Thursday, December 24, 2015

Ho Ho Ho...Life and all that!

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air...

Dear Everyone, 

We worked hard, so that we could play harder after...

We put up our tree (only just barely in time!)


Tried new foods...



Took  a picture of Mama and she returned the favor...


Climbed a small mountain....
And finally got some bare essentials plus some extras to make the holidays special... ( the foie gras is Mama's -- she forces me to have it, along with Kale Chips and herbal chai...HELP!

Most of all I am looking forward to a quiet time, long hikes, some uncoordinated dancing to music on Pandora, lots of binge watching of The Flash & Arrow, some home work, time with my family and of course ordering Mama around for food, food and more food...Joy and Peace to all! See you in 2016.

Lots of Love,
K2 (and K2's Mom)

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

I am a Superwoman!

6.30 AM : Wake up groggy, my decongestants work great at keeping the cough & cold at bay but have a  side effect of wooziness - a couple jumping jacks and a cup of hot water with lemon, ginger, apple cider vinegar & honey later...I feel almost human
7.00-7.30 AM : Email and catch up on work stuff
7.30-8.30 AM : Wake up son, School Hustle - Morning Milk (with breakfast cookies and almonds), Snack, Lunch & hustle son out of the house
8.30AM -1.00 PM : Meetings
1.30 PM : Grab lunch from the Cafe, Grab kid from his chess class at school and drive him for his Annual Health  Checkup (both mom and son got flu shots)
2.30 PM :  Drop off Admission Package at school (rechecked my Parent Essay!)
3.00 - 6.30 PM : Worked some more (kiddo slept soundly)
7.00 PM : Zumba Class
8.15 PM : Dinner (Watch Shark Tank)
9.00 PM-10.00 PM : Catch up on Work & Email
10.00 PM- 11.00 PM : Blog 
--------------------
Most days are frenzied with activities, conference calls, school hustles, cooked dinners, homework monitoring and so many other things...I listened to a song over the Thanksgiving weekend that really resonated with me and I kept going back to it many times this week (it's been a hard week!)- sending out this song to all you Ladies that need a little "pick me up" this week...or any other week



Cause I'm a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Even when I'm a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I'm a Superwoman





And if that doesn't work - I promise ya...a Zumba class (or any class that makes you sweat) will drive the blues away

Sunday, November 29, 2015

An Unfinished Eulogy...



Can't get you out of my head,
Can't get you out of my mind,

Didn't know you really,
Some childhood moments shared...
Some fleeting news about you from Ma or Facebook.

Everything seemed fine,
And then yesterday I heard,
 I wondered - Did anyone listen, Did anyone hear?

The dark thoughts roiling through your system,
The empty vacancy of the soul weeping in isolation,
Your mind shrieking  - Worthless...
Did anyone listen, Did anyone hear?

Your family shattered, 
All your friends desolate,
They all loved you so,
Yet you left alone and sad...

Taken away from here,
But to where - Is there peace there?
What about the people you leave behind?
And the questions? And the guilt?

I am hoping and praying,
That your soul is free,
And you will find sunshine, happiness and love.

Still ...can't get you out of my head,
Can't get you out of my mind.



Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Giving Thanks...and giving someone a break (yup! talking about Aamir Khan)




The reality is that there has been too many #hate #intolerance #religion topics on Facebook lately - from our very own Trump who contemplated  that he would consider requiring Muslim-Americans to register with a government database, or worse, mandating that they carry special identification cards that note their faith ( do I really need any more reason to dislike him?) to the violent acts in Paris just a week and half back to one of my favorite actors Aamir Khan publicly noting - his wife often wonders if they should move out of the country (India) ... the amount of negative press Aamir Khan got was mind boggling  for me.

He made a  statement based on his personal experiences living in a country since his birth - so what if he is famous and lives with the proverbial "gold spoon in his mouth"...the man is entitled to his opinion. Truth be told, I feel like him sometimes living here (away from India) especially when I read about all the shootings in the schools and universities (and there is no stringent actions being taken on gun control!). How does a man's voicing his fear make him the scapegoat for comments like "unpatriotic, an idiot, a school drop-out" etc...)

I love  my India...just as much as I love US, the country that gave me a chance to find myself, spread my wings and grow as a human being. I am thankful for the experiences from both these wonderful nations. However I  agree with AK...there is  intolerance, hate and violence and we are seeing outbursts of it daily in some form or the other...blaming it on a certain sect or a certain religion is myopic.

I want to begin my Thanksgiving Weekend on a positive note with a saying from Buddha..he says "Love is the gift of one's innermost self to another, so that we both can together be whole"...very wonderful sounding in words, so hard to practice in reality. Yes,  I am trying and teaching my son the same...Giving Thanks for what we have and Practicing Love and Gratitude (it doesn't come naturally to me and is WIP)

Taken on one of my trips to HK (I made it a point to visit all the Buddha temples in HK)

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Seven Habits : How not to be a Corporate Wallydrag?


This  picture is of a cool team (Oracle Social Cloud)  and we are promoting the #Idrivefor campaign by General Motors in support of breast cancer awareness. Tweet with the #Idrivefor  and GM will donate $5 to breast cancer research. I drive for my Dad (Bapa).


My Bapa was a do-er  (lobbying for houses for the Tsunami victims, building flyovers and Metrorail, inviting cutting edge industries to  invest in Tamil Nadu - he was always on the go) -- there has been so much of talk around cancer awareness this month, I lost him to cancer - so have been thinking of him constantly this month (and most other months).

A lot of the lessons I learnt from him I have applied to my day-to-day work and personal life. Some of these sound deceptively silly stupid but have worked for me consistently over the years

#1 Don't think Showing up Equates to Productivity -  Trying to solve issues, work through real problems for your company - ensuring that you are aligning your actions to the bigger company goals are critical. Don't get too comfortable with status quo
#2 If there is no work, find some - let's be honest when there are organizational changes, there is usually a lull in productivity and there is a lot of gossip time by the proverbial water cooler - I will be the first to admit that I do indulge in "some" gossip - however, I try and get updated on market reports, product training and professional training when I get these lag times. It  helps me feel rejuvenated, useful  and ready to tackle new problems.
#3 I eat craw - ok not to gross you out or anything , but this is my metaphor for the things I least like to do - I make my weekly to-do list (there is one for work and one for home). I keep a day for my least liked chores on the To-Do List ( hint : that day is Wednesday) -- so if I seem especially crabby on Wednesdays now you know.
#4 Fight the tyranny of the urgent - this was a concept I had read in a magazine article a while back and it stuck with me. There are urgent little things that have to be done "right now" that get in the way of the things that really matter for the business - these little things have a way of getting in the way of the big things ...unless it is something that my boss absolutely needs right away (look at the priority set) -- I try to schedule it in vs.letting it get in the way of real work.
#5 Give up Multi-tasking - I am a busy mom, multi-tasking is second nature to me - I am checking my email while I am cooking my son's pasta in the morning or quizzing my son while chopping the vegetables...what I have realized over the years is - sometimes that is just not enough. Our brains are wired to focus and when I multi-task, it reduces my performance and efficiency. I am trying mindfully to be 100% present in whatever it is that I choose to do at that moment
#6 Be Authentic - At the end of the day life is too short, so I am really WYSWG ( what you see is what you get) . I don't behave differently with people based on their standing in life. Having observed my father's interactions with people ( and being exposed early on in life to sycophants, cars with flashing red lights and a lot of undue attention - look there goes the collector's daughter!) ) - I realized really early in life that it's better to be who you are vs. wear airs. Maybe, that makes me naive but I know in the journey that is life I will be content and happy. And work place will be about real connections and friends.
#7 Practice Empathy - my father was so good at this but I was so quick to judge people based on their aptitude, attitude and capabilities. He always told me - Ma, everyone has a calling and everyone has a bad day. It is so easy to be the judge and the jury and so hard to go beyond the facts and look at what is really happening. Look at what is really happening and don't judge so quickly. My father is gone, and it's so hard for me to practice this but I am trying everyday.

At the end of the day only you can control your output at work and your feelings of accomplishments that go with it - key is to be true to yourself, make connections and help contribute to the business goals. So it's my turn to quit talking and start doing...let me know when you are ready to join me :-)




Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Before I was a mom...





I travelled around the world, ate four course meals, met interesting people...sat a while and had a drink, even wore make up most days

Before I was a Mom... I watched movies, got up when I wished on weekends, barely cooked, pigged on junk food most times and cussed like a sailor

Before I was a Mom... my house was a dream home...no extra toys or stuff, no legos lying around or bits and pieces of homework, soft toys and food

Before I was a Mom... I didn't worry about organic meals, balanced diet and home-cooked meals

Before I was a Mom... I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin, a hug or worried over a sniffle. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep. 

Before I was a Mom... I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom. 

Before I was a Mom... I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment, or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom


Happy 9th Birthday K2 - you are so loved !!!

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Tentative Parenting : The Phenomenon of Indian Standard Time

6.30 AM : I wake up to the irritating beeps of the smoke detector, signaling that it needed a new battery. Pulled the offending machine out and tried to change batteries, couldn't - so kept it aside.
7.00 AM : Attended to urgent emails and work stuff. Started the kettle, heated the milk for my son's morning hot chocolate, started packing his lunch box and snack bag. Get ready for work
7.30 AM : Wake son up and give him his milk, pack my lunch, clean up the kitchen and remind him to pack his school bag with homework, lunch and snack bag
8.05 AM : The prodigal son is still sitting with his half-finished milk staring into space...the shrill voices start and I start a count down for him to finish his milk...
8.26 AM : Half worn shoes, sleepy eyes and we rush the long distance of less than a mile to school...the prodigal son skips the assembly and goes straight to class to avoid getting a tardy

I am at my wits end as to how to fix this malaise... the prodigal son gives me a bewildered look - when I tell him - Why don't you stop adhering to Indian Standard Time...he says - but Ma I am Californian! (alrighty then!)

Are we Indians being branded wrongly - as the race that is perpetually late?  I believe there is no smoke without fire in this case...

 I am guilty as charged on the personal front - to family dinners, meeting friends...I do get a little lax with my rules but have a stringent double standard when it comes to work stuff - I need to be punctual...no excuses.

Here are a few guidelines I set for my son this week :

#1 Set Realistic Timelines - Plan backwards...see how much time you need to get ready for school, then add a 15 minute buffer - that's the time you need to get up in the AM
#2 Get Organized - Pack you soccer bag in the night, keep your shoes out and pack your homework the night before...to avoid running around like a headless chicken in the AM and helping convert your working mom into a screeching banshee.
#3 Enjoy Downtime - if you get to a place early, enjoy the 5-10 minutes of peace and quiet...we got to his soccer photo shoot 20 minutes early today...he played with his friends while I baked in the heat catching up with the soccer moms.

Lesson for Prodigal Son and Working Mom - Being on time,every time conveys more than a sense of good timing - it tells people that you are on top of things, organized, can be counted on for stuff and that you value them and their time and ultimately value yourself.


Saturday, August 29, 2015

Tentative Parenting : Dealing with Uncertainity


My son started 4th Grade on Wednesday - new teacher, some old friends and mostly new experiences. He jumped out of bed with a smile and said - Ma, I am ready. He did hold our hands briefly while walking to school but once there he quickly got his bearing and was ready for any curve ball life had to throw his way.


Ironically about the same time K2 was dealing with ambiguity in his life I was thrown a curve ball at work - rather than talk about what it was -- I will tell you that it has a reasonably large impact on my professional life. I don't know if I handled it with the same maturity and grace that my 8 years old showed, however I did want to share my learnings 

# Replace expectations with plans - this works really well for me as I am a planner - instead of expecting the future to give me something specific, when I am focused on where I want to get and how I get there -- I feel more comfortable.

#Be confident in your coping mechanisms - I am a typical Product Manager - I think of multiple outcomes for the same thing and usually plan for the worst one...I was pleasantly shocked when I read the book, The Positive Power of Negative Thinking,  (man! I should have written this book!) I was really on to something with defensive pessimism—when you consider the worst so you can plan how you’d handle it (without letting it bog you down!), you are mostly covered.

#Practice Mindfulness and Gratitude - As I was kissing my son Goodnight last night, I realized that I had been given a veritable treasure - a great family, good health, no wants and am a working mom who is able to balance her career & personal responsibilities. The reality is I know all this is transitional I might have this today and not have it tomorrow. I am grateful for what I have now...


# When all else fails go  Zumba - My best grief & stress management tool is Zumba (hands down) - Guess who went Zumba yesterday...thanks to my awesome friends and instructors for the extra love and the chance to drown my sorrows in sweat


Note to Self and Krish - Life as we know it is changing...however ambiguity is a beautiful thing - it presents wonderful opportunities. Take a minute to miss the old, then look ahead and prepare for the new.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Simple Living : Weekend Warriors

"We are driven to achieve, setting ourselves up with lofty goals striving week after week to meet these goals. However, these endeavors don't really nourish our souls completely...when the clock strikes 5.00 PM on a Friday, my mind does a mental hula ...it's time to stretch, work out the cricks in the neck...go for my Zumba class, hang out with my boys, walk the lake and admire the birds, visit my buddies at the farmer's market and concoct a new witch's  brew in my pristine kitchen...Weekend how I love you...you nourish me, nary a care and I always have something to look forward to ...."

When I looked up the definition of a Weekend Warrior - it said - a person who holds a regular job during the week which restricts their ability to party/go on trips/partake in awesome activities, and thus plans epic weekend adventures to compensate. As much variation and quantity of awesomeness is packed into the weekends as physically possible, warranting the rest of the work week to recharge for the next weekend.....SO this definition had me seriously tired. In my definition -  a warrior is a strong person both inside/out, compassionate, disciplined, self-aware,  constantly learning ...happy by themselves and with others...at one with nature.You ask me what makes the Weekend so special -- shouldn't every day be the same for a warrior...sounds great in theory, a bit hard to practice - especially when there are early morning lunch boxes to pack, early morning meetings, fire drills, deliverables, meal planning and cooking, paying bills...just the business of life ...seems to get crammed into the weekdays)

So what makes this Weekend Warrior tick?

#1 Lots of Exercise 

# 2 Nature Walks

#3 Lots of "Us" Time (walks, movie time, BBQ/meals together, xbox dancing). Us time includes our friends (my friend "P" stocked me up on Gongura Chutney, Sambar Powder, another amazing chutney for dosas and Mor Milzhgai...yum!)

#4 Farmer's Market (love the strawberry guy (Jaime), the Pie Lady (Marlee) and of course the egg guy (Ron)

#5 Food ( my killer recipe for the Chana Masala with sweet potatoes to follow)

The 5 "F's" that are integral to my weekends  are - Family & Friends, Fitness, Farmer's Market, Food and of course the flora & fauna :-)

How was your weekend? More importantly did you survive Monday?

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Simple Living : You are not alone!

"One in 10 people will deal with depression at some point in their life"



I have spent the last couple weeks : a little uneasy, overwhelmed, anxious, extremely fatigued (the word to use is bone-tired) and feeling like there was a dark cloud over my head. If you know me - you know *that's just not me*...so after a couple weeks or so of feeling that way and trying my usual repertoire of tricks -  positive reaffirmation, nature walks, gym...nothing worked. So I sent an email across to my doctor (gist of it ...sometimes I feel sorry for my doc ;-) )  - I just don't feel like myself.I am feeling out of sorts and blue. She gently reminded me of an overdue blood draw -- so I bit the bullet and got my blood tests done...guess what -- the verdict was severely vitamin D deficient ( D Deficiency causes depression, fatigue, joint and bone pain amongst a slew of other ailments... something we Indians are very famous for). Now I am on high dosage prescription "D" and I feel on top of the world again.

So if you are feeling down and out - remember you are not alone. There are mechanisms to cope...and sometimes like in my case it might be the case of a supplement/chemical (or lack of) - playing havoc in your body.When the going gets hard and you feel really alone...reach out for support (something I didn't do). I talked about feeling different after I found the root cause and fixed the issue (hindsight 20/20).

So this week I made myself a Chia Chocolate Pudding  (vaguely inspired by the Chia Pod - Dark Cacao Noir) just because I wanted to do something nice for "me".



Serves: 2
ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 table spoon  Organic Cacao  Powder( I used the Navitas Brand)
  • 1 table spoon  Organic Cacao Nibs ( For texture and crunch, you can skip - I used the Navitas Brand)
  • 2 Oz Chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup of Almond/coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon honey ( I added some stevia to make it a little more sweet)
  • Pinch of sea salt (add a pinch of cinnamon if you like cinnamon, I didn't)
PREPARATION
Add to a mason jar (or whatever bowl you are planning to make the pudding in. Whisk all ingredients together. Taste for sweetness. If you want it more sweet add more sweetener of choice. Let it sit in the fridge overnight and enjoy in the morning (it's great on it's own) or you can top it with some berries
Nutritional Insights : Calories per Serving - 300, Carbs - 30 g, Fat - 10 g, Protein - 8 g, Fiber - 11 g 
Chocolate is a huge mood elevator , Chia Seeds give you good fats especially an extra boost of Omega 3, the almond milk was fortified with Vitamin D and the honey helps build immunity - Definitely an easy recipe - that was great to taste and definitely good for you.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Simple Living : Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

Coke Peete, Whiskey Peete,
Bhool Gaye Nimbu Paani
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

Burger Khate, Pizza Chabate,
Bhool Gaye Dal Roti
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

So I got this mail from my manager last week and yes I had already seen this article the day it came out and it had motivated me to sign up for the Heart Study at the South Asian Heart Center  (the same study that I had my husband sign up for a year back)

Now I can hear you ask me -- what the heck are you talking about M? Get to the point. The point is K1  lost a 67 yo uncle to a heart attack on Tuesday (July 7th) and I lost a 43 yo cousin brother  to a heart attack on April 17th  and what this article is talking about is very real - we have an "Indian Heart" and with it comes the travails of an Indian Heart. I am a statistics kind of a girl, so here's what the article tells us -



  1. Indians have a 50-400% higher rate of heart disease  than other populations, regardless of geographic location.
  2. While most people think of heart disease as a “man’s disease", Indian women have an equally high disease rate as Indian men (yikes!)
  3. Being vegetarian doesn’t seem to protect Indians in the same way that it protects those of other ethnicities. Vegetarian Indians have a similar rate of heart disease as non-vegetarians. And maybe I am half glad I am not vegetarian ;-) ...kidding I am still at eating meat just twice a week.
  4. Being slim doesn’t protect Indians, either. Heart disease occur in Indians who have a normal BMI. I worked really hard to get my BMI to 20, so this is depressing !!!
  5. About one half of Indian men who have a heart attack are 50 years old or younger, and one quarter are 40 or younger. Yup #truth
What can you do about it?
  1. Advanced Testing - Conventional diagnostic tests are not enough. Advanced tests offered by the South Asian Heart Center are better indicators of the emerging risk factors (I just had my blood draw this week for the test)
  2. Understanding your RisksIf you are Indian and have high blood pressure, diabetes, an abnormal cholesterol profile, or a family history of  heart disease, or stroke, you may be at risk. 
  3. Personalized Comprehensive Heart Health Plan - Intervention, Medication, Diet, Exercise and Stress Reduction are mostly recommended depending on how your heart health is.
What did I do about it?
  1. Signed up for the heart health workshop (link above) - they run a very comprehensive panel of tests specific to gauge how your heart health is (my Lipid Profile & Sugar are better than normal but who knows what is happening inside...better safe than sorry!)
  2. Work out 5-7 times a week (non-negotiable with self)
  3. Read Ron Sinha's book - The South Asian Health Solution (highly recommended)
  4. Wear my fitbit - track my steps and sleep ( thanks Jen for adding me to the weekday hustle -- gets me to move more during the week)
  5. Cook 3-5 times a week at home and brown bag my lunch or eat a very standard lunch  (heart healthy) at the office cafe. I don't make any rice and very little grains (mostly quinoa and barley), lots of lentils and beans. We eat eggs regularly and a lot of veggies and fruits from the farmer's market. We lay off the carbs and stick to low fat on the dairy products.
  6. Practice Yoga and meditate regularly and read the Bhagvad Gita (gives me a different perspective on things...very grounding!) , take long walks with the family
  7. Practice Gratitude - it's so easy to ignore what we have and brood over what we don't. Listing what I have or what makes me smile that day is an easy way to be thankful. Try it - it really works !!!
  8. BollyX and Zumba every time the blues hit...maybe it's while I am cooking with Pandora blaring in the background...or it's a sweaty class with one of my favorite instructors.
  9. Participating in the American Heart Walk to help promote awareness  around heart health and volunteering for me is "getting back" ...feeling good about myself.
  10. Cook my son's favorite meals - an example below  (Quinoa with Lentils and Beans cooked Indian Style) , Matar Paneer (with low fat paneer), stir fried beans and a whole wheat chapati )




Are you having a great day -- Awesome,
Are you having a tough day...
Place a hand over your heart...it's still beating...
That means there is still hope...give your heart a chance!

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Tentative Parenting : Inside Out...


I am inside out, outside looking in,
No matter where I go,
I can't escape my skin
I can act cool, I can act proud
No matter where I go, I am still alone in the crowd
Inside Out, On the outside looking in
                                                           --- Tony Emmanuel 

As I was dusting off the cobwebs of sleep today in the last few minutes of Keith's Yoga Class (Savasana always does that to me...) I also mourned the fact to Uma Aunty that I will be taking K2 to watch "Jurassic World" and why couldn't he just watch "Inside Out" -- As kismet would have it my son changed his mind and we ended up watching "Inside Out". After yesterday's incident -- this was just the movie we needed to watch...

What was yesterday's incident you ask? Well K2 went for an Oakland's A's game with his camp - he got a little bit of money to spend at the stadium - long and short of it is he spent it on baseball cards - he got  really good  cards but doesn't really know much about baseball - did some bad trades and the results in the evening yesterday was this -

We had one sad kid at home and lots of water work...he got a lot of sympathy from dad who said the other kid tricked him into the trade... I was a little harder...let him cry for a while and then said he would lose his ipad over the weekend if the waterworks continued...I got the sad look but the water works miraculously stopped...

This movie had me thinking of the situation from K2's perspective :

(a) He was sad
(b) his friend had played a fast con on him ( I begged to differ!)
(c) He had no way to fix the situation

Sadness was the primary emotion here...however as Inside Out made it aptly clear to him and me today - sadness is not just healthy, it is essential for one's existence as happiness. The key is one needs to be comfortable in one's own skin and with one's own emotions....lots to think about BUT seriously pondering one's parenting skills at midnight after a glass or two of white is sub-optimal. So I will quit while I am still ahead.

Any plans for the long weekend? 

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Tentative Parenting : The little things in life...

"Enjoy the little things in life, for someday you will realize they were the big things."

Today feels like any other day...not that special or a one-off...I got up in the morning, feeling no different, made lunch for K2, got on a couple calls, went to a Yoga class...walked to lunch...attended meetings, picked K2 and spent time with the 3 boys (the 2K's and my brother "A")...yet it was so much more. It was a Birthday...and it was an incredibly memorable one...
# 1 My Ma face timed me to wish me 
# 2 Aura's wonderful message on FB
#3 K1 wishing me  in the AM
#4 Me talking to my grandma in Orissa
#5 The kids in the bus wishing me Happy Birthday
#6 Birthday wishes galore from my family and friends - whatsapp, fb, txt messages, voice messages (feeling so special and loved!)
#7 My Yoga teacher  Keith threw in 2 of my favorite poses - Kapothasana (Pigeon) and Gomukha Asana 
#8 I got myself vanilla cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and Mango Sorbet (that's what I wanted to eat today not the whole wheat carrot cupcakes :-) )
#9 Rashmi took me for an impromptu lunch at the Oracle Cafe
#10 On my way back to my office I saw this elegant bird fearlessly watching and waiting


#11 Dinner with the 3 Boys was wonderful...it was at my favorite Malaysian place....shaved mango ice (yum!)
#12 Wrapping up with a stroll around the lake... 

Someone once asked me - why do you love these birds so much...and K2 told them - it reminds her of Bapa (my father). I think these birds symbolized the life he wanted to lead - free unencumbered by worries, doubts, criticisms, dislikes and judgement.For my 21st Birthday he had brought me back this beautiful "Kiwi" pendant from New Zealand...and every time I wear it, I remember - it's the little things in  the life that count...

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Simple Living : Keen on Quinoa


“When you think yours is the only true path you forever chain yourself to judging others and narrow your perspective. The road to righteousness and arrogance is a parallel road that can intersect each other several times throughout a person's life. It’s often hard to recognize one road from another. What makes them different is the road to righteousness is paved with the love of humanity. The road to arrogance is paved with the love of self.” 
                                                     ----A Wise Woman


I was in the Oracle Building 200 Cafe waiting patiently all of 15 minutes for my small bowl of beans and cheese -- sounds unexciting -- well let me correct your misconception -- my lunch is something I look forward to in my mostly uneventful (read: unexciting!) day. I go downstairs and get this bowl of perfection - black beans, quinoa, lettuce, pico de gallo, salsa and cheese and it's a wonderful half hour at my desk with my plate/bowl of goodness.

OK...so I digress -- today was not like most other days -- I usually time my trip to the cafe between 11.00-11.15 AM when I am the only one in line and it's a quick in and out and off to my desk to eat. But today -- I stood in the line virtually counting sheep and people watching...I saw this really interesting Indian Woman standing in front of me - soft voice, soft demeanor (and big gold hoops) and I paid particular attention to what she was ordering...she ordered the brown rice instead of the quinoa...and after I ordered my bowl  -- we started talking and me in my usual steam rollering fashion extolled the virtues of quinoa over rice...in her soft voice - she told me - she is off quinoa. She told me it was because of environmental reasons...I was like is it harmful to the land (clueless! that's me!) -- she goes no - we are stealing the food literally from the mouths of the indigenous people in Peru/Bolivia. It made me feel guilty enough to go and google the issue. Am I going to give up eating Quinoa? Don't know yet -- love me my quinoa way too much to make that decision right this minute (and there's 5 lbs of Quinoa in my pantry that I am not tossing away!)...*head*hurts*

So putting the ethical aspects of  eating quinoa aside I made us for dinner a quick 15 minute Tofu Scramble.


Serves: 4 servings
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped Tomato
  • 1 Pack of Shelled Edamame (Trader Joes)
  • 1 Pack of any brand of Organic Extra Firm Tofu (scramble it)
  • 2 teaspoons masala powder - I used Roopak's  Aloo Kadhai Masala
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

PREPARATION

 Heat oil in large wok over medium heat. Add  onions and sauté until golden brown. Now add the tomatoes and sauté till it's all mushy .  Add the Masala Powder and then add the Edamame and the tofu.  stir  for 5 minutes.  Season with Salt, Cinnamon and Paprika (to your taste, the last 2 are purely optional, I use them). Stir in cilantro. Enjoy with a helping of cooked Quinoa (or brown rice!)
------------------------------------------------------------------
A simple belief  that has been further strengthened by this interaction with woman unknown is : everything that we do and everyone that we meet are put in our path for a purpose. There are no accidents; we're all teachers and we are being taught - if we're willing to pay attention to the lessons we learn, trust our positive instincts and keep ourselves open to suggestions and new ideas - we evolve and grow