Oh this is how it works ;-)

On a lighter note...

Many a times I have wondered how people can be double faced, indecisive or have drastically changed over a period of time! To some extent, I found an answer to this last weekend....

My brother and I had been to Livermore to visit a temple. I have seen it umpteen times before but this time the name of the temple caught my attention. It is named as "Shiva-Vishu" temple. Wondering what's so special about the name?!?!....hmmm..let me explain. Long long ago it was said that "Shivas" sect and "Vishnavas" sect in India didn't get along well and they both have had their firm beliefs and ideologies that they don't want to compromise on. However, as time has passed somehow the devotees of these two Gods have "changed" a bit and now we get to see so many temples where both the Gods idols are present. Once upon a time, people used to destroy the other Gods temple!!!!

Well, when Gods and their devotees can co-exists and change over a period of time why can't the rest of us ? Do we need to always categorize them as double faced fickle minded people ?? I don't think so....

Will try to let go off the bitterness in me against  people who have changed and  hopefully not feel guilty for being a changed person myself...


:-)

Sad Week!

In continuation to my previous blog.... Not complaining about myself rather feeling sad for all the unfortunate things going on with my friends...how easy it is for me to say my friends are happy and doing great ! While the truth is they are also facing some issue or the other... It does make me feel good that I am not the odd one out but at the cost of their unhappiness it is not worth much ....

Anyways the few good things happening are Mr. Officer ( Suresh ) getting married and Mr. Charmer ( Anoop) in the process of getting "Engaged".. but the irony is they soon may start complaining about what  I think is a good thing!! Hope that doesn't happen :-)

Lone"ILL"ness

History repeats again...

I thought I forgot how hard  it was to leave home and come to US....think of it the initial excitement of staying independent, going to grad school, learning the new life style soon dies down and you are back to being home sick.. it was almost a year by the time I found LSU Home away from Home... may be because I met the "right" kind of people..which I thought would never happen at LSU :-)...

Always was sure moving to San Jose would be a cake walk but was proved so wrong!!! Leaving LSU was as painful as leaving home! And never did I think San Jose will be heard to settle down but once AGAIN I am proved wrong... True I have my brother, friends I have know forever! good Indian food , work to keep me busy... but somewhere deep down the loneliness of a new place is engulfing me... Sometime I think I am asking for too much... there is nothing that could have been better than moving to a city like San Jose...dono if I will ever feel San Jose HOME!!!

I wish I do :-)

Gone are the days.....

Give me some sunshine...give me some rain...give me some another chance I wanna grow up once again...

Well that's the theme for this blog...after been overly pampered, taken care of and being loved all my life, I am in the transition phase of giving it all back. Yeah true, and how rude of me to crib about it! But who would ever want to be in the giving side after been in the accepting side for so looooooooooooooong!

High time I realize gone are the days................... though I am exaggerating this a bit too much it is still "painful" to compromise on these luxuries in life.............

Life's Journey can be Exotic! :-)

I was a TV addict once upon a time. I have browsed through so many channels and so many TV shows. My usual favorites were related to food, be it cooking, food fests around the world, special delicacies of a city or just a renowned eat out shop!

One of those days, I had seen a Garlic Food fest on AXN. I was initially shocked, then curious and finally interested in it. I still remember Garlic Ice Cream and had a questions "Will I ever get to taste it?!" That was like centuries ago and soon time engulfed that memory!

Well, the story fast forwarded to last Saturday when I visited Gileroy (30 mi from SJC) and attended the "Gileroy Garlic Fest". I could not believe I was actually eating THE garlic ice cream. Yes, its one of those times when you just do a recap of where to where you have been in your life's journey. It is true that career progression, wealth accumulation or family growth measures one's life's journey. Nevertheless certain experiences which you thought would never become real definitely  makes life's journey exotic. It could be as small as listening to the sound of water rather than hearing it out all the time or just standing in line for the garlic ice cream and realizing your question is answered!!!

My friends and I hogged on the garlic french fries, garlic bread, garlic ice cream ( plain, roasted almond, pistachio and chocolate ), garlic dark/milk chocolate bars. I must agree after a few minutes I was sick of the Garlic :-D.

Now come to think of it, I still have this wish of trying the Makkan (Butter) served in a Matka (Mud Pottery) in Lucknow. Only God knows if I will ever get to go there and taste.......

Clean Cleaner Cleanest!

My mom at times phrases me for some of my "good" habits such as been well organized and tidy!!! My friends also who have passed remarks on this and to some extent I did think I belong to a "Clean" person category.

Much to my dismay I have been proved wrong by my new ROOMATE and  LAND LADY .... Her usual one liners are "Your standards of Cleaning and my standard of Cleaning is different...but...." and it ends with how sub-standard my techniques are compared to hers. Initially I was offended by her, but sooner I realized we all have our "STANDARDS" and definition of the word CLEAN. While I think I am the Cleanest, I might not even be close to the C of CLEAN for her.


That explains a lot about her, me and all the people I have complained or admired of been CLEAN people.


However, that does not explain why I still get so ANGRY when I am corrected by her. Only time will tell if I can improve or she will give up on me :-)

PARdesi

Like most of them who come to US on a long term basis [either for studying or working], I always have the thought  when will I return back to my home country for good...or will I ever return?!

People in India say:
1. You are a PARdesi now
2. Once you are there for a long time you would not want to return
3. You are becoming more "Americanized"

People in US say:
1. You will never get the advantages you get here once you go back!
2. Even if you go back you will return sooner or later ;-)

Well, I just had this realization. In my two year stay I have:
1. Eaten Indian Food
2. Hanged out with Indians
3. Used Indian Products most of the time
4. Watched Indian Movies

Funny as it may sound, I have retained most of my Indian Culture & Habits to a very large extent. The only difference I find  is staying away from family.


 The decision to  stay in a place should be looked upon not only from the  benefits you get but how you would adapt to the place and its culture as well. If not I believe I am as  much a DESI & parDESI as anyone else either  back home or here. 




In Deep Thoughts,
Arpitha