WASABI

Last evening was the time for yet another monthly dinner meet with the account team, a monthly excuse to satisfy our ever adventurous and hungry Palates.

This time around we opted for a Dinner at Ritz Carlton for a Sea Food Buffet and here goes the details of the expansive (err rather expensive) spread, 80 dollars for a person is indeed expensive.

Appetizer & Soup
Selections of Fresh Sashimi, Sushi and Maki Sushi
Oysters, Chilled Tiger Prawns, Mussels, Red Claw Yabbies, Crab and Scallop on Ice
Glaze Unagi and Truffle Potato Salad
Mushroom and Crab Roe Tart
Seared Tuna, Seaweed Salad and Japanese Sesame Dressing
Crab Meat Soup

Main Course
Assam Skate Fish
Steamed Pomfret with Ginger Black Soya Sauce
Baked Butterfly Prawn with Garlic Butter and Herbs
Steamed Sea Bass Fillet and Crab Meat Sauce
Chili Crab

Live Station
Carving Station- Local and Chinese Roast Meat
Poached Boston Lobster with Lemon Cello Cream Sauce
Drunken Prawn Hot Pot

Dessert
Passion Fruit Crème, Strawberry Rhubarb Compote and Passion Fruit Mousse
Passion Fruit and Chestnut Tart
Vanilla Cheese Cake
Tiramisu
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Chocolate Pralines
Assorted Ice Creams and Sorbets

For the first time I tried Sushi and Sashimi with Wasabi, contrary to my belief I kind of enjoyed it. This was indeed a thrilling experience, the thrill of trying something new and of course the sting of wasabi. It was my first try at a Lobster too and the fresh oysters with Tabasco sauce and lime did go well too!

The dinner ended with our Voice SDM stealing apples, peaches and Yogurt!. The sting of wasabi was indeed an experience that will play on my mind for long!

Loads of food and the company of interesting people made the evening special.

You!

I sang a song to you but I was silenced by the breeze that stole the words off my mouth, yes the same breeze who playfully keeps your long, dark beautiful hair afloat.

Your beautiful dark eye lashes now controls my heart beat, my lill heart who used to beat around at will is now catching up with your playful eyes.

Your lush red lips and the magic it can do to me makes me feel lighter, like a lill butterfly gliding carelessly around you.

I am loosing what I used to call myself at your sight.

Good things

An old man in the bus I took back home reminded me of my dad. Dad always reminds me of a great loss. A sense of incompleteness.

His blindness created a special Bond between us like never before. Unfortunately that special bond was a beginning of an End!

Why does all good things end abruptly?

Darkness!

Like every other day I woke up at 5:00 AM in the morning started the day with a 45 mins walk, bought milk from Nandhini milk van, walked back home and was welcomed by my wife at the door, she took the milk packet to the kitchen and started making the morning tea.

I sat down on the cane chair that is always resting at the portico. My senses soon awakened to the smell of hot tea, as I sat down to read the previous days paper sipping my favorite tea, I was taken back to what I call the simple heaven of life.
The reading started with my favorite section the obituary and then moved to current affairs when I started twitching my eyes, Soon my vision started getting blurred, I started twitching my eyes again and very soon darkness surrounded me.

I was only fortunate to see my dear wife's face that morning, I longed to see my sons but that was not to be. The following days of my life were the most difficult ones.
I was subject to many doctors visits with my son leading me from one hospital to another before we finally decided to get admitted at Narayana Hridayalaya for a surgery.

Doctors were getting ready to split open my skull to remove a tumor that put me into darkness. My vitals were checked and was confirmed to be living with a heart that cannot support the demanding surgery. So I was put through a painful exercise of Angeogram and then Angeoplasty before being subject to the removal of my tumor.

I survived the dreadful surgery that eventually made me fully dependent on my son and wife. The frequent trips to the toilets were the most dreadful ones as I had to be accompanied and helped by my son or wife.
I think I troubled them a lot but luckily for them the trouble did not last for long for I did not survive for longer than 18 months after the surgery.

My first son was married within this period and I am one of those unfortunate fathers who witnessed a marriage but without having the privilege of seeing anything.

As I prepared to part this world I wished I could see my wife, sons and my daughter-in-law once.


Darkness that prevailed for long 2 years before he was taken into eternal brightness.. or may be darkness as I don't know where Dad is now. I wish he is in the heaven watching us.

I was!

I was cooking your favorite pasta when I felt the tremors...
I was going through our wedding album when I heard the grumble outside...
I was on the bed reliving our last vacation by the beautiful beaches at Thailand when I felt water by my feet...
I was washing your favorite shirt feeling your mesmerizing scent when I slipped...
I was crying about your harsh words from the fight we had in the morning when I heard the neighbors cry...
I was driving to the shopping center to buy you a gift for your birthday when I lost control of the steering...
I was baking your favorite walnut cookie to celebrate our first anniversary when I heard the dogs howl.

Now I see you crying at my photo from your wallet. I am trying to wipe of the hot and buring tears that is trickling down your cheek that always belonged to my lips. Oh dear!
How much I want to touch you, how much I want to hug you, how much I want to cry with you for I know I will only remain in your thoughts from now on...


To the love that was taken away by the worst natural disaster in the recent past.

Flashback!

This one is a walk down my memory lane, a search within to find those special faces and moments of life.

As I set my journey back through all those wonderful people and amazing moments, I am going breathless! I feel like nothing less than a bird, gliding past faces and expressions that I was drawn to..Smile, tears, playfulness ....

Some faces often repeat, may be I am going round a few of em, drawn to em I suppose...

As I put desperate efforts to move past them, I am taken way back to class1, yeah, that marks the start of an amazing journey of being drawn to beautiful faces. Cannot explain my feeling for the beautiful little girl who walked in on the first day of school.. but I certainly was awestruck.

The next stop is class 10, a couple of faces, then straight to freshman year in college, couple of more faces and from there to my first few years of Engineering, couple of faces again. Then my first job, a particular face that plays on for a few moments, Then off to IBM India at Bangalore
another face that I remember in particular and the year is 2006. next stop is year 2007 a pretty obvious face that played on for very very long and then off to IBM Singapore, another face!!.

This was an interesting journey and at the end of it, its quite unfortunate that all those faces remained unfulfilled desires and hopes. None of em made it to any of the photo frames at home, not even to my wallet!! like the many desirable & exciting things in life that are always an inch away from ones reach!

You!

Your eyes take me on an emotional high tide surf. The one that never lets you slow down.
Your breath draws me in like the flower that draws a wanderer bee.
The scent of your body ties me down like a slave.
Baby what do I say , you are the vowels of my life. Without you I make no sense.
Your thoughts give me the thrill like jumping off an airplane.
My dear I can take a bullet right through my heard for your smile.

You make my day, you make my world. It is you I want, to make my life complete.

Dream!

After a heavy thunderstorm and a period of haunting silence, I am looking for the spring.
The spring that triggers the blossom of new desires and new happiness.
This happiness is associated with the certainty of bringing in a new companion into my life and equally due to the uncertainty of who this new companion is.
My long periods of loneliness is often filled with thoughts of this new mysterious companion who is often perceived in the mind as the most beautiful, most gracious, most kind, most caring and importantly the most loving.

What surprises tomorrow brings does not bother anymore for I know at this moment I am happy coz I am dreaming!

Thanks to this unique ability of the human mind to dream, the power to elevate one from the usual-ness of life.

Away!

I was skeptical to start this journey but you held my hand and gave me the confidence to move on.
You lifted me when my legs ached walking bare footed on the difficult terrain.
You wiped my tears when the thorns painted my foot red.
You sang to me when my mind ached.
Your kiss gave me the warmth to live through the cold nights and your long dark hair covered my body from the rain.

Oh dear!, how confident I was to make it to the destination with you by my side.

I woke up one fine morning to find the sun smiling at me, I looked all around for you but there was no trace of you. I ran frantically in all directions shouting for you but all I could hear was my own echo.

Was I dreaming all this while? Were you just a dream? or is this a dream?

The sun smiling as tears trickled down my cheek. I waited in hope of finding you again, I searched all around in hope of catching a glimpse of you again, oh! I wished I could see you once again.

A heart filled with sorrow I continued my journey all alone. I walked many miles all alone and I know there are many more to go before I collapse. I may find a new companion to accompany me for the rest of my journey but I will always remember you for taking me halfway and leaving me all alone!


Why did you go away?

overcast!!

I need the rain and the sunlight but...

The rain that tries to cool me from the scorching heat of sun and the sun that is hellbent on giving me the much needed warmth to shake off the shiver from the rain.
Both the rain and the sun are trying to be good to me, trying to offer the best they have but little do they realize that too much of both can only do me harm.
Thanks to the tree who I can run to when the sun and rain competes to please me.

Relationships are no different when you are too intense you leave no choice but to run away....

Someone

When I spend my weekends wandering at the malls, eating at a favorite joint,
watching the latest movies at the cinemas or my during the bus ride back home or while seated in the train, I always wish I had someone with me, someone I could talk to, someone I could share my thoughts with, someone I could call mine.

I believe this someone is what every human being searches for, when you are young you try to find that someone in your mother, as you grow up you try to find that someone in a friend, in a lover, later in your partner or wife. A beautiful partner, loads of sex, kids, nothing seems to be fulfilling, the search continues...

It is impossible to find that someone if you search outside... that someone special is within you, it is the secret desires and unfulfilled wishes of your inner self personified.


NB: wake up!!

Fitness

After a very long time and lot of procrastination I eventually made it to the GYM. A $12 taxi ride from office took me straight to Parkway Parade. At the 7th floor of this mall is True Fitness. I was accompanied by couple of colleagues and one of em is a fitness freak. BTW IBMers can workout here for free!!

As I entered I was welcomed by the sight of some really beautiful women working out real hard, must say beautiful women around really helps men push their limits to achieve better results.

I exchanged my badge at the counter for a towel and a key to the locker, quickly changed into a more comfortable wear, secured my bag and laptop in the locker and got started with my workout.

As expected I was a bit rusty to start but thanks to my fitness freak friend who helped me push hard and eventually completed the workout for chest , triceps and a bit of cardio.

We then cleaned up a bit and walked to a nearby hawker center to catch some grub, a quick goodbye and $12 taxi ride back home wrapped up the adventure.


I woke up today with sore muscles and a bad headache and eventually ended up working from home.


However, the highlight of this little adventure is the sight at the men's locker room!! Seeing men running around naked can be quite a disturbing site to another man!!


PS: True Fitness is a long way ahead!!

Unknown

I am often bored by the way I am living this life. In a way I am living a dream and yet I feel many things missing. Why are we humans always insatiable? May be it is this innate quality that makes us different that has paved the foundation of this huge success as a species.

I won be surprised of the day when the morning news reads " Our scientist at the NASA have footage of what we suspect is of God our creator"

Well giving it another thought I think that is the ultimate goal of this life to find your way to god and to witness his presence.


PS: Life!!

A Whisper!

An empty swing at the park.

I observe a sedentary life, hanging lose in mid air. Often wonder how it feels to touch the ground below. I do have my moments of adrenaline pumping mad rush when athe little boys from the near by school set their arse on me an take me up to the highest point in mid air n then drag me back the other way, Wow those are scary n exciting. N there goes the bell an I am back to where I always am. Hanging in mid air.

I like the little girl always in pink n white, who comes for an evening walk but always in her mommas arms, She comes running to me to tell her lovely little stories. N then she goes leaving me deserted as ever.

I am thankful to the occasional breeze who wipes the sweat off me from the hot n uncanny Sun and to the rare strong winds who sets me moving to and fro with the gentleness and kindness that I seldom see.

I am just a swing who cannot set feet on the ground and I lay hanging in mid air, as ever.


PS: Its complicated!

Nostalgia

A Postbox at the MRT station near my workplace started me thinking on my childhood. The days when we were at Kerala and I guess I was in lower primary school.

I remember the sound of a cycle bell that used to bring joy in abundance to my mom for she always knew that it was her favorite postman who came twice every month carrying the letters of her loved one, her husband who was at Bangalore working his arse off at a Steel company amidst red hot furnace n boiling molten iron.

Those letters were often special coz it brought the warmth of his hand to her cold n lonely chest. Mom used to read the letter aloud to me n my brother, it often expressed the love of my father who at sight used to be fierce n strict. The letter always ended with a thousand kisses to mom! The part that made her blush!

Those letters not just carried words but much more than words, The touch, the scent n the real kisses of love, all embedded in a single blue paper! Guess this is what made the letters and the man who carried em special!

I tread the high mountains, I walk the lonely path with my bicycle,
I cross the streams and the hardest rivers, I fight the evil eyes,
Oh! I walk a long way to your door, to your home, to your heart to smile with you to jump in joy with you and to lend my shoulders for your tears to trickle..
I do it all for, I am your friendly postman!

PS: Good Old Days!

Just another Converation

Sanish to self : dear, what is it that you want to accomplish in life?

Self: Make money!!

Alter ego : To understand the true meaning of this long journey

Self: yeah right. n what you gonna do with it?

Alter ego: Well to start with you will know the purpose of this life.. does that ring a bell?

Self: Purpose of this life is to make money, guess you are an ignorant fool.

Alter ego: Humm, now you making me look bad.

Self : you are not bad, but dumb.

Alter ego: enough ! tell me what is it that you will achieve by making loads of money?

Self: There you go again , din't I tell you that you are a dumb fool...

Alter ego : common, go on and answer my question.

Self : OK dumbo, you make money, you spend money, you buy all that you need, good food, good dress, good gadgets, big house, big car, beautiful wife, loads of kids, good life for your kids n so on its a big list of things dumbo!

Alter ego: WOW! now that sounds interesting. But what about happiness?

Self: oof! you not just dumb you are crazy. Happiness? I buy happiness, everything that I buy will give me the happiness .

Alter ego: humm, so you are materialistic and find joy in it.

Self : Yes dumbo, you are sent from up above naked, penniless, helpless. From there starts your journey a long journey of making money and dying a kings death!. I may not take a penny back to wher I came from coz it is of no value there, but it is of great value here and I will call myself successful if I earn a lot of money here. And trust me it aint easy to die rich, it involves loads of hardship to earn money and to continue earning sufficiently to die a king's death... It aint for hypocrites and lazy bones like you, its for those who tread the path of hardship and use his full potential. Any more questions?

Alter ego: ehhh, well thats quite a bit to silence me for a while.. But I know that you got it all wrong.

Self : yeah, think of a response, until then shut up! Dumbo....


PS: That money smells sweet dear!!

Choices!

Are you religious or are you Spiritual?

I think, to be religious is to be more disciplined. Religion and religious following is nothing but a disciplined way of seeking god. This approach involves practices/customs that will help tame ones wild and uncouth mind & thought patterns.

Once you are religious you are ready for the next phase of abundant possibilities, the spiritual way of life, where you build your path of communication with the creator.

We have many different religion to chose from and each one has a set of different practices and approaches in preparing one for the Spiritual way of life. Now don't look down upon those who are not taking your path to spirituality. Lets concentrate on the end result!

Now Warton, Kellogs, LSB, Stanford, Michigan all offer MBA, its up to you to pick the one that suits you!!

PS: It aint a fair world!!

Frist time

Hi Bloggers, A friend and a full time blogger told me that blogging has a calming and soothing effect. The 2011 Valentines day spent with ought any companionship, I thought the calming and soothing effect may help a bit.

I do not have much to write this time around but hey wanna thank that good friend who in many different ways have helped me not to lose my sanity. So thank you my blogger friend.

PS: Romance is essential!!