Saturday, October 23, 2010

Finally, fall!

Fall is here finally!
The leaves are turning golden yellow with some turning deep red while others turn a Hokie orange. The combined effort is worth the chilly mornings and dewy cars that I have to clean up before I start to work. How I wish I had my camera (I lost it at Dubai while in transit from here to home) to capture the glory of it all! Every day drive is a pleasure now (more than at other times) and I've started taking a round about route to work just to see the trees there. My campus is very pretty with trees arching in yellows and reds and getting to work early means you have the road all to yourself. Also, there is a set of hedges in the parking lot that have turned a deep red while all others remain green. I catch myself imagining how the entire mosaic would look like when seen from the sky. It sure would be pretty!

However, the nights come early too and by the time I reach home, the lights have faded. My roommates and I have stopped our evening walks (we did it during summer time when we had sunlight till 8 pm) and have resorted to watching movies instead. We watch a mix of Hindi and English movies. That, with cooking and cleaning up and general chatting, fills evenings and nights! Not that I'm complaining but I do miss the sun and walk part of it! We are thinking of morning walks (which never work because of our varied schedules) but the chilly mornings tempt one to snuggle into the comforter instead of braving the cold. 

This is my fourth fall season and though I've seen it many times, it still does take my breath away to see a tree perfectly red on one half and totally green on the other side. I have a favorite tree that I compare every day to its previous day shade and it never fails to amaze me how much changes over a few days. Also, if you are in US and are thinking about a special place for seeing fall colors, the Blueridge Parkway is the place to go. I've not seen a more colorful place in fall, in all its glory and splendor! Every time you drive by, Nature shows a different visage and you feel as if you've never been at that place before. And, that is what I call a cure to eternal boredom!! :) 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Perceptions

Perceptions change at the most unexpected of events; today was one such day. I had a normal day with work and got back home after discussions. Then came K's call: that one call changed priorities and made me appreciate life and think about what-if scenarios which were all less-than-good than what is happening now. Truly, God knows to give what we need rather than what we want.  Though sometimes the medicine is bitter, swallowing it is the best thing we can do.

For the past few months, I've gotten into a ok-now-then-what mood which, by itself, is not too bad but combined with elements like impatience, is dangerous to handle. This has been a great time to figure things out and I'm glad for it(had you asked me a few hours back, I'd have totally cribbed! And now I'm grateful for life and its choices!). Life throws so many curve balls and I saw a teeny-tiny one today that has led to subtle shifts.

On a different note, looking back at my blog, I don't seem to be writing a lot nowadays. I'm not promising to belt out posts but lets see if I can capture daily life onto these pages. Should be interesting!

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Yaarellam varanga?

[Disclaimer: Ulagathula Aarayiram kodi makkal irukaanga... avangala, rendu per ivanga. So, reel real ellam kalandhu vandhadhu idhu. So, reelaa realaanellam overaa yosichu time waste pannama olunga comment panni idhu epdi irukunu sollunga!]

Pattu and Kittu were friends in Cheppur. They did most things together. Here is a leaf out of their life book.
[A few years back]
Kittu: Pattu, namma naalaikku hike porom.
Pattu: Oh ok! Yaarellam varanga?
Kittu: X vara, Y varaan, blah blah blah blah...
Pattu: Seri seri ok! Namma polaam.

[A week later]
Pattu: Kittu, namma movie polaama?
Kittu: Ok!
Pattu: I'll call X,Y, blah blah....
Kittu: Ok!

[A year later]
Kittu: Pattu! Padam porom
Pattu: Oh ok! yaarellam varanga?
Kittu: Enna padam theriya vendaama? yaarellam varanganu therinja porumaa?
Pattu: Nee epdiyum nalla movie thaan choose pannuva! And naan epdiyum unnoda thaan vara poren. Eppo naalum, enga naalum. Athaan asking other questions.
Kittu: Eppovum adhe kelviyaa?

[A week after that]
Pattu: Kittu! Namma theme park polaam
Kittu: Ok!
Pattu: We are going on ... and other details blah blah blah
Kittu: Ok!
Pattu: Acho! Yaarellam varanganu ketka maatiyaa? X vara, Y varaan, blah blah...
Kittu: Questionum neeyae kettu answerum neeye panra. Very good!
Pattu: Worshtu po! Unakku lifela idhae question thaan vara porathu. Neeyum appo ellam enna nenaika thaan pora!
Kittu: Ha ha ha.No way! (Chitti V 2.0 rangela oru villathanamaana sirippu)

[A few years later]
Kittu: Namma innaiku padam porom
Kittu's wife: Seri... yaarellam varanga?
Kittu: En ellarum idhe ketkareenga?? [and thunks himself]

[A few years after that]
Kittu: Namma innaiku park pogalaam
Chintu (Kittu's kid): Ok pa! yaarellam pa varanga?
Kittu: !!!

[In the end, we see Kittu singing "Andha naal nyabagam vandhadhe nenjilae... "]