Blog, blog, blog…it has been a while since I have been hearing of it. But it never struck me that I could have one. For me, blog meant some sort of a online diary, or something to do with citizen journalism, and never in my wildest dreams did I think of having one on my own. But though I never prided on my writing ability/ documentation skills, I have a friend who thinks, or least thought I wrote/narrate well, considering the fact that I mail all the little happenings here to the other end of the globe, where he sits. Guess, he got tired of me trying my writing skills on him, that he suggested the blog idea. It took me many months more, until I got down to actual blogging. So the first decision was to choose a blogging site. It was very easy. Just googled blog, and blogger came up. Then I needed a name for my blogger. Now since I may not change my blog frequently, I needed a proper blog name. But I didn’t want it to be lakshmi’s blog, or lakshmi says or something similar. I wanted it to have some romaticisim, nostalgia, symbolism to it. No sooner that I thought in those lines, than the title Sans Frontières flashed in my mind’s eye. Sans Frontières is the French for without boundaries. It was the name of French text I studied, and brought in the romanticism of French, and nostalgia of bygone days. And yes, as the name suggests, I intend this to be a platform, where thoughts, ideas and words flow sans frontiers. I'm glad to have started this and let’s see where it goes…
Copyright © 2008 Lakshmi R.S. All rights reserved
Monday, March 31, 2008
Churuttu
Today, I got introduced to Churuttu. Now for all the uninitiated, Churuttu is kind of sweet dessert, that you get in mid Travancore. It happened thus. Easter had just gone by and it is tradition that every festival is celebrated with sweets sponsored by the respective religious nationalities. (And atheists are also not spared since, there is no dearth to reasons for celebrations).And another issue that has to be kept in mind is that though we are decent and well behaved, something happens after we see these delicacies. So the proverb, 'Early bird catches the worm' is very true here. As soon as the aroma, even a miniscule wafts, people swarm in from all directions, and some times, one would not even get to see the packet. This is the situation when I get a chat message saying ”Want Churuttu”. I reply in negative, cos I had an entirely different Churuttu in mind. And the person tempts me by saying it is a delicacy of Kottayam. It is the day preceeding April 1, and I am a little skeptic. But he manages to convince me. Now I leave all my work, and rush to his cubicle to find that the said sweet dish is some sweet roll with a flaky crust, and has a fatty tetrahedron shape. It so sugary and gooey all over that I decide I need a tissue, so as not to make a mess while eating. Now, if I leave the Churuttu and go, by the time, I get a tissue and come back, there may be nothing left, considering the demand. So I pick the sweet with my forefinger and thumb, and gingerly balance it, as I go find my tissue. Well, I have attackers from here and there, but I manage to evade them all, and hold on to my precious sweet till I reach my cubicle. There I take my first bite. It’s yummy. As I dwell on the taste, I try to analyse the ingredients. It is basically avalosupodi (another local snack) mixed in lots of jaggery, rolled in maida flour crust, and deep fried.(As soon as I had a chance I googled for churuttu, but couldn’t find the recipe. Just got enlightened that it is Christian cookery that specially caters to people with a sweet tooth.) As I savour on that teeny weeny piece of chweet, here comes my friend with another friend. So then I had to share the precious little with two more people. But the end was satisfactory that I got introduced to a yummy mouth watering dish, and could share it with my friends :-)
Copyright © 2008 Lakshmi R.S. All rights reserved
Copyright © 2008 Lakshmi R.S. All rights reserved
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Buzz
Today was like any other day. I got my office bus, and reached office, as usual. Fifteen minutes earlier. Checked all I had to do, when my friend dropped in to say “hi”. Among other topics we reached “traveling-to–office” by bus.
She: Own car is more convenient. For bus, you have to walk till the bus stop.
I: I don’t think so. Yes, you have to walk, but that is exercise, a real blessing in disguise.
She: What about the pollution?
I: Pollution? It is fresh air in the morning. Rather polluted, but with the greenery, I guess it is healthy.
She: Car is cool. You have A/C, and no dust.
I: A/C? It just circulates stale air.
She: Huh?
I: Here, you are in sync with environment.
She: I drive a Honda – Technology rides with environment #a haughty smile#
I : #a polite smile#
She: Lakshmi, don’t you think you are wasting time?
I : How?
She: Bus stops at various …
I: #interrupt# It makes you punctual. #smile #. It did that to me.
She: You rush in mornings
I: Agreed, but I reach office a bit early, so that I can get plan my work for the day, before I start. And at evenings too, I get out on time.
She: Umm…#a long drawn out assertion, after what I suppose was a careful reflection#
Now I have the ground all to myself, and I decide to list out the other advantages of coming by bus.
I: You know what, coming by bus is really good. In the morning you get up at the same time. Plan well; so that you catch the bus. Walking to the stop gives you a bit of exercise. Make a few friends in the bus stop…
She interrupted me.
She: Oh, so you have other colleagues in the bus stop!
I: Yes, but also many others..
She raised her eyebrows. Knowing me, she knew, I don’t talk to strangers. She was waiting, for a clarification, or so I thought.
I: Its not like we start being friends from day one. It’s a slow process. Many people from other companies in Technopark; once in the public space, technoparkians are brothers and sisters. #smile with a twinkle in my eye# So you watch out for their cabs, and they keep a look out for yours.
She: #Smiled# oh I see…
I: Yeah and then, when I just miss the bus they say, it just left, or when I am late and wonder if I missed bus - noticing my worried and confused look - they reassure me saying, it hasn’t left yet. Strangers? Acquaintances? They don’t know my name, I don’t know theirs. But the buses bond us. I see them, I feel happy. They see me, they feel happy. They may not even talk, but through non verbal cues, we help each other.
She: yeah, so true…
I: Then my bus-stop friends; we talk; not about home or politics. Usually it is about the kids in the bus-stop, the other commuters, the overloaded, old and dilapilated CET and Medical College buses and the deluxe private Engineering College buses and so on.
She is visibly impressed. #Smile#
She: You are so observant!
I: No, it happens with everybody. And in the bus too, we have our favourite seats. The person sitting next to us, becomes our friend. If I don’t see her, I miss her, and vice versa. Ask what happened to her.
She: That is just courtesy. They don’t really care for you.
I: Are you sure? Maybe. But don’t you feel good, if someone asks you where you were? What happened? Sometimes you might be the only one who asked. Anyways I do it all the time.
She: Do they answer?
I: Well, it depends. Sometimes, they do. Sometimes they don’t. But I am sure they love it. After all I don’t pry, nor do I force an answer.
She: And then?
I: Then what?
She: It’s really interesting. So what else do you find interesting?
I: If you look out of the window, it’s interesting. The bus seats are higher. So you get a better outside view. You can see beyond the compound walls, the neatly manicured gardens of houses, the many flower beds, grandpas reading newspapers in the sit-outs. The swings, slides and merry-go-rounds in kids’ playschools. You can read the hoardings. You can see the face of the city changing. Can I really see and enjoy all these if I am driving?
She: So true. Now I feel like I am missing something. #A confused look, with a hint of sadness. #
I: You sure are! #smile# My bus almost always has the music on.
She: Even the car has, and you can choose the song you want to play. Don’t have to listen to somebody else’s favourites.
I: True.
And she had a triumphant smile on her face. But I knew better. #smile#
I: True, you can select your songs. But sometimes it is refreshing to listen others’ favourites. In the car, while driving, I don’t think about the song or the lyrics, I don’t even feel the song. I can’t afford to. While driving, I concentrate on the road. But here, I just let go. Listen to the song, the lyrics, and see them in my mind’s theatre.tography in mind. Its exhilarating.
As I was saying, I was also imagining/ reliving that feeling. #smile# Well, I guess she too imagined. Had a dreamy look in her eyes, and she mumbled something.
I: um?
She: Its so romantic.
I: Well it is #smile#
She: So tell me more.
I : You want more!?
She: I sure do.
I: While we are on the topic, you can add to the romance. You can listen to your favorite piece in mobile/ipod too. But the best is when you have a book to read. Be it on any subject. The bus is the best place to read. You can really absorb the book.
She: How? With so much distraction, and breaks
I: See, when I start reading, nothing distracts me. I am in no hurry. So I read, reflect, and because I get so little time in the bus, I read in bits and pieces, which means, I do think about what I read. Reading for leisure, I feel is at its best while traveling.
She: I should try that. #a pregnant pause# But if you read in the bus, how come you said you talked and made friends?
I: It is no compulsion. Some days I don’t feel like reading. Some days I don’t feel like socializing. Some days I feel like making a phone call, typing out a message, dreaming about someone, catching up some sleep…
She: You do all that in a bus?
I: Is there something in the list that you find difficult to do? Even you must have done all these.
She: #after much contemplation# Guess, you are right. I never thought as much. I should say your thinking process is so good.
After a minute of thought, she said
She: You know what, Laks. All the times you said, you enjoyed coming by bus, I thought the real reason was, car costs too much , and burned a hole in your pocket. Now I know.
I: Car costs. Bus is reasonable. But no one is compelling me. There is no driver’s tension. I still take my car once a week, and I enjoy the drive. It isn’t routine.
And before we knew, we were laughing and saying “Routine is boring!”
She: If the Govt. just gave so many reasons for car pooling and using mass transportation, people would have resorted to it, rather than simply talking about pollution and fuel. Why don’t you run a campaign?
I: #smile#
Copyright © 2008 Lakshmi R.S. All rights reserved
She: Own car is more convenient. For bus, you have to walk till the bus stop.
I: I don’t think so. Yes, you have to walk, but that is exercise, a real blessing in disguise.
She: What about the pollution?
I: Pollution? It is fresh air in the morning. Rather polluted, but with the greenery, I guess it is healthy.
She: Car is cool. You have A/C, and no dust.
I: A/C? It just circulates stale air.
She: Huh?
I: Here, you are in sync with environment.
She: I drive a Honda – Technology rides with environment #a haughty smile#
I : #a polite smile#
She: Lakshmi, don’t you think you are wasting time?
I : How?
She: Bus stops at various …
I: #interrupt# It makes you punctual. #smile #. It did that to me.
She: You rush in mornings
I: Agreed, but I reach office a bit early, so that I can get plan my work for the day, before I start. And at evenings too, I get out on time.
She: Umm…#a long drawn out assertion, after what I suppose was a careful reflection#
Now I have the ground all to myself, and I decide to list out the other advantages of coming by bus.
I: You know what, coming by bus is really good. In the morning you get up at the same time. Plan well; so that you catch the bus. Walking to the stop gives you a bit of exercise. Make a few friends in the bus stop…
She interrupted me.
She: Oh, so you have other colleagues in the bus stop!
I: Yes, but also many others..
She raised her eyebrows. Knowing me, she knew, I don’t talk to strangers. She was waiting, for a clarification, or so I thought.
I: Its not like we start being friends from day one. It’s a slow process. Many people from other companies in Technopark; once in the public space, technoparkians are brothers and sisters. #smile with a twinkle in my eye# So you watch out for their cabs, and they keep a look out for yours.
She: #Smiled# oh I see…
I: Yeah and then, when I just miss the bus they say, it just left, or when I am late and wonder if I missed bus - noticing my worried and confused look - they reassure me saying, it hasn’t left yet. Strangers? Acquaintances? They don’t know my name, I don’t know theirs. But the buses bond us. I see them, I feel happy. They see me, they feel happy. They may not even talk, but through non verbal cues, we help each other.
She: yeah, so true…
I: Then my bus-stop friends; we talk; not about home or politics. Usually it is about the kids in the bus-stop, the other commuters, the overloaded, old and dilapilated CET and Medical College buses and the deluxe private Engineering College buses and so on.
She is visibly impressed. #Smile#
She: You are so observant!
I: No, it happens with everybody. And in the bus too, we have our favourite seats. The person sitting next to us, becomes our friend. If I don’t see her, I miss her, and vice versa. Ask what happened to her.
She: That is just courtesy. They don’t really care for you.
I: Are you sure? Maybe. But don’t you feel good, if someone asks you where you were? What happened? Sometimes you might be the only one who asked. Anyways I do it all the time.
She: Do they answer?
I: Well, it depends. Sometimes, they do. Sometimes they don’t. But I am sure they love it. After all I don’t pry, nor do I force an answer.
She: And then?
I: Then what?
She: It’s really interesting. So what else do you find interesting?
I: If you look out of the window, it’s interesting. The bus seats are higher. So you get a better outside view. You can see beyond the compound walls, the neatly manicured gardens of houses, the many flower beds, grandpas reading newspapers in the sit-outs. The swings, slides and merry-go-rounds in kids’ playschools. You can read the hoardings. You can see the face of the city changing. Can I really see and enjoy all these if I am driving?
She: So true. Now I feel like I am missing something. #A confused look, with a hint of sadness. #
I: You sure are! #smile# My bus almost always has the music on.
She: Even the car has, and you can choose the song you want to play. Don’t have to listen to somebody else’s favourites.
I: True.
And she had a triumphant smile on her face. But I knew better. #smile#
I: True, you can select your songs. But sometimes it is refreshing to listen others’ favourites. In the car, while driving, I don’t think about the song or the lyrics, I don’t even feel the song. I can’t afford to. While driving, I concentrate on the road. But here, I just let go. Listen to the song, the lyrics, and see them in my mind’s theatre.tography in mind. Its exhilarating.
As I was saying, I was also imagining/ reliving that feeling. #smile# Well, I guess she too imagined. Had a dreamy look in her eyes, and she mumbled something.
I: um?
She: Its so romantic.
I: Well it is #smile#
She: So tell me more.
I : You want more!?
She: I sure do.
I: While we are on the topic, you can add to the romance. You can listen to your favorite piece in mobile/ipod too. But the best is when you have a book to read. Be it on any subject. The bus is the best place to read. You can really absorb the book.
She: How? With so much distraction, and breaks
I: See, when I start reading, nothing distracts me. I am in no hurry. So I read, reflect, and because I get so little time in the bus, I read in bits and pieces, which means, I do think about what I read. Reading for leisure, I feel is at its best while traveling.
She: I should try that. #a pregnant pause# But if you read in the bus, how come you said you talked and made friends?
I: It is no compulsion. Some days I don’t feel like reading. Some days I don’t feel like socializing. Some days I feel like making a phone call, typing out a message, dreaming about someone, catching up some sleep…
She: You do all that in a bus?
I: Is there something in the list that you find difficult to do? Even you must have done all these.
She: #after much contemplation# Guess, you are right. I never thought as much. I should say your thinking process is so good.
After a minute of thought, she said
She: You know what, Laks. All the times you said, you enjoyed coming by bus, I thought the real reason was, car costs too much , and burned a hole in your pocket. Now I know.
I: Car costs. Bus is reasonable. But no one is compelling me. There is no driver’s tension. I still take my car once a week, and I enjoy the drive. It isn’t routine.
And before we knew, we were laughing and saying “Routine is boring!”
She: If the Govt. just gave so many reasons for car pooling and using mass transportation, people would have resorted to it, rather than simply talking about pollution and fuel. Why don’t you run a campaign?
I: #smile#
Copyright © 2008 Lakshmi R.S. All rights reserved
Monday, March 17, 2008
Environment rides with technology
I enter the bypass road, cutting across the busy intersection. Rain started coming in torrents suddenly, and I could hardly see the road 10 m away. Since the windshield was quite dusty, I decide to clean the glass with the wiper fluid, before switching on the wiper. I press the lever to spurt the cleaning liquid on to the front glass, when I see a teeny weeny lizard on the glass. Poor thing, was jumping around, as the wiper lashed to and fro. I felt, I would be responsible for its death, if my wiper was on for another minute. So I put off the wiper, and he jumped on the wiper, and clinged to it. With the rain falling in torrents, I could drive with great difficulty. I had my parking lights and my hazard signal on. The visibly was very low, but somehow I didn’t have the heart to put on the wiper. I drove thus to technopark, and pulled into the parking lot. Parked my car, and turned to walk towards the building, when I was reminded of the baby lizard. How will it find its way and food in this concrete mass? I walked back and took a twig, with a single leaf, and he jumped onto the leaf. I took 4-5 steps, and left him in the nearby bush. As it hopped off, I felt so much happy and relived :-)
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Tall, black n handsome
It was when he pulled by her side that she noticed - a tall, dark and handsome fella. Even before she could have a second glance, he winked at her, and moved ahead. He was sure sleek and powerful, and proudly carried the name “Honda CRV”, and she had already resigned with a sigh to the fact that she would never see his handsome face again. After all, with his speed, it won’t be two minutes before he turns to a speck near the horizon. She tried visualizing it, a perfect shape against the backdrop of the setting sun.
She could see the distance increasing between him and her, but felt helpless. Could do nothing to reduce it. After all she was just an Alto. But lo…she was now catching up to him, and he turned slightly to the left, and winked his left eye. Seemed like, he was lowering speed, slowing down, and asking her to catch up, or was she accelerating in her eagerness to be with him? She checked her speed dials to be sure. NO. The guy was slowing down for sure, and a vroooming question loomed large between them.
He: Heyy, are u in the game?
She: Let’s go
And then she floored the pedal, and could almost feel the fuel running through veins, as she surged forward. He was still ahead, and accelerating; the distance between them increasing. She was doubtful if she could catch up, whether the chase was futile, whether she was being fooled; but he was encouraging, slowing, then and now, encouraging and prodding her on, but never giving her space to overtake.
She kind of felt, he was testing her limits, trying to bring the best out of her. That instilled greater faith and confidence in her, and with a sudden leap of faith, she surged forward, overtaking him in the process. She turned round, and blinked both eyes, before going further. And thought she saw a hint of radiance cross his lips. His feelings- she did not know, but she knew for sure, she had her first crush, for him - a Black Honda CRV with a silver lining. And as she raced on to the road ahead, towards the horizon, she hoped that she might cross paths with him again; someday.
Copyright © 2008 Lakshmi R.S. All rights reserved
She could see the distance increasing between him and her, but felt helpless. Could do nothing to reduce it. After all she was just an Alto. But lo…she was now catching up to him, and he turned slightly to the left, and winked his left eye. Seemed like, he was lowering speed, slowing down, and asking her to catch up, or was she accelerating in her eagerness to be with him? She checked her speed dials to be sure. NO. The guy was slowing down for sure, and a vroooming question loomed large between them.
He: Heyy, are u in the game?
She: Let’s go
And then she floored the pedal, and could almost feel the fuel running through veins, as she surged forward. He was still ahead, and accelerating; the distance between them increasing. She was doubtful if she could catch up, whether the chase was futile, whether she was being fooled; but he was encouraging, slowing, then and now, encouraging and prodding her on, but never giving her space to overtake.
She kind of felt, he was testing her limits, trying to bring the best out of her. That instilled greater faith and confidence in her, and with a sudden leap of faith, she surged forward, overtaking him in the process. She turned round, and blinked both eyes, before going further. And thought she saw a hint of radiance cross his lips. His feelings- she did not know, but she knew for sure, she had her first crush, for him - a Black Honda CRV with a silver lining. And as she raced on to the road ahead, towards the horizon, she hoped that she might cross paths with him again; someday.
Copyright © 2008 Lakshmi R.S. All rights reserved
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