An aggregate Of the Past

So, how about giving a one word representation to a group of meaningful words as given in the title of this blog? Well, if you really are into one words and synonyms, I was referring to “History”. I was a little reluctant to keep the title as History, as I was not sure if that would entice even the bookworms. I was and still am a lover of History.

Thanks to my history teacher way back in my fourth grade, I just loved History. She made the class extremely interesting that you would expect that class eagerly. Now how many of you could say that? I was matter of fact lucky to get a person who taught history as if it were achievements of someone whom I knew well throughout my life.

Had it not been for History, we would be reinventing the wheel each day. Wouldn't we? We do need to know who gave us the comforts with which we are all living now. We need to know who ruled us, how people fought and how horrible were the aftermaths of such wars, so as to think twice before even dreaming of committing such horrid deeds.

So it was in this history class, our history teacher opened the doors to learn about some of my favorite personalities like Joan of Arc, Captain Roald Amundsen etcetera. In the years that went by, I learnt more about the rich history of South India and the wonderful kings who ruled it. Still further, I learnt some international history and I was intrigued by the happenings that lead to the world wars.

Some of my friends still consider history a boring subject and is fit to be studied if you want a good night's sleep! Perhaps they all did not start off with a wonderful teacher like the one I had! See, if it weren't for history I could not have made out this blog and you could not have read about a small aggregation of the Past!

With more thoughts...

Variety

In anything and almost everything it is the nature of man to crave for variety. Variety is the spice of life and there is no fun without this mirch masala! Right from the common middle class man to the ultra rich business tycoon dreams, thinks and wishes for varieties.

Let’s start with my blog itself. Had it contained the writings about the same topic, I wonder if it would be more interesting that the variety I try to provide. Fashion is the epitome of variety. Perhaps it is the mother of all varieties. We expect variety in films, variety in food, variety in amusements, entertainments etc. Food - my favorite subject is so interesting and it proves to be even more exciting when there is a new variety demonstrated. I used to ask my mom to prepare something new and she would try to recollect any least recently prepared dish and try to make me happy!

Well, we do expect more from films – don’t we? Even if it is a normal love story, we want that to be told in a different manner - a new variety. Though unaffordable by many people, men crave for variety in cars, bikes and the like, while women look out for a variety in vogue, home furnishing and likewise.

Kids too look out for variety. From Cartoons to toys, from chocolates to games, kids today expect a lot! There is variety in cats food and dogs food as well! Using the word "variety" throughout this blog itself is kind of boring. It would be interesting and efficient, if we used synonyms for varieties like multifarious and potpourri!

So much for variety, but ofcourse a wise man once said, "Necessity is the mother of all inventions" (A beautiful adage) and variety is an absolute necessity.

With more thoughts...

The American Roadways

If I were ever asked to give my "Top 10 that you like in the US of A", then, most definitely I will include the American Roadways in the top 3. “I like it”, is an understatement. "I admire it", is perhaps a better word. Whatever; the American Roadways are something that one should check it out! Transportation is a backbone for a country's economy. It is even its pride. There is always a healthy competition between communication and transportation - the net result; we get all that we want sooner and sooner!

Some of the best things about the American Roadways are the broad roads having a number of lanes, the traffic signs, the freeways and what not! There were so many "Roadway jargons" that I was not aware of, and I started to learn them and thereby got accustomed to them after coming to the US of A. My awe and wonder all increased when we went on a road trip from Salt Lake City to the Sin City - Las Vegas. About 650Km - rather a great deal of distance was covered comfortably in 5 hours. And my, my, the entire stretch of road was awesome.

Travel by roads is something that you will love it in the US of A, especially if you are neither the driver nor the navigator! There are specific rules for roadway construction and the rules for overlapping freeways are way too complex. That is perhaps the reason they are both confusing and frightening besides making you wonder, how on earth could they build something as planned as this one?

Being a very vast nation and the resources and manpower spread across it, the US is very well aware of the fact that connecting people is “the” most important thing. Both air and road transportation are so very advanced and long distances are common in both these modes. This is one area that I feel rather jealous about the US, as back home in India; the roadways are not as good as the US. Well, we are improving extremely fast and comparing with a giant is definitely a healthy way to grow and move forward. I hope to see equally good roads in my home country too – sooner though.

With more thoughts...

Reliving April

It is April again - And its the beginning of spring in Salt Lake. And I am reliving those good old "Not a long saunter" blog days. If there is one season of the year, spring is definitely the best. And you can give innumerable reasons to support the above statement! The birth of spring has brought agility back to my cells, which were refusing to budge during snowy winter.

Well, I was delighted to see a very early blossomed tulip. A lovely rosy tulip with strands of white is out there deciding when to fully blossom. It is looking for an auspicious day, perhaps. Its just not the flowers: the leaves of many tress have sprouted and there is a tinge of green on them - Well these are the colorful signs of spring.

Its just not me who welcomes spring - the entire country of China welcomes it with grandeur. The spring festival is celebrated in China and is as important as Christmas in the West. There is the St Patrick’s Day, celebrated in Ireland, welcoming the spring season. Even though spring is not so well marked or felt in my home country India, it is those few days where the climate is good enough to roam around. For Chennai's hot tropical climate, winter is more or less a spring!

Counting my days to go back to my mother land, this April is a month of expectations. A month in which we have a major release at work. A month to do a loooot of shopping. A month to sit and countdown for the day to travel back. Well these are the non reliving parts of April, that has provided more enthusiasm to an already bright April!

With more thoughts...

To Sir, With Love

After a long time, I happened to watch a movie which made me feel so glad that I had watched it. It was the same way I felt after watching “Erin Brockovich”. This time it was a movie from the UK and rather an old one. To Sir, With Love is definitely a movie worth watching. It is a heart warming drama that makes your heart filled with emotions.

It is the story of a young black man, who is an engineer, happens to join a school to teach, when he does not get a job in his stream of study. The school he joins is the school that is run for the kids who are not so privileged. They are kids who work in the evenings and come to school in the mornings despite many financial and personal problems. They definitely do not lead a life of luxury. In short, the school is run for such unattended kids, who are rough, indecent and unruly.

Sidney Poitier, the teacher, takes a new approach of giving and taking respect to these kids while teaching. He calls his male students by their surnames and the girls are addressed by "Miss". He gives them respect and self importance that are so very new to them. He talks to them about not geography or arts, but about real life. What is marriage? How should a man behave to gain respect? Who decides whom to give respect? His class is filled with questions and answers. Questions on how to lead a better life. And the answer brings in light to these kids.

Poitier also takes them to outings - museums etc, where the kids learn about art, history and also have their break from their routine life. He moves more personally with each student and wins their heart. During their last day in the school, the kids plan for a dance where Poitier and his favorite girl student have a fast dance and win an ovation. As an icing to the cake, one other girl student sings a song in praise of their "Sir". This song was a hit in those yester years and the lyrics are so powerful that you can make out from it, how wonderful a teacher was Sidney Poitier.

The Song:
The time has come for closing books and long last looks must end
And as I leave I know that I am leaving my best friend
A friend who taught me right from wrong and weak from strong
That's a lot to learn, but what can I give you in return?

If you wanted the moon
I would try to make a start
But I would rather you let me give my heart
`To Sir, With Love'

Well, I had such wonderful teachers too, who are indeed the ladders, making each of their students to climb up in life.

With more thoughts…