Pooh's Den

2008-11-10T05:11:00.000-06:00

2008-10-26T08:28:00.002-06:00

As always something has come up and delaying Our Own Corner design (it just does not help to be too picky about colors and designs at this stage but I am) and I just do not want to post here as all the old posts have been migrated. So soon we promise.....

Meanwhile, enjoy Deepavali and we'll be back soon at Our Own Corner

2008-10-14T07:53:00.000-06:00

Things are moving faster than I expected... Hang on as I move to ourowncorner.com

The front page is ready, the blog links are not yet working but at least we are moving...

Take a look, www.ourowncorner.com, my new home starting next week.
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2008-10-13T06:54:00.000-06:00

I see the morning sun burn off the fog and bathe the trees in its golden light..it is a mesmerizing sight.. It reminds me of fall in New England... I fool myself coming houston in October to New England! Ha!
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Almost there

2008-10-13T06:20:00.002-06:00

As you might have observed the past couple of weeks, I have maintained minimal activity in the blog and getting away with just posting pictures and updates. I do have a few posts lined up and they'll be up soon. But the reason for the reduction in activity level is that we are moving over to our own corner - our domain. It is quite some work as we are moving not one but all 3 of our blogs there. After days of struggling with SQL and PHP, finally I am confident we will move.

As of now, we plan to have new posts at our new domain from next week. So bear with us while we get everything done and then I'll have more posts coming.

I wonder

2008-10-11T20:32:00.000-06:00

How a simple thing like new sheets on the bed makes me smile and feel happy......
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Sweetener please

2008-10-10T17:07:00.000-06:00

The birds in Houston are watching their diet. Sweet n low instead of sugar.
Spotted at a bistro around town.
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Is it not a little too early?

2008-10-09T15:23:00.000-06:00

It is October 9th and are we not way too early for Christmas lights? Spotted lights being strung in a strip mall near work. Gosh! Way too early I say.
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2008-10-09T05:06:00.002-06:00

There are a couple of things with regards to this blog I plan on getting to eventually but it just is not falling to place. I go half way and leave it undone. I need motivation, lots of luck and energy! Is this weekend going to seal the deal? doubtful but hopeful

Till later!

Some updates

2008-10-08T07:24:00.000-06:00

I spent 3 days with minimal internet. I was getting so addicted and it was a test. It was not hard.
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S and G had a baby girl and I am oh-so-happy for them. I am sure they are not going to venture to my blog anytime soon they have their hands full.
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I met up with 2 of my college friends sometime back. 4 yrs later we were sitting and gossiping and exchanging news just like those days. It was fun and personally I took a journey inward to observe how much I have changed. I love certain changes and hate lot of them.
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Plans for the annual Deepavali party are going strong and I look forward to catching up and good food and memories
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I had the weirdest dream and I am sure I do not want to put it down in words. But seeing a grown-up loved one cry after making a life altering decision in dreams has the power to hurt me immensely.
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And on that note of life altering decisions, I am in the process of making one myself. As of now I have nothing concrete but soon I hope to have news to make me happy.
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I miss Navrathri times in India....pooja wishes everyone. Whatever name you celebrate have fun.

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Eerie morning

2008-10-07T06:25:00.000-06:00

This morning reminded me of Halloween - dark, foggy and an orange glow. Bring the pumpkins and the broom stick out.
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Sign time

2008-10-02T15:24:00.000-06:00

Another new sign sighted around town....
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For you movie fans

2008-10-01T10:08:00.002-06:00

Do you have a favorite movie in any language that is worth being remade in Tamil? Or do you have any favorite Tamil movies that need to be remade into other languages?

Voice your views here...

Of younger siblings

2008-10-01T09:47:00.005-06:00

Sementi started a discussion at her blog about her younger sister acting all grown-up and advising her (read the comments, they are hilarious). It really echoes my sentiments about my brother. Many times he acts as if he is years older to me and not younger to me.

One side of me is extremely proud to have such a mature and responsible brother but the other side of me misses the mischief, the naughtiness, the craziness and the pampering I got to do when he was younger. It also matters that now that I earn I do want to buy my baby bro gifts and instead of being the little kid he is and jumping with joy over a gift akka gives, his first question is "why did you spend so much?"

And to my brother,

Call me dumb or akka,
Or whatever your heart wishes,
All I wish for is your happiness and memories we will create together!
I miss our talks beneath the rocks,
I miss the chapathis and squirrels,
I miss the laughter and the happiness,
I miss the constant stream of sms's and peeks to your phone,
I miss the tickles and the witty sass!

And above all I miss the BMW Z4 and the Alaska trip you promised ;)

Season of Change

2008-10-01T06:37:00.004-06:00

I am a summer person. It seems odd to many people (including my other half) how I can love summers. I live in a city that boasts of 100% humidity most days in summer and temperatures sky-high. But I love it. I enjoy the warm rush of hot air that hits me the minute I step out of my office, I love the slight breeze that brings a respite, I love the sprinklers working overtime to keep the gardens fresh, I love the rare summer rains and thunderstorms, I love the crisp cottons I get to wear, I love the smell of BBQ in the air, the smell of fresh cut grass on a summer day....I could just go on and on. It somehow is me. I relate to summer than any other season.

October is here and with it comes in the chill in the air. Houston is still warm but the mornings are cool - a little too cool for me. I cannot complain about it as the whole of Houston seems to be rejoicing and enjoying the cooler days. I complain and I rant about the missing the dog days of summer and people who know me turn a deaf ear to me.

I have started carrying around a little sweater or fleece to keep me warm in a rather freezing office or store. For some reason, as the temperatures drop outside, the air conditioner thermostat does not increase. It rather stays the same and leaves me cold and longing for summer days. It is going to be a long winter I say. It is just October 1st and I am all set for the next summer.

As the weather changes, the outdoor activities reduce and this year my plan is to visit the famed museums in Houston on those gloomy winter weekends. Something I badly want to do. I am off to catch some sun and warmth before it is too late this year!

Inspired by The Mad Momma

2008-09-30T11:41:00.000-06:00

It is amazing what attitudes can do to life! Now I just wish I can change my attitude on a certain issue that is making my life rather miserable.

I need my cheering squad as I get ready to make some decisions...

Fingers n toes crossed

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2008-09-28T09:54:00.000-06:00

They say it happens, I said it will not. How can something so heart-wrenching become matter-of-fact. In fact, I vowed that I will not let it happen.

It happened yesterday. The usual lump in the throat, the tears swimming in the eyes were absent. I was calm and composed as I spoke about losing my grandpa and the pain I felt after that.

I hate myself for it. How can I do it? How can I talk about losing my grandpa in such a matter-of-factly way?

I hate myself.
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Drums, fire and Friday

2008-09-26T18:51:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite things about Houston is the Miller outdoor theatre. Free shows in a open air auditorium.
We out at Miller enjoying the fall weather, picnic dinner and the Taiko Japanese drum and fire dances.
Perfect way to unwind on a Friday evening!

The picture is really bad but that is the best my cell phone can capture.

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Friday questions

2008-09-26T09:18:00.000-06:00

Why is it that some people always pick out the non-existent and not appreciate what has been done perfectly?

And why is it that I put up with such people and torture myself?

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Chapatis, Oil and Memories

2008-09-26T05:06:00.000-06:00

I stayed in a hostel for 4 years during my under grad days. Like most I have good and bad memories of those days. It was fun and dreadful at the same time. One of the things which I hated was obviously the messed up food served at the mess. I survived 4 years on chocolate bars, frequent visits home, bulging food parcels from home and a random visit to the mess.

Our mess served chapatis dipped in oil for lunch and occasionally dinner. Oil adds a distinct heaviness to the air and the smell of oil in a dimly lit room, with 300+ girls noisily chattering is probably not any one's favorite. Why do I tell you all this ?

Yesterday, lunch time I stepped out into what is Fall like weather in Houston from a freezing office. In the typical flimi style, I opened the glass door separating me from the outdoor warmth, lifted my face to the sun, and took a gulp of fresh air.

Then I smelled it - I am not sure if the smell was a part of my over reactive brain and hungry tummy but I could clearly smell mess chapatis and the oil. It took me back to those days.... Long lines, laughter, stupid jokes, tense moments before the tests, the complaints over inedible food, the crushes and heartbreaks and more.

Laugh at me if you want to (I did at myself), but for a crazy moment I missed college mess food and the memories that cling to oil dipped chapatis..

Nostalgia and memories are bitter-sweet and I seem to be reliving and drawing energy from the past a lot these days...

Do you have any things you hated when you were younger and miss them today?

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Baffled

2008-09-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

The post below will probably not make sense to you. So do skip it. I just needed to get it out.
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I am plain baffled by how human nature and concepts about loyalty, and expectations vary. I just cannot believe I totally misunderstood/misjudged someone. My intuition I trust so much let me down. I admit I had apprehensions but I squashed them because I did not want to have a closed mind. Over a period of time, I even convinced myself that my intuition told me something else. I refused to accept the truth in front of me for ages, I gave excuses for me and others involved. I finally got the required guts to admit it was in vain and I just kept fooling myself to save heartache. I was leaping over broken bridges hoping they could be mended. But it was an illusion. I have quit making excuses. I am ready for closure. Closure means raking up the past, experience the bitter-sweet feeling of nostalgia seep through me, say goodbye and then think of the next move. There is definitely a next move because I can run but not hide. And it is time I learned some lessons out of this incident. As humans, we are flawed but then is it reasonable to point fingers to justify one's actions I wonder.
It hurts coz I lose a lot. I hate to make my happy memories bitter-sweet. I hate to close the door but I do need to do it for my peace of mind. I know I cannot get peace for the longed time coz it is bound to go around.
I am baffled by human nature and more so by my actions and reactions.
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Idling is devil's workshop on earth

2008-09-24T07:35:00.002-06:00

So do you drive to the supermarket with your friend, your significant other or anyone else for that matter just to pick up that one last thing you forgot during your grocery run last week. Do you stop your car or let it idle?

Idling is now a ticket-able offense in many places in the US. Idling consumes way too much precious fuel so turn off your engines folks.

More info here

2008-09-23T09:58:00.000-06:00

Warning:
Rant ahead! Read at your own risk

There are times I wish I was still the carefree person I was. Times like yesterday and today when the old me would have walked out... The new me, grins rather sheepishly and whines behind the back.
I wish I were strong and brave enough.... I wish I will have someone giving me the much needed push...
Fingers crossed!

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Post-Ike Photography

2008-09-21T21:25:00.000-06:00

R has post Ike photos on his blog

Take a look

2008-09-21T14:07:00.000-06:00

This was something I typed out a few days back but never got around completing or posting.. before it is too late and before Ike becomes old news here were go,

I have been out of home since 6.30am and I have no idea if we have power back at home. If CenterPoint's plan of action is to be taken seriously, we will not have power till later next week (beyond Monday, Sept 22). Definitely not a welcoming prospect. We have spent so far 6 nights without power, the saving grace is we have running water.

As positively as I would like to take this experience, at the prospect of spending atleast another 4-5 days without power is tough. We also have electric cooking range and other appliances so there is no cooking being done at home also. The laundry is piled mountain high. There are friends who have power restored and might be we need to take refuge at one of their places. But somehow, I feel so uncomfortable with the idea. Nothing against friends bu I just want to be at home, might be safeguard the home from being blown away? I do not know where I got this feeling from. It is new. I always feel happy and proud of my home but never felt that I cannot stay away from it. But that is my feeling right now.

I am not sure if the crews who were around last night are still there. The crews did mention there was substantial damage but said it could be fixed in a day or two. But after seeing the map of action, I am losing faith. I am not even sure when and if we'll get power.

One of my friends on Twitter, asked me what are the advantages and disadvantages of being without power. I thought about it. The timing was wrong. If he had asked me on Saturday (the first day) the balance would have been different. But here we go,

Advantages of not having power

Early nights (not much can be done in candle light)
Late mornings (again not much can be done till the sun rises
No cooking
No worrying about chores - laundry, ironing, vacuuming and the list is endless
The easiest excuse for not replying back to emails, phone calls - cannot charge phone
Time to talk and dream - me and R have been having long conversations about every topic under the sun without our attention being robbed by the laptop/internet
No I-am-bored-let-us-hit-the-stores kind of trips
Other Observation skills
More cyclists on the road
More people taking a leisurely walk (us included)
Lesser traffic
Everyday is a candlelight dinner day

Disadvantages of not having power

Life without internet (I had 500+ unread posts on my reader in just 2 days)
Uncharged cellphones and laptops - a terrifying thought without being connected to the world
Not much chance to read
No cooking - yes there are times I start missing the routine chore and hot food. That also means no caffeine boost in the mornings to jolt awake
Mad rush at any store open
Scarcity of open gas stations to fuel up
The scalding hot water that I take for granted
The crumpled shirts and unwashed clothes the pile up
The absolutely empty fridge - it feels odd to have an empty fridge. High time I stocked it up
Chaotic traffic with traffic signals not functioning

Bribery works

2008-09-20T08:38:00.001-06:00

Sighted around town.
Centre point - our electricity company

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Powered up

2008-09-19T17:59:00.001-06:00

After 7 long nights we finally have electricity
I am oh so happy

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Discoveries

2008-09-19T16:41:00.001-06:00

Since Ike, my learning curve has shot up drastically. I see and hear new things around me. Like this van I saw offering catastrophe services. What does it mean? I of course know that unlike the ice cream truck this truck does not dish out catastrophes under normal conditions. So what services does Crawford catastrophe services offer? I know not. But will find out soon!

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When the temperature falls

2008-09-19T12:45:00.001-06:00

Can festivities be far off? I grumble about the lack of power, the absence of humidity and less than 80s temperature and drag myself to work without even my usual morning chai and I see this monster inflatable.

I am not an inflatable's fan but this smiling pumpkin reminds me festive season is here - navrathri, the poojas, halloween, deepavali, thanksgiving, karthikai, christmas.... Time to smile and move on.

I do hope we get power soon. Just like I have been hoping for the past 7 days.

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2008-09-19T10:38:00.005-06:00

Blogging is fun but it does has its own drawbacks. What you think is for a private audience sometimes is world news. Read about the Ike survival story of a Baytown teacher creating waves

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On another note, I realized the photos from last night at Udipi are not the best. And we are still without power.

Eating Out during Ike

2008-09-18T19:01:00.001-06:00

thanks Udipi for bringing me the street food experience in Houston. Dosai on disposable plates served hot off the outdoor griddle. The tables face the usually crowded Hillcroft partly in darkness. Yum!

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High up

2008-09-17T17:28:00.001-06:00

Tree chopper - a life saver

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No power yet but ....

2008-09-17T17:25:00.001-06:00

Live in Action. No power yet but at least I hear the chain saw. The fallen tree - one of the many in our neighborhood affecting our power lines.

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This sign is making me happy

2008-09-17T10:28:00.001-06:00

They are making no promises but it is progress

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Does this mean?

2008-09-17T10:05:00.000-06:00

Fingers crossed
Am heading off to work will update tonight. I do hope I have news to share
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5 and counting

2008-09-16T19:18:00.000-06:00

Our fifth night without power. The camping out feeling is slowly losing its charm. According to Center Point Energy which is supposed to fix our lines, we are a 7000 odd people sharing the line that has some trees on it and they will be getting to it soon.

Many restaurants are up and running. Lines in gas stations continue, a midnight to 6am curfew exists and 2.1 million homes are still in darkness.

R is back to routine work and I might be heading tomorrow depending on over night developments. More as things progress.

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The other side of the hurricane

2008-09-16T06:31:00.000-06:00

Sometimes or rather many times I feel I walk with my eyes closed when life is normal. Rushing from A to B with millions of thoughts racing through my mind. I always say I'll slow down and enjoy the smaller things in life but never. This hurricane was a speed bump. Forcing me to slow down, appreciate smaller things and dump the schedule.

I have lived here, in this home for nearly 20 months. I hardly know my neighbors. A courtesy nod of the head or a wave has been my standard method of communication. Emails occasionally to discuss payments to the gardener. But without power for 3 days and counting, we are forced to the streets, we get to know each other, laugh, complain and say a prayer together that we were spared. We talk walks around the block stopping and talking with others in their yards because their TV is also out. We swap stories of fear, good ole days and nagging bosses. We help in the cleanup and as I step back into my home sans electricity, I feel richer and happier than ever before.

This is the other side of the hurricane I think

The picture taken from the bedroom window captures the beauty and resilience of nature - sunrise over medical center.

R is off to work today, my office is still without electricity and the house is still in darkness but for some lovely candles flickering away.

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Dessert time

2008-09-15T18:14:00.000-06:00

Who said you cannot have dessert when the power is out for 3 days and the stuff in you fridge is going bad and your cooking range is powered by electricity!

Now how I wish we had some good ole vanilla icecream to go with this.... More photos from our dinner tonight when the power comes back...

Hopefully soon
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The worst part of the hurricane recovery

2008-09-15T14:22:00.000-06:00

is not
- the power cuts
- the lack of water
- the debris on roads
- the freezer full of rotting food
- the piling laundry
- the scarcity of ice and bottled water
- the spotty cell phone services
- the flooded garages
- the long lines at grocery stores

It is the availabilty of fuel in limited gas stations and cars flocking those gas stations. I counted 5 cops helping manage the crowd at one just one gas station. The lines near any gas station with supplies is crazy. It is crazy around here - believe me

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Office parking lot

2008-09-15T11:29:00.000-06:00

I am not sure if the photo is clear but I am so very glad that I did not park my car here when the hurricane ripped through town.

My office building is out of power so we are not working for God knows how long.
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The temperature falls

2008-09-14T19:16:00.000-06:00

And we are predicted to have temperatures in the lower 60s and low humidity - a rarity in Houston summer. The breeze is amazingly cool, perfect night to open the windows and sit in the patio and relax. No power and no lights means no interference of computers, laptops, cooking, laundry and I can go on and on. So we sit and talk as darkness falls. We talk of dreams, hopes and morrow. Life as they say is good.

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Walk around the neighborhood

2008-09-14T18:04:00.000-06:00

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Mall pictures

2008-09-14T15:42:00.000-06:00

More pictures around the food court
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Galleria post Ike

2008-09-14T15:38:00.000-06:00

We were a part of this crazy crowds at the mall
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Cooling dowm

2008-09-14T14:55:00.000-06:00

The best place to beat the heat seems to be the Galleria mall. Most stores are closed, but AC is on and tons of place to hang around, charge those phones and just get out of the depressing sights around home.

Looks like most of Houston is here. In fact, this place is more crowded than during the after Thanksgiving sales. A few stores are open and the food court is partly open and doing very brisk sales.

Photos coming soon. We are spending some time here before heading home for the day.

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After Ike

2008-09-14T14:14:00.000-06:00

Just what we needed - a front moving in and bringing rain this morning. .More than a couple of inches to an already water-logged Houston.

But it has cleared out to a rather sunny afternoon. We feasted on chapathi and paneer so we are not starving...

Cell phone services especially Tmobile services are very bad. So blog updates, phone calls are on hold.

More later
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Aftermath of Ike

2008-09-14T05:22:00.000-06:00

A block from home, till Friday it was a busy gas station
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Sunday moring update

2008-09-14T05:20:00.001-06:00

As of last night we are without power. We spent the night at my dance studio with my dance teacher's family. The studio has power and running water. So we made good use of it.

We are keeping our fingers crossed hoping we get power soon. But then we are the lucky, ike really did not do anything much to us so we'll be fine.

Yesterday, as the first light came in around 7am with the winds still howling, we walked inside the house checked for leaks and indications of damage. Nothing. We peeped outside our windows, a few trees limbs down and we were fine. Later we walked and drove around and it depressed and scared us. We are not flooded in but there are huge trees uprooted, roofs blown off, sign boards twisted, traffic lights hanging in queer angles, power lines down. The damage in the 5-mile radius around home is bad. Which makes us more grateful for the fact that our house stood Ike without troubles.

Gulf Coast will need time and money to recover and I am not sure when things will vaguely resemble normal. We have pictures and once the power is back, they will be up.

Thanks and stay safe

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All is fine - 6pm

2008-09-13T16:58:00.000-06:00

We are at our friend's place enjoying BBQ.... All is well, cellphone is dying down, so this will probably be my last update till we charge up.
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Activity level increases

2008-09-13T09:40:00.000-06:00

As the day lightens up, I have started seeing activity around. Perched on the bed, near the window, I see cars, SUVs make their way exploring town. People stepping out of homes and talking, the birds flying around signalling the return of normalcy, the wails from sirens as ambulances and fire engines make their ways.

We are safe and lazy. Reading books and enjoying a rather slow Saturday by the window!
We hear news of flooding and devastation around Houston. We are lucky to have escaped everything. So far so good.

Thanks again for all the phone calls and emails and scraps. We are touched and indeed blessed.

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Network issues

2008-09-13T08:42:00.000-06:00

I seem to be having connectivity issues and may not be able to continue blogging. Hopefully the recovery period is fast and everything works out fine. Till the next time!

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Update at 8.30 am Sat

2008-09-13T08:24:00.000-06:00

There is still hurricane force winds and rains. No flooding, no damage in our area and home so far. Power is still out, earliest we can expect is probably this evening. Not sure though.

Harris County where we live is under all kinds of weather related watches, tornado, flash flood and flood. It sounds omnious but we are really fine.

The books I stocked up are our source of entertainment currently. We are blissfully cocooned in our world and we watch the winds blow, and rain fall as we read books and share trivia and dreams with each other.

Thanks for everyone's wishes, prayers and concern. Will keep updating as long as my phone is charged!

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6am Sat

2008-09-13T05:21:00.000-06:00

Ike is still battering Houston rather mercilessly. I has been hours and hours of forceful winds and rain slamming against our house.

No power still. We are not following any newscasts and we hope this things moves fast and the clean-up crews are able to hit the roads soon.

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Eye of the hurricane 2.30am Sat

2008-09-13T01:34:00.000-06:00

The hurricane is passing through just as I type this out. The winds are so strong and howling. The rain intensity does not seem to be too bad as of now.

A peek outside the window and the world looks like a bhoot bunglow - all dark, howling winds, splattering rain. Ram Gopal Varma sure will love.
The Medical Center - the largest in the world has also lost power. Without the comforting glow of lights at the yonder it does seem odd. I see silvers of light here and there but not more.

The next 4 hrs or so, Ike is bound to show its wrath on us and then leave. So far so good. We are riding the hurricane!

Hope the destruction has not been too bad.

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A few hrs before Ike

2008-09-12T22:49:00.001-06:00

The winds are getting stronger, rain pelting down, an eerie silence but for the sound of rain and wind, neighborhood in darkness..

Update at almost midnight!

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Almost midnight!

2008-09-12T21:56:00.001-06:00

Almost 11pm 6riday night and we are enjoying a candle light feast of jim jam biscuits in bed as we hear howling winds.

The winds have picked up but not much rain. Many neighbors still have power but no complaints as of now

More later!
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Candle light bed time

2008-09-12T20:57:00.000-06:00

The rains have started... Winds are stong, power is still off and neighbors still have power.
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Just lost power

2008-09-12T20:36:00.001-06:00

It is 9.30 pm on friday and we just lost power. It seems very localized. Our neighbors still have power still.
Will keep the blog updated as long as possible.

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The beautiful clouds - 7.30pm update

2008-09-12T18:27:00.000-06:00

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2008-09-12T18:22:00.003-06:00

As per the current update, the hurricane will most probably pass through the Houston ship channel and through I-45 ripping through downtown Houston. That puts us to the west of the eye. For the hurricane illiterate, the east side is considered the dirty side - the side with more damage. So far so good.

The clouds are so beautiful right now with sunlight streaming through them. Beautiful!

Update at 6.45pm

2008-09-12T17:41:00.002-06:00

The winds are getting stronger and faster. The news cast says it is around 30 miles an hour gusts and we finally closed our patio door.

Got a call from family back in India worrying... nothing seems to reassure them. We are safely glued to our computers at home.

Ike-6.15pm Fri

2008-09-12T17:14:00.000-06:00

No big change yet... Quite nice outside. We still have our patio door open...calm before the storm

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Houston's Ike Preparation Photos

2008-09-12T16:50:00.001-06:00

Are here

The wind is picking up - 5.35pm - Fri

2008-09-12T16:36:00.001-06:00

The winds are picking up and rains are starting

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This is how it looks - 5.15pm Friday

2008-09-12T16:17:00.001-06:00

Ike and its effects

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Hurricane Ike and Us

2008-09-12T15:56:00.003-06:00

It is like 5pm and we are waiting for Ike to hit. We did head out this afternoon to meet a friend and click out a few photos. R should be posting him in his blog soon. But this evening, we received yet another call from a concerned friend watching CNN far away from Houston. CNN's dire predictions are scaring everyone.

Right now, we have not yet seen anything crazy in Houston other than some winds and darkening skies. So me and R sit and suddenly I hear the swishing sound - a howling wind sound. I say, hurricane winds are here, listen. We both listen in utter silence and then hear the AC compressor unit kick in!

A silly humor while we wait for Ike. So far so good!

Fingers crossed

Ike Weekend

2008-09-12T07:36:00.002-06:00

On a different note, I plan to spend this weekend trying to move Poohsden, R's Lightpixels and our travel log - Scary-On to our own server. So hopefully we can get going without hitches.

Thoughts on my mind before Ike

2008-09-12T07:02:00.002-06:00

The city of Houston has asked non-essential employees not to go to work today and that includes me and R. We are at home today - a Friday and waiting for Ike. The latest news updates about the hurricane predict a direct hit at Galveston - just 45 miles away from home.

This morning, we sat down at our patio to enjoy a cuppa before bringing all patio furniture in. The day outside is so beautiful - a slight breeze, warm, blue skies, puffy white clouds, peek-a-boo sun, chirping birds - in short perfect.

The roads are quiet strange on a Friday morning, there is an eerie silence and it makes me want to pack a picnic - crusty bread, heirloom tomatoes, potato salad and ice tea and hit our favorite picnic spot near the lake. Or do an impulsive drive down to the coast and enjoy the spray of the sea and the gritty sand on my bare toes....Feel the breeze tousling my hair, enjoy the sunshine on my face. That is what I want to do.

But bringing be back to reality is the continues newscast on local channel 11 we are following. Warnings get scarier by the minute. I try to ignore them and rationalize. I do not live in the mandatory evacuation zone, there will be winds and rains but nothing more I reassure myself. But images from Katrina are burned in my mind.

I worry, a lot. About people who did not evacuate, people who need help, the friend who had a baby day before and riding the storm out, the pets, and above all about our home. This is the first hurricane we face as home-owners. In spite of the insurances we hold, the rational it is just bricks and stone (or rather wood and more wood) it is home. It is not an apartment. It is a testament of our times together as a couple. Our dream home, our joy, our haven and our own corner.

I went out last night, checking out what the rest of the city is doing. Partly because I was jobless and worrying about unwanted stuff and partly because I wanted to know what everyone else was feeling. We went around, clicking random pictures, reading hurricane closures and checking out the crowds at the pubs and bars. Most of the non-evacuating people, like us were taking their minds off Ike by hitting the neighborhood watering hole on a weekday. It is then I realized just like me there are millions who worry. Each one of them has family and friends living far-off, who are probably watching CNN and fretting and worrying. Just like our family and friends who have been calling us all day.

I say a small prayer to everyone along Ike's path coz that is all I can do for now. As of now there is still uncertainty over where Ike will hit early tomorrow. Stay safe, stay sheltered and ride it out.

I'll watch the winds blow, the rain fall, the streets flood and hopefully nothing beyond that. I'll keep updated through this blog if I still have power and internet connectivity.

Nature - so powerful, so beautiful, so unpredictable....

2008-09-11T17:01:00.003-06:00

I am so thankful - I have friends and family who call up in the middle of busy Thursday to ask what our plans are, open their houses and worry about our safety.

As mentioned earlier, we are staying at home and meeting Ike! Will keep you updated!

Thanks again!

Sending a small prayer for all the Gulf Coast residents

Hurricane Preparedness

2008-09-11T16:06:00.002-06:00

Living in the US Gulf Coast, every year we prepare for hurricanes and it is a process. The city sends out a preparedness kit and tracking kit and other stuff. Obviously the closer to the coast you get the more precautions you need to take.

We live quite inland and so far we have not been ordered to get out and we do not want to add another car to the already clogged Houston roads. Our offices are closed tomorrow and we are as ready as we can be for Ike.

The typical disaster preparedness kit required for tiding over a hurricane listed by the city include

Stocking up water approximately 1 gallon per person for 3-7 days
Food supply - non-perishables
Medicines, first aid kits
Torch and candles
Radio - battery-operated
Gas in the car tanks
Toiletries

and such.

In addition, to all those we added BOOKS! With a minimum of 3 days off work and no reason to get out off

Publish Post

home, I hit the library this evening and checked-out books I wanted to read, books that I need to read, books that sounded interesting, books that were recommended and the list continues.

Am getting on to a reading marathon the next three days as I watch Ike bring in rain and destruction. Fingers crossed and prayers!

The parking lot syndrome

2008-09-11T12:53:00.001-06:00

During hurricane evacuations, normal roads turn to parking lots. And this is not a freeway and this area is not under evacuation order (yet). Guess all the folks are heading home to prepare and stay safe. That brings up this question, what am I doing at work?

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Burnt nails?

2008-09-10T20:20:00.000-06:00

Is it only me or does everyone burn their finger nails once in a while? Accidentally of course! At regular frequencies, I seem to burn the tips of my nails.
Weird huh?

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Hurricane Time!

2008-09-10T16:49:00.003-06:00

Galveston West End, Freeport calls for mandatory evacuation.. many voluntary evacuations around the area. Ike is growing stronger, and closer... Exciting, scary and of course hopes for a holiday on Friday...
Stay safe

Phew! Finally done

2008-09-09T07:15:00.002-06:00

Finally I got around updating our travel blog ... Take a look

Part 1 of our trip to Dubai

Wine Country Texas

Desert Safari in Dubai Vs. Hawaiian Luau

2008-09-09T06:43:00.003-06:00

First effects of Hurricane Ike.... gas prices jump 10 cents overnight!

I am maha-glad I decided to fill my tank last night and not wait till this morning! Phew! it is just Tuesday and the hurricane is supposed to make landfall only on Saturday... soon there will be shortage of bottled water, dry foods, canned goods, bread, fruits and literally everything... I better hit the stores this evening before it is too late...

Brings back memories of Hurricane Rita and the 7 hrs evacuation to College Station which on a normal day takes only 1.5 hrs...

Ike in the works

2008-09-08T07:17:00.003-06:00

Hurricane Ike is the talk of the day. It is scheduled to enter the Gulf early tomorrow and the computer models predict it will hit the Gulf coast anywhere between Galveston and New Orleans. Well, time will tell what happens. But, for some reason, my intuition/gut tells me that it is our turn this time. And my gut feeling has been quite trustworthy... We are topping up our gas tanks, and stocking our pantry with dry goods and water just incase.

Meanwhile, I have friends from Baton Rouge cleaning up after Gustav, which ended up not as bad as feared but still toppling some big trees and leaving a trail of destruction. I hate to think what Ike will do if it hits the same area again. Might be, just might be, it is not really worth pumping money to rehabilitate NOLA... I am not sure... as a student who has worked quite a bit on flooding in the Gulf coast, I know how devastating each storm could be and believe me, FEMA's flood maps are really not the guiding post.

Coming again to NOLA... it has always been my to visit New Orleans after all we live a measly 6 hr drive from there. We first planned a trip and booked the hotel and stuff, Hurricane Katrina struck... and devastated the coast for more than a year. All our friends warned us against taking a trip till recently when NOLA was gaining back some of its lost glory. So this year, we were planning a trip during Thanksgiving and now Hurricane Gustav and more devastation...

I just think I should stop planning trips to NOLA...everytime I plan it is another hurricane... am I jinxed?

and if you live in the Gulf Coast please stock up and get ready for Ike... it never hurts to be prepared...and if you are not in the Gulf Coast pray for those who live there...

Translations

2008-09-05T14:08:00.007-06:00

We were at Chennai Egmore heading towards Trichy and my dad pointed out to this board and asked us to read what was written in Tamil. Go ahead try reading it if you know Tamil.
We could really not make head or tail out of it and then he pointed to the English version.

Phew! Reading a so easy English sentence in Tamil is quite strange. I strongly recommend Coffee Day to have a tamil tag line instead of writing "A lot can happen over coffee" in Tamil. On the same note, Parfait 3 whose tag line goes "Bistro more than a cafe" sounds really strange when you read it in Tamil.

The writings are clearer when you click on the photos

Sunday morning Zen

2008-08-31T09:54:00.000-06:00

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We are enjoying the sun and the sea

2008-08-30T18:35:00.000-06:00

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Guilty as charged!

2008-08-29T08:34:00.001-06:00

Trashed - August

I cannot wait.... Patience and me are day and night. I am know to start snooping for birthday gifts a week before and fighting and demanding for then 2 days ahead of the big day.

And today, Friday the 29th of August, I could not control it. I wanted to be in September. Wave good bye to another month and move closer to the end of the year.

The logical me (it does exist) tries to reason out why I want to move over to the next month. And I am out of answers. Might be it is the end of week and awaiting the long weekend feeling? Might be the dreamer in me wants dreams come true in September?

Well, whatever it is, my office calendar pages are turned to September!

Welcome September

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Chocolate Twirls

2008-08-27T12:44:00.001-06:00

We hit Prego at Rice Village for our anniversary dinner and loved it. We have heard so much about the place, lived 5 minutes away from it and never got a chance to head to Prego.

In spite of the over-crowded space, noise levels and slow service, we would definitely head back to Prego for its amazing food and decent priced.

Our suggestions - Make a reservation and skip the dessert! Ruggles - a couple of blocks down is a better place for lovely desserts.

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Bitten

2008-08-27T10:50:00.000-06:00

Bitten by the Twitter bug....140 characters to translate the mood of the minute. Any other Tweeters around?

All that needs to be done now is to integrate my Blackberry with Twitter.... Soon promises R

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Grapes and Harvest

2008-08-23T20:00:00.002-06:00

Last Saturday, we headed out to Messina Hof, a winery some 100 miles away from Houston. They were celebrating their harvest festival so we joined in the fun. Picked luscious Spanish grapes, stomped them and learned a bit about wine making and oh yeah I did forget to mention the wonderful harvest lunch served. In all, a real fun trip! Here are some pictures

Celebrations

2008-08-22T06:19:00.000-06:00

Is it just me or does the whole world ( or at least Houston) look fresher and brighter? Finally the skies cleared out to a beautiful day - perfect for celebrations.

Bring out the cakes and candles! 369 candles for a really special city and 4 candles on our special cake!

Time to celebrate, time to be grateful for small and big things and time to relive and recollect memories.

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Monkey Bussiness

2008-08-21T08:04:00.001-06:00

I have always seen three monkeys together - the wise monkeys depicting the old Japanese proverb "hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" I saw this at an Indian restaurant in Houston - 4 monkeys together. Does anyone know the meaning/ story behind this?

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Mosaic Squares and Answers

2008-08-20T16:53:00.005-06:00

My favorite Houston foodie writer tags me to do this wonderful tag! I just loved doing it.

The Rules:

Type your answer to the questions into flickr search
Using only the first page, pick an image
Copy and paste each of the urls in the Mosaic Maker

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What do you want to do when you grow up?
10. Who/ what do you love most in life?
11. Choose one word that describes you?
12. What is your Flickr name?

My Mosiac:

1. _7160178, 2. rasgulla, 3. Wide Angle Test, 4. yawn, 5. Saawariya, 6. Strawberry Milk Splash, 7. Galapagoes, 8. , 9. Look out., 10. Showtime!, 11. The Dancing Shiva - Nataraj, 12. Misty Morning

And now to tag,
Homecooked
Lavs
Sementi
Siva
That Guy

Taste of thunder

2008-08-19T11:53:00.001-06:00

Growing up, it was the "grown-up's drink". Kids drank milk, fresh fruit juice and at times maaza and frooti. It was way ahead in time, when giants like Pepsi and Coca Cola had not made their way to where we grew up.

Anything prohibited is fascinating and so was carbonated drinks. In the market those days were Thumbs-up, Limca, Bovanto and Paneer Soda and everyone of those drinks I drooled over as I drank my frooti.

I do not remember my first taste of Limca, Bovanto or Paneer Soda but I clearly remember sipping Thumbs-Up and hating it. I later feel in love with Bovanto and Panner Soda but never had the guts to try Thumbs-Up.

Fast forwarding to present day, I regularly guzzle down diet coke and pepsi. And this trip to India I made sure I had my fill of Bovanto (it is available mainly in southern Tamil Nadu but found certain stores in Chennai stocking them up) and panner soda (a Trichy exclusive). I wanted to try Thumbs-up and see if my taste buds had evolved over the ages.

R being an ardent devotee of Thumbs-up started his search in the famous supermarkets and petti kadais in Velachery. No one stocked up Thumbs-Up and finally he hit gold at a small tea kadai. Excited he tasted thunder and was left disappointed.

It seems trademark strong taste of Thumbs-up had been replaced with. a rather washed down taste. Small talk with the shopkeeper enlightened us further. It seems that Thumbs-up is now a part of Pepsi and unlike Pepsi shopkeepers so not get any incentive for stocking up Thumbs-up.

Another bottle down the drain! RIP Thumbs-Up they say you were the best. I regret not trying you and loving you in your heydays.

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Rainy Tuesday

2008-08-19T06:18:00.000-06:00

Views from the 7th floor on a rainy Tuesday morning... Who wants to work on a day like this? Bring on the pakodas n bajis....
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Homecooked meal

2008-08-17T06:42:00.003-06:00

Homecooked treated me with a wonderful recipe for my favorite Matar Paneer (oh yeah it was a small bribe for completing a tag from her on time ;)) So, I started cooking. By no means, am I a talented chef but at times I enjoy cooking and check out the results!

I did make some small adjustments to the recipe - instead of paneer, I used ricotta cheese (whisk 15 oz of cheese and spread onto a 8 inch pan, bake at 350 degree for 35 minutes, cool, cut into pieces and fry them) and substituted butter with oil and heavy cream with fat-free milk . These substitutions were mainly because I did not have the required items on hand and I wish I had made fresh paneer instead of using ricotta cheese. It just does not taste the same.

The ingredients

Thanks Homecooked! We loved your recipe!

And our dinner - Matar Panner with roti, pickle and curd

Saturday morning fog

2008-08-16T07:08:00.000-06:00

Guess what we are upto this foggy Saturday morning?

We are armed and dangerous

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The relationship we share

2008-08-15T14:42:00.000-06:00

It is Raksha Bandan morrow and hopefully the brothers (KA and cousins) remember to tie thie rakhis.

As a family, we never celebrated raksha bandan. It was a tradition, I brought in some 10 years back. The brothers graduated from mickey mouse rakhis to simple elegant ones.

Sometimes, I wonder why each year I bother to do it. They love me and share it in their own way and I in mine. But like always, I send it and like always they have something special for me the next time we meet.

Beyond this thread tied once a year, there is a relationship of love, fights, jealousy, hatred, security, pocessiveness, protective instinct we share - these that make life worth living.

Good luck and may all your dreams n hopes come true!
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Blank Month

2008-08-14T07:17:00.000-06:00

Do you have a monthly calendar? The kind where you flip the sheet over end of every month (or is the start of every month?)

What is the first thing you look for? As a child it always was the pictures, we fought to get the calendar with the best pictures and treasured them. Long after the month was over, the colorful picture was either preserved carefully or it formed the cover of a notebook.

Times and perspectives have changed, now I scan the calendar as I turn the sheets every month for holidays. I know it sounds kiddish but mid-week holidays and long weekends make it a happy month! I feel happy even if it not a holiday where I work, it is just a feeling of holidays. It is like getting a whiff of briyani at your friend's place though you know plain old sambhar sadam awaits you at home.

August is a blank month and everyday I stare at the calendar and it depresses me. As if my stares can change anything. The lovely picture of Black-Eyed Susans in the calendar unfortunately do not make me happy.

It is almost September, I consoled myself and took a peek into the next sheet. Joys abundant, labor day, ramadhan, first day of autumn and more!

I think I need an Indian calendar at work to cheer me up. After all, the blank month of August boosts of all the Aadi festivities, Varalakshmi Puja, Avani avitam and Gokulastami.

BTW, why are Christmas stuff out in all stores? It is months away and I have millions of nitty-gritty stuff to do before Christmas.

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Indian Pride

2008-08-13T18:17:00.001-06:00

Tamil Mirchi, the radio station we are a part of is having an interesting discussion/poll on reasons to be proud as an India. We would be really grateful if you can take a minute to pop over there, vote and voice your views. You can check it out here!

Travel Tales

2008-08-10T18:44:00.001-06:00

Travelogues of our vacation are being updated at www.scary-on.blogspot.com.
Take a look

Photos from the trip will at some point of time be up at www.lightpixels.blogspot.com

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View from the 7th floor

2008-08-09T07:36:00.000-06:00

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Classified ads!

2008-08-06T12:31:00.003-06:00

If bored and you need something entertaining and fun to do (after checking all the mails, reading all blog posts, commenting, reading n replying to wall posts and scraps) online the best place to be is reading the fun stuff on classified websites like craigslist and backpage. Believe me, they are better the "fair, beautiful, slim, homely" matrimonial classified that grace Indian newspapers and websites.

I just came across this on Houston's Craigslist and doubled with laughter. Here is what the ad reads,

Painting for sale of which that have not yet been painted.

I am not an expert in painting but I have strong emotions. I do not have a porfolio but I have faint memories of what I have created in the past. My mind is creative but is handicapped because I lost the love of a girl and the obsession of my mind may have what caused the lost.

I will paint a painting of your choice and influenced by my handicapped creativity and broken heart for 1 million dollars. After I have painted the painting if it leads to the reuniting of myself and the heart that I long for then she will paint you a painting (she knows not of this).

Anyone got a million dollars to spare to buy the above mentioned paintings?

The "I" Tag

2008-08-06T09:19:00.003-06:00

Just as I am trying to sort through my muddled thoughts, Homecooked tags me... so here we go before I forget

I am: currently confused

I think: all the time

I want: World peace (ha! Now I get the crown;))

I have: nothing I asked for but more than I ever expected

I wish: I can take life as it comes without micromanaging

I hate: hate is too strong a word... it is rare that I hate anything... I dislike hypocrites

I miss:being around family.. life seems complete when around loved ones

I fear: losing loved ones

I feel: happy yet worried and worried yet confident (oh yeah! I said I have too many muddled thoughts on my mind)

I hear: almost silence other than my fingers typing away on my keyboard

I crave: family time

I search: for unless trivia all the time...

I regret: not being able to spend more time in India

I love: too many things

I care: about people and causes I am passionate about

I am not: easily content

I believe: in the support of loved ones

I dance: like there is no tomorrow

I sing: very rarely

I cry: for petty stuff

I don’t always: follow my heart and regret it later

I fight: for what I believe in

I write: my emotions

I win: because I want to

I lose: because I lose concentration mid-way

I never: will say no to travel

I always: believe in living every minute

I confuse: myself and others around me

I listen: to lot of unwanted stuff!

I can usually be found: with my laptop

I am scared: of what I fear

I need: alone time every now and then

I am happy about: the fact that I was able to spend nearly a month in India!

Too many muddled thoughts

2008-08-06T08:51:00.003-06:00

Tropical Storm Edouard fortunately left us without much damage. Some rains and a holiday were the most we got out of Edouard. There are so many assorted thoughts and things I want to write about but putting it into sentences and trying to make sense of them seems to be a hard work so am taking the easy way out. I am just going to put down a list of things I want to write about least I forget them and hopefully in the next couple of weeks I get back to these topics and write about them.

Trichy memories
Family reunions
Velachery
Gated communities
Horns
Parking
Emirates
Dubai - old n new
Smog in Dubai
Thumbsup
Bomb blasts n mirror!

These are the ones I can think of for now! Some many not be individual posts, some might be linked to our travel blog... but yes I need to get back to blogging!

Bringing in a hurricane

2008-08-04T10:01:00.000-06:00

We are back in town, right in time for a hurricane. Tropical storm brewing in the gulf, ready to hit the gulf coast. Houston does need somw rain.
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2008-08-03T10:02:00.001-06:00

Test post from the new Blackberry. I am falling in love with it
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