Resolution

Today I've made a resolution. When I see something very pretty/I like, I shall stop and take a picture if possible. I'd love to browse all those pretty sights again.

I sometimes wonder if taking a picture would make the memory weaker? The pictures is my mind are so fresh, I can recall them at a moments notice. No matter how long ago it is from. But then I'm sure I'm losing on the details. But are details necessary? Not really. Or so I think. But it would still be good to have a picture to share the memory with others.

There are three pictures that I particularly cherish. I shall try to describe them here in words - and in the process I will probably make it obvious why the picture is needed :)

One is from my college days. It was night time and we were at the back of this really dilapidated and probably very unsafe block of apartments. This was next to the Raritan River (I went to school at Rutgers). There is an old bridge over the river about 15 blocks away; a bridge with street lights all along it. The river was flowing calmly that night and there were no ripples to disturb the water. No moon to speak of brightening the skies. Or maybe I never noticed it after looking at what was right in front of my eyes. The bridge and its reflection in the water formed these perfect O's. It felt as if it was the gateway to a different world beyond. It was magical.

The second is from a night of camping. We'd all had our share of food and drink and were in a happy place already. And then a few of us decided to take a walk on the beach. The moon was bright and glowing that night and the waves effervescent. The sand were bare with none other than us present. At the back of us were these tall woods and small cliff almost blocking us from the world beyond with the sea water spreading till the horizon in front of us. The sands were white and the reflection of the moon on the sea water painted a divine landscape; one I'll probably never forget my whole life. The waters splashing against the shore the only sound surrounding us. Beautiful. I want to write so much more to make you understand how pretty it was there; but I'm sure I can never match the sight and sound of that night in words.

The third is from a very recent memory. I was backing out of my garage and in the distance could hear the sound of the complex gardener sweeping the leaves away with his air blower. As I was backing out, I caught a glimpse of the sunlight filtering to ground through the tall trees next to the footpath. There was a haze of particles floating around in the light - probably leaf shreds ruffled up by the gardener or pollen parachuting lazily. It was ethereal. The perfect green leaves of the trees as from fresh rains; the air heavy with dew and the soft golden light of the early morning; the floating bits and leaves disrupted the sheet of sunlight forming rays.

Experiences Beyond

When an idea is personified by an image of a big bubble surfacing to the top of a conical head with viscous brains,
When a tired shoulder is an image of an opaque and heavy limb slumping along the spine,
When happy is a state with no reason,
When the happiness turns into a full blown clutching your stomach with pain attack of laughs,
When no amount of food can quench your stomach's hunger,
When sleep is a thick blanket your eyes are overcome with suddenly...

... then my friend you have had a brownie at a music concert in SFO.

"Sense" our way out of a funk

Did anyone ever try that? and I'm not talking about dimming your senses by getting drunk and forgetting your worries :P But about using your five senses -- smell, hearing, taste, touch & sight to get to a happier state.

I still remember how I used to wait to "smell" home after any long trip away. I think that first whiff of "home" is what settles me back to a sense of belonging and relaxation. The smell of earth after the first shower, the rainbow, the smell of wild roses, a vase arrangement (my sis is soo good at making a bunch of ordinary looking leaves and some flowers look beautiful), a beautiful sunset, stars in the silvery night sky (thanks BK for reminding me they twinkle), the moon on gently crashing waves, lavender, the songs I like to hear again & again, someone practicing an instrument in the background, the touch of satin, silk, or plain cotton for comfort (I need everything touching me to be cotton to really fall into a deep sleep!), a kiss, a hug, that yummy chocolate chocolate cake at Prolific Oven, rasam with ghee, pappu with pickle, a ton of other stuff I can think of which can send me to my happy place! Do I use them to make myself feel better? Not sure I do...

Or there's plain old shopping to take care of it anytime! Its surprising how that gets me out of a bad mood real quick -- wonder how they explain it off scientifically.

Defunct Nose?

Recently I was on the hunt for a new perfume and I enlisted (or was it forced?) my friends to help me pick one. My nose hasn't been of much use to me since the time I was in an accident a few years back and I was solely depending on their senses to pick the right scent. Despite of a few grumps & some dragging steps, they were game and we ended up at a mall one day and after a lot of sprays & sniffs decided the "Notorious" from Ralph Lauren was the best of the lot.

Since I had four friends helping me pick, I was sure I had made the correct choice and didn't hesitate in going home, ripping off the packaging and putting it to use right away. I have since been strutting around all content with the knowledge that I was smelling good. I might have even done a few of the scenes from the deo ad where the girl goes waving her hand high up in the air just to show off my new perfume and solicit compliments.

The place I stay at currently -- we have a cleaning lady coming in once in a month to help out with things. She was here this Sunday and very diligently went about her work moving things around and dusting under the various creams, sprays, boxes, clips, bands, perfumes and the odd jewelry I have lying around the restroom. I was so happy to have a clean shower to go into again this morning and generally felt good that the whole place was back to a spic & span state. In the misty haze after an hour long shower I reached out for the perfume, which was turned in a different angle from normal, just right to be able to read "Ralph Lauren Romance, Always Yours"!!