Hanging on firmly...by a thread

Vulnerability is a funny thing. Knowing that there are several forces out there, both physical and otherwise, that can affect you is both nerve rattling and humbling.

Nothing is constant. Change is one of the biggest factors that can make you feel vulnerable. There are several more.

Everyone loves to feel protected. To know that no matter what, they will be shielded from life's wrath. But that's a luxury no one has the joy of enjoying. And somehow, as cynical as that thought may seem, it is that element of vulnerability that is necessary to help you find your place under the sun.

The Wonder Years

There are so many things that make so much sense to me now muhc more than they did when I was a kid. I recall that while being a kid was undoubtedly hassle free most of the time (if you didn't count school politics, wardrobe concerns and most importantly - playtime dynamics), it was a rather blissful time period. However, it was a confusing time...

For example, I could never figure out how people could drive with the music playing. It seemed so complicated. Having been a driver on the road for the past four years, I've come to understand that it really isn't rocket science. In fact, I find myself being able to do it all the time.

It seemed bizarre that adults think it was downright gross to kiss. Wasn't it universally accepted that having another person's saliva in your mouth was not normal...? Twenty odd years down the line, the concept much makes much more sense.

Childhood was also punctuated with sudden burts of fear, the onset of which was particlularly pronounced. I was petrified of crime, of being separated from loved ones, of not waking up in the same place that I fellasleep. I often felt terribly helpless. It was a crippling feeling. Figuratively speaking, once I realised that there were no monsters under my bed, in my closet or behind the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, it wasn't long before the adrenaline that kept by body on guard converted itself into this liquid balm and washed over my insides before the feeling disppeared completely.

I won't negate that childhood is a great time period. But honestly, i'm happier to have grown up and be more in control of my life and suroundings as compared to back then. Sometimes, just sometimes, childhood can be mildly overrated.

My Compliments to the Chef

I just had to put down that Mainland China is by far one of the best Chinese restaurants in the city.

I went back after a while and the food was still as good as I remebered it. The noodles were soft and tossed to perfection with an eclectic blend of Chinese and Indian herbs; the fried rice was fluffy and pristine white with the faintest hint of chicken; the black sauce chicken was crisp and the ginger chicken outdid all others with its mild taste that somehow still lingered on your tastebuds after you had swallowed, but then quickly disappeared leaving you craving for more.

At the end of the meal, my appetite was satiated yet I didn't feel stuffed. The evening was made better with just the right lighting, courteous and prompt service and great conversation with family and friends.

All in all - an exquisite experience.

The Green Monster that lurks...Everywhere!

I thought space needed to be dedicated to something that pervades our lives so incessantly and intensely.

Abba sang about it. So did Petey Pablo and several others. Oprah Winfrey, The Rolling Stones and Bill Gates have plenty. The Forbes List regularly updates its list about who does.

It's taboo, in the sense that you never speak about salaries, inheritence or even penury for that matter. If you do, it always happens behind closed doors, if you've noticed. Business meetings, for example.

Many of us would recall gangster movies (Bollywood for us back home) where underhanded financial transactions were always conduted through black, ominous looking briefcases stacked with piles of cash. It was a tacit rule to merely flash the moolah over the table very quickly. Again, an example of a financial transaction carried out in utmost secrecy.

It's an art to know how to tip waiters and valet attendants - a quick handshake during which a crisp bill is exchanged. The world is oblivious. Only the two of you know.

Whether you choose to be a slave to money or not, you make a statement. A very strong one at that.

The Sensex is closely monitored. The words 'Sale', 'Free' and the like hold special meaning and importance in our society.

Money talks. No. correction. It's a blabbermouth. It has verbal diarrhea. Nothing can mke it shut up.

Money spells power, fame and quite often disaster. It's really about managing it right. The key funda being making it work for you rather than the other way around. Invest smartly people!

Anyone who says they don't need money is lying. Most of all to themselves.

It's a fact. It's best to admit it.

The world is officially money crazy.

Nose pressed up against the glass pane

It seems to be in my face. It's everywhere I turn. And I don't understand why.

Try this little experiment. When waiting at a traffic signal, try peeping into the vehicle next to you. More often than not, you'll see either a piece of orange cloth with gold tinsel around the edges tied up somewhere inside, a small Ganesha statue placed perfectly up front, a large silver sticker with Bismillah written on it in green or black or perhaps a Cross dangling from the rearview mirror.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it or reading between the lines more than I need to. Perhaps it's a harmless gesture to keep the Almighty in mind. However, I can't ignore that it's as though everyone seems eager to make their faith public.

I've grown up in this city and it's home to me. I've strolled it's strets, watched the city's landscape change, people evolve. The changes so far have been good. Flyovers, underpasses, malls and now the Metro under construction. But faith has never entered the public sphere.

It's always been your own business whether you chose to read namaz at home or do pooja, visit the Gurudwara or the Church. My friends have always been from varied backgrounds, the least coming from the background to which I belong. So these subtle displays that make very strong statements creating an obvious difference between my car and the one next to me, concerns me.

Communal chasms are widening in this country. My city is a stark indicator having been one to whom such matters never mattered.

The statistics are disturbing.

Dining delight by candlelight

So there is hope. I don't need to rant about the lack of interesting places to dine in the city. They seem to be cropping up - slowly and in the most unexpected places.

The other ight I ate at Serengiti, which surpassed expectation. A highly creative interior and sumptious food made the evening perfect. Take a walk on the wild side and embrace the carnivore within you to make the most of a visit here.

Oh, and I tried Orange Peel as well which was nothing short of an experience. In buzzing Bangalore, it's now possible to lose yorself in a quiet lounge, complete with soft lighting and frosted glass. We tried the salmon salad, Dukkah lamb, Chicken La Plancha, Tempinyaki Prawns, Duck Confit and glazed zucchini.

We like very much...

To be free

You can choose to wear red, pink or green. Have your eggs scrambled, poached or boiled. You can put your hair in a bun or let it hang loose around your shoulders or shave it all off if you please. You can have one child or none or an entire batallion, eat after sunset or stroll in a park. Stay single, get married, learn to drive or be an astronaut...it's really your call.

Ever wondered how fortunate we are to be part of a free society? The choices are ours. Most of them at least. Of course, there are battles to be won against free speech and expression, free thinking and opportunities. Bigger battles, as some call them. But some are fighting for the basics. For now, savour your physical freedom. It's more than many can ask for.