For a Better India

There are hundreds and thousands of social groups, forums, websites and what not that depict the poor face of India, the problems that we are facing, how over the next decade we are going to screw up, how the economy is taking us down and blah blah blah. The focus of each of these are the problems, they depict all the negativities and issues that we have as a country. While listing out the problem is a good way to look at it but it also makes one wonder what a country we are, certainly does not help the hoards of young crowd that we have.

However, thankfully there is one such forum that is different and takes a complete new perspective to the way we look at it. It is launched by a Bangalore based couple Dhimanth Parekh and his wife. Take a look at it here and am sure you will love it. As the website tells it is about the unsung heroes doing their duty at the ground level, this is about people who make the difference and not just talk. This also shows us and points us towards where we can help. There are a lot of people who have the willingness to help but do not know where to start if you are one of them make use of it.

Hopefully this will change the way we look at India and motivates us to contribute more.

Welcome MMX... and let's Go Green

So here it is... The year MMX (2010). This year has been designated as the International Year of Biodiversity. Simply put "Go green"

Simple things that would help us going green.

• Let's reduce the usage of Plastic
• Let's pool in when we travel
• Let's not print it unless really necessary
• Let's switch those lights off when not needed

I am sure there are a lot more that we can do and help us save our earth....

With that thought I wish you all a very Happy New Year !!!!

Avatar - An exhilarating experience

It was one of those weekends where you do not feel like going out anywhere. Just a lazy day...

Woke up, a nice chat will folks back home, an usual breakfast, some usual movies on TV, a quiet lunch and a nice nap. This is what the day was until I decided to break the monotony and go for a drive. A couple of calls later two more lazy bums joined me and we headed off deciding where to go.

Its a different experience when you start driving not knowing where to go. You decide if you want to take a turn at the signal and later decide you did not want to (After hearing the honks behind you). Well as it ended, a couple of wrong turns later we were in sight of AMC 30. (A movie theater with 30 screens!!!!). As it were meant to be, found a lot of parking space and lucky enough to be just in time for the movie Avatar in 3D. Nice seats were found and a bucket of pop corn and a few promos later we wore the 3D glasses ( I would once like to take a photograph of a theater full of people wearing those glasses LoL that would be a sight to see).

Once the movie started I was gripped to my seat not wanting to even miss a scene. Birds, arrows and bullets flew past me riveting me to my seat. The movie has a good pace with a nice storyline (there are places where a few songs can be placed if remade in Bollywood.). The narration is good and direction stupendous. James Cameron wins the heart. A must watch for all the movie buffs and the ones not so keen as well. Ensure that you have your spectacles on and don't forget to duck when an arrow is aimed at you. It was truly an exhilarating experience.

Am sure you will enjoy it... well I did...

City of Joy

Phoenix is one of the most well planned cities in US. The city is criss-crossed with parallel roads and perpendicular avenues or streets. As with the other majority of cities, the main roads mostly lead to malls, hotels or large buildings and the side roads lead to similar houses. So having said it, I thought I will write something about how the city and the residents are prep'ing for the upcoming holiday season.

Christmas is probably the only biggest festival here. There is a general feel of happiness in the air, the flights are all booked, the flight tickets a sky high, there are discounts flying all around, the shopping malls are full, there are large queues in the billing counters at the malls and what not. The houses are decorated and lit up with colorful lights. The Christmas tree is too adorned with lights and colorful decorations hanging out.

At office, there are smiles all around, people are talking about how badly they are looking for the long vacation, inquiring what they would be doing this vacation, where they are going to be, who is visiting them and are in a general hurry to finish up their long list of assignments. There are cakes all around. Meetings end with a smile and not much action items.

So with all this, it seems to me like this may be how a city of joy would look like!!!!

Dummies Guide to kitchen...

Disclaimer: This post is not about the ingredients nor the method of preparation various dishes. As the title suggest, this is for dummies, so who cares what they cook except for themselves. Also, they would like it anyway. This is purely my experiences in mastering the art at the kitchen. Read on!!!

I am no expert to write a dummies guide well, that too on this topic. Infact I am a dummy my self helping the fellow dummies who despise the same pizza's, burger's, burritos or subs in creating their own menus.

So here began my experience...

While I was here for the first time, Swamy graciously agreed to cook for me and I with no remorse or option agreed to do the dishes. I was occasionly allowed to cut the vegetables, peel onions and on some lucky days to fiddle with the food. I spent full three months watching him cook and craftily prepare the amazing mouth watering food.

The next time around it was Praveen who took the honors, but here I was allowed for some hands on under his watchful eyes.

So this time around it was me, myself and my kitchen. I was warned, teased and even challenged. But as you must have already read in my another post I have managed and well.

Here are my list of accomplishments over the last couple of weeks...

• Bisibelebath (My masterpeice till date)
• Uppittu (Upma for some)
• Tomato Bath
• Mix Veg curry
• Puliyogre
• Lemon Rice
• Rice
• Gojju
• Maggi

Well the list will certainly grow over the next couple of months.

So as I boast about my experiences and accomplishments here are a few thoughts:

Cooking is about two things

1. Taste

2. Smell

Taste

A great taste is a combination of salt, sweet and sour. A right mixture of these three makes a great food. From my experience the cardinal rules of cooking a great taste are:

a. If its too salty, make it sour. (lemon juice, tamarind would do) and vice versa
b. If its too spicy, make it sweet. (Sugar, jaggery etc if nothing a chocolate :) )

A couple of tries and you will be on the right path.

Smell

Trust me this the most difficult aspect of cooking. The awesome smell that draws people in to the kitchen, hungry or not. You will smell it when the rice is cooked just right. when that sambar is just right and to be out of the stove.

How can you know before hand?

Well let me be frank, you can't. You are still a dummy remember!!!!

So what do you do? Nothing much actually...

Instead you can serve it hot or either break one of the cardinal rules mentioned above.
Believe me it works!!!!

So next time around if you eat something really hot, too salty or too sweetish you know what to smell for!!!!. However if you still fail do not worry, and remember this.

"Who cares how it tastes? It will taste good to you. Thats what matters!!!!"

So go ahead explore the kitchen, cook on!!!!!

The Lonely Life

3:00am:

Half asleep-Half awake I turn towards the clock to check the time. I do not want to wake up yet.

But sleep evades me.

4:30am:

After struggling for an hr and half. I wake up get to my desk to check the mails.

Ah.. there are messages that have popped up on my chat window.

I respond to those and then a series of messages ensue....

5:30am:

Still in front of my lappy. Responding to mails, messages on chat window.

6:00am:

Coffee time!!! With a mug of coffee, my fingers continue to play on the keyboard.

6:30am:

Still there. Coffee is long done. Call from home.

Series of questions about what I did, what I cooked etc etc.

7:00am:

Ready for getting ready....

Arrgh... how I miss the ironed clothes...

7:30am:

Corn Flakes, Milk and Orange Juice. A typical continental breakfast.

Time to call the Cab. As I walk down to the lobby of the hotel,

the chilly morning air brushes aganist me.

The drive from office is in such a contrast with the one back at home.

8:00am:

As I walk down the office entrance lobby, I do not recognize the faces.

I get to my desk. Hey there is a meeting that is scheduled at 8:30am

11:30am:

Up pops a message!!!

"Hey, whats the lunch plan"

"Errr.. nothing", I respond

"Okie.. let's go out",

"Sure, will stop by your desk"

12:30pm:

Back at desk....

Meetings, Discussions, Decisions, Action Items,

5:30pm:

Back at Hotel Lobby.

"Hey, I would like to watch the movie ..............."

" Sure, here you go" (Hands over the DVD)

6:00pm:

With a cup of coffee in hand I switch over to the movie

7:00pm:

Tring Tring.... Phone time

8:00pm:

After a deliberate thinking as to what to cook I decide something and go about that

9:00pm:

Telecom.. Meetings, Discussions, Debate, Decisions etc

11:00pm:

Gd nite day.

The Weekend So far

Well Saturday was gone... and of what was remained on Saturday, I had a nice shower and some yummy Maggi and was off to bed. I knew that the Jet Lag was looming somewhere over my head, finally it knocked me of my sleep at 3:00am I was trying to ward it off and get some sleep but gave up by 4:00. Logged in to see if anyone was online. Phuff no one... there went my thoughts of catching up with all back at home. Finally, got hold of Ranjani and spoke to her for a while and then asked her to call up home and get them online which she diligently did. After bidding bye to her(She commented that my voice is already sounding like an NRI) called up home and spoke to all. I am sure Google have revolutionized the web. G talk in an amazing thing and for the first time in my last three trips to US I was able to talk to people without the hassles of a calling card. Google rocks!!!!.

Act 1:

After debating what to have for breakfast, decided that I need to do some grocery shopping. Got ready and a quick phone call to the Discount Cab saw that I was on my way to Fry's Market place. Its amazing how here they maintain the discipline of having the things the same way for years to come. After shopping had some croissants for breakfast and the cab diligently dropped me back to my hotel.

Act 2:

Once back from all the shopping i let my culinary skills act and the result was Puliyogare. Whoever said I will famish.... I dare ... LoL.

Act 3:

Well thought of having a nap but ended up sleeping at Indian time zone from 12:00 to 6:00.

I wonder when I will get over the jetlag. Evening was uneventful after all what can you expect. Watched America's Sweethearts and chatted with a couple of office mates. For dinner had tortilla, chutney pudi with curd and engaged myself with Micheal Chricton's Congo. The book is as gripping as the movie. Dozed off to a sleep to see myself awake at 4:00 am (Ah at least an improvement of an hour when compared to yesterday !!!) and typing this to you guys.

More to come... Have a nice day.