tap tap tapori

Hello blogdosts! Yet another party weekend. Attended my friend's 40th B'day celebrations! The one word to describe this event is JHAKHAAS!!! Everything little thing from lights, to music,to drinks, to food, to dessert was so well planned by her dear husband. The cake was so delicious. Strawberry-Vanilla. It was so big, it could feed the entire city of Ashburn. Well we partied till the wee hours of the morning. Still recovering. It was   a nice Sunday, weather wise, here in VA. Did not do much. Lazed around the house.
***********************************************************************

For me, the word Jhakhass is synonymous with actor, Anil Kapoor. He made it famous during the 1980's with his distinct style of acting called the Tapoori style. Tapori is a language which is the unique slang of Hindi. Although, it is primarily spoken in Mumbai, thanks to many Bollywood movies like Josh, Munnabhai, etc. this Mumbaiyya language has become popular in other parts of India as well. The word Tapori means rowdy. The Tapori figure is a male persona part form the streets and part the social conscience of the neighborhood/community. He lacks a home but is looking for a family. He uses style and gestures to voice the problems of his community. Sometimes he gets involved in petty crimes to protect his fellow people. Taporis also have an unique style of dressing. This comprises of extremely casual clothes. Rolled up sleeves and pants. A bandana around the head, neck and wrist. Usually, the outfit is made of very loud colors like Red, Orange and Yellow. The idea is to mismatch to the maximum extent possible. I like listening to it as it is has a lot of humor. Only close friends can make this language believable. To me the language portrays the close bond among friends that grew up in similar circumstances. However, this language is looked down upon by educated people in India as it is made up of many indecent words. Some examples of this language are:

• You'll be surprised - Ekdam "hill" jayega tu
• I am leaving this place - Chal apun "kaltee" marta hai
• Don't make a fool of others - Dekh, tu "shendi" mat laga sabko
• Get the hell out, you oversmart fool! - Chal shaane, "hawa" aane de
• Do you drink daily? - Tu kya roz "full to" hota hai?
• What a babe! - Kya "jhakass item" hai yaar!
• Don't bore me - Jyaada "pakaa" mat be tu

Ok, then friends, hope you have fun with this language. "tab tak main yahaan se kaltee marti hun".

Surrogacy - Is it the best way?

Namaste friends. Looo...ng time! I know! I was busy partying and shopping. Thanksgiving sales are so tempting. I was at a girls sleepover party last Saturday. It was so much fun. We were 8 girls talking and giggling like school girls. Just the type of fun that I enjoy. On Sunday, I attended a Satyanarayan Pooja. A Sunday well spent. Learnt so much that day. So, Dev Anand is no more. Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao had a baby boy. Surrogacy- first time in Bollywood. India is moving along. Nice to know.
***********************************************************************

Why would someone volunteer to be a surrogate mother? I can think of only one reason. Desperate need for money. Only an unselfish person who is really very caring can think of such a generous cause. I would definitely not be able to any such thing. Being a surrogate mother means taking on a huge responsibility for someone else's life. After nine months of carrying the baby and being so close to it, it would be very hard to part with this creation. Granted the seeds would be donated, but for all practical purposes the baby would be that of the lady who delivered the child. I think a nobler cause would be to adopt an orphan child. I can understand how a woman feels complete when she has her own baby. But giving a home to a child who really needs it could be a better option. What difference would it make? Anyway, the baby is being delivered by someone else and there is no physical connection when you choose the surrogate path. There is also the risk that the mother to be could change her mind at the last minute. Also, what if the mom to be develops some medical conditions along the way and the baby has to be aborted?  I am sure there are legal contracts that cover these issues. Ultimately, it's not anybody's business what parents choose as their BEST option. Everyone has his or her own right. Whatever makes them happy. For me personally, adoption would be a better choice. Congratulations to Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao. He has shed light on an important cause. The perfectionist has done it again!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

Happy Birthday to me! Yes folks it is my day. I have had a good one so far. Birthday wishes are pouring in. I had a surprise B'day party at lunch time today. Boy! was I embarrassed. I am expecting my best friend Sharda from New Jersey to be here soon. Looking forward to “Flashback” times.  It’s Thanksgiving in 2 days.  And we are going to celebrate it Indian style! Any excuse for partying.
***********************************************************************

Birthdays are so special. For a human being, being born is a joyous time. It is a time of fulfillment for the parents who are blessed with a son or daughter.  On this day normally, parents ask the child to start the day by having a clean bath and offering prayers to almighty. And that’s exactly how I started my day. It’s the important people in our lives that make it special by wishing us. By far the song “Happy B’day to you” is the most frequently sung song around the world. Birthdays are for parties! Gather young and old, family and friends to celebrate your birthday. Having said that, my parents were not big into having B'day parties. And I am the same way. Children like to be surprised and enjoy their presents. So, I do try to make it special for them. It's mostly about opening presents. I can remember 4 important B’day parties in my life. When I turned 5, 20, 25 and 40. My parents had celebrated the 5^th year B’’day party for me, 20 by some close college friends, 25 by my dear hubby and 40 by my present close friends. All had one thing in common. Can you guess? Of course a B’day cake. How can we have a B’day party without a B’day cake? 

My favorite B’day cake is the black forest cake, which I had on my 20^th B’day.  No wonder, college friends are the best! They know everything about  you. Awww. I miss you guys.  That was a memorable day. I was definitely surprised.  And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.  it’s the life in your years.  This year my wish is to stay healthy and be good and do good. I hope all my actions will be reflect positively. Hari om!                                       

Testing times

Hi all. Learning, learning, learning! I am surprised how it's getting harder and harder with age to learn new things. What does one do when the going gets tough? The obvious answer is the tough get going. It's testing times for me folks. Time is of essence for all things I get myself involved with and there are only 24 hours in a day and I have only 2 hands and only one person. Sigh!!!
***********************************************************************

This image that I copied from google images sums it all up for me. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Just someone assuring me that everything will be fine, is enough to calm me down. It works like magic. Since, I did not want to bother any of my friends on a week day, I decided to update my status on Facebook. A couple of friends commented. It helped somewhat to hear from them. It's funny how much we underestimate the power of human touch. A hug can say a lot that words cannot say. While I work very well under pressure, if it becomes a common occurrence, then it's stressful. I know, I am not the only one in this situation. Most people strive to be the best at what they do, by finding a balance between work and home life. More power to those people who kick, scream, push, pull, shove, jump, and make it happen. Truly tough people. Testing times are hard when they last. But they will pass and good days will be here. My belief. One will bear the fruits of hard work. Patience is the answer. I know, easier said than done. Tomorrow is a new day. Breathing....

Mid-life crisis and I

Survived my first week at my new job folks. It was interesting. I am having difficulty adjusting to the time change. Just don't find enough time to blog. Have been missing this space. 11.11.11 came an went. Nothing crazy happened. Ash did not give birth on that day. Thank god! or else we would have never heard the end of it. I have been doing some serious thinking lately. No, not on my evening walks (it's too cold for that). I have been thinking about life after 40.
***********************************************************************

I am a bubbly, fun loving, enthusiastic, and active person. Then how is that nothing excites me anymore? I do everything that a normal person does, like working, taking care of family, exercising, meeting interesting people, etc. However, I am doing all this matter-of- factly. How much ever I try to be emotionally attached to events, it's just not happening. Is this mid life crisis? How else can you explain this? But mid life crisis was only for the boring people, who did not have a life! That's what I thought. Till now. All these years, I did not have time to think about myself. There was always a milestone to reach and I was busy trying to get there. Now it feels like I have been there and done it. Nothing feels like a new experience any more. Having had the opportunity to travel to a few countries, I feel sameness everywhere. Leading a monotonous life is getting to me now. Many people try new things at this stage in life. I am doing that too! But it's definitely not an escape.  Parents are getting older now. This often scares me. It's not like we are getting any younger either. What am I going to do with the rest of my life? If anything, I have to learn from my parents mistakes and try not to be in the helpless state that old age brings with it. It's about living a significant life. Is there something more important and fulfilling that I can focus on now? Still thinking... If I find the answer I will let you all know. Please drop a few lines if you have an answer. I would really appreciate it!

An evening with close friends.

Good evening folks! It's been a week since I wrote anything. It has been a whirl wind of a week for me. I had to wind up all open items with my old position. I start my new job tomorrow. Please wish me luck. We celebrated a late diwali yesterday at our house with most of our friends. It was a fun evening. My friends surprised us with an anniversary cake. Our wedding anniversary is on Nov. 8th. How very thoughtful of them. We are blessed with really good friends. Touch wood. I will let the pictures talk for themselves.
************************************************************************

 Dumb Charades

 Couple question and answer game

 Speech by Adithi

 Sloka by Aditya

 Fruit Punch that Rohit made

 Surprise cake for our Anniversary and Meera's B'day

 Yummy Dinner

 Dessert - Drooooool!

Pretty Women

 Lovely kids

 Meera performing

 Sweet kids sitting quietly through the evening

 Me singing - Ajeeb dastan hai yeh 

Lovely Smitha 

 Chamak Challo group dance

 Vianya and Naren - Fanaa

 Bodyguard Rajesh

 Madhavi and Harish - Iktara

 Sher aur shayari by Ashwin

 Crowd

Kids - jamming

Macho men - So they think!

There are many more pictures. Can't share them all. Some other time.

Insults

Good evening folks! It's been sometime since I visited this spot. A lot has happened. Remember the the good news that happened at work some days ago that I couldn't share with you? Well, now I can. I got a promotion! Woo hoo! Happy Diwali !!! Now I need to step it up and work hard, which I am planning to. It was a good weekend. VA experienced some snow this Sat. It's a rarity for October. Sad to know that Ra.one did not work. Banking on Don 2 now. Had fun at a friend's house on Fri, Sat. and Sunday practicing for a dance show. Shared some things that were bothering me for a long time with them. Not sure If I spoke too much. In any case, it's too late now.

***********************************************************************

I'm busy now. Can I ignore you some other time?
I bet your brain feels as good as new, seeing that you've never used it.
I would ask you how old you are but I know you can't count that high.


Sometimes when we are familiar with people, we pass insults like the ones mentioned above, just to joke around. You never know when these jokes turn into hurtful comments and make the other person angry. There is a fine line there. It is easy to get carried way, while you are in a group giving the insults. This can also be called bullying. I am watching this show on Indian TV called Bigg Boss. In this show, there are around 16 inmates locked in the same house. They constantly insult each other and India considers this entertainment. Well, it is! I am now hooked on to it. It is entertainment, as long as the insults are not towards us. Someone else is bearing all this. This show teaches ALL the wrong things like group-ism, bullying, insulting, degrading etc. One good thing is, the person who survives through all this, definitely comes out stronger. At what cost though? The person will not have any friends left. Most of the remarks made on the show, have some truth to it and therefore is very hurtful. On the show, they are doing it for money and fame. But if one copies this in real life, it is bound to back fire BIG time! This makes me wonder if being fake is the solution to maintain peace? The answer unfortunately is "yes".  You might think that you are helping the other person by speaking the truth, but in reality the other person does not want to hear it. From my experience, do not say hurtful things to anyone, even as a joke,  however close you are to that person. Bottom line -treat others the way you want to be treated.

The Divan

Happy Diwali folks! Yet again a beautiful day here in VA today. Took half a day off from work this morning to take my car in for inspection and then attend Rohit's Halloween presentation at school. He did a good job and made us proud! These little angles grow up too fast. As parents all we want is a bright future for them. Did not achieve much at work either. Enjoyed talking with a few friends, got organised and it was time to come back home. It's going to be a long day tomorrow.
***********************************************************************

I copied this picture from Wikipedia. A divan is a piece of couch-like sitting furniture.What many of you might not know is that the Divan is originally from Persia. My mother is such a creative person. She has this ability to observe and learn. She then implements what she has learnt in her own way. I remember, she introduced the Divan to our family when I was in the 5th grade or so. She had read about it somewhere, and decided to custom make one for our house. She was so passionate about this piece of furniture, that she would change the sheets on it very often and decorate it will colorful pillows. I spent a lot of time on this divan. An average divan can seat at least 4 people. When my friends came over we all gathered around this divan. Divan can be placed on the floor as shown in the picture above or can be a raised structure. Usually, it has oblong shaped pillows on either sides. I would say that it is a comfortable seating arrangement. A divan sparks up any corner of a room. It has a strange warmth to it. Most Indians can associate happy "tea & pakoda" times with their family and friends on this couch. Every time I visit a fabric store here in the US, I get inspired to have a colorful divan in my house. I have the whole ambiance planned out for this in my head. I just need to act on it. Next time, make it a "Divan" time folks!

Diye jalte hain

Good evening friends. Friday was quiet for me. After gyming came home and started watching "Bigg Boss". It was fun to watch the 'hijda" clap a lot. The creative team of this reality show definitely know their audience well. Now I am addicted. Sat. I enjoyed a pre diwali bash in the evening along with some friends. Lot of dancing. People went berserk when they played the song "ringa ringa". Good food, good chai, good friends. Can't ask of more. Sunday morning was mostly spent on the phone catching up with family gossip from India. Evening was so fruitful. I planted some mums in my paradise. Also, put some solar lights on either side of the pathway. By far, the best decision for my yard. It looks heavenly. Couple of lights are not working. :( Hopefully, I can exchange them. Posting some pics. for you all to see.

**********************************************************************

It's almost Diwali time and what better way to start the week? I have always been attracted to dim lighting, be it in a restaurant, a hotel lobby, by the pool or at home. I feel, it can make or break moods. In the movie Rab ne bana di jodi, SRK uses lighting to say say I love you to Anushka. Lighting is also associated with romance. A perfect romantic date often has imaginative and creative lighting ideas combined with distinctive and unique touches that can make your personal event an unique and memorable experience. Lucky are those who have had the chance to be on such a date. Add soothing music to this scenario and we Scorpios will be so happy.  I have noticed that whenever I want some "alone time" escaping into my room, switching on some soothing music and lighting some lavender scented candles works so well for me. I can come to a state of calmness. I have tried practicing yoga too during this time. But I could not enjoy it as I found it to be too slow. I like the cardio related activities better. Of course, dim light does not work all the time for me. I have to see daylight to make me cheerful. I found that in the US the use of tube lights is not very common. My romance with lighting started when I moved to this country. I like visiting the lighting section in the stores. There are so many types of fixtures available, that one gets all confused. That's exactly what I faced today when I went o choose the outdoor lights. I had to make a choice between my budget and my favorite type. Why is that, we always get attracted to the most expensive one?

Small talk

Namaskar doston! Busy,busy day. I was in all day meeting today. After work I attended a happy hour organised by our company to thank us for all the hard work and overtime we put in, in the last few months, preparing for a Government audit. The food was so good, I ate till I got sick in my stomach. I dragged myself into the gym. Managed to get an hour's worth of exercise. I was not happy. It was better than nothing. Yep, it was bound to happen. Ash now as her wax statue in Madam Tussuad's. Sigh!
***********************************************************************

Lol! at the cartoon above. Have you been in an uncomfortable situation where even tough there are so many people around you, there is pin drop silence? What do you do in such a situation? You make small talk. I detest small talk. It's so annoying. It has "I am putting up with you, because I am stuck with you" written all over it. But sometimes that is the only way to break the silence. Some examples are: Are you going for a walk? When you are clearly talking a walk on a walking path. It's so hot today. Oh, really? I did not notice that the weather is only 90 degrees F. Duhh.. So then why do people make small talk? There are a few different reasons why. First, the  most obvious reason is to break an uncomfortable silence. Another reason is to fill time. Some people do it just to be polite. You can't sit in a corner in a party by yourself. That is considered rude. You have come there upon an invitation, and are expected to mingle. Also, people use small talk while waiting for something. Like in a doctor's office, in a line to catch the bus or train, etc. It's not always easy to carry on small talk. You have to watch for hints or clues from the other person's body language and know when to stop. You soon find out if you click or don't click. If it's a bigger crowd, we can play games to break the ice. So, however much you hate it, you will be faced with situations where in you have to make small talk. So, next time don't judge a person when he/she tries to be polite. Just play dumb and answer the question. So, do you like my blog? he he.. 

Fall colors - inspirational

Good evening folks! I had a good day, considering I did not get a headache. Lately, I have been suffering from some slight headaches. Amrutanjan helps. I got busy with work and quickly forgot about the ache. Keeping one self occupied helps in more ways than one. Folks, I am excited to tell you that we have formed a social group of 3 (so far) at work. We take occasional coffee breaks in the kitchen. We discuss fun stuff. I look forward to these breaks. Waking and going to work has new meaning now.
*********************************************************************

I was on Facebook a little while ago and was wondering what to write as a status update tonight. As I was driving back from the gym, I noticed that the colors of the leaves have started changing already. To me the trees looked like they were draped in my favorite color combination of a saree. It dawned on me that God has given nature to the world so fashion designers could get inspired. And that was exactly what my status update was tonight.  Look at the pictures above. They can be used in a saree fit for a bride. The red, yellow, orange and brown. All earthy colors. The different combinations that is possible would just be any designer's dream. Incidentally, the fall colors happen to be my fav. colors. The colors inside my house, are primarily the fall colors. My eyes are always attracted to the reds, browns, oranges and yellows. So much so, that 90% of my wardrobe constitutes of these colors. I also think that these shades look good on the Indian skin tone. The lighter colors that are more popular in the western countries make me look pale and washed out! When I go shopping for clothes, I can easily point out the clothes made in the eastern countries just by looking at the colors. Colors play an important role in our day to day life. Colors make our lives bright and meaningful. Colors can sway thinking, change actions, and cause reactions.  It is believed that different colors reflect different personalities. I read somewhere that  Yellow, orange, red are considered to be hot colors and often are linked with hot temperament and anger. I can believe it as that summarizes my personality to some extent. For your information, I cool down very easily too.:-) So don't give up on me. he he.

"Skypo" therapist?

Hi friends, we had 2 days of beautiful weather here is VA. No wonder they say Virginia is for lovers. This weekend was mostly about eating and exercising. Met with some friends for dinner on Sat. The restaurant we went to was jam packed. I started to wonder about how so many people (including us) are willing to spend that much money on a meal when there are so many cheaper options. It must be about just getting a break  from the routine and enjoying some good food with great company. At least that's how I see it. Somehow this combination makes the food more tastier. I have developed some itchy boils on my right elbow since I have started using the lotion from body works. I must be allergic to it. Loved the smell on me tough. It lasted the whole 8 hrs. that I was at work.
************************************************************************
A psychiatrist asks a lot of expensive questions your wife asks for nothing.  ~Joey Adams

 

I knew of websites for finding a recipe, finding clothes, even finding partners. But finding a psychotherapist? Unbelievable how technology has made people drift further away from people. I read an article today regarding people in urban areas in India using video and Internet to chat with their psychotherapists. I was so intrigued by this, as I realised that people have become so busy these days to even have to go physically to an important appointment. Can the psychotherapist actually read the mind of the person on the other side of the camera on the Skype video chat? How is he going to prescribe medicines based simply on the conversation he had on the net? How safe is such a conversation? Is it really private now? I can see the convenience of this type of arrangement. The patient can sit comfortably in his room and discuss the problems with the therapist without having to waste time and money to get to the therapist's location. Especially for handicapped people, this is a boon. In the example that the article provided, the particular patient was dealing with an ex - relationship issue and found this on line service to be very useful to get over the situation. However, I have my reservations. How do you know that the therapist is not a fraud? It is a risk that if one is willing to take, might be fruitful. The article went on to say that therapy is becoming very popular these days with lot of urban Indians and also has international clients. Wow!

Perfect Romantic Location

Good evening doston! What an eventful day it was. Something nice happened at work today. Unfortunately, I am not ready to share it with the world yet. Anyway, I was talking to a friend after a long time. I asked him "So, what's new?". I liked his answer. He said "it's a new day to get screwed, betrayed etc.". Although, this sounds pessimistic, it is reality on most of the days. He was speaking out of experience. Started watching the movie Delly Belly for the second time. I got distracted with so many things, that it was not enjoyable. I had to stop. No fun.
**********************************************************************

What is so attractive about a cold day in a hill station? Most Bollywood movies show hill stations to be a perfect honeymoon spot. As a teen, I used to dream of a married life in such a location. In retrospect, it was so silly. Nevertheless, the idea is still so tempting. The thought of waking up on a chilly morning, and stepping out on the balcony of a cottage is so exciting. The breathtaking view of the mountains is a treat to the eyes. The fog covered area probably makes one want to run through the woods singing and dancing like bollywood actors. A hot cup of "Pahadi" tea would be perfect for a good start to the morning. The tea estates of Darjeeling comes to mind. Some of the sizzling hill stations in India are in places like Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand. I had visited J&K with my parents in the year 1987. It was the BEST vacation of my life till date. Kashmir is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It's nature at it's best. The other hill station that I have visited is close to Mumbai called "Mahabaleshwar". I have very fond memories associated with that trip. My dream of going on a honeymoon to one of these locations still remains a dream. It's on my agenda for a later date.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let down your hair to me

Hmm blogdosts, why do people talk so much? Lol! I met a person today, who beat me when it comes to talking. She did not give me an opportunity to talk about me at all in the half hour that we were together and I had just met her. Now I know, why she likes shopping, her fav. drink, how many kids and pets she has, their names, everything. Well, I actually had to make an excuse to say bye to her. On a better day, I would have loved her company. Yes, Jagit Singh! How many more talented people can this world afford to lose back to back? 
***********************************************************************

Folks, do you remember reading the story of the pretty Rapunzel? She had beautiful, long blond hair that won the heart of a young and handsome prince, who later on married her. Ask any man if he likes long hair on a woman and 99.9% of the time the answer is "yes". Men like running their fingers through the long hair and even smelling it. Men cannot resist ,when they see long hair that cascades down a female's back. (So, I heard). Long hair has been associated with sexiness and power since about the beginning of time for human. Long hair is more 'feminine' whereas short hair has become the domain of men. more or less. What constitutes as long hair? It changes from culture to culture. In India, hair is considered long when it runs below the buttocks. I have never been that lucky when it comes to thick and lustrous hair. My best friend from childhood was blessed with this feature. Yes, you are correct if you guessed that she was a Malayalee. Many people attribute it to the coconut oil they use to moisturize the hair. I think it is more to do with genetics. It is only a myth that oiling your hair regularly can keep hair healthy and shiny. In my opinion, you are born with great hair. How else would you explain most of the Sikhnis to have long, thick hair? I have heard comments like, looking at a person's hair, one can judge the overall health of that person. Hmm, not really, I have seen some of fittest people with scanty hair and even bald! So, men if you are reading, don't just go by the length of the hair to pick your girl friend. We are better from the inside. Side note: We women love a head full of bouncy hair on our men too! he he..

The sensual woman

Happy Sunday evening folks! Nothing is happy about it. I know. Since I last visited this space, the world is missing the genius Steve Jobs. It was a sad day. Weekend had some fantastic weather here in VA. I spent the Friday evening visiting a couple of friends to receive the "Taambulam". These friends display dolls on seven steps called "Golu" during Navaratri times. I do not know the significance of that. But it is definitely enjoyable to watch the whole celebration. We chanted the "Vishnu Sahasranma" and sang a few bhajans. I spent most of Sat. in the mall. Got lost in the Bath and Body Works store. Don't you love it? The fragnances are flirty, I had to indulge!
************************************************************************

So, sensuality can be triggered in so many different ways. Fragrances act as a perfect stimulant. Whether it’s flirty & sexy, romantic & girly, desirable & sophisticated, devilish & sinful, glamorous & superstar or simply a party girl exciting there is a fragrance suitable for everyone. Each fragrance has its own distinct character and the uniqueness that can make a woman sensual. In olden days in India, the female used to cover herself from top to bottom with the smoke from the burning of a powder called "Sambrani".  It is always sprinkled on glowing red charcoal. The fumes which come out exude the aroma and it slowly spreads all across the room. The woman used to present herself to her man bathed in the aroma of  "Sambrani". It was a turn on for the man. I have heard men comment on ladies perfumes. They say that the smell lingering behind when a women walks away is something they take home with them to fantasize. Now a days there are a dime a dozen scented candles that can be used in different rooms to create the sensuous ambiance. So, I think, it is important to smell good. If you are a woman, you must use perfumes in your favor. The hard part is finding that scent that works well with the chemistry of your body. Just because it smelt good on your friend, does not mean it can smell good on you. It's to be found our by trial and error and after spending quiet a bit of time and money. I did just that on Sat. I can't wait to try the lotion and spray tomorrow. I will keep you all posted.

Adrenaline Rush

Happy dussehra doston! I had a fantabulous day. Went out to lunch with colleagues to an Indian buffet, yet again! This time we were 10 of us. Loved the comments that were passed on the food. The Americans associated gulab jamun with doughnuts and when I told them that the dosa and idli batter was fermented overnight, the expression on their face was worth watching. I wish I had a camera with me. Highlight of the day tough was when a good friend called me. She was using her cell phone which was registered in a different state. She caught me by surprise alright. I love pleasant surprises like that. I hope all of you reading this are taking notes.:)
***********************************************************************

Think of the word adrenaline and it conjures up an image of a bunch of testosterone-driven individuals racing, bungie jumping, flying off a cliff, diving into the open skies. Recently, the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara showed the thrill of some adventures like this and how the individuals experienced a sense of satisfaction after they had the adrenaline rush. An adrenaline rush is the feeling and reaction you get from the release of epinephrine, which is aka adrenaline. Adrenaline rushes can cause you're body to do things that it normally wouldn't be able to do if it weren't for the adrenaline such as running faster than normal. Nothing can beat the thrill and excitement experienced when faced with highly stressful and dangerous situations and adrenaline is what causes the excitement. Roller coaster rides are one such example. Although, for the life of me, I cannot sit on one of those. Not even the baby rides. I remember reading what Mithun Chakraborty had to say about roller coasters. He said, he initially thought that people on the roller coaster screamed because they were happy, but when he sat on one of them he realised that they screamed out of fear. They were clearly having an adrenalin moment. They were high from it. Speed, video games, music, even sex are some examples where I think one can experience this type of high. Conquering your fear, whether it is fear of public speaking, fear of heights, etc. gives you that rush too. It's good when it has positive effects on you. Negative effects - Let's not talk about that.