{V} V for Victory

As I was curled up on the sofa engrossed in a book, I suddenly heard Pepo grumbling deep in her throat. Looking up, I saw her sitting on the window, absolutely alert, looking like she was ready to strike something. Curiousity spiked, I uncurled from the sofa and walked over to see what had her hackles raised. Out on the balcony, oblivious to the threatening cat behind a closed window, were these birds, strutting around, preening and grooming themselves. I grabbed Pepo and put her into another room, ran for my camera (the Sony H5) and fired off a few quick shots. This one is my favorite from that afternoon.

PS: No animals were harmed during the course of this photo shoot. Pepo is a house cat; she isn’t allowed outdoors unsupervised.

PPS: Pepo was my first cat; she died last January. This is a post from my photoblog, which I plan to discontinue due to lack of time. I will be transitioning all those posts and doing more photography-related posts right here.

{U} Travel Postcard #8: Under the Indian Sun

The Indian summer makes outdoor eating a rather difficult proposition, except during the winter. And when the setting is such, within the City Palace at Udaipur, how can you pass up the chance to grab a quick bite under the umbrella, enjoying the people and the ambiance around you?

Tell us about a memorable meal from your travels!

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{T} Travel Postcard #7: Tibetan Prayer Wheels

Traditionally, the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum is written in Sanskrit on the outside of the wheel. Also sometimes depicted are Dakinis, Protectors and very often the 8 auspicious symbols Ashtamangala. According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition based on the lineage texts regarding prayer wheels, spinning such a wheel will have much the same meritorious effect as orally reciting the prayers. – Wikipedia.com

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{S} Book review: Servants of the Goddess by Catherine Rubin Kermorgant

From the back cover:

Servants of the Goddess weaves together the heartbreaking, yet paradoxically life affirming stories of five devadasis – Women, in the clutches of an ancient fertility cult, forced to serve the gods. Catherine Rubin Kermorgant sets out attempting to make a documentary film about the lives of present-day devadasis. Through her, we meet and get to know the devadasi women of Kalyana, a remote village in Karnataka. As they grow to trust Kermorgant and welcome her as an honorary sister, we hear their stories in their own words, stories of oppression and violence, but more importantly, of resistance and resilience. Kermorgant becomes a part of these stories and finds herself unwittingly enmeshed in a world of gender and caste bias which extends far beyond Kalyana, all the way to Paris, where the documentary is to be edited and produced. Servants of the Goddess is a testament to women’s strength and spirit and a remarkably astute analysis of gender and caste relations in today’s rural India.

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{R} Travel Postcard #6: River Koh, Lansdowne

The great fun of driving down to a hill station, for me, is those long, winding roads, when you look down and see a river winking back at you from far below. The clear water, rocky outcrops, dancing waves at intervals…it’s a sight to refresh you no matter how tired you are!

What refreshes you on a long drive?

More pictures and travel information for Lancedown

{Q} Travel Postcard #5: Quaint little cottage, Lansdowne

Imagine walking down a hilly road, admiring the trees and the plants, watching the road snake ahead of you.

Imagine coming around a bed as the sun is starting its descent.

Imagine seeing this little cottage in the middle of a small clearing abutting a church, surrounded by greenery, the area around it carpeted with flowers, the sun filtering through the trees.

Imagine sitting on the parapet that runs above the area, with the wind whistling through your hair, wondering what purpose the cottage serves.

Does it belong the fairies? Do they come there to play?

Does it belong to the gnomes? Have they hidden their gold in there?

Or does it belong to the church? Have they used it as the store house for broken pews and forgotten ephemera?

Take a look at some more pictures from Lancedown and read about the place

{P} The Kindness Revolution: Be Positive

Happiness is a human birthright for everyone. – The Dalai Lama

One way to be kind to ourselves is to be able to choose happiness…and the way to do that, I believe, is to choose positivity. We can focus on everything that is wrong around us – the unfairness of a colleague getting promoted ahead of you, not having “enough” friends (whatever enough means) – or we can acknowledge those things, but focus on the things that are right – having the time to do the things you love, perhaps.

If you take a few moments to think about it, you’ll realize that there probably are a whole bunch of positive emotions or experiences that you aren’t even aware of. There’s so much to be grateful for each and every day… each and every minute…your very life, each breath, each action that you take for granted – walking, talking, smelling, seeing – is a miracle.Continue reading→

{O} An ode to an ordinary life

“Buy this dress!” “Go on this holiday!” “Look at this shiny new gadget that will change your life!”

Buy these things, the advertisements tell us, and you’ll be breaking out of the ordinary.

But, what’s so bad with ordinary anyway?

Look behind those screaming advertisements. There’s a case to be made for an ordinary life. A life filled with love, laughter, companionship. A life where you have the time and energy to be present with your loved ones. Where people matter more than material objects. It’s a life filled with contentment, love, play, friends, family.Continue reading→

{N} Travel Postcard #4: New York Public Library

Located on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets, The New York Public Library with its two stone lions guarding the entrance is an iconic building. I’d seen pictures of the library, and being book obsessed, I knew that it would make it to my list of places to visit in New York City.Continue reading→

{M} The non-manifesto manifesto

I was introduced to the concept of a personal mission statement at a corporate training years ago. At the time, I tried really hard to come up with a mission statement for my life. I failed.

Over the years, I’ve given it a try a couple of times. I’ve always failed.

Then I came across some awesome manifestos (like my personal favorite, the Holstein manifesto). While I found some of them inspiring, I never could come up with one that was ME.

This inability to come up with a manifesto for my life has made me feel like a failure of sorts.

It took a very wise man – the husband, in fact – to show (or rather tell) me why I have always failed at it.

The reason is simple. So simple that I feel like a fool for not seeing it for myself. Continue reading→