Obama President

A new era has begun, unlike any we have known. Barack Obama took oath as the 44th President of United States of America watched by millions around the world and the world suddenly looks a better, a rosier place than before. Maybe all this optimism is misplaced, maybe no man, no matter how good intentioned, can bring that much change but everywhere there seems to be hope of better things to come. As if this is the second coming of Christ. And the miracle is that he is not lily white but of a darker shade, this prophet of change.
All of us sat clued to the TV sets, watching everything not missing anything and praying that all goes well for this man who promises to bring goodness back to the world. A lot of my friends said they hoped the helicopter carrying Bush towards Texas would crash, and I have to admit I hoped for the same too but then caught myself just in time as I did not want anything not even the happy event of Bush’s death to deflect attention from Obama’s day.
The world is still in ecstasy and I hope and pray this honeymoon continues for ever and Obama is able to uphold all this hope we have in him.

The images added here are from various websites around the world.

Location, Location, Location

We have started our weight loss exercises, at least that is the intention each time we start going to the gym or start walking. But two days into the start, my periods started and we have put walking on hold and then Ji’s will start and together biological factors will take stop us from continuing the walks for at least two weeks, unless of course we manage to have periods at the same time, which again is difficult as I get mine every 28 days and Ji gets her’s every 45 days.

Any way the recession continues and every one is scared. Each day we hear about someone or a lot of someones who have been terminated or of business coming down or some sort of panic inducing news. Yesterday Satyam computers delivered a shocker. But life goes on. If not this then something else will turn out so we sit here hoping for the best.

My tomato plants have all flowered and so I am waiting for the fruits to form.

Meanwhile the Gaza carnage goes on, with its huge human toll, papers splashed with pictures of children, dead and wounded. We see them and we see our children protected and loved, safe in bed at night, lights kept switched on so that little sounds don’t scare them in the night. Then we realize how lucky we are here, Secure and safe, away from wars and bloodshed.

Broken mirror

Breaking a mirror is considered bad luck in Kerala. When my maternal grandfather broke a mirror everyone was worried and a few months latter he passed away at the age of 64. From then on the belief has strengthened among us about the bad luck a broken mirror brings.
So yesterday when I called home to wish amma A very happy and prosperous new year, just like the one we had just had and she told me she needed a new concave-convex mirror as she accidentally dropped the one she had been using for the last 22 years, well, from then on my mind is not at ease. I have a bad feeling, but maybe it is all just superstition, as if mirrors don’t get broken all around the world all the time. I just hope and pray that this year turns out to be as peaceful and happy as the last.