Odysseys of George

I was watching Meet Joe Black, and God only knows how many times I have watched this movie. Why do I like it so much – well I like the idea and the theme of the movie and above all, these sentence below:

(of what a relationship should not be)

There’s not an ounce of excitement,
not a… whisper of a thrill.
And this relationship has
all the passion of a pair of titmice.

( what a relationship should feel like)

I want you to get
swept away out there.
I want you to levitate.
I want you to…
sing with rapture
and dance like a dervish
Yeah. Be deliriously happy,
or at least
leave yourself open to be.

(And what is love and life)

But love is passion,
obsession,
someone you can’t live without.

I say, fall head over heels.
Find someone you can love like crazy
and who will love you the same way back.

How do you find him? Well, you forget
your head, and you listen to your heart.

‘Cause the truth is, honey, there’s
no sense living your life without this.
To make the journey
and not fall deeply in love,
well, you haven’t lived
a life at all.

But you have to try, ’cause
if you haven’t tried, you haven’t lived.

Well said but I wonder how many would agree or disagree?

Happy Onam!

For those who don’t know, this is the biggest celebration among the Malayalees, akin New Calender Year. Onam 2008 is on September 12, Friday

Onam is the biggest and the most important festival of the state of Kerala. It is a harvest festival and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by people of all communities. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.

Onam is celebrated in the beginning of the month of Chingam, the first month of Malayalam Calendar (Kollavarsham). This corresponds with the month of August-September according to Gregorian Calendar.

Carnival of Onam lasts from four to ten days. First day, Atham and tenth day, Thiruonam are most important of all. Popularity and presentation of rich culture of the state during the carnival made Onam the National Festival of Kerala in 1961. Elaborate feasts, folk songs, elegant dances, energetic games, elephants, boats and flowers all are a part of the dynamic festival called Onam.

The most impressive part of Onam celebration is the grand feast called Onasadya, prepared on Thiruonam. It is a nine course meal consisting of 11 to 13 essential dishes. Onasadya is served on banana leaves and people sit on a mat laid on the floor to have the meal.

Another enchanting feature of Onam is Vallamkali, the Snake Boat Race, held on the river Pampa. It is a colourful sight to watch the decorated boat oared by hundreds of boatmen amidst chanting of songs and cheering by spectators.

There is also a tradition to play games, collectively called Onakalikal, on Onam. Men go in for rigorous sports like Talappanthukali (played with ball), Ambeyyal (Archery), Kutukutu and combats called Kayyankali and Attakalam. Women indulge in cultural activities. They make intricately designed flower mats called, Pookalam in the front courtyard of house to welcome King Mahabali. Kaikotti kali and Thumbi Thullal are two graceful dances performed by women on Onam. Folk performances like Kummatti kali and Pulikali add to the zest of celebrations.

Pulikali: In this performers take the guise of tigers. They paint their bodies yellow with patterns of black and red. Scenes of tiger hunting goats and tigers being hunted by humans are beautifully depicted through this folk art. Beat for the performance is provided by udukku and thakil.

Valamkali ( Boat race): The event is held just a few days before Thiru Onam. Though the event takes place at several places in the city, the most important of them all is the one organised at Alappuzha. A large number of big and decorated boats called chundan vallams participate with hundreds of boatmen. Rowing of boats on the rhythm provided by the songs and music of the drum makes it a captivating event.

Thiruvathirakali and girls in the traditional Malayali saree: elegant clap dance performed on the occasion of Onam. In this women sing songs praising the legendary King Mahabali and dance around the pookalam. At the centre of this is placed a lit bronze lamp called nilavilakku. It is a captivating sight to watch troupe of female dancers performing in their traditional Kerala attire consisting of gold bordered off-white mundu-neriyathu and decked with a fragrant gajra in their hair.

Thrikkakara Appan: On the day of Thiruvonam conical figures in various forms are prepared from sticky clay and are painted red. These are decorated with a paste made of rice-flour and water and are placed in the front court yard and other important places in the house. Some of these clay figures are in the shape of cone and others represent figures of Gods. Those in the shape of a cone are called, ‘Trikkakara Appan’.

Local Keralite ladies wearing the simple traditional saree on the Onam swing

Please check out Onam Festivals for more pictures and information and also features some special recipes.
(Taken from http://www.onamfestival.org/what-is-onam.html)

Ha ha! Lately, I have been having a number of quickie escapades and this time it was Langkawi. I flew business class and stayed at Sheraton, Langkawi and was treated to a fulfilling barbeque dinner at one of their outlets called Spice Trader Restaurant with superb view of the sea.

As I checked into my room,

I wished I did not come alone!

Then a walk, a lot of walking actually, gave me a layout of these place….

After all that walk, the small pool did not look inviting and I decided to mimic this chap thereafter!

As I walked out onto the beach, to enjoy some beautiful rock formations….

I realize there is more to life that just work and money!

Lately, we managed to meet up, Paga,Kunalan and I. It has been ages, well actually just about 4 years ago since our last meet when we, the three of us had dinner at Victoria’s Station. Again, another individual, Basheer, in this friendship of four was absent. Then again, being a cardiothoracic surgeon in the far northern Pearl of the Orient, it isn’t easy for him to come down.

The meet was planned and as usual, I had to choose the dinner venue. In Petaling Jaya, well after cracking the already knotted brains of mine, it was decided that we meet at Unique Seafood at Section 13, PJ.

Paga

Paga, hmmm……. is that your drink!?

Kunalan, enjoying the meal.

The four of us met when we joined University Malaya for our undergraduate studies. There we were somehow brought together by the orientation week or rather month that was ongoing at that time. We bonded almost immediately despite I having some teething problems to the friendship initially. We eventually made our way to India together for a 2 month holiday well actually medical attachment where our friendship was sealed forever. After graduation, we went our separate ways but always in contact and formed our own life dramas in the process.

A few days later, I was informed that a good friend and a colleague was going to be transferred to another hospital. We are good friends, and were able to work quite well together despite various disagreements. We were each others confidante and now it would be different coming to work.

Ooi See En

I was again depressed and felt alone all of a sudden. Some of us decided to get together and throw her a dinner at El Nafourah, Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur. We ate and drank, laughed and gossiped, but I was still feeling upset somehow.

The hotel and its attraction

Ridwan, the dinner organisers

Anitha and Irina confusing the waiter over the orders.

That led to slapping – a common incident among doctors on recent times maybe even in those days

And more arguments

while we watched in anticipation of more female duel, till….

This guy, Poh who looks like he’s twisting his wife’s left ear, decided to calm the girls…

It was only after that, the orders were made and dinner was served….. and by the looks on our faces, .. it was good, wasn’t it?

When all was over, we parted ways keeping silent of our own feelings. So would I miss her? Of course, but our paths will cross and this is the best move for her, I think and hope.

I read a passage, and this part captured my attention which was relevant to present situation.

In June 1966, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a celebrated boxer, along with an acquaintance were convicted of murder in a highly publicized and racially charged trial. The boxer maintained his innocence and became his own jailhouse lawyer. After serving 19 years, Carter was released when the verdict was overturned. As a free man, he reflected: “Wouldn’t anyone under those circumstances have a right to be bitter? . . . I’ve learned that bitterness only consumes the vessel that contains it. And for me to permit bitterness to control or infect my life in any way whatsoever would be to allow those who imprisoned me to take even more than . . . they’ve already taken.”

When we hold on to disappointment, a poisonous root of bitterness begins to grow.

When angry feelings go unchecked,
They’ll mushroom into hate;
So don’t let time feed bitterness—
Forgiveness must not wait. —Sper

Bitterness is a root that ruins the garden of peace.

ref: RBC ministries

i want to fly,
i want to see the skies,
reach above the clouds,
stay close to the stars.

i want to dive,
into the depths of the sea,
reach the unknown and then in that instance, cherish the moment in silence,
where breathing and heart beat dance in symphony.

then even when i fall from the skies,
or drown in the depths,
there is no regrets and no remorse,
there is no sadness but gladness,
for i have achieved what the heart desires.

but …..somehow,
i feel a drag,
the heaviness bearing my legs down,
feeling the volume within me like shackles tied to my heels,
burdened, slaved, to the rules of mankind.

George