Personal Evolution

It has been four months since my move to a new country…nay, a new continent. The many experiences – the sounds, smells, culture and the people – have cornered me. I now live on an island and the ecological principle of island biogeography is taking place within me. I am evolving!

I was never really a great cook. I managed well enough, but my repertoire was limited. Now I pride myself in being able to experiment confidently. There’s a recipe of lemon meringue pie that I am itching to try. Evolution in the kitchen.

The lingo in Australia is unique, it’s fun and it’s simple. End almost every long word in the phonetic “e” and you’re quite set! My language is evolving. I have picked up a few words of the Aussie lingo and seem to be unmindfully developing my very own brand of language – part Hinglish (Hindi + English), part excellent English and part Aussie English. The mix might be interesting, but I haven’t received any feedback on that front. But I do take care in making sure my language is as immaculate as possible when speaking to most people. It’s the friends who get a dose of “Sharmishta’s lingo”.

I’m learning to rely on myself. This part of my evolution is the most important to me. And the best part is, I’m learning to be happy with what there is. My cravings are slowly, but gradually reducing. I’m glad I have everything I need, and I am able to get some things I want. What more does a girl need??!!

Life is good, it has never been better, and the evolution shall continue.

Time

Every moment rushes past, each one merges into the next and slide into obscurity. There doesn’t seem to be much clarity in any one single moment.

I lie on the soft sand, the waves tickling my toes. I watch the stars in the night sky, they look different here. I watch as the night sky merges into the brilliance of a new day. Life rolls by and at times it feels as though I am stationary and everything else around me is part of the cycle of life. And so I wait, wondering if I will get sucked into the vortex of the whirlwind that swirls around me.

The Lord God Made Them All

The fight between scientists who believe in evolution and the creationists continues. I’ve been reading Richard Dawkins’ “The Greatest Show on Earth” and somewhere in the middle of the book he mentions an age old hymn that I remember singing as a kid in school. They hymn was “All Things Bright and Beautiful”. The sentence was starred and accompanied by a footnote. The footnote, brought to my attention something I didn’t know about and figured it was worth sharing. It gave the lyrics to a parody written by Eric Idle and sung by the Monty Python team.

The original: All Things Bright and Beautiful by Cecil Francis Alexander written in 1848

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.

[Most hymnals omit the following verse]

The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
He made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.

The purple headed mountains,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning
That brightens up the sky.

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.

The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water,
To gather every day.

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

The parody: All Things Dull and Ugly by Eric Idle and sung by the Monty Python team in their movie “The Meaning of Life” (For interesting video on youtube, go here)

All things dull and ugly,
All creatures short and squat,
All things rude and nasty,
The Lord God made the lot.

Each little snake that poisons,
Each little wasp that stings,
He made their brutish venom.
He made their horrid wings.

All things sick and cancerous,
All evil great and small,
All things foul and dangerous,
The Lord God made them all.

Each nasty little hornet,
Each beastly little squid–
Who made the spikey urchin?
Who made the sharks? He did!

All things scabbed and ulcerous,
All pox both great and small,
Putrid, foul and gangrenous,
The Lord God made them all.

Amen.

The Joys of Cooking

Cooking was something I never really did enjoy. Of course, as the good Indian girl I knew how to cook enough to sustain a family and the learning process was always there. But the time spent in the kitchen was never my idea of “my time” or of  ”relaxation”. Some people enjoy cooking, I was never one of them.

But lately, every trip I have taken to the supermarket has had me itching to try out new things to cook. I have also always been skeptical of my own cooking, but now even that has changed. I want to eat everything I try my hand at. In fact, it’s gone to the stage where someone else’s cooking, or even method of cooking, does not go down well with me. I’ve found that lately the time spent in the kitchen cooking for two other people gives me some peace of mind. I seem to put my heart and soul into the dish I’m making and I must confess I like the end result.

Living in Australia has given me a wider range of ingredients to play around with and the kitchens come with cooking ranges and working ovens. So to my joy I am now able to bake. For a long time now I made mac and cheese in the microwave, not the same as baking it. I finally made mac and cheese the way it is supposed to be made. Today it’s Shepherd’s Pie. Never made it before, but am enjoying the whole process, tiring as it may be. I have finally discovered the joys of cooking.

Of course, I must say that I am missing the “desi khaana”. I miss my mother’s home cooked meals and the Bengali dishes that I like so much. With the lack of ingredients for making Indian food, I’ve tried to stick to experimenting with western cuisine. After this, the experiments with Irish stew and other baked dishes begin. Starting from the shopping at the supermarket to the end result of a dish well made, I’m loving every bit of it!!!

Tales from the Land of Oz

Alright, so the last time I was wondering aloud if I should go ahead and create a space where I write all about what happens here in Australia. And now I’ve gone ahead and done it!

I’ve now added Tales from the Land of Oz to my growing list of blogs.

I’ve decided that I will write about anything that relates to life in Australia, not just Sydney. Who knows, I may move out of Sydney some day. There’s so much to see and do here, considering that I’ve been here for just under 2 weeks, that it didn’t seem fair to fill up the randomness of Altu-Faltu’s space with something that was, well, not random at all. Figured I’d write about my experiences and everything I do and see. Perhaps, some day it may help anyone moving to the land of Oz. So I need to make it a point to carry my camera everywhere, at least for the next few weeks when everything is fresh and new and exciting.

I don’t know how interesting the posts will be to anyone reading them, but I must confess that the reason for starting it was more so I could save my memories and go back to them whenever I feel like it. So begins a new phase. This is a journey that some well-wishers will definitely want to follow.

Greetings from Down Under

The Harbor Bridge

My emotions were in check while saying goodbye to the family at the airport in Bangalore. I did get teary-eyed, but at least kept the bawling in check. But the moment the aircraft touched down at Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney, the flood gates opened. I honestly don’t know why, but I was suddenly very sad. Sad, lonely and scared. By the time the aircraft came to a halt, my tears did too. So here I am, in a country that has called twice before, but will now be home indefinitely.

The skyline of Sydney’s city centre is magnificent, high-rise buildings that house some of the most famous businesses in the world – from Emirates to Pricewater House Cooper. They’re all here. Standing amongst these buildings for the first time was intimidating. The task ahead of me seemed very daunting.

The Sydney Opera House

A short walk away from what I call home temporarily is Circular Quay with the Harbor Bridge on one side and the Sydney Opera House on the other. By the end of the my first day in Sydney, some semblance of confidence returned. Sitting at the wharf at Circular Quay watching the setting sun reflect off the Opera House I realized that now the world was my playground. All I needed to do was grab every opportunity and begin my journey anew.

For the first couple of days, everything seemed surreal. Couldn’t fathom that I was finally Down Under! I had finally flown the coop.

Sydney is a beautiful city with the familiar sights of the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House on one side and the liveliness of Darling Harbor the other. In other directions, spread the suburbs. The neatly laid out roads and the orderly traffic is a far cry from what I am used to back home. It took me a while to get used to waiting patiently at the zebra crossing for the light to change, even when there was no traffic on the road. In India, I would have made a dash for it. It was also a pleasure to see the cars waiting for pedestrians to cross at places where there were no signals. It’s finally nice to see that the zebra crossing means something!

The people are friendly. The taxi driver who drove us from the airport was chatty all the way. A Lebonese gentleman living in Australia for the last 40 years. The customer service executive in the bank was a lively young lady from Indonesia, here for the last 10 years. A corner bakery/cafe had a local guy behind the counter who gave us suggestions as to where we might buy a birthday cake for cheap. Everyone seems so nice that I wonder what all the “curry-bashing” was all about. I like it here. For some strange, unfathomable reason I feel that life here is less chaotic.

The high rises of Sydney by night

I’ve done the “touristy” thing already. Taken a photo walk along The Rocks to Circular Quay through Old Sydney. The first time was great, though surreal, but the second made me feel that the whole area was over-rated. Only the old buildings of Old Sydney held some charm. But King’s Wharf in Darling Harbor is where all the life is. It’s livelier and feels  a lot more “local”.

George Street is where all the action is. Every errand has found me back on that street, even grocery shopping. It’s the main artery of the Central Business District it seems. The Town Hall and the Queen Victoria Building are beautiful, though I know that in another week’s time they may become part of the furniture for me. But walking along George Street is always a pleasurable window-shopping experience.

But the highlight of it all for me – the grocery shopping!!! The plethora of meats and cheeses drives me to the brink of culinary madness every time I enter a grocery store. There is only so much I can do to reach into every shelf and try everything all at once. The fruits and vegetables are so fresh and flavorful. Juicy! The Tasmanian cherries are absolutely yummy and the strawberries a large and delicious. I wish I already had a large, fully functional kitchen. For the first time in my life I feel as though I will enjoy cooking. Curiosity has allowed a box of kangaroo meat to wait in the refrigerator. I have tried Korean food and eaten things I had never before, like seaweed. But I must confess, the raw beef didn’t go down too well with me, but the sauce it came in was great.

26th Jan is a national holiday here as well. Australia Day will see the Sydney Festival come to life. There will be a lot to see and do on the 26th.

I wonder if I should begin another blog called “Tales from the Land of Oz” and talk about everything that happens here. After all, I’m not going to remain Altu-Faltu for too long. I’m sure there will be plenty to write about. But I suppose for now, the news from the land Down Under will be Altu-Faltu’s narration.

Memories

“I worked so hard for that first kiss
And a heart don’t forget something like that

Like an old photograph
Time can make a feeling fade
But the memory of a first love
Never fades away.”   ~ Tim McGraw

Reflections from the past

Memories, an entire treasure chest of them in my head. Ever so often something from my past surfaces and on the ripples of the dark waters that make up my past, they shine through. Like diamonds in the night sky or the sun reflecting off the surface of a still pond. I cherish them, every single one of them. Most memories never fade away. They are like leftovers, as Thomas Fuller says – Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart.

In a few days time a new chapter in my life begins. There will be new memories added to that treasure trove. Every time I would want to relive what it was like back home, there will be enough to make me smile. A light in times when I flounder in darkness. But it are these memories that will help me look forward to the future.

It is singular how soon we lose the impression of what ceases to be constantly before us.  A year impairs, a luster obliterates.  There is little distinct left without an effort of memory, then indeed the lights are rekindled for a moment – but who can be sure that the Imagination is not the torch-bearer?  ~Lord Byron

Season’s Greetings

‘Tis the season to be jolly. A time for merriment and togetherness, of happiness and joy, of gifts and smiles.

Another year has come and gone. It seems as though only a couple of weeks have gone by since Abhinav played Santa for the whole family, getting is not only our gifts, but a Christmas tree and the decorations as well. It was a wonderful surprise. This year it’s all quiet, a time for reflection on the happenings of the year gone by. A lot has happened, though I am yet unsure if it has all been for the better of for the worse. But I must confess, Life is what happened when I was busy making other plans.

The new year is just around the corner. It is a time for a fresh start, a new life and a new beginning. It is a time of change that I am keenly looking forward to. A move to a new continent is on the cards. I look forward to the adventure, even though deep down inside I am scared of what awaits.

So a toast – here’s to fresh starts and happy endings, here’s to life! Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and a wonderful new year!

Strangers at my Door

I think almost everybody has directly or indirectly been touched by the actions of someone they have never met. A stranger whose deeds has done something that enriches your life. This is not the first time that my life has become that much richer by a stranger’s presence. I have written about it before. Again, a chance message from someone I have never met, has brought me some peace. I seem to have been touched by the invisible magnetic field of someone else’s persona. It is these little moments that we should hold on to, for its these moments that make life all the more interesting and pleasant. No matter what happens and how much life may seem to be a bother, the camaraderie between strangers can be….well….surprisingly pleasant and peaceful. There are lessons to be learnt everywhere it seems, it just so happens that most of the time we don’t really look hard enough. There is help hiding in plain sight and yet, ever so often we walk right past it.

10 Weird Uses for Vodka

10 Weird Uses for Vodka

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First there was the “etiquette of vomiting” for all my friends who do tend to go overboard with their liking for a drink. Now, for those who would rather not drink the stuff, there’s so much  more to do with vodka. Take a look at the slideshow and see if any of the uses are worth your while.