DEEP09@IPOH

Yes..it all begins with never ending scrubbing...cleaning ...washing...changing curtains...cushion covers...bedsheets...then making Muruku ...cookies and cakes...shopping ...shopping and more shopping...it goes on for a month before the day arrives..

The day ALWAYS starts with Mutton curry...thosai, idli or idiappam ...ends with some fire crackers...



then you blink....and its all over...in a day or 2...it has been that way from the very first deepavali you could recall....but we still do it over and over again for reason...its all Family time where Everyone tries to make it home no matter what the situation is....so its on Deepavali you get to see all in one place...otherwise its just one or the other...thats what i LOVE Deepavali for ! its not the new clothes..its not the cookies or the parties...its just the Shower of Love you get around this time..:)



As for my deepavali...this year my cousins and i decided to prolong this one day celebration and brought it into a string of events for at least 4 days....we went bowling, movie and played games together...the entire family consisting about 20 us participated in these events...now that ws fun. AT least it was not over in a day ...felt a little more satisfied .



Thanks to all my brothers and sisters....chittapas , chinnamas, mama's and atheys, atha, in laws and also not forgetting the adorable doggies :)



Had love filled week !

Chill , Paint & Dance ! (1)

Chill

Yeah..6 of us got together at Chilis for dinner...and i realised its not easy having dinner at Chilis...coz 3 of us were there early to reserve a table...and we waited ONE whole hour before we got a place...Prema,, Sam and i were there by 7.00 pm....and we were seated at the waiting area...for One hour....then the guy comes and says..." we have a table for 4...can u all squeeze in?"....and Prema goes...."NO we cant...!!" She would have punched his face for even asking...hahaha...especially after waiting an hour...we deserved a comfortable seating didnt we......? But since the other 3 of our friends werent there yet...we decided to wait a little longer....but its not that we were bored...we always had LOADS of stories to fill any amount of time...and finally we got it....yes !table for 6 ! Then he asks...."Smoking or non smoking?"...and we went in a chorus " WHAATEVER" !

And when all 6 of us were there....we were glad we din agree to the table for 4 since even the table for 6 was pretty small...but none of us felt uncomfortable since we were too busy LAUGHING ! .....usually we laugh for no reasons...but this time...we had the funniest stories shared by one of our friends. ( i wish i could mention it here...but it is a little personal...she'll kill me if i put it here...so to safe my life...got to ...* BEEEP * )

Anyway...as we started off with our appetizers....we thought the place was a little too noisy...we coudnt hear our own voices...so we practically had to shout out to each other....but then slowly by the end of it....i believe...our voices drowned the entire place...we laughed our heads off...seriously....Suba was holding her stomach as it cramped with too much laughing.......and i had tears ! Believe me it was too funny ! Then....all 5 of us took our Hps out at the same time....coincidently....why?....we suddenly rmbrd our husbands...oddly at the same time ......one was sleeping with his baby at home....2 was on the way home....one was waiting for the wife to call so he can come fetch her....haha....yeah so we decided it was time to go...

So...now we are planning the next laughing therapy session...cant wait to see them again..:)

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Paint

My house has been all BEIGE for too long...so decided to splash some colors on it....was worried how it might turn out....but Thank God....I LOVE it ...Though it wasnt easy to paint red....Nantha had to give it 5 coatings before we got the right tone. But it was worth it !

And as for dance.....i decided to skip class that weekend....since there was a lot more to do...the final touches to the house....some deepavali cleaning and all...

So....it was a Vibrant long weekend !!! Had a good time !

ROOTS

I have been wanting to share my experience in tracking down the "ROOTS" but this book had left me so overwhelmed ...that i didnt know where to begin. Anyone born in the 70's and 80's would remember the name " KUNTA KINTE"...and the glimpse of his life story....but anyone who dared read the book...will have an impact so strong on humanity or to be correct INHUMANITY that you cant help despising the cruel side of humankind. Its totally appaling !

It was funny that at some parts like ...when Kunta Kinte tries to escape from his master for the 3rd time after being brutally beaten up for the first 2 attempts...i will be hoping he runs away before the master realises that he is missing....hahaha....i was hoping to change the history...but i cant help it....i SO wanted him to run away...that i wished i could vanish into the book like Narnia and rescue him !!! But no....that doesnt happen does it....God gives ONE n ONLY ONE chance let it be for the GOOD or the BAD....whats done is done....no turning back...so...when he got caught again.... this time the master decides to chop his foot off !!! Arrrgggh....why din he run faster i would think ..to something which took place in the 1750s...hahaha..But the inspiring part was....as he was running the whole night and into the next day....he stops for his sundown prayers ( as he is a Muslim)...now would we...being chased by a few hungry fierce dogs and a master who is ready to kill you ,pause at any point endagering yourself to pray ? Now thats what you call FAITH ! He still BELIEVED GOD would find him the FREEDOM which was a fairy tale at that point of time....and it must have been those thousands of faithfull prayers which carried the vibes to President Lincoln who finally signed to FREE THE SLAVES in 1863.

And justice was finally done to Kunta Kinta and the other tens of thousands tortured slaves

when Obama became the President....it took like 8 generations of prayers to make that change..! So persistency wins !!

Though the world today is no less cruel in many ways....it gives a lot of hope to see people finally coming to respect , understand and love each other breaking all barriers ! So lets not think that one person's prayer will not make a difference in the world....100 one person will create a momentum....so lets be one of them...

FOR PEACE !

The God Of Small Things

"...Rahel groped behind the row of books and brought out hidden things. A smooth seashell and a spiky one. A silver crucifix on a string of beads. Baby Kochamma's Rosary. She held it up against the light. Each greedy bead grabbed its share of sun ........"

Yes...thats just one beautiful line out of the hundreds in this book. What an amazing way to describe the reflection of the sun light on the beads....Each greedy bead grabbed its share of sun.....wow....and believe me....EVERY line in this 321 page book is filled with such words...She created a new English through this book...simply amazing.

As we walk along the road....all we see is the trees, buildings or people and cars maybe...but the author has seen way BEYOND the tiniest of things that the rest of us overlook....the story is simple ...it was the details given to it....that made all the difference...

How would you explain dead fish floating in a river...?

Listen to this ...

"Despite the fact that it was June, and raining, the river was no more than a swollen drain now. A thin ribbon of thick water that lapped wearily at the mud banks one either side, sequined with the occasional silver slant of dead fish.....Once it had the power to evoke fear. But now its teeth were drawn, its spirit spent. It was just a slow, sludging green ribbon lawn that ferried fetid garbage to the sea."

Hmm....this is a river in the town named Ayemenem , Kerala (India) she is talking about . The whole story is set in this state on the southernmost tip of India. Now...if at all i see a dead fish floating in a river ...cant help seeing it as sequins !

And the essence of the story is of course on the GOD OF SMALL THINGS.....which to my understanding means....in our daily life...we face hundreds of small incidents...events....happiness....dissapointments....satisfaction and so on....and when we are so indulged in the VERY small things...we somehow MISS out the truly BIG THINGS....so its important to keep our focus on the Big Things....so the Small things will naturally fall in its place...

This book has won the Englands most prestigious literary award, The Booker Prize in 1997. Its written by an Indian Author, Arundhati Roy.

A MUST READ BOOK :)

Chill , Paint & Dance !

looking foward to the rare combination of Chilling out....Painting and dan dancing over this weekend...since its a long weekend with Monday being public holiday. So have got EXTRA TIME to fill with fun...

Friday will be for friends...bout 7 of us planning to meet up for dinner at Chillis...and of course...that means...we are going to be LAUGHING and LAUGHING for no reasons as usual....

Then...saturday is going to be PAINT PAINT PAINT.....yes...! Painting the house !!! Pretty excited bout that...have bought the paint ...this time not just beige and creams...going a little wild with reds...! WISH ME LUCK !

Sunday....will be dance class....i wander how many are actually going to turn up for class since monday is a holiday....

Then Monday meeting up friends for dinner and movie... :)

Ok then....will get back with the report on these events next week ....!

Last nite....i was at home alone when my friend / Neighbour Suba came over to the house for a visit....we were suppose to take an eve walk.....but there was a strom coming...so just decided to sit at home over a drink and chat.....she came about 7.30pm....and we started CHATTING away...non stop....till all of a sudden it was 10 PM....and i was amazed how the 2 1/2 hour passed in a blink !

As i recalled our topics ....i realised we covered a pretty wide range of things....hahaha....from Dance class...to friends...to LAw of Attraction ...peoples behaviours....politics....having babies.....family....marriages....teenagers...books....H1N1....health issues....excercise.....religion...culture...clothes....work....and more...

WOW ...we covered quite a lot din we....and yes not forgetting...the laughters.. :)

Cant help thinking how we can control time just by filling it with some simple happenings....just where you are...and it makes ALL the difference :)

Thanks to my good friend :)

Pocket-Sized Accomplishments

Went back to dance class after almost an 8 months interval ! I thought i will be aching all over when i wake up the next day...as by now the body would have relaxed and become lazy....but surprisingly i felt very normal and light.....so now i got the confidence to build up my stamina again.....funny thing is ....i am no "DANCER"...of any sort....not flexible enough, not expressive enough...but still, i have been dancing all my life simply for fun and for the love of the art itself....cant seem to stop...felt almost GUILTY not going to class though my dance school is not going miss me in anyway...hahaha...so thats one of my

Pocket-sized accomplishments...that i have successfully pulled myself along this otherwise dusty routine life....and made the journey worthwhile....by doing something

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE.

And of course the "buy one free one" effect of learning indian classical dance is that ....u are constantly treated with beautiful music....it heals every wound so gently...that it doesnt even leave a mark anymore....

And here i MUST thank my hubby for all his support in letting me do it ....i know he appreciates the dance simply because i love it ....and for that I LOVE YOU :)