.913-07:00Life post Blackberry<br />
Ha! So I finally gave up my much loved and treasured blackberry. <br />
<br />
It’s been almost 3 whole weeks since I have started using my new Nokia E-5 phone. It’s not basic, but it is not a very advanced phone either. It is fuss free, battery life is efficient and so it’s fits my requirement perfectly. Ever since I bought the phone, I have been thinking about writing about my switch from blackberry. Here it is : <br />
<br />
1. I am completely hand’s free: <br />
Since blackberry is so prompt enough to deliver Emails and BBM’s , you kind of never give your fingers and hands a good rest. I no longer pull out my phone, browse emails (thought I have installed Gmail on my phone, just in case) or I no longer have to worry about ‘what if I miss an important email or bbm?’ . My phone comfortably sits on my desk and troubles me only when an sms or phone call comes. <br />
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2. I have started looking at things around me : <br />
Well, it’s not that I have been an absolute type A kind of an addict of blackberry, but I must admit that lately I used to browse mails and bbm’s even while I was walking , waiting in a queue, inside the lift, while travelling to work. Now I have more time to look at things around me and that’s quite nice. <br />
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3. Have you ever come across someone who is constantly looking at their blackberry while talking or listening to others? Well, now I do not have to be that person. <br />
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4. I am actually finding time to read : With no pressure or access to emails all the time, I am back with my books. Now with a dedicated time to access emails and chat with friends, I think I am more productive. <br />
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5. Social Networking? Now I know why technology and social networking goes hand in hand. Earlier, my ‘friends’ and me on GTalk and BBM used to chat frequently, and I somewhere confused it with ‘friendship’. But after my last message on BBM to ‘friends’ hardly anyone has bothered to keep in touch (minus some lovely real friends) through an email or a simple SMS or phone call. What does it show?<br />
<br />
My interpretation is that it just shows that because you are not accessible through a particular gadget like blackberry or platform like BBM , they are no longer interested in taking that extra step. Actually this is an irony of most social networks, and it is about time we (means those who are very active on SN sites) started rethinking about social networking as a medium of communication with ‘friends’.<br />
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It’s time to ask ourselves how many birthdays do we remember without Facebook reminding us? How many friend’s phone numbers do we know by heart? How many of us really know what our outer circle of friends are upto, if there is not social networking sites or bbm updates? <br />
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I think watching the green light in front of friend’s names on GTalk or seeing their photos on FB or updates on BBM gives us a false idea that we are in touch with them.<br />
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But this does not hold true for me. I think that is the biggest lesson I have learnt in these three weeks.<br />
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The fact is , phones are just phones, and social networking or internet on phone is for convenience and emergency, not to keep your friendships or relationships alive. <br />
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So that’s my three week update about my life post blackberry. <br />
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Would you give up your fancy-social network connected-3G internet enabled phone??<br />
<br />
- AmrutaAmrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-50177022517689533742012-08-07T04:13:00.000-07:002012-08-07T04:13:28.630-07:00Breaking Up With Blackberry<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7IMIAmqM7l8ZklolieWpzsURWsqAwmxgXyT914rvaRgwATJPLw2Y8kBGcgqVCA735mtmDEYV5AJYK0gy4xjYsIXJMHHw4lNT8Lil6iGQfujTHQHromJrQKWb37LUSfooXjPGZ5NhcSs5/s1600/lets-break-up.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7IMIAmqM7l8ZklolieWpzsURWsqAwmxgXyT914rvaRgwATJPLw2Y8kBGcgqVCA735mtmDEYV5AJYK0gy4xjYsIXJMHHw4lNT8Lil6iGQfujTHQHromJrQKWb37LUSfooXjPGZ5NhcSs5/s640/lets-break-up.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mydeardoris.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/lets-break-up.gif" target="_blank">Credit</a></td></tr>
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While
I am typing this blog post, my blackberry is quietly sleeping inside the pouch.
I have switched it off ! Because I do not want her to hear what I have to say “
I am breaking with my blackberry”</div>
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It’s
been on my mind for a long time and it’s not an overnight decision taken out of
boredom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many reasons why I am
taking this step. Even though I am quite sure, Harshu (The Husband) is getting
irritated with me vocalizing my need to change my phone , I think it’s time to
irritate him more and switch over. </div>
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<b>Reason
1 : It’s a time waster. </b></div>
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While
I completely understand that gadgets don’t rule you , and you need to keep a
tab on how you use them, I don’t think I am disciplined enough to ignore the
flickering red light and frequent beeps made by my blackberry. Any time of the
day, it is calling out to me, tempting me to read all the emails (including the
silly spam messages of winning a billion pound lottery!) I know I can simple
chose not to read it or read it when I have time, but to be honest that never
happens. I simply cannot do away with the temptation of reading it then and
there. </div>
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<b>Reason
2 : Anti-Social Networking</b> </div>
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Up until
three days ago, I subscribed to ‘complete internet experience’ by having web
browsing enabled on my phone. Which meant that I could browse facebook, twitter
and use google whenever I wanted. I also used the BBM (Black Berry Messenger)
service to keep in touch with ‘friends’ with frequent small chat messages. I realized
that though the purpose of social networking is to ‘connect’ with people, very
frequently I have had people in my ‘friends list on facebook’ who are no longer
fitting into the ‘good friends’ category. On BBM, though I have couple of close
friends, I would like to connect with them better than just forwarding jokes
and typing silly ‘Hi’ messages! I feel if you want to keep your relationship
alive with a friend, isn’t it better to call the friend once in a while, instead
of ‘liking’ facebook status or sending a BBM and having a small talk about
nothing in particular?</div>
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No
matter how much you talk to a person over internet, it cannot be compared to a
telephonic talk or meeting in person. And blackberry is in reality not bringing
me closer to people , but taking the relationship to a new artificial level. </div>
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<b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reason 3 : I do not need internet to stay
alive. </b></div>
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I am
a major internet addict. A day without internet seems empty for me. But I wasn’t
like this few years ago. I used to spend limited time on internet and could
take out time for my other passions like reading , photography etc. Lately, I
have just been a couch potato browsing internet at home and pretending that it’s
my hobby. Well you can cultivate hobbies online like blogging , but I haven’t
done that much either. So I guess it’s time to cut down on internet and to move
from virtual to ‘real’ life. </div>
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In
any case I have to be online 10 to 5.30 everyday in office and I think that is
sufficient enough time to do work online and also take care of personal
emailing. </div>
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<b>Reason
4 : Blackberry cannot become your alter ego!</b></div>
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Actually
it applies not only to blackberry but also to any other smart phone. We are
living in a superficial world where people judge and impress others with their
phones and not qualities. If you see a modestly dressed woman or a man walking
around with a blackberry or an expensive phone, you immediately think ‘oh
he/she must be really important to have a blackberry or a smart phone’. Why
should the price of a gadget determine your worth? Why shouldn’t it be the
other way round? </div>
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I
think to some extent this holds true for me as well. Though I do not judge
people based on their phones, I guess when I reply people from my blackberry it
gives me a slightly devilish pleasure that I cannot describe in words. And that’s
exactly what I want to get away from. </div>
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Phones
or any gadgets are for our convenience and it should in no way define who we are. </div>
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<b>Reason
5 : I can deal with a basic phone! </b></div>
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I
try to go back to the basic question as to why we need phones in our lives? I need
phone basically to call people, to send SMS, to have a calendar and calculator
handy . That’s it ! I can check emails on my office or home laptop and that
would be sufficient. In any case my work does not involve any urgent situation
where I have to be on mails 24 X 7. </div>
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My
mom said a very funny thing the other day. And it really made a lot of sense to
me. When I told her that I am planning to switch to a basic phone and give up
blackberry, she said “ Go ahead! In any case when you call people from your
fancy blackberry , it does not mean that you get to hear something magical. Any
phone would let you hear human voices and let you send text” </div>
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So I
am sure this is a good time to ‘break up with blackberry’ and I hope it’s for
good!</div>
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</span></span></span>Amruta </div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-22218945592760204952012-05-09T02:25:00.003-07:002012-05-09T02:25:41.174-07:00Don’t we all have such moments?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHFNBITzanNNjjWoA5eE28XbdEdf_Nqa7ST_oNvonOpT1Kqd9_CY1wg70HdBlOiXcuTEe_GCUx7ysINpLuXGO5sFDAIXU_H45THRX2l68GdCzAv4B9cVEp_hjsgqGFmULJWmL4eHWqTlc/s1600/32440059785385388_rFySjfW3_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHFNBITzanNNjjWoA5eE28XbdEdf_Nqa7ST_oNvonOpT1Kqd9_CY1wg70HdBlOiXcuTEe_GCUx7ysINpLuXGO5sFDAIXU_H45THRX2l68GdCzAv4B9cVEp_hjsgqGFmULJWmL4eHWqTlc/s320/32440059785385388_rFySjfW3_c.jpg" width="309" /></a></div>
<br /><br />
I stand on the edge of right and wrong, wondering what really defines these words. I mean what is right for me can be wrong for you. What is wrong for me can be your right. Who defines these things for me? And if I am the decider then that’s great because I can twist and turn the words the way I want, I can label my deeds as right or wrong as per my convenience, right? After all, who is going to watch me? Who is going to stop me?<br />
<br />With my arrogance, I take a step ahead. I sink into the sin. I come up and float on shallow waters. I fool the world and prove my innocence. The world nods and lets me go. I return to the shore. I am not afraid to look behind, because I know I have won the toughest battle.<br />
<br />As I sit alone, basking in my glory, I realize that while I was busy in fooling the world, I forgot to fool my soul.<br />
<br />
My soul which shadows me wherever I go, which feels things even before it strikes my mind.<br />
<br />
My soul that defines me. My soul which will carry these scars forever.<br />
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- Amruta<br />
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Image credit <a href="http://www.hardfeelingsblog.com/" target="_blank">here</a><br />Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-32567480793414841202012-03-16T05:07:00.002-07:002012-05-09T02:27:38.140-07:00Not just there yet !<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmq2NbtFBMHYTp9dYcAyqyVkGnS01mW6KmJXPB4tPCPLKjDaqqUrrTLkj-QviwbcE8GpCbvjheXplh5fXSeN_7lWzE2zJGr9mTrekpF3Esm0ez7jmOCJZL9-lkEVgjZilRAgz16dvJIMjy/s1600/DSCN2168.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720465706886203538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmq2NbtFBMHYTp9dYcAyqyVkGnS01mW6KmJXPB4tPCPLKjDaqqUrrTLkj-QviwbcE8GpCbvjheXplh5fXSeN_7lWzE2zJGr9mTrekpF3Esm0ez7jmOCJZL9-lkEVgjZilRAgz16dvJIMjy/s320/DSCN2168.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">wait is about to end...</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">end is in sight....</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">I have walked many miles</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">to see how everything feels 'right'</span></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-90685749194805803322011-11-22T08:14:00.000-08:002012-05-09T02:28:17.767-07:00It's a girl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHZCf5Rr-5IR_OIN4C5RUdXif3_J8TkEMNvLtdOeorSGE895ssGtSG8GjNYxEirHlhGJEs1ZFR0y0ydKmhW8lsfzyxK6o5kvHAr7nAxnz09ihj22pQLapX1kgvlZsHKtNKL4SjHD23YPZ/s1600/32440059785383873_XK1hNkhZ_c.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677857718951964786" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHZCf5Rr-5IR_OIN4C5RUdXif3_J8TkEMNvLtdOeorSGE895ssGtSG8GjNYxEirHlhGJEs1ZFR0y0ydKmhW8lsfzyxK6o5kvHAr7nAxnz09ihj22pQLapX1kgvlZsHKtNKL4SjHD23YPZ/s320/32440059785383873_XK1hNkhZ_c.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 228px;" /></a><br />
"It's a girl!" they said,<br />
<div>
everyone overjoyed,</div>
<div>
They flashed the news</div>
<div>
on the front page of the tabloids</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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her birth was celebrated</div>
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she is born with a silver spoon</div>
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she must be so beautiful</div>
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we want to see her soon</div>
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"It's a girl!"they said</div>
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their faces dropped instantly,</div>
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they prepared to discard her </div>
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and made such plans openly</div>
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<br /></div>
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She was found in a roadside bin,</div>
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counting her last breath,</div>
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her loss wasn't mourned,</div>
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and she died a lonely death.</div>
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(Aishwarya Rai, the bollywood actress gave birth to a baby girl and it was celebrated like never before. But this is an exception. Usually, in our hypocrite society, birth of a girl is a matter of concern than a joyful occassion. I only wish that each girl is as fortunate as Aishwarya-Abhishek's baby)</div>
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Image credit : <a href="http://lorilynn15.tumblr.com/post/1218006814">Tumblr</a></div>
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Amruta</div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-16334003868777483162011-10-23T10:13:00.000-07:002012-05-09T02:28:47.599-07:00Old and New<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEZeXvukh-CkhPz4KjT95rKEHuBadYNZQY4klAk7zQvcDSQbu8yUIPYqw1NTQEUqomkE0utfF30AqGE_r8ih84cTnp2y-b8WQ60lPCpakjAgQes3OzHQ5qSCZH8VIQ_JdUbVcJ3R_iboR/s1600/DSCN1510.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEZeXvukh-CkhPz4KjT95rKEHuBadYNZQY4klAk7zQvcDSQbu8yUIPYqw1NTQEUqomkE0utfF30AqGE_r8ih84cTnp2y-b8WQ60lPCpakjAgQes3OzHQ5qSCZH8VIQ_JdUbVcJ3R_iboR/s400/DSCN1510.jpg" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-32667682938126918182011-10-23T10:12:00.000-07:002011-10-23T10:12:08.710-07:00Colours<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8T2p7cgN7sk7_jKI84h3Ridxjd5xTBp3_R-7NtCus5KwmfPhcPkLB_SBEf5rZS0D5Zy8MpNJNfzN_4vuK8Qlq_0TzE5116V41sQqzQYtomCZkK9KKkBcctrWb0JTB5C1WIyvNwI-Ou4u/s1600/DSCN1355.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8T2p7cgN7sk7_jKI84h3Ridxjd5xTBp3_R-7NtCus5KwmfPhcPkLB_SBEf5rZS0D5Zy8MpNJNfzN_4vuK8Qlq_0TzE5116V41sQqzQYtomCZkK9KKkBcctrWb0JTB5C1WIyvNwI-Ou4u/s400/DSCN1355.JPG" /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-67534170857256067702011-10-23T10:09:00.000-07:002012-05-09T02:29:54.635-07:00Confront your own shadow<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30t3bJvZNkEnyIJTOLjW1LUDOVOZeWw-flIX4caNtwfYfXJku0mX7ut6r13thlU-dgjLIb-zQrtpE7f5L29DVFILd11tlmQBbQlM8lnjqA_HZZHSwNxsJI2K5N_V9bvd39rqoyTCL0AFP/s1600/DSCN1140.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30t3bJvZNkEnyIJTOLjW1LUDOVOZeWw-flIX4caNtwfYfXJku0mX7ut6r13thlU-dgjLIb-zQrtpE7f5L29DVFILd11tlmQBbQlM8lnjqA_HZZHSwNxsJI2K5N_V9bvd39rqoyTCL0AFP/s400/DSCN1140.JPG" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-69867550749051379882011-10-23T10:04:00.000-07:002012-05-09T02:30:12.899-07:00Afternoon siesta<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcWYXWImaTZQI5H3sNNrmdhY8txKF-sNBVRAYy9cNVyJDlWkhLA8gn7g5QN3Mp1oxELdL4GrAenT4VquTgyGj88e119uxhRuBy8IOm029G01CFcSQeMF4EXLO_Ybx6i7Dtdrd4SGf7XVR/s1600/DSC02816.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcWYXWImaTZQI5H3sNNrmdhY8txKF-sNBVRAYy9cNVyJDlWkhLA8gn7g5QN3Mp1oxELdL4GrAenT4VquTgyGj88e119uxhRuBy8IOm029G01CFcSQeMF4EXLO_Ybx6i7Dtdrd4SGf7XVR/s400/DSC02816.JPG" /></a> </div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-9566157788550512312011-10-23T10:01:00.000-07:002012-05-09T02:30:32.054-07:00Sunset<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2u7L5v6DiT9hFvEyfQH_sF1H9QdmFeC3BBPkCXZgq2B2qZ6Oqyb55ZGIMI9LO3Ys4mznRD6-j8pIqqxF1E3aFUJeKoX90w_ddNdX57ORVHB2qQWe1AtZ_F2erWaePb9yXMpV2LxtXgWiZ/s1600/DSC02607.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2u7L5v6DiT9hFvEyfQH_sF1H9QdmFeC3BBPkCXZgq2B2qZ6Oqyb55ZGIMI9LO3Ys4mznRD6-j8pIqqxF1E3aFUJeKoX90w_ddNdX57ORVHB2qQWe1AtZ_F2erWaePb9yXMpV2LxtXgWiZ/s400/DSC02607.JPG" /></a> </div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-85111631860458834892011-10-09T04:03:00.001-07:002012-05-09T02:31:22.347-07:00PlaylistToday,the road from Mumbai to Pune seems different. Not because I am travelling on my own in a bus,unlike other times when I am accompanied by Dear Husband (DH) but only because there is something else that is accompanying me today : songs and lyrics...<br />
I put on my headphones and the first songs that I hear is : musu musu haasi; a song that depicts college time romance,innocent-not-so-complicated love;love that reminds me of my college years (also because it is shot in Fergusson College)..life was much simple then..love meant just 'love' without any hassles and complications and dilemmas..love during that time had yet not become synonymous with having a boyfriend or a girlfriend. The usual practice of 'dating' or 'going around' was not so popular...Falling in love really usued begin with smiles and love letters , and phone calls on the landline phone were the most popular modes of communication....such was the 'Pehla Nasha' of love....I remember ,that even in the absence of gadgets like mobile phones some of would easily remember where their loved one would be.....those days,one had no way of letting the loved one know that she/he would be running late,but yeah no one would mind waiting.In fact,waiting made the hearts even go fonder. A dear friend of mine made her boyfriend wait at the station for almost 3 hours every time..and it is not surprising they are now happily married !<br />
Just as I have crossed Lonavala my mind is wondering how I used to feel empty after listening to the song 'Bheegi Bheegi' from Gangster....<br />When I heard the song first time, I had completed 3 years of my relationship...things were settling down...each other's moods,habits,thoughts and even weird ways were somewhat familiar....it was a period of change: the era of cellphones had begun with full swing. Some fortunate souls like us had started using cellphones...communication was more frequent so were the unnecessary complications...I saw so many of friends getting in and out of love;breaking up ,patching up,mourning lost relationships,going on a rebound spree,dealing with a difficult and over possessive partner and much more...I guess the 'pal main hasaya pal main rulaya' phase and 'bheegi bheegi si raatein' was something that everyone could relate to...Shaan's 'Tanha Dil' was also round the corner....and we did not know where would these phase in love lead us to...<br />
I have now browsed my playlist and chosen a song that I know,must be a dream song for many: 'Aye Udi Udi' from Saathiya<br />I remember how that for the first time made me realize that marriage can be the next step for a relationship...I am sure, many girls and boys of my age must have found it as a good movie to relate to...they must have watched it with their loved one,hand in hand, and must have looked at each other with same adulation as vivek and raani had in their eyes....<br />
Hum jo chalne lage,..chalne lage he yeh raaste...<br />A fairly recent song from Jab We Met takes me back into the world of possibilities...<br />Possibilities of career,higher education,aspirations and need to make a mark in this world...possibilities of reshaping the relationships, holding on to the loved one even in the time when everything else in life was changing....When the 'Calling of the unknown' was strong and uncharted roads were inviting with open arms...how difficult it was to romance anything else but life! <br />Separation was sweet during this time...while walking on the separate roads to reach personal roads the words 'tera na hona janne kyu hona hi hai.....tum se hi...'reminded many that life was not only about running in the rat race but also about enjoying finer moments with the loved one....<br />
I am approaching Mumbai now....I need to get back to reality...the 'real' playlist of today reads a full time job,a full time husband,home and family, a tight schedule and deadlines,work pressure and fomality...<br />
But I know , when I hit the real playlist,it reminds of my choices and dreams that have turned my sweetheart into a husband,my career aspirations into a full time job and my life into an enjoyable journey....<br />
Amruta
<br />Sent on my BlackBerry® from VodafoneAmrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-39748880844862059802011-08-12T03:04:00.000-07:002011-08-12T04:57:04.836-07:00Silvassa and the Art of Doing Nothing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt0KdTlHXx4Fhp2ziBZOFhyphenhyphenuFxVdZhr0Rb4sVPDojfSf8PgiAw7-DkK2vo7r4JIqWZ5qB6bN2PJYphdVvXYAyBILI9EMoE6omhYYBMnzMjXjcqpm5oW1glZaBWHiWVGf7_gelTyVYZWLJ/s1600/85095547_hMelPzRn_c.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt0KdTlHXx4Fhp2ziBZOFhyphenhyphenuFxVdZhr0Rb4sVPDojfSf8PgiAw7-DkK2vo7r4JIqWZ5qB6bN2PJYphdVvXYAyBILI9EMoE6omhYYBMnzMjXjcqpm5oW1glZaBWHiWVGf7_gelTyVYZWLJ/s320/85095547_hMelPzRn_c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639935434696725794" border="0"></a>
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<br />In the recent movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Arjun is very scared to enter the deep blue ocean as he does not know how to swim. Laila , his diving instructor helps him to come over his fear and Arjun manages to dive deep to enjoy the glimpses of underwater wonders. When his friends tease him and ask him what was his learning from the whole diving experience, Arjun says 'just inhale and exhale'....
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<br />Arjun's sarcastic yet real words made me think hard about the crazy times we all live in. Our lives are constantly oriented towards 'achievements'. As if every action that we do has to have some concrete outcome. We live our lives bordered by ideas
<br />such as 'one should utilize every living second meaningfully and constructively' in order to be truly successful. This is almost considered as a ground rule for life and if we do not produce an 'output' then the whole act is equated as a waste of time'.
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<br />These days, we are all rats in the race. Our time is 'money' and spending time 'doing nothing' is probably considered a modern day sin. But there are also lots of people who believe that ‘ doing nothing’ is also an art.
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<br />I got a first hand experience of why 'doing nothing' . Last weekend, I visited Silvassa , a quiet capital town in the Union Territory of Dadara and Nagar Haveli, sandwiched between the states of Maharashtra and Gujrat. It was an unplanned trip by me and my husband H and an escape route from the stressful work and lifestyle.
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<br />We left Mumbai on Friday night and unlike other times where we would drive ourselves, we hired a driver. When we drove past Andheri and Goregoan through the jampacked traffic and reached to Dahisar , the official border of Mumbai , I looked back at the city and sighed with relief. I thought the next two hours would be full of fun with me and my husband sitting behind and talking till we reach our destination. But the real fun began when we crossed the Ghodbunder road and the rain gods started their weekend fun.
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<br />I had read Silvassa is just 2.5 hours away as it is around 180 k.m. from Mumbai. When we pulled over at near a Cafe , assuming that we had reached close by, people in the Cafe they told us that we are still 150 k.m. away from Silvassa. When we were on the NH 8. , hoping to reach to Silvassa quickly it started raining so heavily that we could hardly see the road before us. The visibility of the road was extremely low and at one point of time, Sunil , our driver barely managed to save our car from falling down from the bridge. To top it all up , we did not have any idea of where exactly we were. Finally, after 2 hours of maddening rains we reached the town of Silvassa and managed to find our resort.
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<br />The next morning , we both woke up to the sound of rains. As I got out of bed and stepped in the balcony, I realized that our room was overlooking the Daman Ganga river. Daman Ganga was flowing with full force with its water in shade of dark maroon from the silt and mud it had carried the entire night. Between our room and the river , there was nothing else except a small garden with tall mango and ashoka trees. We spent the next one and half days in our hotel room doing nothing significant. We sat in the balcony and looked at the rain without any purpose. We looked at the dark clouds and smelt the scent of wet trees. We skipped showers and lounged around in our home clothes…We laughed, shared our thoughts and also enjoyed silence together. We had not carried a camera to click photos, there was no rush to finish food in given time, no rush to wake up and go out for sightseeing, no compulsion to dress up, no pressure to make anyone else happy.
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<br />Now I realize how essential it is to just 'be' and not do anything for a while. Throw away your 'to do list' , books, music players , camera and cell phones. Just sit and relax. Stare at the sky, rivers, trees, people , ocean.....just do nothing more than inhale and exhale for a while and feel the change !
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<br />(image from <a href="http://tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com/post/7046758646/landscape">here</a>)
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<br />Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-62591071401827807182011-05-06T04:31:00.000-07:002012-05-09T02:31:56.216-07:00Thoda Hai , Thode Ki Jaroorat Hai...As I hum these lines, I am reminded of the desire that we all have... the desire to wish for a 'little bit more', a 'few extra things' in life. I can recollect that how in our daily lives we tend to feel that just a little bit more will give us more satisfaction. For example, when we order a pizza or a sandwich we particularly ask for 'extra cheese'; Pani Puri or Chaat is always followed by a free Masala Puri; buying vegetables is incomplete if we do not get that extra bit of discount etc. Market around is full of such deals that offer 'more' than the competitor, be it deals on electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, television or even groceries. Remember Shah Rukh Khan's advertisement ? 'Thoda Aur Wish Karo, Dish Karo'? I think in today's competitive world, almost everything except poison has some extra offer attached to it !<br />
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This desire present in most of us is not only ignited when we are buying 'things', but also when we are dealing with personal and professional relationships. No matter how much salary hike we receive, somewhere we feel that we deserved more and things could have been better with that extra bit of cash. On personal front, no matter how much a person loves us, we feel that we are entitled to more love and affection.<br />
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But has this desire to always wish for more gets us into trouble? Or is it something that aspires us to keep us on our toes, look for better things in life and most importantly stay away from complacency?</div>
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Hold on to that thought....and don't scroll down, I have nothing 'more' to offer in this post..</div>
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Amruta</div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-18987760971797073682011-01-22T10:51:00.000-08:002012-05-09T02:32:15.280-07:00Yes we are Superwomen, but where are the 'Supermen'??<div style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span">Today on Star Plus, they showed a rather beautiful 'Star Plus's Anthem' dedicated to the woman of today....This piece was very beautifully directed...It open's up with a pretty looking woman doing zillions of tasks at home..She is shown as a wife who wakes up next to her husband early in the morning, unties herself from his hand delicately and jumps out of bed to make tiffin for her school going daughter....She is a good 'Bahu' who keeps an eye on her diabetic father in law and stops him from having that extra spoon of sugar in his tea...She then turns into a naughty wife who hands over the towel to her husband who is taking a bath and not to forget the little peck on the cheek after that…She dries saree's with her mother in law on the terrace, gives a flying kiss and warm smile to her office going husband….She is expert in the arts too…She takes up Katthak lessons and moves her feet to perfection!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">But don't mistake her for a shy stay at home mom…she steps out of the house- she is a part time teacher to the poor children, she helps to push the Rikshaw of the poor and old rikshawwalla….She doesn't even shy away from mediating in a traffic congestion…..</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">She is a home maker and a TV anchor….She is finishing up her job while her family decorates the living room for her birthday….But at the last moment her boss begs her to do one more news report and she being the 'perfect' person she is doesn't let him down…..</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">She comes home late and sees her family asleep on the couch..but she bursts the balloons and wakes them up to celebrate her birthday and to spread that extra bit of joy!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">The Star Plus has thoughtfully (!) ended the whole 'anthem' as they call it by showing her standing in the cold on a terrace , looking towards the stars while her husband comes in the frame to drape a shawl over her shoulders….</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">While the anthem and maybe its description may sound very heartwarming to the viewers/readers….I asked myself…Is this humanly possible for any women to be so perfect? Is it possible to be a perfect wife, mother , daughter and career woman at the same time? Isn't it too much to expect from a human being…</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Though I know the 'anthem' is symbolic, I wonder what sort of symbolism are we trying to portray? That today's woman is suppose to be a superwoman, a caretaker of all, a person who juggles work and home with élan and never complains??</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">My bit of reading on gender issues tells me that ever since women started claiming their space outside home; things became easy and difficult at the same time for them. Stereotypes of 'hard core career woman' had received a negative connotation and being a 'stay at home mom' or a 'home maker' was also looked down upon……At the same time I feel , there is tremendous pressure on women of today to 'have it all' or rather to 'give it all'..She is suppose to be a highly educated, intellectual career women and still she should know how to be a good wife and mother…..A woman who balances both the spheres in today's world is the helm of everything!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">But I often wonder, why is there no pressure on men to be a 'superman'? It is still oaky for a man to be a hard core careerist person who goes to meetings, has stress, travels a lot and earns money…and his efforts to contribute at home like doing cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping and parenting skills are highly overrated…</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Men still don't face the pressure of multi-tasking as women do…..Is that why we are being told that we should be good at the 'balancing act'?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">I do understand that under any circumstances we have a choice…we have a choice to chose the type of life we want….But at the same time what messages are these tacit 'anthems' trying to give? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">I wonder if the Anthem is conceived and directed by a woman or a man!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Hold on to that thought….</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Amruta</span></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-10932218191482835222010-12-27T21:55:00.000-08:002010-12-27T21:59:11.313-08:00While you were sleeping.....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbtKTgwftMKAP08m1dQoZlU2lL-SY10DZTefwaZdzNw59TaSYO0zbOJkMGkJauoTQEJ57xDNFmDK4M7xURpmG3fagZFmPvtZfu841gLm-6LPfboQ5O-9BQtn3cK9yWhTQ_MQIThOTS9R2/s1600/165573_485065614183_123921984183_5635554_101131_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbtKTgwftMKAP08m1dQoZlU2lL-SY10DZTefwaZdzNw59TaSYO0zbOJkMGkJauoTQEJ57xDNFmDK4M7xURpmG3fagZFmPvtZfu841gLm-6LPfboQ5O-9BQtn3cK9yWhTQ_MQIThOTS9R2/s400/165573_485065614183_123921984183_5635554_101131_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555608414176719106" /></a><p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">While you were sleeping…</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">I had a hell of a night………</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">I opened the locked up pages of my life…..</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">Unknown desires……..unknown ambitions……</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">I sang those songs which I cannot sing anymore…..</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">I had a little dance with myself…setting myself loose……</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">I got lost in the mist…….and played the game of 'finding myself'….</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">I fancied my wildest dreams……..</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">I ran away so far away……………….</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">So far where the night seemed like a day…where strangers were friends…..</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">Where there was no fear, no maze…..</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">While you were sleeping…</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">I had<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>a hell of a night………..</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">But as the night came to an end……</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">I came back , in your warm arms…….</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">To greet you when you wake up…….to kiss you a bright morning…</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">To begin a day as if the night was false……</p> <p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">But to tell you the truth………I had a hell of a night yesterday…...</p><p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt"><br /></p><p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">- Amruta</p><p style="margin:0in;font-family:Calibri;font-size:12.0pt">(Image Credit : Facebook Iktara community)</p>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-40658003384647315192010-11-28T22:11:00.001-08:002012-05-09T02:32:38.522-07:00Traffic and two curious eyes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbY4BKHRBjjBDwCevhShyQlmW0yBpm_VBsZLeWgJRncCdUm0D6kS2pH6aQB9ytVvyOoDSXvpZ4yiL-p6fK1FPTovdVfDKonlIBCMzCJAviQLqbx1BI6y4Pug5vtzpQ2-6nz06w7aA4sMR/s1600/DSC04290.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544851643491471746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbY4BKHRBjjBDwCevhShyQlmW0yBpm_VBsZLeWgJRncCdUm0D6kS2pH6aQB9ytVvyOoDSXvpZ4yiL-p6fK1FPTovdVfDKonlIBCMzCJAviQLqbx1BI6y4Pug5vtzpQ2-6nz06w7aA4sMR/s400/DSC04290.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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I was travelling from Pune to Mumbai by bus and as usual was caught in the midst of maddening traffic. The slow pace at which the bus was moving was making me anxious and I was already cooking up excuses that I would give at the meeting for being late.I glanced outside the window helplessly,looking at the two wheelers finding their way out from the mess, people crossing road, some jumping out of taxis and choosing to walk to their destination. Pressure in my mind was building up and I cursed myself for not choosing the earlier bus, cursed the traffic and everything around me.</div>
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In some time, my anger took form of boredom.I flipped through the magazine I had, sipped water, tried to move away my mind from the situation by listening to music.But my monkey mind wouldn't let me do anything.</div>
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It was at that time that I glanced out of the window and saw another bus next to mine. Two curious eyes of caught my attention. It was a small boy sitting on his mother's lap. She was busy talking to someone besides her and the boy was looking out of the window with his big eyes. I wondered if he knows that he is stuck in a traffic jam, his mommy would be late for something or if he has no control over whatever he is stuck at. The inquisitiveness in his eyes touched something in my heart. I thought have I really lost the ability to 'stand and stare' to be curious about the world around me? When you are stuck in a situation which you have no control over, what should you do? Should you let your temper soar high and worry about the consequences or should you take a deep breathe and concentrate on the present moment? Wouldn't it be nice if I control my restlessness and simply glance out of the window at something interesting , something unusual which I would never if I am not stuck in a traffic jam? Like today , out of the million people on the street I observed two curious eyes...</div>
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That day I was an hour late for my appointment and funny thing was the person whom I was meeting was late also due to heavy traffic.I am curious to know if she observed something interesting that day....</div>
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- Amruta<br />
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<br /></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-53889203631814486152010-10-29T07:03:00.000-07:002010-10-29T07:14:27.977-07:00समांतरसमांतर <br />म्हणजे 'parallel'....शाळेत असताना गणिताच्या पुस्तकात समांतर रेषांचा धडा होता.<br /><br />गणित हा तसा माझा नावडता विषय - दहावीचा गणिताचा पेपर दिल्यावर आयुष्यात गणिताकडे पाठ फिरवायची नाही असा मी पण केला होता..पण हा धडा मात्र एकदम लक्षात राहिला..<br /><br />गणिताच्या बाईंनी फळ्यावर दोन रेषा काढल्या आणि म्हणाल्या 'ह्या आहेत समांतर रेषा, ज्या कधीच एक मेकांना छेदत नाहीत'. Two lines in a plane that do not intersect or meet are called parallel lines.<br />इतर वेळेस तासाला झोप काढणारी मी एकदम जागी झाले आणि डोक्यात काहीतरी वेगळेच विचार चालू झाले. या रेषा छेदत नाहीत? एकमेकांना कधीच भेटत नाहीत? समोरच्या फळ्यावर माझी नजर खिळलेली होती आणि वाटला, काय होईल जर मी ह्या दोन तोकड्या रेषा वाढवत नेल्या? फाल्याबाहेरून भिंतीवर? भितीवरून सरकत सरकत खिडकीबाहेर....बाहेरच्या झाडावरून पलीकडे दूर डोंगर दिसतोय तिथपर्यंत?तरीही त्या नाही का भेटणार? तास संपल्यावर मला लक्षात आला कि कितीही काही केला तरी हा नियम आहे कि त्या नाही भेटणार एकमेकांना....<br /><br />आयुष्यातल्या काही नाती पण अशीच समांतर रेशांसारखी होत जातात...काही नात्यांना आपण समांतर होण्या साठी सोडून देतो ...तर काही नाती गुंफायची इच्छा असूनही समांतर होतात......सुरवातीला एकाच बिंदू पासून सुरु झालेली नाती नकळत विरुद्ध दिशांना वळतात...<br />वेळीच जर काही केल नाही तर ती कधी समांतर झाली हे सुद्धा काळात नाही..असं कुठल्याही नात्यात होऊ शकतं, हो कि नाही?Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-1876909688717649392010-10-29T05:55:00.000-07:002010-10-29T06:16:03.166-07:00Room For RegretsDo I have any regrets in life so far? I asked myself. I couldn't lie...YES my heart shouted out loud. But I know this is not the case with everyone.I have seen numerous chat shows where the host asks the guests if they have any regrets about life, most of the guests confidently respond negatively. Autobiographies of leaders, professionals and achievers reinstate the face that having regrets in life is a sign of weakness, it's a sign of undetermined mind or it is simply not respecting the course your life has taken. I look at such people with awe and curiosity in my eyes. I wonder "are these people really honest, or are they lying?". I don't know- they seem confident that every action , every decision they took in their life was correct even though they failed or faced problems. They show it to the world that they have realized that everything that happened or they did has some 'higher purpose' and 'meaning' attached to it.Even all of their wrongdoings taught them something and hence there is no room for regrets.<br />But doesn't it sound unreal?<br />Why is that having regrets is regarded as a sign of weakness so much so that when you honestly admit your regrets it is considered naive and politically incorrect?<br />Let m<span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span></span></span>e admit today , that I DO have regrets : plenty of them !<br />I love my regrets...I love them totally!<br />Every single regret of mine, every single afterthought has taught me more about myself. I now know what is my thought process, how do I make decisions and what are my pre-conceived notions. Every time I open the chapter of regrets in my life I can reflect back on my mistakes.Realizing my regrets has helped me to make a mental note of things that I should be careful about in present and future. <br />No matter what we say to the world, there are certain things that haunt us when we reflect back on our good and bad times...<br />There is definitely a special room for regrets in our lives- but its tucked away in the far end of our heart, it's path visible only to ourselves.Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-84870752080931675432010-08-04T23:06:00.000-07:002012-05-09T02:33:25.752-07:00Pray The Devil Back To Hell : A True Story of Remarkable WomenImagine this : A west African coastal country ravaged by an anarchic past, history of slave trade, bloody ethnic conflict, two civil wars spanning over 14 years resulting in more than 85% of the population suffering from unemployment and misery, children trapped in human trafficking and used as child soldiers and shockingly 50 % of women being raped by rebels. There was no ray of hope for people of ‘Liberia’ until a group of women decided to come together and fight for peace. <br />
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The story of women of Liberia unfolds through the documentary film ‘Pray the Devil Back to Hell’ film made by USA based women filmmakers Gini Reticker and Abigail E. Disney. I watched it recently and was mesmerized by this!! The film opens with a brief narrative about the gory history of Liberia and its past full of conflict. Liberia was once described as Malaguetta Coast or Pepper Coast due to the cultivation of high range pepper crop found in rural Liberia, instrumental in bringing the country in spice trade during the 18th century. Liberia earned its name from the word ‘liberty’ as it was founded by slaves freed from United States of America. Though these slaves belonged to mixed ethnic background and were from different parts of Africa, they were sent to Liberia for repatriation. Soon after the slaves, who were called as ‘Americo-Liberians’ settled in Liberia; ethnic tensions grew between them and the existing ethnic tribes of the land. In 1980, the USA backed President William R. Tolbert was overthrown in the military coup led by Charles Taylor and it began the period of instability in Liberia. What followed was not only horrific in terms of loss of people and resources, but also in terms of spirit of the country. For next fourteen years from 1989 to 2003, the country faced bloodshed, political chaos and destruction of livelihood of people. People living in rural areas fled to the capital city of Monrovia and became refugees in their own homeland. It was women who suffered the most in these conflicts. Incidents such as kidnapping, rape become the most common and children who were born after Taylor’s coup grew up in an atmosphere of war. In spite of constant pressure from the international community; Taylor refused to end the strife and sit for peace talks. <br />
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During this period of disillusionment; hope appeared in the form of Lehman Gbowee, an ordinary woman of Liberia. The documentary unfolds through the compelling narrative of Lehman who, one day saw a spark of change within her, and later on she became the leader of the Women in Peace building Network (WIPNET) who pushed the devil back to hell in Liberia. According to Lehman, she had always considered herself as a victim of war. She says that she ‘went around with this big chip on my shoulder that I was a victim of war’ for years until she started working with women and children who were disabled during the conflict. She saw that under the horrible conditions the women she worked with still had the hope of a better future. Lehman asked one woman "Why are you people so optimistic about life?" And then the woman said, "Because we believe, as mothers, we are the ones who will change everything." That night Lehman had a dream which she describes as a ‘crazy dream that someone was actually telling me to get the women of the church together to pray for peace.’ The next day, she spoke to the women at her Lutheran church and started the ‘Christian Women’s Initiative’. Women from different Churches joined them and their discussions gave birth to the movement that changed the fate of the nation. Soon after something happened which was never imaginable in ethnically divided Liberia: both Christian and Muslim women came together to work for peace. The group of Muslim women was led by Asatu Bah Kenneth , a woman police officer who got inspired by Lehman’s ideas. <br />
Slowly, the women made their presence felt by staging protest rallies in fish market and roadside from where the car fleet of President Taylor used to pass by every day. These women were only armed with ‘White T-Shirts’ with message of peace written on them. They posted a large banner that read, “The Women of Liberia want peace now.” <br />
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They noticed that though their movement grew in strength and popularity; President Taylor ignored their appeals. Desperate for being heard, the women also went on a ‘sex strike’ banning their husbands from having sex until they supported their wives in the peace struggle. After many sit-ins at the market place, the President decided to meet the women in a public hearing. While Taylor was seated at the dais with no expressions on his face, the lady member of his senate urged Lehman to speak… Lehman made a compelling appeal which came straight out of each woman’s heart. She said “We ask the honourable Pro Tem of the Senate, being a woman and being in line with our cause, to kindly present this statement to His Excellency Dr. Charles Taylor with this message: that the women of Liberia, including the IDPs, we are tired of war. We are tired of running. We are tired of begging for bulgur wheat. We are tired of our children being raped. We are now taking this stand, to secure the future of our children because we believe as custodians of society, tomorrow our children will ask us, "Mama, what was your role during the crisis?" Kindly convey this to the President of Liberia. Thank you.” <br />
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In spring of 2003, the civil war intensified and so did the pressure on Taylor from international community who had noticed the growing strength and courage of women of Liberia. Finally, he agreed to meet the warlords and rebels in neighbouring country Ghana. The women formed a delegation and took off to Ghana to see that their peace process started by them was not stalled in the middle by the politicians. Thereon the documentary gives a live coverage of the events that took place in the negotiation meeting in Ghana. The warlords and rebels who were never legitimately recognized suddenly saw all the material comforts provided to them at the meeting as luxury and turned the peace talks into a mere farce. Realizing that the peace negotiations were not making any progress, Lehman and her ladies decided to seize the peace hall and block its exit. They declared to the politicians that they will not leave until the politicians reach to a conclusion and settle for peace. The documentary provides the minute to minute account of how the women kept the pressure on the politicians and compelled them to negotiate.<br />
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Finally, the women got what they wanted. Peace was restored in Liberia and elections were held to choose the leader of the country. Then something unimaginable happened. For the first time in the history of Africa, a woman was elected as the head of the State. Ellen Johansson Sirleaf, a Harvard educated economist became the President of Liberia. <br />
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Abigail Disney, the director of the documentary quotes Mahatma Gandhi while commenting on how the women’s movement progressed: first they ignore you, then they make fun of you, then they try to hurt you, and then they deal with you.<br />
Watching this documentary is a disturbing experience. It makes you realize that how we as human beings have done so much unrecoverable damage to our fellow beings through brutal wars and conflicts. But seeing the victory of the women also shows us the other side of life. The remarkable story of women who did not settle for anything less than peace and never gave up, inspires you fight your own fears and keep walking. The words spoken by Lehman while she received an international award linger in your mind: <br />
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“If you're hungry, keep walking. If you are thirsty, keep walking. If you want a taste of freedom, keep walking. For us, women of Liberia, this award is a call that we will keep walking until peace, justice and the rights of women is not a dream, but is a thing of the present.”Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-9443999342521998822010-05-03T22:00:00.001-07:002012-05-09T02:33:59.978-07:00Jai Ho !<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt;">'</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt;">Jai Ho'</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">If you know the meaning of 'Jai ho'.....you must know which movie I am talking about....</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Yes, the much hyped, over-publicized 'Slumdog Millionnair' it is.</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">When it was released in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the regular movie going crowd was divided into three camps...</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Camp no. 1 : Slumdog is amazing....very inspiring and brilliantly made movie. etc.</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Camp no. 2: It's a pathetic movie...The visuals are mind numbing and there is nothing to be seen in this one</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Camp no. 3: Its an average masala movie , shot from a western point of view...nothing special about it, except few moments that really shine in the movie.......</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Well, I belong to camp no. 3 for obvious reasons......</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">If you look at the movie from the global perspective, it can be an interesting movie for western crowd who know Mumbai as a city that has the biggest slum in <st1:place st="on">Asia</st1:place>, a city with 'dabbawallas', a city of bollywood and Taj Mahal Hotel....not to forget the 'Dhobighat'!!!</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">For them, the sheer exposure to so much of poverty as showcased in the movie and such an unimagined plot of a chai wala making it big is really new.......</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Where as for Us, we have already seen hundreads of movies with estranged childhood lovers and poor guy (hero) making it big by chasing his dreams.........Not to forget the mesmerizing tale of a small town boy who makes it big in the world of cricket in a Nagesh Kunknoor movie , Iqbal.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">At this age of globalition where global and local markets are dependent on each other movies cannot remain merely a pursuit of art. Today , Bollywood has emerged as one of the biggest industries of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> , with annually more than 600 movie releases to its credit. Its not just about art now, its about money……and serious money…..!</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Today movies with big budgets are made not just for the Indian crowd but also to cater to wide range of audiences like the NRI’s and other Asian countries. Bollywood stars are global stars. On this backdrop, hollywood production companies like Warner Brothers, Sony motion pictures are putting in serious money into bollywood industry.</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">So many Oscars to a movie based on <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, cant just be a plain coincidence!</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Remember how big cosmetic brands became popular in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> after Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai became Miss universe and Miss World??? How ‘Beauty’ became the spotlight in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>???</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">That is exactly what is happening after this ‘slumdog’ wave…….</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">I recently came across tourist companies in Mumbai who are promising to provide a ‘Walking tour of Asia’s largest slum – Dharavi’…..to foreign tourists</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">They offer the following :</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">· Tour of a unique shanty town dharavi</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">· conducted in a private, chauffeur driven, luxury car</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">· Walk Through the Narrow By-lanes and Peek Into the Lives of the Slum Swellers of Mumbai</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">And all this in 3 hours for just 4000 Rs.!!!</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">I am not trying to call it good or bad…….but the question still dwells in my mind how anything and everything is commercialized…..?? Isn’t it ‘Poverty Tourism’?</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Likewise after 26/11, café Leopold has become another tourist hotspot…….</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">But more on that in some other post…….</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Filhal,</span><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Till then,</span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">Jai ho!!!</span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">-Amruta</span></span></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-17167899902959329402010-05-03T21:59:00.000-07:002010-05-03T22:01:39.732-07:00A Road Not Taken<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:11.0pt;">Beyond the locked doors of my backyard</span></b></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">Lies a road not taken..</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">I hardly open the dust laden lock....</span></b></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">to reminisce about a life that could have been...</span></b></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">the dreams of the 'could have been' life knock now and then..</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">trying to break-in in my secure , complacent life..</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">I ignore the knocks, the invitees , the hypothetical thoughts..</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">the faces of the strangers I never met.....</span></b></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">the journeys i never went on....</span></b></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">the mysteries i never solved..</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">the risks I never took...</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">the love I never felt.....</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">the rain I never got drenched.......</span></b></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">the unknown roads that could have led to unknown lands..</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">and unknown possibilities..</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">I don't open the lock but just peep through a small hole...</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">to catch glimpses of a life that could have been.</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.0pt"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;">and to imagine a walk on the road not take</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;mso-bidi- font-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;color:black;">n.</span></b></span></p>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2943780783138418385.post-9983362100738633572010-05-03T21:55:00.002-07:002012-05-09T02:34:13.311-07:00When Sunshine Visits My Room<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGO_ovxOrunJ3sx4JVDoZgETxvlvgU6LoJYk38ELu1kcwmQO2p73pM914HA5n5JBvk579NCu587hBV1WcCp6ut8kYpcgXskA6ykLLe1vhhjdwAFuSVE6331BPXtSJ0QyRlJ6Gv0rCDmsm/s1600/DSC09580.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467274559906942818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGO_ovxOrunJ3sx4JVDoZgETxvlvgU6LoJYk38ELu1kcwmQO2p73pM914HA5n5JBvk579NCu587hBV1WcCp6ut8kYpcgXskA6ykLLe1vhhjdwAFuSVE6331BPXtSJ0QyRlJ6Gv0rCDmsm/s320/DSC09580.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I am not so much of a morning person.......I do get up early and head out for exercise, but if I could have it my way, I would get up late in the afternoon------begin my day by 5........have coffee by dawn........and roam around the whole night under moonlight.........<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">but I do love sunshine......and the way it plays with everything that it touches.......<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It comes through my window every morning and visits my books.......</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Amrutahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03018076507668010329noreply@blogger.com0