Antara Echoes

Of all the trips a person takes in his lifetime, very few can have such an impact on one's life than being transported to a mental asylum. Especially when one is completely sane. There you sit at the traffic, watching people all around going to office, mall, school or whereever it is people keep travelling to & fro while another whole realm of reality awaits you, a few miles away. "That's exactly what I want him to go through!" thought aloud Supriya, as she beat the eggs in a one-quart casserole. "What?" asked Narain, looking up from his morning newspaper. "You seem to be murmuring quite often these days Supree. Whatever is the matter with you?" "Oh nothing, here comes your breakfast" said Supriya hastily tossing the omlette alongside the waiting toast. She quickly added the bowl of fruit sitting ready on the tray and placed them in front of her husband.Giving a quick apologetic smile she walked towards the refrigerator to get out his...

Dining etiquette quotient? huh, Now what's dat? The world has sure shrunk and cross cultural awareness has reached the dining table. So lets go beyond the cut-chew-swallow basics and look at some dining ettiquettes around the world, shall we? Dining Etiquette in Germany - It is good etiquette to remain standing until shown where to sit. - Table manners are continental - fork in left hand and knife in right. - Do not begin eating until the host signals to do so. It is bad etiquette to rest elbows on the table. - Try and cut food with the fork as it compliments the cook by showing it is tender. - Everything should be eaten on the plate. - Indicate you have finished by lying the fork and knife parallel across the right hand side of the plate. Dining Etiquette in Japan: - The guest of honour sits at the centre of the table furthest from the door and begins first. - Learn to eat with chopsticks [no pointing with them, dont pierce food with them] place them on the chopstick rest when tak...

My first post in november comes late by a week. So wats magical about November to award it a complete post by itself? Well if you ask me, nothing special at all. Just thought I'll start my first post-for-the-month by listing a few unusual "days" for the month. But a little research tells you that we are going to practically be celebrating most of the days in November. Yippee! So we have : - Hug a Bear day! on Nov 7th - Pickle Appreciation day - Leftovers Day (followed but-obviously by..) - Throw leftovers Day - Forget-me-not Day comes on the Nov 10th - Childrens day in India is celebrated on the 14th of Nov - America Recyles Day falls on November 15th - World Hello Day - Pencil Day - Toothpast day - Saturday November 25th 2006 is "Buy Nothing Day" ..whew!, and so the list goes on. Oh! ofcourse, there are also the - Thanksgiving & Guy Fawkes days & Guru Nanak's Birthday. So its going to be a busy month ahead. Wishing you all in advance a "Happy ...