getting back to school?

Who wants to study further ? Raise your hands! I see one for sure. Two more including my own are reluctantly jumping, up and down.

Yesterday I visited the Stanford campus. Was there for 10-15 minutes hardly. But just looking at the natural beauty around and the little bistros, cafes and students on bikes, fields, under the trees inspired me! So much that I could not help but think of studying further. Of course not that I aim for Stanford, but getting there would be so much awesome! #WishfulThinking :D
Dear future kids, very unhealthy expectations in terms of where you might get your education from have been set. Please don't blame me later.

Disclaimer: I went right out of office, did not have a camera, so could not take any pictures. Google's got beautiful pictures though! -> 

California diaries

Did a lot of touristy things in LA. (thanks to ketaki and her husband!)
Scrambled eggs in a laidback cafe, authentic Mandarin food for dinner and the most awesome kabobs at a homely Persian restaurant.
Hollywood walk of fame and kodak theatre happened today! My movies crazy soul found a little excitement and solace (I can now die peacefully and all that).
Universal and city walk with hordes of noisy people around happened too!
Also happened my first transaction using #square. Nerdy stuff totally excites me. Boo!

my #beatles tote :D

P.S. Upasna - the pics will be up as soon as I find where my camera data cable is!

Appearances

I read a really amusing and inspiring post here And traveled back in time to an incident when I had my tryst with 'the awesome'.

Since teenage I have been a fan of the Murthy's. Their entrepreneurial success and middle class (not communist) approach to wealth really inspired the idealist in me.

So during one of early training days at India's biggest IT firm (size wise at that time) I happened to stand 4 feet from Sudha Murthy and observe her. She was tiny, hardly 5 feet few inches and I do not mean in a patronizing way. As in she was like a very average Indian if you know what I mean! She wore a plain white cotton saree with red border and had a gajra (flowers) in her hair. My instant reaction was, this lady looks like my mother! Not just looks, but dresses up like a very normal Indian woman.

I was wonder struck. Because, she was not this shoo-shaa image of a hot shot lady, that I had had in my head. That day one of my perceptions about being awesome and still be not very 'jazzy' broke. Shattered if I am allowed to be dramatic, in a good way.

Simple and awesome. Works so well together!

~nightflier

happy friday thoughts!

• What joy when you start your day with the perfect tea! I suck at making my own tea. Everyday, something is amiss or in excess. So I made my own perfect tea today, with the right amount of adrak (ginger), sugar, milk and tea powder! yay! You have no idea how important it is to get your tea perfect, early in the morning.

• Another friend has given birth to a healthy baby girl and I am filled with more joy! Of course, I have to wait for next 6-7 months to be actually able to play with her. Because, I am terrified at the thought of handling infants. I am pretty sure I will hold them incorrectly and do something awful. sigh.

• I learnt and made an amazing new, fun chutney yesterday! A kashmiri friend posted it on facebook (not sure if its a kashmiri recipe though!) Take anar dana (pomegranate seeds), add lime juice, chaat masala, brown sugar, fresh ginger (all based on your instincts and according to taste, its a chutney after all!) and grind them together, till a coarse paste is formed. Add salt to taste. Serve it chilled with a dash of spring onions and cilantro (my addition to the chutney). Tastes yum, looks healthy and appetizing! My version without a mixer here - http://instagram.com/p/OrOAylLv_C/
• Even though this is a happy thoughts post, I will share my latest pet peeve. People/girls/boys who create a physical mess on the kitchen counter and don't give a damn about cleaning it up later! If I leave aside the one or two times, that one may actually be feeling lazy/under the weather to do the cleaning immediately, I don't understand why one would leave things in a state of mess! Again, I know why I am like this! Since bachpan (childhood) I have been taught/trained (later expected to) finish work at hand, including the side jobs. And I have seen aai making sure everything was tidy and in its place in the kitchen, after all the chores were done. (these are remote factors in making sure I completed my studies/courses. Despite the urge to leave things halfway/undone during grad school. Its a compulsive need now!).

• Also everyday my belief in the fact that people who don't know you (or don't want to spend the effort in knowing you) get intimidated easily/talk behind your back easily. I do not mind it. A bit. The only thing I am happy about is, if you do not want to know me and rather be intimidated by me, you should also realize that its beneficial for me, cos I no more have to deal with close minded people (:P) (tanvi has done a super post here on a related note!)

• And how talented is Ranbir Kapoor! <3 <3 

~nightflier

the super star movie experience

I *lurve* watching movies! From the amount of my life I have spent in watching movies, I now have pretty toned instincts about various movies (upcoming or the one's that skipped my vision). By instincts which are toned, I mean I have become cautious with where I spend my anticipation and energy in. Well, that's not really being a 'real' movie watcher, but when you realize you do not really have a lot of time and have to figure out a way to fit in the awesome stuff, then this is the only strategy which has worked for me. And you have to believe me, I have watched really crappy movies. Really really.

Anywho, plus these days its a pop cultural phenomenon, sharing a movie watching experience with a bunch of fans and creating detached shared memories. I have watched chick flicks in downtown Chicago theatre (sex and the city, judge you may, but I had come to liking the series during that phase in life). Recently I caught The dark knight rises in a theatre full of Bane chants and batman tees. (I had missed The Dark Knight experience!). Among many such the only modern day movie watching adventure I had missed was watching a 'Salman Khan' movie. Yes, I missed Dabang and Wanted when they were huge hits here in India. So when 'Ek tha Tiger' first day first show tickets were to be booked, I immediately volunteered for the experience. I wanted to see what exactly happens on the big screen, when Salman Khan takes over.

So if you want a review of the movie, I will not be giving any. Because, this is about the movie watching experience than about how the movie was.
Anywho, my first disappointment came because it was an early morning show i.e. 8.45 am and that's not when really crazy salman khan fans must be watching the movie. The whistles, laughter, claps, uproar etc were down 5 notches, considering only money saving crowd (like me) was present. So tip for next time - watch a prime time show. That's when people have really high energy levels.

I will not talk of any more disappointments, as they deal with the script and how some things were utterly stupid in the movie. The high point of any Salman Khan movie I think is, how he owns the character (not talking about his earlier movies, like MPK, baagi, love, patthar ke phool, when he was adorable and vulnerable). The most cliched thing said about him is how larger than life he is. Apart from that, I admire his nonchalance about becoming a character. Instead he remains himself and lets you think 'imagine so and so is Salman Khan in the movie'. Yes that grin of his or that kick of his or that dance step of him (imagine any way you like).

And another slightly related note, I am appalled at *how much* money is wasted in making our movies. The unnecessary location shoots which must cost a bomb, the poor execution of technology, which is like wasted moolah. Slowly, in my head I am thinking of productive ways of saving/using money for them (:P). 

Anyway, all said and done, its tough being a super star in any field in India. The amount of criticism, expectations, hopes pinned on you, but the sheer pressure of it all! Insane. That's the only word that comes to my mind. Also, my instincts in picking the right movie and time for a Salman Khan movie have been honed as well, so that next time the experience is more enjoyable!

~nightflier

P.S. the last salman khan movie I watched in a theater was salaam-e-ishq!!!

where I think I may need lessons in management

* You know that over drive when your brain is racing through tasks one after the other, so much that you are amazed that how many thoughts your brain can produce and switch context equally well. No not exactly that this is happening with me. But I am at stage one where busy-ness is worrying me and I want to be able to do the context switching smoothly. Alas. But as I was talking to my shrink friend and accepted that since childhood I have been groomed to set stupid expectations for myself and push myself. So yes even if that's true, its always a struggle getting there. There = where need to push myself is lower than the desired result.
Anywho, I have rambled. A LOT.

* Also happening a lot these days, especially when I struggle at work is this ->

Source: marie-lle.com via Tanvii on Pinterest

* When I see people around me swim in an abyss of cliched prejudices, I FEEL anger. It exasperates me. Thankfully I have work to channel it. And also a blog where I can talk to empty spaces. Hmmm.
I pray for open minds. I really do. Heartfelt prayer.

* Well, if its not public then few days back I wanted to marry Kiran Nagarkar. I now want to marry Haruki Murakami. May be I can share time with these crazy minds ? 2-3 months at a time ? I am sure we will work something out. 
Reading 1Q84 has been the best reward given to me/best thing that has happened to me in July-August. It is extremely difficult to try to review a murakami book. But if you want something interesting, thrilling, magical to read then well you have one pick!

* Well, I have already lost a lot of thought threads I had going on inside my mind. And now I am suddenly at a loss of words. But anyway, as I said post some self pushing I will be back at point one and will have lots to write about.

~nightflier

Catching life on autopilot

Howmuchever one is running on autopilot, shifting from one task to another seamlessly, getting exhausted by the end of the day, wonderful love stories always catch you offguard and give a sense of respite and relief.


My friend from grad school met a girl on skype. 
Both really liked each other and continued talking for a year.
After an year he decided to visit her.
On their first 'real' meeting on the airport, overcome by his love, he gave her his family ring and unofficially proposed.
They carried out the relationship for another year, facing visa troubles and travel hassles.
In the mean time she learned his language. He started creating a connected life around her.
Last year in a small family ceremony, they got married, in his town.
Due to some issues, the girl's entire family could not make it to the wedding. Only her mother did.
Yesterday they got married AGAIN in her town, after an year.
And they still look like they have just met, popped the question to each other and decided to get married. So amazing!


Of course you will wonder, this is filmy. Specially the skype and airport part. So Indian right ?
Wrong!
The guy is from Peru. The girl is from Romania.
Now repeat the story in your head again.
So much more awesomeness, right ?


Those two are the most wonderful *couple* I know. Dreading it out, braving each and every hassle. Making a life together.


Toast to their togetherness!


~nightflier


P.S. Also rakshabandhan today! So much fun to be around someone (brother) where I can still make faces and wiggle my tongue and be silly. Happy rakhi-day everyone :)