To Mayajaal, ECR road

To treat Geethu on her vacation, my H took a day off on Saturday and we were off to ECR road for a day's trip.. Started in the morning, we headed to Saibaba temple as we are frequent visitors there. Landed up at the temple for 12 noon aradhanai and went straight to Mayajaal, a super mall having multiple movie theatres.

After parked our mighty bike at the back of the theatre, H enquired for the ayaan movie ticket and it was available for 2 pm show when the time was 1.25 though. So we rushed inside the Mayajaal which looked like a miniature of spencer plaza to me with shopping complexes and restaurants, looking for lunch. As we occupied a table, Noodle King Restaurant person came and took the order for Noodles as Geethu likes it and Veg Fried Rice. The side dishes were Mushroom dry plus Gobi Gravy. We then only turned our heads around to find some more restaurants available sharing the common area to serve the food. (Singapore famous Komala Vilas, Kabab biriyani etc). As it was Saturday, we were confined to Veg, else would have plunged into Non-veg flavours. One thing to appreciate is, the tables are swiftly cleaned by service people once the diners are finished and while dining, to entertain guests, there were several TV sets and wall-screens showing different channels.

The food served was very nice and more than enough for 2 adults. Geethu was not very much into eating and just played with each of the dish. We hurried finishing our food but worried whether Geethu had enough. We offered her a cool drink but she said no and she was okay with her lunch. As we had a Maazaaa bottle ready with us for Geethu, went into the theatre, Screen 3. The Ayaan film's started just then and for Geethu, it was thrilling to see Suryaa in a big screen.

For her, it was the first time to come for a movie as we used to be fear of taking her to theatre and how she would behave. For me too, it was like 4 years break to a movie as we went together before Geethu was born. Indeed she behaved very well and often exclaimed to sse the big screen and gave us appreciative smiles often. But it was for sometime only and after an hour's show, she went into sleep and just woke up for few of the final scenes.

After the movie, as we again caught up with Geethu's food, bought one piece of cake for Rs. 45 (which otherwise would have been around 20 outside?? not sure) and fed her. Then she enjoyed quite a sometime with kid's play area and watching over the video games. Then as evening gets closer, we called it a day and went back to home. But for Geethu, it was not enough and keep asking us to stay back and not to go home.

Geethu was wholly happy on the day and kept asking for next couple of days, the name of the place where we took her for the movie.

Thought for the day #3

Excerpts of a letter to his son's teacher by Abraham Lincoln

I just imagined, if I write such a letter to my daughter's teacher, I wonder, what would be the response? we might be posed with a question, what do you do at home without teaching these good things to your kid? But then, when a teacher says something good, definitely it reaches more deep into children's heart than when the parents tell so.

In our days of school life, yes, my teachers taught the good things by morals and stories. My respects and gratitude to my teachers! (Link for a English Version)

ஒரு தந்தையின் கடிதம்

ஒரு தந்தை தன் மகனைத் துவக்கப் பள்ளியில் சேர்த்தார். அவர் தன் மகனுக்கு அறிவுரை சொல்லவில்லை. பள்ளி ஆசிரியருக்கு அவர் எழுதிய கடிதங்களின் சில பகுதிகள்!

தோல்வியை ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளவும், வெற்றியைக் கொண்டாடவும் என் மகனுக்குக் கற்றுக் கொடுங்கள்.

பொறாமையிலிருந்து அவன் விலகியே இருக்கட்டும்.

வானப்பறவைகள், தேனீக்கள், சூரியன், பசுமையான செடிகள், மலர்கள் இவற்றை ரசிக்க அவனுக்குக் கற்றுக் கொடுங்கள்.

பிறரை ஏமாற்றுவதை விட, தோற்பது கண்ணியம் என்று அவனுக்குக் கற்றுக் கொடுங்கள்.

சுய சிந்தனையில் நம்பிக்கை கொள்ளச் சொல்லுங்கள்.

மென்மையானவர்களிடம் மென்மையாகவும், உறுதியானவர்களிடம் உறுதியாகவும் நடந்து கொள்ளக் கற்றுக் கொடுங்கள்.

குற்றம் குறை கூறுபவர்களை அவன் அலட்சியப்படுத்தட்டும்.

அளவுக்கு அதிகமாய் இனிமையாகப் பேசுபவர்களிடம் அவன் எச்சரிக்கையாக இருக்க வேண்டும்.

தன் மனதுக்கு சரி என்று தோன்றுவதை அவன் துணிந்து நின்று போராடி நிறைவேற்ற அவனைப் பழக்குங்கள்.

இதை எழுதிய தந்தை ஆப்ரஹாம் லிங்கன்

Thought for the day #2

சமீபத்தில் ரசித்தது: from http://mentalcentral.blogspot.com/
(I just couldnt stop myself re-posting this in mine)

மழையில் நனைந்துகொண்டே வீட்டிற்கு சென்றேன்.

குடை கொண்டு போக வேண்டியது தானே என்றார் அப்பா !

எங்காவது ஒதுங்கி நிற்கவேண்டியது தானே என்றாள் அக்கா !

சளி பிடித்து சிரமப்பட போகிறீர்கள் என்றாள்
மனைவி !

என் தலையை தன் முந்தானையால் துவட்டி கொண்டே திட்டினாள் !!

என்னையல்ல... மழையை !!

என் தாய் !

Thought for the day #1

Just had a thought of posting the below lines and sharing with friends, when I received in mail; then followed a thought, why not add in the blog as once upon a time, in school days, I used to hunt for good quotes and keep them collected in the diaries (either I dint have anything to enter in the diaries,  or not able to categorize, what to enter and what not in the personal diaries..). so reviving that habit, am going to add good thoughts and lines to ponder for our life time in this series.. Hope noone would mind and in fact might appreciate to get the quotes at a single place.. (Self-boasting :-) . 

I believe, it is success, if reading this quote will bring in a change even a smaller one, in our thoughts / life.

"When I asked God for strength
           He gave me difficult situations to face.
When I asked God for brain & intelligence
           He gave me puzzles in life to solve
When I asked God for Happiness
           He showed me the Unhappy People
When I asked God for wealth
           He showed me How to work Hard
When I asked God for Favors
           He showed me opportunities to work Hard
When I asked God for Peace
           He showed me How to help Others
God gave me nothing I wanted
           He gave me Everything I Needed.
                                -Swami Vivekananda.

Useful Links for Sun Java Architect Certification

Sudden interest to revisit Java Architect Certification details :) dont know how long it would go. 

Anyhow, some of the useful links for SCEA, if my interest continues.. (becoz all through last year, I was aiming for doing PMP, but rather not started as I yet to complete the hours as Lead position). 

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/scea_j2ee/

http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/jw-12-2002/jw-1206-architect.htm

http://suned.sun.com/

Desire makes the Destiny

Several times, it happened to me, things falling down all proper when I had deep desire for the same. I can enumerate it though I finish with an example here. When I finished my PG diploma course in Journalism, I was looking for a chance to experiment my journalism skills but rather wanted to get into a lighter vein and unpolitical stuff. I got a similar one to my desire and got into a technical tamil fortnightly magazine where I had a chance to exhibit both my IT (information technology) knowledge and sub-editorial skills.

Why am running to such a topic, now, you might wonder. Its for Geethu (my daughter) who had a similar experience yday. She has been asking for a fishing net (Meen thoondil) for more than 2 weeks now and still expects us at the end of every day, whether we able to get her a one, while we return from office. But it happened yesterday, with no clue on it, she got a present from our relative, which is nothing but fishing net with fishes play items. She was on clound nine when hhe had this present and literally could not part with it. Even while sleeping she kept the fish play-box next to her pillow and started playing it soon after she had been waken up. So is the saying, when you wish something deeply, it gets into your vision all by itself.

marinate Vs macerate

When you soak meat or food items in the seasoning and kept aside for sometime (or even refrigerated, we call it as marinated.

If the fruits are cut and seasoned in a similar way, we have to call it as macerated.

what others say..

Recently I got to read a singer's interview and it goes like, she doesnt want to go anything on her blog so that someone wouldn't find anything stupid in her writings, at any later point of time. So, whatever she writes and comments from readers are thoroughly moderated.

One way, it is true, we should not affect anyone at any part of our message. But thinking of everyone else's comments and writing to appease them, will not dilute our real views & thoughts?

Conference Calls & Nuances..

I should say, at last, am able to enter the conference calls from my home using Skype.My attempts to announce my call attendance was worth enough to share year, so anyone who just start attempting the conf. calls will find this blog entry useful.

Last year, though I took calls from office and was possible even by morning 9.30 AM or evening 9.30 PM. Because, in evenings, my H used to pickup as the office was in reasonable distance. But when my workplace been moved to chennai outskirts, it was hard to join for late-evening calls and somehow acceptable in office too.

But lately, my PM asked to attend calls because of necessity for clients handling. Thank goodness of him, offered me the local office number and from there to connect thru' VOIP to US numbers. So, on the day, went home earlier, finished the dinner chores, settled my daughter in computer and myself in terrace and waiting for the call timing. The D-hour started and I dialled into the number; after two failures, could get my office number and then the conference number too. My happiness of announcing my attendance started and in the same vain, lasted for few mins only with the street-dogs had started barking and continued to do in breaks :-(

I was using a older model Nokia set and dint know that we can actually mute the phone. So I was covering the phone to mute the dog's bark, nevertheless it reached upto US and my PM had to send a SMS to close the phone, hinting the dog bark. No other go, had to switch off the connection and came down to my compie and entered the call through SKYPE conference software. Though, I was able to login to the call, but could not attempt speaking as my mike remains dead.

But here is another nuance that I did not know again, a need to enable the mike settings in the home system. So, until my friend told me, I thought the problem was with mike device and just entered the 2 to 3 calls as silent spectator and using the messenger for communication.

Finally, to my relief, with all the nuances settled down, I successfully took the calls, this week.

Dinner at Anjappar, Alwarpet

The other day, we visited to Anjappar hotel for the dinner, while back to home from Trade Fair and beach. Myself and Geethu went for Naan as she loves Chappathi and used to be regular dinner dish and my H and Sis-in-laws gone for Appam and Mutton Biriyani varieties. Other side dishes we order for Mutton Gravy, chicken lollypops and one more gravy dish, which I dint notice. 

As we were waiting for food, I had to keep showing Geethu the hotel interior to keep her calm and controlled. From our seat, we could see some of the nice paintings showcasing Krishna's childhood art in one wall, and Elephant drawn elegantly in other wall. Inside the hall, they seem to have installed artistic Chettinadu pani Thoons (pillars). The roof of the room was not much decorated as it used to be in Karaikudi hotels but ornamented with doom glass bulbs which look good.

When the Naan arrived, Geethu could swallow only 4 pieces though fine but bit hard for a 3 year old. Luckily, the chicken lollypops arrived by then and was not very hot and spicy and thankfully good enough for her taste. So she had around 1 and 1/2; by that time, I had completed my Naan and a part of Mutton Biriyani which tasted well. But the Appams, my H and in-law ordered were seemed to be not tasted to them very well as we had our homemade appams 2 weeks back at home finely made (by me :-)). May be, the appam dish has to be improved there. Also they ordered for Dosa, a nice and thin one running to an arm's length.

The hotel also features a fish tank ponding a long single fish, which myself and Geethu were watching and enjoying until the bills were paid out. It is very much appreciative, they have kep enough waiting seats near the fish tank, so that waiting diners could spend time watching it and the customers and the children who accompany them also would enjoy their time.

• It is on the TTK road, left side while coming from the beach towards mylapore area (first floor). 
  
• Good Interior decoration and fish tank in a strategic place, which can be viewed from inside the hotel and outside as we reached up the hotel via stair case
• Highlight food is Chicken lollypop but a plate of 5 pieces cost Rs. 105. As a homemaker, I find it bit expensive. 
• Negatives, I forgot to take snaps :-)

Chennai Trade Fair - Chennai Events

We had been to Chennai Trade fair yesterday, though we missed two other important events, Chennai Book Fair and Chennai Sangamam. but the day chosen for visiting Trade Fair is not correct as it is Sunday and a holiday immediately following up the Pongal holidays. So those who missed to go on friday on Kaanum Pongal day to go out and enjoy becoz of office or work, they would have made it on sunday.

So when we entered the place itself, we saw fully crowded and people occupying and standing on long queses for coffee shop, a temporary hotel set-up sponsored by Tamilnadu Hotels, pony riding, toy train sponsored by Aachi Masala Group and not to mention the restrooms too. Wherever you turn, you see the crowd and heads of people going ahead.

However, we had managed to go for the chosen areas which our daughter would be interested and enjoyed.

1) Aquarium, showcasing different fishes but not very much varieties

2) Bird's House featuring mostly pigeons, Doves, Love Birds kinds

3) Indian Railways booth with two mock trains run in the mock station and rail track setup.

As we had a visit to mock Amarnath Yatra setup back in another exhibition hosted in Nellai, we rather dint want to set our eyes on it again. But there was another big set up of showing the wonders of the world. Though I liked to go up in stairs, as we eyed it at the end of our trade tour, others were too tired to run up the stairs and cancelled it. For my daughter, she eyed the giant wheels and other rides but we could not even go near them as the crowd limit was very high, so we had to go to Marina beach on the way, to have the small toy-car ride for her.

In Trade Fair, as usual, many shops and stalls were putup for shopping and we shopped a slipper and spring bangle variety for my daughter. Her aunt got her one chain with earring set to go with her blue birthday dress.

On return, we went to beach for Geethu's toy ride, a plate of chilli and cauli flower bajji and stopped at Anjappar for dinner. Geethu as usual, enjoyed the outings and nicely tasted the chicken lollypop for dinner. There ends our weekend outing!

Chennai Trade Fair - a fair used to be conducted during January featuring different stalls and rides for people to enjoy the festival holidays.

Chennai Sangamam - a open Tamil festival focussing on Tamil Arts and Tastes and showcasing them at important city centres.

Chennai Book Fair - been conducted for many years in the January for around 20 days, showcasing books from all the Chennai and outside publications; even I had seen in the past, book stalls from neighbourhood countries.

Kaanum Pongal - the day people used to go out with friends and family for entertainment outing.