Chinese Astrology

I've been going to Barnes and Noble quite regularly and I am loving it... My wavering mind is full of questions. Whatever comes to my mind I instantly go to that section and find a book to read about it. :) Internet is also a good way. However, I enjoy going out and its more fun to see all books in front of you.

So I was sitting on a couch and reading some programming book. I noticed a book on the rack right in front of me. It was Astrology section and the book was Simply Chinese Astrology. As usual, I finished my techie book and picked up this book on Chinese Astrology. I almost finished full book. All those who enjoy reading such things should definitely give it a shot.

Now what is it about:

Every Chinese year is ruled by one of the twelve animals. Most of us have seen those table mats at a Chinese restaurant when you wait for your order. So knowing your year of birth you can find out which animal governs your birth year and then you can have an idea about you and many more things... I know we never give it any importance. I found it stupid to generalize the characteristics of people born in any one year. However its not that Chinese astrology does not give person specific characteristics. This year based prediction is a general idea similar to western zodiac signs.

Yin Yang theory is very important in Chinese culture. Everything is related in those terms. I am trying hard but I am still not clear about it. For example, the food they eat has its yin or yang effect on your body. It can increase your yin or yang. If you are feeling your yin is high on a day you should eat more yang food. Overall I think its like food which makes you more warm/hot etc.. so you should balance yourself by controlling the yin-yang. As I said I have not understood it completely but I believe in it. btw, what I just said is a part of Chinese Medicine.

Coming back to the book. So once you know your ruling animal you know your characteristics. The part I liked in the book was, how will be your year based on your ruling animal and that year's ruling animal. For example, a Sheep in an Ox year. Now Ox and Sheep doesn't go well together so it will be tough and there were many other details.

So this 12 years cycle repeats. The difference is that the element changes. For example, 1980 was a 'Metal' year of 'Monkey' but 12 years later 1992 was a 'Water' year of 'Monkey'. This means if you are not compatible with Monkey year then, every 12 years whenever Monkey year comes it will be tough for you. But if the accompanying element Metal or Water is compatible to your own element it might not be that much incompatible.

And then I used my all the free time:
- I listed my last 24 or more years with their ruling animal. Like all Ox years together and all Monkey years together...
- Then I tried to write big incidents in those years. Whatever I can remember.

And it was interesting to see that overall.. all similar(or important) events happened in same ruling animal's years. Obviously it is not perfect way of doing it. There are so many other things which effect ones life. And all my deductions could be completely wrong or biased. But I enjoyed knowing/learning something new:)

One example of what I found:
I have hardly stayed at any one place for more than 1 or 2 yrs. I keep changing schools, cities, jobs etc etc.. There is a duration of 4 years which is exactly 12 years later, when I was in same place with no change. All these four years are ruled by same animals. Lets see what happens in future. I should be in one place from mid 2010 to mid 2014 !

It was fun:)

Here's to all 'going to be a MOM' this year!

Is it something in the air or what! Every other friend of mine is expecting. I am very happy for all of you and Congratulations along with a big hug.

I think every other month we have at least one friend who is going to deliver a baby. Wow 2009 is the year of 2 becoming 3:)

Good luck to all of you with the new life and a new world too!

I love kids and enjoy being with kids. Yea.. also get tired when I have to play with them for as long as they want it. Just like every Indian wedding I also hear from our elders about taking the giant leap and join the world of threesome. Exactly the way we were poked and poked and poked till we finally gave in and got married just from there point of view. I still believe getting married is not a great idea. I would love to live the way I live without getting married. I strongly believe we should have been told/taught when we were kids the pros and cons of wedding, early wedding and late wedding ( I mean legally early). We should have been explained the consequences of having establishing a successful career early in life or late in life. Consequences of earning more degrees vs being in a job. Time frame which should be devoted to any one of the two. Why are we never given such words of wisdom in our society? Isn't it more important than saying Namaste to each and every person you meet on a daily basis. Or not arguing to elders on anything just because they are elders. howsoever wrong they might be. And very strongly believe all this is a must for girls in India. Life for a girl in India is hell! being nice goes against you and being not so nice no doubt always goes against you.

Anyway, I should not get distracted from the topic. So yes I am highly impressed and I respect all the moms to be for experiencing the most important and beautiful part of our existence. One big reason for my love for you and respect is that ..... confession time!.... I am toooo scared with the thought of getting pregnant and delivering a baby and taking care of a baby. I mean nine months! And if I sustain and take care of everything in those 9 months. After that? A baby in your life. I have been working hard in the last almost 10 years(and before also) to shape up my own life which is not working out the way I prefer it to be Or at least a stable one. How can I be sure I will be able to take care of a baby and provide all the good things, happiness, support and everything the best to a beautiful life. Which I really really want to provide. Buhuhu.. its scary!

May be I am not the only one, there must be more like me. But people usually don't talk about such topics.

I think for all of us late 70s and early 80s born, next decade will be all about kids! Just like the way last decade was all about career and wedding......

Thoughts/comments just pour in.. every word is appreciated. On top of that, I am in a new city, new home, jobless, friends-less .. so every thought and idea counts:)

March recap for myself and others...

Last post was in mid Feb. After that lot happened. Exactly like 2008, March 2009 was an amazing/adventurous/memorable/benchmark/farewell month for us.

- Early spring camping at Sherando Lake
- Had Holi fun
- Anxiety of whats going to happen (with THE PHD!!!)
- Should we pack or not yet..
- We needed a break. Should we plan it or not! Can we afford it?
- Want to meet our close friends.. can it fit in our tight schedule
- Am I troubling Mr. Husband by my all time suggestions and ideas and anxiousness?
- Mid March... Hell! what am I doing? I have always enjoyed life. I take risk for fun (crib later though). Lets go for it! I decided to become the super-woman:
-- I will plan a surprise trip to Florida
-- I will do packing
-- I will take care of all paper work etc..
-- I will take care of car insurance/selling/moving
-- I will plan farewell lunches and dinners with all our friends
-- I will plan a party for Mr. Dr. Husband .. (shshh.. keep it low profile till its done. we are currently jinxed)
-- I will do everything possible in a perfect happy world!

What was I thinking? Anyway.. all went well. Not perfect (as I prefer) but it was fun and memorable.

• We had wonderful post defense party. Thanks to all the friends around.
• We had celebrations at our half-packed house
• We went to South Beach, Miami. Yes we did! It was amazing and relaxing exactly what we wanted.
• We had good old friends at our half-packed house and had tooooo much fun! Discussions, tea sessions, leg pulling, PJs, helping hands, helping minds too..... Good times. I love meeting close friends and relatives regularly. And I respect/admire those who does it too. May be that is why we are 'Extroverts'. Every time you meet, the bonding and knowing each other becomes stronger. Sometimes( not so often) at that very moment the meeting is not as pleasant as one expected and we feel why we made this trip. But in the long run we forget all that and remember the moment and good memories and people. Hidden message: Lets keep meeting !
  

Last week of march was so so so busy that we were doing several things at a time. We wanted to enjoy the moment with friends and also do our very important tasks too. It was tough, tiring and exhaustive both physically and mentally.

Anyway after all the houch-pouch(spelling???) of fun and work. We wrapped up from Charlottesville. Little senti and little excited we reached Pittsburgh on 1st April.

What happened (or is happening) after that is still in progress. I am currently in the middle of waves so I cannot say its good or not so good. Just struggling with everything but still performing and hanging in there:).

" This too Shall Pass! "

I know I will pass. Have always passed with average or passing marks. ( though I have always been sad for not being a topper:) )

This post was solely to jot down the roller coaster month we had. I have much more in mind to write.. as Bawri Baatein.

I have a hopeless Hope !

Title of the post says everything I have to say!

I think human species exist on hope. So I am not new. I want to know if everybody out there is living with some hope or its just few emotional creatures like me. Or may be some people have more than a hope. mmm .. may be they know for sure. I would call that also a hope. Just being confident about your hope wont change it to present:)

Just realized that since childhood I always had 'hopeful' hope. In the past few years its becoming 'hopeless' hope.

Here is what I remember on 'HOPE' from one of my favorite movies The Shawshank Redemption

• Red: Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.
  .....
  
• Andy Dufresne: [in letter to Red] Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.
  .....
  
• [last lines]
  Red: [narrating] I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.
  

What kind of hope do you have? If any?

What I have been watching recently !

I noticed recently that every time I call or talk to friends. There is a common question. "Did you watch any new movie recently? " and I am doing mmmm hmmm ya.. looking at the ceiling to recall... and my brain is doing parallel processing and thinking.. Was this actually a question or its just to start a conversation.. am I boring? No no.. its a good question. this way we get to know about new movies and reviews. All is well! :) ( I know I am a sadist:) )

I am adding a list in the right side of this blog with the recent movie/TV series watch. two reasons:
- To help me remember good movies I watched
- and also to help others if they are looking for a movie to watch

ratings are based on my liking.
- less than 5: you are not missing anything
- more than 5: not bad just to pass time

Please do tell me if you find anything interesting to watch.

take care!

Movie Time!

So there comes a time when you watch as many movies as you can. During those years your feeling of achievement is really low. But movies, songs, socializing, trying new things.. alll goes high.

Okay okay no more suspense. I watched Elizabethtown. Never wrote about a movie before but I will try. Loved the movie. I am not sure everybody liked it as much as I liked it or not. Hilarious, inspirational, good direction. Liked Orlando Bloom(Drew) and Susan Sarandon(Hollie). Kirsten Dunst was also good but I found her character a little weird.

Why I liked it:
- Movie starts with the face of Orlando Bloom and little suspense too. (made me continue watching the movie)
- How your job could be good one day and bad another day.
- Loved the suicide machine. Hilarious...
- How traveling via flights could be irritating. When you dont want to talk to anybody but people come and talk to you. Later it turns out that they were not bad people.
- Funny people in the town
- My personal fav. 'Long phone call conversations' between Orlando and Kirsten Dunst. Been there done that...
- How irritating kids could be and yet could be managed with equally irritating tricks
- Susan Sarandon's speech at the end.. fantastic
- Finally Road trip:)

Fav scene: Orlando bloom seeing his dad's dead body and just thinking about the word which he can not recall. like.. "whats the word, whats the word.."

If you have not watched it.. go ahead. Dont have too high expectations after reading above lines:)

Other favorites coming to my mind:
- The Lives of Others (suggestion: be patient and watch till the last scene of the movie)
- Amelie

Happy Movie Time!

Phases of life...

Whenever in my life I have been on any kind of break or in a transition phase. I have been awake all night (like 6 or 7 or more..of coarse AM) and then will sleep when ray of sunlight is peeping through the window of my room. With a sigh I say, "Its high time I sleep now". Slowly I will hear people getting up preparing for the day. I will hear kids gathering for school bus and noise of racing cars to reach at work on time etc.. Ultimately I will sleep thinking what a loser I am. Later how the following day is also ruined is another long story.

Coming back to those phases. During those nights there is one good friend of yours who gives you company and that is a 'Television'. Who invented such an amazing thing! Yes, I should add 'internet' too. However, TV has its own charm(you can be as lazy as possible..don't even need to move your fingers.. hehe)

So these are the times when I have seen maximum amount of movies, explored new programs, learnt new things, made few very good friends and more...

I wanted to share a movie I watched yesterday. Now I think I will need another post for that. Right now, getting distracted by Australian open men's singles final and by Roger Federer :)