Happy NewYear 2009

Milsons Point, New Years Eve celebrations

An estimated 1.5 million people watched the fireworks from vantage points around Sydney Harbour last night. The early fireworks at 9pm on the harbour are for families to enjoy and then they can go home early. The fireworks at midnight are a lot more spectacular since they are also launched off the Sydney Harbour Bridge and city skyscrapers. Milson's Point, north of Sydney Harbour, was a lot less crowded than the city always was. Here are a couple of shots from both sides of the bridge, although my camera is not too good at night.

New Year 2009 - 2010 graphics

Don’t buy engagement rings.

Some purchases require procrastination. Impulsive buying is not encouraged when you plan to buy a life long gift or necessity. This applies especially to engagement rings, house plots, mattresses and even a tree sapling.

You can’t barge into a jewelry shop, browse around and order an engagement ring off the shelf. Ask around; speak to your relatives who are married; search the Internet for unique engagement rings.

Another popular concept is engagement rings should have a diamond in it. No, I don’t agree with this banal view. There are exquisite gems that are rare and not costly which will be more beautiful than a diamond ring.

There are so many affordable and at the same time romantic alternatives for that one special moment of your life.

Excellent help by British Airways ground staff.

In every field, the ground staff are more efficient and more compassionate than that field's office staff who, like every other white collar employees don't allow a speck on their white collar. Be it a sales force, public utilities sector like electricity, telephone service providers etc, the story is the same everywhere.

I noticed a bunch of ground staff at the Madras airport a couple of days ago that were active and willing to extend their assistance to my mother-in-law who was on her way to Washington.

A girl greeted the passengers at the baggage screening queue itself, tagged the bags and helped move the queue at a fast pace.

From a distance, I saw my mother-in-law being approached by another counter staff to offer assistance. The check-in procedure was all over in less than 20 minutes. And mind you, it was midnight time.

Impressive, very impressive! I thank the British Airways ground staff.

Darling Harbour, sculpture

These sculptured water birds and fountain are located right in the heart of the Cockle Bay Wharf development in Darling Harbour. The Darling Harbour people mover train makes a stop here.

Someone has visualized this.

For many people including me, to listen means waiting for the other person to stop talking. The moment that happens, I would leap into the conversation.

But, on a fine evening, I realized that I am attentive to a friend of my husband. It was may be because he was talking about my favorite subject of bathroom fittings.

I am always very particular about the size of the bathroom in my house and also the hotels I stay. I would love to have my bathroom fitted with ultra hi-tech gadgets.

This friend was telling me why he likes Moen faucets and showed me a couple of brochures of shining gold colored bathroom faucets. At that point, I stopped listening and kept staring at the faucets’ images. I wanted them immediately. I appreciate the person who has visualized this and made it real.

Look the pictures of them here. Go ahead and start dreaming.

Puppy Update

The puppy was named "Captain Jack." Jack for short. Or Jackie. Or Cappy.

Amber fell asleep with Captain Jack. I don't think he looks comfortable though....
Here we are.... awww - well, he actually looks even MORE uncomfortable here! I promise I was holding him with my other hand and not strangling him!

Christmas Pictures

I spent almost a whole week in Fayetteville and was off from work all last week. It was so wonderful! Kent and I also spent several days in Malvern with his family.

We went to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - I LOVED it. Kent thought it was okay.
Kent got a "Hallelujah Hog" from my parents. It weighs at least 75 pounds. It is a yard statue - except a razorback - pretty awesome, huh?

I got to see my oldest friend Katy. She lives in Florida and I haven't seen her in a year! I am so jealous of her long, blonde hair...

My family waited until I got there to put the angel on the tree. It is a paper angel that I made in Sunday school class when I was three. As you can tell, my dad is having a little trouble lifting me.

This is Kent's Mom's side of the family. This is the only family picture that was taken from all the Christmas's that we went too.

Poppa, Drewa & Dad.

One Year!

Kent and I have been married for ONE YEAR today! Happy Anniversary to us!

Darrel Lea Chocolates, Christmas

Over the years, Sydney has lost a lot of heritage buildings as many were demolished to make way for skyscrapers and other modern buildings. Some heritage buildings have survived in the city, sometimes surrounded by contemporary buildings, such as this Darrell Lea chocolate shop on the corner of George Street and King Street.

Nokia’s Mobile Applications Developers Conference.

The annual parents meeting went off smoothly yesterday. There were usual questions about higher education after the impending academic year. Since I keep myself updated mainly about the prospects in IT industry, I was able to offer useful counseling.

I remembered about the forthcoming Bangalore Conference of Nokia which aims to create a big platform for the aspiring mobile application developers. I know a few of my ex-students who have taken up a career as mobile application developers and their feedback spoke of big scope in the industry.

When I embarked on this topic, I noticed restlessness among the crowd. When prodded further, I was able to realize that there is a widespread belief that developing application for mobile phone is very difficult.

I appeased them of their unreasonable fear by telling them how applications for mobile web have immense future as there is a growing tendency to go mobile among the Internet marketers.

This Nokia conference to be held in Bangalore will facilitate one to one interaction with industry experts who will also elaborate on the latest developments in the mobile industry and the future trends.

More active participation in the Nokia conference is encouraged by announcing gifts for innovative mobile applications.

For full information about Nokia Mobile Applications Developers Conference and the various sessions that include Mobile Technology Evolution, Technology Showcase and Developer Evangelization, please visit the links above.

Sydney Park, Christmas

Sydney Park is a large recreation area at Alexandria, bordering St Peters. It includes part of the former brickworks on the corner of King Street and Sydney Park Road. Christmas decorations adorn the chimneys every year.

Celebrating a disaster.

What is happening here? Yesterday I received so many emails and telephone calls reminding me that today (26th Jan) is the tsunami day. I just don't understand why people remember natural calamities even after it had happened 4 years ago?

Why people want to relive the tragedy? Do they want to celebrate several peoples' death anniversary? Aren't they aware that by focusing again and again on incidents and events that should be forgotten, they are more likely to experience/witness the same again?

What you focus on expands! This is the law of universe.

Ask them on which day India won the T20 championship; ask them on which day they got a promotion in their office; ask them when their child took its first step. No, they can't recall.

But they remember well all the dates of the tragic events, natural disasters, death of people whom they never met and whose death would not have affected their lives in any way.

Gymea, Christmas

Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, adorns the shop awnings in the southern Sydney suburb of Gymea, every year at Christmas time.

My Dream Christmas

Pitt Street Mall, Christmas

Boxing Day, the day after Christmas Day, is a public holiday in Australia and is also traditionally the start of the Post Christmas Sales. Pitt Street Mall is a pedestrian mall which is arguably Sydney's premiere shopping district. This year, the shopping has been somewhat interrupted by construction work. Some arcades such as the Mid City Centre and Imperial Arcade are being demolished and redeveloped, while others such as Centrepoint will soon be extensively refurbished and redeveloped. Theses hectic Christmas shoppers are in Pitt Street Mall, outside the heritage Soul Pattinson's Chemist building.

St Mary's Cathedral, Christmas Nativity Scene

St Marys Cathedral in College Street has set up a Christmas Nativity Scene in the forecourt.

Another melting trip to Spastic Society.

This has been my practice for the last 23 years. I make it a point to be in Coimbatore on 24^th December at any cost. On this day, every year, I along with a few of my college friends visit the Spastics Children Home.

Our day with these unfortunate children affected with cerebral palsy will start sharply at 6.00 AM. We then go through the morning duties with loud cheer.

Then after a rather sumptuous breakfast we arrange, we engage the children in myriad activities that will fill their memories till the next Christmas. Every year, we do miss a few children as they move away to other caring homes with more facilities. Those fortunate children mostly would have been benefited after successful legal battles that are efficiently conducted by cerebral palsy injury attorneys.

Some spastic children would have found foreign sponsors.

This year, my group was joined by a new set of my husband’s friends. We just returned after melting trip.

Have a happy Christmas eve.

I love the day before the holidays and festivals than the holidays and festivals. I am simply elated in anticipation of the forthcoming good things to come such as good food, a relaxed mood, a benevelont state of mind, etc.

By this way, I enjoy two days fully in place of one day. Isn't it smart of me?

Here, let me give you a reason to smile on this eve of Christmas and if you just forward this to others, you will make them smile to. You will set in the happy mood!


















Source

David Jones department store, Christmas

Each year the David Jones department store in Elizabeth Street features an elaborate window display for Christmas. This year the theme is Santa's Workshop, featuring animated marionettes. In the past, Sydney had many more department stores that also followed the Christmas tradition. The other department stores are gone now and when the Myer department store was redeveloped a few years ago, they abandoned this Christmas tradition, leaving David Jones as the only department store attracting Christmas shoppers to its window display.