I see trees of green... red roses too...

One of my all-time favourite songs, 'What a Wonderful World', has been airing on national TV recently. Normally, this would not be a cause for concern but fun... something to look forward to each time I turned the TV on (considering how often the advt plays).

Only, this version makes me cringe. Don't get me wrong, the singer is not bad at all, but one has to admit that Louis Armstrong's rich, powerful voice belting out 'What a Wonderful World' is as timeless as it comes. The more recent rendition on TV is a damp squib, almost wimpish in comparision. As I hear it being played over and over again, I have begun to subconsciously hit the mute button on the remote.

Why, oh why, couldn't they just use the original? The copyright might have cost a pretty packet, I assume (don't know for sure) but the telecom company (which is advertising) would probably find it petty change considering the advertising blitz they've been subjecting us viewers to since they launched a few years ago.

Anyway...leaving you with the classic version of the song. Happy listening!

Brain Damage

Gotcha! No...this is not a post eulogising the Floyd track or about a medical disorder. But it comes close, it's about an addiction that pretty much damages your brain & any coherent, sensible thinking along with it. In layman's terms, it's about 'love'.


In my 'younger' days (for academic purposes let's treat it as between 14 to 25 years), I must confess that I had never imagined myself as falling madly (or not so madly, for that matter) in love.

Through my teenage years, & a few after, the phase of romance novels, magazine and movies (which, incidentally, I quite enjoyed), never really changed my mind. They seemed too good to be true, it was hardly likely I would find love like in those stories. To me they were meant to remain between the pages of a book or on the screen, not real life. The cliched red roses, hearts, candies, flowers...well...you get the drift... were not for me. The mushy bits were completely off-putting & unthinkable.

Then the unthinkable did happen. And I never even realised it. Me, the level-headed, cool, calm collected (or so I thought) not-so-young woman. First we were friends, then we became good friends. A couple of years later, when I realised that he was leaving town & I might never spend time with him or see him as often as I used to, I realised how much I missed him & why. I was in love!

Little did I realise what I was in for - a roller-coaster ride of gigantic proportions (& am still on it!). The red roses & hearts & mushy stuff didn't happen (wasn't either of our styles, Thank God.) But lots of other amazing things did... I found my soul-mate (if there is such a thing), I realised love needn't be binding or claustrophobic, I realised it made me more secure, more confident of who I was & what I wanted to do, it makes me go through my days with a smile in my head (I try not to show it on my face, I would look loonier than I already am) & much, much more.

There has been a lot of heartache too (& still is) - living in two different cities, being able to only talk to him, not seeing him, sometimes, months on end, not wanting to fight with him but wanting to give him an earful at the same time for something he would have said/done or not. The thinking & the speculating & the reading between the lines...of what he said & what he really meant, the days (few, thankfully) spent telling myself that falling in love was the worst thing to happen to me, that I should have listened to my head & not my heart, the frustration & the sadness etc. (pics courtesy: deviantart.com)

My heart & my head have turned somersaults, been wrenched and tugged in different directions and into many shapes, bruised and battered. But they both have survived these 5 years (almost there). I keep my fingers crossed and fervently hope they go on for many, many more years. Forever!

To love someone deeply gives you strength.

Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage

~ Lao Tzu.

Thank you for being my friend, confidant, lover and soul-mate.

On a lighter note, I leave you with this comic strip below (pic courtesy: rtmulcahy @wordpress.com)

2010 - the good, bad & ugly.

As the New Year begins, I am going to be really cheesy and put down my list of favourites (and not-so favourite things) in 2010. Yeah... yeah... I know - everyone does it, why should I add to the numbers, what's new etc etc.

Well...I have never made a list like this before, not even a mental one, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Favourites:
(a) Making it to the end of the 2nd year of living in a different city, away from family & all things familiar.
(b) Some memorable movies (just when I had more or less believed they no longer made them like that anymore) - Inception, Alice in Wonderland, Social Network, Pipli Live, Udaan, 3 Idiots, Eat Pray Love...
(c) A good year at work despite jumping over hurdles and through rings of fire.
(d) The mad, crazy, fun moments in office
(e) The drinking, eating-out, watching plays, movies, shows...was intersting & good fun!
(f)Having the most fabulous birthday & holiday. It's the compay that counts!
(g) Starting this blog. (I shall strive to be more regular at it though)
(h) Some of the books that I've read & music I've listened to (numerous to list, there were some good ones!)
(i) Being with someone I deeply love & care about and having it reciprocated (technically, this doesn't count, it's a 'forever' thing...but who cares, it is a favourite!)
(pic courtesy: dreamstime.com/ google images)

Not so favourite:
(a) Ending the year in a serious illness (thankfully, recovered!). Not to mention being unwell the mid-year too.
(b) The hierarchy, pseudo-democracy and nit-picking at work
(c) The 'lonely' moments. I so hated it! (technically, this too doesn't count, probably going to happen in 2011 too...but that doesn't mean I have to like them. Always was/is a complete non-favourite!)
(d) My fluctuating wieght...which never seemed to yo-yo downwards. Always hitting the upward graph or staying where it was. Sigh...where did my college days go... & my 26 inch waist.
(e) Saying goodbye to family & friends after a trip home.
(pic courtesy: istockphoto.com/google images)

That's all in my list for the year gone by. Wasn't such a bad year after all. I am extremely thankful for the good stuff and hope to get over the bad. Here's wishing a far better year ahead...