Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Journey this far...

Yet the end of another year, 2010. It was just yesterday we celebrated the New year for 2010 after the Escape of 2009, and now we are here waiting to welcome 2011. Can I call that period as an era from escape to freedom?

2010, was Thankfully a good year, eventful year, in which there were so many things happening, so many dreams realised, so many new friends made..I wish I could enjoy and keep the new, but not leave the old...

The year had begun with Abhi and Srees wedding, my talking to Sharyn, OPI Farewell, and joining WLI.

Raghee got wedded in Jan, had a kid in Oct. who had an operation on the 5th day, and was hospitalised for more than a month. Manu too got wedded, Santhu got into a bank. There were so many kids born, and so many expecting.

Dance, Mime, Hawaii day, DJ Dandiya: Wow! Had been to places, in Kerala too...Trivandrum, Wayanad, Vagmon, bike trips to Malayatoor/Illithode on the Independence day, and to Athirapilli and Allapuzha on a rainy day and hottest day of the year, since years....From Karpagam to Barkha; Jay to Gaurav; Chennai to Calcutta. With both old an new...But am afraid, I am missing some....Ah! womens brains are entangled...while men have different boxes for everything....and they even do have a nothing box, Remember!!!

Me, Achan & Amma together visited chennai. Though they did not get through the Visa interview then, amma got it later and she flew to Chicago to be with my sis. The journey too, though a bit troublesome in the beginning went on well.

My Sis and BIL had been here for her SIL's wedding, which was yet another memorable and well organised splendour of the year.

And there is a new joy in our life, Neil!! Welcome dear!

Thank you Almighty, for everything, and I do pray....

5 years into blogging, which began on Wednesday, December 28, 2005, and five blogs: Arunoday, Consciousness, Erudition, Thottappilly,Karuveetil...And am still wondering, what next, and how? Kya Pata: Kal ho na ho…….

Prayer


Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.

Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for greater development and greater riches and so on, so that children have very little time for their parents. Parents have very little time for each other, and at home begin the disruption of peace of the world.

Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in those little things is a great thing.

A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, must empty ourselves. The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace.

Make us worthy lord to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Help me, help them come out of it and give them through our hands this day their daily bread and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.

And as I type this, Neil is born...

Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Shawshank Redemption


Here is yet another from the Vinay Series, and with this began the exchange. It was Rohith who wanted to see it, and asked for the Video.

Andy Dufresne is a young and successful banker whose life changes drastically when he is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. Set in the 1940's, the film shows how Andy, with the help of his friend Red, the prison entrepreneur, turns out to be a most unconventional prisoner.

Andy faces many trials in prison (Shawshank), but forms an alliance with the wardens because he is able to use his banking experience to help the corrupt officials amass personal fortunes. The story unfolds....


Director: Frank Darabont
Writers: Stephen King (short story "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption"), Frank Darabont (screenplay)
Stars:Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman and Bob Gunton

Two imprisoned men bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency. Not overnight, but after a decade (for one) and four decades (other)of patience, hope, hardwork and...?

Hope sees the invisible and achieves the impossible.

Annual day and other celebrations

Annual day celebration: with passion in red, on 26th November 2010 at PJ Princess Regency.

It was a day of Fun & Frolic...A day to celebrate oneness!!!There was Flaunt, Grove, Chant and....tons of fun...to experience the Passion and Pride of being a Williams Lea-ite.



Danced to the tunes of Vande Matram sung by Lataji, Mime of the police and thief!




Sports






Dandiya DJ Night Celebration!

Celebrating oneness. Augmenting prosperity * Rejoicing Harmony. Energizing the heritage.

Dandiya DJ Night celebration! at Park Residency on 22nd October 2010



Saturday, December 11, 2010

Before Sunrise: P.S. I Love You :

A 1995 romantic drama film about a young man and woman who meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one romantic evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together. Director: Richard Linklater Writers: Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan Stars:Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Andrea Eckert Movie starts with Jesse meeting Céline on a train from Budapest and striking up a conversation with her. Jesse is going to Vienna to catch a flight back to the United States, whereas Céline is returning to university in Paris after visiting her grandmother. The plot is minimalist, since aside from walking and talking, not much happens. The two characters' ideas and perspectives on life and love are detailed. Jesse is a romantic disguised as a cynic, and Céline is seemingly a romantic, albeit with some doubts. A 2004 sequel, Before Sunset, picks up the story nine years after the events of the first film, and am yet to watch it. The film received high critical praise at the time of its release and has received a rare perfect 100% rating of positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and a 77 metascore on Metacritic. Finally it also took me again to Mr. and Mrs. Iyer, which is one of my all time favourate. Again Thanks to Vinay for this, it was he who introduced me to it. ______________ P.S. I Love You A 2007 American drama film directed by Richard LaGravenese and screenplay by Steven Rogers is based on the 2004 novel of the same name by Cecelia Ahern. A young widow discovers that her late husband has left her 10 messages intended to help ease her pain and start a new life. Holly and Gerry are a married couple who live on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. They are deeply in love, but they fight occasionally. Gerry dies suddenly of a brain tumor and Holly realizes how much he means to her as well as how insignificant their arguments were. Holly eventually enrolls in a fashion course and discovers she has a flair for designing women's shoes. While on a walk with her mother, she learns that her mother was the one whom Gerry asked to deliver his letters after his death. Dont know why, the narration of the story by Mano brought tears to my eyes..The very thought of how the author thought of Gerry, giving letters, understanding Hollys tastes and situation. Thanks to Vinay, I could watch it, but the movie was not as touching! Finally with the gift voucher from WL, could read the book too...which indeed was more touching...right from the beginning to the end...With few changes in the story... Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry. They were childhood sweethearts - no one could imagine Holly and Gerry without each other...and that is where, the story starts in the novel...just after the death of Gerry when Holly is alone...Gerrys notes, gently guides her into her new life without him, each signed 'PS, I Love You'. Each containing a task that will help Holly move on with her life. So Thoughtful.   With some help from her friends, and her noisy and loving family, Holly finds herself laughing, crying, singing, dancing - and being braver than ever before. Life is for living, she realises - but it always helps if there's an angel watching over you. ________________

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Thank You All! ~Teamwork~




Team work! The fuel that allows common people achieve uncommon result, right?
Doubel joy, when in the team there are cultural exchange, not just gifts like, Lindt Advent Christmas Chocolate Calander, Quality street, roses, celebrations, Lindt Selection but also notes....How can we thank the team...


Lindt Chocolate Advent Calendar by Lindt & Sprungli.

A Christmas Advent Calendar from Lindt, filled with a selection of the delicious Swiss chocolates; Snowdrop Balls, the famous hollow figures and Lindor Mini Truffles, one behind each of the doors counting down to Christmas Day.
Milk Chocolate Gold Reindeer, Milk Chocolate Santa Claus, Milk Napolitains, Milk Chocolate snowdrops, Lindor Mini Truffles, A delightful selection of chocolates behind each advent calendar window.

And behind you have games:
Spot the ten difference in the quickest time possible.
WordSearch. Can you find all the Christmas words listed below?
Reindeer, Santa Claus, Present, Mistletoe, Tree, Stocking, Snowman, Turkey, Decorations, Toys, Holly, Candle, Bell, Sleigh, Carols, Chocolate, Snow, Nuts, Ivy, Star
Cadbury Roses



The brightly wrapped Cadbury Roses, in distinctive blue packs, is one of the leading brands in assortments and boxed chocolates.
First Introduced in 1938, Cadbury Bournville - where the chocolates were conceived and produced - was renowned as "a factory in a garden". Roses were one of the most popular flowers at the time - hence the name for this popular assortment.

And the Note for Pravin, Jay and Meera read:

We hope you enjoy these chocolates with your friends and family.

Sharyn: There is one box for each of you. My favourites are Roses (!) With Love & Best Wishes.

Claire: Enjoy the treats! Just a little Thank you for your hard work & Support. Thanks.

Vanessa: Hope you enjoy the choccies guys. Hopefully they will have made the journey successfully. Please dont think that we spend all of the christmas period eating this much chocolate:.) Lots of Love

Garteh:Hope the Chocolates arrives in one piece and they have not melted or Raghu has not eaten them!!! All the very best!!!

Jahan: Hope you enjoy the chocolates. Thank you for your hard work and support. All the best.

And for the team:

In England we mark off the days of the Calendar from the first of december until Christmas day. This is called advent. In recent years this has become secular and ....a chocolate each day.

For each of you there is an advent calendar with a chocolate per day for you to enjoy!

Thank you for all your hard work all year. I am really pleased with the team and how well we work together and I look forward to starting 2011 with you all.