Revisiting Life...

A dark stormy night,

Rain pouring, the stormy waters riled,

The winds incensed, the clouds seething

Nature setting up a jangling chord of dissonance.

Seeking for answers,

Finding a milion riddling questions,

I am drowning in uncertainity

Lost and not finding...

It seemed like the world was making peace,

A gentle breeze, the sea calm,

Like a Phoenix, igniting,healing and self-creating,

I revisit Life....

The past few weeks have been puzzling, introspective and extremely uncomfortable. Have I totally recovered...I don't think so. My voice for one is a "Lost Cause"...fighting a battle with Laryngitis and losing it...there were other decision making points...I think I have tried to approach every problem with a brave front and dignity...I guess the key to remember is I am not alone.

I have been attracted to the story of the Phoenix...Simurg (for Persians) and Garuda (for Hindus, Lord Vishnu's vehicle of choice)....a beautiful mythical bird with miraculous healing powers... a colorful plumage and a tail of gold and scarlet. Towards the end of its life journey, it sings a beautiful song, ignites and burns to ashes and from those very same ashes it is reborn...thus immortalizing it's existence...the concept is comforting.

Thanksgiving has been a quiet week...How has life been treating you?

A Dab of mustard Oil and a clove of Garlic

Have I ever told you how facinated I have been with alternative herbal health remedies - for the past two months given my little guy's bouts of illness from Viral fevers to colds to coughs to ear infections and allergies...I have seen a varied spectrum of germs....the pediatricians here mostly prescribe antibiotics of which I am very "anti"...so the researcher in me has been researching home remedies both Indian and American of doing 2 things this winter - (A) Build up immunity (B) Fight the flu

Let me start with the immunity builders first -
(A) Get your Omega 3 and Omega 6 -- I rely on my son's gummy bears (Flintstone)

(B) Rhinos Gummy Bear (Vitamin C, Zinc and Echnicea) --- you get these at Whole Foods

(C) Shatavari Kalp - A ayurvedic herb, that I mix into a cup of warm fatfree milk and drink on the mornings I am feeling run down

(D) A spoon of honey (whenever I feel like popping a candy into my mouth)

(E) Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (I buy raw pumpkin seeds from Whole Foods and dry roast them in the microwave)

(F) I just get into bed an hour early the nights I feel run down...curled up with my favorite cook book or listening to some soothing music

(G) A cup of herb tea (I love peppermint tea or chamomile tea with honey)

Some of my home remedies for the Flu -

(A) I drink hot cups of green tea with a splash of lemon and honey every 3-4 hours

(B) Plain clear chicken soup with fresh black pepper (the recipe is in one of my older blogs)

(C) I take Mustard oil - 1 table spoon, Crush one large pot of garlic and add black jeera (ajwain or Caraway Seeds) -- I boil for about a minute. I massage my son for 15 minutes with the warm oil. Let him soak it for another 15 minutes and give him a quick shower in Vicks Soothing Vaporub (Johnson Bath).

(D) I process 1 knob of fresh ginger with holy basil leaves (Fresh) and strain the juice. I add it to honey and take the syrup about 4-5 times a day

(E) My go-to-remedy - A strong cup of Indian Chai laced with lots of fresh ginger

One of my go-to-meals when I am ready for some home comfort is -- Khichadi ( I do vary the recipe -- I use Basmati Rice or sometimes Bhutanese Red Rice or Nutty Brown Rice, I roast the Moong Dal and I sometimes add in Carrots and Beans to give it the vegetables it needs to round it off as a complete meal)...

Here's to a healthful, restful and happy Winter for Y'All !!!

Hitting Ground Zero...

Yesterday, I was making my way to pick up K2 from his pre-school to get his H1N1 Vaccine, there was a slight dampness in the air from a drizzle, the skies were grey…yet, the ground had this wonderful freshly washed earthy scent (if I could bottle it I would!)…my mind was whirring by me…and I seemed to be moving on automatic. It hit me right there and then how close to Ground Zero I was. I think a lot of us spend most of our time keeping our lives compartmentalized, organized and functioning without realizing that it took very little to make it a bubbling seething cauldron of confusion, chaos and gratuitous emotions. A call from India 3 weeks back about a loved one’s health, a prolonged flu attack coupled with my son’s flu and ear infection, a whirlwind trip to the Far East that warped up my time clock and of course the incessant errands and constant mental chatter professionally plus my intense need to maintain some semblance of normalcy, all mingled together making my organized living, a living chaos. I went spinning in this roller coaster ride an unwilling party who didn’t really take back control and this week I said to myself – Enough Already! There shall be order from chaos (really I didn’t invent that term, the ancient Hebrews and Darwin had thought of it already). I am kicking back and trying to regroup on my way forward and honestly speaking the road ahead is as clear as mud.

Diwali came by in gloomy October, just as the sun lost a veritable battle of wills to the moon and we started having shorter days and longer nights…some days were spectacularly warm and we were able to take walks in the nearby trails…other days were so cold, we were stuck inside the house with a warm cup of herbal tea spiked with Orange Honey.K1 traveled to Europe for a week and when he got back I left for Asia for 4 days. I love being in Asia – the vibrancy, the constant movement, the heat, the people, the food and of course the shopping (And the bargaining) just make me feel in my element. I did take a small detour to the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddha’s, which was serene and picturesque, I prayed hard...ate wonderful dim sum and Cantonese renderings of the Chinese cuisine…work wise the trip was a success. I came back to non-stop action – from getting planning work done for work to getting my son ready for Halloween. K2 was a trooper – flawlessly executing on his master plan of getting the maximum candy loot – in a sing song voice saying – Hawwow Uncle/Aunty – TrickRTreat! I was amazed at the amount of candy he amassed.

I spent the weekend cooking up a storm from the pickings from the Farmer’s Market – Chinese Broccoli, fresh baby Pak Choi, Crisp Green Beans and Cucumbers, Arugula, Fiery Scotch Bonnet and Thai Red Chili Peppers. I also picked up Organic Brown Eggs (K2 loves EggnCheese now!!!), Asian Pears, Pomegranates, and Organic Apples. We ate this entire week at home which is very unusual but it felt good to be able to put healthy food on the table with minimal effort – A quick sauté of greens, a warm celery soup (with Carrots and Leek) and a grilled cheese, onion and tomato sandwich...20 minutes from Kitchen to plate (psst….the celery soup was a labor of weekend love which took 2 hrs to sauté, simmer and make…and then frozen but who is counting…). The next 2 weeks are crucial for me but I am sure I will emerge a stronger person emotionally and mentally…and if not – Hey! I lived and learnt!

How is your weekend treating you so far…?

P.S - The picture above is one of a street dimsum vendor in Mongkok who was shooing me away, telling me no pictures :-)

Of Paper Boats and Chocolate Cakes...

Have you had a week where all you wanted to do was crawl under the comforter and just sleep the week away...try this week for me...Monday saw K1 leaving for a trip to Europe, K2 was running a temperature and throwing up...a visit to the doctor and a prescription of antibiotics later, I decided to keep him home vs. send him in to pre-school...the rest of the day was spent entertaining the little one and keeping him hydrated...need I say the rest of the week was busy -- meetings, I lost my voice talking too much with a sore throat...Thursday saw me craving a respite and I wanted to bake a cake...I am not much of a baker but trying to bake a cake from scratch is therapeutic. My mother is old school, she really believes you need to bake a cake to perfect measurement and timing while I am a lazy baker...I throw things together and 90% of the time the end product is absolutely delicious...the other 10% of the time - talk to my dog!

I had half a bar of dark belgian chocolate ( this is 1/2 bar of a 1lb bar, so about 200 grams of pure 72% dark chocolate). I melted this first in a hot bath. I added in a pat of butter to the melted chocolate and whipped in about half a cup of all-purpose flour, then I added in some evaporated sugar (3 tbspoon), vanilla essence, Baking Powder, 3 Organic Brown Eggs and , 1 tspoon instant coffee, baking powder. Meanwhile I pre-heated the oven to 350 degrees F...Grease the cake pan and pour the mix in. I pretty much bake the cake till my nose tells me its done...no exact timing....the cake was dense and rich...not too sweet but delicious. I call this my "No-Recipe Chocolate Cake Recipe"...vs. a "No-Fail" Recipe...because honestly I don't know if I can recreate the recipe, everything was so spontaneous, random and unmeasured...

Tonight I made a paper boat for K2...my first one in 22 years. I actually had to look up the web to find a DIY instruction to make the boat, I had forgotten...he is excited and has finally fallen asleep with the paper boat in hand...it took me about 15 minutes to make the boat (yeah! don't call me artistic) but to see that smile on K2's face...PRICELESS

For the weekend I want to leave you with this poem by Emily Dickinson filled with pathos and yet a weird sense of hope

Adrift! A little boat adrift!

(I)Adrift! A little boat adrift!
And night is coming down!

Will no one guide the little boat

Unto the nearest town?

(II)

So Sailors say -- on yesterday --

Just as the dusk was brown

One little boat gave up its strife

And gurgled down and down.

(III)

So angels say -- on yesterday --

Just as the dawn was red

One little boat -- o'erspent with gales

Retrimmed its masts -- redecked its sails --

And shot -- exultant on!

Meeting Mania and Making Do...

Today was rough...try 7 meetings from 11.00 AM through 4.00 PM (on about 3 hours of sleep the night before)...my mind kept wandering to places I didn't want it to go to...anxious, cooking up scenarios that product managers are so famous for...yet like clockwork, I was able to get done with all the tasks at hand...For a student of sociology I am really famous (or is it infamous) for shunning meetings...Enough said on meetings.

For the past couple days introspection has been my middle name...if I had to find someone I related to on TV try "Monk" or "Monica" from Friends...life neatly organized, things compartmentalized...yet recent events have me convinced that the last thing any of us have is "Control"...I was watching the cartoon movie "Kungfu Panda" (yeah! yeah! smirk away...but it did keep my 3 year old entertained) and the old master -- the tortoise said something profound - Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is unknown yet you have today...that is why it is called the Present...it's a gift...unwrap it...Life sometimes becomes so robotic, we try to dissect our past and plan for our future, that today just becomes a meaningless jumble of activities...we forget to stop and take a deep breath of the clean air around us, look back at the beauty of achievements and the offerings of the present instead focusing on the unachievable...I don't want to just "make do"...I want to start living...and I hope so do you...don't get lost in the jungle of mindless activity...instead focus on making every minute beautiful and meaningful. Hug your loved ones...cherish the goodnight kisses from your little son or daughter, read them their nursery rhymes, listen to your favorite song (I did today)...don't postpone it to tomorrow...

Last Weekend was Diwali...on Friday...we hung out at home and chilled. On Saturday, we went over to S&K's place for a Diwali party. We had a wonderful time meeting friends old and new, gorging on dosas and idlis and also playing "Mafia"...Sunday was another light-hearted day spent with L&V...L is my friend from school. The week has been hectic -- mostly because K2 is sick again ( I blame pre-school) and K1 is travelling, so it has been tough juggling work and a sick child.


Has your week been meeting free...or are you having bouts of meeting mania....?

Glass Half Full...

It's Friday evening already and yet it still feels like Tuesday in my mind...when your schedule is full, you barely know where the time whizzes by. Monday was R's B'day and we marched down to R's house where M had made lovely khichadi and carrot cake...K2 was happy to see them and it felt good celebrating together. Tuesday, we took K2 to Toys R Us and he got a collection of glow in the dark dinosaurs and a v-tech story reader for his B'day. I got home late on Wednesday which was K2's 3rd B'day so we took K2 for dinner at Chilis -- he enjoyed himself especially making a mess and singing all the nursery rhymes he knew, saying Hi Uncle, Hi Aunty to all the strangers....Thursday both K1 and I got home late and the fridge had no Milk...oops! so a trip to TJ's turned into a little treasure hunt - Celery Hearts, Shelled Edamame, Multi-Grained French Toast, Mini Cinnamon Buns (frozen), Gyozas, Almond Cookies, Rice Pudding, Ghoulie Gummies with liquid tummies...Friday was a whir of activities...get up real early, get K2 ready for school with lunch packed, get self ready and try to meet a work deadline...evening saw us picking up K2 and I coerced K1 into taking me to Whole Food Markets for some unneccessary neccessary buys (pate, turkey meatloaf, thai chicken wings, greek yogurt, pumpkin cider...you get the drift)...K2 is fed and in bed watching Mickey Mouse and K1 is fed and watching some finance show downstairs and I am waiting for K2 to fall asleep to call family in India....

In India, it is Diwali already...I visualize the smoke from fire crackers, the tantalizing smells from the kitchen of Ma making Mithai, the jingle of the bells in the puja room, the whizzing of the rockets...followed by the whining of a frightened dog and the tinkling laughters of little children...I miss it and more than that I miss passing along that sense of excitement and anticipation to K2...I am sure going to try...I know he will get Santa but along with Santa I want him to get my favorite god "Ganesha"...I want him to get "Diwali" and I want him to feel a connection to his "roots"...I feel a pang but with it I know that the Glass is Half Full...yet I am content...Hope your weekend is fun filled and joyous...Have a Happy & Prosperous Diwali!

Yesterday's Child...

Not long back, I was walking along the bay behind our house with K1 and K2 when we ran into this gaggle of geese, a mommy, a daddy and 14 geeselings...very cute family with the babies trying to balance themselves carefully on the slippery slope. They bought a smile to everyone's face with their antics. The next day while I was driving to work, I saw (much to my horror) that one of the adult goose had been run down by a car... and the other adult was waiting on the side with the babies...I spent time stewing on the fact that people were not considerate around where I live ( which oh! by the way has been classified protected for endangered wild species) to drive slowly and protect these beautiful birds and animals...

Reminded me a poem I had written when I was thirteen for this beautiful flower which lay in the college corridor, no one stopped to pick it up and a lot of people just walked right over it -

Yesterday's Child

Gone are the fragrances which once adorned her,
She lay wilted and shuddering...
A cast-off reminder of happy yesterday,
The breeze soon scatters her petals.
The unhappy stalk is crushed underneath hurrying feet;
As I passed her by, I saw her lying broken and torn.
I gently picked her up and wondered -
Why such a fate for so pretty a thing?
I placed her in my notebook and gave a sigh,
Because I knew she was a faded Yesterday's Child....

Past week has been rough,with K1 fighting a flu and a ear infection and I was bogged down with the same flu...we are much better now. Next week will be eventful with K2's 3rd B'day and Diwali...we went down to a Diwali Mela this weekend and K2 had tonnes of fun playing with other kids. I picked up 6 Tintin DVDs for him, I think I am probably more excited about watching them than he is...we stuffed ourselves with Indian Style Pizza, Choley Baturas and Chaat...thanks R&M for inviting us...How was your week and weekend?