Me think so

Fallen leaf

2007-04-24T12:38:00.001+05:30

Fallen leaf
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Loved the tone and texture on this one! :-)

A very cliched snap!

2007-04-24T12:36:00.001+05:30

Flower
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Check out the bee having his drink from the yellow beauty! ;-)

A brilliant sunset from a rear view mirror

2006-09-07T15:14:00.000+05:30

Nandi Hills!

2006-02-02T11:29:00.000+05:30

I took a drive to Nandi Hills the past weekend, expecting to see the same old sleepy place that I was so used to seeing. But guess what, this was the scene I got to see! The whole place is covered with these yellow flowers and its quite a sight to see. So, what are you Bangaloreans waiting for? Nandi Hills rocks at this time of the year! Go for it :-)

Fresh with the dew

2005-12-20T10:21:00.001+05:30

Fresh with the dew
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Green fields in Coimbatore

2005-12-20T10:21:00.000+05:30

Green fields in Coimbatore
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Yellow wonder

2005-12-14T14:21:00.000+05:30

Yellow wonder
Originally uploaded by quatros.

I chanced upon this piece of yellowness and felt simply that I had to take a snap! :-)

Wanderlust

2005-12-02T16:49:00.000+05:30

Have you ever felt that urge to break free and travel and travel? Probably, without a reason and not a care about the season! Well this urge is what's called 'Wanderlust' - a very strong or irresistible impulse to travel. I happened to read about Alastair Humphreys, who has taken wanderlust to extremes. He's set upon a mission to cover the entire world on his bicycle! In his own words 'Now I am doing the job properly: 50,000 miles, 5 continents, 50 countries. Alone and on a bicycle. No buses, no hitching, no support vehicles'. To know more about this wonderful person have a look at this page. To see snaps of this world traveller take a peep here. Here's wishing Al bon voyage!

BangalorePothole.com

2005-11-21T11:52:00.000+05:30

BangalorePothole.com

I know that Bangalore is replete with potholes and the experience of getting in and out of one of these
'bone jarrers' is not a pleasant one, to say the least; but I never knew it could prod people to spawn a website dedicated to this issue! Dont believe me, check for yourself on this page!
The section on origin of the famed term 'pothole', on the site really makes an interesting read. This site is like a complete encyclopedia to the uninitiated regarding the world of potholes. If ever you come across a book titled 'Potholes for Dummies' or 'Potholes Unplugged', I am sure their authors would have had a look into this site!

Cozy bed!

2005-11-17T10:42:00.000+05:30

Cozy bed!
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Bangalore is back on its feet to suit its 'central airconditioned city' reputation! Cool days are back again after the spell of really bad weather here. Aaah, whats better than to nuzzle into a cozy blanketted bed in this weather, and read a hardbound book by a nice and warm night lamp! :-)

A tribute to man's best friend!

2005-11-16T11:26:00.000+05:30

I was overcome with a mixture of joy and sadness as I read this article. I remembered the warmth filled days I spent with my dog, and recollected the deep lacuna he left behind when he left our home after 14 years. This is dedicated to the fond memories of my dog Raju, who was no less that my friend and brother.

"The best friend man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son, or daughter, that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and good name may become traitors to their faith. The money a man has he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our head.

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and in sickness....read more here

-- Senator George Graham Vest, speaking to a jury about Old Drum, shot in 1869. Johnson County Circuit Court, Warrensburg, Missouri

Did you know?

2005-10-28T11:10:00.000+05:30

Did you know that the word 'scuba' is an acronym? I got to hear this from a friend of mine. Lo behold: SCUBA stands for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus!

Haloed Clouds

2005-10-28T10:57:00.000+05:30

I got to capture the setting sun hiding behind the thick rain bearing clouds. It was quite a relief to see the sun after such a long spell of rains and bad weather in Bangalore!

A Lankan tale!

2005-10-17T09:44:00.000+05:30

I came across this delighful tale from here while reading through a bit of Sri Lanka's historical background! This is an excert from Hiuen-Tsiang, the famed Chinese traveller, writings about his travels to the Indian subcontinent. Do read through!

"Next to the Temple of the Tooth (in Kandy) was "a small temple which is ornamented with every kind of precious stone. In it is a life sized golden statue of the Buddha cast by a former king of the country. He afterwards ornamented the statues head dress with a precious gem. Apparently the statue had a slightly bent head and a delightful legend was told to explain this.

Once a robber decided to steal the gem in the head dress of the Buddha in the temple which he entered by digging a tunnel. Seeing the huge gem he reached up to take it but the statue miraculously increased in height so that he could not reach it. The robber said to himself; "Formerly when the Tathagata was a bodhisattva, so great was his compassion that he vowed to give up everything, even his own life, for the sake of others. But now the statue which stands in his place begrudges to give up even one little gem. What was said by the old about the Buddha seems to differ from what his statue now does!".

Suddenly the statue bent over and the robber could reach the gem. He ran from the temple and took the gem to a merchant to sell but the merchant recognised the gem, informed the king and the robber was arrested. When asked by the king where he got the gem from the robber said that the Buddha had given it to him and he related what had happened. The sceptical king sent someone to the temple and sure enough the golden statue’s head was still bent over. Convinced that a miracle had occurred, the king brought the gem from the robber, who escaped punishment, and it was placed once again the statue’s head dress."

But most interesting Neither this temple or the delightful legend told about its golden statue survive in any Sri Lankan sources!

Gentle giant

2005-10-14T17:21:00.000+05:30

Gentle giant

I met this gentle giant at Pinnawela's Elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka. Though probably not evident from the snap, he is blind on both eyes. This 'senior citizen' of 50 years was rendered so by the raging wars in his home jungles of Jaffna. My whole hearted appreciation to the people and the government of Sri Lanka for this unique orphanage for these pachyderms.

On one side man destroys...and thankfully there are some who love nature and want to conserve it!

Food for thought…;-)

2005-10-13T08:46:00.000+05:30

"Men are like fine wine. They all start out like grapes, and it's our job to stomp on them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something you'd like to have dinner with."

"Women are like fine wine. They all start out fresh, fruity and intoxicating to the mind and then turn full-bodied with age until they go all sour and vinegary and give you a head-ache."

Backwaters and beyond

2005-09-30T15:03:00.000+05:30

Backwaters and beyond

Poovar is an island hugged by the waters of the backwaters and the sea. This snap was taken from a boat on the backwaters and you can see the strip of land separating the sea from the backwater.

Floral fiesta

2005-09-30T14:57:00.000+05:30

Floral fiesta

It happens only in India! Yellow and white flowers in water stored in a traditional stone vessel. So simple, yet so elegant!

Fisher boats at rest

2005-09-30T14:53:00.000+05:30

Fisher boats at rest
Originally uploaded by quatros.

The fishermen haul their load of fish to the land and leave their boats to rest in the sand savouring the salt in the air and the bask in the soft rays of the evening sun. A very tranquil sight indeed!

Kerala's dominant symbol

2005-09-30T14:50:00.000+05:30

Kerala's dominant symbol
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Did you know that Kerala gets its name from the 'Kera' tree or the coconut tree as the rest of the world knows it? If you are fortunate to land in this lush green land through air, you will know why it is named after coconuts, since over miles and miles of land,all you can see around you are coconut trees! So, lo behold the dominant symbol of Kerala, the coconut! :-)

Sunset at Poovar

2005-09-30T14:44:00.000+05:30

Sunset at Poovar

Check out this beautiful sunset view taken from Poovar island resort in Kerala!

Kathakali art work, Fortune Hotel,Calicut

2005-06-04T17:02:00.000+05:30

Well folks, here you go,I've got news to tell you! I got engaged on June 1st at Calicut in Kerala! Well, so I was at Kerala to meet my bride-to-be with the full fanfare of relatives and friends that a groom gets during a typical arranged marriage! Aah, it was a good experience all together and got to stay in one of the best places in Calicut. I chanced upon this piece of stone and brick work on the wall and could'nt resist taking a snap!

Silver lining sunset

2005-06-04T17:01:00.001+05:30

Silver lining sunset
Originally uploaded by quatros.

I got to spend a lovely evening at the beaches near Calicut in Kerala. I was just in time for the sunset and got to catch a glimpse of the evening sun shunning from my view behind those dusky clouds!

Broken pier, Calicut beach

2005-06-04T17:01:00.000+05:30

Broken pier, Calicut beach
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Hounded!

2005-04-02T14:52:00.000+05:30

It was Friday night, or rather more like Saturday morning. I was returning home on my bike with my buddy Chinku from a second show quite oblivious of the dangers lurking in the darkness. The roads were clear and I was in the mood for taking my bike for a good rip. Well, albeit my friend warning me, I took to a 'shorter' route back home. As i moved along, I noticed something disquieting. There was a pack of warring dogs on the road. Bangalore is a famous for its dog menace as it is for the software engineers. So,sighting the dogs was not the stunning thing. It was the sheer number of them that stunned. There were scores of them, unruly and I guess there was some kind of a turf war going on amongst them!

Dogs here, are using to chasing vehicles especially two wheelers, in the night and there have been several cases of people getting bitten. Well, it was too late now. The dogs had seen me! And all of a sudden the barks subsided and I saw around a hundred canine eyes watching my bike. I halted the bike feeling my friends hand on my shoulder. If I tried to speed back down the road we were sure to be chased and caught down. And well, going ahead was not exactly an alternative too. Well, I am an avid dog lover and all I wanted to do was to get out of the situation without getting harmed and not harm the dogs too. So, I decided to take a risk and go ahead. As soon as I moved ahead, many of the dogs tersed up, and moved towards me baring their teeth and growling! I really freaked out, but held my calm and brought the drone of the bike to a minimum and cruised ahead at crawling pace! I told my friend to make sure he does'nt look at the dogs in their eyes or make any rapid movements which would incite the dogs. Well, I was moving through a pack of growling dogs and was not looking at them at all. I guess my heart beat at twice the normal rate and my ploy worked! The dogs left us alone! I still held my slow pace till we reached the end of the road and then pulled the throttle to zip away from that 'shortcut' road!! Well, I guess my knowledge about dogs helped me from getting really hurt!

The Yercaud getaway

2005-03-22T15:03:00.000+05:30

Hiya folks, I am fresh and rejuvinated with a great weekend getaway at Yercaud. About 230 kms from Bangalore, this 'Poor mans Ooty' is definitely a nice place for a quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of the cities. I stayed at a place run by Christian missionaries called 'House of Peace'. Awesome place, very quiet and beautiful, and your wallet remains as heavy as it is when you leave the place. They charge just around 150 per person per night! We arranged for food from a couple running a place called ' Kitchen on Call'. The chichen dishes were yummy and the puddings and souffles provided the ideal end to a fitting meal. We were indulging in gastronomical sinning to put it in short! We had a short trek in the hills in the morning after a filling breakfast, followed by some boating, viewing points of tourist interest, and finally rounded the day with a great dinner and a group bonfire! I've posted some snaps that i got to click around from sunrise to the sunset. :-)

P.S : For any of you interested in a weekend getaway to Yercaud, do contact Suhas at 04281-222741. He'll give you a great treat of a lifetime. :-)

Sunrise in the hills

2005-03-22T14:30:00.000+05:30

Sunrise in the hills
Originally uploaded by quatros.

House of Peace

2005-03-22T14:28:00.000+05:30

House of Peace
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Dead tree

2005-03-22T14:24:00.000+05:30

Dead tree
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Shadow man

2005-03-22T14:20:00.000+05:30

Shadow man
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Pink bloom

2005-03-22T14:18:00.000+05:30

Pink bloom
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Lavender bloom

2005-03-22T14:17:00.000+05:30

Lavender bloom
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Sunset colours.jpg

2005-03-22T14:16:00.000+05:30

Sunset colours.jpg
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Sunset in the hills

2005-03-22T14:14:00.000+05:30

Sunset in the hills
Originally uploaded by quatros.

The bonfire

2005-03-22T14:13:00.000+05:30

The bonfire
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Slimming simplified!

2005-03-15T11:09:00.000+05:30

Hey I came across this funny snippet somewhere :-))

Topic : How to slim down without doing exercise?

Question : Is there any way to slim down without doing any exercise as it is not possible to exercise in the morning hours?

Answer : I would suggest just a very easy exercise. Just turn your head towards your left and then to your right. Do this 2 to 3 times whenever someone offers you food.

Sun lounge

2005-02-26T10:57:00.000+05:30

Sun lounge
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Check out this sun lounge in the midst of the rocks!

Sun peeping through the trees

2005-02-25T11:57:00.001+05:30

Sun peeping through the trees
Originally uploaded by quatros.

I simply love this scene!! :-)

Stairs to the top

2005-02-25T11:57:00.000+05:30

Stairs to the top
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Some more snaps from the trip. The stairs to the summit of the hill.

Sunrise

2005-02-23T16:18:00.000+05:30

Sunrise

Sunrise as seen from my office layout. We, from the travel club in our organisation, set out for a cave exploration cum trekking trip to Siddarabetta last weekend. Following are some snaps took during the trip.

Light seepage

2005-02-23T12:35:00.000+05:30

Light pouring into the cave through gaps in the rocks.

Light seepage

Towering giants

2005-02-23T12:18:00.001+05:30

Towering giants

This is the magnificient view I got from the junction point of these three towering giants! Location : Siddarabetta, 100 Kms from Bangalore towards Tumkur district.

Thank God Its Friday!!!

2005-02-11T17:15:00.000+05:30

Thank God Its Friday!!!

Oh good lord, thank you! It a Friday again today!!! :-)

All's in a name!

2005-02-01T15:46:00.000+05:30

Whats in a name? Say most folks. But I guess its more like having a good name and living with it, or have a bad one, and die a thousand deaths!! Hmm...lemme tell you about the most peculiar plight of my close buddy "Chinku". Well, I am not referring to a pet rabbit,cat or dog as most people presume the name refers to! Chinku is my friend from kindergarten times and we've been thick buddies for the past 22 years! His parents, I guess, did'nt realise that their toddler would grow up one day and handle positions of importance where his name would be referred to several times in official circles.

Imagine the plight of my dear buddy's would-be children! When someone enquires about their fathers' name,an answer something to the tunes of "Chinku", will stun most enquirers !! :-)

Well, I still see him blush through all the colors of a rainbow when most people insist in asking what his official name is! They simply cant seem to digest that his true official name is Chinku, and ahem perhaps justifiably! Guess there's quite a lot in having a decent, pronouncable name!

Shhleepy...

2005-01-31T13:37:00.000+05:30

There must be a solution for keeping people awake after heavy lunches! Oh world, try to help me out today, I desperately want to remain awake and get some work completed! Boy, am I blaring music on my head phones to keep those droopy eyelids of mine from closing out right now. Linkin Park is howling out "Numb" to my ears trying to make me sit straight ...whooppps...its really one hell of a difficult Monday afternoon.

Footsteps on sand

2005-01-31T10:43:00.000+05:30

Footsteps on sand

I could'nt resist taking this snap! Man makes his mark where ever he walks, and it takes just one wave to wash it all off!

Taken at Shanghumugham beach,Trivandrum,Kerala.

Orchids -Dancing Girl!!

2005-01-18T15:04:00.000+05:30

Orchids -Dancing Girl

They call this yellow wonder a "Dancing Girl". If you observe carefully the individual flower looks like a girl clad in a yellow dress with brown colorations on it.

Reflection!!!

2005-01-11T16:04:00.000+05:30

Reflection .

Reflection of a flash light on water. How's that???

Bear in Baskin Square!

2005-01-08T10:42:00.000+05:30

Bear in Baskin Square!

A wooden bear placed at Baskin Square, a shopping area at Gatlinburg, near the beautiful Smoky Mountains. What a funky caption he's got on his hands!

Flowers at the window sill

2005-01-08T10:39:00.000+05:30

Pretty flowers at a first floor window sill....

Flowers at the window sill

Smirking human face??

2005-01-06T15:45:00.000+05:30

Saw toothed shark!

Guess what's on this image? A mocking human face? Well, folks this is the underbelly of a saw toothed shark! Thanks to Ripley's aquarium for giving me the oppurtunity to see this magnificient creature! :-)

Tennis ball in a wishing well!

2005-01-06T15:39:00.000+05:30

Tennis ball in a wishing well

I guess a budding tennis player threw in this bright yellow tennis ball into the wishing well!! I guess he/she had great game aspirations!:-)

Feet under water

2004-12-28T10:30:00.000+05:30

Feet under water

Sunshine, gently flowing water and a friends' feet in it!!

Wall painting!

2004-12-27T19:01:00.000+05:30

Wall painting, Tibetan shrine

Figures depicted on the walls of the Tibetan monastery. Mystical, mythical and enticing!

Buddha Statue

2004-12-27T18:58:00.000+05:30

Buddha Statue, Tibetan Shrine

60 Feet golden Buddha figure at the Namdroling Tibetan monastery at Kushal Nagar near Coorg,Karnataka,India.

Bridge

2004-12-27T18:51:00.000+05:30

A grand bridge running over the dam enroute to Coorg. Visual grandeur!

Beams of light!

2004-11-18T13:48:00.000+05:30

Beams of light
Originally uploaded by quatros.

This was the sight I was greeted with as I stepped out of the flight at Pokhara, Nepal. Beams of sunlight through cloud cover, a most sublimal sight! Pokhara, is a small town nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, at the foothills of Annapurna ranges. The magnificient Fishtail Mountains, or Machapuchare are best viewed from the Phewa Lake at Pokhara. A travellers delight indeed.

I believe..

2004-11-18T13:06:00.000+05:30

If you understand or if you don't
If you believe or if you doubt
There's a universal justice
And the eyes of truth
Are always watching you.

- The Cross Of Change, Enigma

Did you know..

2004-11-11T18:09:00.000+05:30

Did you know that the word 'Spa' originated from the Roman words 'Sanus Per Aquam' which translates to 'heath through water'. I never thought a spa had such a good meaning behind it!!

Entrepreneur

2004-10-29T14:20:00.000+05:30

“An entrepreneur,” writes D’Alessandro, “is like a spoiled kid who wants the biggest, brightest toy soldier in the window. He gets the soldier, takes it home, and plays with it for a while. Then he breaks its legs and abandons it in a corner.”

Mass marketting

2004-10-25T14:31:00.000+05:30

I thought this was pretty interesting!

At the Association of National Advertisers Convention, Larry Light, McDonalds' CMO,told his audience, "Mass marketing is a mass mistake. Practice multi-dimensional, multi-segment marketing... In today's atomized marketing world...mass marketing mass messages to masses of people via mass media is a mass mistake."

Cloud & Shadow play at Mullayanagiri

2004-10-14T16:52:00.000+05:30

Clouds & Shadow
Originally uploaded by quatros.

See the play of clouds,shadow and the lush green landscape. Quite a humbling view even to the proudest human. :-)

Mullayanagiri - Chikmaglur

2004-10-14T16:40:00.000+05:30

I went last weekend to pursue my favourite activity. Travel and adventure. Heeding to the wanderlust in me, led me to Mullayanagiri. Located in Chikmanglur,Karnataka State,India, this peak is the highest point in the state.Loads of fresh air, clear skies and of course the overpowering beauty of the mountains. Have a look at the scenery!

Treadmill wars!

2004-10-14T10:15:00.000+05:30

Its crisp cold 7:00 in the morning, the air-conditioning in the gym keeping my bones chilled to something less than 20 degrees Celsius. I climb up the step, face the blinking array of red, green and yellow LED's embossed in the black panel of the treadmill. They stare back at me, flashing numbers, signs and responses: no doubt, all challenges thrown on my face.

The red displays show me the time that I am going to torture myself, the yellow ones give me the calorie burn out count (read as energy drain count) and the green ones show the distance I am going to trot virtually on the moving belt over the platform. Another battle begins today, right now, right here - I think. It’s going to be a long relentless battle today, 30 minutes from warm-up to cool-down, and 350 calories to be burnt, 3.5 to 4 Kms of virtual distance to be covered. Those are the target for the day. I take a long breath; chew a little harder on the gum (chewing gum during a work-out keeps my mouth closed and ensure I respire aerobically!) and press the magic 'START' button. My arch rival, the tread mill, responds with an energetic prowl and mocks at my pathetic start up speed of 5Kmph. The machine is intelligent enough to plot a path of my misery! He shows my speed as rock bottom with a glowing red indicator. Aah..going to the gym in the morning is such a torture, but I must make it. I sin everyday; it’s either a well wetted chocolate pastry or that sugar dipped caramel doughnut that makes me indulge in this sin. How I wish I could keep a leash on my binging! I push myself further, move on to 7.2 Kmph and rev my trot to brisk walk.

Well, it is check out time now! The best way to reduce your misery is to check out how good or bad your fellow treadmillers are doing! So I check out the colleagues to my right and left. Not bad, a middle aged man was chugging on at 4.5 Kmph and on his 17th minute that is! Well, no doubt he was compelled by his wife/doctor to tone up that pot belly from virtually going to breaking point! Wait a minute, where am I going to be at 40 years of age...? Will I face the same predicament? The thought in itself, made me peg up the speed from the relatively sedate 7.2Kmph to a more spirited 9.2 Kmph. Now I often wonder why I like to move and remain on .2 on every speed level? May be it’s because it gives me the feel that I am 'IN' the next level, yet not killing myself there. Aah, to my left was the "belle of the gym", the cynosure of every male eye in the gym. She was all clad up even for the gym, pretty good dress sense I must say though. Uh oh, attention back to the war! Belles and wars don’t mingle well, and I must return back to the war!

I move on to level 3 of my battle, the hardest nut to crack, sprint at 10.5 Kmph for 10 minutes, non stop, and clear up my calorie burn barrier. I've never been to burn out more than 350 calories in one single workout! Today my war strategy is different; I have come prepared to break the barrier. A solid, ripened, very yellow banana is my weapon this time. Burning 350 calories on an empty stomach at 7:00 in the morning proved to be a physiologically impossible task for me. Hence the banana consumption tactic! And for sure it’s definitely working', I push my gears higher and touch the 320+ calorie burn count. I am right in the red alert zone! This is my faltering zone. It’s the place where all my batteries go down and whats left is only will power. But will power can take you only to the limits of endurance, stamina and of course, energy reserves. So, there I see myself swinging past the 340 mark in a few minutes time. This is the moment I've waited for. A time to pat myself on the back. I am nearing the 350 calorie mark.
And then it happened. The unexpected. There was a power failure, away goes the drone of the treadmill, my enemy drops down, dead and static! I pant and gasp for the transition from 10.5 Kmph to static was over a few seconds time. I see the static counter on my tread mill screen, 346, I call out in my mind 'Coward, cheat, the 350 mark was mine to conquer" My rightful laurel snatched away!! Well, I reconcile to the stroke of fate, its going to be another battle, 24 hours from now. The treadmill war is going to continue, a new target each day!

Help a man in time of his need ...

2004-10-12T19:27:00.000+05:30

Help a man in time of his need and he will remember you next when he is trouble again!!

So the saying goes... :-) well,I think its more than true in this world of ours. I am sure God must be saying this about me and all QuaTros like clones. How ungrateful I am when it comes to recognizing favours that i keep getting from God. Well, I am quite unabashed in asking God help - moral, material and all kinds of stuff that i can conjure.

Was hearing this one song from Los Lonely Boys called Heaven, check out the lyrics!

So go ahead, download the song, hear along with the lyrics, its soul stirring!

"
Vamanos!

Save me from this prison
Lord, help me get away
'Cause only you can save me now
From this misery

I've been lost in my own place
And I'm getting' weary
How far is heaven?
And I know that I need to change
My ways of living
How far is heaven?
Lord, can you tell me?

I've been locked up way too long
In this crazy world
How far is heaven?
I just keep on prayin', Lord
I just keep on livin'
How far is heaven?
(Oh, Lord, can you tell me?)
How far is heaven?
(I just gotta know how far it is)
How far is heaven?
(Oh, Lord, can you tell me?)

Tu que estas entrado al cielo, hechame tu bendicion
[translated from Spanish: you that's in a higher place, send me down a blessing]

'Cause I know there's a better place
In this place I'm livin'
How far is heaven?
So I just got to show some faith
And just keep on givin'
How far is heaven?
(Oh, Lord can you tell me)
How far is heaven?
(I just gotta know how far it is)
How far is heaven?
(Oh, Lord, can you tell me?)
How far is heaven?
I just gotta know how far
I just wanna know how far "

2004-09-24T14:06:00.000+05:30

When i was young I used to think that money was the most important thing in life.
Now that I am old, I know it is.

Oscar Wilde.

Welcome to Lenox Park

2004-09-20T14:40:00.000+05:30

Lenox Park, Welcome
Originally uploaded by quatros.

A snap I took of the stone block at the entrance of Lenox Park,Atlanta. Have posted a few more interesting snaps that I got to take over there.

A place of quiet beauty!

2004-09-20T14:35:00.000+05:30

Lenox Park,quote
Originally uploaded by quatros.

Indeed Lenox park was a place of quiet beauty! :-)

Courtesy and common sense!

2004-09-20T14:30:00.000+05:30

Lenox Park, Interesting
Originally uploaded by quatros.

This is an interesting snap that i took of a notice board at Lenox Park,Atlanta in which the local authorities actually took out time to define what "courtesy" and "common sense" mean! Well, dont leave anything to chance eh? :-)

Shakespeare on a slab of stone

2004-09-20T14:21:00.000+05:30

Lenox Park, Shakespeare
Originally uploaded by quatros.

A Shakespeare quote on a slab of stone that i found on Lenox Park,Atlanta.

Ode to the crazy ones

2004-09-14T14:44:00.000+05:30

Here's to the crazy ones!
The misfits...The rebels...The trouble-makers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They're not fond of rules,
And they have no respect for the status-quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them.
But the only thing you can't do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius!
Because the people who are crazy enough,
To think they can change the world are the ones who do
Think different!!
-Apple

Explore.Dream. Discover.

2004-09-14T14:37:00.000+05:30

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed...

By the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do...
So throw off the bowlines...
Sail away from the safe harbor...
Catch the trade winds in your sails...
Explore..Dream..Discover.
- Mark Twain.

Billions of Blue Blistering Barnacles!

2004-09-07T11:31:00.000+05:30

Any Tintin fans around? :-)

I was going searching for some funny stuff to keep evil thoughts coming up on my unengaged mind. Soooo....i went hunting for some Tintin stuff! What a timeless guy he is, I am still taken over by the fact that the comic character is 75 years old!

And yes if you are fond of Tintin and want some Tintin wallpapers check out this site. I even found out a site which claims to be a "Cult of Tintin". I am sure Hergé would have never thought that his character would inspire a "cult" :-)

Well, if you have time go through the quiz on the site. Ahem, I even found a compiled list of the choicest expletives of none other than the most famous Captain Haddock here. Be sure to go through that! And dont forget to get to the all too famous inventions of Professor Calculus here.

Aaah..thats was a few hours well spent! ;-)

Am I lucky?

2004-08-31T11:22:00.000+05:30

There are times when I wonder if I am a lucky person. I don't think I have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but yet I've never felt the need for anything either. Well...as I mature in life I guess I am getting the feeling that 'luck' is a relative term. Previously my idea about 'luck' was to get goodies in life for doing nothing at all! But now, with a few years of work behind my back, I guess 'luck' is to get recognized for the work and effort you put in. Ah..I've been through days when in spite of having put in the best of efforts to clear issues and bundling in a lot of proactive thought for future, I have reached alleys of non recognition. And yet, there are those days too, when a casually done piece of work gets accolades from quarters you never knew even existed! Thats when you wonder if Ganesha(Indian God, harbinger of luck) forgets to balances his scales fairly!

Talking about luck, I remember a episode that an elderly pediatrician doctor friend revelated to me. He used to bugged with patients complaining about their children, " Oh my son is not smart enough, he catches the flue too often", "Aah..I wish my daughter were born smarter, she is so poor at math!" And my friend would take out some snaps,of spastic children, of children born with a hole in the heart, and of mentally retarded folks to show them. And he would ask them, "Does your kid look like this or behave like this?" And would say "The greatest gift God has given you is to bless with a normal healthy child, a child who can see the world, call you daddy and mommy with a clear sound and walks on his own feet". How true...I really AM born lucky...I am blessed with every human faculty to make my own roads in life. :-) Guess, anything else that comes on the way is just a bonus!

Maribetta

2004-08-30T15:46:00.000+05:30

Maribetta,view6
Originally uploaded by quatros.

I had been to Maribetta, some 70 Kms distant from Bangalore, Karnataka, for a single day trek. This snap is just a view from the summit. God send us good weather in a week troubled with incessant rain here in Bangalore. :-) A refreshing break from the urban jungles we live!

Appraisal time!

2004-08-30T12:35:00.000+05:30

Well, today is appraisal time for me at work. I see a lot of dejected faces in office. Coming to think of it, I really don't know if I deserve a promotion. I've got enough work experience for the next level in my line of work. But then I remember that there are a thousand indices that work towards getting promoted. Finally it would all trickle down to a unique combination of talent, techno prudence, a smart tongue and most importantly, the ability to keep your boss boots well licked!! But then, if your boss doesn't have much hand in the appraisal process, it means your tongue must be flexible to lick in the 'right' boots at the 'right' time.

Hmm...I remember those exam times at school. When the results used to pour in, the excuse would sometimes be that "the questions were too hard to crack",and sometimes "the examiner was biased in his evaluation of the answer sheet", but end of day mostly it was just my lack of hard work and focus on the subject. So, I guess I am going to take in whatever I get for my appraisal with a pinch of salt. I have room for growth, huge fields of it in fact. So, I am going to put my gears higher and go for it the next year. But then, that's a long long time to go...!

Proud to be sinistral!

2004-08-18T16:55:00.000+05:30

I got a card today morning from my close buddy Akos wishing me a happy left hander's day! :-)
Yes, i am sinistral,gauche or just plain left handed. I write, eat and do all that right handed folks do with their right hands, with my left hand. To think of it , in this 'right hand' dominated world I personally think I have adapted quite well and have become pretty ambidextrous.

In India, the concept of a left-hand driven car is quite a one in a million episode! So I learnt to drive on a right handed car and well i am as good as anyone else. I read somewhere that there are degrees to handedness, and on that note i could be 80% left handed and the rest right handed. Well, i got this quote from a site. It quite shows the plight a left hander faces in terms of deciphering directions and well in short doing things 'right'

"As insane as this little rhyme sounds, it does help one remember which direction screws, threaded nuts, lightbulbs, etc. turn (clockwise vs. counterclockwise)
"Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey"

Hmm to understand more about my lot go here!

A hum too much..

2004-08-18T16:28:00.000+05:30

Today morning I was in good spirits...and for no particular reason altogether! Trotted along to office and grabbed my head phone and put on a particular song I liked. Hmm, and I got so engrossed in the song that I was soon humming the song albeit at a higher volume than the headphones playing the song!!

And then it was not too long before I saw many heads popping up from their cubicles wondering where that 'junglee' ( read unearthly!) sound was emanating from. I was still twirling around in my own world, gulping the gist of the lyrics and the melody in the song. What else could I do, it was like my brain pleasuring me from two sides. Finally I was awakened from my musical reverie by a concerned colleague, the poor soul couldn't take more of my vocal torture anymore.

Yep, headphone users ,thou art warned! :-)

Spider!

2004-08-16T15:06:00.000+05:30

Folks, I belong to a nearly extinct group of individuals who still use a relic called the fountain pen to write! Well, one morning on my way to office, I was about to unscrew the lid of my ink bottle, to fill up my pen, when I noticed something unusual. There was a small intricate web--a spider web connecting the lid of the ink bottle with that of the surface of a framed photo! Well unscrewing the lid of the bottle would result in the breaking of this delicate balance. There it sat, the spider, yellow and brown, right in the center of that paradise it wove for itself! I could don the role of the destructor, and with one swish of my hand would do the job, hours of it labour down the drain! The poor creature thinking the lid of the ink-pot and the frame to be immobile, static objects, built its home on their shoulders. But to me, it was not so. Both the ink pot and the framed picture were mobile, objects to be shifted according to my convenience!!

Mind you friends, I am not particularly fond of spiders or for that matter cobwebs! But what struck me deep was the realization of how this seemingly trivial situation would translate to in my life. Often we build the fabric and foundation of our life upon certain assumptions, certain beliefs. Seldom do we realize that they are merely ghosts or apparitions that we often take for granted so naively! Just like the poor spider, most of us take many elements of our life to static, whereas we are quite taken aback when we realize that in reality they are not! It's sad to realize that what may be static and stable in one persons frame of reference may not be so in another persons case. Perhaps it is this clash between two contrasting ideals in our society that is the cause of all discord prevalent. Man retaliates whenever the safe sanctum of his beliefs are intruded upon, but seldom is able to withstand higher forces in the society. Well, if I had dislodged the web of the spider in contempt, the poor creature would definitely struggle, but with no effect. So would a common man, struggle against the onslaught of his circumstances, seldom with any effect. Just like the unfortunate spider he would try to build the web of his existence on other 'seemingly' safe pillars!

You definitely may be wondering what after all this sermon, I had ultimately done with the spider and its web! I decided to allow nature intervene (my mother, the servant maid, wind ...) and decide the future of the creature. As of then I took refuge in a ball pen compromising the need to fill my fountain pen! Though hypocritical, I really doubt whether I would have done the same, if the spider had built its web on my wall!