The quintessential "in love" scenario ~ Me, Myself & I. Penjakaa Mazhai from Kangaroo.

Case Study : Me, Shalu.
Case Characterization : A typical Indian at heart. An ethnic Chennaite, in soul. 
Offbeat Note : Born and bred in Malaysia. My soul, resides in Tamil Nadu, though. In all 130,058 km² of it. 
Proclamation : This post is all about me, and no one else. It concerns MY manner of behavior, when struck by Cupid's arrow. It is not intended to offend, anyone, at any point. 

♥1♥ I wear a LOT of Indian traditional attire. 

Churidhars Suits, Kurtis and Sarees. 
REALLY. I cannot explain the logic, but this is how it is for me. 
Cotton churidhar suits and kurtis with jeans, being my favourite - on dates. 
With anklets and bangles and jhumkas. 
And, one of my many Indian Jolna bags, in hand. 
I associate it with comfort. 
I feel complacent. I feel at home.
Nothing glitzy. Nothing gaudy. 
Something pleasant and makes me feel a million.

♥2♥ I have no fringe. I have a side parting hairstyle. I have a red pottu and the thiruneer, on my forehead.

Another of of my "love" theories.
If you see me in an attire as described in ♥1♥ combined with ♥2♥, then you can be like 95% sure, it is him, beside me. 
If you see me, alone - then, it is the presence and aura, he has left behind and the fact that I am happily, reeling from it. 
My hair is neatly pinned or pulled to the back of my ears, with a drop of hair oil.
A red pottu. Any given time. A pledge to him.
The thiruneer. The holy ash. 
The reminder of the presence of God. 
The enhancement of the next door girl persona.
Unassuming.

♥3♥ I become genuinely concerned. The "motherly" effect.

It is a sincere and genuine feeling.
I am constantly asking him to take care, of himself.
I am advising him to be safe on the road. 
I am worried about his health. 
I am a little anxious about the amount he spends working. 
I steadily pray for him and his well being. 
I keep him, in my heart, my thought and my soul - at all times.
With him, I am governed by this "motherly" qualities.

♥4♥ I wait. Patiently.

For everything.
His phone calls.
His sms'.
His Facebook messages.
His e-mails. (he has yet to send me "ANY" :-), but I am smiling anyway)
Our short meetings.
Our dates.
Our outings.
Anything, from him.
It's a wonder how I have become so tolerant and accepting. 
It's a surprise how I do not make it an issue.
He dignifies me. 
Yes, he does.

♥5♥ I tend to talk a lot. Gracious and mannerly.

Yes, I do.
Talk more than usual.
Not just with people close and around me.
But, to pets and plants, as well.
To, Dodo, the Labrador Retriever mix breed.
To, Michael, the puppy. 
To Jerry, the Arowana fish.
To the Tulsi plant, in Amma's garden.
To my potted palm leaves and ferns.
To the blooming roses and jasmines.
To the stars, the skies and the seas.
To myself.
And, I sing and hum, too - lots of Illayaraja's.
And, I pay huge attention to its lyrics.

♥6♥ I constantly steal glances of him. 

Lots. 
I like to look at him. 
In person.
In photos.
Be it a brief gaze. Or a long stare. 
When he is not looking - innumerable times.
When caught - I blush nervously and bloom with a smile.
When we are in a sea of crowd.
When it's just the both of us.
The want to look at him is huge but never sufficient.
And, when I catch him, looking at me - my heart races and sprints and somersaults.

Yes. This is how I am, when in love. Things I have discovered.....
So, when you see me with all these traits - ehem, ehem, you know, huh ?

This is a "semma" song.....
The quintessential "in love" song, for now.....
The AWESOME lyrics are by the great Padma Bushan Vairamuthu.....
Introduced to it during my favourite TV show, Super Singer 4 on Vijay TV.

Stay blessed.

Thiruttu Paya Pulla from Thagararu - The-Oh-So-Cute-Song !!!!!

Welcoming the morning with a smile..... and this song playing to start the day.....
What a cute song !!!!! I laugh, just listening to it.....
Karthik, nails the feelings, perfectly.....
Sad, that they do not have, a girl singing the same.....

Stop the hype over Valentine's Day. 
I have friends who are already planning, this and that.
Pardon me, I am not envious because I have vague idea for the moment.
The celebration does not entice me.
Roses sell as expensive as flight tickets to Ibiza. 
Everything at the gift shop, sky rockets. 
Even, the lunch and dinner for two, scale as high as the Burj Al Arab.
I am not saying it is wrong to splurge. But, it need not be that way. 
The choice, is however, yours.

Love is MORE about the small things..... These are the things that you will remember many years later.....
Love is :-

@ the unexpected wake up call, first thing in the morning

@ the late night SMS, way past my bed time, which sees me struggling to find my mobile, reading it, and falling back to sleep with a smirk on my face

@ the box of regular Cadbury chocolates from the 7-Eleven kiosk, when least expected

@ the, 'Miaow, miaow' Varathapadatha Valibar Sangam style teaser

@ the loving anger when I do not answer the calls and do not find time to return. The "cold room" effect. :-P

@ the wink, the cheesy smile - despite being in a sea of crowd

@ the hug from behind

@ the phone call he makes in between his busy day

@ the meeting his friends for the first time, and they all seem to know me

@ the forehead kiss

@ the 'I miss you' for no apparent reason

@ the unexpected FB message

@ the umbrella walk during rain

@ the ride uphill to catch the night skyline

@ the surprise 'shall we go for coffee?'

@ the hand hold, while crossing the road

@ the movies, together

@ the sharing of a cup of coffee and a plate of dosa
and,

@ the 100 things that involve the thought.....

That's all folks.

Enjoy the festive season, and the upcoming Malaysian holidays.

Stay blessed. Take care.

Metropolitan Varanasi ~ My next destination :-)

Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, is also known as Benares or Kaasi.
And this metropolitan city is EXACTLY where I am heading next.

Will also be visiting the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttarkhand and Himanchal Pradesh. The tour agent has reminded us to bring our winter jackets.
The weather, they say, has become, colder than expected.

Back, to Kaasi.
Yes, I am as old as a dinosaur.
And, yes, may be a little young for Kaasi.
But, it is my darling Amma's wish to visit this place of worship, which is, undoubtedly, the most auspicious Hindu site.

The land of Lord Shiva. And Goddess Parvathi.
The land where the holy river Ganges flows.
The ultimatum for a Hindu. And, I am, a devout one.
Still more than a month to go. But the excitement is building.

My mother bought me the Hush Puppies luggage. My brother paid for my North Face backpack. Packing is still weeks away.

I am truly excited about visiting this wonder. 10 things that encourage me, more so ever, :-

1. According to legend, Varanasi was founded by the Lord Shiva. In one verse of Skanda Purana, Lord Shiva says, "The three worlds form one city of mine, and Kaasi is my royal palace therein." 
2. The holiest of the seven sacred sites in Hinduism. 
3. A devout Hindu's dream to visit this holy site, at least once, in their lifetime. 
4. The oldest city in India. (3000 years) 
5. It has about 84 Ghats, embankments made in steps of stone slabs along the river bank where Hindu pilgrims perform rituals. The Dashashwamedh Ghat is the main and probably the oldest ghat of Varanasi located on the Ganges River, close to the Kaasi Vishwanath Temple. It is believed that Lord Brahma created it to welcome Lord Shiva. 
6. The Kaasi Vishwanath Temple, dedicated to Varanasi's presiding deity, Lord Shiva is an important Hindu temple and one of the 12 Jyotirlingam Shivan temples. It is believed that a single view of the Vishwanath (Shivan) Jyotirlingam is worth more than that of all other jyotirlingas. 
7. Sarnath, 20 kms away from Varanasi, is where Buddha taught his first teachings. They have a couple of beautiful Buddhist temples, known as Stupas, here. 
8. The boat ride along Ganges River. A-Must-See. 
9. The awe inspiring Ganga Aarti. Another, A-Must-See. 
10. An original handpicked Benarasi Saree.

Take care. God Bless.

p/s - If you want me to say a prayer for you, while I am there, just leave me a line. 

You will be able to find my email address at my profile page.....

2013 Tamil Movies - A Retrospect. Laurels and Loss.

Top 14 ~ 2013. Shalu's choice.

1. Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum ~ Mysskin
2. Neram ~ Alphonse Putheren
3. Maryan ~ Bharath Bala
4. Aarambam ~ Vishnuvardhan
5. Chennaiyil Oru Naal ~ Shaheed Kader
6. Ambikapathy ~ Anand L. Rai (Tamil dialogues by John Mahendran) 
7. Kadal ~ Maniratnam
8. Haridas ~ G.N.R. Kumaravelan
9. Gauravom ~ Radha Mohan
10. Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara ~ Gokul
11. Soodhu Kavvum ~ Nalan Kumarasamy
12. Kutti Pulli ~ Muthiah
13. Aadhalal Kathal Seiveer ~ Suseenthiran
14. Villa (Pizza 2) ~ Deepan Chakravarthy

The Good Awards.

1. "Wow ! What-A-Movie" Award. Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum. 
2. "Semma - Action, Wit & Intelligence" Award. Aarambam.
3. "This truly tugged my heart" Award. Haridas. 
4. "Semma Comedy. Loved it heaps" Award. Neram
5. "Semma Comedy. Loved it heaps. Part 2" Award. Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara.
6. "I love the sea. And, I love this movie" Award. Maryan.
7. "I love the sea. And, I love this movie. Part 2" Award. Kadal.
8. "You have got to watch the movie JUST for this song!" Award. Maryan. Innum Konjum Neram.
9. "You have got to watch the movie JUST for this song!. Part 2." Award. Kadal. Nenjukulle.
10. "A fun watch despite the slow pace" Award. Moodar Koodam.
11. "Wow-What-An-Ending" Award. Ambikapathy 2013.
12. "The-I-Am-A-Diehard-Naalaya-Iyakunar-Fan" Award. The Villa (Pizza 2).

The Not-So-Good Awards.

1. "The trailer was awesome. How come the movie was not?" Award. Irandam Ulagam ~ Selvaragavan
2. "The trailer was awesome. The songs were a blast. How come the movie fell short ?" Award. Thanga Meengal ~ Ram. For the moral of the story
3. "Anticipating Vasanth's movies. A let down." Award. Moondru Per Moondru Kaathal ~ Vasanth :- ONLY for the second part !!
4. "The Over Hyped Movie. So-So Watchable." Award. Raja Rani ~Atlee.
5. "A-Big-Banner, A-Big-Budget, and this what you give us?" Award. ~ Kiruthika Udayanidhi. "Osaka, Osaka" song being the only savior.

The Special Mention Awards.

1. "The-Sensitive-Topic, The Present Time Scenario & Awesome Chemistry" Award ~ Kalyana Samayal Saadham ~ RS Prasanna
2. "The-Oh-So-Present-Day-Song-Lyrics-Award" ~ "Yen Fuse Poche from Aarambam
3. "The-Eerie-Feeling" Award ~ Villa (Pizza 2) by Deepan Chakravarthy.

Looking forward to watch these. Atlantic Squid Style. FYI - The Atlantic Squid, is said to have the largest eyes. Like 50 cm in diameter. 

1. JK Ennum Nanbanin Vaazhkai ~ Cheran
2. Thalaimuraigal ~ Balu Mahendra
3. Taramani ~ Ram

Thank you. I am blessed to have people who care about me. :-)

I must post today. Must. 

I am overwhelmed. And, I am thankful, for such a lovely day. 

Gratitude needs to be acknowledged and that is what I am doing, right now. Writing a post or rather a piece of my heart, to convey my heartfelt thankfulness.
I guess I have been relatively a good person of lately. That is why I am being rewarded, in return.
In Hinduism, we call it karma. The theory where what goes around comes around.

He calls me about 11.30am. I answer, despite the urgent workload I was seeing through at that moment. 

"Lunch? At the temple? Around 12." He asks.

"Wow. Really? I love temple food. It is so hard to get them, now. Where? But, I didn't drive, today. No transport...." I sulk.

"I can come fetch you. Datuk Keramat Shivan Temple. My colleague will join us. We have lunch, there. Then, I will drop you back, at office. How?" He suggests.

"Thanks. But, I really cannot. I need to settle some urgent stuff. I want to leave at 5.30 pm sharp. Am taking the bus. Furthermore, it will be such a hassle for you to drive me there and fro. Thanks so much, anyway." I say.

"Sure?" He questions. 

"Yes. Sure. You eat on my behalf. Take care. Heavy traffic, everywhere. Okay?" I confirm and end the conversation.

I continue with work, at my desk. 

Around 1pm, my phone rings again. I expect it to be him. It, is.

"Hello." I greet.

"Come downstairs. I brought you food from the temple." He instructs. 

"Oh, God. Really ? Thanks. Will be down in a short while. Wait, okay." I answer in joy. The thought of having temple food, door delivered, is just exhilarating. 

I dash to the lift and head downstairs. He waits out of the car, with his colleague. He introduces me to his friend, and passes me the neatly packed food. I thank him. 

"I will call you in the evening." He reminds, and bids goodbye.

The lunch pack was awesome. God sent. 

I am vegetarian today. Will be fulfilling another year of my lifetime vow around, 5am tomorrow, in my hometown - Sungai Petani, Kedah.

I send him a SMS around 2pm. 

"Thank you so much. I truly enjoyed it. :-) Take care. God bless." It reads.

He replies within seconds. "Anything for you. :-)"

I smile. 

And, continue with work.

God and appa must be constantly watching over me.
That is why, my fake smile is gradually becoming real.
The care and love I am being showered is plain overwhelming.
Love must be the greatest of medicines.
I am healing, with each passing day.

Attached, pictures of the food from the temple. It was first class.

He is good friend. That's all.
See the pen I use at work, in the second picture ?
It has my name. And, it reads as R. Shallinee. M....

I am moving on with life. Trying my level best.
It is hard. But, I am healing, with each passing day.....
There is life after love failure. There is love after love failure.
There will be love. Give me time.....

Off to the temple. It's Thaipusam and it will be a busy weekend.
See you next week.

Take care.God Bless.

Enna Tholaitaai from Poi. Love after love failure. :-)

Hello everyone......

For the first time ever, I am posting from my iPad's Blogger app. It is not as user friendly as the notebook version, which I still prefer.

The reason I am here, today, are aplenty. 
These are some.

I received 6 sms's since early morning. 

The first, reads, "Good morning. Drive safely." I do not reply.

The second, comes a few minutes later - "Drive or bus?". I still do not reply.

The third comes about 30-40 minutes later. This. "Hello, hello. Why no reply?"

And, another, right after. "Hello? Can I call? In 5 minutes?"

For starters, I am NOT AT ALL arrogant. Really. I am just not so into sms's. That is not a crime, right?

Call me, and I will answer. 

Even if I do not, I will surely reply the missed calls, the moment I am idle and in a comfortable position to talk. 

But send me a SMS, and chances are, that you will not be replied to. I apologise in advance, if you have been one of those poor souls. Sms's and I are poles apart. 

I return the sms's, approximately 4 hours later, by making a call. 

"Hi. You called?" I start.

"Yes....." comes the reply which develops into a 5-8 minute conversation. My friend taps me. Let's lunch, she says. 

"Got to go. Take care." I end. 

I come back from lunch to an unread SMS.

"Thanks. I want to make this work. For you, me and our families." It reads. And, yes, I smile.

Relationships bloom with effort and determination. The want to make it work. The drive to show you care, by tiniest of things. A SMS. A phone call. A gift. A surprise visit. Anything. Anything that makes us aware of the thought. The thought, that you are being kept in mind, and heart, and soul.

I miss my father. That is the ACTUAL truth. I miss him tremendously. And I so, wish, he was still around. Life would have been picture perfect. He would have molded mine, so. 
I know. But everything, happens for a reason. This too, I believe.

My last sms came in an hour ago. "Good nite. ;-)". The wink (;-) made me smile. 

Thank you God. Thank you, Appa. For watching over me. And for helping me heal the broken heart. I am recuperating very well.

I believe in diplomacy. Everything must be ended - gracefully. I did mine, with a phone call, somewhere in the last two weeks of December. It is better to seek closure to a relationship, tactfully. I do not believe in holding grudges. Letting go is so much easier and than holding on, especially when it is heading no where and not working the way it is supposed to. Believe me. God has better plans. He always does. 

There is life after love failure. 
And, there is DEFINITELY love, after love failure. 
The RajaRani theory, is a ray of optimism. Give it a thought.

I fell in love with this song, years back. What-A-Song. Chitra nails the nuances perfectly. It is playing right now on my iPad - the sound, crisp clear.
I am not going to tell God how big the storm in my life is. I am going to tell, instead, to the storm, how BIG my God is.....
Stay safe. 
Signing off. Take care. God Bless.

Nenjukkul Peidhidum from Vaarnam Aayiram. Happy Ponggal !!!!!

''என்னோடு வா வீடு வரைக்கும்! 

என் வீட்டை பார் என்னை பிடிக்கும்''

Ponggal Greetings from this part of the world, everyone !!!!!

The above in Tamil is a part of a song from "Vaarnam Aayiram". It reads, as "Ennodu Vaa, Veedu Varaikum, En Veetai Paar, Ennai Pidikum....."

And, that is what I want to do today. To invite you ~ virtually ~ to home, on this auspicious day. What is life, if cannot be shared ? 

I woke up around 5am this morning and we had prayers at the break of dawn. Special prayers to welcome, Ponggal, the birth of the Tamil month, Thai. It is of lately, also known, as Tamizhar Tirunaal. 

Have been on my toes all day. Tired to the brim. I need to retire to bed early. Work, beckons, tomorrow. 

Thanks to the near, and dear - for the Ponggal phone calls, sms', emails and gift. I am truly blessed and grateful to the Almighty for the love I am constantly being given.

Signing off with some pictures from today. Again, Ponggal wishes.

Take care. God Bless.

Of God, His Love, His Blessings ~ A Hari Kirtan for Vaikunda Ekadasi 2014

“Whatever I am offered in devotion with a pure heart - a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water - I accept with joy.” - Bhagavad Gita -
Yes, He does. God, the Almighty - whatever given with with a pure heart, is indeed, an offering to Him.
Vaikunda Ekadasi blessings, everyone !!! The day that the entrance to Vaikunta (Paramapadavasal) opens and the Lord Sri Hari is the first one to enter along with his devotees.
Woke up at 4.45am today. One of my favourite days of the year. I am fasting today. Not a drop of water, even. At least, until now. I have a list of wishes and my soul was on my knees during prayers, this morning. He has NEVER failed to give me what I have truly asked for, throughout these years.
I am a complete believer in Him and His powers. Prayers move mountains. They really do.
This post, bringing a smile to my face - was written in January 2011.. 
During Vaikunda Ekadasi 2010/2011 :-
~ The picture of the Lord is from the holy hills of Tirupati in Tirumala, 
~ the rose from Amma's garden, 
~ the lighted ghee lamp from the temple in my hometown, and 
~ the three ladoos from Mog♥n.....
http://ennakupidithapaadal.blogspot.com/2011/01/engey-enthan-idhayam-from-kanden-hny.html
Attached, photos of home - this morning.....

This is one of my favourite Hari Kirtan's. What better way than to share it, on this auspicious day. Say your prayers and stay blessed.

Kathal Maranthayaada from Kalyana Samayal Saatham

Greetings !!!!!
Surprised ? 

A little late in the day, but I WANT to post - despite it nearing 10.45pm, an hour or so from my usual bedtime on weekdays. I usually prefer to roll about on the bed while reading my current travel magazine. 

This is my very first post of the RajaRani Theory. The one that goes by the rule, that, "There is INDEED love, after love failure....." 

If people REALLY and TRULY want to be in your life, they will make the effort no matter how busy the day. Busy is not a word to be glorified, especially, in a relationship. 

"Can we go out 38 days from now ? Drive safely." This sms rang its way into my room, this morning around 6.15am. It made me smile. Due to the fact that I have been informed, rhetorically, that my safety is in their thoughts.....

I did not reply it, however. I am not too into sms's. 
I would rather, answer calls and return missed ones, had it been the scenario. But, sms's have never been my forte. So - apologies.

I did google for what comes 38 days from today, the 7th of January 2014. I did not grow up celebrating this over hyped day, much. The last I did, was in 2011 ? 
Read post, :-
http://ennakupidithapaadal.blogspot.com/2011/02/pesakudathu-from-adutha-varisu.html

38 days or 3 months and 8 days. The truth is - I have STOPPED dating. Dating - Anyone. 
I am content with the outings I have with my family or my girl friends or my sister and kids. And, every once in a while, with my colleagues.

Right now - the major thing on my mind, is my soon to arrive vacation and the 1001 things I want to do during my travel. 

Letting go, may be hard in the beginning, but you have to. Bit by bit. Eventually, you will get back on track. Life (and love) has this weird way of rediscovering itself.

Stop giving your past the power to define your future. Let go of all those bitter moments. Pin faith that what is in store for you will be best of days. God will take care of everything.

I watched this movie during the weekend. The chemistry between the hero and heroine was plain amazing. And, they portrayed the present day lovers wonderfully. Facebooking, coffee dates, shopping sprees, visiting families, the drive about, the phone calls, the sms's etc etc etc.

This is a great song, in my context, for its heart touching lyrics. Simple, colloquial Tamil. 

Good night. Stay blessed. 

Happy New Year 2014 ~ My Happy Song !!

Happy New Year Everyone !!!!!

I just welcomed another batch of 365 days. So have you. My prayers that the new year will be happy, prosperous, blessed and far better ~ than the last ~ for all of us. Optimism is simply the best form of reassurance. 

I do not make resolutions. I prefer to go with the flow. I have hopes and aspirations, though. That's what I have been doing all these years. And, the same, this 2014.

I, continue, to be thankful to the Almighty for everything. Divine blessings. A great, supportive family. A cluster of caring and crazy friends. A life, that is on track, as wished.

I must say, the last few months have been moderately taxing. 

• Quote No. 1 -  Topic : Driving 
• "Anyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac.." ~Author Unknown~

I have been driving on a daily basis. Exhausting, especially on days when the jam is just irrational.  I am glad those days are over. The public transportation is a boon. There are, of course, the stumbling blocks but I am thankful, anyhow.

• Quote No. 2 - Topic : Holiday
• "Vacation used to be a luxury, but in today's world it has become a necessity.."  ~Author Unknown~

I was and, am still, constantly researching. Due diligence, on a lighter note. Baffled ? Well, I am researching extensively for my vacation, which comes in the next 50 days or so. I have become an avid reader of National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveller, Lonely Planet  and travel blogs that give great tips and recommendations. The web is such a wonder. I cannot imagine not having access to it. Can you ?

• Quote No. 3 - Topic : A Semi Broken Heart
• "When love is lost, do not bow your head in sadness; instead keep your head up high and gaze into heaven for that is where your broken heart has been sent to heal.."  ~Author Unknown~

I got my heart nominally broken during the last days of July 2013. Nothing massive - but many things changed after that. Thank God for the frantic work load, the drive-to-work frenzy and the unsettled weekends, I raced through it with good grace. I managed to seal the feelings during the last ten days of December. I am a breath of fresh air, right now. 

• Quote No. 4 - Topic : Relationships
• "People change and forget to tell each other.."  ~Lillian Hellman~

I learned that relationships are fragile and need our sincere effort to blossom. I have been an awful enthusiast. I received a mail from my best friend, a few weeks back. A long heart to heart one. She lamented how I rarely write, sms or return her calls - like old times. She wrote about the times we spent unwinding by the beach, the visits to our favourite hangout, The Tropical Spice Garden and our shopping and coffee times, during the weekends. It brought me to senses. Practically. How we neglect people, in the name of time. I miss those times, too. But, there is an issue.... She is in Australia. I am here. The only sensible thing we can do is chat online. And, that is, a little lame, to me. I have promised her though.....

• Quote No. 5 - Topic : Keeping in touch, Making it work !!
• "I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see.."~John Burroughs~

I promise that I will reply mails, soonest possible and return phone calls, if missed. Not just to her. To everyone. It will save a lot of flak. In fact, starting this New Year, my mobile and my iPad are two gadgets that I carry along, faithfully. So, yes. Leave me a mail, and I shall reply within a day or two. Call me, and I shall answer. In case, I do not - kindly leave me a voice mail or an sms, and I will get back to you the moment I can. Deal ?

• Quote No. 6 - Topic : Blogging
• "Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.." ~William Wordsworth~

I will TRY my level best, to blog, more often. I have wi-fi access throughout my home, and a handy iPad, to do assist. Last year's number of posts was a little humiliating, taking into account that it was such a great, lovable, memorable year.

• Quote No. 7 - Illayaraja, the Great
• "Music is an outburst of the soul.."~Frederick Delius~

I STILL love Illayaraja and his magical music despite him not being there for the concert. The King of Kings Concert was a collossal success. Every song sung during the near to 4 hour gig, was outstanding. I am glad I attended it with the rest of the near 17,000 crowd. 

• Quote No. 8 - Plans and Ideas
• "Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one more good idea.."  ~Jim Rohn~

I want to have more vacations and weekend getaways, this 2014. Great holidays ideas. Why not ? All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and Shalu a daffy lady. Plans. I want to enjoy my weekends more. I want to have coffee on weekdays, after work. I want to watch more movies, at the theaters. Pre-plans. I have a girlfriends get together to Langkawi Island in April. A 5 day shopping spree to Chennai in July. And, a year end hangout in Singapore. Fingers are crossed. Positivism is shooting high.....

• Quote No. 9 - My Father, my everything :-)
• "Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever.."  ~Author Unknown~

I continue to miss my father. His presence, in real. His presence, in spirit and soul, continues to grow with me - every day of my life. Yes, my bedside photo frame STILL has Appa and me. I love him beyond words. I am what I am today because of him. 

That's all folks. For now. 

Vaikunda Ekadasi comes this Saturday, the 11th of January 2014. Make your wish. Say your prayer. Light HIM a lamp. They will come true. Believe..... 

God Bless.....

p/s - The song I listen to with a silly smile..... My happy song..... :-)