Where is my Pride

Every semester, my prof. gives me a chance to teach some lectures in freshmen biology. Students like my teaching, approach and things and over the years, I have gained the pride that I am doing a good job. I noticed that students who sat in the first few rows listen properly. They even recognize me on the road and talk to me.

This year, my boss wanted me to teach DNA repair and damage after the genetics and cell cycle lectures.  Thats something that I hate to even listen, while I was a student. I used to dose off so much during those lectures. I was a bit upset and I still managed to prepare for the class. The lecture went okay. However, I was a bit shocked.. I noticed that the guy (in the first row) who used to listen with so much joy during the prev. lectures was dosing like anything. For the first time, my pride fell off. Could not take it easy for a while... Tried to console myself that " I have done that.." "the subject is so boring like that" etc..Came home with a lost feeling..Felt like I failed...Shared this feel to a friend. His one-line comment was incredible. All he said was 'I realize that Neeyum oru thaai Priya' :)-

Loudness..grrrr...

Yesterday, I called up my phone company to resolve an issue. There was this customer service representative who started the conversation with a dashing energy. Well, I was happy that it's not one of those mid-30's woman talking with a fatigue tone. With cheer, I greeted him and continued. Initially, I thought that this guy was a bit loud and I was thinking if I can change any set-up in the office phone to reduce the loudness. OMG!! I realized that his loudness increased gradually so much that I almost forgot that he was polite and helpful. I wasn't sure if I can tell him to reduce his loudness. But with his accent and stress on syllables, I felt that there was a nuclear explosion on my left ear and I was almost deaf. Then, I put my phone down on table and still I could speak to him with no need of speakers. My heart was pumping so fast with his loudness.
That's when I realized "I am an energy person as well. I get excited sometimes on phone. What if  I am too loud for somebody.. what if the other person is just bearing with me. I don't want that "  If any of my friends read this post, please let me know if I am loud. OMG!! It was awful to bear that!

Pattinathaar

A very interesting read at Prabhu's Blog about Pattinathar. Awaiting the next post(s)!!

Strange things continue...

Last..but not the least thing ..well sorry for the cliche..I got another job offer from a totally unexpected lab and place this evening!!

Clearly, its a lovely day!!

Strange day

Today is a strange day in all sense. I dont know what is happening to me. And What is happening around me as well. I am here sitting and day dreaming..and I hear that my third-first author paper is accepted with no revision or corrections in a reasonably okay journal in less than a week. Straight through..

And its very strange that I am blogging all this..plus posting 3 posts on just one -day, that too during day time :)

Well, clearly everything is strange !!

Aanantha Vali

Okie.. I kicked myself out from the journal club. Mind is in a mood to just narrate..

Karavaipasu kanrukku paal-soerum pozhudhil
Paravaip palavum paadum pozhuthil - en
Varavai satre edhir noekki irundha
Kudhiraiyin mael naanum thaava , thaaviyadhu
Katrai alavu kudookalamum thaanae!! Munpiravi
Uraivai arindhadhu pol meyunardhu kuthiraiyo (ennaik)
Kuzhandhai yena karuthi karu neelavaanil
Kathirait thodum alavu thooki erindhu pidikka
Iravaik kadandhum meymarandhu makizhndhen

Kulirinaik kaaranam katti
Mayilinaipol irai thedaadhu
Thuyil aNai mael kanvalarndhu – Oodhiya
Udalininil unarum vilaiyaattu vali…anre Sonnen.. Aanandha Vali

A strange but pleasant monday morning!!

A very happy monday morning inspite of the fact that I have not prepared for the journal club yet.
A cup of oatmeal with some music... My picks with fav. lines today are here.. You can watch if you don't care about the awful dance but you can definitely LISTEN.

1. En Piravaa mazhalaigai un vizhiyi paarkiren
Naan ezhudha kavithaigalai un mozhiyil ketkiraen..
Song 1

2. Nenjae Nenjae sellayo avanodu...sendraal varamaatai adhu dhaane perum paadu
Song 2

3. Ada vinnum mannum unakulla vilambaramo..Ne velichathil seythu veitha oli chirpamo
Song 3

4. I am a big fan of this up coming actress..these days after the movie Naan Kadavul.
Song 4
Well...I get reminded of this when I listened to this song.. Most of you must have listened to this long time ago. If not, just listen. This is not the full version. Need to search and find out..anyways..

After a beautiful morning..hope, I dont get kicked out from the meeting this noon :)

Ride a horse..

People always asked me " What is your favorite pet animal?". As such, I had no solid answer. Well, I tried to think and then say " there is nothing like that". I had told that few times. Once, I gave a deep thinking. Well, I am okay with dogs..I am okay when they lick me and put their fore legs on me. I can just say "Dogs" if somebody really wants me to pick a pet. What about Cats?Actually I have spent more time with cats esp. in my cousin badhri 's place. They had 2-3 generations of cats. Badhri's grandma was affectionately taking care of the cats that we call her either badhri paati or poonai paati. Even after all that, I am so scared of cats...their eyes plus the tales that I hear from all 3 cousins about how they eat their own kuttis..its soft body..plus their hair giving asthma issues..Whatever..Ironically, all my ex-roomies loved cats and they had wall hangings, jigsaws of cat's picture.

So, what do I like? My deep thinking came up with 2 animals..horse and cow. I was so surprised at my own self..why do you like to be around them..No strong logic..I have no idea why I like cow.


Well, with horses.. may be.. because we had this horse carriage (Kuthirai vandi) rides from the St. Thomas Mount Railway station to Surendran nagar every now and then. I loved to take the carriage rides when young. Later, in lexington, the horse capital of the world, I got to see various breeds of horses. There were so many things happening around in kentucky. Every street was named after a horse that won races like Kentucky derby, triple crown, horse carriage races..what not. During that time, a silent wave of thought used to pass through my head. "Well, horses look nice but we cannot afford to have them. Its for rich people or people who do racing". Later in my life, when my PhD studies werenot going right, I was asked to pray Lord Hayagriva (horse-faced God who is thought to be teacher for Goddess sarawathi. It became a routine for me to chant Hayagriva stotram standing in front of a small photo pic of horse-face God and in about an year, I got a big photo of Hayagriva. About an year ago, I was in this junk shop looking for handicraft stuff and I found a nice, well sculptured Horse doll. Did not know why I bought that. But I see that I admire looking at it like anything. I liked horses to an extent that, once when somebody asked what kind of guy do you get attracted to, my quick-answer was "He should be like a horse" and my answer made many of my friends laugh right away.

Two weeks ago, some body asked about pets and the same wave of thought passed through "Well, horses look nice but we cannot afford to have them". Then I was like.. "Wait a minute, you are in El Paso, a place where people take horses for desert-hiking". May be, you can try to learn horse-riding. I asked about this to my lab-mate and she said "Well, if you are not scared, try taking lessons". With confidence, I was like" It's not as scary as swimming or bungie jumping!!". I did a thorough search on the same day and found a place to go for taking lessons during the weekend. Promptly, I reached the place to learn horseback riding. It was so amazing to learn what horse wants. Horses do not want somebody on it who is scared. He(It) wants a leader to lead him. I had to walk, climb and sit like Bharathiyar Pudhumai Penn (Modern Girl) "Nimirndha nannadai, nerkonda paarvai, thimirndha seruku (without gyanam..he he)". My mind got quick flashes of Jhansi Rani..Actress Vaijayanthi Mala in the movie "Penn" in the song "akila bharatha pengal thilakamaai", Raja Raja Cholan, Alexander the great and the 10th avatar "Kalki". With so much inner happiness, I got on the horse and did 3 rounds with the teacher's guidance. Believe me, I never have derived this much pleasure. And I got some relief of my back pain during that time.

At home, I hear a lot of tamil sayings with horses. Amma always said "Run in life like a horse"and also used sayings like "Dont be a stone on the way while the horse is heading forward (oodum kudhiraikku kaaluka kallu)" "In life, its not how fast you run (like a horse) but how well you can get along with the Jockey and keep up with running"Blah blah..blah

It took me this many years to identify what animal I like. A lot of times, we have a mind-block to not proceed with what we wish to do. We think "No I have no time now.. I have no facility available..its not affordable..I will do it after my life is a bit relaxed or after my workload gets reduced." Now, I am a firm believer that it will never happen until we really look for it. If we can think out of the box and if we really want it, we can see that things are right next to us. Well, may be, one day I will also buy a horse.

Moving thoughts

I am moving :)
I had this "going to finish..just finished degree..need to find the next position" periods wherein I felt I don't know how to be enthusiastic anymore. There was nothing that was moving on around me.
After months and months of job hunt for a position that I am really interested in, I have finally made a job decision to move forward. Yeh.. in about 3 months, I will become a resident of San Antonio-still a Texan. This period seems to be like a golden period - a period when you know that you are going to join a position that you would want to...a period with a lot of dreams..lots of plan (well, I love planning)..anticipation. The smile and enthusiasm in my life is springing up.
My hobbies are getting some life and are trying to recollect me, rather. Mind is as fresh as a dewdrop before sunrise on a plant...Hard to explain..anyways..

I will be moving again :(
I never ever want to change apartments. But it happens so naturally even within the same city..Now, this will be 11th move in the last 7 years. I am so used to moving and packing.
Despite of the fact that people keep complaining about me for not visiting them, I am always visiting places.. DC(Nov 2008), Lexington, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Nashville (Dec and Jan2009), Chicago (Feb 2009), Baltimore (Mar 2009), New Orleans (Apr 2009), Grand Canyon, Newyork, Niagara..etc (May 2009), New Mexico (Jun 2009), Phoenix and LA (Sep 2009), San Antonio (Oct 2009). Well, I am also used to visiting and I hope and wish that the visits continue :)


I will miss El Paso

Well, after 3 years of stay at El Paso.. after cursing El Paso for a long period for its no-green desert landscape, I have started seeing the beauty-part since an year. Stand anywhere at El Paso, you will be surrounded by mountains for atleast 320 degrees. Its amazing..I will definitely miss the natural cool breeze throughout the year - even when the temperature is above 100 F, the air is cool. This is the place where I learned to control my backache issues through yoga. I am definitely grateful to this city as the people around have always given me a relaxing and friendly atmosphere, although I had created my own tensions. Three years ago (till july 2006), I never knew where El Paso is in the map. But, this is the city which made me focus on my project and gave me a doctorate, finally. Probably, I may not miss the multi-cultural aspect (as I might see that in San Antonio also) of El Paso. However, this is the first city where I made friends with a lot of local public.. like in the bus stops..coffee shops..restaurants. Infact, people even know what I will order in their place. I will definitely miss my local friends so much !!

So, what.. I am still near mountains
Well, Rockfort, Pallavaram, St. Thomas Mount, Pilani(Pahaadi), Lexington, El Paso and San Antonio. The common thing in my life is my place of living is always surrounded by hills. May be its just in my mind. Well, technically, as like an olden-day tamilian, I can claim that Kurinji Nilam (Region in and around mountains) is where I live. As it is Soora Samharam tomorrow, let me recollect the lord of Kurunji Nilam, Lord Karthikeya and bow him to grant everybody all the good boons.

Happy Kandha Shasti/ Soora Samharam !!

The Original "Nashaa yeh pyar kaa"

A couple of weeks ago, while in the universal studios -LA, I heard this original tune of "Nasha hai pyar ka". This was much better than the hindi one.

Watch here !!



For Lyrics


Like Jagan says in the comment, I am adding the hindi-version here for comparison