Senses

I close my eyes
And take a deep breath ..

I let the sounds of the ocean
Take over me ..
Surround me ...

The wind breathing softly
Caressing my skin
Light as a feather ..

The sensations ripple
Through me
As if giving me
A new life ...

Chaotic Crisis

In continuation to my last post - the Mumbai Attacks are still taking place - 39 hours and counting as of right now when I write this.

It's heart wrenching to watch the current news coverage - the fact is that neither the media nor the police force is able to give an exact indication of how many people are currently held hostage, how many people are just trapped inside the hotels and how many terrorists are actually within the two hotel properties ... The media has been continuously changing its figures over the past 24 hours and it really puts a damper to ones' spirits to know that the news we are getting - is not even up-to-date.

It frustrates me to see things like policemen preparing for a show-down in completely inadequate protective gear - let's be honest - they had NO protective gear ! A flimsy so-called bulletproof sleeveless jacket that flaps around with a helmet does not account for protective clothing. As per news updates - anyone with common sense (or perhaps it's just my own perception) can tell that the attacks to the senior police officials on the first night of the attacks were in fact targeted. The aim of a terrorist is to instill fear amongst society - and what better way to do that than by provoking a large scale attack such as that taking place in South Mumbai and by targeting the country's most embellished police officers ? The media spent a fair amount of time focusing on how there was stunned silence amongst the police forces on hearing of the loss of lives within the department. The country's senior most Encounter Specialist was killed within a few hours of the start of the attacks.

These officers died in the line of duty and they will be remembered - today, tomorrow, a week or a month from now .. but what about 3 or 6 months from now ? What about the families they leave behind ? How does the family feel knowing that had their husband / father / brother had 'better' protection - there just might have been a chance for them ? It breaks my heart to think of what those families must be going through.

The media has talked about the entry of terrorists into Mumbai via the sea route ... Considering that we are a city surrounded by water - you would think that the Marines or Navy Officers would have a better command and knowledge of those entering our shores. We can't blame them - they may not have the facilities to keep track of every entrant - but we can't help but wonder 'how' was it possible for unidentifiable vessels to enter the waters and reach the shoreline.

Vilasrao 'finally' reaches the Trident hotel ... where was he on Wednesday evening or even Thursday morning - why bother making an appearance on Friday morning ? Really he shouldn't have bothered and just made a TV appearance wherever he was.

I have barely slept more than 4-5 hours in the last 40 hours or so - my eyes have been glued to the TV ... my house is around the corner from the hotel - and it would be 'great' to actually know what is going on ... And it's absolutely mind blowing to watch the members of the general public just wander across to the sites of the attacks to 'watch out of curiousity' and basically just get in the way of the police and NSG that are trying to secure the area ! What is wrong with the public - are they just stupid enough to go and make themselves obvious targets to terrorists who are firing indiscrimanatorily !

Even more frustrating is the way information is being provided to the public - in little bits and bobs - that are hardly clear ! I watched the Taj Hotel - a hertitage structure - BURN for over 2 hours on Wed night before fire engines got around to putting out the fire ... and I watched this magnificent piece of architecture BURN AGAIN over and over - whilst our firemen made a feeble attempt to try to put the fire out ! Guys come on !!! Use your initiative and brain cells !!! Even I as a layman can see - that if there is a fire on the 4th floor window on the side of the hotel, and there is a partial wall between the two partitions of the hotel - instead of standing on the wall and trying to put the fire out - (which was a highly pathetic attempt since the water from the fire house was barely reaching the base of the window!!) - why not get on the fire engine, use the damn ladder that is there for such situations - take the ladder to a height and start dousing the fire out !!! I was soo distraught by this feeble attempt that I had to keep yelling at my TV screen for the fireman to point the hose 'UP' instead of at 'chest level' !!

The media keeps stating that the 'operations will be over in an hour' - they've been repeating this for over 15 hours now ... what progress has been made ? We had NO news updates until 4 a.m earlier this morning - I succumbed to sleep by that time and woke up early again to find out what the latest scenario is ! The information provided by the press is quite contradictory - on one hand as of yesterday almost all the terrorists were killed and hostages released ... this morning - there are still a 'few terrorists' in the Taj and Oberoi hotels with more hostages ! The press is telling the public that the terrorists have been eating dry fruits, carrying foreign currency (USD $) and credit cards ... give me a break !!! Of course they will have the bare essentials with them !!! Money, credit cards and some sort of food ... are we that clueless as a society not to realise that if a full blown attack is taking place - the attackers won't have some sort of food with them ? It's not like they will tell the chefs of the hotels under seige to go and cook them a meal !!

And on that note - how on earth did the terrorists get INTO the hotels with bags full of weapons ? Does that mean that they had checked-in to the hotels a few days prior and set those rooms up as control rooms ? The hotels don't exactly screen the luggage coming into the property - they just check the exteriors of cars and hand bags (hmmm maybe now they will think of tightening security measures) ...Could it be that the terrorists actually booked rooms and came in with such advanced weapons and camped out at the hotel before meeting their comrades ?

It's logical enough to assume that the reason we didn't get any news updates last night was due to the fact that perhaps (for a change) the media was laying a false trail in case the terrorists were 'watching the news' ... as much as it has been said that the TV's and telephones at the hotels are not working .. these guys must have an outside counter part - perhaps in the city - perhaps in another city or even another country - watching the news and giving the attackers updates. It's a fact - they have more ammunition and explosives than the NSG, Army and Police force could imagine them to have ! One of the NSG reps has just said that the terrorists had over 700 rounds of bullets with them including spares !! jeeeeeez !!

This situation is not just a crisis at hand - it is a chaotic crisis ! As a society, as a city and country we must learn to manage unforseeable crisises and have a contigency plan ready and on hand should we ever need. There was a gentleman on the news - with salt & pepper hair - who was very vocal about his thoughts and it was good to hear that - finally - somebody went on national and worldwide television and publicly stated our pros and cons ! We need to stand up in a united front instead of this divided culture the politicans pave out !

I could go on and on ... so will stop now ... until later .... but think about it !

A Close Encounter ...

Last night, Wed 26th Nov was like any other day ... I went to work as usual, left work slightly early for a change and actually made it home by 8 p.m .. Instead of staying home, my adhoc plans took me back towards work and to my cousin's place as she was flying out and I was gonna give her a lift to the airport .. Normal right ?

No such luck ... sometimes I really feel that only I manage to end up in some very unusual situations ! My mother rang me around 21:50 and told me to take my time coming home as there appeared to be some sort of commotion near my house and that if I wanted I should stay at my grandparents place .. I didn't take this too seriously - as you can imagine generally how paranoid moms can get ..

I ended up at Hard Rock cafe for dinner and noticed the news ... CHAOS .. the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Oberoi Hotel in South Mumbai were under attack by terrorists ! People were being held hostage and the police were rounding up the properties ... I was in shock .. my apartment is about 200 feet from the Taj Mahal Hotel .. my whole neighbourhood was under-seige and I had no way of getting near my own home !

Having spent the night at my cousins' place - I have been receiving messages all night just checking if I was okay ! I've been watching the news almost shell shocked (1) how did such an attack happen ? (2) weren't the intelligence officers intimated about the attack as would be typical of most terrorist attacks ? (3) how is it possible that sufficient ambulances, fire brigades and cops weren't at the scene of attacks earlier than they were ?

There are dozens of questions running through my mind ... My cousin and I watched the news unfold before us for about 5 hours and as members of the public - I'm sure other viewers were just as confused about what was going on ! The news channels have been updating the viewers about what is going on - however there isn't much information on the 'progress' reported or about 'how' the attacks actually took place ... I watched the magnificent structure of the Taj Mahal catch fire on the top floor after a series of small blasts and it took over 2 hours for the fire brigade to get there and control the fire ... What I fail to understand is why weren't the fire brigades called on-site when terrorist activites were discovered ? It's only common sense that the basics such as ambulances and fire engines be on-hand shoud they be necessary. How often do you hear of a terrorist attacks and 'no casulaties' ? Shobha De, a reknowed columist made a public statement on TV about how it took over 2-3 hours for fire brigades to reach the scene of attacks.

The Indian Army was called in to rope off the two prominent hotels that were under attack - with over a dozen hostages held at each hotel. Without disrespecting the news crew and media present on-site - shouldn't they be updating us more on what is going on at the scene instead of actually disclosing what the police, army and navy personnel are planning to do .. there were numerous times that a news anchor actually stopped reporters mid-sentence and asked them not to publicly announce what the plans were to control the situation at hand ... I'm surprised that the reporters hadn't thought of that - especially since we, the viewers were already informed that guests trapped in the hotel were communicating with those outside the hotel, were trying to get out, had been eye-witness to some of the shootings -but had no access to TV in their rooms - and the reporters weren't sure if the attackers had access to TV.

Frustrating as it sounds - even more so is the fact that the news channels are not giving any further updates on the 'email' that was sent to the media or to the police (not quite sure who it was sent to!). There were also unconfirmed statements made about how the Pune Police Department knew about the attacks 2 days prior to the actual attacks ! It's sad to know and hear about how unprepared the police officials and government is with regards to potential attacks that could take place. Whilst waching CNN now, there are statements made about how the Deccan Mujahideen (the group that has claimed to take responsibility for the attacks) made a public announcement to release all the mujahideens in order to release the hostages ... where the hell was this news last night ????

Despite security measures being taken over the last year that I have been in Mumbai - those measures are really a 'formality' and don't actually enforce anything. Seriously - how effeciently and effectively can 2 security guards at any entry gate of a hotel perform checks with the number of vehicles and people entering hotels and public spaces ? e.g. at most of the 5* hotels I visit, at the gate, there are 2 security guards - one who checks the front hood of the car and one who checks the underside of the car with those floor mirrors and the they check the boot of the car. NOT ONCE have I ever had any of these guys check the inside of my vehicle nor check the boot properly - what if I was carrying something on my person or in my hand bag ?

How does it make you feel knowing that you are entering a public property and there are half-hearted security measures in place especially after seeing what happened last night ?? It could have been you or me at the Taj or Oberoi hotel last night on a normal evening out. It appears that Mumbai is unable to react quickl enough to the attacks that have taken place over the years - there is no emergency or contingency plan in place ! Throughout the course of the night - there was not one reassuring voice or statement made on TV to calm the public down. Where were the people of authority to tell the people of Mumbai on how to proceed and to tell them what to do ? It was the common man and the quick thinking of the people at the hotels informing people on what to do and how to proceed.

The scary thing about the whole incident is that my younger brother was about 300 meters from my house and was walking back home when he heard or saw the first blast of gunfire and ended up taking shelter at my dads' brothers' place which also happens to be about two streets away from the Taj Hotel. My sister luckily was at my grandparents home - close by to where I have been all night. During the course of the night - it got worse for me as I kept discovering that some of my friends were in the vicinity - and had been trapped at the local bars and restaurants as they had been out ... I've been hearing from them but it's actually scary to know that your friends and people you know are caught dead center at the scene of the attacks ...

The news states that this is 9/11 taking place in Mumbai and it does appear to be that way. The locations of the attacks have been in prime areas - targeting a large number of tourists, HNI's, and corporate individuals. There have been about 200 fatalities and over 300 injured - the fatalities include some senior ranking members of the police force which indicates a targeted attack.

I just hope that the communication between the police and the media increases and we, the public are better informed about the situation at hand. My heartfelt wishes go out to all who have been involved in the attacks of last night and to those who may have lost a loved one.

Where Do The Hours Go ?

Here I am sitting in my office at 19:49 on a Friday night ... and instead of making plans for a 'date', I am in fact making plans to hang out with a girlfriend at her place. So why not just go out on a date is what you must be wondering ...

Maybe it's because people are just too tired on a Friday after 5 days of work ... in a city like Mumbai where I am currently based ... this would incorporate a total of anywhere between 55 - 70 hours of ones week.

A week of 7 days has 168 hours; the average person sleeps at least 7 hours a day which is 49 hours - therefore leaving 119 hours for a person to fit in his / her personal, professional and family life. In my 119 hours that I have to fit in the above ... my work keeps me anywhere between 8 - 10 hours in a day (during peak wedding season - I've done close to 20 hours a day for 10 days !!) .. so taking an average of 9 hours per day for 5 days which is 45 hours. I typically spend almost 10 hours in a 5 day working week just traveling back and forth between my home and my office.

So really I have only 64 hours during the whole week for myself which is about 2.67 days. In those 64 hours - I have to find time for my family, friends, and again being in a city like Mumbai - I need to keep extra hours just for traveling between destinations as the traffic and commute is absolutely ridiculous. Believe me when I tell you that it has taken me almost 45 mins to travel by car a mere distance of 5 kilometers ! Seriously I could have walked a whole lot faster !

Taking the above into consideration - I figure I spend about 3 hours per day of 'my time' of 64 hours in my car ... so that leaves me with only 58 hours to myself during the whole week !!!

Now when you think about it - 58 hours sounds like a hell of a lot of hours ...In essence that's about 8.28 hours per day 'free' in a 7 day week ... however I've noticed that those hours tend to space themselves at very awkward time slots therefore leaving one with very little choice of what they can actually utilize that so-called free time for !

Using myself as an example ... I typically start waking up around 7:30 - 8 a.m, and then sit down with my dad for a bit, watch the news, talk about the markets (I finally joined the stock market world this time last year) and then head over to chill with my mom, read the paper, have breakfast, shower and then head to work by about 10 a.m. That's 2 hours gone right there. Once at work - everyone takes about 30 mins or so to settle into the day .. and of course then comes the inevitable 'lunch hour' that we are all meant to have but don't always take full advantage off !

Technically and legally - we are meant to have 1 hour of lunch break during the course of a working day ... most days I eat lunch at the office with my colleagues in the 'cafeteria' but I don't sit there the whole hour ... it's mostly a quick sandwich or some fruit or salad - hence taking only about 15 minutes of my time ... oh I'm one of those people who inhale my food in and don't really do the whole 'chewing' etc lol I tend to spend the remainder of my lunch actually catching up with some personal emails | facebook | msn or g-chats | or personal phone calls with friends who are also on lunch ! Ever so often - my boss, colleague and I all go for lunch together - which would typically involve at least a 15-20 minute car ride, 10 minute waiting period, 30-45 minutes of eating, 10 minutes for the bill and another 20-25 minutes for the drive back to work - so all in all about 2 - 2.5 hours IF we go out to eat for lunch.

As one's work day progresses - taking into account that no meetings are scheduled that involve another car ride - around 5:30 - 6 p.m typically everyone will take a break to grab a coffee | tea | snack ... Indian mentality - 'chai lo fresh ho' ... A cup of tea freshens you up ! (I just find that I get sleepy but that's another story altogether). This would normally take up about 30 minutes and its also the time used for teams to just gather together and go over their day and provide feedback on whatever they are currently working on.

I typically finish work around 7 - 7:30 p.m BUT I wait around at work till about 8 or 8:30 p.m just to AVOID the heavy 'going home traffic' ... I have the following options (1) Leave at 7:30 and get stuck in 1 hour worth of traffic and eventually get home by about 8:30 - 8:45 p.m OR (2) Leave work after 8:15 p.m and get home within 30 minutes. I obviously choose the latter because then I have 1 hour to sit back at the office and either catch up with some of my day's work or just catch up on some reading, writing, phone calls etc. Since I've not yet gotten myself a blackberry (I'll be working 24/7 then !!) nor a 'net connect card' for my laptop - I can't really work on my laptop whilst in the car if it involves browsing the net ... another reason to stay back at work before heading home .. another 1 hour gone ...

When I eventually do get home .. I try to spend some time and have dinner with the parents and siblings till at least 10:30 p.m 'cos that's when my parents retire to their room for the night and watch their tv shows etc ... another 1.5 hours of my time ... therefore by 10:30 p.m on any evening I have already utilised 6 of my 8.28 hours of free time !!

Now I am left with 2.28 hours - so what do I do with that free time ? I live in South Mumbai - and any good friend of mine that I would want to hang out with lives within 8-11 km's from my house. So given this - I tend to step out of the house again around 11 p.m and hang out with a friend, go for a drive or just chit chat till about midnight or 1 a.m. at the latest and then head back home to get some sleep and prepare for the next day.

Mumbai isn't the kind of metropolitan city that has 24 hour cafes and lounges or hang out areas - even parks aren't open after 8 p.m which really leaves nothing for one to do later in the evening aside from hanging out at a coffee shop in a 5* hotel (and really after a while that gets boring AND pinches the pocket) because those are the only coffee shops 'open' late in the evening. Gyms close by 10 - 10:30 p.m - there is one that's open 24 hours but that's in Bandra which is about 18 kms from my place ... a good 30 minute drive in the evening still !! Maybe that's why I'm not going to the gym - can't seem to find one that fits into my schedule and price bracket !!

Whilst talking to my cousin yesterday - we concluded that I spend most of my 'free hours' in my damn car !!

So now that I know where my hours go ... I just need to figure out how to go about finding more time to actually do the things I want to do !!!

Festival of Lights …or Endangering the Environment

"Deepawali" (also transliterated as "deepaawaLi") literally means a row of lamps (Sanskrit "deepa" = lamp and "aawaLi" = row, line). In due course, the popular name has shortened to Diwali, especially in northern India. While Deepavali is popularly known as the "festival of lights", a more appropriate significance is "the new year of luck and wealth" and it is celebrated with a variety of fireworks.

During the week prior and post Diwali, the city is full of lights … star lights lining the trees and buildings; and if you look towards the heavens, the dark skies are lit up with various colours – courtesy of the fireworks. Some of them are really truly quite spectacular and a visual treat for those who have never really experienced this before.

Having moved to India last year – I didn't quite experience 'Diwali' – so this year – I wanted to see what the big deal was and why everyone was so into it. Don't get me wrong – the concept and idea behind the festival and celebration is great (there's a lot history on this – so you might want to Google it or hit Wikipedia) but for the life of me – I couldn't and still can't understand why we would need to celebrate with such environmental harmful elements !!! and for a prolonged period of almost 2 weeks. I can get that for the first 3-4 days of the festival – people are celebrating … but after that … why use fireworks ??

It's bad enough that a city such as Mumbai is already heavily polluted and over populated. The city for me became almost unbearable during the week of Diwali due to the sheer nonsense I kept experiencing when out and about. Of course I admired the fireworks and also oohed & aahed at some of them … but really most of the time I just kept jumping in my car seat every time I heard an explosion !! This is NOT a good thing when one is actually sitting behind the wheel of a car !!! There were a few times when I got quite jumpy after seeing an explosion of light barely 2 feet away from me (and I almost hit the car in front of me) !!

As beautiful and in keeping with the spirit of the festival the fireworks are – I really don't see much sense in the excessive use of them. I noticed this more-so after taking a few videos of the firework displays on one of the main streets overlooking the water – known as Marine Drive. The after effects of fireworks are enough to give one reason to visit the doctors for a lung check-up !! There's just so much smoke everywhere and the fumes as well, not to mention the mess people leave behind on the streets or pathways where they play with the fireworks. Have a look at the video I took on Diwali day, it shows some really pretty displays but if you pay close attention you see all the smoke drifting across the skies :(

If that's not bad enough – the other day I was sitting with a friend on Marine Drive and we saw this family pull out of the car – Father, Mother, Grandma, and two twin girls – probably no more than 5 years old .. sweet right ? nice family outing … then I saw the huge bin bag the father was carrying and proceeding to empty out onto the 'seats' made along the divider. It was just left me a bit gob-smacked that here comes a family with a bag full of fireworks (even though festivities stopped last week!) and were just going to sit around and entertain their children with this. So I began to wonder – why couldn't they have done that within their own building / house with the rest of the people in the city. To be fair – I even thought that perhaps the kids were sick the previous week and perhaps that's why it was small private show for them.

Now to the amusing part of it all … the father and mother went about lighting sparklers, small rockets, and twisters on the ground whilst the twins … they just showed No Interest whatsoever in what their parents were doing. The grandma was just sitting there trying to engage one of the twins to at least hold the sparkler in her hand and twirl it around ! I only got around to capturing the below on video about 15-20 minutes AFTER they'd arrived so it may not have the impact I want it to have .. but it's well worth watching (and hearing my commentary if I say so myself heheh)

The point I guess that I'm trying to make is that - the fireworks look great for a few minutes but have we ever really given a thought to the consequences our natural environment faces after those few minutes ? In the above example - was it really necessary for the parents to continue lighting up fireworks for almost 45 minutes when their children were not really quite 'into it' ?

Fireworks take many forms to produce the four primary effects: noise, light, smoke, and floating materials such as confetti. Fireworks produce smoke and dust that may contain residues of heavy metals, sulfur-coal compounds and some low concentration toxic chemicals. These by-products of fireworks combustion will vary depending on the mix of ingredients of a particular firework. (check google for more info).

There are various concerns about the effects of fireworks - but hey - who pays attention to them when used for a celebration right !!

Pollutants from fireworks raise concerns because of potential health risks associated with hazardous by-products. People suffering from asthama or multiple chemical sensitivity the smoke from fireworks may aggravate existing health problems. Environmental pollution is also a concern because heavy metals and other chemicals from fireworks may contaminate water supplies and because fireworks combustion gases might contribute to such things as acid rain which can cause vegetation and even property damage.

The most obvious and undisputed fact is that fireworks leave behind a considerable amount of solid debris, including both readily biodegradable components as well as non degradable plastic items. Concerns over pollution, consumer safety, and debris have restricted the sale and use of consumer fireworks in many countries. However it doesn't appear to be a restriction placed on the Indian consumers within India :(

Body of Lies

The other day, I went to watch a movie – the above title in fact – 'Body of Lies' with Leonardo Dicaprio (Ferris) and Russell Crowe (Hoffman). Normally I like to know which movie I'm going to watch however this was quite an unplanned visit and this was the movie that was playing at the time we got to the cinema.

The movie is about the how the CIA operates when surveying terrorist activists around the globe, the superior use of satellite devices; the factors that an undercover operative witnesses and how their attitudes towards situations affect their work … all of this, of course high lighting that the terrorists are all Muslims. Quite prominent in all US released news and film.

Now before I delve any further – let's get one thing straight. Some people might be offended when reading this (or might not at all – I hope) and I don't know what kind of reaction you would have.

This is one of the few movies I feel that captures the real life battles of egos, authority, policies and procedures and is a pretty accurate visual interpretation of what actually happens in the 'real world'. It almost defies all the words printed by the press; the blatant racism and accusation that states Muslims are terrorists.

Movies related to the war in Iraq have been a pretty tough sell in the U.S. thus far. I guess it's not that surprising; no one wants to go to the movies to get depressed when they can get enough of that from simply watching the news. However with this movie, at least I came out feeling that 'finally' someone has gone on to show two sides of the story as opposed to just the one side where the US comes out on top. It really isn't always the case and I just don't feel like that's an accurate depiction of what is actually taking place.

Since the movie is concerned with issues of information, misinformation and disinformation, rather than weaponry and technology, at least one third of the yarn consists of brief phone conversations between Ferris and Hoffman, who's often seen around his pool or in his yard, playing with his children, while getting crucial info and making on the spot vital decisions that might affect the lives of Ferris and others.

There's Ferris who's out in the field trying to infiltrate an Al-Qaeda network – traveling between Jordan and Iraq – always communicating with Hoffman on his cell phone whilst Hoffman keeps a track of Ferris by way of satellites. There is an internal battle between Ferris and Hoffman where one sees how the head of CIA operations, Hoffman is concerned that national security is not breached – at any cost … whilst Ferris has to comply with orders, the humanitarian in him comes out in scenes where he would like to 'do the right thing' whilst not defying orders at the same time.

Ferris partners with Hani Salaam, Head of Intelligence in Jordan, to infiltrate the network – and much to his own dismay, Hoffman doesn't believe in sharing information with Salaam. In its own way, just that triangle between these characters shows how in real life, the people appointed to guard national security, are judgmental in their thoughts and outlook towards even those who are trying to work alongside them. Hoffman wants Ferris to go behind Salaams' back and Salaam has made it clear that if he feels he's being deceived then Ferris has to leave the country and he can't guarantee his safety.

What one will also find in this movie is the difference in attitude and approach in dealing with people … Salaam manages to get a mole into the terrorist network and his methodology of doing so is almost simple and basic in nature – but the full effect of that humanitarian method is highlighted at the end of the movie when Ferris is captured and on the brink of being killed. If we move along the other side of the ocean, we see Hoffmans' almost callous attitude towards people – if he has no use for them – he doesn't care of their outcome – he just wants results.

One must understand that terrorist acts are not conducted by people such as you or me – but more by a smaller segment of people who quite literally believe that their way of life is the best way of life. This applies to all cultures, castes, nationalities, religions – it is not something that applies to any one culture or religion. For some people, terrorism includes antisocial behavior by their own countrymen, and for some unless there's a bomb blowing up – it doesn't count as a terrorist act. We must learn to work together with people from all backgrounds if we want to achieve some sort of harmony … if we mistrust those around us – they are at some point – bound to reciprocate the same feelings – and then we complain that we are being judged !

In today's world – we are all an amalgamation of cultures regardless of our skin colour and background. No country is 'unique' anymore that it only has descendents of their own … People travel, people move, people make homes all over the world, and their children grow up in an environment that doesn't belong to them – but they make that new environment their home. There are some 'foreigners' in our 'home countries' that treat that country more as home than they do to their own native land. We as people actually care about those around us and will go out of our way to see all go right. Unfortunately those people are not at high levels of position to necessarily make a difference to the world. With the news and media creating such a ruckus on 'who is a terrorist' and 'weapons of mass destruction' – the higher ups are just abusing their position of authority to create a disillusioned world.

In a way, this movie offers a cynical yet unfamiliar perspective on how the war of terrorism is conducted, both as a matter of routine and as a highly risky, endless cat-and-mouth chase, which inevitably involves risking the lives of officers and civilians, all over the world. Maybe the movie was meant to reinforce the fact that the U.S. is completely helpless when it comes to intelligence in the Middle East, and that terrorism is part of a vicious cycle.

What’s the Point ?

"We look at each other wondering what the other is thinking but we never say a thing"

I came across this quote and quite liked it – also do quite agree with it as well.

Now to add my two bits to it … Do you ever feel that that sometimes when you share some sort of chemistry with someone – that you can both look at each other, wander what he / she is thinking, and you have your own thoughts going on through your mind, and instead of saying what your thoughts are – you end up saying something else completely. It might be something off the topic, it might be a cruel way with words, it might be sarcasm, it might be flirtatious – but it's not exactly what's on your mind …. Has that ever happened to you ?

I am one of those people that tends to blurt out what's on my mind – regardless of how it might affect the person it's directed to – not because I'm an inconsiderate person but moreover because I'm quite an honest person that way. There's no sugar in my words … they tend to come out spicy without me necessarily meaning for it to be that way. Of course over the years I've learned to control my sharp tongue and have managed to sweeten my words with certain peer groups so as to avoid unnecessary tension. However I still find that sometimes – I just slip back into my old self and say what's on my mind.

This can be a good thing – and a bad thing .. really depends on the situation. For instance, the other night, I met this person who I've known for months, and somehow I just feel that the two of us have never really communicated what 'we really want' to each other … it's always a play of words … like a mind game almost … Don't get me wrong – I can play mind games with the best of them – but what's the point ?

This has gone on for months now, back and forth – almost like a hide-and-seek game – each one trying their turn and ultimately ending up in a Catch 22 situation. At least that's how I feel about the whole thing ! I've gone on to express this exact thought to the concerned person but sometimes it just feels like my words have gone in one ear, and left out the other ear.

Is there any point in pursuing what could be an acquaintanceship, a friendship, a relationship (business or personal) when the process of actually starting one of these so-called relations just stretches beyond a reasonable time frame ? What does one do when that happens ?

A thought or two …

I don't even know where to begin .. and here I am trying to pen down my thoughts.

There's so much history and background to be given for one to even understand where my current thoughts are coming from. I'm not quite sure if I should go into the background or just get on with my current thoughts.

Now that makes me think – is it necessary for one to know of the background, history and thought process behind a statement for one to fully understand what the other person is actually saying or trying to communicate across ? It's probably true – however it's almost impossible to always know the processes that an individual uses to actually communicate a thought.

So does that imply that none of us are actually able to fully comprehend what another person is trying to say to us ? There are numerous people out there who tend to fragment their thoughts when putting it into actual speech … unless they are talking to like-minded people, there's a high chance that those around wouldn't actually understand what the hell that person was trying to say. It's almost like reading these thoughts right now …

You don't actually know what I want to communicate … why did I start this note ? what was the purpose ? If I told you that I wrote the first 3 paragraphs day before yesterday and just picked up from the previous paragraph today as I'm sitting here at work waiting for a colleague as I'm hitching a ride today .. wouldn't you wonder what the hell was I thinking when I actually started writing the note ?

Something actually happened last night when I went out – I'll probably write about it later at some point when I'm more calm about it .. but last night … Oh my god ! I just wanted to get inside the head of the person and yank at the part of the brain that was actually trying to communicate with me in the most unconventional way !

I think I'll stop now … It'll just get too confusing …. But when we meet in person one day – maybe you'll understand.

Theobroma Brownies … An Orgasmic Experience

Yes ! You read the title correctly … =)

Now, you must be wondering – 'what' is a 'theobroma brownie' and 'how' can a 'brownie' be an 'orgasmic experience' ?? For those of you who have no clue what a 'Theobroma' brownie is – allow me to explain.

I presently live in Mumbai and have been here for just over a year. During my time here, and being the dessert lover that I am, I have taken it upon myself to be able to find 'good dessert' around the city to satisfy any of my cravings. The best part about eating here is that you always get baked products straight from the oven. The coffee deserves a couple of brownie points too.

Theobroma which means "food of the gods" lives upto its name as the apt word that comes to mind to describe the food is "heavenly."

A bit of background on Theobroma's - a tiny dessert café – tucked away towards the end of a popular shopping haunt known as Colaba Causeway in the heart of South Mumbai. One might even miss it if you aren't actually looking out for it. However, every time I have gone there, morning, noon or night – the place is buzzing with activity. I believe it's run by a Parsi lady as I met quite a sweet aunty behind the counter and all the staff were listening to her instructions.

I was having quite a tiring week after having squinted at excel sheets all day, every day for 8 hours at a stretch and decided that I needed a dose of dessert to perk my mood up. I turned up at Theobroma's and after debating out the chocolate levels in each brownie with that nice aunty I mentioned earlier – I ordered 6 Chocolate Overload Brownies ! Before you think that they were all for me (although I would have eaten them myself !) – I had very nicely considered my colleagues at work and thought to bring them some brownies back as well.

So here I was in the back of my car, with a box of brownies next to me – and despite it being only 10:30 a.m. – the sweet tooth got the better of me and I was ready to bite into this delightfully fluffy brownie … From the moment of that first bite, my eyes swooned shut and all I could do was just savor the various flavours that were creating tingling sensations around my mouth ! This swooning behavior with a few occasional whimpering sighs of pleasure continued until the last bite and it took much resistance not to eat another brownie.

As you can imagine, the rest of the morning and afternoon flew by, and I'd even had a smile on my face =) Towards tea-time, two colleagues and I sat down for what was our late lunch and nursed away our hunger pangs with some noodles. One of the ladies, had never heard of Theobroma's – and it gave me great pleasure in describing to her – the ultimate brownie experience. I had by now gotten her a piece of brownie and asked her to close her eyes and just enjoy the taste and the experience of her first chocolate orgasm ! It was just utterly delightful to watch someone eat a dessert for the first time and ENJOY it as much as you do ! So I'm a bit OTT on the dessert section of any menu – but in my world, why eat dinner when you can eat dessert ?

Amidst tons of giggles and sighs of pleasure – my colleague asked me 'How old are you?' and I replied '26 turning 27 soon' to which she looked up at me, and with a smile, told me 'You are a wise young woman to be able to discover this' !

Ladies won't you agree with me on this theory … Since most women find it hard to achieve an orgasm or are unable to experience the Big O with their partners – if there was a guaranteed way – for you to feel the pleasure that an orgasm can bring – each and every time – wouldn't You opt for the brownie =P

A Whales Tail

I think this would be an appropriate title considering my first-hand experience playing hide-and-seek with a Humpback Whale in the deep waters of Mauritius !!

I had been out on a catamaran cruise around the West coast of Mauritius with clients when our captain received a call that there had been a whale sighting just a little ahead of where we were cruising. Our catamaran sped through the waters and soon enough I managed to catch sight of the tail of the whale ....


I can't begin to even describe just how exhilarating it felt to be able to see .. I mean actually 'see' a live whale right before my eyes ... here was this mammoth size mammal that was at one point towards the brink of extinction that has since slightly recovered due to the introduction of a whaling moratoriums in 1996.

So here's this amazing mammal quite literally swimming circles around four catamarans and a speed boat ....until finally the whale has managed to surface in between the four catamarans giving all us wide-eyed passengers the ultimate photo opportunity !

"The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching (throwing two thirds or more of their bodies out of the water and splashing down on their backs) and slapping the water."

Since it was my first ever whale sighting here are a few things I noticed about this whale ...this one probably wasn't a full grown whale (but then again - as if I would know this !!), it had a relatively stocky body, with very obvious whitish bumps near the head.

The curious creature that I am - I turned to the google for all my answers ... I just wanted to know everything there was to know about these mammals :) So the knobs which I saw are actually on the head and lower jaw and are known as 'tubercles', which are actually 'hair follicles' and are a characteristic of the species.

Consider this ... thanks to Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and National Geographic - we, as a population are increasingly aware of the various species of animals and marine life that are currently existent ... and I can bet that a relatively high percentage of those who watch these channels would want to actually 'see' these magnificent creatures up, close and personal.

Now most of us will at some time or the other, be able to take a land / jungle safari and therefore be able to perhaps do a 'walk with the big cats' or do a drive through and look at the other wildlife on land. However, to be amongst the larger marine mammals ... that's another story altogether ! Yes, we can experience the underwater world by snorkeling, and those more adventurous will go scuba diving ... and yet the fear of the unknown world of sharks and whales is enough to make even that percentile of the population think twice before taking a dive into the deep blue !

I feel honoured that I have had the opportunity to cruise alongside this gentle giant of the seas and watch it at it's playful best :)

Deepak Chopra feat Demi Moore - Desire

Anyone a Buddha Bar fan ? Have you heard 'Desire' by Deepak Chopra featuring Demi Moore ? Yes, Demi Moore as in the actress who was once married to Bruce Wilis and now married to Ashton Kutcher !

As usual, I went and got hold of the video and it didn't cease to amaze me !! The scenic imagery, the fire red & orange sunsets, and swells of waves, completely takes my breath away.

The lyrics and rhythms of this track are just immensely soothing and yet so deep – it lays a finger on my heart.

The lyrics are almost pure and yet so humble in their meaning … honest, open, soul baring. Demi Moore's voice just adds a touch of sensual mystique to this tune.

Do we love ourselves more than we love our lovers ? Can we truly love someone unconditionally without thought for ourselves ? To experience a love where you can find your strengths in someone else is quite intense !

Passion at its peak … where your senses hunger for a touch and taste of another … you can look but cannot touch … whereby a mere glance is enough to melt you and stir a flame within.

I quite like the depth behind the 2^nd last verse of the song … I am a water & air sign and love the calming effects that water brings about. The power of the ocean – in all its magnitude – is a reflection of how truly powerless we are in the face of it all. Does the ocean call out to you the way it does to me ?

Are you like the ocean – smooth on the surface, turbulence rampaging below ? Do you have the same intensity as the waters that beckon you to dare tread their surface ? Imagine being able to merge yourself as one with the ocean … to rise above the surface and engulf those around you and make them one with you ?

A lover knows only humility, he has no choice.
He steals into your alley at night, he has no choice.
He longs to kiss every lock of your hair, don't fret,
he has no choice.
In his frenzied love for you, he longs to break the chains of his imprisonment,
he has no choice.


A lover asked his beloved:
Do you love yourself more than you love me?
Beloved replied: I have died to myself and I live for you.
I've disappeared from myself and my attributes,
I am present only for you.
I've forgotten all my learnings,
but from knowing you I've become a scholar.
I've lost all my strength, but from your power I am able.

I love myself...I love you.
I love you...I love myself.

I am your lover, come to my side,
I will open the gate to your love.
Come settle with me, let us be neighbours to the stars.
You have been hiding so long, endlessly drifting in the sea of my love.
Even so, you have always been connected to me.
Concealed, revealed, in the unknown, in the un-manifest.
I am life itself.

You have been a prisoner of a little pond,
I am the ocean and its turbulent flood.
Come merge with me,
leave this world of ignorance.
Be with me, I will open the gate to your love.

I desire you more than food or drink
My body my senses my mind hunger for your taste
I can sense your presence in my heart
although you belong to all the world
I wait with silent passïon for one gesture one glance
from you.

David Guetta – The World Is Mine

David Guetta the pioneer of French house with Up & Way, a garage-style track with vocals by Robert Owens released in 1992 really made a name for himself in the mid-90s as one of the key catalysts of Parisian nightlife by promoting evenings at such renowned Paris hot spots as Folies Pigalle, Queen, Bataclan, Palace and Les Bains, where he invited DJ legends like Little Louie Vega, David Morales, DJ Pierre and Roger Sanchez to join him on the turntables. In 2001, however, he went back to his first love: making music.

The World Is Mine has been 'strongly influenced' by Depeche Mode, and indeed it's strikingly similar in sound and style to the 90’s synth pop pioneers. It has a fine beat, is melodious, and the dance floors have been going mad about it. David succeeds in tingeing his work with a slightly darker, more foreboding dimension, creating something that is both uplifting, yet strangely edgy at the same time. The commercial package also features a superb percussion-based remix from Deep Dish.

Developing progressively via synths, ominous riffs and a Dave Gahan style vocal chanting 'mine, the world is mine', the mix builds and builds before collapsing in a predictable but nonetheless fantastic breakdown before taking off for two more minutes of thumping electro-house action. C’est Fantastique!

This is not just one of my all-time favourite dance tunes but also the top tune for all my cousins !! There is no way that if this track is playing – that any of us would not be on the dance floor ! Every time I hear this tune, I’m elated. It is almost as if the beats become one with my heart beat, and the vocals are a part of the blood flow within me. The lyrics seem to just ease through my body, my veins as the lyrics go.

It is a MUST HAVE on any CD that I make for my listening pleasure – or a part of the playlists at any parties. Over the course of the last 24 hours, I have probably heard this song about a handful of times varying from my car, a house party, a night club, even as a ringtone on my friends’ phone ! I can completely lose myself to the stirring rhythms … the track is mixed to build-up a delirious range of emotions … sensual, edgy, sharp and it totally hits a spot :)

I don't know about your musical preferences but this track is a natural high !! I can close my eyes and completely lose myself in the vocals ... do you ever feel like the world is really just all yours ?

That rush one gets driving down an empty stretch of road ... no one there except for you ... you control the road, the environment around you .. euphoric achievement perhaps ? There is no fear ... just the bare feeling of being at one with the world and that the world is really all mine :)

I believe in the wonder
I believe this new life to gain
Like a God that I'm under
There's a drugs running through my veins

I believe in the wonder
I believe I can touch the flame
There's a spell that I'm under
Got to fly, I don't feel no shame

The world is mine
The world is mine
The world is mine

I've lost my fear to war and peace
I don't mind that (the world is mine)
You took the price and realize
That to your eyes (the world is mine)

Take a look what you've started
In the world flashing from your eyes
And you know that you've got it
From the thunder you feel inside

I believe in the feeling
All the pain that you left to die
Believe in believing
In the life that you give to try

The world is mine
The world is mine
The world is mine

I've lost my fear to what appears
I do my best(the world is mine)
You seem surprised and realize
That to your eyes (the world is mine)

The world is mine
I've lost my fear to what appears
I do my best(the world is mine)
You seem surprised and realize
That to your eyes (the world is mine)

I've lost my fear to what appears
I do my best (the world is mine)
You seem surprised and realize

That to your eyes (the world is mine)

What the hell is Dating ?

There are three possible parts to a date, of which at least two must be offered: entertainment, food, and affection. It is customary to begin a series of dates with a great deal of entertainment, a moderate amount of food, and the merest suggestion of affection.

As the amount of affection increases, the entertainment can be reduced proportionately. When the affection IS the entertainment, we no longer call it dating. Under no circumstances can the food be omitted.

Source Unknown

When was the last time you went out on a ‘real date’ ? You know the type that I’m talking about … where you make an effort to get ready and spray on that special perfume/cologne … When was the last time you made an effort to surprise your 'date' ?

Sometimes I feel as if the whole idea behind dating and what comprises of a date – is almost an alien thought to quite a few people.

Wikipedia describes ‘dating’ as ...

a social activity performed as a pair or even a group with the aim of each assessing the other's suitability as their partner in an intimate relationship or as a spouse. The word refers to the act of agreeing on a time and "date" when a pair can meet and engage in some social activity.

In many cultural traditions, dates are arranged by a third party, who may be a family member, an acquaintance, or a dedicated matchmaker. Recently matchmaking services have become popular. Although dating rules in Western popular culture have become more relaxed during the 20th century, there is considerable variation between individuals' values.

For example, when the activity costs money, it has traditionally been the man's role to pay (which naturally causes a problem for same-sex couples on a date); in recent times the practice of "going Dutch" (splitting the expenses) has emerged. Traditional dating activities include sharing entertainment or a meal. In general, a person may date many different partners during the same time period in order to have the best chance of finding their most suitable available mate.

Whilst talking to a friend of mine online today – the topic of dating came up in the context of a completely different conversation (which deserves a post on itself) … I went on in my own words to describe a date as “possibly best defined as a preset arrangement between two people who are looking to get to know each other better .. Normally involving a pick-up from the residence, a meal (breakfast/lunch/dinner/coffee/dessert - any of them), but then again it could be as simple as going for a walk in the park and having a picnic”

So now you must be wondering – why on earth am I ranting about ‘dating’ .. it does appear that know what the definition of a date is .. so why the topic … reason being is that in the last one year I have not been on a single outing with a member of the opposite sex who does appear to be genuinely attracted to me which I can actually call ‘date-worthy’!!

Don't get me wrong - I've met some very nice guys over the past year - all of whom have shown substantial interest in me - and have gone about doing the right things in terms of how they act, and what they say, how they behave around your friends etc ... and yet when it comes to the crunch of actually putting into action the 'date' (which by the way - they persist on) ... it's just a complete flop show !

Typical scenario ...

Boy : I really enjoyed hanging out with you tonight - how does dinner mid-week sound ?

Girl : Yeah it was fun :) Dinner sounds great.

A few days later and the week is coming to an end .. you're wondering if the guy even remembers asking you to make plans for dinner

Or vice versa (see I'm not sexist - the concept of dating applies to both men & women) ... a friend of mine - a charming young man (and really he's a man) - met a girl a few weeks back; they exchanged numbers at a party after getting along pretty well and we all noticed her giving him the green signal !

So during the course of the week, this guy kept calling the girl to take her out for dinner - and what does she go and do ? Avoid / miss the calls; appears to be busy when she's speaking to him ... and yet stringing him along and saying that they'll meet for dinner etc ... That's just rubbish .. if you can't accept the dinner invitation - at least have the courtesy to tell the poor man that you're interested ! Instead of having him waste his time trying to find a time to meet with you !

Pathetic isn’t it ? What is so hard about the concept of going on a date ?

1. Pick up the phone and call a member of the opposite sex that you are attracted to and would like to get to know
2. Ask that person if they would like to go out for a meal / coffee / dessert or even a round of mini-fun golf ! But ask them to go out with you !
3. Once that’s done .. specify a time and day that you would like to meet up on
4. Turn up to pick the person up on the set day and time (arriving a little bit earlier never hurt anyone) ! Don’t make them come over to you (unless you really live on opposite sides of the city and transportation becomes a hassle)
5. Do not show up wearing your Sunday Scruffies … try to make some sort of effort in your appearance and you might find yourself in the good books
6. Always offer to drop the person home - you never know what's in store for you :)

Whilst a friend of mine was visiting the city - she went out on a 'real date' .... the type where the guy calls her up and makes a plan for an evening during the week; she got dressed up and wore one of her best outfits; the guy came over to pick her up (dressed very slick might I add) and had his driver for the night; took her to a great restaurant with lovely ambiance; then took her out dancing where they met up with some other friends; and dropped her back home.

Now THAT's what you call a real date ... where both parties have put in an effort to enjoy an evening together whereby they can get to know each other. It's not like you're meeting a 'buddy' for a drink !!!

Wolfsheim (Schiller feat Heppner) - Dream of You

I heard this track for the first time earlier this evening and felt an immediate connection to it :) and had to find out the name ...

Wolfsheim - Dream of You

Here's a bit of background on the artist if you don't already know ...

Wolfsheim was a synthpop band (a subgenre of New Wave in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument) from Hamburg, Germany.

The band was founded in 1987 by Markus Reinhardt and Pompejo Ricciardi. They were inspired by the name of a fictional character from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.

Wolfsheim's style takes cues from the 1980s New Romantics and New Wave; their lyrics tend to be melancholic, but at the same time modernist.

Now as I mentioned before - I'm not much one for lyrics - I prefer to listen to beats ... and this tune had it 'all' ... some wickedly sensual beats, deep lyrics and an intensity that I just don't know how to explain.

I got home a little while ago and went on the hunt for the lyrics - and thanks to the gods of google, a couple of key words - and voila ! On first reading - the words don't mean so much - and it feels sort of 'low', 'depressed', .. you get my drift ?

By the time I had found the lyrics - I'd also managed to download the actual song and find the youtube video ... and before you roll your eyeballs ... I've paid for enough CD's over the last decade !!

I played the track with the head phones on, closed my eyes, letting my fingers find a life of their own .. and here's the product ......
... my fingers type words that I do not know .. a shudder going through my blood cells with a tingle all the way down to my toes ... it's making me dizzy ... I'm spinning .. I can actually feel myself get lost to the beats and the bass ... my breath has become shallow .. paced .. my mind is a whirlwind of activity ... no .... energy would be the right word ... the rhythm behind those beats combined with the way the words have been used .. it engulfs me - taking my breath away !

Daaammnn ... pretty emotive for someone who was typing with their eyes closed ... hmmm ... you will just have to hear the track the way I have to possibly understand what I'm trying to explain here ...

It's a pretty upbeat start to the track which automatically gets your toes tapping :) If you enjoy listening to beats then this is definitely a track you need to hear ... Extremely uplifting ... it'll make you smile .. even if you aren't a 'house / trance' type of person ... The beats and the lyrics are quite contradictory actually when you think about it ...

We've all always been here all along and each of us has been at some point or the other - in search of that someone ... you have a vision - 'dream' as the lyrics go - of what this person is going to be like .. how compatible they are going to be to your life .. and perhaps whilst we are going about our daily lives and just living life as it is our very last day ... there come days when you wonder why there is that 'something lacking' feeling ? Despite the fullness you have around you - there is some small part of you - no matter how deeply hidden away - that is floating in loneliness ...

It's kinda obvious that we as humans need someone at some point or the other to share our lives with .. more so - we need that significant other - who is able to dig into your soul and see what no other can see about you ... Is that the vision you have ? Is that the vibes the beats are giving off ?

I'm now hearing this track for the fourth time as I ramble on .. and I'm thoroughly enjoying it .. I'm smiling, tapping my feet, grooving even :) It's one of those tracks that I can see myself completely letting go to at a club ... The rhythm just makes you want to sway your body in time with the beats ...

I've been here all the time
As far as I know doing right
I've always waited for the moment
That you would come through my door

But this brought loneliness so far
I lay my hand onto my heart
Is this a life I want to live?
Is this the dream I had of you? (2x)

Now I'm standing here alone
Waiting on my own
For something that will fill the emptiness inside
The moment that you're mine
But this is loneliness I know
I lay my hand onto my soul
Is this what life has got to give?
Is this the dream I had of you?

... the dream I had of you?

Teachers

Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions.

-- Unknown

Could you teach a classroom full of children ? or pre-teens ? teenagers ? and what about the late teens early 20’s age group ? Do you think you could handle that ? What does a teacher go through ?

We look at schools today and may point fingers at the teachers who are helping ‘mould’ the new generations … but do we really ever think about what they go through or endure through trying times of modern day education ?

A teacher has to not only look after the course curricular but also has the added emotional burdens that come along with the job.

In a classroom environment – you have the shy kids, the spoiled kids, the trouble makers and the nerdy ones. The nerdy ones are probably getting a lot of grief from the trouble makers – and their only way out is to go and talk to the teacher. So one of the things a teacher has to do is actually open their mind and heart to hearing this child talk through their problems and try to help them get out of the rut.

There’s a significant amount of emotional involvement when it comes to teaching. I don’t know much about teaching – never done that professionally but I used to tutor 2 children for a period of 1 year and I ended up getting very close to them.

Talk to a teacher, any teacher, and they’ll have a story to tell. Whether it’s a quick anecdote about a single student or a sprawling epic about the challenges and rewards of life as a teacher, you can be sure of one thing: it won’t be dull.

Since I was always the student but never the teacher (in a school environment that is hehe) – here are some of the fond memories that I have with my teachers.

I’ve had some brilliant teachers who till date – 10 years after I have finished high school – I make a point to be in touch with. I want them to know that even after all these years I have not forgotten them - that they were partly responsible for making me enjoy my school days.

I still remember my 3^rd grade teacher from back in 1990. That lady was like an angel – she was tall, slim, fair skinned, soft spoken and had a certain charm about her that always had me going back to see her year after year even after I changed schools. One day, just as I was coming to my own high school graduation, I decided that I must visit her to let her know that I’m FINALLY finishing high school. I went over to my old school and walked up to her classroom and the look of JOY on her face when I told her that I was officially about to graduate and make my way into the big bad world of University and Colleges.

She introduced me to her current 3^rd grade class and told them all who I was, that I was an old student of hers who hadn’t forgotten her teacher. And I just had to stand there with a look of pride and a sort of smugness on my face (even though they were 3^rd graders!) thinking… I wonder which of them would do what I was doing. Perhaps they will do this – and others might be doing this too – but at the moment – I felt like I was the only one from that batch who had done that.

There’s another teacher of mine that I have only fond memories of – my Arabic teacher from Grade 7 till Grade 10. That lady was just hilarious and super trendy. Here’s an incident I can recall all too clearly …. We were sitting in our home-room which also happened to substitute as the Physics laboratory – and my Arabic teacher was substituting for our regular teacher. I noticed a gorgeous bracelet on her wrist – shining silver, with a snakes head on end and the other side a slight coil to represent the tail – and I asked her where she got it from. She was quite aware of my fancy of all silver jewellery and without hesitation took it off her wrist, handed it across to me and whilst I was looking at it more closely – she told me to try it on (which I more than happily did). Before I could even take it off – she smiled at me with a twinkle in her eye and told me that the bracelet looked very good on me – and that I should keep it.

I wore that bracelet every day from 1994 all the way till about 9 months ago on my left wrist without fail. It’s one of my favourite pieces of jewellery to wear. The only reason I stopped was because work has been getting very hectic and I don’t want to get scratches on any of my jewellery pieces.

This very same teacher – has invited her whole class to her home for a traditional dinner – we used to out once a semester on her personal time for mini-excursions around the city exploring the traditional ways of the Middle East. There was this one time, we went on a lovely Dhow Cruise with a typical Arabic buffet meal followed by some delicious ‘kahwah’ – Arabic coffee at her home.

Nowadays – 10 years after I have finished school – and 13 years after since when she first began teaching me – I drop her an email or make a personal visit to school when I am in the Middle East. Her kids are now about to graduate – I remember the times when they would come up to us in the corridors and treat us 8^th graders as their older siblings – as they saw us at their home so often !

Speaking of trendy – not very many could beat my French teacher –now that lady was all about being Euro-chic !

So a big round of applause to all those men and women who I spent the better half of my school years referring to as ‘Sir / Ma’am’ … thank you for your part in shaping me during my formation years !