1.2.3 Dsshhum

On a hot sunny day,
In May
Three pretty girls,
Happy and gay

Wanted to have some fun
In the sun
Three pretty girls,
With a gun.

We're not here to kill
But chill
Three pretty girls,
Oh yes, we will.

Who said we can't aim?
We have to live up to our name!
Three pretty girls,
Rule at this game.

We shot those arrows,
What a graceful pose?
Three pretty girls,
The dust arose.

Bow and Arrow
Bullet and gun
To sum it all-
A day of fun.


P.S. That was not even a real gun and it was SO heavy!

In search of the Croissant

Breakfast at Coffee Blossom, Club Mahindra,Codagu Valley, Coorg

Today's special was croissant. Croissant is a very classy form of bread that is twisted and has flavours like Apple, Cheese,Chocolate etc.
There was also English muffin, toast, marmalade, jam, butter,coffee, porridge to complete that English Breakfast picture. Oh yes, and the sausage, omlette and salami for all the non-vegetarians.

Ah, heaven for a foodie like me!

Oh, we're not done here! How can we miss out on the good ol' Indian Yum-to-tum food?
Idli with coconut chutney, green chutney,tomato chutney and sambar. Masala Dosa made straight into your plate, (I didnt have it. Although it looked good on my sistah's plate)Vada, Something Karat or Karat Something (looked like bisibellabath-if you know what that is!), pav bhaji, lots of fruits, salad. Yea, I guess that's it!

Now, back to my Croissant story.. heh.. kinda got deviated by all that food in my head!

Despite the large variety of Croissant just placed there looking very pretty, and when we knew that there was a chocolate Croissant somewhere there, we knew we HAD TO GET THEM CHOCOLATE ONES!

Three rows of Croissant! Just looking at them was blissful! Ah, I love being a foodie. This totally rocks! Mum, Sis, Cuz and I looked equally clueless as to what was what!! They had conveniently just mentioned the names of the Croissant on a card next to the entire thing!!

I mean, THEY LOOK THE SAME!!
P.S. Just remembered there was sugar coated donuts too. Was just divine.

So, we decided to ask the waiters there. Which is the chocolate one? Hmmm

That dude(God Bless Him), mumbled something and i just kinda looked like I was hit by a My-Brain-Can't-Comprehend bomb. (God Bless me too). So we understood it was pointless. So, the bulb breaking IDEA that we came up with was, Just eat 'em all!! haha :D

So Sis Ate: the 1st row extreme left one, and some other one.
Amy ate: 3rd row middle, the english muffin
Mom ate the extreme right and something else I guess.
I ate the donut and something which i don't think had any distinct flavour. I convinced myself it was white chocolate and ate it blissfully! Don't get me wrong, it was good! Actually reallllllly good.

So much for our trial and error tactic. It failed miserably. In the middle of all of this, Mum spotted the chef! Good job Mum! Right on. So she asked him. He told us that the 3rd one,first row was the chocolate and pointed out to the others too!! I dont remember exactly.

So, FINALLY we had found which one was chocloate. So Amy marched to the intimidating Croissant table and took a croissant from the 3rd plate on the first row. I asked her to get one for me too! ;)

And then, wait for it... wait for it.. wait for it..
..............
.............
............
...........
..........
.........
........
.......
......
.....
....
...
..
.
IT WAS CHEESE!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Man, were we laughing!
So the 2nd plate on the first row HAD to be chocolate. So my sister finally decided to try them! (After a 5 minute gap of course for the rest of the food to digest! like duh..)
God bless us all 'cos this time it WAS CHOCOLATE!! Phew. I dont think i could have eaten anything more.
And all of us shared that one Croissant. Ah, bliss at last. A Chocolate Croissant to end the meal. I ended it with a south Indian Filter Coffee too. Lovely.
And that was the end of "In search of the Chocolate Croissant"!

A great breakfast to start our day!
My next post will include what we did the rest of the day!

What's in a name?

I always thought my name meant "Little girl". Since Ann represents a woman and hence the assumption that Annette meant little girl.

Cigar --> Cigarette
Ann --> Annette


But when i did some research on it, i found:

1) Annette is derived from Anne (Usage in French)
2) Anne is actually the french form of Hannah!
3) Anne was apparently the name of the mother of the Virgin Mary
4) Hannah (from the hebrew word Channah) meant "favour" or "grace" or "the gracious one" or "loving one".
5) Hannah was the name of the mother of the prophet Samuel in the Old Testament.
6) The latin version of the name is Anna.

Sarah:

1)Means Princess. And my sister has always gloated about her being a princess! :| .It's a pretty name though.

2) There are 58 versions of the name Sarah.
3) The Farsi version of the name is Soraya!
4) Amir's wife in the kite runner is named Soraya.
5) Soraya was the name of the first wife of the last shah of Iran.

Will update soon! Cya

I.B.I.A.

Yesterday, I realized that life is totally worth living and everyday is a better day and a more challenging day. I met some of the most amazing people last night and i certainly learnt a lot of things from them. So, we had good food, good people and a great day of fellowship. What more could i ask for. As an International conference was being held at my parent's workplace, people from all over the world were attending the conference and yesterday we hosted dinner at our place.

But really, they were among the most polite people I've ever met in my life! I actually heard so many "thank you"'s that actually could have exceeded the number of times i've ever heard from the people around me everyday! You know what it actually made me a better person. I want to be more affectionate (Oh no) and more loving (don't get your hopes high :P) and more generous (it's your lucky day!). What i want to say is that would it kill us if we were more polite? I could use the term "profusely polite" to describe them.

Oh yeah.
I- Indian
B- British
I- Iranian
A- American

Atleast now i know what an Iranian flag looks like! Shame on me! :(

I'd met Janet last year I think and she totally blew me away. She's from Britain and she's probably the most fun and classy lady I've met. She's not afraid to experiment with her clothes and certainly does not compromise on her luggage. The driver told my dad that they couldn't even lift her suitcase!!! Ray, an American joked whether they could see HER BEHIND HER SUITCASE! :D Americans and their sarcasm. PRICELESS. She was quite the talk of the conference with her shoes matching her suitcase! But a very smart lady nonetheless! I was really impressed. Her husband, Rodney made a nice wooden bowl with a lid for us. Made of Holly and Indian Timber and polished with beeswax. Awww.

Ralph, the American lady wore a beautiful Salwar Khammez and lovely shoes. (The shoes.You have to love the shoes!!) She gave me such a big hug, I was taken by surprise. She was going gaga over my Mom's Sari. Ah yes, the Sari. She popped me a question. "So.. What are your plans?"
I said "I have two more yrs of college. "

And then she asked," after that? "

And i dont know what came over me, but i said, "I want to travel the world!!"

Everyone was like "ooooooh.. thats nice! Where do you wanna go?" I said
(believe it or not) Paris!!
That was a fun conversation. I do want to travel the world one day.


Apparently my sister's dessert was a big hit! Lemon Pie. WOW. I can still taste it!!
Dinner was excellent! It always feels great to have some good food! Ah.. I'm in heaven! After everybody had left, the Iranian Woman arrived. Her flight had been late. I think she was the most fascinating of them all!

Elahi. What a beautiful name? My Mom told me her full name. (It was SO long, but fascinating nonetheless) Well, she's the first Iranian I've ever met! And she is really what you call a woman. Such dignity, such grace. She wore a cream coloured suit with stripes of a lighter shade and a beautiful cream coloured scarf that covered her head. She spoke with a very distinguishable Iranian accent which i found really fascinating. She said she felt closer to the Indians as she found lots of similar words that were used. For instance,

1)Chai
2)Paneer
3)Bhise (20 in Hindi)
Those were among the few we discovered were in common. My Mom asked her about Iran. She said, with sadness that was evident to all of us,that they didn't have the luxury of security which we enjoy in India(To an extent). She told us about how her mother was robbed while she was on her way to the Doctor. The robber grabbed her purse and ran away. She had important papers with her. And this happens ever so often and the police station is always full of people with their complaints. They told her they can do nothing about it and that she should apply for her papers, saying she had "lost" them. It would be faster. Elahi said that she wondered if the police were in league with the robbers!

She told us about the work conditions in Iran. How people who worked hard were just not paid because they were classified as another group and how people who didn't work at all, were paid a fat pay cheque. She said that based on the basic needs that the people rightfully deserved, it had failed miserably. Common people really don't care about oil or nuclear power. They want a peaceful and safe place to live. Where their family is secure and living conditions are good. She said that their actions did not tally with their promises. The Shah had promised (back in the late 70's or early nineties )that they would have so much money that they would come door to door with money to give. Well, I don't know what draws a person to their mother land. Despite the suffering and treachery, nothing can compare to the land you call your homeland. The place you call home. Some say that North Western Iran used to be
The garden of Eden . There has been a lot of theories about the actual location of the garden of Eden. I'm currently reading the book of Geneses and everytime I read it, I find a new angle to it.

A very accomplished lady. A very beautiful heart.

And i was very honoured to meet this amazing woman. She loved her family deeply and embraced life as it came before her. Life is tough.

But the key is to embrace it.

Embrace the cross

Embrace the cross, you Christian Soldier;
Hold on to what is pure and right.
Though the world may not embrace her,
Hold on soldier, hold on tight.

I pray that I can see, O Master;
I pray that Thou grantest me sight.
That I may walk through dark,hereafter;
Shine on me,Thy glorious Light.

Embrace the cross, you Christian Soldier;
Hold on to what is pure and right.
Though the world may not embrace her,
Embrace her with me day and night!

Embrace the cross, you Christian Soldier
The world today has gone astray.
Though none agree to embrace her with you,
Remember that Christ leadeth the way.

My heart leaps for joy, to serve Thee;
For goodness and strength I to Thee pray.
Embrace the cross, O Christian Soldier,
For He will lift your burden away.

Embrace the cross, O Christian Soldier;
Await the Lord in that precious hour.
For then the world will fear His presence,
Then the world will feel His power.

And everything that has breath will praise the Lord.
Every being,every leaf, every flower.
Embrace the cross, O Christian soldier;
For the Lord our God will reign forever!
-Annette

I LOVE this photograph!
One of my experiments with my camera.

Wasssup

I like that word or rather "non-word". Its kinda cute and snazzy. heh. Anyway, after a LOOOOOOOOONG gap of being devoid of the blogging frenzy, yes, I'M BACK!

And i've been tagged. By you know who. No prizes for guessing ;)
You'll probably be the only one reading this! haha. So yay! I'm excited.. Havent written in a while.. So here goes!


A-Available? Yes.


B-Best friend(s):Nethra


C-Cake or Pie: Ah, now you're making me hungry! ;) Cake till i get bored of it and pie till i get bored of it.

D-Drink of choice: Well, this sounds so boring but yea, essentially cold water. I hate aerated drinks. Love fruit juice


E-Essential thing used everyday: My hard drive, t.v ;) , my lappie


F-Favorite color: Purple, black , white , blue

G-Gummi bears or worms: Gummy bears. Yay


H-Hometown: Well i was born in Saudi, brought up in coimbatore but my hometown is in kerala.


I-Indulgence: FOOD. Anytime. Anywhere.


J-January or February: Who framed this question? You deserve Two free kicks :D


K-Kids and names: I love my cousin Ria. I love all names except maybe rosy,dincy,polite (YES),delite(YES) and a majority of other mallu names. I love you Mom and Dad!


L-Life is incomplete without: love


M-Marriage date: I don't know!!! I need a guy first! :D


N-Number of siblings: Two- Jim and Sarah


O-Oranges or apples: Both. (Straight from the refrigerator)


P-Phobias: Fear of making a fool out of myself. Well i do it all the time, but not in front of everyone! :P


Q-Quote: You know, you dont have to make me feel stupid!!


R-Reason to smile: My God, My Family, Chocolates, Anything made from potato, Grilled chicken sandwitch, the rain, love, a good book and a good movie topped with hot chocolate or hot coffee or cold coffee or cappaccino or decaf or frappe or katten capi (Black coffee). COFFEE. Drawing, writing, ooooh..travelling by train, walking, SINGING (how can i forget), watching something in silence, chatting for hours with my friends/family, when Dad cracks a joke (for which only he laughs! But it brings a smile anyway! :) shoes and Diamonds!)


S-Season: Monsoon. Ah I love it

T-Tag three people: Sarah, Deepika, Johnson (If you'll EVER read this ;))

U-Unknown fact about me: Well shush!! I do dumb stuff. Dont really want the whole world to know! :P


V-Vegetable(S) you do not like: Food <---> Me. We connect.


W-Worst habit: Prolonged relaxation ( Lazyness is a boring word. )


X-rays you have had: None, zero, zilch, poojyam, nil


Y-Your favourite food: Oh man. Food <---> Me. We connect.


Z-Zodiac: Cancer.

Food = life ?

Are Indians unhealthy?
Ever since my Mom came back from her trip to Chicago 3 years back, she's been facsinated by the concept of eating VEGETABLES for lunch!! In fancy terms, a salad :|
I understand that our ancesters did a lot of manual labour in the fields etc and hence the plate full of rice. They needed the carbohydrates after a long day of work. Considering, the lack of leg movement in my life, i'm not surprised how fast i can put on a few kilos by just staring into space! It is no wonder that after a long day of college, when i was dreaming of some Rice, meat and tossed vegetables, i came back home to see my plate of vegetables and TOSSED RICE! Minus the meat. How sumptious. I had to look twice to actually notice the rice on my plate. My appetite took a double take and almost fainted with sorrow.

But despite the lack of enthusiasm on my face, that was infact what i should be eating to remain healthy. The extra carbohydrate in my body, unless utilised would be converted to fat. No wonder my mom keeps asking me to exercise. Unfortunately, the world has become a global village and people have become almost too competitive. It's almost an unnecessary chore to exercise these days. But that's where we are wrong. For a healthy body and mind, we need to exercise. My mom once heard Vishvanathan Anand's interview. She asked me what i thought he said when he was asked the question of what he does to keep his mind sharp. And i meekly said, "su do ku?" :) haha. But infact, he said he takes the time to do some physical exercise! Hah. If your body is not healthy, how can your mind be? When you feel good about your body, that will most definitely make you feel like a better human being. It brings out a confidence in you that you never thought you had.So, my dear unhealthy Indians, take some time to shake those legs and shed some kilos! Eat right, think right.

Untitled

It was a holy night,that night at the roof. I looked at the most beautiful thing i had ever seen. The moon, she was painted yellow with the best brush from heaven. She shone her light for all to see. She beamed above in the starry skies, prepared for my Jesus. And was I?The stars from afar winked at me. They waited for my Lord in awe. And was I? I stood with my knees almost giving up. It felt like like the whole world had lost it's voice. And i could only hear my own deep breath. At that moment i knew what Christmas meant. We were all waiting for My Jesus that night.We were all numb for words. For none could explain the peace we had.

None could explain the love of Jesus.

Why?

Looking at the moon,was like looking straight at you..
Hard to look away.

Watching the light surround you,I Found it
Hard to look away.

Taking in the silence of the night,I knew it was
Hard to look away.

I wanted to look at the stars,the moon,the sky
So hard to look away.

But my mind,my heart,my soul saw you..
Why should i look away?

SAAWARIYA

WELL,WHAT DID YOU EXPECT????

I'm not someone who loves Bollywood or the Karan Borers of the world. I do not like the excessive emotions portrayed on screen. The numerous and cliched "Nahi Nahi". Oh Boo hoo. What happened to the stories i grew up watching? Hindi cinema used to be fun!! But somewhere along the line, people got carried away with all the glam and gore. All you see these days is hero worship and a whole lot of masala and dhamaka. There you have it. A blockbuster hit! Everyone's happy. Why aint I?

It looks like my sister and I are among the only people who actually loved the movie!! WHAT??? Are you'll kidding me? Is this one big joke??
This is my first movie review and i'm glad that i chose this movie or rather it drove me to write this.This is dedicated to all those who loved the movie!!

"Saawariya". I was anxious to know what saawariya meant. While watching the movie, Raj, played by Ranbir Kapoor showed me what love meant.
That love does not falter.
Love has no restrictions.
Love does not accuse.
Love allows you to respect everyone.
Love doesnt let you to degrade people.
Love is open.
Love is refreshing.
Love is hopeful.
Love. Love and let go.
There's nothing to lose.
Only a lot to gain.
Saawariya meant "beloved".
Our Saawariya was portrayed as a pure, hopeful and charming young man. He was the ray of hope for the people he was destined to meet.Whoever it was, he had his love to give. He taught Sakina, played by Sonam Kapoor to be brave and not to be intimidated by the world. To imagine herself in a boxing ring, fighting against all evil. He brought back the smile that she'd left behind waiting for Iman, her love to return,played by Salman Khan.
In the end of the day, although he had loved and lost, he still had brought back hope to the people around him. He was not some romeo. He was someone rare. Someone Sakina should have treasured.
A beautiful potrayal of love. Our Saawariya was truely Love Incarnate. Very impressive cinematography and dialogues. A must-watch for all those who appreciate art, poetry and love.
It may be a flop for the industry but it will always remain in my heart as the best love story ever!!
For all those who didnt like the movie, as Raj would say, "Ok Bye!!!" :)
At the end of the day, its whether you learnt anything from it.
I CERTAINLY did.
Read the story here

The bliss of solitude

Oh! The bliss of solitude is what I feel tonight.
Far above in the hazy skies, I see the circle of light.

It's you and me my moon, just you and me my love.
Take me some place yonder, someplace far above.

Where the wind blows through my hair and angels surround me,
Where raindrops belong and the dreamy stars give me company.

I dream of whispering to the clouds, for rain this silent hour.
To fill my heart with happiness with every blessed shower.

Choose your life

Looking back i'm glad i made that choice.
My world could have turned upside down.
I'm glad i found my voice,
And stood on firm ground.
Oh, tempted was I, to take that leap;
It would have blown my senses away.
But those are only memories to keep,
I know it was not me,that day.
I never realised how important it was to choose,
Until i came face to face with that day.
A choice can make you win or lose;
It's YOUR opinion, YOUR choice, YOUR say.

So make a choice - a Glorious one.
Dont be afraid of what others may say.
After all, when the day is done,
It's a brighter future coming your way!

E * D * U * C * A * T * I * O * N

We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey teacher leave them kids alone
All in all it's just another brick in the wall
All in all you're just another brick in the wall

-Another Brick in the wall (Pink Floyd)

-OK this post is incomplete.. Right now i'm in a frenzy to do non-college things and this is one among many so.. yea. i'll come back to this!
-cya

Another drop in the sea

I watch the sun sink into the sea.I feel the waves inching towards me and i'm drawn towards it. So eternally drawn. So emotionally drawn. So spiritually drawn. I realise how small i am in this world. How great God is and I wonder how long i have to wait for my redeemer.

And then i got the answer when i read the Bible one day.
Psalm 27: 13-14
13. I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

I dive into the sea. It's a whole new world to me. Every creature bearing testimony of God's greatness. Every living creature doing justice to their life. Beauty unseen by me before.
My tears seem to be unnoticed in this new world.
Just another drop in this mighty sea.
It seems ok to let go as i watch the fishes
Cheer me as i float into oblivion.
I feel like a million horses running back home
It's like fighting the wind.
With every hidden strength.
I close my eyes.
And power growls over me.
I choose to forget my fears.
I choose to forget my foes.
I choose to forget my pressures.
I forget.

I learn to be stronger than i used to be.
To wait for My Lord.
I long for that heavenly day.
That day that my parents raised me up for.
That day that i will be redeemed.
That day when i'll be happiest.
That day when i see my Lord ride through the clouds
That day when angels shout HOly Holy Holy.
That day when i'll see the best sunrise.
That day when the moon shines brightest, awaiting my Lord.
That day when good triumphs over evil.

Humbled

One of my friends, Deepika told me about their hostel terrace. I'd love it if you could read what she'd written about it here

So when i finally got the opportunity to stay a night in the hostel, i knew i had to go up there. As soon as i reached the terrace my heart was on a race. I was overwhelmed and i found myself speechless. Soon after,me and my friends just layed down and faced the sky. All i could see was the clouds looking back at me. Nothing else. It was a starless night. Every emotion, every tear found it's way out. I dont think i'll every forget that starless night. That starless night that claimed it's existance. That starless night that won my heart. We spent some time there and my body refused to move. At that moment, the cold wind could not stop me and my friends could not stop me from staying a bit longer. I didnt want that moment to end. At that moment i was humbled.

I'm lying down on the terrace
And the sky is all i see.

A fallen sky on a fallen night
I learnt what life meant to me.

Lost in this bliss of solitude
I fight the cold inside.

My emotions are tangled
Lord make them untied.

I feel like a star, hidden tonight
Looking at myself lying down below.

"My girl, what's on your mind?
I cant see your glow."

Dear star, I'm humbled today
Dear moon, i've learnt to pray.

Truely and deeply for those whom i love
Knelt down in prayer to my Lord above.

-annette

What i like best!

Ah well sharanyan's been at it for a while. :D
"i tag annette"

What i would like to do best, (right now) is ban that phrase!! ha ha .. kidding!

no, seriously.. What i like best:

* Sitting on my terrace and watching the clouds fall against the moon.
* Feeling the rush of adrenaline shoot through my body just before i write.
* Feeling the wind hit my face and the whooshing sound that fills my ear
* The taste of chocolate in my mouth
* Staring into nothingness
* Loving and being loved
* Music - chocolate - poetry. The perfect potion to get me high.
* Train journeys
* Singing loudly with my eyes closed with no audience around
* Having a pointless discussion with one of my friends. Where we all end up laughing!
* Speaking with my mouth stuffed and being completely uncomprehensive and yet, being understood by someone! Only 3 people can do that. (My sis, Nethra and Sharadha)
May God Bless the three of you! :) They understand me so well!
* Playing "guess-what-that-reminds-you-of" games with my sister. And enjoying the fact that great minds think alike. ha ha.
* Calling Mirudhula "Gundu Manga" and teasing her and someone..ahen ahem. ha ha :) Amazing gal. Love her.
* Earning the title GM1 (Gundu manga 1) soon after i put on a few kgs! ha ha ha

* Playing my guitar and playing a song in my own way! ( More so because i dont know the right way!! :P )
* Wearing high heel shoes and running up the stairs! :P
* Playing basketball in the rain
* Riding on the swing in the rain (Ah memories of our iv)
* Ah, well doing anything in the rain! :)
* Going for a walk with Dad, mom, bro, sis or nethra.
* Sketching whats on my mind.
* Being inspired by a speech/person.
* Analysing the Bible.
* A timely joke to lighten a situation.
* Roast chicken and fish pie.
* And Brightening someone's day

Yay! i'm done.

Memories.. Lost and found

The human brain has always fascinated me. How could all my thoughts, dreams, memories fit inside my head? We're talking about compaction here! I mean, not only is it all there,but it's also organised, linked and can be triggered anytime we want. After years of being hidden in one corner of my brain, i can pull out a memory.
I was always amused by how i can still remember the smell of the oil that my mother used to rub on me when i was young. That rectangular tin of Olive Oil. I dont rememeber holding it or seeing it but the image and smell of it is etched in my brain.

My grandmother used to tell me stories about how she used to hold me tight at night when we slept. I spent a few months with my grandparents when i was less than a year old. If i were blind-folded and sent to my grandmother's room, i'd still know that i'm there.

Love. Now, that has fascinated me the most. What is it? Where does it come from? It's only when you're apart that you realise what closeness means. When i was with my mom's parents, my sister was with my Dad's parents,my brother was in boarding school while my parents were busy shifting. I guess that was my first lesson on learning to be away from family.
Quite like our current situation. All of us siblings are in different places.Despite the distance, we all know how much we mean to each other. No scientific proof can justify the working of the human mind and heart.

Similarly, it's only when you lose you're memory that you realise how much memories mean to you. My grandmother lost parts of her memory after a small stroke that she had. You'll be surprised how much you value your memories. I do. And i think a part of me was lost along with her memories. Because we had shared so many of those. All i have is my memories. My faint, blurry memories of growing up around her, of being with them during our vacations. Racing with my cousin towards my grandfather for who gets to sit on his lap!

I don't want to forget. I want to recount them over and over in my head. It saddens my heart to think that she doesnt remember. It's like a few chapters of my life have been skipped. And i miss those days. Those memories. Good memories. I will never forget.

Even though she lost her memory, i found them. Thank you ammachi for those sweet memories. I love you!

Fire..

Not exactly refined but i like it.

My angel