By
Talking To My Soul
at
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Someone with a wise head once said: The best laid plans of men and mice always go awry. Mine just did. You are free to choose what fits me. And, you know the options.
Since I had a three-day break from work, two days owing to Dussehra and my day-off clubbed to it, I wanted a getaway. I knew exactly where to go. Into the wild. Track the tigers in a national park spread over some 1100 sq km. Guess what? I had everything ready, everything going for me. But what I did not realize was my options as a species were limited: Men and mice. Besides, I am from the journo breed.
So here I am now. With my plans up in smoke, I am back home. Tell you what? I am trying to cook up something, creating smoke. Literally. I have hit the kitchen because I always loved cooking. Mind you, cooking can be a great stress-buster. In fact, another Indian called Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar too shares the same passion.
This is not to say what kind of a cook I am (I am a pretty decent one though) but I have understood over the years (I am into this since I was 12 or 13) that the greatest pleasure that cooking gives you is the feeling of treating someone to food. If the person you are treating to is hungry, you earn some heavenly brownie points, I can assure you this. Even if she/he is not, it still is as good as it gets.
Trust me, to be able to feed someone is almost divine. And that sets women apart from men. For, they are the ones who keep us alive. I believe that’s the reason a man can never be a mother – I am not inclined to get into biology side of it – because the latter is always feeding us all, throughout our lives despite all the work burden. Men just cannot do that. They may make the best chefs but…..
Why I am saying all this? Hey, I am enjoying this streak of womanhood, damn it.
(Not a footnote; a headnote actually: The credit for the title goes to Trevor Penn)
23 comments:
People have described the art of cooking, yes it is an art, in so many different ways. But very few I think have given it such deep thought and written about it so philosophically. I have visited the blog for the first time, and it has been very disturbing to read the posts. Disturbing because they are very dark indeed and there is a strong feeling of hopelessness. I don't know the cause of the hurt, but I feel there is a very deep wound that has still not healed. What happened?
People have described the art of cooking, yes it is an art, in so many different ways. But very few I think have given it such deep thought and written about it so philosophically. I have visited the blog for the first time, and it has been very disturbing to read the posts. Disturbing because they are very dark indeed and there is a strong feeling of hopelessness. I don't know the cause of the hurt, but I feel there is a very deep wound that has still not healed. What happened?
--> soni
welcome soni. great to see you here. thanks for dropping in.
you are right when you say there is a strong sense of hopelessness in the posts. may be i have lost something; may be i am looking for something. sometimes, i have no clue. but search i will. till the very end. i want to make this journey.
do stop over when you have time. i value your comments like i value your friendship.
*smilez*
To be able to feed someone is almost divine.
Profound Siba.
Some people like to paint, or to write, or build structures. But there are other people who get tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or carving, or writing.
Somebody had rightly said: ''Cooking is one of the oldest arts and one which has rendered us the most important service in civic life."
On Women, they have a natural instinct to nurture and that's why, despite all hassles, they cook and keep food ready for their family.
On ur cooking skills,
U claim to be a decent cook(ur being modest)
A FABULOUS COOK U R. Trust me on this, am not lying.
Happy Puja.
--> Di Sa
hey, thanks, man.
every word of yours is correct.
only that you are being a little generous about my cooking skills.
Happy Dussehra.
*cheers*
haha sweet and 'feminine' post ;-)
**If the person you are treating to is hungry, you earn some heavenly brownie points, I can assure you this.
That is sooo true! I hv realised that too..altho Im not such a great cook as mum is, whenever I cook for my family or friends who r dying to eat :), I get so much joy out of cooking for em hehe...
So wut dija cook up? Hope its not a storm ;-)
Keshi.
-->keshi
thanks, kesh. i guess, all moms are great cooks. probably the best. and their culinary skill has little to do with it, i guess. they are great because they are mothers.
as far as i'm concerned, don't want to cook up a storm in my small kitchen. for there are far too many inside me. i need to rein them in, first.
*smilez*
Hey. My first time here. I've only read a couple of your posts but what i've read has already struck a chord.
I've been wanting to go shoot some wild felines, myself. Shoot with something that goes click and not bang. :-) If it's any consolation to you, i'm here working on a public holiday. Don't be too hard on yourself or the circumstances. Have fun concocting and relishing your dish of choice. :-)
-->trevor
heyy, thanks a ton, mate. both for empathising and visiting the space.
and yes, am doing both - concocting and relishing the dishes.
when i myself shoot the felines (i plan to do that very soon), i will let you know. you do that too. i'll be very glad.
keep dropping in.
*cheers*
Been my pleasure.
Where're you headed to? Corbett? Kaziranga? Ranthambore?
I know this comes unsolicited but i was thinking that "From feline to feminine" makes a better title. :)
-->trevor
heyy mate, that was awesome. i will change the title ASAP. thanks for the suggestion which you described "unsolicited."
don't you think, in life, the most pleasant things come without prior notice. like a gush of fresh breeze. thanks a ton.
planning to head for Similipal. it is yet to be explored by me. what about you? when are you shooting (click) the felines?
*cheers*
I don't know yet. My schedule is jam packed to the end of the year. Next year i'm planning one of two road trips. From Kanyakumari to Delhi or a drive to Leh.
I also want to check out one of the nesting grounds of the Olive Ridleys in Orissa.
The plan is in place, so is the intention. Yet, it seldom does pan out.
**for there are far too many inside me. i need to rein them in, first
*HUGZ*
Keshi.
-->trevor
great, Trevor. that's a great idea, i bet. do let me know when your plans are ready and you are ready to roll. i might be of some use if you want to
track the Ridleys and their nests.
don't they say it all starts with the intention. and you have it. you are on, mate.
*cheers*
-->keshi
good to see ya once again, lady. stay fine.
*smilez*
Funny you'd say that. I am a great cook but I like other people's cooking more. I like the idea that they cooked for me.
-->Agnes
Ah! You're a great cook yourself, right? Ask all those who have had the privilege of being treated by you? You will have the answer.
*cheers*
what a post....i never knew journos could cook...what with all the living out of the suitcase....anyways...good one...reminds u how grateful u should be to all the women in your life...!!
-->sanjeev
heyyy, thanks, man.
you are bang on target when you say (and i quote): reminds u how grateful u should be to all the women in your life...!!
sad, sometimes, we are not. we take them for granted.
keep dropping in.
*cheers*
Well, you know, the best things in my life came off of unplanned events or the best laid plans gone amiss... you never know ;-)
-->Agnes
You are right, Agnes. I too never plan life. As and when I do, it goes AWRY. But that's not why I don't plan. I am a drifter. Life is in the flow, I guess.
Thank you so very much for visiting again.
I mean it's quite all right to have a game plan but I guess being flexible about it is even better -- don't you think?
-->Agnes
Spot on you are, Agnes. A little bit of planning, like a friend says, can save one from chaos. Else, the rest can be pretty much open-ended. That's where excitement is.
Thanks.
*cheers*
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