Aparna's dotcom

Will Aaron meet Aurelia ?

2012-02-10T06:09:00.001Z

Yes... I have updated my fiction blog...

:)

PS : This is my 100th post....

Hello World

2012-02-09T14:50:00.001Z

"Hello World"...an odd title..yes..but most people who have learnt programming would have first programmed to print "Hello World" on to screen or to a file. I have no idea how this tradition began or if that's only true to me...

Anyways, I have associated the two words to my first program almost irrespective of which programming language I am learning! So, today, when I saw an album named "Hello World", I began wondering what it would have...

Well..surprise surprise..I have got a new favourite - the Lady Antebellum "Hello World" - which I am sure to be never be able to sing but what a beautiful message...please see the video while listening to the song...

Comments on your likes or dislikes on this song are welcome...

Where have I disappeared?

2012-01-23T08:40:00.000Z

A comment on my fiction blog that set me to thinking...the comment being "Where have you disappeared now?"

I do not know where I have disappeared...I feel rather hollow myself...I cannot feel the way I am or what I am thinking ... My mind's been occupied with one and only one thought - my PhD...the day I submit my thesis...I almost feel drunk on the same...Though, I must admit there are some days when the thoughts on it have tired me out so much, that I feel blank and I cannot think anything! Today is one of those blank days...

So dearest bloggers & followers...please forgive my absence that you will notice more often now ...

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T23:44:00.000Z

The date today is 1st of January 2012. So here's wishing you all a very Happy, Eventful & Prosperous New Year.

2012 - what is this year to bring to us? Personally, I have loads to complete within the first six months of this year, and the last six months are hidden behind clouds for the time being.

However, almost all have heard that in 2012, the world will end. I just discovered that the predicted date for the same is on Dec 21st 2012. Well, do I believe this prediction...yes and no. I am sure something might happen but I cannot believe the world will end in a day! I mean if "Rome cannot be built in a day" ...how can it be destroyed in one?

So...what are your goals for this year and what do you think about the world ending???

Are we over-connected??

2011-11-26T08:06:00.000Z

I find my interest towards Facebook ...no for that matter any social website decreasing per day and on some days per minute...

I have started thinking why? What did I want from such a website was finding my school friends and maybe once in a while saying hi to them..However, now I feel I am getting suffocated with Facebook...I hear people asking why I am still on it..sadly it has become almost the only way to keep in touch with the large number of friends (who I love alot).

I am also told very often told not to login for a few days but that is not possible... If I am there, I want to be there or not delete my own profile!

For some reason, I feel I am monitored and everyone is monitoring every move I take. (I must say I am not to be excluded from the monitoring...I do notice when my best friends do not post and start checking on them) ..What happened to all the privacy people used to love...I was the one who cared less for privacy but this is just too much for some reason...

Would anybody like to reason why this change of attitude in me? Or even more are there many other who agree or disagree with me?

Autumn

2011-10-28T09:37:00.001+01:00

The bus drove through a misty morning and the colours became more obvious than they have been on the white background. I felt the colours spoke to me and here is what they said...

The greens - stale and yet fresh , spoke of the year gone by... It triggered the beauty and a reminder of the year gone by.

The yellows -bright and smiling knowingly, spoke of all their hopes to hold on as long as they can.

While the reds slowly stated their farewells...they kept smiling and showed no sorrow for going but we can yet feel their sorrow..

The darker browns were holding on tighter to the trees and hoping the next strong wind not take them away...The sorrow that the reds were hiding is more obvious and out in the open.

....

So the trees strip all the leaves as a prelude to survive through the cold harsh winters that they will be facing...This brings me to the thought...is this not what most people are doing in the world today..trying to strip all the competition that they can in any manner so that they come out in the top..but the trees need to do it to live on...do we need to do that?????

Faking happiness

2011-10-12T15:58:00.000+01:00

This is going to be fun! This is third random topic generated by "http://www.blogtap.net/blogtopicgenerator/" . A very useful site for people like me who want to write a post but do not know on what!

I have faked happiness during several occasions. Why? Well, it was the easiest way to hide the actual turmoil (read as "insanity") that was going on in my head. In several occasions, I have done it as I do not want my dear ones that I am sad/irritated. I know if they knew it, they would feel hurt. And funnily, sometimes I do it unknowingly.

One situation where I didn't know I was doing it : One of my best friends was leaving the city that I was living and going for further education. I couldn't go and say bye to him but I acted as if nothing happened and that his leaving had no effect on me. Another friend who was staying with me and who knew me very well said, "Stop acting and smiling so much!" I was taken aback and said, "What do you mean?" She replied, "I know this is just a mask that you are putting on!" And well, there it was, I was faking it completely and I was caught but thankfully not by people who I was faking for.

The question is does faking happiness help? Well, if you ask people who are proponents of "Art of Living" would say, "yes". In Art of Living, you are asked to always keep smiling, even through your pains. It is to help you ease through them. I am not sure, I can't always keep smiling or faking happiness but I must admit it does help me get through situations that I do not want others to know!

Have you ever faked happiness? I believe everyone does at some point of time in their life. If you have passed through that stage, why did you do so? Did it help in anyway?

Coincidence or trigger or inspiration??

2011-10-06T11:55:00.002+01:00

I enjoy the Fortune Cookie Application on Facebook. It often triggers a trail of thought. Today (06th October 2011) mine said, "Decide what you want and go for it."

Unfortunately, today I also heard about the death of a legend, Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple Inc.) . The following video was shared by several on facebook and I had to watch the same.

It happened to be a very inspiring talk. He kept mentioning that one should follow one's heart. I have always been faced with the problem, I don't where my heart is. However, he said keep looking for it...so I shall.

Coincidentally, today is Vijaydashmi! In Kerala, on this day we have a ceremony of "Vidyarambham" (Vidya - knowledge & arambham - beginning) especially for children between 2-3 years old but also the best day to begin any new form of education or learning. I remember from my childhood days, my parents encouraged me to learn or read some educational books. I also remember, the early morning hunger pangs when we had to sit and write on the floor English & Malayalam alphabets, numbers and even sing a few Carnatic (Indian Classical) songs (as both my sister and myself had learnt some vocal before we got our morning coffee and breakfast. Traditions during childhood were cumbersome & irritating but now as an adult and not being my homeland, they seem to be a solace. (Sorry for the deviation!)

Thus, I am inspired again, to find what I love doing & pursue it. I am in a mood to start my own career in whatever I love...I say that as I still do not know what it is...And amazingly I am reminded, it is fine to feel stupid or foolish. Steve Jobs ended his speech with a quote "Stay hungry and stay foolish!" which reminded me of an article that said to be a scientist you needed to be a bit ignorant (therefore stupid) & curious . I had the following image (a snapshot from the article as my desktop background for a very long time).

I know the above is probably seem a ramble and not very connected but for me, the coincidences and the connection is clear . I couldn't help mentioning it .....

Any comments???

Influence - good or bad?

2011-10-04T21:49:00.002+01:00

Warning: This is a general ramble and might sound as I am depressed but I am not! These are just thoughts that needed mentioning anyway I could!

Today's topic is one I have been brewing in my head for way too long...

Let me just get it out...

Influence...The influence of the media on a whole, especially movies - both Hollywood & Bollywood on me!!

I know movies are not real when I am awake and practically thinking about it. I know what is portrayed is not what happens in real life. I know that the world will move on with or without me...there is no individual that cannot live without me...

But yet, sometimes I wish to hear the words

"You are butter to my bread and breath to my life" (Julie & Julia)

and would like to truly believe it....I would also like to hear:

"I would have missed you even if we didn't meet!" - Nick Mercer to Kat Ellis in the movie The Wedding Date

So in simplest of words, how much ever I disagree and would prefer to disbelieve that the movies have not influenced me...I know it has, simply because I hope to hear such words.....

Laughter is the best medicine.

2011-09-28T13:12:00.000+01:00

The post of this title is a well-known quote. I googled the quote to find its origin, but didn't find much. The closest I found was a similar quote from the Bible :

"A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones." -Proverbs 17:22 (New King James Version)

I have noticed when I am completely saturated and frustrated about my daily routine, I tend to laugh a lot. I crack the poorest jokes and start with small giggles, then this proceeds further to loud laughs. This was done very unknowingly for a very long time and then I noticed it. But now when I do it, is when I realise I am saturated and I need a break from my routine...I must admit I pretty enjoy laughing for no reason at all. I find my laughter breaks help me recover and I am fresher to restart ...

So, how many of you have similar laugh-breaks or feel that laughter is the best medicine?

Aurelia - back to the present (part 13)

2011-09-10T13:24:00.001+01:00

Please go and read Aurelia...as it continues into the present...

Har ek friend zaroori hota hai (All kinds of friends are necessary)

2011-09-07T14:13:00.003+01:00

This is one of the latest advertisement by Airtel, one of the mobile network providers...

It was shared by one of my friend's on Facebook...and I must admit that it touched my heart...

I am a person who loves my friends...all of them ...and I need all of them ...all the time..so obviously...

So this post is dedicated to my friends!

Thank you being there and remember I need all of you!!

Patchwork people

2011-08-24T19:18:00.004+01:00

I couldn't help writing a second entry...the prompt was prompting me a bit too much....

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Tina, a girl who was about ten, knocked on each door of the neighbourhood and sweetly asked for any scrap cloth at the end of every month. Most of the time, she used to be shooed away and told to come later. She had an amazing memory and kept a good tab of who said to come later. Unfortunately, when she did go later, she would be asked to come later again or scolded for disturbing so often....However, Tina never gave up.

Rita and her husband had just shifted to the neighbourhood a few days ago. Rita was busy re-arranging the furniture in their new house, when Tina rang the door bell for the first time.

Rita ran and was astonished to find a tiny girl at the doorstep. She observed her very keenly and thought, "this girl must be only about eight years old..what is she doing here and not at school."

Rita smiled and asked Tina who was shyly glancing at her, "Yes dear, how can I help you?"

After a small pause added with some concern and sadness remembering that her husband had mentioned that he will send someone to help her with the house, "Are you here to help me?"

Tina smiled and said, "I could help you but I also require some help from you. I would appreciate it if you could me pass me any spare cloth that you have.."

Rita queried,"Spare clothing for you to wear?"

Tina said, "No, any piece of cloth that you do not have any use for..."

"Sorry dear, I have just shifted and still need to sort out things to see if I have any I can give you..."

Tina had taken a fancy to this new lady. So she just frowned and said, "That's OK...How can I help you madam?"

"Oh no dear...I was looking for an adult, I could not make you work." She quickly added, "Will you not come in give me some company for tea?"

Tina nodded and willingly went in. Rita led her to the kitchen, and poured some tea into a cup and served some cream biscuits on a matching plate. When she turned, she found Tina sitting on the floor and observing her from a corner of the kitchen.

Rita laid the tray with tea and biscuits on the table and told her to come to the table.

Tina replied, "No madam, I shall sit here... people like me are not allowed to use the table."

Rita picked her up from the floor and took her to the table.

Tina smiled. Rita asked her name, age and why she wasn't in school while Tina drank tea and had the cream biscuits for the first time from very expensive china that she was ashamed to touch.

Tina told Rita about how her grandmother, her only relative didn't have money to send her to school. She added how it was her idea of helping in collecting cloth from houses and how her granny wasn't very pleased with the idea for a very long time.

Rita asked her while caressing her, "What does your grandmother do with all the scrap cloth?"

Tina looked up and smiled as she spoke how her granny ingeniously patches up the scrap into nice thick blankets or sheets of different sizes along with a few others who learnt the trade from her. Then, more gravely Tina spoke of how she takes the sheets to a shop nearby where the owner hardly pays anything.

Rita was astonished but just asked, "Where do you all stay Tina?"

Tina answered that they stay at one end of the neighbourhood, near the river and are called the "Patchwork people".

When he awoke, something was missing

2011-08-23T14:14:00.004+01:00

It was a cold winter morning. It had been snowing for two continuous days and the couple was stuck at home.

Though both of them worked and hardly got time with each other, the past two days, they hardly talked. Any conversation that did happen ended in a fight. The previous night, they fought pretty furiously and it ended with her crying near the fireplace and he stomping out of the room in anger.

The next day was their wedding anniversary. He got up with a smile on his face in spite of the noise the snow sweeper was making outside. He expected a fresh day and a day where his wife would have forgiven him and love him as she always did...

However, that was not to be so...something was missing. He waited for about half-hour in bed for his coffee, called out his darling's name several times, but with no response , he finally got out of bed in search of her... He looked through all the rooms but she was not be found.

He was getting frustrated and irritated with her but then found a note in the kitchen held with a cup of coffee..

"Dear,

I am tired and I need a break. I am going to my parents' for a few weeks. I am sorry to be doing this on our day but everyday I have been making excuses for you . I cannot handle it any more..I am also a person who has my needs and want to be understood ...just as much as you. I cannot adjust anymore....

I love you loads but this for our betterment and not a punishment..I just want some space...

Love,

Yours."

Tears welled his eyes, he suddenly woke up, and found something which he had taken for granted was missing....

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Response to Inspiration Monday prompt.....

Better left unsaid or The only way to stop him

2011-08-16T21:54:00.001+01:00

A lady and a gentleman meet through the blogging community.

The lady really liked the gentleman's blog posts and began commenting. And he began commenting on hers and encouraging her to write more..She felt for the first time in her life that she was being taken seriously and someone wanted to hear her...

They became e-mail and chat friends but she being influenced a bit too much by her environment misunderstood her blog friend and kept silence.

Then at some point, she realised her mistake and missed that blog/chat friend. So she returned and apologised. The gentleman being kind and gentle accepted her apologies and began talking to her again.

This time around, she did want the friendship and really was glad that at least someone was reading what she wrote. However, she was not good at acknowledging the same. She also became extremely busy with her work and was getting a bit stressed from the same. He sent her e-mails but she being the biggest procrastinator never replied. So there was again an unintentional silence between the two.

Then, at some point he gave up and thought he was not being appreciated. He sent her his last e-mail and said I shall not be reading you and keeping any contact with you anymore.

When she read his e-mail, she felt anger and then a sadness. She was so overwhelmed she thought she better leave her thoughts unsaid.

But, no she had agreed and promised to this pen friend, that she will tell him frankly what she feels. SO she kept up to her promise, sent her apologies, told him that she understood and will not persuade him not to leave her alone. She also said that she was very thankful for his comments and will miss them.

She had resolved that she will maintain the silence that he now preferred but felt saddened throughout the day. Every five minutes after her reply, she refreshed her e-mail, hoping he would forgive...And as a last resort she decided to write a blog-post on her experience with her pen-friend whom she admires and values a lot.

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Yes, the lady is me...and this is a post for the 30th Inspiration Monday prompts at bekindrewrite .

Free writing exercise

2011-08-08T14:37:00.000+01:00

This is an exercise I saw on A space to be me .

From the day I read it, I wanted to try the same...but my biggest problem in writing for ten minutes is keeping myself undisturbed for ten minutes. I am just a very restless person nowadays, probably became like that due to the juggling of all my work. I know it is not the best way, but I cannot seem to prioritise my work, so I multi-task, giving a few minutes to each of the tasks ...result : total confusion and mess in my head and on the screen!

Anyway, today I have decided to give undivided ten minutes to this exercise.

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Ok...here I go...I have started the ten min counter on my mobile...I wonder I could type so fast?
Well, firstly what am I going to type for ten mins ..God alone knows!
I have been hearing very nice songs on my iPad through the application TuneIn Radio...one of the channels...I usually play my ipod...today I was in a mood to listen to random songs, so the radio it was to be...
My Facebook window says I have received some notification and I am very tempted to cancel this exercise to go and check the message...but I am resisting the feeling! What else...I just said I am hearing nice songs...but the one I am presently hearing doesn't seem to end!
I have no idea what more to type...I feel very blank...The song is becoming louder and making me more blank...oh God!How many more minutes do I have?
I just read one article on holding on to Friendships...well I really hold onto mine..most often a bit too tight! But yet when I see some photos of my classmates getting together...I wonder why is it that I don't have friends that mature the same way...Well I do have friends that are long-lasting and I do meet them...but all individually...I have never gone to a place to meet more than one friend at a time...sometimes I wish I could go to a reunion! However, whenever a re-union has been organized ...I have always been stuck elsewhere! That's just my luck...though I shouldn't complain...but cannot help it...sometimes I realise my luck is terrible with getting together with people! I mean I have missed 3 weddings after landing in UK!! That's just plain unfair...is it not???
Sorry...got so lost...I had to check how much time I had left...This exercise is not for me!!!
Thank you Sree(knot2share)
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When the world goes silent...

2011-08-01T23:14:00.000+01:00

Silence is deafening to me... Many say we need to observe things in silence. Many also say that silence help you grow spiritually by keeping you in touch with your own. But...this is a capital lettered BUT ... I do not like silence...it only increases all my doubts and worries...I like to talk and hear people talk...I am uncomfortable with silence..I do not know how to cure this feeling..I know I want to ...but maybe some people are just meant to feel the way I do...Is it simply better that we talk and we listen to everyone talking? Any ideas for curing this ailment of mine or should I leave it as is and believe it is for the balance in the world???

Meeting on a boat

2011-07-05T21:28:00.007+01:00

Yes...I had a meeting / workshop on a boat...it was a meeting organised for the benefit of the PhD students under the supervision of my supervisor's collaborators. I must say it was an interesting, useful and relaxing trip.

One Tuesday evening, we all convened on the clipper Oostvogel . We, the PhD students stayed in the clipper till Friday. We sailed for two hours on Wednesday and Thursday and the whole day on Friday on the Lake Ijseelmer in Amsterdam.

I am not going to bore you all about what we were taught or how the meeting went...but here are some photos from the sailing...The photos are a bit boring ...sorry I can't share the photos of people...

Aurelia part 12...read on

2011-06-21T16:56:00.000+01:00

Hi all...

I have added one more part to my never-ending (or so it seems) fiction ...check it out using the link below:

http://aparnasdotcom.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/aurelia-part-12/

Extreme Boredom....

2011-05-24T19:59:00.002+01:00

Yes...extreme boredom brought me to Google (should google as a verb be capitalized? Is it accepted as a word?? ) "Boredom"...

One of the first hits was Wikipedia...which I clicked on ...I read a bit of how Wikipedia defines boredom...and learnt that the word was first used by Charles Dickens...but I am not here to re-write what Wikipedia has written...so go Wiki the word...

What caught my interest was the diagram below (courtesy Wikipedia!):

A nice colourful diagram...and I am still a kid when I see colours and diagrams...I think my brain enjoys it much more than words...probably why I am bad with words and still prefer making cool graphs of results I find...sorry for the deviation...

Ok ...this is a game for all my fellow bloggers and readers...I want all of you to comment on subjects that give rise to each of these emotions...I shall start it to give you the idea...

Knitting gives relaxation. (I have been trying to knit and I just realised it is a very skilled task...so only when you get highly skilled, the challenge level becomes low and thus it becomes a relaxation!)

Now, please give it a go for all of them...I want to hear y'all...

A tribute to Technology

2011-05-19T21:04:00.001+01:00

Yes...this is my way of showing appreciation...

I have been pretty ill and alone the past week...and if it was not for the ability to call my family and friends who are staying in another continent, another country or few miles away , I am pretty sure I would not have survived...

If it was not for the computer ...if it was not for the internet...if it was not for facebook, I would be in tears as I would be lacking the company and the amount of time I manage to not know because of it...

If it was for the ingenious invention of the television and the broadcasting on the same...I would miss the movies, the serials and again would have to much time in my hands...

And my mind if left idle...is truly a devil's workshop...so I am just plain lucky and glad that I am living in an era of technology...

Another award ...really ? ...for me...

2011-04-21T15:28:00.000+01:00

First I have to thank Sanand for the award which I hereby graciously accept...I must say awards really encourage me to go on with this blog...if not anything else I find new friends!

Now for seven facts about myself...hmm ...this is going to be difficult...let's see..

1. I am from a very close-knit family ... My definition of family includes my grandparents, parents, sister, uncles, aunties, cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, .....basically almost every genetic relationship that is defined in a dictionary. There is a saying in a Hindi movie named Yaadein, where the mother says to the father and daughters that you should "Make friends in family and Happiness is forever"...I have loads of friends in family...so I believe my happiness is assured.

2. The above does not mean I believe that "Blood is thicker than water!" ...because I do not! I have many friends...thank GOD for them...and all of them hold a very special place..

3. I have never had a long-term goal in my life and I am still looking for it .... I do not think I am very ambitious...though I like doing whatever I do to the best of my abilities...

4. I am almost always very content with what I have...if I complain about life treating me badly..it is mostly because I forget how lucky I am...

5. I believe I am just plain lucky to be a PhD student in Cambridge... I have a low self-esteem but I can easily come across as a confident person...how...I do not know!

6. I love art & craft as much as I love Science!

7. I believe I stick quite rigidly to my principles and values. My friends also say that once I have taken a decision in my head, I am stubborn...though I would love to disagree to that! LOL

Now to share this award...I think all my blogger friends deserve it and so here it is.. I present it to all of you...

PS: Coming up with 7 facts about myself was very difficult!!!!!! Hope to see others list theirs!

Vishu ....

2011-04-17T17:51:00.000+01:00

Hi and Happy Vishu (sorry a bit belated) to all !

This year, for the first time, I kept a Vishu kani for myself and here I share it....

Hope you like my first kani...

Boredom & Curiosity

2011-04-14T13:53:00.000+01:00

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." - Dorothy Parker

I read the above quote and two things popped into my head...

1) Interesting, thought-provoking for a person who is bored.
2) If the cure for boredom is curiosity and there is no cure curiosity, I should develop that...but what does one do for a lack of curiosity...how does one cure that?

Well..what did those thoughts are now being realised as a post. I almost started with dictionary meanings of boredom and curiosity...then decided against...in the fear of getting everyone bored instead of curious ... :-)

So does anyone know a cure for lack of curiosity??????

Aurelia awake....go find out more ...

2011-03-31T15:39:00.000+01:00

http://aparnasdotcom.wordpress.com/2011/03/31/aurelia-part-11

Sorry, I couldn't keep up to my promise...I am having loads of trouble to posting on my blogs as everyone must have noticed...

Well, I have also been terrible at reading y'all ...I am sorry...I shall get back to it...and back to commenting...but a few more days might be required for that...

Hope y'all understand...and keep reading...see you soon...