People watching

Waiting at the airport for someone to arrive can be quite entertaining, you get to see so many kinds of people. When we got there yesterday, the place looked daunting, like a zoo, what with two extra flights arriving at the same time with two others already on schedule. We saw planeloads of people  walking out into the lounge and a lot of them had someone in the crowd waiting for them. If it wasn't a friend or family member, it was a chauffeur holding up a placard with their name on it.

When I go to receive someone, I am sort of forced to people watch. There isn't much else to do. Folks waiting show a plethora of moods while they anticipate meeting their friends or family as they walk out through those automatic doors. Eyes scanning faces every time the doors open. It is fun to match expressions on faces that light up in the waiting crowd, with that of those walking out.  Is either party equally thrilled to see each other? As trolleys roll out, I check out their emotions- beaming, excited folk, their long, tiring journey behind them, waiting to explore, or tired, jet lagged people simply waiting to get home and put their feet up. Then there is  the business traveler who is eager to get to the hotel to catch up on sleep before getting down to business the next morning. 

Most people never travel light on these international flights, whether it is aging parents walking out with airline provided assistance, or spouses getting back home after a vacation, sometimes with 2 or more kids in tow, visiting family members, or whole families getting home- they all arrive with truckloads of baggage. I know how that goes, I've been one of those people who fill up their suitcases upto the last permissible kilo. Adjusting stuff around in the bags would be one exciting exercise. Of course, that was when my mom was still around. I haven't visited after she passed away.

Interesting encounters between people is the whole reason behind people watching and I wasn't disappointed yesterday. A young family was waiting for someone. Well dressed, well groomed, with one 4-5 year old and a younger one in a stroller. The husband kept checking something on his phone the entire time. The lady guest they were waiting for walked out the door, and towards them. The guy was still on his phone as he followed his wife to greet the visitor. The wife (in green) and the visitor (in black) were smiling, all the time sizing each other up, what they were wearing, and all that. As they neared each other, the host lady in green pushed the stroller ahead, forcing the guest to focus on the child, giving her a chance to size up her visitor some more. Then they finally hugged as the hostess in green muttered- I love your necklace. It was all so dramatic, almost fake- the emotions, the smiles, the hugs. The husband finally looked up from his phone and muttered a hello. Then before the guest could open her mouth, the lady in green suggested they walk out to the car and talk later.
That was a very smart thing to do, unlike a bunch of young guys, three of them, who arrived to work here I suppose, and were received by a couple of their friends. They decided to stand right there and chat like they were home already. They were clearly in the way and weary people had to push their baggage around them to get to the long line near the elevators. The young bunch finally decided to leave only after about thirty minutes of catching up! It finally dawned on them that though the plane had landed at the final destination, the actual place they needed to be at was their home, and not the lounge!
Then there was this senior lady in a very modest getup. She waited patiently, seated on the chairs with her husband. Suddenly, she let out a gleeful whoop. She almost danced to the wheelchair that was being led out by an airline attendant. The lady in the wheelchair was brimming with equal enthusiasm. They hugged and cried at the same time. Maybe they were sisters, or who knows what the relation was. It was very heartfelt.

International arrivals can be dicey because processing times vary. It sometimes takes forever for the person you are scanning the door for finally emerges out of there. It took a good seventy five minutes yesterday. There was certainly no dearth of entertainment at the airport though, there never is.

Surprise on a vacation

Surprise last minute additions to travel plans can sometimes turn out to be so delightful. Last year, while on a wonderfully relaxing vacation to British Columbia, we disembarked from an impressive ferry ride that landed us in Victoria. Deciding to grab a quick bite before heading off to the Butchart Gardens, we stopped at a popular fast food place. While in conversation there with other patrons, a local gentleman shared details of a spot that sounded interesting. A lighthouse at the end of a pier/breakwater- a portrayal enough to get us to drive to Ogden Point, Victoria. I have always been fascinated by lighthouses and sailboats and decided to check this one out. As we walked to the lighthouse, a little kiosk greeted us with several displays on marine life found in the area. There was a lot of activity on the breakwater, some divers were preparing to dive, a remotely operated vehicle/camera was being lowered in the water by some students, while others observed creatures pulled out temporarily from their habitat by divers. In the water, jellyfish were abundant and they glided along in what looked like a lot of a debris. I was disappointed that the place was not well maintained. However, in just a little bit, it dawned on me that it was not trash, they were huge beds of Kelp. The dying fronds looked like trash from a distance. Little fish were feeding on detritus and suddenly, I was going back in time! 20 plus years ago! This was exactly what I had perused scores of times as I surveyed literature for my research. It all came back, our field trips to the mangroves and to Dona Paula, collecting samples, keeping things ready in the lab- the pine pollen, the autoclave, the tea strainer, the bleach, the little grinder and the tiny petridishes, most of all Raghu's patented running seawater chamber for identifying the thraustochytrids under the microscope- that was such a fascinating thing to observe (and no, I didn't forget the rabbits and the ELISA)! My mind was also flooded by a myriad of memories about the people, who in their own little ways taught life's lessons, each adding some zing with their unique personalities. Our lab help's trait of forgetting to label flasks carrying water with various salinities as he autoclaved them in multiples, forcing us to do it all over again, a senior lady's exclusive method of weighing fish on the new digital scale, people coming in early to 'book' 2 hour slots on the computer or the UV chamber. It felt like it was just yesterday. As I looked down into the water here at Ogden Point, I wondered which thraustochytrids I would find in these waters, and what kind of strides the field I had left all those years ago had made. I hadn't kept up with it. My mentors, Chandralata Raghukumar and Sheshagiri Raghukumar, both renowned scientists, taught me to pursue a subject with passion. Thank you! Their dedication to their work was/is nonpareil.

My personal post doctoral research began 15 years ago on a topic diametrically opposite to the one I had worked on. Understanding Autism- an absolutely unrelated but completely engaging field! As I accidentally stumbled into a world similar to the one I had left behind many years ago, a quick recap of how life had shaped up flashed before my eyes, with an important lesson that I learned along the way- life isn't about the destination, it's about the journey! Here are some pictures of the 'marine' aspect of it.

Inspirations

The crispness of the new year is still around, people still talking about resolutions and plans they have made for the year. It's interesting to read about them and take perspective of your own. Winter is slamming down hard and bitter and with one bonus mild day we got today, I decided to make the most of it. Leaves litter the backyard and the next two days are all set to tie or break records with the coldest temperatures recorded. I brought my sensitive plants inside, and hope some in the ground will survive the cold onslaught.

I have a member of my family who is really enterprising and a constant source of inspiration. She is always finding new things to do and follows her heart diligently until she achieves what she sets out to do. She has taken on a challenge that reminded me of the movie Julie & Julia that I watched a few years ago. She has tackled several challenges in the past and I admire her zest as she takes on new ventures. She lived in very arid Tucson, Arizona for a good amount of time. When they bought their first house there, she decided to take a break from work to be with her little girl until she was ready to go to school. Sitting at home for five years with a baby, after having worked for several years is not something that daunted this young lady! She took on the garden, a barren area with rocks all over. Single handed, she moved them all, irrigated the area, divided it into two. She planned a lawn to the left and an English garden on the right, with a birdbath in the center of the garden. She worked so hard to achieve it, she ended up with a tennis elbow and a backyard people would envy. The satisfaction that project gave her was immense though, to see what she had so meticulously planned and executed, the lavender blooming in through spring and summer, the other local varieties following suit. All over her house even today, you get to see numerous projects that have some interesting story behind them.

Several other friends also have some very thought provoking aspirations for the coming year. I will simply make silent resolutions, and hopefully, by the end of the year, have something to show to myself.

It is a time to get inspired, and apply some elbow grease!

Making a difference

The first of January is a day when you usually end up sleeping in late, blaming it on a late night celebrating the new year. Then you decide to take stock of the situation and make decisions about whether you want spend another day lazing around, or get down to business in tackling the never ending list of things-to-do. I decided to put away the Christmas tree, and the holiday decorations to give a crisp new look to my immediate surroundings.

The year ended with a visit to San Antonio to visit my cousin who just moved into his first home. We heard that they had a new addition to the family, a 4-5 year old dog, a Lab. The dog was so friendly, and clearly very fond of the family that adopted him. He was keen on pleasing us as well, who were only visiting. I was wondering about how my cousin managed to get an older dog, and then I heard the story. The dog was apparently found by a neighbor in the other house my cousin was renting, a week before they closed and moved into their new home. The neighbor had three pets already and was not interested in another one. He did take the dog to the vet to check if there was any way of locating the current owner. There was nothing on the dog that helped. He then told my cousin that with so many puppies were waiting to be adopted, this almost 5 year old dog would likely be put down.

That was when I realized that my cousin was indeed a man who cared, he may be a tough guy with a six pack, driving a truck and motorbike, but inside, it was the heart that ruled. He asked the neighbor to hold the dog for a week, and then took him in when they were done with the move. His wife is a wonderful woman who supported the decision. That dog is now a part of that family and is loved, cared for and protected.

One decision and the conviction to stick to it can make a difference, and I was so proud of this young couple who did it. It reminded me of a similar situation many years ago.

We were a young couple then. A new family moved in next door and they had this big cat, black and white and very friendly. Their daughter actually loved the cat and fed it and took it in in spite of the others. One morning, the cat was crying loudly asking for them to open the door for her. They wouldn't. When I asked them, the girl said that cat was pregnant and was about to deliver and was looking for a place in the house. There was no way the adults were going to let her do that. So she had no choice but to turn a deaf ear.

When we were married, my new husband had said he would have nothing to do with animals in the house, so I was torn about what to do. Having grown up with cats and dogs in the house, it was difficult for me to just watch. My knight in shining armor came through though! He asked me if we had a box and some soft cloth. I got it at once, and then he opened the door and let the cat in. The poor animal was so tired by then, she readily walked in. A few hours later, we had 3 lovely kittens (well, they weren't so lovely then, but they turned out to be the most adorable kittens in a couple of weeks). They were adopted as soon as they were ready, but we got to enjoy them for a couple of months before they took off for their new homes.

The family next door went about as if nothing was amiss, and soon they moved again. The cat followed the girl to the new house and so ended our pet keeping phase.

Ends and Beginnings

I seem to visit the blog and get into the writing spirit only at the end of year, and every year end I promise myself I'll do better in the coming year. I have the same promise to make to myself this year. I hope I keep it. 

I was reading my own blog to remind myself what I was thinking of at the end of the year in the past years and I was pleased with myself.  The plans I make for the new year are not always shelved.
I have started reading a lot more with good friends sending recommendations and finding some good books on my own.
I have done some art work this year. It was very relaxing. The good thing was that I did not end up cluttering my home, I gifted the work to friends and neighbors who have been so wonderful, and I feel blessed to have such people in my life. 
Work with the kiddo continues. New ideas and how to execute them is an ever evolving process. You learn as you go.

Some very dear people in the family left us this year. It is hard to imagine some cities without these people gracing them. Each had some special quality that stood out. They will be missed.

The music scene gets better every year. Quite unexpectedly, you run into some new kind of music and sometimes it proves to be so rewarding. There is no dearth of good music out there, it only needs to be unearthed. At the end of the year, I was introduced to Bengali music by my favorite singer Hemant Kumar and a few other singers. It has been such a gratifying experience. It also means I have to understand the language to really appreciate the nuances of a song. Unfortunately, my husband who speaks the language well, is not too great at poetic interpretations. At the end of one such attempt at translation, he told me I need to enjoy the music without worrying too much about the meaning.

I found it so amusing. The poor guy is really not poetically inclined. However, any issues with the laptop or other electronic gadgets in the house, like the Wifi that simply stopped working one day, and he is in his element. He won't rest until the issue is resolved. Everything was running just fine by the end of the day. I guess I should just count my blessings and learn to adjust and find other sources who will help. There have been amazingly patient friends who have done so in the past.

I find our lives like jigsaw puzzles. Every piece fits in the whole picture with it's own little place. People in our lives are also kind of the same. They all fill a niche which ultimately make us what we are. To be blessed with wonderful family and friends is something I am really thankful for. 

Stray thoughts

It's not that I have forgotten about this little venture I started several years ago, it's just that it doesn't get prioritized on the list of things to do. The year was a busy one, and I am thankful for that. The creative side has seen a lull lately, and nothing better than a visit to people with nimble fingers who can inspire you to seek out your niche. 

My succulent garden took off earlier this year. I hope it survives the poor excuse of a winter we are experiencing. With the temperatures touching 82 degrees this afternoon, one had to reminded that it was still December, and that Christmas was around the corner, not Easter. 

The evening news yesterday reported a light streaking across the sky in the early hours of the morning. People thought it was lightning, others thought UFOs were on the attack. Experts said it was probably a meteorite burning off in the atmosphere, or it was an early arrival of the Geminids. 
http://www.khou.com/news/local/Fireball-houston-dallas-texas-sky-friday-182524251.html
Took me back years when I was in college, and my friends and I were sitting outside in the veranda of our hostel, we saw this bright luminous object in the sky, much larger than a star, or an airplane. It seemed to disintegrate after travelling some distance. I wrote to Dr. Jayant Narlikar asking him about it. Was I overjoyed when I saw a reply from him in the mail (yes, those were the days of snail mail). It was a green inland letter, not the regular blue kind. He wrote saying it was probably a meteorite, or a balloon sent up for research that was at the end of its mission. 
I need to dig into my treasures from the past to look for that letter. 

Trip to the Lakshadweep islands

This morning, seemed like everyone had something to do, except me. So I decided to go on one of my 'feel good' shopping trips. My first stop was a store that is a national chain. In the home decorating section, I saw they had corals on sale. I went to check out if it was the real thing and turned out that it was poly resin! I heaved a sigh of relief!

Looking at those pieces took me back several years when I was a Research Fellow at a national research institute. I was working for my PhD in Marine Biology. The institute had two research vessels at the time and going on a cruise was part of the deal when you joined. Within 6 months of joining, my research guide announced that a cruise was planned for our department and he had signed me up for it. I had heard so much about these cruises! Two of my friends who were Research Fellows were also going. The cruise was going to the Lakshadweep islands, and it was exciting because none of us had seen coral reefs before. I dug out the snorkeling gear that I had at home. My dad would always buy stuff even if he was not sure when/if we would use it. We had a tent at a time when no one went camping, we had a raft when hardly anyone used one on the beach which we would frequent almost every weekend. We also had this snorkeling gear, which I was so thrilled about suddenly. Soon, my bags were packed and I was ready to go!

The month was April, one of the worst months on the 'hot and humid' scale. Nothing dampened our spirits though, and we looked forward to set sail. We were scheduled to leave with the last pilot, and that was at about 5.30 pm. Dinner time was 6 pm. My friends and I stood on the deck, trying to get our ship basics straight, port side, starboard side, etc. The ship headed out of the harbor, and had to make a sharp left to start heading south into the Arabian Sea. We were just fine until then, it did not feel any different from the ferry I used to ride everyday until I was in grad school, and every weekend now that I had a paying fellowship! 

That's when it suddenly turned, and my middle ear went for a toss! I did not know what hit me, it felt horrible. My friend and I crawled back into our cabin which we shared, and headed straight to bed. I could not think of sitting up, let alone eating. It was such a jarring experience! I fell asleep soon after. The next morning, I sat up, felt a little better, and went out on the deck. I began to feel queasy again, and I ran back to the cabin and onto my bunk. I got a dozen messages from people telling me I would feel worse if I did not eat anything, so I should head to the dining room for breakfast. I could not even think about it. My roommate seemed to be better. The Purser came by to the deck where I had perched myself a little later, to give me some lime and ginger concoction which he said would make me feel better. I had it reluctantly, but soon I was feeling great! Lunch was at 12, and I went into the dining room so ravenous I could have eaten a horse. I ate heartily and began to enjoy my voyage.

This ship was an improvised research vessel, it used to be a very large barge and hence was not high as the other German research vessel our institute owned, nor was it as sophisticated. The Biology lab was at the back and one had to pass the kitchen to get there, something that always made me a little nauseous. This setting did not help even later as one of the visiting scientists had a live coral with running seawater on one side, and it smelt awful!

I was looking forward to visiting the islands. After about 3-4 days, we were told that we would anchor at Minicoy, the southernmost island in the group. I got to learn a few things about navigating rules, like you do not turn on deck lights unless you are anchored, and when you do turn on the lights, which in our case was just outside the lagoon, you can see the most amazing water creatures that come by attracted to the light. Biodiversity is at its best in this very productive region. We arrived there at night, so we could not see much of the island.
What a sight it was the next morning! The blue color was something I had never seen before! We had breakfast and got into a small boat that would take us to the island for a day visit. These little boats were such a pleasure to ride in. The boatmen sometimes let us take the wheel and it was an awesome experience!

Soon we were on the Minicoy island, which we were told is very different from the rest of the islands. It used to be part of the Maldives before. The people wore colorful clothes. Some young children followed us as we looked around. I found cowries, little ones, and asked one little girl where more could be found, she said she would get me some more if I took her picture. I feel so bad that those were not the days of unlimited pictures on a digital camera, and there was no way I could have sent her that picture later. Language was a big barrier. I took her picture and she let me have a small pouchful of cowries.

I fell in love with the beaches there, pearly white sands, and crystal clear blue waters! I was waiting to get into the lagoon. We heard tales of how you could walk in some parts of the lagoon, but carefully, because one wrong step in the mouth of an open giant clam, and that would be 'goodbye' foot! We never really found out if that story was true, and none of us cared to be mythbusters! We did spend about an hour (at Minicoy, and several more on other islands) snorkeling and looking at this amazingly colorful life underwater. Those memories are meant to last a lifetime!

In the next few days, we visited the Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Kiltan and Chetlat islands.
The smaller islands were a lot of fun. All there was to see were coconut palms, sand and water! You could ask just about anybody for their bicycle and they would lend it to you. We would ride for a couple of miles to get to the end of the island, or to a point where you could see the sea on either side. It was stunningly beautiful! After the ride, you could ask anyone for 'ela neer' or coconut water, and they would climb up a tree and pluck coconuts and offer them to you! Instant tender coconut water! On one island, a man invited all of us to his home. His wife offered us their staple snack, pieces of coconut and dry pieces of tuna! Such friendly people!
Kavaratti is the capital, and is a big island, more city like than any other island. I am talking about 1989-90. Now everything must have changed. We got rice and chicken curry there and nobody would lend us their bicycles. No small town charm here, it was city life! We even saw an auto rickshaw and an Ambassador car. 

At night, back on the ship, we would all sit on the deck and sing songs. My research guide was very good with the harmonica, and he would play tons of songs on it. There was an ornithologist from the Indian Institute of Science who was working on a chapter in his PhD thesis on the birds of the islands. He played the guitar, and we would all sing anything ranging from 'hai apna dil to awara' (very harmonica based), 'yeh raatein yeh mausam nadi ka kinara' (in the middle of  the Arabian Sea.. Ha..) to Simon and Garfunkel's 'Cecilia'! Those singing evenings were so much fun!

It was a trip of a lifetime for me. I made another trip there the next year. That one helped me publish my very first paper in Botanica Marina, a Canadian Marine Biology journal. It was the first for me as the first author, so that paper has a special place in my heart, and the Lakshadweep islands made it happen, so they are very special too!

The corals in their natural setting are a thing to see, with all those beautiful little creatures nestling among them, co-existing for years. They look lovely where they are, and it is best to let them be that way.

Plans galore!!!

The New Year is here! Another one! I plan to not make resolutions this year, I prefer to call them plans. I hope they materialize.

One goal is to start reading more books. I have been reading them but not as many as I would like to. I plan more trips to the library this year, and hope to find a good book club that recommends some fine books. Alternately, I could download books on the ipad, but I am not sure how that will work for me. As of now, I like the good old print on paper medium. (Notice I have left the option open for me to turn around and say... ooooh... reading books on the ipad is super cool!!!)

I have a great walking buddy, we just need to get the act going once again, now that she is back from her month long vacation. Shedding the unwanted and unsightly pounds is the goal here, in case you missed the obvious!

Getting some good plans in place for the kiddo is a mammoth task and I hope to accomplish more in the area of independence in the self help category. Wish me luck, guys!

To be more organized is another big challenge. I am not bad in this area, but the need to unclutter is the daunting challenge. The new rule should be to throw out two things if you buy one!

Well, that's it for now! Hello 2011...

Another end of the year...

I had promised myself I would write something before the year ended. Its now down to the last two days, and if I have to keep my promise to myself, I have to put something down today. There is no dearth of material. A time to introspect will be right at the present time. How did the year measure up?

I guess it was a mediocre year by some standards and really exceptional if you look at it through another angle. I had the opportunity to plan and execute a plan for the kiddo, which did not always go as I had hoped it would, but the experience taught me a lot, and continues to do so. I am amazed at how well some people can work with special needs kids and how some just cannot!

Regarding the teenager I am dealing with lately, he tries every ploy in the book to get away with doing meaningful stuff and expects that I go with the plan. Too bad I am the mom and have to put my foot down.
Just yesterday, to have a conversation, I asked him what he likes to do in his leisure time, he started listing all his favorite things, listening to the ipod, playing with the boom box, recording voices ( he is so obsessed with that), so I interrupted and asked if he should be reading books sometimes! Pat comes his reply... "Good idea"! I laughed so hard, and he did too. That confirms my theory that autistic kids do have a sense of humor!
Then came the speech therapist to work with him, and he said to her, "I feel ill and need to rest", so she glanced over at me. I coolly said I was taking away the boom box, the ipods and the rest of the paraphernalia so he could rest. He suddenly sat up straight and said he was feeling much better! The therapist could not stop laughing. So yes, I am now learning to be a mom to an autistic teenager.
I was trying to tell him the story of the boy who cried wolf. I realized that such stories are really a waste of time, unless one day it is suddenly going to dawn on him! I have done my bit, now the cosmos has to act in the strange way it always does, and make him see what the story means!

I continue to be amazed at the technological advances Steve Jobs and his men are making. The apple store is definitely a fabulous place to visit while strolling at the mall. May they continue with their successes and more and more people will be compelled to sit at one spot and get addicted to their gadgets. Seriously, their gadgets are really really cool! And seriously, more people need to move it and exercise!

Christmas has come and gone. The final week of the year is here. In retrospect, I realized how much one can miss a person and how the realization of the importance of that person in one's life hits after the person is gone. I often wonder if she ever knew how much she meant to me. This year was mostly about learning to cope without a very loved person being around.

A little break and a trip to the past!

We were on a short vacation last week. One that was needed but I did not realize it till we were actually flying to our destination. It was a vacation planned in a way where we would be out of the hustle bustle of cities and where we could go on small hikes and enjoy the countryside. We managed to do just that. Rental car at our service and stocking up on water and snacks, we would set out each morning, and enjoy the landscape of a new region, so different from what we got to see everyday. The mountains are so beautiful, and though I am a beach person, I do feel the second best thing are the mountains. On a two mile hike on the very first day, we saw this waterfall that had three different heights, they called it the little, the medium and the big falls. The quiet and serene atmosphere was just beautiful!

The fall season is here, and the whole region seemed to have these wonderful colors splashed all over the place. Little streams ran almost around every corner, and the place seems perfect for a movie setting. There are scenic spots all over and special parking areas are made so the roads do not get blocked. On one such stop, we parked our car, and the car beside us was the same color as ours. None of the cars were locked, because all of us were right there. Suddenly we heard laughter that did not seem to stop. An older lady was laughing  hard and she and her husband seemed really embarrassed. They had both gotten into our car to drive away until she noticed the jacket on the seat wasn't hers. The guy got out saying, "Soon I will be getting into other people's homes and pretending it was mine". They quickly got into their own car and drove away. It was hilarious!

This place is famous for bear sightings. Black bears call this area their home.Campsites everywhere had signs that said "Is your camp bear proof?" I wonder how one did that. We did not camp outdoors so I guess I will never find out!

The whole region had cabins that were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. People who lived there who had started a sugar mill, built a church, and this was the early start of civilization here.

This little place used to store corn. There were homes too, like in the next picture.

 It all looks so lovely and quaint now. I can only imagine how it must have been, in harsh winters, and hot summers, with bears and other wildlife around. They probably had their share of headaches back then.
We have come a long way in the past couple of hundred years!