My Life, A Cocktail

We are back from our week long trip to Las Vegas. Yes, Vegas, since we know it will be a while before we head back this way again. We didn’t really have an agenda or a plan of action this time around. That’s quite unlike us, me being the trip planner usually have a neat list of places to visit, things to do, where to eat etc. all planned out upfront. For this trip though, besides not having the energy to really plan anything, Vegas wasn’t a new place we were visiting, we pretty much knew our way around and what to expect. We stayed at the Venetian for all of 5 days, in their Luxury Suite. The room had the additional perk of a nice view that opened up to the city and parts of the Strip, it’s quite a marvel to sit by their large window in the night and just watch the lights. For all of 5 days, we went around from one casino to another and gambled. Yes, that’s pretty much what we did, we played on the slots and Blackjack at the tables. One highlight from our trip - S...

You have got to start somewhere. Every woman finds herself in a situation that is new, unknown and sort of hopeless. And yet, she rises to the challenge, gets a grip on herself as she sees familiar faces drift into the background and takes control. She learns, she bridges gaps and is navigating from one point to another in no time. Years later, people still look at her and think, how little I know of her, her strength. It’s subtle and yet, so obvious.

If only there was a way To capture that embrace To freeze that moment To live again and again. If only there was a way Where I was given a day To break the norm To live undefined relationships. If only there was a way To perceive distance as a silly illusion To touch and feel and converse, whenever, wherever To be together, forever.

People who complain about lack of opportunities are stupid. There is never a dearth of opportunities, as long as you have the will to find them, recognize them and pour your sweat into it. The easiest way to reach your goal is to build building blocks. Break down your goal into small, focused, manageable steps that will get you there. Celebrate every milestone and if you make a mistake, start over with that step. It’s about the journey, after all, ain’t it?

You know how we try to find things that are right in front of our eyes? Like when our sunglasses are perched up on our head and we are looking for it all around the house? Our mind doesn’t see the obvious, not easily enough. And we search the world for answers that are right in front of our eyes. Uncloud your mind. The answers will appear.

We expect our mind to decipher the soul and it’s purpose, a mistake we often make. We ask of our minds, who am I, what am I here for, what is the purpose of this life? We fail to acknowledge that our mind, intellect and our perceptions are purely means to aid us in living this life. These are transient and change over time. We are not the body or the mind, we contain them. How, then, can we expect to explore the depths of our soul through our mind?  It's like making the noisiest kid in the classroom the leader. We let the mind be the master.

Smell is a powerful thing. It can transport you across oceans, across time, decades behind. It was my usual Caltrain morning ride. I picked my single seat on top, set my bags and was just getting my laptop out, when this smell hit me. It was the smell of warm dosais coming from a perspiring lunch box. It took me back to the time when my mom would pack a similar lunch box for me. Warm soggy dosais with sugar to take to school. And the time my mom would pack a MTR Rava Idlis with milagai podi for my bus ride back to Mysore. And the time my mom would pack a whole box of Poruchu Kozhambu saadam to share with my friends at work. Whoever you are, eating those dosais right now, indulge.