Reality or rainbow ??!!

If only this world was as we perceive it.

No, I am not compalining, but as usual just wondering.

And this is what actuated the gears of my mind.-

"The rejection of certain propositions because they contradict cherished beliefs is more common than we realize. We underestimate the extent to which our desires can influence what we accept to be true. We concieve of ourselves as eminently rational; everything we hold true to be considered the most reasonable position. This is an illusion, however. In our saner moments, we all realize that it takes little or no evidence to convince us of what we dearly want to be true and, while no amount of evidence will covince us what we cannot accept"

Well, the above view is not mine. It has been cut and pasted from something I read. But the pondering is mine, for sure. So, 'truth' or for the matter 'belief' is all relative. Does that mean, reality does not exist? Is this world we live in, all imaginary just beacuse it is all dependent on our perception. But then how can each individual's imagination be just the same. How can we all imagine the world in the same way? So this must be real. Isn't it? May be. I am not sure.

All of us must have seen a rainbow. And if we see it, we will definitely tell someone around us, "look, there is a rainbow". The other person will see it too, hardly realising that he was actually looking at a different rainbow. Scientifically, one rainbow can be seen only from one angle, so if another person is able to see the rainbow, it must be a different rainbow, one visible due to dispersion of sunlight from another water drop, that which is not visible to the first person. However both of them are sure they are looking at the same rainbow. Interesting, isnt it? The problem arises when one of the rainbows cease to exist.

Who knows, may be this 'world' or 'reality' is similar to the rainbow.

Never mind. I was just wondering. If you don't feel like, just forget it!

An Italian Delicacy

Almost 1 month and I remember my first (and hopefully not the last) encounter with Tiramisu.

15th Jan
10:00

Ritu comes and tells me that, she plans to prepare an Italian Cake. The ingredients are ready and she will need a helper. Talk of cakes and I will jump at the mention of it.

14:00

So soon after the lunch I found myself in her room. The requirements placed on her table - eggs, Amul cream, coffee powder, sugar, containers, spoons, forks etc etc, and how can I forget the Italian Biscuits - ladyfingers. Anyways, I am not here to tell you the recipe of Tiramisu.

It so happened that our little adventure was waiting to strike us with small and sweet hurdles which we were absolutely unprepared for. The first happened at the start itself when while breaking the first egg, we messed up the yolk and the albumen instead of separating them. After much struggle, we managed to convince ourselves that they have been separated. The rest two eggs were broken smoothly. The 2 hours that followed were taken up by continuous beating of the eggs. At some moments we were almost close to giving up because of unavailability of electric blender but then we didn't. Finally the mixture was ready but not before making us realise that Amul cream was a bad option for making Tiramisu. We were letdown when we saw the cream fluidising our paste-like mixture. More than that we were unaware that the result of this fluidising will be more devastating in the coming hours. Anyways with a few more manipulation from our side we finally finished the paste-making process.

16:30

The next step was garnishing of the biscuits. So they were carefully placed in a thermocol box and covered with the paste made earlier. But the amount did not suffice, so the second round of paste-making started. The ingredients were bought once more and we started moving our hands yet again. While we were busy with the 2nd round, out first round of hard-work found its way out from the box through the corners and edges. :( We helplessly saw the fluidised paste trickling out of its appropriate place. :(( We were not interested to give up. So with cellotapes and polythenes, the box was mended to our best. Phew!!! 2nd round continues.

19:00

Preparation complete. Cake placed for refrigeration. Thanks to canteen. Well if only that was the end. Our plight continued as electricity decided to paly hide and seek during the entire duration of refrigeration.

23:00

Enter Tiramisu.

Looks delicious, doesn't it?

16th Jan
00:00

Ritu's BDay.
The cake is cut and tasted. We are pretty happy at the response. I of course could have onle one piece. But never mind that. The net result is that we completed the preparation, it turned out to be good enough to be eaten, I learned a new dish and more than that I enjoyed being a part of the whole thing. Thanks Ritu.

But one thing that disheartens me is that I will not be able to make it at home. So any of you going to Italy in near future, do bring me a pack of ladyfingers (tell them about Tiramisu, they will understand) .

[For Ritu's version of story, read this.]

Just remembering

I dont know in which class I was, may be Vth or VIth when this incident took place.

In the backyard of our house, we had a tree. I was told it was a guava tree. It was dry, had no leaves, never did it bear even a single fruit. It did not give shade in the hot summer days, nor was it good enough to be climbed or for the use for a tree house. Basically a useless tree that we seldom noticed. It didnt come close to the house or its fence. So it was neither a treat nor a threat. Except perhaps that it engaged too much of our backyard which could have been used for something else. But I dont think any of us ever gave that a thought. In course of time we grew oblivion of its presence, watching it everyday yet never giving a thought.

One afternoon, however on returning from school, I found the backyard filled with some 2-3 people (later I was told they were from municipality). I stood there and watched them as they chopped off its topmost branches, then the lower ones... and continued till there was nothing except a stump almost at the level of the ground. I dont know how long they took, but I stood there all the while watching them and even after they were gone, I stood there.

I dont remember being sad or even thinking about it ever again. Yet yesterday I found myself narrating the whole event to a friend. Why did this incident which I never thought about came back to me after 10 years.

I wonder how many such events or things are stored safely in my mind. I wonder how many such things to which I am indifferent at present will be rememberd by me in future. Just wondering.