One Life

Meeting Haiti earthquake victims

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:25:00 +0000

In the past, often I had heard about the Haiti earthquake and hunger in Somalia but it didn't really pinch the reality out of me but today I had the opportunity to meet the victims of these tragedies. Volunteering with Bostoncares has taken a significant place in my calendar this new year. I enrolled into volunteering activities of different types. The first time I set foot into Jewish Vocational Services, I admit I was intimidated by the huge African build of most people around me. They might look alike but no two people are really alike. I worked with victims from Somalia who moved to USA months and years ago in the hope of basic necessities and a good life , students from Kenya who moved to USA because of war, earthquake victims of Haiti, Indonesians, Nepalese... As an English speaking, educated person I was helping them fill job applications. The reality literally pinched me when I saw a Reason for Leaving previous job filled with "war started". America, with all its faults, has done a great job as a developed country should by accepting these people to live and work under refugee status.
Real life has so many tragedies and yet we crib about economic crisis, stock price drops and layoffs. I wonder if any of those people whose houses came down in a quake or got bombed, relatives shot down, would care about a few thousand points on the stock market. How different live are and vaguely similar. In the end we all want a home to come to, food, some love and maybe lots of money :)

Snoring Sagas

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:36:00 +0000

First of all, Happy New Year folks!

This incident is ridiculously funny to me. Because it happened to me. I am a person who values extreme personal space and haven't shared a room with anyone in ages since I have been an adult. But as evolution demands, I got married and came to share room with the partner. Rhe idea of another being watch me sleep seemed weirded I couldn't sleep in peace for ages. Now sharing space package also comes with other chapters. Sharing noise space. Yes, the snore, burp and fart noises. Luckily, this is just the first of the lot.

Come winter, cold, sore throat and nose blocks for everyone in the space. An I watched the partner breathe through a blocked nose or as it is called, snore. The net day I promptly bought nasal strips and sweet talked and convinced the partner it was in both our best interests. So he agreed. It seems he was too uncomfortable with a funny strip on the nose and kept awake much after I drifted off. And guess what, the partner recorded funny breathing of the only other person in the room. Oh My God, that's when a part of me died of embarrassment.

My evolution to Ice skating

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:08:00 +0000

I tried Ice skating. For the first time in life. And the first time since I arrived in Boston,USA. And it was a great feeling. Tops my list of try-new accomplishments.

My association with skating dates back to the 90's when my father got me and my brother a single pair of roller skates to share, learn and play. Yes, a single pair. Though I feel it was more for him being the younger kid. But I like to think it was for us, as my tiny feet fit them well. It was the old style skates with 4 wheels each. But was pretty easy learning balance and smoothing my moves as a pre-teen.

Later, in my teenage years, father got in-line skates from USA. It was definitely for my brother because I had taken serious into painting and he hadn't yet developed a hobby or sport. Bollywood move Taal had released and Akshay Khanna was inline skating for 3 seconds in all the trailers. And inline skates were a rage for anyone wo could get hands on them. Anyway, my tiny feet fit in well and I got better with my moves. We used those in-line skates all over our semi tarred road in Bangalore and tore off the rubber coating.

This year, I tried Inline skating again after a whole decade of no practice. And after a little struggle for balance, I did skate with reasonably smooth moves. A total of 2 skating session in the East Coast park in Singapore during 8 months.

Finally, today, I got to consolidate all my skating skills into ice skating. I was so thrilled with the ice skating rink in the park in Boston, I asked M to bring me an extra jacket and come along to supervise any falls/accidents and be a part of first time ice skating experience. After slowly sliding into the rink, holding the railings both of us tried skating. The first round was fun. Lots of first timers like us, falling all over the place and giving us a being-part-of-the-scene feeling. Second round, I fell on my knees and hurt. Falling for the first time in years, and probably aging added to it, I felt dizzy and nauseated. Walked up to the cafe attached to the rink, got some hot water and then I decided I wont give up. After all, I was not as old I thought because of unhealthy living. And I did better and better with each round in the ice skating rink. Was pretty happy and satisfied with my ice skating experience. Hope to ice-skate more this winter.

Happy Holidays!

Getting lost, Getting amused

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:07:00 +0000

When all seems strange, find the nearest Starbucks, watch around and sip hot coffee. That's what I told myself. We have moved for the second time this year. From the tropical Singapore to the Weatern hemisphere to brave the North Eastern winter. A big move for us because we moved as a couple. The first move was to begin life as a couple.

Back to my main story, I am out of a house/ home/ comfort zone for a month. Been living in temporary accommodations and most importantly out of a suitcase. What this means to me is " what will I do with all the other things when my shipment arrives?" thought. The side effect of living minimalistic lifestyle. But to talk of other effects of being minimalist and movin around, the new places I get to experience are tons. It satisfies my traveler spirit. An also tires me out. For all those who think of this as THE glam /cool life, no feeling equals the comfort of having a home to retire to at the end of the day. Imagine not having it? Can you ? There were times during this transition that I was confused which direction to head after office because we had shifted so often.

All these thoughts came to me because I was trying I find the bank and post office to run errands and google maps tricked me each time. Ever since I started using google maps on my phone, I stopped trusting my sense of direction. I get lost more than I would normally. In the midst of all the confused walks in Quincy, trying to figure out the apartment complex we are supposed to move into, after walking around in circles an triangles and what not, I did a 180 degree turn and there it was. Prime location, steps away from the train station and overlooking all utility shops. I am impressed and to fit in, again I went into the nearest Starbucks. The be all and end all.

Second last day

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 05:59:00 +0000

Drafted on 21 October 2011

Today is my second last day Singapore. Incidentally I was heading with a suitcase to Sentosa island when I bumped into Indian tourists in the resorts world bus. Kannadigas as well. After the first hi-hello and basavanagudi- hanumantha nagar - malleswaram chat they asked me if I am a tourist. No. Am I staying I Singapore. Actually I am leaving for good tomorrow but I said yes, I stay in Singapore. Why am i with bag at Sentosa? Even I wonder why. I am out of Apartment lease, staying in hotels and now at the resort in Sentosa island hopefully on the company., and I am coming back from laundry to take stuff when I move tomorrow for good. Well I just answered that I was on a holiday at Sentosa., which btw is also true because I am free to enjoy the resort till I fly. Except i have things to do. Engineer? Yes. Do i work here? Actually left my job much earlier to my departure date and now I am jobless. So I am doing chores in the mainland and going in and out the island. I answered yes to avoid any confusions to poor tourists.
Do you plan to settle here? Well, I cant really plan because my husband moves in his job. Neither can he plan anything because his employer has plans maybe. The most uploading answer i could come up with was as long as possible we stay here in Singapore.
This bus doesn't have gear. Are all buses like this in Singapore? Yes, it is easier for the lady to drive. ( easy question :))))) )

Musings, Singapore!

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:34:00 +0000

Singapore, like any well developed city has a good public transport network. One of the metro lines in Singapore got completed, well on schedule. I used this line to commute to work (yes, I am employed as I write this), popularly called the yellow line or circle line and knew that it was a semi circle. What surprised me beyond anything was that the map, routes all over the metro stations, the name plates and everything changed overnight as if to tell the commuters that the new system was the only system in place. Everything, without an exception. And this is in anticipation of the line opening 4 days later.

Singapore, I am in awe. And when I leave I will miss the level of civilization Singapore has gotten me used to.

I tried reading

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:34:00 +0000

Yeah, like a new hobby. I am a person who likes to take in the local culture and ambiance as I travel. This doesn't leave me too much time to do anything else. People watching and culture absorbing are so valid and full time when traveling. But last couple of trips have been different. More like vacations with all bookings and just relaxation. So, the books I read are:

1. Custody - by Manju Kapur. A book on a marriage, failure in Indian society and child custody. Quite a nice read but a bit too drilling. I don't quite get why Indian literature deals with IITs and IIMs to show the successful man.

2. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother - Amy Chua. This book is my recommended must-read to anyone who was raised in a middle class society of Indian/ Asian family and managed to make a reasonable mark into the globalized world. So, that covers all of us, right?
Amy deals with how Chinese parenting will never take a no from growing children and that's why they produce academic geniuses. Not to forget how this criticizes the very western world where it is set.

3. Good Business, Bad Business . The author seems to be compiling all the quite from business authors for small businesses. And he puts these between good and bad business, nothing at all to do with business ethics. Just what is good and bad in his comprehension. I could have skipped reading this book.

4. A Loving Kind. Romance novel from an Irish Author, Sarah Webb. Good for time pass. Deals with a lot of plastic surgery and its gory details. If that part could be skipped, I didn't mind this book on a vacation.

Why do I judge people?

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:18:00 +0000

The only answer I can give myself is 'it's an Indian habit'. But I realize this is a 'human habit'. Everybody likes to form opinions and judge people, they know and don't know. I see on old man every night at Bugis. He sits with a few packed bags and suitcases in the same cafe's outdoor seating every night that I pass by the Bugis junction square. I would pity the guy thinking he was homeless at that senile age and trying to spend the night at the outdoor seating of a closed cafe. Then suddenly I got another idea for the old man. I thought he must have been a businessman/ hawker who would wind up his shop at the end of the day and wait for his son/daughter who worked at the cafe to finish shift and take him home. This sounded better and I pitied the old man much lesser. It is strange how creative I got about a completely unconcerned old man forming opinions and judging him. Not that any of it made a difference to him.
Coming back to reality, the same could be happening everyday in my life. Forming opinions about people, vice versa., and unless anyone goes out of their way to spit a negative opinion on me, it wouldn't affect me. Lol! Like anything matters...

Moon cake surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:58:00 +0000

Had a knock on my door this morning and Peter, our building's retired handy man was happily distributing printed eco-friendly bags. He was excitedly greeting and hanging out moon cakes saying it is from the management. But all of a sudden? I took the pack, thanked him and fired up a search.
So, this is the Mid-Autumn Festival in South East Asia. The Chinese celebrate it as the Mooncake festival or the Lantern festival. Not a surprise that I have been seeing lots of red lanterns on sale in the street booths. And moon cakes too. But I had just overlooked them as normal cakes.

Moon cakes are made of salted egg yolk and cream. They taste really good and are very rich and heavy. Buy yours and enjoy the Lantern festival.

Do birthdays change as we get older?

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:20:00 +0000

I think everybody gets excited about their birthday, irrespective of age. Why not? It is just one day in the whole year that is YOUR day. I till remember my grandma, my father's mother who is no more. Her birthday was in January 1st. Every year we, her children and grand children, would get excited and throw a party on the new years day and she would always cheerfully be a part of celebrations. My dad still loves his birthday and to this day insists on a birthday dinner along with all his brothers. I have myself always planned things to do for my birthday every year. Too bad, mine was always during school holidays(and I have cribbed about this in many many posts), yet I miss all those years of not being able to distribute candies to a class of 50. Anyway, I feel there's something not too in the groove with my generation( or just me) because the last few years I felt so overwhelmed about anticipating disappointment that I actually looked forward to passing off the day in silo and resuming life afterward. I would prefer eating in silence for the fear of not having to start a dinner table argument. It even rained a certain year. Fortunately that year, my colleague AT sensed this as we were winding up work and got a group to dine out mentioning all along that I didn't have to bear the bill. The fact is I didn't have to be alone that evening and felt that wee bit of excitement coming back which I had suppressed away.

Running and Motivating and Running

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:57:00 +0000

I have been running for a few weeks now. Running, in my context, also includes jogging, walking and sitting, standing and staring. So this is almost a routine now. I walk about a kilometer to the river quay and run along the Boat quay. Depending on each day's motivation levels, it is either repeated runs in the same route or stand/ sit on the quay and watch the river before I walk back.

Today I started earlier than usual so I could run when there was still daylight. Surprisingly, I saw half the population of Singapore running. So I followed the general route, which wasn't around the Boat quay in a circle, but took the underpass to Esplanade and Marina Square. Area I hadn't explored since coming to Singapore. Very close to Fullerton and all the fancy buildings and monuments while driving, but had never been to this part. Also stopped by at Esplanade amphitheater to listen to a band playing. The view is amazing. Just behind the stage is the river. Behind the river are flashy sky scrapers and the mascot of Singapore: The Merlion. All is Well.

With new found motivation I ran on the way back. Faster than usual, panting and sweating and probably reflecting it as well. A man running in the opposite direction waved a "Well Done". Coming from a complete stranger, it just made my day and increased the motivation by a few more folds. A friend SV in Singapore had told me long back, even before I started running/swimming/etc., that no one really laughs at you when you struggle with the workout, they have all been through it and the ones that do realize your position will encourage. I did see it after all.

Nail Art

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:53:00 +0000

Here, in Asia, nail art is so popular. I thought Singapore was a trend setter but looks like most places in Asia have caught up with servicing their Asian and Australian major clientele with nail art. So, in addition to manicure and nail polish, you get some good designs. My nails were really tiny but managed to get a little art in Vietnam.

Got some flowers and life

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:22:00 +0000

Yeah! I got myself some flowers. I will confess, I have never done that before. Not that I am regretting it or not that M doesn't get me flowers. But I just saw passed by some pink and white flowers in the supermarket and picked them up for a very supermarket-y price and felt real happy about walking around with fresh pink flowers. Gave me a very young, happy and accomplished feeling. And why not? I went back to school after 5 long years, trained and cleared a certification exam (after long slightly traumatic study periods).

Wrapped my fresh flowers in a cloth-ish wrap paper and put them in a glass next to my pink floral painting. Yeah, I seem to have got a new pink life.

I am showing again!

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 02:45:00 +0000

Yes, I am showing my latest paintings in Singapore. This is an exhibition by young contemporary artists from Singapore. The details are:

Date: 2nd July 2011
Venue: Dance Studio, The Substation,
45 Armenian street, Singapore
Time: 10 am to 9 pm

If you are in Singapore, do come by and check out my paintings. Do forward this invite to people you know in Singapore.

New Website

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 03:22:00 +0000

I have launched my new website this month. It has a collection of my paintings and my graphic designs going forward. Do subscribe and feel free to give me comments/ suggestions

www.snehadivakar.com

Ps: we are still in transition and hope to change the look and feel soon.

For the Art enthusiasts, I also have a podcast coming up with tips.
Easier way to subscribe to www.snehadivakar.com. Just enter your email address and hit subscribe

Yours truly

Wordle mah Life

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 03:09:00 +0000

DIY, oh engineer!

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Wed, 25 May 2011 09:36:00 +0000

After reading a Do-It-Yourself post by Iya, I decided to fill in the furniture gaps in our Singapore apartment and headed to none other than Ikea on the public holiday here. We picked up a table and shoe rack. Both pretty sturdy metal and not too heavy. We didn't have a screw driver at home. So bought a power screw driver during the week and started to assemble these in pieces after M returned from work. We did this team bonding activity over a few days. Didn't want to finish it all in one shot, or maybe we needed to keep recharging the screw driver :P

So, here's the table that I now use as my art table and now I have freed the coffee table from paint :P

There is also a middle partition for the table top to slide down half the top and make it a smaller table. I liked this one a lot. Took some time to drive in the screws at 90 degrees. We screwed and unscrewed and had good fun.

Next one is my shoe rack. The apartment had provided us one flimsy rack and there was no way 2 foot wear freaks' possessions would fit into that. No prizes for guessing whose possessions occupy the new shoe rack.

Also picked up another drawer case but that was too easy to put together. So it doesn't get featured :) Anyway, I am happy with the finished assemblies and more so their usage.

Looking Bad

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Wed, 18 May 2011 08:38:00 +0000

Some people make you feel like you are a bad person. Have you wondered how they manage to do it? I did a little analysis and this is my logic. You look into that person's eye. Just focus on one eye and look right into the pupil. You can see an image of yourself and invariably in such a person's eye, you can see just a black silhouette. Any guesses?
If you think its all because of the bright light behind you, try looking to the eye of a person who makes you feel good. There is a higher chance you don't see that black silhouette of yourself but just a smaller pupil and a twinkle. Did you spot the twinkle, lucky one?

Post birthday post

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:58:00 +0000

I've been on this one life for a while and pretty much jot out my birthday and the likes to keep my record. However this one is a non typical post birthday blog. Maybe it's just a part getting old or older. Anyway for all te recent travels I have had the fortune of, ESP in these exotic south east Asian beaches, I definitely invited some bad will jealousy. And it seems to have a minor effect on me as well. Much as I try to shrug it off, j can feel the root growing. One of my travels went badly offtrack. I wish it would end there. But the impact of this took a strong impact on me emotionally and financially. Not that I bear it all, yet, when Mister Murphy wants his law to work, it will. Rest assured. Ah! Before I begin to pity myself for no fault of mine I will stop and try to breathe some Singapore air... Back to pavilion, yeah.....

My only birthday wish for this year: please God! Help me enjoy the beach again. Last few times i couldn't even get into the water :(

So I had a quiet birthday dinner with M because it was a weekday and he was working late. Happy with my new easel gifted by M and I hope to get more happier painting. So what has getting older taught me? Stop the crazy partying thoughts and behave like and try to mould myself into an elegant aunt for my niece and nephew. Maybe become a better human being too :)

If I were to do a self portrait

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:42:00 +0000

And if my self portrait were to depict me in an action that resembles
Me the most , I am wondering what that would be. As I try to get that pose right, I almost have glimpses of my life.
Take one : I could be practicing a speech for that school festival right behind the stage under a shamiana . Dressed in my schools grey uniform and maroon tie and belt (sounds hideous I know) I can almost see myself with one hand adjusting my ponytail and the other holding my speech on a crumbling sheet of paper, and not to forget my prefect badge :) what a time !

Take two: I see myself carrying a huge drawing board weighing a few kilos loaded in a huge sack along with painting materials dumped into it and cycling with all this load on the busy streets if Bangalore in the hot weekend afternoons, with a frown. Damn i am already self piting this image of me. Or just waitin for a bus, ohhh even worse for weekend afternoons. But this is surely me. After many years of this sorry portrait I paint what i paint today and I don't feel sorry for myself.

Take three: I am now slim and trim but with a curly mop that knows no style and I am running behind a yellow coloured bus with backpack and graphic rolls. That my engineering college days. 4 sweet an sour years gone by.

Take four: old backpack, sweaty capris and feeling dirty, I am walking on a beach just after getting off a twelve hour bus ride. That's the traveler I be become now, in search of accommodation, in search of my calling, in search of myself!

Women's day progressions

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 03:44:00 +0000

This post is all about remembering various Women's day celebrations in my little-longer-than-quarter-life.
Early 2000s (yeah Im not disclosing my age)
I was in 2nd PUC or 12th standard and preparing for boards. In the maths tuition class some girls suddenly started wishing everyone happy Women's day personally. It was fun for those ten minutes and the class resumed.

Some years later
It was my first year at work. I arrived in office one morning to find a bouquet and a box of chocolates on my desk. Sudden grin found it's way to my face, and every other female employee's face too... I also remember an all womens photoshoot at the office terrace that day. Good gesture by the employer.

This year
With Facebook becoming a part of life, every wishful woman has wished me and vice versa on the social networking site. Am not complaining. It's still goodbye wish and be wished

Happy Women's Day to all you wonderful women!

J K Don

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 15:03:00 +0000

That's for Japanese and Korean cuisine. I tried a Miso soup which is vegetarian to start with. It is clear and has leaves and minute tofu.
Next I tried to be a little adventurous with japanese Siew Mai. It was well fried and tasty. What looked like sushi to me happened to be Maki. Sake Salmon Maki. Like it. Except for the pungent wasabi sauce.
Main course was Yasai with udon. Udon is fat rice noodle. Yasai has lots ofsteamrdnvegetables and shitaki mushrooms. Tried eating the soupy noodles with chop sticks and spooned upbtje clear soup. Proud of my attempts.

On moving

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:56:00 +0000

I moved from Bangalore. After almost 27 years of firm rooting to the city. After a long wait!
My personal take on moving out of home is just do it earlier than later. Reason is simple. Later the first movement, tougher the new settlement.
I really have no reason to crib. I wanted to move to a English speaking place. I got it. I wanted a warm place and no sub zero temperatures. I got it. Beach. I got it. Yet, two weeks later I had a problem. Pissed off with everything i could find. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the desi-housewife-out-of-homeland syndrome. When you think you don't have much or know much outside our own home, you have no reason to step out with a purpose, what do you do? Get angry at the whole world?
Fine, I am not going any deeper into my problems. We are comfortable, living in the heart of the central business district, malls and very good food joints right outside our door, old Singapore architecture surrounding us, maid to service our apartment and other good things I can't remember now. I enrolled as a volunteer at SG cares and as a part-time student at NAFA ( nanyang academy of fine arts) and these shouldnkeep me well occupied till I land a job or till I find eternal happiness :-)

A Big Thinkers event

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:12:00 +0000

I am talking about the yahoo Big Thinkers event which is a quarterly event held by Yahoo research labs. Firstly, I didn't know this series existed and the one on 28 Jan 2011 was the very first one I got invited to. Being a Yahoo Research Labs sponsored event, anyone would know this was totally technical but the abstract said

More and more social interactions are migrating online. In this talk we study patterns of such interactions in social applications including email, newsgroups, instant messaging, and microblogging. We address the data mining, modeling, and algorithmic challenges that arise as part of the study.

And I, like another social media enthusiast, took it to be another event helping people getting a taste of social media interactions. But what I did miss was the data mining and the algorithms included in the abstract. The social media patterns happened to be a case study and had no more relevance in the event. The event is all about studying the data patterns and building more effective models based on parameters that influence the interaction patterns. Any guesses how technical I am? And how my brain reacted?
But I did see a majority of the crowd gathered in the venue more for the snacks and tea at the city's 5 star than the algorithmic challenges that came with the tea. Maybe the social patterns of people gathering and moving towards snack counters is also worth a study..

Art Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Sneo) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 17:52:00 +0000

I exhibited my paintings at Hyderabad in association with Kalanirvana. Kalanirvana International Art Center is an organization that promotes young and upcoming artists. The gallery is located in Bowenpally in Secunderabad area, unlike the usual galleries in Hyderabad which are concentrated around Banjara Hills. Typical of the Curator Ashis's style, Kalanirvana Gallery is also very unconventional and inspiring.

The art scene in Hyderabad is also pretty different from other metros. While Mumbai and Delhi have huge capitalist markets, cities like Bangalore and Chennai have a budding culture with Art which leaves a narrow set of choices to a small section of buyers. Hyderabad has a good art culture due to the proclaimed M.F.Hussain and the fame that got an edge over other metros.

My paintings with a write up on me

A group of 8 upcoming artists exhibited in the show called Canvas of India- 2011. Kalanirvana handpicked each of the artists and had a small write up on the Artist's style which is definitely an encouraging factor to the upcoming artists.