The Oracle, Hydrocarbons, and Athens

As the myth goes.....

The Oracle of Delphi, in ancient Greece, was the go-to place for all guidance and prophecies.

The temple of Apollo

Delphi

                           Pythia, The Oracle    (pc:Wikipedia)

The Oracle

Now picture this..

Pythia, the high priestess of the temple of Apollo at Delphi, who served as The Oracle, is seated  on a gilded tripod in the inner chambers of the temple.

There is a long queue in front of her, kings and soldiers and businessmen with expensive gifts waiting to ask her about their future.

She is in a trance after inhaling a "certain gas" coming out from the ground.

At this point, she is connected to the divine - hence she knows all the answers.

The Oracle was very wise. Her answers were never wrong.

A king came to ask for her advice. He had a goat and a diamond necklace as an offering.

He asked: "O great Oracle, will I win the war?"

She answered:  "The river should not be crossed."

He asked:  "Which one?"

She said:  " the one with the boats , the fish and the water.."

The corporate guy was next. He brought iPhone 33 for her.

He: 'O great Oracle, will there be another re-org this year?"

She answered: "Keep the cost down"

He:  "ok, but my question is...."

She: "Keep the cost down"

 ....looks like vague (interpret anyway you like) answers have always made a successful career.

😀😆

The Hydrocarbons...

Scientists and historians believe that the 'gas' she inhaled was a natural hydrocarbon, like Ethylene. This theory gained prominence after geological surveys detected these gases around the site.  However, it is still a debated theory.

As the guide told us all these beautiful stories, it triggered some thoughts in my mind - especially the hydrocarbons bit.

I spent a large part of my professional life (still am) exploring smart ways of extracting hydrocarbons from the ground. Seismic imaging, drilling, flow monitoring, simulating, .....name it! 

Why did it never occur to me that taking a quick 'sniff' might give me some Oracle-ish powers? 

I took a deep breath and told myself, all is not lost.  

I may still have time (before the next re-org happens) to explore other uses of hydrocarbons.

😀😆

[extra information, maybe irrelevant but still...]: 

Wikipedia says, in the old days, Pythia was a young girl, but after she was once kidnapped and violated, a woman older than fifty years old was chosen to be the Oracle.

All set, ask me a question........

Athens

What a gorgeous city!! What wonderful stories!!

The weather, the people, the history, the food, the wine .....and so much more.

Greek architecture is a celebration of art, finesse and resilience. I stood in front of the Acropolis in awe, overwhelmed by its gigantic structure, its fine architecture and its mesmerizing stories.

It was so humbling....

Acropolis

Greek cuisine is a celebration of the Mediterranean spirit- simple, fresh and colourful.

Each ingredient has a character of its own which is allowed to bloom and shine on the plate.

Olives are the queen of the region, adding their subtle flavour to fish, lamb or vegetables.

Partnered with out-of-the-world cheese, a drizzle of Mediterranean lemon and a splash of olive oil - each dish is a delicacy.

Food in Greece is not just something to eat - it is served with elegance, conversation and creates a connection.

Efcharisto! - Thank You.

If you get a chance, do visit Athens.

ps: I will write about the handsome Greek Gods some other day.  Beautiful stories....

Cheers to Pitamah Bhisma and Chikni Chameli

Pitamah Bhisma!

I closed my eyes, trying to picture how I look, while my acupuncturist pierced the 26th needle into me.
She dimmed the lights, asked me to relax, and left the room. 

I was supposed to relax and let the needles do their work for 40 minutes.

He came to my mind, for obvious reasons. 

It is not that I have Mahabharata characters visiting me every day. 

But 26 needles jutting out from my body is also not an everyday selfie...

😀

He sat down beside me and asked, "Is it painful?"

I took a moment to let my mind wander through the needles and feel them one by one.

"No, it is not. It just feels a bit weird. Not the needles, but the back pain."

He smiled and said, "Welcome to MY age group!!"

ooh! THAT hurt more than the needles!

My eyes opened wide, and I threw him out of my mind!

NOTHING to do with AGE Mr. B - it is JUST a chronic lower back pain which I have accumulated through the years, royally ignored it, taken no action to rectify my posture, pretended that it did not exist, prioritized everything else over it, no focused exercise, and a few more such bladi bladi bla.....

😊

I have to admit that this time the pain triggered some alarms- hence the journey from the physiotherapist to the Acupuncturist and the courage to register for a Pilates lesson...

This blog post has a very focused message.

Whoever is reading this - please focus on the main message. 

(Do not get distracted by Pitamah Bhisma or Chikni Chameli)

"HEALTH FIRST (both physical and mental), DO NOT NEGLECT"

💪😀

The next part of the post is a secret; keep it between us. 
It should not reach my Physiotherapist or Acupuncturist!

A few months back, I was in Mumbai for a University get-together.  

These events are like a time machine - we were all teleported back to our BHU days.

Non-stop fun and laughter. Not a care in the world. 

(maybe some knee-pain, back pain stories were shared too.....)

During one such evening, when we were in a dance mood with full-on Bollywood music, one of my besties commented,

"Nyah, chikni Chameli parbina, too fast" 

[No, you cannot dance to chikni Chameli, it is too fast]

I took it very personally, and so did all of us!! The challenge was accepted!!

😀

That evening, a room full of 50-plussers danced like there was no tomorrow, each of them a chikni Chameli, and there was nothing in this world called 'lower back pain'.

Fun is a must. There is indeed no tomorrow.

All we have is today.

Cheers to TODAY!!

.... but to live today, we need our health, in prime condition (as much as possible, taking into account the wear and tear of the years, we cannot ignore those either)

My Today was a bit 'prickly',  but I want to be able to repeat the Mumbai performance anytime.

Challenge me!! Bring it on chikni Chameli!

😀

The message does not change my friends.

"HEALTH FIRST (both physical and mental), DO NOT NEGLECT"

💪😀

p.s1: Pitamah Bhisma and chikni Chameli in the same post, all in good humour, no offense to any of them

:-)

p.s2: Those of you curious about chikni Chameli, here is the link.

Give it a dance (I mean, glance).

:-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcQpqWhTBCE&list=RDQcQpqWhTBCE&start_radio=1

The journey : Milestones and Upgrades

A milestone!
A-junior graduated from college. 

Yippeeeee......and I am the proud mother of a graduate son.

💃

(He said that I am more excited than he is - to which I gave a smart-and-cool-mom reply. "You will not understand now,  you need to become a parent first". 

I could almost hear my mom saying, 'Ma hole bujhbe' 😀)

These milestones are reflection points of this journey called Life. They allow us to stop, look back, and most importantly, appreciate the journey we have covered. 

As a mother, I feel proud. I am also extremely grateful that we had love and friendship around us in this journey. 

For his forward journey, I wish him 'success' that is shaped by curiosity, compassion and humility....

An upgrade!!

Have you ever experienced the thrill of getting an upgrade?

Not software packages or gym memberships ...

...but the REAL stuff! 

A flight upgrade!😀

Life throws curveballs, mostly. 

But once in a while, it gives some upgrades as well. 

(statement loaded with philosophy, read twice. You may need a glass of Italian read wine with it...)

Two of my upgrade experiences are very memorable.

I was returning from India with A-junior. He was 12. While waiting for our flight from Dubai to Amsterdam, the Emirates staff member called my name and asked me to report to the counter. She smiled, took the boarding pass, and informed me that we have been upgraded to Business class. 

I was thrilled. 

(uff what a feeling - as she literally ripped our economy class boarding cards and threw them in the bin)

I kept my emotions in control, walked up to A-junior with a straight face and handed him his new boarding pass. He took it from me, looked at it, took a few seconds to register the information, and said "MOM, BUSINESS CLASS!!!" 

I am sure he meant to whisper, but the trying-to-supress-excitement-voice ended up quite a few decibels higher, informing half of Dubai airport about our upgrade.

From then on, it was pure bliss. 

The little boy freaked out while the mom pretended to be more reserved in her excitement. As an added bonus, we found that Sourav Ganguly (the famous Indian cricket captain) was seated two rows behind us. 

A-junior was overjoyed. He went up to him and politely asked if he could take a photo.

The mom pretended to be cool about this fact, but later during the flight went for that selfie too. :-)

After a very comfortable journey, as we waited for our luggage to arrive on the conveyor, my super-thrilled boy looked at me and said very seriously,

"Mom, decided! From next time, only business class!"

Recently, I was travelling for work.

She looked up from her computer as I gave her my passport.

"Ms Roy, you have been upgraded to First Class!"

I am sure my eyes shone exactly like those of the 12-year-old A-junior years back.

What? First class? Emirates A380 ? Are you kidding me?

 I felt really excited. My looks must have given it away. A lovely lady with a beautiful smile escorted me to my seat.  The space was as big as one of the office cubicles. Of course, more fancy with a table lamp, a flower vase with an orchid, a mirror, a notebook, and box of nuts with Thai spice, a box of chocolates from Cuba, .....

Too much. 

I sat down, took a deep breath, took out my phone, and shamelessly took photos.
The lady came back and asked, Would you like to get your pyjamas and slippers now?
Still in my dazed state, I said, "No".
She came back in a few minutes and asked, "Would you want to take a shower?"
I took a few seconds before replying, "No"
Then she came back asking for drinks.
The options were Pineapple infused mandarin juice OR Pistachio flavoured cranberry cool OR Guava and Rosemary punch? 

How on earth can one make a choice?

Food was delicious. There was the proper tablemat, the fancy cutlery, the super cute salt and pepper, the tiny olive oil, the bread basket...I can go on and on and on....

Caviar - Presented with a traditional selection of finely chopped chives, grated egg, sour cream and lemon, served with melba toast and blinis??

 Kofta sweet and sour - Fried tapioca-soy dumplings in a tangy sauce, served with steamed rice, pak choi and lotus root??

In my excitement, I could not sleep. 
😳

The journey!!

Milestones are beautiful. Upgrades are fun. 

Staying grounded amidst all this is very important. 

Enjoy every bit of the journey............

😀

Sunday Cuppa - Lifetime in a minute

Do you remember the unforgettable scene from the movie "Scent of a Woman"?

 ...the one where Al Pacino invites a young woman to Tango with him?

She is waiting for her fiancé....hesitant....and says,  "I am expecting somebody...any minute now.."

He says,  "Any minute? Some people live a lifetime in a minute.

What are you doing right now?"

😍

What a powerful dialogue! - It took me a lifetime to start appreciating it.

(Beware, nothing to do with my grey hair and the decades spent on this planet)

😀

"Right now" is the moment of our lives. 

It is up to us to decide what we want to do with our 'right now' moment.

image credit:interest

Sunday morning.

I have a cup of tea in my hands. 

From one of the best tea gardens in India.

Warm, fragrant, a gift from a special friend.

I took a sip. 

I have to bring up the topic of 'innovation strategy' in tomorrow's team meeting.

I need to take the clothes out of the washing machine.

sip

Need to call Ma this evening and tell her about the new music.

The script needs to be drafted for the upcoming program, I have some nice ideas.

sip

Oh, I forgot to call my dentist yesterday.

What shall I cook for dinner today?

sip

My right now got hijacked totally.

By Innovation strategy, the washing machine, the dentist....and the rest.

I needed to consciously bring it back. 

(Recently finished a coaching module where we learned and practiced this skill ) 

So I went and made myself another cuppa and enjoyed the warmth, the fragrance, the love that came with it...by just being present in the moment, right now.

10 mins of being in the moment with my tea - delicious!

..and then the Universe did something spectacular.

It woke A-junior up at 11:00 AM -  Mind you.... on a Sunday!!

... and then the Universe went one step further.

It whispered something in his ears.

"Make waffles for brunch...."

"Ma, tumi khabe ?" (Mom, you want one?)

Usually I say no to waffles - too heavy, too sweet, and he makes it with some protein stuff that apparently gym-people eat.

(I have no interest in the gym, as you all know by now)

But, this time I said 'yes'!!

It was my right now moment.

A beautiful and tasty waffle was served - my Gift of Life.

I repeat,

"Right now" is the moment of our lives. 

It is up to us to decide what we want to do with our 'right now' moment.

😍

ps: "Scent of a Woman"- Tango moment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p64QC00mqGs

Btw, Nothing to do with age.......

Until yesterday, I had not paid much attention to them.

They were there, doing the job they were supposed to do. 

No special appreciation or extra care - they kept me standing.....

My Knees.

Yesterday, my left knee was very painful. 

I sat on the couch trying to figure out the root cause.

The walk? work? the boots?

The walk to work in the boots?

The stairs? weather? lunch?

Or is it just because .......? 

Hmmmmm....

(Btw, I believe it has "nothing to do with age")

😀

Having said that, the other side of 50 has its realizations as well.....

1. Age is no longer 'just a number'.

It is actually a mix of many numbers.

130/95, 220, 4.6, 11, 18.5........ and don't even get me started on their units!

(they can be as complicated as millimole per liter!!)

Keeping track of all these numbers is becoming absolutely necessary- a fact.

😀

2. The decades bring cynicism (ahem! Some people call it wisdom). 

In most cases, one cannot avoid it.  Package deal. 

Perceptions change, our reactions change !

Arre yaar, 50 years is no joke!

People (above 50) worldwide reading this post, please raise your hand and give me that high five I deserve after making such a profound statement.

😀

3. We discuss meditation, yoga, pension plans, intermittent fasting, and the benefits of chia seeds in the same conversation. 

We offer examples like 

..' when my cousin's mother-in-law had that, she used to......' 

or suggestions like 

..'have you tried soaking turmeric with ginger and honey and..'

or advice like

..'have chia seeds- cholesterol will be taken care of.'

Experience of five decades plus add Mr.Google to that! 

Feels like there is nothing unknown anymore.

😀

All these realizations aside, let us also feel proud about the milestone....

Celebrate!!

Raise the bat, thank your supporters, smile at your fans, wink at the cheerleaders, be grateful for your team, ..and pat yourself on the back ...

Keep running.....

😀

....and what is now very important is...

Take good care of all the nuts and bolts that keep you together.

....Like the knees.

Yes, food habits need to change too. What a bummer for a foodie like me!  

I can talk food, I can walk food, I can think food 24/7 ......

(Remember Amitabh Bachchan's I can talk English,  I can walk English,...?)  

The good news is that going forward, it is not all gloom and doom and keto diet ...

An Apple a day can also keep the doctor away 😀

I tried baking a healthy Apple cake, which turned out to be almost as tasty as its unhealthy counterpart.

I replaced flour with semolina, sugar with jaggery and butter with olive oil.

And added an Apple to that...

Have a slice, promise that you will take care of your knees and continue celebrating life.

 

Listen (to your heart) and Biryani will happen

Listen.

Listen.

Listen.

Consciously listen. 

Not just 'hear', but 'listen'.

(This is not a post about developing listening skills - which many experts have already written about)

😀

If you are the parent of a teenager, you would know what 'not listening' means. 

Actually, leave the poor teenagers alone. We have all 'been there, done that'. 

Parents talk... children use the ear-to-ear tunnel to let the words pass by without stimulating any of the brain cells that are responsible for listening. 

So a series of wise words enter their system, gets converted to bla-bla and leave the system without any impact, whatsoever. 

The bed does not get made, the empty cola can stays on the floor, the books remain scattered, the reading table is a mess, the clothes do not reach the washing machine on time and so on  - you know what I mean.

- a classic, well-understood, generation-independent example of "not listening".

Well, we adults also do not listen much.

We talk.

...and because we have been around on this planet for a few decades, we think we know it all.

So we talk.

All we need is to 'hear' a few words...

That's it. Off we go.....

We talk. 

😀

Example of a conversation that I just observed, a few weeks back.

A: I am trying to sell my house but....

B: Good decision and good timing. I sold mine last year, and I could get a decent price.

C: Actually these days, it is best not to have property in your name. Too many hassles - best to have the money in the bank.

D: Which bank would you recommend?

B: Well... all of them are frauds, only working for personal benefit.

C: I have this personal accountant who is very good, helped me last time.....when I was trying to make some investments.

'A' became silent and we happily moved on to the topic of investments or something else....

We are all so keen to tell OUR OWN stories, that we do not LISTEN much. 

I have decided to 'listen' more this year - consciously.

Conscious listening is a beautiful experience. 

The more I practice, the better it gets.

Amen.😀

Ok, now returning to the topic of food (did I ever move away from it? :-))...

I ended 2024 by making Lamb Biryani.

For the first time.

I thought I had outsourced the responsibility for life, but life had other plans.

Years back, Nanda Boudi had introduced me to the best Biryani and A-senior made me fall in love with it by repeatedly recreating her recipe. 

Original Biryani post with recipe here.

I have been pondering over the idea of making it 'some day' - was just not happening.

I had the perfect rice but lacked confidence.

I had all the spices but did not dare to face the emotions.

I had the recipe but the memories blurred my vision every time.

...31st December 2024, I decided to cook it.

Gambatte kudasai!!!! 😀

I bought the meat.

I took out the handwritten recipe.

I prepared the spices.

 ..But I still hesitated.

Finally A-junior gave me the right push ...

"Ma ekdin jokhon banabei, why not TODAY?" 

(If you have decided to make it someday, why not today?)

So I listened to my heart (pun intended) and made Lamb Biryani.

I could make it - a blessing.

The taste was good, A-junior and friends confirmed - a blessing.

We had friends around us to eat it with - a blessing.

This is a tribute to Nanda boudi and A-senior for the biryani they cooked for us and all the good time we had eating together.💕💕

I hope A-junior carries on this legacy recipe in his kitchen!!

'When people we love leave this world, they don’t leave us empty—they leave us full. Full of memories, full of lessons, full of love. And that love, even in their absence, has the power to sustain us, to heal us, and to remind us that they are never truly gone. They live on in us, in every step we take and every breath we draw.'

Life is beautiful- listen to your heart and Biryani will happen.