Shyamoly...

Your jacket is still in your cabin. I am left feeling that you will be coming to get it. I still feel like theres chances we meet in the ladies rest room brushin our teeth. I am looking forward to checking those nice, witty gtalk status lines. I am waiting to hear how the last chemo went. You needed more updates on how i am doing with my crazy problem. Theres a lot more movies in my hard disk that we need to exchange. I still have to see birdemic with my friends and tell you how it went. Dont you want to comment on my forwards? We are all waiting to see your hair grow back thicker and better. My rafting experience was just as great as you said it would be. The pictures are out, I'll ping you the links.


Thought i had enough time to understand that you cant do any of these. But im surprised at how long its taking. We weren't friends ... were we?... woudl ppl who ping each other on the communicator and gtalk more often than call, qualify for friends? I think i had called you only thrice. I am caught feeling confused when i tell my friends that I lost a... a friend or a colleague? This has been plaguing me ever since you have been gone. I let my heart out and cried for sometime on that day. And shed a few involuntary tears hear and there everyother time you came into my mind. I didnt cry enough for a friend did I?
So you have gone off on a nice long vacation without telling anyone... oh you are doing some back packing are you? Nice. So how long will you be gone? Donno... hmmm. As long as you enjoy the journey eating a lot of bong sweets along the way how does it matter. Yeah i understand, it will be difficult to update your gtalk and facebook statuses esp when your travelling.
This is what i want to think of your disappearing act.
I am honoured for having knowing a practical wise witty strong compassionate woman whos life-savings was a huge group of friends who stood with her through thick and thin in every literal sense. I wish i could be that good.
May I live with the spirit you had.

NITA EATS OUT @ Oh! Calcutta, St.Marks Rd.

Vegetarian+Non-vegetarian
Bengali

RATING:
@ THE RESTAURANT
Taste: 3.5/5
Price: 3/5 - 350-450 per head

Service: 4/5

Ambience: 4/5

HOME DELIVERY
Available but haven't tried.

COMMENTS: First thing that stood out was the extra nice waiters - very polite, pleasing, very welcoming. However I should tell you that my mom and I have been super thirtsty ever since we got back from there. Just to set expectations right, the briyani has a strong taste of rose water - not that its bad, but for those of us who are looking for something spicy and hot, this wont be it but it is an interesting taste. The Paturi we tried was great and we liked the koraishutir dhokar dalna a lot.

PICTURES:
ADDRESS: 15&16, House Of Lords, St. Marks Road, Bangalore-560001
PHONE: 22277722

Vernacular Architecture

As per Wiki :

“Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorise methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it exists. It has often been dismissed as crude and unrefined, but also has proponents who highlight its importance in current design.”

I learnt this word about 2-3 yrs ago when I went to the Interiors Exhibition (an exhibition for interior deco, furnitures, etc.). Right outside the hanger was a stall put up by the Center for Vernacular Architecture. A lovely man and his wife and their beautiful daughter showed us some of the designs and explain the concept of Vernacular architecture. I liked what they showed.

 

The heat that we experience in our Garden City now a days suddenly reminded me of my grandparents old home and then these guys. So I looked them up and found a nice site. Some of the houses are very beautiful. When I do build a house I would like to use some Vernacular Architecture in it.

 

Perhaps we will start appreciating our old ways.

 

http://www.vernarch.com/projects.htm#residences

Alma Mater

I had been to the Technical Museum, here in Bangalore recently. I enjoyed being there. When we went to the canteen which is on the terrace, I spotted a building on the opposite side with a big sign board that read ‘Alma Mater’. My brother, our nieces and I tried hard to read the rest of the board, but didn’t find anything that gave an idea of what it was all about.

 

Well here it is. Quite interestingly, its an organization that helps people to discover and maximize their potential.  

http://www.almamater.com/home.htm             

 

I particularly like some of the things I found on this page http://www.almamater.com/values.htm

 

Black Tea + Lemon = Orangish-Brown coloured Tea. WHY?

Those of us who enjoy lemon tea, might have already observed this and if not, you can try it out today. Make black tea and squeeze in some lemon and observe how the color changes.

This phenomenon is called Bathochromic Shift – which is the change in the ability of a liquid to absorb light of longer wavelengths(red light) caused by the substitution or changes in the molecules of the liquid.

So something happens to the tea molecules when you add lemon, that changes its ability to absorb red light. (That’s my plain English definition).

Why does it happen, let me see if I can keep the explanation simple and interesting.

When tea leaves are picked they are green. Like all leaves, when you pluck them, they start to wilt because they lose water. This is the start of the natural oxidation process. To make our household regular tea, oxidation has to happen at a controlled and specific rate, plus its heated. Oxidation means that water is driven out of the leaf and the chlorophyll (the pigment that make it green) slowly breaks down by the action of the enzymes naturally present in the leaves. Oxidation of the leaves, creates a tannin called Thearubigins – that’s what gives the tea its brown colour and slightly bitter taste.

Now when you add lemon juice to your tea, the citric acid in the lemon reacts with the tannin (thearubigins). The acid doesn’t allow the tannin to get ionized (ionization= converting a molecule to ions). This changes the nature of the liquid to absorb low frequency light.

I hope I got it right. Enjoy the resulting brownish orange chemical solution.

Heres what Everything.com has to say:

Adding a squeeze of lemon juice to black tea has the effect of clearing the liquid; it transforms it from a dark, nearly-opaque brown to a transparent orangey yellow in a matter of seconds. This is because the hydogen ions produced by the acid in the lemon juice suppress the ionisation of thearubigins (tannins), the polyphenols that otherwise give tea its brown colour, an effect known as the bathochromic shift - it's a fun chemistry demonstration as well as a tasty hot drink!* The reaction makes the thearubigins lose not just their brown colour but also their astringency, so strong black tea can be made drinkable this way - especially with the addition of a little sugar to take the edge off the bitterness. Unlike milky tea, lemon tea made this way remains tasty at any temperature, and many recipes for iced tea call for the addition of lemon. Incidentally, orange juice is also acid enough to remove most of black tea's astringency, as well as sweetening it; it sounds weird, but it's actually pretty good.

Just to remind you of the chem lab days, I used to love titrations

Knowledge, no reservations

Of all sources of knowledge...
I think the internet has managed to become more impartial than any God (in any religion) has ever been able to.
The new age Saraswathi, Benzaiten, Athena... you come asking her for anything and she will not disappoint you. You dont have to even wait to pray.
She does not see your gender, political leaning, sexuality, age, plus, true to 'God-style' thinkin, she doesnt even see your intent.
You get what you ask for.
Two fine inventions!

The Living Dead

Today… I am feeling mean. I am feeling this urge to be heartless. I feel the need to be a bitch. I close my eyes and picture myself at a cliff edge, cold air crashes into me but only my hair obeys... I suck in air mercilessly and then scream … is it a scream or a bellow?… a wet warmth streams down as  I empty out my lungs clean. I don't want to fill it… but the life in me doesn't give me a choice and refills before my mind can be firm on its choice. The discomfort of feeling life fill in my lungs, forces my eyes open. I am back infront of my screen. Still  here. Still quite. Still good.

 

 

Here is a lovely essay by Judith Strasser, a producer. She wrote this before she died of cancer. Its more powerful to hear her reading it out. 

http://www.wpr.org/book/Strasser%20Essay.html

 

“Time is precious: it's really all we have”

 

We are dying with every breath we take.

 

 

A Dysfunctional Spelling

Why isnt DYSFUNCTIONAL spelt DISFUNCTIONAL?
It breaks away from the normal rules of negated prefix 'dis'... like in DISlike, DIScomfort, DISobey, etc.

Doesn't it seem to be a pun on the very definition?
:)

Iktara by Tochi Raina From 'Wake up Sid'

This should be the first song you listen to in the week (if it’s your kind).

 

Last night I watched ‘wake up sid’ and I liked the movie. It wasn’t earth shattering, but a simple, pleasant movie. Friends at my office might be growing mad with my obsession with the ‘Iktara’ song. Its when I watched the movie that I understood that there is a version sung by a male singer by the name Tochi Raina. This man got his first break after 20 odd years of learning music, in the movie ‘A Wednesday’. Apparently this singer was in treatment for depression because some website made a grave mistake of giving credit to upcoming singer Toshi Sabri for song sung by Tochi. This goof up cost the man his peace of mind and a couple of opportunities.

 

Well enjoy this version of the song

 

http://www.4shared.com/file/156455222/53bd6599/Iktara_-_Male_Version_-_by_Toc.html?cau2=403tNull

 

Here is lyrics+translation to the song, courtesy Amitabh Iyer http://spinningawheel.blogspot.com/2009/12/969-iktara-male-version-from-wake-up.html :

Rooh ka banjara re parinda
Chhad gaya dil ka re gharonda
Chhad gaya dil ka re gharonda todke
Re gharonda todke, gaya chhodke

(rooh = spirit, self or seat of intellect, banjara= nomad, parinda = pigeon, free rebel bird

Its the free spirit (in me) that is soaring, flying out like a bird, escaping from my heart, which (once) used to be its abode…..breaking the shackles that held it within….(as we talk), the spirit is away on a wing and a prayer, having bolted from its own (constraining) home.)

Je naina karun band band
Beh jaye boond boond (2)
Tadpaye re, kyun sunaye geet malhar de

(Every time  I close my eyes, the river (of tears) begins to drizzle (down)…..Anguish and misery are my (constant) company, even as the song (and sounds) of rain(s) have started their slow dance.)

Bemalang tera iktara (8)

(As I have said in my previous post Iktara is a single stringed instrument capable of a deep bass and a sharp treble…..and hence is metaphorical of music and the seven notes and life’s up and down in general. This line says….

My iktara continues to harp without any chord, melody or joy….)

Itra tun basi basi, padi hai sirhane
Band darwaja dekhe lauti hai subah
Thandi hai angeethi seeli, seeli hain deewarein
Goonje takrake inme dil ki sada
Goonje hai re (2) dil ki sada (2)

(itra = colloquial word for perfume or an aromatic body paste

My embellishments (like my scents and fragrances) are lying wasting around, breathing their (useless) aromas out and (in the process) dying….My (new) morning (and fresh beginnings) are about to return back after knocking endlessly on my closed doors….My oven and my walls are all damp and cold (due to neglect and disregard)…..In all of these atrophy(surrounding me), all I can hear is the wail of a dirge from my soul, this slow constant echoing lament of my heart.)

)

Jo naina karun band band
Beh jaye boond boond (2)
Tadpaye re, kyun sunaye geet malhar de

(Every time  I close my eyes, the river (of tears) begins to drizzle (down)…..Anguish and misery are my (constant) company, even as the song (and sounds) of rain(s) have started their slow dance.)

Bemalang tera iktara (8)

(My iktara continues to harp without any chord, melody or joy….)

Hmm... so what shall I do today?

This post was planned for the 1st. I was all enthusiastic that day, about writing this post, or rather more determined than enthusiastic. I even thought of singing ABBA’s ‘Happy new year’ and posting it. But for some reason I couldn’t post it on the 1st… neither could I do it on the 2nd or any of the days after it till now. I guess it speaks well about my ‘determination’ and to tell you the truth, as the days went by and I had the time to imagine how I would sound and how it might be if someone would listen … I started feeling a little conscious about the sing-a-song project. Now it seems like a nightmarish task. So, until another day, whereI will be as impulsive or brave, people don’t have to know how I sound.
Hence forth, I will try my best to stop feeling stifled and discontented. These which I list here are not resolutions (Yeah, I still don’t believe in them), these are things that I would like to remind myself to do, if I am in the mood to. Please pardon the ‘self-talk’...
1) Stop being such a stingy miser and get yourself a SLR
2) You enjoyed that horse ride, remember? May be you should consider taking riding classes. Yeah, it’s expensive, but see if you can manage it appropriately.
3) PMP/PG. Babe, don’t you yearn to get out of this rut? Then do something about it.
4) Voice-over. Make demos and see where it goes.
5) It’s may be time for another travel? Somewhere nearby or Andamans, Sri Lanka, Machu Picchu, Cambodia, New Zealand…
6) How about learning some dance form? Odissi has been a plan for too long. Salsa/jive?
7) Work out? Walk?
8) How about making a short-movie or take up some short movie classes?
9) ... will add on as I get ideas...