tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74196129810071781942024-03-05T10:11:17.629+05:30Sui GenerisUnique.Really.Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-69430391941137193202014-10-12T19:20:00.000+05:302014-10-13T19:07:43.175+05:30The Happiness Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>"Ask yourself if you are <b>happy</b> and you cease to be" - John Stuart Mill</i><br>
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I had a fair bit of assumptions on the subject of happiness and the above statement used to echo my thoughts on this subject. I also strongly carried the superstitious belief that you jinx your happiness by invoking cosmic displeasure if you keep anticipating or talking about it. Reading "The happiness project" by Gretchen Rubin inspired me to start my very own happiness project and also made me check my assumptions.</div>
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There are a couple of ideas in this book that strongly resonated with me and I felt like I could apply the same in my life. </div>
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On the subject of money and happiness, Gretchen asserts that money could buy happiness depending on the type of person you are. There are 2 types of shoppers in the world :</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Satisficers (yes, satisfice is a word, I checked) are those who make a decision or take action once their criteria are met. That doesn’t mean they’ll settle for mediocrity; their criteria can be very high; but as soon as they find the car, the hotel, or the pasta sauce that has the qualities they want, they’re satisfied.</span></div><div style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Maximizers want to make the optimal decision. So even if they see a bicycle or a photograph that would seem to meet their requirements, they can’t make a decision until after they’ve examined every option, so they know they’re making the best possible choice.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Most people are a mix of both approaches.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">In a fascinating book,</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> </span>The Paradox of Choice<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">, Barry Schwartz argues that satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers. Maximizers must spend a lot more time and energy to reach a decision, and they’re often anxious about whether they are, in fact, making the best choice. I was thrilled to identify my shopping style to be that of a satisficer and I hope that significantly contributes to my bucket of happiness.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Another idea that resonated deeply with me was to boost my happiness through writing. Gretchen claims that the idea to write a novel in a month filled her with lust for thrill of exertion like running marathons or climbing mountains. The book "No Plot? No Problem! " by Chris Barty claims you can start writing without any preparation , you don't edit yourself and by writing 1667 words a day, you write a fifty thousand word novel in thirty days. I like the idea- even knowing that this will take a lot of time and energy , that I could be happy doing it. Making a self published book with the end result - even if the novel isn't great - a hardcover complete with even a dust jacket and my name as the author, will cost under 30$, but will give me immense happiness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">I particularly liked the tips to make marriage work better and especially the ones aimed at reducing nagging your hubby. I personally hate being a nag - it causes me a great deal of guilt when I indulge in this kind of behavior. But the need to get the job done makes me an unwilling nag. Gretchen 's tip says: "</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">Think about how</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">money might be able to buy some happiness</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><i>. Eliminating conflict in a relationship is a high happiness priority, so this is a place to spend money if it can help." </i>My hubby and I had been squabbling for months on whose turn it was do the dishes. I just decided to buy a dishwasher and our home is more peaceful now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Some of the quotes that inspire me in my quest for happiness:</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The things that go wrong often make the best memories.” </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">“Enthusiasm is more important than innate ability, it turns out,because the single more important element in developing an expertise is your willingness to practice.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">It was time to expect more of myself. Yet as I thought about happiness, I kept running up against paradoxes. I wanted to change myself but accept myself. I wanted to take myself less seriously -- and also more seriously. I wanted to use my time well, but I also wanted to wander, to play, to read at whim. I wanted to think about myself so I could forget myself. I was always on the edge of agitation; I wanted to let go of envy and anxiety about the future, yet keep my energy and ambition."</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"Did I have a heart to be contented? Well, no, not particularly. I had a tendency to be discontented: ambitious, dissatisfied, fretful, and tough to please...It's easier to complain than to laugh, easier to yell than to joke around, easier to be demanding than to be satisfied.” </span></div>
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-16151220964923228752014-09-19T13:28:00.000+05:302014-10-01T13:19:32.570+05:30My Visual Garden Blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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On a day with a light breeze, walking in your garden with the watering can, scanning the plants for new sprouts, new flowers, fruits, vegetables - looking out for weeds, infections and smiling at the produce - there is something magical about plants. I get so thrilled when I see a seed transform into a plant and watch it give out vegetables. Its breathtaking. I was thrilled recently to see pumpkin flowers become a nice, round, young pumpkin. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. Here's a visual trip of my plants ( many of whom have now died, but new plants are in the process of growing ) .</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Chilly </td></tr>
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-6447658667341408562014-07-06T11:08:00.000+05:302014-07-06T11:08:02.509+05:30Footie Fever hits home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I read this article in today's newspaper and it resonated with me. Hence dedicating a post to it!</div>
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<i>Football fever is burning high… And Brazil is
the place to be! The constant roar of crowds, crowds singing en masse,
strangers embracing or fighting over whose team is better… the sights
and sounds are guaranteed to send any football fan into ecstasy.</i></div>
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elegant Brazilian style versus the clinical Dutch and the military
German precision — what a visual treat we are experiencing now! The
speed with which Arjen Robben runs down the field, the touch that Lionel
Messi uses, the finesse that sets Andrea Pirlo apart…<br /><br />What?
Don’t you know football? Oops, my mistake. So you are one of those who
are not having a good time now. I know how it feels, because I’m a
recent convert to the religion of football myself. I converted because I
found myself an alien in my own home. </i><br />
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<i>I knew football fever aka World Cup football was
coming up, thanks to stray hints and bits of conversations overheard. A
suggestion came up, to make the TV room sofa more comfy, in fact more
like a bed. The dedicated couch potato that I was, I enthusiastically
okayed it: I could watch my favourite shows while recumbent. Little did I
know that I was literally signing my fave spot in the house away.
Stashes of snacks were laid in, and I was ecstatic over the development.
Best of all, one day I turned on the TV and found that hitherto unknown
channels had cropped up. I was over the moon.<br /><br />I should have
known better. Conversation at home — and fights — that were only local
in nature, now became international. “Can you believe Suarez is having a
knee operation a month before Brazil!” my husband exclaimed once. I
offered my sympathy and also my advice. I too had had a knee operation.
“Tell him to rest up for a month or two, and then he can start walking
around,” I said, and he looked at me in horror. I was duly informed that
Suarez was Uruguay’s leading forward, and that he had to be there for
the team to perform well. It was now my turn to be horrified. Play
football within a month of a knee operation? I went straight to bed and
rested all day, praying intermittently for the poor kid.<br /><br />Then I
heard that Iker Casillas may be dropped from the Spanish squad. Into the
gloom, I tried to reassure my man that there will be other people there
to play for Spain, and got an earful about what a good goalkeeper this
guy was. I shut up.Well, I could do with speaking less, I reasoned. They
did say that speaking less made you healthier.<br /><br />As days passed, conversations began to go
entirely over my head. Names were mentioned that I had no clue about.
Drogba, Uchida, Van Persie, Gerrard, Oscar, Neymar, Dos Santos,
Podolski, Klose… just who were these people that my hubby and friends knew so much
about? And what was the big deal about offside and penalties?I quickly
realised that if I didn’t join the family football madness, things may
come to such a pass that I would have to introduce myself to my husband on July 14. So I have learned a few things.<br /><br />First of
all, Uruguay and Cote d’Ivoire are not the names of diseases, they are
football-playing countries. And, a country may have a population of only
2 million people or be in abject poverty, but still produce a
world-class football team. Don’t eat your heart out, wondering about why
India never qualifies for the World Cup.While watching a clash between
two countries, figure out who the best players are, and keep a look out
for them. This will make those 90 minutes (plus stoppage time) more
bearable. Being able to drop names like Robben, Honda and Rooney
strategically in conversations doesn’t hurt either.<br /><br />Accept that
football players are whiny tattle tales. A huge brawny tattooed
midfielder will collapse like a ton of bricks and fall down if an
opposing player so much as breathes on him, and then complain and make
puppy eyes at the referee until he gets to kick the ball and a lollypop.<br /><br />Goals
are times when you get to see body show. If you love to see rippled
muscles, don’t miss out; if it gives you a complex, look away. It is
also when there is an overt show of affection among grown men. If it
embarrasses you to see men kissing each other, please do look away.<br /><br />Finally,
here is an absolute no-no: NEVER get caught wondering, “Well, if they
all want the ball that badly, why don’t they buy one each for
themselves?” You’ll never be able to live it down.<br /><br />Good luck making it through the final! And be sure to keep watching!</i></div>
Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-77981037779590853672014-07-04T21:41:00.001+05:302014-07-04T21:43:51.299+05:30Football Humour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I started watching football seriously this World Cup and am actually enjoying it. My hubby ,who is a minehouse of football related information, patiently explained to me the history of some of the players and educated me on the rules in football. One among them was the offside rule. He had explained this to me earlier and I always tend to forget it and find it difficult to spot the application of this rule in a football match without replays. After hours of animated discussion with mugs of beer, I think I finally understood the rule and came up with the definition which I intend to patent or publish in the Oxford dictionary to help beginners to understand the rule in one shot. I feel that the lack of a formal good definition made it difficult for me to follow the rule in one explanation.<br />
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So here is my definition for the offside rule in football : </div>
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<i>" At the time of the pass, the prospective receiver(s) who are ahead of the ball affecting the play, must have at least two people of the opponent team ahead of them ( in the direction of opponent's goal ) for the play to be valid."</i></div>
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Oxford dictionary printing people- you may use this with my blessings! :)</div>
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-36072030405709824242014-06-29T15:05:00.000+05:302014-06-29T15:06:55.014+05:30The 5 minute Hobbyist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was watching BBC News yesterday and heard the term " weather hobbyist". I was intrigued and found out that a weather hobbyist , as the name suggests, studies the weather. I immediately turned to my husband and said " That sounds like fun. I wanna be a weather hobbyist". Pat came the reply " You can only be a 5 minute hobbyist! " Since the reply came almost instantly without any filters, I took it seriously and realised it's probably true. Any hobby interests me only for the first 5 minutes.<br />
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As a child I was interested shortly in clay modeling and pottery. I was intrigued enough to try it, but couldn't sustain the interest. The same was true with sports, dance ( this I flirted with for a few years before giving up ). Off late the interest is in Kathak and gardening. I am yet to join Kathak, but gardening I have tried and now all my plants have died. I intend to start afresh and hopefully it will not be a "5 minute hobby".<br />
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May be I could make it a fad to be a 5 minute hobbyist.After all some credit must be given to having the drive to even attempt your hand at different things even if they can't be sustained!<br />
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-27752274900471120752014-06-27T15:06:00.001+05:302014-06-27T17:56:28.971+05:30"Damn! I really did need therapy! "<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Q: "What are your thoughts on behavioral therapy?"<br />
Me: "They are for people with large gaps in social interactions. It is for people with scarred pasts and not really applicable to a normal person like me."<br />
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I went into a group behavioral therapy session with exactly that attitude and was pleasantly surprised to know I was wrong. Self awareness is for everyone and being tuned to what are the manifestations of your behavioral pattern matters a lot. The program involved 3 phases - Believe, Own and Act. At the time of writing this blog, I have only completed the first 2 sessions.<br />
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The first 2 phases involve a group of ten people and this group becomes your mirror in reflecting to you how you are perceived. In the first phase, we got to know each other via some exercises. We did the strength finder test to know our unique strengths. We represented our inner and outer selves via art material and listened to the group reflect on how they perceived us. It was a new experience and I came out thinking " Ok. This was an interesting experience. But am I more flawed than I believed myself to be?"<br />
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In the one month gap between the two phases, I digested what I had learnt and prioritized the items that I wanted to work on. Listening without interrupting was one such item. I practiced it and every-time I did interrupt made a mental note of it. I still am working on it, but having been made conscious of this - I notice this more in myself as well as others.<br />
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Phase 2- the own phase was a 3 day residential growth lab experience where the group stayed and bonded with each other. The 3 day program was intense - physically and emotionally exhausting. We spent days on exploring our inner selves. We used crayons, paint , theater and even dance to express ourselves.I enjoyed acting and this experience brought out the inner "villain" in me.Some of the experiences were intense and some were surprising.The experience was new and I did learn some things about myself and also re-inforced certain beliefs about myself. I still couldn't connect all the dots, but I do know my strengths and areas of improvement. I also now know a little bit of my behavioral patterns and why is it that I behave the way I do. This experience was a unique one and I would urge those of you who haven't tried it - to try it once.It will be interesting, if nothing else.<br />
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-27765937840780020532013-12-28T21:17:00.000+05:302014-06-29T14:48:30.383+05:30Being the "magu"!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have always in my head believed that I am an independent girl and that I can really do anything that I set my heart to. But off late the realization strikes that I really have a need to be babied. I probably don't need it as much as want it.</div>
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Part of it probably comes from being the youngest one from dad and mom s side of the family. But suddenly after marriage I am not even the youngest between my hubby and me. I am more of a child now than what I ever was when I really was a child. Does that make any sense? All my childhood I was this mature, responsible person who frowned upon toys and cartoons as these I believed were too childish for my taste. But suddenly I like being the child - having someone fuss over me, get me the things I demand, eat some favorite food items without sharing and the like. </div>
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An not sure if this indulgence is healthy or not, but I do know I am loving the attention and I pray that it lasts.</div>
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-23023928649369063972013-12-15T16:16:00.001+05:302013-12-15T16:16:09.386+05:30 What kind of a Cook are you?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I read an article in paper today on kitchen humor. It seems there are 4 categories of cooks in this world :</div>
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1. Unconscious Incompetent</div>
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2. Conscious Incompetent</div>
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3. Conscious Competent</div>
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4. Unconscious Competent</div>
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As the name suggests the dream is to get to stage 4 where competent cooking comes naturally without too much effort. And obviously the worst stage is the first one where you cannot cook and you don't know that.</div>
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Before I got married I was clearly stage 1 where I believed that cooking can't be too hard as my mother and sister managed to cook well without too much effort. I used to think a major part of the skill was genetic and I would be a good cook too. But now wiser with some years of cooking under my belt, am at stage 2 - still incompetent but aware that cooking isn't my cup of tea and this skill isn't acquired from genes.</div>
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Will I progress to stage 3 ? Not likely as the leap from incompetent to competent is a huge one requiring effort and also I have a hubby who is already at stage 3. It might be more worthwhile to spend my energy in making him reach stage 4!</div>
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-9655886340959036822013-06-02T15:37:00.001+05:302013-06-02T22:06:46.539+05:30Equality in marriages<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After marriage I have been forced to become a champion for woman's rights, forever keeping a tab on whether there is equality in the true sense in my marriage. All these years, while I was still single I have never felt the need to be a feminist barring the instances when the curfew time for being a girl was much lesser than that of other boys my age.But off late every task I do makes me ponder ' Am I expected to do this because I am the female in the relationship? '. This attitude tires you and makes you more irritable at having to even keep a tab on something that you believe is actually a birthright.<br />
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What makes this situation difficult is that it is not the husband who makes you feel this. It is the expectations of a role of a woman in society that completely bogs you down. To elaborate let me quote an example. While it is completely acceptable for the guy to go to some family get together in shorts, it still isn't ok for the girl to do the same. Jeans is probably still acceptable but it irritates to know that people point it out when you aren't conforming to the standards these people set.<br />
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One can fight it by being the rebel which I largely feel I am. But having to even fight it annoys me and makes me wonder if the only way there will be equality in a relationship is in same sex marriages. At least then you probably won't get invited to social events and society can't stereotype roles and expectations if both of you are females.</div>
Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-1457246468155810462013-05-21T18:20:00.001+05:302013-05-22T10:56:04.028+05:30Chitradurga in pictures!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have always been a fan of Polaroid pictures - each one telling a story of its own.Here's a blog full of such polaroid pictures of a trip to Chitradurga only because I love looking at them!<br />
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Even though I have lived all my life in Bangalore, I had only visited the "touristy" districts of Karnataka - Mysore, Coorg and Mangalore. When we planned the trip to Chitradurga, I was skeptical on what I would find in a place that to me seemed like the "middle of nowhere". I was pleasantly surprised when I reached the Chitradurga fort.A light drizzle on that day made the weather pleasant and below are some pics of the fort and the temples on the fort.<br />
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<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/AVvXsEhfPzzUiykxTKLVeevvMrab7ALRkCU3fzdDlqcuCnKekrf1Icf6MmTbDX2Zdsk8eGynA4BpN9uiJF3rIglH292X8qOWd1GPBwOlG6dWE3O7k1qMfeVeAzTrAK3wk8ss4zP1VsoWnbI2GXX8/s1600/CD7_edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPzzUiykxTKLVeevvMrab7ALRkCU3fzdDlqcuCnKekrf1Icf6MmTbDX2Zdsk8eGynA4BpN9uiJF3rIglH292X8qOWd1GPBwOlG6dWE3O7k1qMfeVeAzTrAK3wk8ss4zP1VsoWnbI2GXX8/s320/CD7_edited.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chitradurga Fort</td></tr>
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<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/AVvXsEhJ80Yf61vLkXMiFtEp4l2mz88aAI5y_99j_P5xV2rVkEyNYWIinjQDPafl2zFYr_DC2z2YRup36ABYyfYrBHkHmHS0Na8wtFCVAmdkq_BOcA8PKOizESheXA07k_tvAjdfdUOjasLE7PzO/s1600/CD_edited_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ80Yf61vLkXMiFtEp4l2mz88aAI5y_99j_P5xV2rVkEyNYWIinjQDPafl2zFYr_DC2z2YRup36ABYyfYrBHkHmHS0Na8wtFCVAmdkq_BOcA8PKOizESheXA07k_tvAjdfdUOjasLE7PzO/s320/CD_edited_1.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temples in the fort</td></tr>
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<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I heard of an interesting story of a brave woman name Obavva who guarded
the Chitadurga fort tower while her husband and other soldiers went on
a lunch break.The enemies attacked and had to come through the small
crevice that you see in the picture. With great presence of mind she immediately
hid behind the crevice in the fort and hit at each soldier trying to squeeze
through the crevice with <span style="font-style: italic;">Onake</span>, the name
given in Kannada to a pestle, a wooden rod used for pounding paddy. In
this process, she bravely killed several enemy soldiers. By the time her
husband appeared on the scene, she had already dragged several bodies of dead
soldiers into the fort wall and was standing around the dead bodies with the
blood stained <span style="font-style: italic;">Onake</span> in her hand.
This brave act saved the fort on that day from further attacks. This act also earned her the epithet Onake Obavva and
the crevice in the fort where she showed her bravery is called <span style="font-style: italic;">Obawa Kindi</span>. </span></span></div>
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<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/AVvXsEjubKr_xVTDhD5GotgLYDm55LEgNgG6-IsbqvX8Bk1qnQIT3P_fqbR_bQGeRfLAUJ8MJWE82kjPxKWSo17hvnOeFJA2CTt1879daufgMxTK-NPBd1FBT7NeA82D-bybGhZoiRS7lA8lhfJ9/s1600/CD4+edited.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubKr_xVTDhD5GotgLYDm55LEgNgG6-IsbqvX8Bk1qnQIT3P_fqbR_bQGeRfLAUJ8MJWE82kjPxKWSo17hvnOeFJA2CTt1879daufgMxTK-NPBd1FBT7NeA82D-bybGhZoiRS7lA8lhfJ9/s320/CD4+edited.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me enacting the role of Obavva and my hubby playing the enemy soldier at Onake Obavvana Kindi</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There were a couple
of treks that were very different from what I have ever done. One such was atop
the place called "Tuppada Kola" which in Kannada means a pond of
ghee. In olden times, horses used to carry Ghee and this trek needs you to go on
all fours for a distance by using the footholds engraved in the stone for horse hooves.
Below is a pic of a bunch us climbing up on all fours in this stretch.</span></div>
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<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/AVvXsEgCLti0GoBRMQZEbfj4xIvgugc5lrQeFlwme6VdJovqnlaFA4PEoRwpjSaDORGyQSxd2T7OWyZcdnnt72oCHsuF6sSJ7tnNgGnuKF5_mC9cn6LmyQVILSVigpS8XyHmW1y9pxWoCg-C1lfX/s1600/CD2_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLti0GoBRMQZEbfj4xIvgugc5lrQeFlwme6VdJovqnlaFA4PEoRwpjSaDORGyQSxd2T7OWyZcdnnt72oCHsuF6sSJ7tnNgGnuKF5_mC9cn6LmyQVILSVigpS8XyHmW1y9pxWoCg-C1lfX/s320/CD2_edited.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuppada Kola</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HH5RXVfRORnBmhlRdZcRwrPagbbQVaHUz3Vx5H9lOFJ3pDYymsNKv8EZR0-pdms21NWN1tp75Tu6TliIUcOWI9G7MRkgPSXNP8OtkIB2bps5wdJIC3mmwmd_eXbDTlsbv1vpL1N4TYcx/s320/CD3+edited.jpg" width="275" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View after the trek</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Next morning we did another trek to "Gopalswamy Betta".It took a good two hours and below are some pics from there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkycOoRfvDhIIjdfzBVWfG5ZMJFg_f8_nsj2NNgDSe-VlQxfPRjSAxJeUFEw2LGMCr3f1ZqKtIveNCGF4lljpTw3oalYwzRpMDCsYfndDIaQUWKB-_FdRY_-xywy55FXTOYiuTZgeA06Wp/s1600/CD5+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkycOoRfvDhIIjdfzBVWfG5ZMJFg_f8_nsj2NNgDSe-VlQxfPRjSAxJeUFEw2LGMCr3f1ZqKtIveNCGF4lljpTw3oalYwzRpMDCsYfndDIaQUWKB-_FdRY_-xywy55FXTOYiuTZgeA06Wp/s320/CD5+edited.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arial View from Gopalswamy Betta</td></tr>
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-35924829598423761802013-05-18T22:21:00.001+05:302013-05-19T19:13:33.462+05:30Rangoli!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For years, a trip to MG Road has been synonymous with the view of the bougainvillea lined avenue with ample park benches to sit and watch the people pass by. During the season of ' Bangalore Habba', street art spilled all over the boulevard. I remember walking on the 'Artists Walkway' checking out the artworks, getting caricatures done and soaking in the ambience. When they broke down the boulevard for metro construction I was angry. The promises of a new boulevard once the metro construction was complete seemed distant and empty.But boy how I was wrong!<br />
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Rangoli - the new name for the refurbished boulevard is really splendid.<br />
It houses multiple art galleries, one of them having exhibits from pictures of old bangalore, interactive fountain ,children's play area, a wall dedicated to the history of Bangalore and so many saplings and flowers. The ramp on top stills houses the bougainvilla avenue similar to yester years.The thing that I liked the most on this new walkway was the life- size 'Snakes and ladders ' game in the children's area. A huge dice was hurled and adults and children alike were engrossed on this board.<br />
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I also hear that the exhibitions and stalls keep changing every month to keep it fresh and intersting. A stroll down this lane is a must do if you are in Bangalore.<br />
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'Snakes and Ladders'</div>
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Wall adorned with ants at one of the art galleries</div>
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-87385273348318182422013-05-05T08:18:00.001+05:302013-05-05T08:21:21.741+05:30Just let me be!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Just let me be" is a philosophy that screams for an existence - without being noticed or judged or applauded or criticized, to just be and not be bothered by worries of tasks or chores that don't interest you.<br />
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If being a control freak is largely considered a negative trait then shouldn't being the one who readily gives up the control reins of chores that doesn't interest you be considered a positive trait? Isn't it a sign of maturity to say " I really don't care what the decision on this matter is.. I am ok either ways..people who seem to care about a side please take a call and just let me be "? I don't know about you people but I truly believe that it is a skill to distance yourself from taking sides or even being involved in matters that are just too trivial for you. What is a good, healthy normal trait in my opinion is apparently considered to be a negative trait. I tend to get perceived of as lazy , unwilling to accept responsibility, slacker and also as a stubborn person showing no inclination to adapt. Before you jump to conclusions about me, let me clarify that this philosophy applies only to some things in life and not to all. I do genuinely care about some chores and take full charge of them. The question really is -can people accept it when I honestly admit that I don't care enough about a particular task to make any decisions and would willingly give the reins of control to whoever is interested?<br />
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With the typical stereotyping of roles in society I find it extremely hard to follow my philosophy.If not wanting to be involved itself is such a liberating thought , imagine if society in general warms up to this idea - 'just let me be' may be the best thing that ever happened to you!<br />
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-54726141868719309362013-04-13T14:18:00.001+05:302013-04-15T10:08:29.050+05:30Sand, Sun and the Cowherd<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The story begins with a lazy day in Calungute, Goa on a hot summer afternoon. The beach was a kilometer away from the hotel, so we decided to walk it up. We spent the day in the beach - playing in the water, resting under the shade of an umbrella in a beach chair, eating and drinking in a 'Shack' - one of the many makeshift restaurants at the beach.<br />
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In the night, we decided to head out to Baga beach and eat either at Mambo's or Tito's located in the famous Tito's lane near Baga beach. We walked by the sea where the sand is the softest from Calungute to Baga by the moonlight. It was calm and a nice breeze was blowing. We didn't realize the distance we had covered. We ate again at a shack on Baga as most other restaurants were shut as it was Good <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">Friday.</span><br />
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When it was time to head back, my hubby insisted on us walking back to our hotel. So the troop trudged along reluctantly behind our cowherd aka my hubby - who lead us ( or tried to rather ) with a map in hand and an imaginary stick to herd the reluctant cattle behind him. After walking many kilometers when there were murmurs and complaints asking for breaks or calling for a taxi- the Cowherd stops and shows us on the map how we are close to a Tibetian market which itself isn't too far from our hotel. We trudged along reluctantly- our food all digested and pulling the weight of our aching bodies. After another 30 mins of this we see another Tibetian market and realize the area is full of them and only after a few more so called ' hundreds of meters' did we reach a place that was even listed on the map.Finally after walking for about two hours or so we finally arrived at our hotel.<br />
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Herding cattle, they say, is an art and a science that requires patience, knowledge of flight-zone, and a bit of bovine psychology. On this trip, I was convinced that my hubby would make an awesome Cowherd as he not only managed to get a reluctant group to walk , but also made us walk for hours together. </div>
Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-71140980705231219752013-04-13T11:00:00.001+05:302013-04-13T11:26:05.411+05:30The 'Souq' experienceI entered an arena and saw rows and rows of lit up stalls. The crowd was diverse with people from different nationalities. In the corner was a man making bubbles enclosing objects and stacking them up to make a bubble pyramid. In the center was a huge mango tree with its branches bearing green mangoes. Below the tree was a make shift pedestal lit up with blue stars and atop it was a stage with a band playing music. The audience were all around- smoking, drinking, eating, shopping and making merry. <br />
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As I walked around, I saw stalls selling pottery, jewellery, clothes from beach wear to gowns worthy of the 'Khaleesi' aka Danerys Targeryan of Game of Thrones fame. There was a nip in the air and as I climbed the hill I could see below all the shops lit up with their knick knacks. There was a mix of smells in the air from the various food stalls in the market. The menus ranged from meatballs in Bulgaria, to German bakeries, to Thai salads, to waffles and crepes to dosa and pav Bhaji. There were make shift shops dealing with forex in the open and so were shops selling drinks from draught beer to elegant cocktails. The place was clean with a set of people constantly picking up the trash and cleaning the tables near food stalls.<br />
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I sat in the open arena under the stars on that saturday night in march listening to music, watching a bunch of youngsters entering a stall a few feet from the stage - picking up sign boards, bright colored toupees and funky accessories all in a minute and making a memory with a souvenir pic telling they were having fun at the ' Saturday Night Market' in Arpora, Goa.Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-10593678238696590902013-02-27T01:09:00.000+05:302013-03-07T11:42:20.400+05:30Eulogy for my lemon tree!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I bought a lemon plant a couple of months ago and pictured it
growing big in my balcony bearing a number of yellow lemons. It was a tiny
plant in a big pot – giving it room to bloom into a beautiful shrub.I imagined cooking in my kitchen, humming a tune , with the smell
of fresh lemons and the sight of a blooming tree to soothe my nerves and get me
into the relaxed and cooking frame of mind.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were problems from the very beginning – a branch which carried
tiny green lemons partially snapped in the car due to sudden braking. We came
home – tied twine around the broken stem, showering it with love and care and
we wished to nurse it back. But it was not to be. The branch slowly turned
brown and died and we had to sever it to keep the rest of the plant healthy. We
kept changing the place where we kept this pot – some places were too sunny, some
were too windy and some places had too much shade. Our tiny plant also survived
an attack by a pigeon in the balcony. We nursed it, we watered it and hoped it
would survive. Voila! It did – new leaves began to sprout and I was delighted.
We began to slowly take the plant for granted and only watered it once a day.
Weekends we weren’t at home, so watered it in excess on Friday and hoped it
will survive till Monday.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Slowly there were long weekends/ travels abroad and we were
missing from the house for weeks on end. For the first such trip, we placed the
pot outside the front door and requested the neighbour to water it. Then the
travel got more frequent and so did the neglect. When I last saw it, it was
withering, but at least it was still alive. <span style="font-size: small;">This</span> week wh<span style="font-size: small;">ile I am still</span> away and my hubby
was unwell and not in our place – it must have withered completely and died.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I miss it , but I can still see the yellow lemon tree although my
plant never even grew more than an inch before our neglect killed it. I wish I had
taken more care and I do hope someday I can nurture and grow a tree – like the
one I see in my head!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
wonder how<br />
I wonder why<br />
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky<br />
And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree<br />
I'm turning my head up and down<br />
I'm turning turning turning turning turning around<br />
And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree!</i></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdRG3mBWTV45JqvaFUyqFbCAGxM49k62QnjwRO9WUlN1ijpTvnEZ7pTA8k2PP41VnHCtAcX53ApFBexYoJiIQ8caCU1PI9didU6_zKyAp9_NJZCF4vY9mj74up9UgzH4C0IAkNQ9_nMys/s1600/418790_10150985419626216_2078394347_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdRG3mBWTV45JqvaFUyqFbCAGxM49k62QnjwRO9WUlN1ijpTvnEZ7pTA8k2PP41VnHCtAcX53ApFBexYoJiIQ8caCU1PI9didU6_zKyAp9_NJZCF4vY9mj74up9UgzH4C0IAkNQ9_nMys/s200/418790_10150985419626216_2078394347_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I miss you, my dear sapling!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
P.S : After writing this big eulogy, I finally went home and saw my resilient sapling still alive in-spite of our negligence. Sorry my dear hubby for accusing you to be the killer of my lemon tree!</div>
Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-78210237514854005272013-02-23T21:31:00.001+05:302013-02-23T21:31:17.751+05:30Theatrical Bookshop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Bookstores are always a favourite place for me to visit. Shelves filled with books and small couches for you to sit down and peruse the books you wanna buy, kiosks where you try and find titles that interest you - all of it holds a charm for me.<br />
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Just imagine how happy I was to hear that one of world's most beautiful bookstores in the world was just a few blocks away from where I was staying in Recoleta, Buenos Aires. I couldn't resist a visit to El Ateneo Grand Splendid Bookstore.It was once a theatre which staged tango performances by some famous artists.This book lover’s palace located in the old Grand Splendid Theater retains all the decadence of an Italian opera house.<br />
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The theater boxes are intact and are fitted with comfy chairs that
invite visitors to lounge perusing book selections on a rainy afternoon.The Splendid’s stage remains encased by thick burgundy curtains, and
now serves as the bookstore’s pleasant cafe. A live pianist
performs on stage in the afternoons and, thanks to the great acoustics,
can be heard throughout the store.<br />
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Balconies where one can sit and read</div>
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This building is over a 100 years old and look how grand it still is. I couldn't help but wish we had something like this in India and was wondering what would it take to build such a beautiful bookstore back home.</div>
Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-75149759822571353252013-02-22T23:13:00.002+05:302013-02-22T23:21:43.826+05:30The Art of Letting Go!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Disclaimer: This post is going to a rant! You can stop reading now if do not wish to hear me complain and then contemplate on it.<br />
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How many times has someone been condescending towards you or even said something to you that didn't go down well with you? Are you the kind of person who stands up and tells a person that you didn't like what they said? Or are you the silent sufferer who can't let it go but can't tell the person you have a problem either? I do a little bit of both and find that neither is helpful. Over time this translates into an excel in my head with a list of grudges against people. What is frustrating is I cannot let go. Every time I think about these incidents I get angry mainly at myself that it still affects me so much.<br />
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How does one let go? How does one forgive when you haven't been apologized to? How do you ask for an apology from a person who doesn't even know he has hurt you? I lose respect for people and trust me it is very difficult for my excel to get updated with renewed respect.<br />
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The solution, as my hubby says, is to not think about these things at all. But I ain't wired that way and need an outlet to let things go. Ranting helps a little but it isn't enough to just reset the excel in my head and start afresh.<br />
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-47153561330589926542013-02-20T21:09:00.000+05:302013-02-21T03:06:17.354+05:30Beautiful places of worship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
All of a sudden a lot of travel fell in place and I have been quite touristy.I have happened to visit some places of worship and they have interested me enough to dedicate a blog to them.Am usually not an advocate for visiting any religious sites but these ones were really beautiful.<br />
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<strong>Place 1 : Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi</strong><br />
I visited Abu Dhabi and saw the most beautiful mosque.While driving from the airport to Abu Dhabi,the lit up mosque far from the road piqued my interest. I immediately enquired about it and decided to visit it the next morning.It was magnificient with white arches tastefully decorated and extravagant chandeliers hanging in the prayer room.<br />
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Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque - Side view</div>
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Reflective pools surround the mosque, amplifying its beauty.</div>
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Such an extravagant mosque has been built which is open to all and so much money has been spent on it. But still the entry to this place of worship is free for all and best part is no attempt is made to recover the money spent on making this beautiful mosque.This mosque has a strict dress code and women have to to wear Abaya if they arent covering thier heads.<br />
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Me in Abaya under the chandelier</div>
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This is one of the world's largest mosques and houses the world's largest hand knitted carpet in the prayer room.Sheikh Zayed after whom this mosque is named is buried here.</div>
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<strong>Place 2: Basilica Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Buenos Aires</strong></div>
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A large and beautiful gleaming white church Basilica Nuestra Señora del Pilar is the oldest church of Buenos Aires which has an architecture of Baroque style. Considered one of the best-preserved examples of Argentine colonial architecture, the church was built by the Franciscan Recoleto in 1732 and is the adjacent to the famous Recoleta cemetery. Its ornate silver altar, tile work and chapels deserve more than a quick look. There is an Inca style sun made in silver in front of the main altar.</div>
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Outside the church on weekends is a flea market of sorts where you get on sale - souvenirs to hand crafted jewellery. A stroll in this park converted into a market is interesting for all the knick knacks up for the sale and in general to observe the many visitors to this market.</div>
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-23943622360598261992013-01-26T18:31:00.001+05:302013-01-27T10:22:18.702+05:30Of goodbyes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Year after year, the time comes for me to say goodbye to another friend and it never gets easier. Slowly you make new friends and hang out with different people. It is quite a shame how resilient we humans are and how quickly we move on.<br />
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This post is dedicated to you my friend for having spent innumerable hours over coffee talking about books, relationships, life in general, politics and everything else under the sun.This is a thank you post for the long walks after lunch, for cribbing but still working together, for dragging me to the book reading sessions (which by the way I absolutely loved), for telling me and taking me to plays, for making me try a new cuisine ;) and most important of all for putting up with my general ramblings.<br />
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Adios my pal... You shall be greatly missed!<br />
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-28568362164980796402012-12-27T12:11:00.000+05:302012-12-27T12:11:03.927+05:30B'day Ruminations!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i> </i>"Well, birthdays are merely symbolic of how another year has gone by and
how little we've grown. No matter how desperate we are that someday a
better self will emerge, with each flicker of the candles on the cake,
we know it's not to be; that for the rest of our sad, wretched pathetic
lives, this is who we are to the bitter end. Inevitably irrevocably;
happy birthday? No such thing." - Seinfeld</blockquote>
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Here is my analysis of "me" this year - <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i>Am a lot more dependent on others than I would like to be.</i></li>
<i>
</i>
<li><i>I love "solitary time" - a day or two in a month.</i></li>
<i>
</i>
<li><i>I prefer brunches to late night parties.</i></li>
<i>
</i>
<li><i>I like writing - more than I thought I liked initially.</i></li>
<i>
</i>
<li><i>I am now officially a red-wine gal.</i></li>
<i>
</i>
<li><i>I hate nagging, my hubby forces me to - but I do not enjoy it.</i></li>
<li><i>I day-dream a lot - could be in front of you, nodding my head, but not registering a word you say!</i></li>
<li><i>Love the idea of travel more than the travel itself.</i></li>
<li><i>Live my life loving the retrospect and not usually liking the present!</i></li>
<li><i>My rate of hoarding books far exceeds the pace of my reading.</i></li>
<li><i>Love the lazy sunday afternoon introspection time - lying in bed with a book but not really reading, but pondering about life in general before falling into a nice slumber. </i></li>
<li><i>I love talking about myself/my life more than anything else.</i></li>
</ul>
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-50594225807570514162012-12-11T16:40:00.000+05:302012-12-11T16:40:07.600+05:30'From the Eye of my mind'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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'From the eye of my mind' by TGC Prasad is a book with the protagonist being an 18 year old autistic girl. It is a charming story of love,acceptance and of a beautiful mind.Reading a book like this does make one question one s problem in the scheme of things in the world. I wonder if I can remember every time I am angry, this lesson of acceptance and adapting to the loved ones around you.<br />
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I recently attended the <i>India Inclusion Summit</i> held in Bangalore and was moved by the speeches by some eminent personalities. Kaushik Roy,an advertising professional spoke about his movie 'Apna Aasman' and how he came to terms with his son being special. I watched the full movie recently and it is beautiful. Movies like this and books like 'From the eye of my mind' are very important to spread awareness about Autism and will go a long way in ensuring social acceptance for the special kids and their families.</div>
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Read the book, watch the movie and spread the awareness. Come on do your bit!<br />
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Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-56662019438303701202012-11-17T12:02:00.000+05:302012-11-17T12:08:03.373+05:30Insignifia!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.” <br />
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- Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar.<br />
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Even after supposedly being settled in life, I still am clueless about what I want from life and have many of the figs that Slyvia Plath talks about.Also with each passing year they are withering away. As a child I wanted to be a psychiatrist and I recall having written a poem about it in class 7.Then later an uncle, who is an astrologer, told me I'll make a good lawyer after seeing my horoscope.I decided then if my stars have destined me to be a lawyer I should try to become one. AllyMcBeal , the show about a corporate lawyer further fuelled this dream.And then came class 12 and I ended up taking exams for many streams -law,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">engineering,arts,management . After this I guess I stopped worrying about what I want and went with the flow and here I am now a software engineer, not sure if this was even a fig that I wanted.</span><br />
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I am always in a dilemma whether letting things be and going with the flow is a sign of mediocrity-settling for the 'ordinary' or is this what people call stability and inner peace? I can't say I have a burning ambition to be extraordinary, but if I did have some such skills now would be a good time to know it:)</div>
Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-18160327685691780882012-11-12T18:13:00.004+05:302012-11-13T09:07:37.536+05:30On-site @ home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I often feel like being alone and have been a "non-implementer preacher of the ME time". I crave for some time alone but the me time in practice is less intriguing than the idea of it. Its fun to have me time when you know company is just across the hall or a room away.<br />
<br />
This month for me is a time to test my theory and decide once and for all whether I am a comfortable introvert who can spend time with oneself and still enjoy it or am I always craving for company? My hubby isn't in the country nor are my parents and I have decided to spend a month alone and decide whether I like it or not. I intend to consider it as an on-site trip at home!<br />
<br />
I took a quiz to find out if I am actually craving for some me time and here s what I found :<br />
<br />
<b>You are on the edge of overwhelm </b><br />
<h1>
<i></i></h1>
<div id="resultsImg">
</div>
<i><span id="ctl00_cphMain_phExtra_ctl00_ctl01_ctl00_ctl00_ScoreMessage">
You are skirting on the edge of overwhelm but it's not too late to
bring balance into your life. Rearrange some of the items on your
calendar to give yourself some breathing room. Bring in some ‘prairie’
where there are currently ‘city streets’</span></i><br />
<br />
Note to self : I am gonna be spending a lot of time with you. You had better be fun! :)<br />
<br /></div>
Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-54731536105946686392012-10-06T18:38:00.001+05:302012-10-10T10:35:44.860+05:30Of personal spaces<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
From when I have been married I have always wondered what the protocol of the spouse with one s friends should be. Is it considered acceptable to take your spouse along when you meet friends or is it something one is supposed to clear with the friends first?<br />
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Some of my friends now are actually my hubby's. But even saying that I know that there are some friends of my hubby's whom I don't know that well and am never sure if joining my hubby while meeting them is a good idea or not.<br />
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Where do you draw the line between socializing versus intruding the spouse's personal rapport with friends?<br />
<br />
</div>
Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7419612981007178194.post-33753289072475629962012-10-06T11:18:00.001+05:302012-10-10T10:35:38.063+05:30Cuckold ('ka-culled')<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I recently read Cuckold by Kiran Nagarkar and only just found out it means ' husband of an unfaithful wife' and also that it is pronounced 'ka-culled' and not 'cook-cold' .<br />
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I heard of Kiran Nagarkar when he had come to the book club in office to promote his new book The Extras.I have read his other books Ravan and Eddie and The Extras. Although the other books were good , Cuckold is clearly his best work.<br />
<br />
There are numerous quotes in the book that are memorable and one of my favorite is the following :<br />
' We were newly married, both madly in love, me with her and she with someone else '.<br />
<br />
The book tracks the story of Bhoj Raj,the Maharaj Kumar , the heir apparent to throne of Chitoor and his travails in securing the throne as well as the dilemma in being married to the little saint, Meerabai.<br />
<br />
Defining the genre of this book is difficult . It is a good mix of history, fiction, war, philosophy and this is the reason why this book is so intriguing.<br />
Read it if you get a chance!<br />
<br />
</div>
Sindhu Srinivashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07295412010705876303noreply@blogger.com0