To all you pessimists out there.... this is specially for you
"Be careful how you think. Your life is shaped by your thoughts"
-Proverbs 4:23

happy diwali

On a happier note... I wish all of you a very happy diwali. Hope this diwali brings you peace and happiness.

A country of bullies

we are a nation of bullies. there i said it!! it's my way or the highway. this is one of the main reasons political debate has stooped to an all time low. lok sabha met only 25 times this year. there has been virtuallyno debate on anything. opposition mps disrupt parliament for every issue and every crisis. in a time when this country is facing economic and terror threats, our politicians set a wonderful example by simply not listening to anything anyone else is saying.
Today I watched a discussion on tv about the communalization of the terror threat. the 4 "esteemed" panellists did not hear out each other or the anchor. each was trying to shout down the other. intolerance in public spaces is growing at an alarming rate and we're too self satisfied and smug to even think about it.
everything insults our religious or linuistic or moral sensibilities. there seems to be no respect for any other view than our own.
look at our roads for instance. in bangalore, i saw a man die when he raced on the road, trying to hurry before the red light turned green. the minute the light turns orange,from red we have people honking so rudely, bullying the guy infront to move.
traffic rules are treated with utter disregard. why are our streets so crowded and congested? it's because of US. OUR VEHICLES. OUR CARS.we blame the government for everything but don't even go out and vote.the loud minority is no longer a minority. it is all of us. shame on us

every day inspiration

for some everyday inspiration check out Dr seuss's OH! the places you'll go...
click here...

my best friends' wedding

two of my best friends recently got engaged but in very different ways and both seem very happy. let me elaborate. One of my friends got engaged to the guy she has been seeing for the past 7 years. we all knew it was going to happen. I have known the guy as well. he is a friend and my respect for him has only grown over the years.. so although I did not want my friend to get married so early and vehemently opposed it initially, I'm very happy for her.
My other friend who got engaged is very happy too and although I don't know the guy, he seems quite nice.. her's was a typical arranged marriage... she met a lot of guys through her folks... liked this one. he liked her too. within a couple of days, they were engaged. I per se do not like arranged marriages and think of them to be scary but obviously different strokes for different people. My friend was very clear from the start about the kind of man she wanted to marry and I'm very proud to say that she has not compromised on that. She spoke to the guy about all the importat things in her life. He did too.. they agreed on a lot of important things and decided that they liked each other enough... Sure they don't know each other well enough but they will by the time they get married. His family seemed very nice too.. Her parents did not force her into anything, nor was there any emotional blackmail and crazy stuff like that.
The whole experience for her was very pleasant with good results.
My own sister went through the whole "seeing guys" thing until she decided to marry her best friend. The experience she had was very difficult for my parents and herself She met a lot of jerks and losers and when she told my folks that she was going to marry her best friend whom we all knew and adored, my parents were not only immensely pleased but also a bit relieved...
As for me, Like I mentioned before, the arranged marriage jig is not my cup of tea. For now, I like being the girl who does everyone's make up.... and that will do for the next 3 years atleast...

what's right in your life?

momgrind put up a post about this. I think it's essential to look at the things that are right in our lives. helps us to stay happy and positive. A lot of things are right in my life... (touch wood).I think I have an amazing family... my folks are open minded liberal people who are responsible for the way I turned out. I have a sister and brother -in -law i can always always count on.
I have really great friends. Gautam, Shruthi, Gowri, Shetty,Anirudha, Bindu.. I've been friends with some of them for the past 20 years...( since i was 3) and they have stuck around and been there for me always. especially my school friends and Gautam.
I also think I'm happy because of me. I have a great attitude( again thanks to my folks). I have always done something when I've been unhappy. It took me a lot of courage to get rid of friends who were pulling me down, decide to study abroad or live alone now.. I have done these things to better my life...
My love for books, and learning is another thing that keeps me very happy. My blog as well.
I also think always having a plan helps. I hate rifting along aimlessly. I'm a very focused person. both professionally and personally. That's one thing that my dad taught me. Do your best, try to stick to a plan but always have a contingency and if things still don't go your way, chin up and try again or come up with a new and improved plan....
So these are the things that are right in my life.. I have to thank momgrind for putting up the post and making me want to write about it as well.

Random rani

I'm listening to rock music... I like the guitar parts
I did a few things I should have done long back. I got a great haircut. A couple of friends and I drove around till 2 am last night
I'm tired of being an alcohol virgin....( that means i never drink... haven't had a drink ever)
I read The Geometry of God and simply loved it.
Whatever your definition of a good girl is, it won't fit me.
I'm a great liar.. I don't lie often. I never lie to my mother.
Other than the people who matter a LOT to me, i can make and break promises without the least bit of remorse.
I'm an awesome cook and an awesome dancer. I have to read at least a couple of new books every month.
I never get bored when I'm alone. I care about the way I look. Clothes matter to me. I love fashion. I can talk to anyone about anything. I'm actually one of the most well informed people i know. This is not an exaggeration. I love star wars. like really really. I also love the Hindi movie Karan Arjun. I think it's one of the best movies ever. I once Mahabharath for 6 hours straight.
I'm extremely claustrophobic. I have very easy tears. i think I turned out well coz my folks are really amazing people. I have the best family ever. I think I can do anything for my sis and folks. I have the best best buddy ever. I love to gossip. i think the best place to be on earth is Mysore. Mysore Dasara rocks!I'm kinda high maintenance although I claim that I'm not...I never want to have kids. I don't like them. I wouldn't get married either if I had a choice...and I'm a feminist and very proud to be one. I abhor violence.I love tea and friends and Seinfeld( sitcoms). I have not watched Lagaan or RDB and I don't care

it's dasara and i'm stuck in bangalore! i should be in mysore...mysore is the best place to be during navrathri or atleast i think so anyway. the entire city center is illuminated and the whole atmosphere is just beautiful and so festive.
one of the best things you can do during dasara is to go to the palce a little before 7 when it's not too crowded, listen to the music concert for a while and then watch the lights come on. it's such a fantastic moment. you can then take a tonga from the palace to dev raj urs road and enjoy the lights. you can then go to chaat street, eat dry gobi and go home... the dry gobi i just mentioned is simply one of the tastiest things i have ever eaten.