Romance is in the air

Recently I was watching MasterChef Australia and Matt, one of the judges tasted dish of a contestant. Matt instantly shot a question to the contestant “Are you a romantic person?”. His question sure took the contestant by surprise. In my mind I was thinking “What kind of question is this? And how is it anyway related to cooking?” Contestant still in half shock replied “Yes”. Matt immediately responded “No, you are not”.

He further explained his stance that the dish was nice but there was something missing in that dish. It was the romance in the flavor and in the presentation. I was zapped in total amazement that someone can really observe a person’s character by just looking and tasting a dish.  

This incident gave me a good learning. We sometimes put so much effort to be technically right that we forget to bring together the real essence – “The Romance” seems to be just missing. Be it work or personal life, we always have a choice to choose between the one which looks right on paper where all the check boxes are ticked and the one which is beyond the reach of logic and which is purely magical. More often than not, most end up choosing the “logically sound” option.

Magic begins where Logic ends. Who cares what the world feels about my creation as long as I bring forth the magic of romance in everything I do. Worth a thought may be?

Cheers to the romance.

Jini

A walk by the bay!

A walk from Nariman point to Charni road by the sea, what we famously call Marine Drive is one of the most breathtaking views in Mumbai city. The walk that is most distressing and therapeutic is surely worth a visit.

I often visit Marine Drive as it is my favorite escape zone. Also, a place where I shoot all my questions to the gigantic ocean and more often than not I end up getting an answer. I visited Marine Drive today with a very good friend in the evening. We grabbed a scoop from baskin robbins , plugged our hands free, started listening to our own favorite music and started a brisk walk by the sea. The breeze was blowing just perfect and cool. The sky was filled with clouds and we could hardly see any stars and moon except one star that was shinning diagonally opposite to where we were walking. Reminded me of a silly childhood tradition, which says that if you see only one star in the sky and make a wish then the wish gets fulfilled. I know it is really silly :) but I still made a wish. (Amen)

The best part of this place is that there is lots’ happening around you so to speak like cars rushing on one side, people are jogging, some sitting in groups - chit chatting, couples holding hand in hand and they are lost in the moment, seller selling some eatables, youngsters playing guitar, oldies cracking jokes, few like me and my friend, who escaped from the routine in search of peace and serenity and so much more. Nobody really bothered what’s going on around. I enjoyed every bit of this walk. Though slightly disappointed that my favourite boat lit with a lantern was not visible today, still I feel the view of the Necklace Point was priceless.

The more I was observing and enjoying the "My Time", the more I realized that there is one common emotion releasing from all of them, rather us. We had surrendered ourselves to the nature and to this evening. No matter how tough or easy, happy or sad, fast or slow, successful or not so successful day, in whatever form it may be, this day has just passed. All of us were done with it and now we surrendered ourselves to the ocean, as if we were all asking ocean to take away our pain, as if we were asking ocean to rejoice our victory or simply be there for us.

I kept wondering that had it been a golden morning, there would have been a different kind of emotional rush. The same people would stand high like a warrior, ready to take up any challenge that the day has to offer.

We walked for half hour and left for home.

Jini

Forever us

This post is dedicated to all those who have fallen in love in their life.

The video uploaded on this post will bring back memories of the special one who met us in the journey, spent valuable time with us – taught us how to love, who loved us unconditionally, who smiled with us, who fought with us, who wiped our tears, who hugged us tight to disappear our fears and who have now parted their ways to begin a new journey with a hope and promise to meet again in future.

I will translate the lyrics of the song for those who do not understand the language (hindi), in a way that I have understood it.

Every new journey is a beginning of a new story. It brings together, two completely strange and different individuals. The only thing that is common between them is this journey and the moments that they spent together.

‘Today’ brought us together, ‘Tomorrow’ we will part our ways but the feeling of togetherness will forever stay. Life is short, time is less – so let’s not think any more, let’s not stop any more… let the LOVE begin.

Let us create memories - of our friendship, of our togetherness, of our smiles, of our fights, of our tears, of our fears and failures, of all the silly things we do today.

A new dawn will bring with it a new hope. When sun will spread its wings, you will be felt in and around me in every golden ray. With time, the bond of our love will only get stronger. Every new step that I will take on that day, it will remind me of my first step with you. The more I will walk, the more I will remember how easy my life was with you, how happy I felt in your presence and how blessed I am in your love. When night will grace me with stars and moon, I will miss your presence, I will miss your warmth, I will miss you in the prayer that we sung together, I will miss the dreams that we saw together. 

 Love will always stay alive. Forever us.

Jini

 

Note; video has been downloaded from youtube.

The C-suite Blings

Years back as a management student, I always dreamed of being part of a big organization leading brands and visualized myself in C-suite meetings taking strategic decisions that would lead the company and its people somewhere. And fortunately I did get to experience 'the life on that edge' at a very young age. 

The naked truth about this kind of professional life is that it is very glamorous and overwhelming, specially for the ones who experience it for the first time. Undoubtedly it is a big time ego massager to be part of this circle, thick salary, five star hospitality and perks like never before . The flip side is that it can be equally fake and draining. Normally these gatherings are planned by sending meeting invites in advance, rolling out agendas and timeline sheets. A clear cut plan is layered where decisions are taken based on number of parameters - mix of data, trends and gut feel. A weighted risk is taken to arrive at some meaningful decision. Life is hunky dory till here. Then comes the bitter reality when people in the meeting starts the race to be the blue eyed boy or girl, who is a superman or woman knowing everything that the planet earth has to offer :).

There is an instant character shift, which amuses me to the core. For e.g., people start behaving the way that would please their bosses, talk things that they themselves do not believe in, laugh at the worst joke cracked ever by some big shot, eat the weirdest cuisine which is beyond their routine, have a sudden fascination for the brands that the bosses like, try to be the coolest, most tech savy and smartest ass in the room.

Suddenly the energy and vibrations take a 180 degree turn. From being grateful to be able to make a difference  in thousands of lives to criticising the styling of the person sitting in the next chair, stimulating grapevines about who is going out with who,  character dissection of the 'new hottie' in the office and above all focusing all the attention on someone else's line rather than on our own. Somewhere we get carried away in the race and lose the 'real me'. The energy, the innocence, the charm that we brought the first day of our corporate world is left miles behind. The thrive for excellence, manifestation of dreams is replaced with the run to be on the edge of the bell curve.

Question is 'Did we want this when we first entered the corporate world? Is this the real me?'

Jini

Montreal Moments

Hi Everyone,

In continuation to my earlier post (And it is raining), i am uploading some of my favorite clicks of monsoon. These pics were taken in Sep 2010 during my visit to Montreal, Canada. The weather in Sept was absolutely fantastic. These pics were taken on our visit to Olympic Stadium and Montreal City Tour. Hope you enjoy seeing them.

Will be soon updating a new post. Feel free to drop your comments and suggestions. Would love to read them.

Happy monsoon.

Cheers,
Jini

And it is raining...

Seasons represent variety that nature has to offer us and it is such a gradual and smooth transition from one to another. Each has a special purpose of existence and no matter how much I claim winter to be my the most favourite season, monsoon always manage to takeaway that special place. As a child I was not allowed to get wet in rains as my parents would fear that I will fall sick. I was not street smart as a kid and would hardly speak my mind out but I did manage to break rules though sometimes :)

My personal favourite activity in monsoon used to be a ride on my bicycle with friends and keep wandering in the streets of my home town. We would speed it up till rain drops actually started to hurt. I would ride it through the potholes and splash water around. That's  just not all. I would  stretch my eyes to see the object at a distant which otherwise never interested me, watch two water drops racing with each other on my glass window, spread my hands as if they are wings and run all over my home terrace. As a child, rain meant an early off from school, a dance in the tunes of the water drops and lots of fun. Water clogs, drainage, cloths getting dirty and all never bothered me.


Now as a grown up I still enjoy doing all this in my own way but there is a lot more than that. Now monsoon symbolises 'An end to a long wait'. It may sound bit silly but I really don't know what kind of wait it is, but this feeling is so strong that every year it is only getting sharper and stronger. As if there is some hidden treasure about to uncover, an unknown goal that is about to accomplish.. who knows? May be time will tell..

For now, am enjoying the most romantic season presented by nature.. will soon post some pics..

Till then,

Enjoy the weekend.

Love,
Jini

The Lost Bees

While writing this blog, there are tons of emotions going through me, a sheer wave of nostalgia is racing in my mind. I do apologise  if the post gets a bit lengthy.

Today I spoke to a friend, who is presently in Melbourne, Australia working as a Senior Chef in an NGO. We recently got in touch after 9 good years and the only thing we both felt was that everything has changed. We chatted for a good time on facebook and he spoke about his experience in Melbourne, how he is doing well in his career, his achievements and lot of other things. It felt wonderful and surprizing at the same time. Wonderful because he deserves a good life after all the struggle that he went through. Surpirsed because he would be the last person on earth who will dare to move out of his small town (his native place). We spoke about our times back then in college and I couldn't stop myself to ask him about how he feels now being so successful, staying in one of the world's most happening city, got a lovely wife who is also expecting. The answer that I got back dragged me into lot of thinking. He said, "everything is perfect, yet I miss all my friends. The best part is that all of you are atleast in touch, while I am here with weird work time and I can hardly talk to you all"

Now when I fast forward few hours and think over on the conversation again, it stands true not only for him, but also for me and all our friends who were once together like bees in the hive. All these friends who recently got back together, the one thing common to all of us is that we desperately needed us back. May be we all never realized it earlier but now that we are all in a group on whatsapp, we realize the importance of our presence in each others life.

In last 9 years, we hardly spoke to each other or meet and I am sure all of us went through our own share of ups and downs. Earlier as college friends, we were so different. We were selfish, self centred, insensitive at times and carefree like birds. But now when I talk to them, they are all responsible parents, achieved the impossible, lost valuable possesions in life, humble and most importantly, sensitive towards other's happiness. I spoke individually to all of them and felt that despite whatever equation we had 9 years back (good or bad), we now desperately needed each other. Even though we are poles apart, someone is in Canada, someone is in Dubai, Melbourne or be it parts of India, we now value this virtual presence of each other, we now value these special moments on chat.

It is so ironic that once all of us made fun of those who were shabbily dressed and now the same set of people help choose cloths via whatapp. Earlier we used to joke on each other and now we pass jokes to change mood of those who got a firing from boss at work. Once we used to eat each other;s tiffin and also criticised it at the same time, now we exchange recipes on what'sapp and pics of experimented food. Though we cannot taste it, we can tell that it taste as delicious as cooked by a professional chef.

Though we are not close physically, we now know who's child got its ear pierced, whose child started walking today, whose child is sick and whose child got admitted to school. We wait for dawn to break, night to rise so that group chat can be activated. You may call us techno freaks but this means world to all of us.

So if you are sitting there reading this and you are blessed with your close friends around you, hold them tight with your love. If you are sitting there and know that your friends are not around you, take your first step towards them. All you may know is that they also need you as bad and were waiting for you where you had left them.

Cheers to the friendship,
Jini