Made in America?

Very recently I had been to a place called as "Valley Fair Mall" situated very near my home in Salt Lake City. Probably for my friends back home, if I say Valley Fair is something like a very mini Spensers Plaza, they will come to know that it is a "Many shops Shop"! So it was here, I was doing a good deal of window shopping while my friends seriously emptied their wallets depriving it of a few dollars and cents.

Well, I happened to go to a popular fashion mall and was casually going thru some t-shirts. One of my friends pointed out a t-shirt and said "Hey this is Made in India!" and Lo and Behold, in this popular trendy outlet was a dress made from my mother land. Out of interest and curiosity I went and checked about thirty and odd shirts and found them to be made from a variety of countries across earth - China, Columbia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia and so on. Much to my surprise, none was from America!

I then entered a gift shop which had a motley of items displayed for sale. Over here again I noticed that there were things brought in from places and lands near and far alike. It was so heartening to see the articles made by people belonging to various countries under one roof - Globalization perhaps? Yes - that is it. There is always a craze for imported goods. Seeing them make us feel as if we have come closer to that place.

I came back home and sat on my couch with no potatoes, nevertheless switched on the television. There was this Spanish Channel, Italian cuisine, a Korean soap besides the films made in Australia, England and America! Yet another Globalization? Whatever you call it or where ever you make and label it, here I am sitting in one corner in Salt Lake City and enjoying this global togetherness!

With more thoughts...

Helen Keller

As it has happened the previous times, the idea to write this blog came up accidentally, when I was googling about "Joan Of Arc". I was rather looking for some accomplishments in general, when the name Helen Keller popped up both out of google and out of my little brain at the same time!

It was my fourth grade where my English syllabus had a lesson about Helen Keller under the title "The story of My Life" - The autobiography by Helen Keller herself. The lesson starts with the plight and helplessness of a young girl who is blind and deaf in the late 19th century. Just like a savior angel, came Miss Anne Sullivan into Helen Keller’s life, a teacher who taught her the words of wisdom.

The very first word which Helen learned, understanding its meaning was the word “Water”. The way in which Miss Sullivan taught her blind and deaf student was extremely innovative. She opened a tap and placed Helen's hand under the water and in the other hand she wrote the word "water" with her fingers. Thrilled by this new method of teaching, Helen, who by this time was revealed the mystery of the language, showed eagerness and enthusiasm in learning. This made her feel better and she garnered skills strong enough to write her own biography.

Just imagine the period in which Helen lived - where technology was perhaps not even a bud (forget being a full bloom flower!), where a child who was differently-abled, (This is one of the very positive word in English language. You know what - we no longer use words like disabled!) became a role model.

Helens accolades were some of the most astounding ones - She became the first deaf blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Helen was also awarded the "Presidential Medal Of Freedom", the nation's highest civilian award.

So if you are woebegone and so run-down - go, get yourself a copy of "The story of My Life" and you will find yourself brimming with optimism.

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Everybody Loves Raymond

Well, as I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, soaps being my cuppa tea, the first and perhaps the most frequently watched soap in the US by me, is "Everybody Loves Raymond" - And I am no exception to it! With the base story line that is so very similar to our Indian family and comedy soaps, this daily serial brings in some nostalgia. It is somewhat similar to my most favorite serial back home in India - "Tu Tu Main Main" - the tug of war between the daughter in law and the mother in law. ELR is quite similar to it, only difference being the hero has a brother who provides us an equally fair amount of laughs.

ELR is ordinary comedy soap, and the key thing that would make a normal show, a lively and a hit show is based on the characters you choose to act - to a major extent. In ELR, the characters do not act - they rather live. This key difference is what makes this show a hearty family soap.

Penned around Raymond and Debra, the lead couple, the story is all about the differences they have and their love for each other and how they put up with Ray's parents who happens to live just across the street, nevertheless are always in Ray's home! With 3 kids, Debra has a tough time and tries her best to control her tempers when her sweet old mom in law (Marie) interferes!

Aired at 10:00pm every night, this show is comfortable for onsite bachelors to watch while having dinner! Either before the offshore call or after the offshore call, ELR comes as a welcome break! Well folks, it is time for ELR and I am off to fall in love with a program that makes me laugh heartily!

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Hoogle Zoo

When my dear friend Muthu suggested this option for a Sunday afternoon outing, I just ridiculed him by saying, "Who would go to a ZOOOOO???" Finally, as usual losing a majority, I decided to (rather reluctantly) visit the Animal Kingdom. I went out with my dear friends and found myself thoroughly enjoying the drive. It was fall in Salt Lake City and those colorful leaves were one of the most pleasant sights to the eyes.

We arrived at the entrance of the zoo and I found myself saying - "It was not bad after all". But it so happened that by the time I came out of the zoo, I was telling "My my, it was such a worthy spot to visit and enjoy an afternoon". So what made that boring option turn out to be an incredibly dulcet visit? It was the way the zoo itself was maintained and the close encounters with those fellow animals, (I was a bio student, and I consider Homo sapiens as part of the Animal Kingdom!) that changed my perception of zoos.
The rhinos feed so close, such that you almost touch their horns - except that there is a thick mirror that separates you from its horn! You can see the giraffe that comes close to you and eat, thereby giving you all the time in this world to admire its beauty at close encounters. A cabin filled with butterflies, some scenic wooden bridges over a stream, wilderness in fall all made the zoo a very admiring place.

Last, but certainly not the least, there was this toy train ride that shows the important spots of the zoo. It so happened that I was collecting various colored leaves and I was about to board the toy train. The train driver saw me holding the leaves and voluntarily got me a plastic cover to save my botanical masterpieces! His thoughtfulness and altruistic nature (come on - it was a help without even asking for - shouldn't I not use the word altruism?) made me feel so emotionally filled with happiness.

The wonderful way the animals were treated in the zoo, made me feel proud to belong to a race which tries to protect God's other creations. Hoogle zoo is one of the great places in SLC to spend a worthwhile afternoon.

With more thoughts…