Good Bye 2008~~ Happy New Year
31 Wednesday Dec 2008
Posted in 2009
Monthly Archives: December 2008
Looking Back @ 2008
25 Thursday Dec 2008
Just like any other “working” day, I was having lunch and browsing through my favorite blogs. I found an interesting post in ART‘s blog where she had a list of main events that happened in this year. I got this idea (or I stole this idea… ) from her and thought I will also sum up the main things that happened in this year so far…
2006 & 2007 were filled w/ many bumps and I couldn’t just wait for 2008. Let’s see how my year went:
January
Married the love of my life and had a great vacation in India.
Gained 4 lbs in 1 month ( I wonder what I ate in India) 😛
February
Got severe homesick especially when I started cooking (for the 1st time)
AB’s mom’s bday…
March
AB’s brother visited.
April
Bro’s 18th birthday. Missed him terribly
Celebrated our first onam together
May
Got few new good friends Annu , Deep, Smits, …
AB’s bro’s & parents wedding anniversary…
June
acha amma’s 25th wedding anniversary… I was not there 😦
AB’s parents visited
July
Took a trip to LA w/ AB’s parents
August
My parents visited.
I started my new job
September
Celebrated our first onam together w/ 2 other couples (Ann & Rosh)
Another onam lunch @ smit’s.
AB’s acha’s & sil’s bday
I get stuck w/ work politics
October
AB’s birthday
Started our poker night w/ couple of friends …
AB’s parents visit us again.
His dad gets the Marie E. Nyswander Award, which is given in recognition of lifetime accomplishments in advancing compassionate and humane treatment of patients suffering from pain.
Upset again about work politics
November
His parents went back to India.
AB leaves me for a 1 week conference. (I had fun though, thx to smits for taking me around 😀 )
My birthday 🙂
AB’s bro’s birthday
His best friends visit from TX & IL.
Another LA trip with them.
Annu’s wedding. We couldn’t attend, but really happy for them 😦
Upset again about work politics
December
Stared my blog for the 2nd time after a 2 yr break 🙂
Paid off my student loan (uff finally loan free)
Work started getting better
East Coast trip to visit my parents & college friends for xmas.
Looking back, yes 2008 was a good year for me unlike 07 & 06. I didn’t have big troubles through out the year instead I had a lot of happy moments to keep in my memory. Thank God!!!
For all those who had a troublesome 2008… don’t worry, let’s hope that 2009 will bring lot of happiness & smiles…
Happy Holidays!!!
Wishing you & yours a Merry Christmas.
Signing off from West Coast!
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008 film)
22 Monday Dec 2008
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
boring, holiday, mall, Movie, Review, saturday movie night, shopping, The Day the Earth Stood Still, time
“The Day I wasted $22 & 90 minutes from my life” would be a better title. I didn’t read any reviews before going to this movie. AB & I were shopping in the mall for some holiday gifts and decided to watch this movie as a part of “Saturday Movie Night”. This movie is a remake of a 1951 movie with the same title. I think this story probably worked better in 1951 rather than in 2008.
Story in a nutshell: An alien messenger (Keanu Reeves) in human form comes to save the earth from humans (basically to end mankind). The secretary of Defense gives an order to destroy him. An astrobiologist (Jennifer Connelly) develops a soft corner to the alien and helps him to escape from their custody. She learns from the alien about his reason for arrival and decides to convince him that we can change. When he see that the human have another side other than our destructive nature (from few of the emotional scenes between the scientist & her step son (Jaden Smith)), he decide to leave the planet Earth giving us another chance to “change”.
I think I spoiled the suspense of the story. But to be honest, there was not much suspense or can’t even really called as a thriller.
p.s Reeves looked handsome…
Snow Fall
19 Friday Dec 2008
Posted in Uncategorized
I activated the “snow fall” extra to the blog. But then it didn’t look that good with the white blog background. So I decided to change the blog theme to a darker one until they take the extra out of wordpress (jan 12th). In west coast, it always snowed on xmas day. Even though I hated to go outside after snowing, I actually liked to watch the snow fall from my living room at my parent’s house.
k… that’s all for now… signing off enjoying the blog snow fall & counting days to go to my parent’s place… 
No Subject!
19 Friday Dec 2008
Posted in Work
I’m just scribbling whatever that comes to my mind. It’s 4:59 pm and I’m waiting for some release notes from the designer and I have time until I get those. I’m not at all in the mood to work on anything now. It’s very moody outside, dark clouds, cold and the nature looks like its going to cry now (don’t ask me how I know, I just know 😉 ). I have a headache and I’m trying to fight it without taking any medicines. Let’s see how that goes .
My coworker Vid’s baby has a fever and she is very sad. I think this sadness is also a viral disease because now I’m also feeling down becausez of the baby’s conditionL. I think the song that I’m listening to “surya kireedam veenudanju…” (sad song) is also helping to worsen the situation. But I’m still listening to that song for the 3rd time. Sometimes I like being in this mood even though I don’t know the real reason. Does that happen to a lot of people or is it just me… I don’t know… But I’m planning to stay in this mood until I get home. I don’t want to pass this “virus” to Mr. A.
I think the designer went home already and Im sitting here waiting for her response . All right then… Im also leaving… Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!! 
food, lazy, gym etc etc etc…
15 Monday Dec 2008
After a long tiring week, a dine-out (friday dinner – usually for me 😉 ) idea will sound like a life – saver to most people. But most of the time we dont think about the calories, fat that we intake which comes as a side effect of that laziness to cook at home :P. I found this link from Yahoo Health ( http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/139/the-20-worst-foods-in-america/ ). I dont eat any of the ones that they mentioned in their list. But this is just the worst 20, most probably all the other restaurant food items that I choose will come under atleast worst 100 :(. I think they should start including the calories intake across every item in the menu :).
Now let me rewind 5 yrs…. I promised myself that I will start working out, when I started having McD for lunch in my freshman year of college… we had a hugeee gym in the university (according to the sources 🙂 ) and very close to where I stayed oncampus… But I never even bothered to check it out… I always gave myself some excuses like “oh you are just 46kgs… u r still skinny… u have time… u r busy with studies, work… u dance ur head off when there is a function… so thats a work out… bla bla bla”… 4 yrs of college, I never stepped inside the gym… So finally, dec 2006 I graduated but hey I only gained 2 kgs 😀 … I thought well thats not bad, but still I will workout once it is summer…
I didnt really gain much weight in that winter, It stayed like +/-3 lbs or so… Then summer came… but by then Mr.A secured a job and started the formal wedding proposal (both parents knew… but more formally) and I was busy shopping for a saree to wear for engagement and stuff… They fixed our wedding for Jan, 08… well then too, I didnt bother to go to a gym… I just controlled my diet and kept my weight around 49-50…
well… wedding is over… and then started the whole “virunnu” (visiting cousins’ houses, delicious lunches, dinner… yummyy!!!).. Eventhough I felt kinda weird telling everyone “how we met ” —> “you’ve got a mail” story, I loved the foodies 😀 (especially karimeen fry (Black Pomfret Fried)).. Anyways, February we came back from India… and hey guess what … there is a gym in our apartment complex.. hurrayy!!! I told Mr.A “hey anyways I’m not planning to work for next couple of months… so I will start working out once Im outa this jet lag..” he gave me a smirk (ya … i know u for past 2-3 yrs… I dont think that happening) & told me “ya rite..” … I told him “ah nammukku kaanam” (ya.. lets see) .. well let me cut the story short… I never went to that gym not even once in the past 1 yr… oh wait… I went there, when my brother came over to stay for a week… he wanted to work out and I showed him around :P… I found another excuse for that saying that gym is too small & is always crowded in the evening…
Then i started working, and guess what… there is a gym on the first floor of my company… 😀 I went there with one of my other coworker and got the application form 4 times (1 time I made her to get one for me, coz i didnt want to see that front desk guy’s face :() but never returned the form… My recent excuse was that this is a contract job and Im not sure about the job extension so I will just join 24 hr fitness… And according to me 😀 the auspicious time to join there is in January 09… well I forgot to mention, I have some progress in my weight… I gained 4 kgs (not lbs) over the past 1 yr, and realized If i dont start my work out again I will soon be a fatty (well the real reason of work out is to be healthy rite… I totally forgot about that 😛 ) :D… but lets see what excuse I will have in January… Im sure I will come up with one :)…
cya…
kyo.n hawaa aaj yuu.n gaa rahii hai
12 Friday Dec 2008
Posted in Uncategorized
| kyo.n hawaa aaj yuu.n gaa rahii hai | Why is the breeze singing today? |
| kyo.n fiza ra.ng chhalka rahii hai | Why is the whole atmosphere saturated with color? |
| mere dil bataa aaj hona hai kya | Tell me, my heart, what is destined to happen today? |
| chaa.ndanii din me.n kyo.n chhaa rahii hai | Why is moonlight spreading into the day? |
| zi.ndagii kis taraf jaa rahii hai | What path is life taking? |
| mere dil bataa kya hai yeh silsila | My heart, explain this chain of events! |
| kyo.n hawaa aaj yuu.n gaa rahii hai | Why is the breeze singing today? |
| gaa rahii hai… | It’s singing… |
| jahaa.n tak bhii jaa’e.n nigaahe.n baraste hai.n jaise ujaale… | Everywhere I look, light is showering down. |
| sajii aaj kyo.n hai.n ye raahe.n | Why are the roads so resplendent today? |
| khile phuul kyo.n hai niraale | Why do the blooming flowers look so extraordinary? |
| khushbu’e.n kaisii ye bah rahii hai.n | How is such a fragrance floating on the wind? |
| dhaRkane.n jaane kya kah rahii hai.n | Who knows what my heartbeats are telling me! |
| mere dil bataa yeh kahaanii hai kya | My heart, tell me, what is this story? |
| kyo.n hawaa aaj yuu.n gaa rahii hai | Why is the wind singing to me today? |
| gaa rahii hai… | It’s singing… |
| yeh kiska hai chehara jise mai.n har ek phuul me.n dekhta huu.n… | Whose face is this that I see in every flower? |
| yeh kisii aawaaz jisko na sunke bhii mai.n sun rahaa huu.n | Whose voice is this that I hear even when I’m not listening? |
| kaisii ye aahaTe.n aa rahii hai.n kaise ye khwaab dikhla rahii hai | What sort of footsteps are these that approach? What sort of dreams am I being shown? |
| mere dil bataa kaun hai aa rahaa | Tell me, my heart; who is coming? |
| kyo.n hawaa aaj yuu.n gaa rahii hai | Why is the breeze singing today? |
| gaa rahii hai… | It’s singing… |
Hindi & I
12 Friday Dec 2008
Hindi is the national language of India but sadly I’m poor in the language 😦 . I studied Hindi for 3 yrs ( 5th, 6th and 7th) and then I choose Malayalam as my second language from 8th (the best part of being in ICSE). From l.k.g to 4th I studied in Kerala Syllabus, where they teach the basic Hindi alphabets at 5th std. Well my dad decided to place me in ICSE after 4th. Now please don’t get started about the ICSE entrance examination (for a 10 yr old x-( ) and spoiling my summer time studying for that stupid exam L . Anyways, there they teach Hindi from 1st std onwards.
I joined there with the knowledge of just the alphabets and they gave me a textbook where there are long stories and they require us to answer all the questions in the end of the chapter. Do I have to mention how horrible my days were?… Hindi teacher Ms. Sumangala was kind towards me in 5th std. However, I didn’t really make much progress even after a year L. I could read a story and understand it but I couldn’t write an answer in my own words. So she started treating me like all the other kids and punished (mainly pinches) me when I got low grades. This made me hate Hindi more and more. Finally I passed 7th with just “pass mark” for Hindi. When I went back to get my books for 8th grade, they asked me which language would I prefer as my second language… well they didn’t even had to ask, coz looking at my grade sheet they kinda figured out my answer… I hated hindi sooo much (due to all the torture from the Ms.S) to a level where I didn’t even like to watch hindi movies or listen to hindi songs :P…
I finished my 11th in India and came to US with my family. Once I joined engineering, most of my friends were north Indians and Hindi was an unavoidable language L. Well I started watching Hindi movies, listening to hindi songs and even some serials.. Now my hindi is much better where I can understand dialogues but I still have problems speaking in Hindi :P.
Actually, the reason why I said all the things above is because, I was watching VeerZaara and I loved the “Kyon Hawa” song. I googled for the lyrics and the english translation and loved the song even more. I want to put the lyrics and translation in my blog. Therefore, whoever like me who suffer from Hindi Phobia could understand what this song is all about…
Ok… that’s all for now… I will post the song with a different subject…
adios !!!!!
First Tag
08 Monday Dec 2008
Posted in Me & Mine
5 things I miss in my life right now:
1.My parents & bro
2.Few of my close friends are getting married and Im not there to celebrate it with them 😦
3.Missing Kerala a loooooooooottttt.
4.Right now im at work, so im missing my home 😀
5.I miss summer… its cold now.. and I just cant stand it..
1. LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATER?
20-20 (malayalam movie)
2. WHAT BOOK ARE U READING?
Just finished reading 5 point someone (ya i know… im late…) & reading Deception point
3. FAVOURITE BOARD GAME?
hmmmm….. monopoly
4. FAVOURITE MAGAZINE?
Vanitha
5. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Rain…I dont go outside to get the smell of rain in US…
but when I was in kerala, i just loved it…
6. FAVORITE SOUNDS?
birds chirping
7. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
Loneliness
8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE?
dont worry… its just a dream…its not morning yet 😛
9. FAVOURITE FASTFOOD PLACE?
hmmm McD
10. FUTURE CHILD’S NAME?
I dont know… we still havent compromised on a name 😛
11. FINISH THIS STATEMENT—IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D…
share it within the family, donate some to charity and deposit the rest in bank 🙂
12. DO U DRIVE FAST?
Not really… only when I get angry 😀
13. DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
yea used to…
14. STORMS–COOL OR SCARY?
mostly cool…
15. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
Toyota Corolla
16. FAVOURITE DRINK?
water (most of the time… hmm I like Mango Lassi..
17. FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…
laze around too much…
18. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
yes, actually I like broccoli (steamed).
19. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
hmm I dunno, I would mix burgundy brown…
20. NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN?
Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Trivandrum (Kerala), Michigan, Newyork, California
21. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
not a huge sports fan.. sorry 😦
22. THINK ABOUT SOMEONE… NOW WRITE, ONE NICE THING ABOUT HIM/HER?
realllllllllly a very NICE guy (happened to be my hus 😛 )
23. WHATS UNDER YOUR BED?
Most probably my dupatta that i have been searching for months 😀 .
24. WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN?
YES
25. MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Night Owl…
26. OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
hmm doesnt matter
27. FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX?
HOME… always…
28. FAVOURITE PIE?
hate pies..
29. FAVOURITE ICECREAM FLAVOUR?
Vanila..
Eight things I am passionate about :
1. Dance
2. Music
3. Food
4. Movies
5. Family
6. Friends
7. Internet
8. My home…
Few things I say often: (I speak very little actually)
1. ayyooo
2. like 😛
3. sorry
4. hmm i dont know the rest
Few books I have read recently:
Love Story, Five Point Someone, One night @ the call center, Paradise, Deception Point… there are few more… cant remember the name now :p
I think im the last one to be tagged on this… so Im not tagging anyone… hurray!!! :).
Harry Potter Weekend..
08 Monday Dec 2008
Posted in Uncategorized
I cant say that I didnt enjoy the thx giving weekend.. but it went super fast & was super busy with friends over and visiting places and all.. In order to compensate that, Abhi & I decided to just sit at home and do nothing for this weekend… Friday, I worked from home & had an extra day at home just to myself :).. Saturday, around afternoon, we watched the 3rd cd of “That 70’s show” (btw let me add, we also finished (in the past) watching all the seasons of Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, House [ (just me) Gilmore Girls, Grey’s Anatomy] )… after that we went for some grocery shopping, roamed around in the mall and came back home around 9sh… Sunday Abhi decided to wake up at 12 itself (wat a surprise… that early :p )… and we started watching the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone movie in abc family… After that I realized its a “Harry Potter Series” weekend and we ( I made him) sat down and watched Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
I have seen parts of the Harry Potter movies, but never watched them in a stretch… well it was good… I really liked all the movies and I feel all the actors performed really well. Daniel Radcliffe is perfect for his part as Harry Potter. hmm I dunno what else to write about it, Im sure all of you have watched these series like years ago 😛 … so winding up for now…
My Memories, My Journey, My life 
