All the foodies in the world will tell you how good food is the way to heaven. I couldn’t agree more. And what’s better than well cooked Indian food. I’m glad I can cook and not just to save my life! Good food should never be underestimated, especially when it is authentic home food in a foreign land.
It being a Sunday, I decided to indulge myself a bit, a lot in fact. The 2 hrs invested in making the Dum Pukht Biryani and Raita don’t seem like a waste at all. The mouth watering aroma and the scrumptious yummy bits in my mouth did for me and I had a great day. It was followed by another treat- I saw the Underworld Evolution. I would say the original was better coz it was something new and different but the sequel did nothing to disappoint.
Week 5 has started in the Uni, which means it’s the Week 4 for us which means the much dreaded result for at least the first exam we took way back in Dec should be out soon. Waaaaa!!
That’s that..
Monday, January 30, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Its all BULL
No no no! That’s not what I meant! This is with reference to the epitome of the greatest leisure pursuit of womankind, i-e shopping, i-e the Bullring. Sitting in the middle of Birmingham is the “Bullring”, the largest shopping mall in U.K, which is a house to 160 odd shops. May God bless all the women who get sores walking about the grand mall. In my second visit to the place since I’ve been in the grey land (which was surprisingly sunny albeit windy today), I’d little to shop (strictly for folks) but ended up buying nothing for them, raison d'aitre- lack of sufficient number of sales.
Anyhow, miraculously I found an extremely cheap pair of boots for myself (wicked grin). The whole day spent with Anna (da doll) was a welcome break from the brown lakeside and the beige uni. Big wok welcomed us strictly for 1 hr for lunch – 40 unlimited food items for 4.99 quids. The “strictly for 1 hr” factor arose from the fact that it was Chinese New Year and the weekend, so we had to stand in queue for a while and asked to gobble up the delicacies in limited period of time, which obviously didn’t deter our feminine spirits, we being not the glut pigs that men are. (giggle giggle).
The piercing North Atlantic wind welcomed us back to Coventry. Whatever happened to the silly BBC weather forecast of impending snow?
Aah… another day in the brown room with the lappy, all by myself… and not to mention the depressing amount of reading which is pending.
As the Brits say “Cheers mate!”!!
Anyhow, miraculously I found an extremely cheap pair of boots for myself (wicked grin). The whole day spent with Anna (da doll) was a welcome break from the brown lakeside and the beige uni. Big wok welcomed us strictly for 1 hr for lunch – 40 unlimited food items for 4.99 quids. The “strictly for 1 hr” factor arose from the fact that it was Chinese New Year and the weekend, so we had to stand in queue for a while and asked to gobble up the delicacies in limited period of time, which obviously didn’t deter our feminine spirits, we being not the glut pigs that men are. (giggle giggle).
The piercing North Atlantic wind welcomed us back to Coventry. Whatever happened to the silly BBC weather forecast of impending snow?
Aah… another day in the brown room with the lappy, all by myself… and not to mention the depressing amount of reading which is pending.
As the Brits say “Cheers mate!”!!
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Paint it Yellow
We Indians are the most indolent creatures around. We can talk about the despicable situations enveloping our society today; endlessly condemn the politicians, other countries, other communities, the “system”, but how about taking a look in the mirror? 59 years after Independence, we have scant regard for laws and choose apathy over activism. What will happen to us if we don’t take up arms against corruption, red-tapism, social evils (casteism, female foeticide, widow burning) and communalism? Will we rot till the end or can our generation make the difference? Someone I know very well thought he could make a difference too, when he was in college back in the 1970’s (reading Dad?:). He even joined the revolution started by Jai Prakash Narayan in Bihar, but despite being a successful administrator today and winning accolades in his field, I don’t know how much he has achieved by the way of “system change” all on his own… That’s because we need a revolution, a systematic de-rooting of all the weeds in our political/administrative system and no one person can achieve that. Our nation which prides itself in its culture and integrity needs to revolutionize these two very things.
I saw “Rang de Basanti” today, or as its being called in its Anglo version- “Paint it Yellow”. Yellow in my homeland is the color of sacrifice. It ignited the same feelings in me as “Yuva” did… maybe more intense this time. Made me wonder, what I’m doing here in the country which colonized and terrorized us for 300 years. The land of General Dyer, the land because of which a thousand people died in the Jallianwala Bagh (Amritsar was home for me for 2 years) and innumerable atrocities in the face of economic gains for England- I often kid that India funded the biggest event in the history- the “industrial revolution”. Maybe we did… We can’t hold the present generation responsible for the bygones, but how about some reparation? How dare they show off the ‘kohinoor” in the Tower of London? Shouldn’t they return what is rightfully ours?
The movie made me sit up and remember that before I’m me, before I’m Punjabi, before anything- I’m an Indian. What have I given back to the soil to which I belong? Its payback time and I refuse to join the countless, faceless countrymen who sit and hold everyone else responsible for their misery and disappear into the night unknown and unheard. The spark is their within, when will we all ignite it?
I’m going to do something substantive and will not be another part of the waste in the place our generation calls a “dump”… A big promise to myself.
Jai Hind..
I saw “Rang de Basanti” today, or as its being called in its Anglo version- “Paint it Yellow”. Yellow in my homeland is the color of sacrifice. It ignited the same feelings in me as “Yuva” did… maybe more intense this time. Made me wonder, what I’m doing here in the country which colonized and terrorized us for 300 years. The land of General Dyer, the land because of which a thousand people died in the Jallianwala Bagh (Amritsar was home for me for 2 years) and innumerable atrocities in the face of economic gains for England- I often kid that India funded the biggest event in the history- the “industrial revolution”. Maybe we did… We can’t hold the present generation responsible for the bygones, but how about some reparation? How dare they show off the ‘kohinoor” in the Tower of London? Shouldn’t they return what is rightfully ours?
The movie made me sit up and remember that before I’m me, before I’m Punjabi, before anything- I’m an Indian. What have I given back to the soil to which I belong? Its payback time and I refuse to join the countless, faceless countrymen who sit and hold everyone else responsible for their misery and disappear into the night unknown and unheard. The spark is their within, when will we all ignite it?
I’m going to do something substantive and will not be another part of the waste in the place our generation calls a “dump”… A big promise to myself.
Jai Hind..
The sweet Prof
Thursday, 26th Jan, 2005- Republic Day:)
One sweet day. A little acknowledgement from Prof. in the class today for getting after Jen's life and having the classroom changed to a more convenient location, made me all smiles.
The most worth-it part of pursuing a PG degree is when you have a great Prof who can not only keep the interest of the entire class alive, but also impart something invaluable. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would find something called "International Business Transactions" interesting and contemplate pursuing the options that it offers..
Came back to watch the latest LOST episode. Routine stuff.
One sweet day. A little acknowledgement from Prof. in the class today for getting after Jen's life and having the classroom changed to a more convenient location, made me all smiles.
The most worth-it part of pursuing a PG degree is when you have a great Prof who can not only keep the interest of the entire class alive, but also impart something invaluable. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would find something called "International Business Transactions" interesting and contemplate pursuing the options that it offers..
Came back to watch the latest LOST episode. Routine stuff.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
There and then..
I have decided to be a little more regular with the updates. 3 posts in 7 months underline laziness.
The day started with the core module class, the seminar that followed and a wonderful haircut later, Aman and I headed to the Cafe Library (cheaper than the rest 12 resto's).. Spoke to the old man Will about LLM in U.S, he was taken aback. He did his best, told me where all to apply, which states go easy on foreigners, bla bla. It's just an idea, why not explore our horizons when we have the opportunity- young, brave and willing to experiment! (a little moneyless, but then well..)
Something tells me that this is only the beginning of the adventure called life!
More later..
The day started with the core module class, the seminar that followed and a wonderful haircut later, Aman and I headed to the Cafe Library (cheaper than the rest 12 resto's).. Spoke to the old man Will about LLM in U.S, he was taken aback. He did his best, told me where all to apply, which states go easy on foreigners, bla bla. It's just an idea, why not explore our horizons when we have the opportunity- young, brave and willing to experiment! (a little moneyless, but then well..)
Something tells me that this is only the beginning of the adventure called life!
More later..
Today tomorrow and forever
After spending a year of my life to my committed decision of pursuing LLM in U.K, I got into my choice of Uni. Like all educational institutions, it has got its upsides and downsides. But it's giving me something new, something I used to crave for- a multicultural experience and global knowledge on going-ons.
The heart still yearns for the carefree, funfilled, and soul enriching days of Poona, but then that's the phase of our life which we will always cherish. The bike rides to see the sunset at NDA, the innumerable movies (late nights shows at E Square, Alka and the ilk), the chicken biryani at Sai (yummmmm) and the endless star gazing.. the HRC meetings, the activism, the boiling of blood at the mere sight of atrocities (some things will never change)...
I have loved it so far here in the lil grey island (a little bigger than our Punjab). Excellent faculty (at least the one in the first term, second one just started.. too soon to comment) and a very mixed class. Getting to learn new things everyday. However, the biggest kicks in life have been to hang out at Rootes Bar, the Learning Grid (Rachita Bansal finally learns the lesson of hard work, spoke to soon maybe!), to watch trashy hindi serials online (which I wouldn't give a second look back home- anything in the name of entertainment), to see the lake frozen and yes, the biggest of them all- sunlight! People, don't ever underestimate the power of the yellow blob. Sincerely waiting for the summer, when it apparently stays out till 9pm! woooohooo!
Later ya all..
The heart still yearns for the carefree, funfilled, and soul enriching days of Poona, but then that's the phase of our life which we will always cherish. The bike rides to see the sunset at NDA, the innumerable movies (late nights shows at E Square, Alka and the ilk), the chicken biryani at Sai (yummmmm) and the endless star gazing.. the HRC meetings, the activism, the boiling of blood at the mere sight of atrocities (some things will never change)...
I have loved it so far here in the lil grey island (a little bigger than our Punjab). Excellent faculty (at least the one in the first term, second one just started.. too soon to comment) and a very mixed class. Getting to learn new things everyday. However, the biggest kicks in life have been to hang out at Rootes Bar, the Learning Grid (Rachita Bansal finally learns the lesson of hard work, spoke to soon maybe!), to watch trashy hindi serials online (which I wouldn't give a second look back home- anything in the name of entertainment), to see the lake frozen and yes, the biggest of them all- sunlight! People, don't ever underestimate the power of the yellow blob. Sincerely waiting for the summer, when it apparently stays out till 9pm! woooohooo!
Later ya all..
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