Its not always that people fall in love...and less likely, with enzymes...with molecules...with microscopic contents of the human cells without which being normal would be impossible. Replication of DNA takes place every 3 seconds in the human body....Its taking place....as i breathe, as i blink, as i type this line. It has its own mechanism, machinery, proof reading...everything. It seems so out of the world...when its so deep within every organism...be it an ant or an elephant....The beauty of life...its a feeling of awe, the way our bodies have mechanisms close to perfection, when what we do hardly gets near it.
I've fallen in love...with this simple enzyme called telomerase... for those of you who are not bio students, u can just stop reading. Telomerase...that lengthens telomeres...that pulls the ends of dna strands...the reason people stay young...the reason young people don't usually get cancer...the elixir of eternal cell life. One enzyme, so many consequences. Its a wonder enzyme...One of those things that you cant believe is working right now inside you so that you live to see tomorrow, and the day after... you live to laugh, and be happy. And it works relentlessly, without a break....just like your heart. It works so that you live. If it takes a break, you'll have to take a permanent break....
If you appreciate things like this in life, take care of yourself...your health. Even if one small thing goes wrong somewhere in a tiny cell, you're in for trouble. After all,
"We are always one or two mutations away from a disease"
---Matt Ridley (In 'Genome')
When i read stuff like this in my syllabus (am glad i chose this field), i just feel like kneeling down and saying a silent prayer of thanks to i don't know what.....to God perhaps, for making things with almost no flaws..a system that only asks that you heed to it properly so that it can serve you for life....
Maybe anna univ is not so dumb after all....having molecular biology and statistics in the same semester is great balance.... ;-)
Signing off
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Pondy and more
Its been an unbelievable day. It sort of made me understand why there is so much bliss when you acheive something by breaking a number of rules. Something that is bound to happen in a college like mine...where rules are as abundant as the dalda in our morning pongal (which I assure you is ALL OVER the blobby mass ;-) ).
First, we went for our 2nd IV (industrial visit) this sem...there's usually only 1. Destination - Pondicherry. And when someone says Pondicherry, the first thing that comes to many minds is....any guesses? LOL... ok, cheap booz, actually, its just tax-less. Thats why. As if to define the word coincidence for us, our visit was to a brewery! But i guess that really doesnt matter. Our college rocks. We're not supposed to carry cell phones, or cameras, or mp3 players or anything that'd help us spend sometime enjoyably in the bus....but we students...love breaking rules...(well, some are just show-offs!) So early in the morning, our prof's hand bag had so many 'banned' items... the perfect hiding place ;-). The bus ride, was quite uneventful, and the industry, apart from being a small wonder (moulding bottles, and the HEAT) was similar to previous industries... a few of us walked out after lunch, and there was this gang of girls...huddling infront of the lawn...just one of them was standing a few yards away. It looked odd. We took a few steps ahead to realise she was holding a camera...and clicking away to glory(it is to be noted that apart from the college not allowing cameras, the security guys arned us that cameras are not allowed inside!). We were quickly unshered into the gang...and i ended up displaying my metallic mouth :D. For the first time ever in a college group!! Then...our monkey-ness somehow took over our actions...and we sat on the trees in the place...and got screamed at by security! While the guys sat like innocent monkeys on the platform and just watched...yes, they looked like monkeys.Things were reversed...girls were climbing trees...anyway...
What's Pondy without the ashram...without auroville...without the beach? You may ask...but hell, we didn't visit any of those...Instead....we ended up at a beach resort, owned by a classmate's family. Cool eh? When you're not even supposed to stop by at a temple/restaurant when you go for an IV (nowhere except the industry), we go to a place where turqoise waters pluck eyes out of their sockets...where the sea seems to end in the sky...where the white sands lay still in welcome...where the shore temple stands to the right majestically overlooking the water.... That...was something we didn't expect to experience. Most of the gang went to cool their feet in the blue waters...a few of us stayed behind. Where? There was an abandoned boat in the middle of the beach...on the white sands...we were sitting there, fooling around, singing...great fun (and...we were talking abt the song 'hey goodbye nanba' from Mani ratnam's Ayitha Ezhuthu...those of you who have watched it will rmbr that the song was shot in a beach...and we were singing it...). Best way to end the tiring travel - Onion pakodas, potato and onion bhajjis and hot tea! at the resort...And all for free...! Woo hoo... The 2 profs who acompanied us were quite stunned by their own guts...i guess we're yet to face the consequences! But it felt great...and, we had more fun than we ever expected.
I wouldn't be doing justice to this post if I fail to mention the road to Pondy...East Coast Road (ECR). Breathtaking...even the driver couldn't look at the road! He was confused... whether to look left or right...just like us ;-) Beauty untouched.
When i saw the beach...something came to my mind. Anu, this one's for you (even the colour!) -
"If there is any magic on this planet, it is contained in water"
Signing off....
First, we went for our 2nd IV (industrial visit) this sem...there's usually only 1. Destination - Pondicherry. And when someone says Pondicherry, the first thing that comes to many minds is....any guesses? LOL... ok, cheap booz, actually, its just tax-less. Thats why. As if to define the word coincidence for us, our visit was to a brewery! But i guess that really doesnt matter. Our college rocks. We're not supposed to carry cell phones, or cameras, or mp3 players or anything that'd help us spend sometime enjoyably in the bus....but we students...love breaking rules...(well, some are just show-offs!) So early in the morning, our prof's hand bag had so many 'banned' items... the perfect hiding place ;-). The bus ride, was quite uneventful, and the industry, apart from being a small wonder (moulding bottles, and the HEAT) was similar to previous industries... a few of us walked out after lunch, and there was this gang of girls...huddling infront of the lawn...just one of them was standing a few yards away. It looked odd. We took a few steps ahead to realise she was holding a camera...and clicking away to glory(it is to be noted that apart from the college not allowing cameras, the security guys arned us that cameras are not allowed inside!). We were quickly unshered into the gang...and i ended up displaying my metallic mouth :D. For the first time ever in a college group!! Then...our monkey-ness somehow took over our actions...and we sat on the trees in the place...and got screamed at by security! While the guys sat like innocent monkeys on the platform and just watched...yes, they looked like monkeys.Things were reversed...girls were climbing trees...anyway...
What's Pondy without the ashram...without auroville...without the beach? You may ask...but hell, we didn't visit any of those...Instead....we ended up at a beach resort, owned by a classmate's family. Cool eh? When you're not even supposed to stop by at a temple/restaurant when you go for an IV (nowhere except the industry), we go to a place where turqoise waters pluck eyes out of their sockets...where the sea seems to end in the sky...where the white sands lay still in welcome...where the shore temple stands to the right majestically overlooking the water.... That...was something we didn't expect to experience. Most of the gang went to cool their feet in the blue waters...a few of us stayed behind. Where? There was an abandoned boat in the middle of the beach...on the white sands...we were sitting there, fooling around, singing...great fun (and...we were talking abt the song 'hey goodbye nanba' from Mani ratnam's Ayitha Ezhuthu...those of you who have watched it will rmbr that the song was shot in a beach...and we were singing it...). Best way to end the tiring travel - Onion pakodas, potato and onion bhajjis and hot tea! at the resort...And all for free...! Woo hoo... The 2 profs who acompanied us were quite stunned by their own guts...i guess we're yet to face the consequences! But it felt great...and, we had more fun than we ever expected.
I wouldn't be doing justice to this post if I fail to mention the road to Pondy...East Coast Road (ECR). Breathtaking...even the driver couldn't look at the road! He was confused... whether to look left or right...just like us ;-) Beauty untouched.
When i saw the beach...something came to my mind. Anu, this one's for you (even the colour!) -
"If there is any magic on this planet, it is contained in water"
Signing off....
Monday, February 20, 2006
Givers and Takers
The world is full of givers and takers. Thats one thing thats been on my mind for quite a few weeks...when you, very unconsciously (or even totally intentionally) happen to be around when you're needed...just say a few words, and let someone know that eveyrthing's going ot be just fine....You dont really feel like you've done something. But it'd mean alot to the person....and the words of gratitude that are earned just by your presence...thats something tough to handle. Anyway, this thought became more prominent when a friend brought up the give and take policy when we were having a conversation, (even though it was in a totally different context)...and...something else i read.
A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength.
Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital -the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, onlyheld tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.
"Who was that man?" he asked.
The nurse was startled, "He was your father" she answered.
"No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."
"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"
"I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me. I stayed.
"The next time someone needs you...be there. Stay. You'll be glad you did.
The world is full of givers and takers.The takers may eat better but the giver sleeps better.
Signing off...
A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. "Your son is here," she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength.
Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile. He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital -the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, onlyheld tightly to his son all through the night. Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.
"Who was that man?" he asked.
The nurse was startled, "He was your father" she answered.
"No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."
"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"
"I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me. I stayed.
"The next time someone needs you...be there. Stay. You'll be glad you did.
The world is full of givers and takers.The takers may eat better but the giver sleeps better.
Signing off...
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
A bit like magic...
There are very few things in this world that are worth the adjective 'pure magic'....I've come across many things being described as magic...including love. I only mention that particular word because yesterday, was Valentine's day...people are s'posed to be drowning in love, and the greeting card companies and gift shops, drowning in money...what marketing strategy...aah. The day was 'just another day' for quite some people...and i rank among that list..It may have seemed like nothing significant ever happened...nothing magical...with respect to the day.... But, there was magic. More than usual.
a) Early in the morning, angrily smacking my alarm clock off, and my cell phone alarm too (yes, i use 2 alarms)...i see all the bells dancing in my cell phone screen...rise and shine sleepy head. There was a message....and it said 'Happy Valentine's day, Love you so much, have a nice day.' It was sent at 21.52pm local time...which is around 12.30am in india....It was a msg from my mother....i smiled, and replied...even though i'd be causing her to stir in her sleep in the early hours of the morning....There couldn't have been a better way to start any day. Magic...
b) Reach college, and make fun of the colour of clothes classmates are wearing...have fun, curse the blobby breakfast. And then....there's a guest lecture at 10.00am by a reknown Japanese scientist...on Biostatistics. We complain...the topic couldn't get worse. The scientist walks in. His Laurels are recited...he doesn't stir. An expressionless face. He speaks english with a japanese accent...we could hardly understand, but he had an interpreter. I don't know what it is with great scientists...they're just so humble...they dont need to ask you to respect them, their manner commands it. Even though I didn't understand most of the things he said, it made me realise statistics is indeed important. And when he finished, I was clapping...my mouth half open...wondering how people like him live in the same world that i live in...what humility, what greatness. A heart full of admiration...the feeling...magic.
c) I get back home and do nothing productive, just horsing around...its getting pretty late and my cousin walks into the room saying 'hey, happy valentine's day di, we're in the same house and i didn't wish you'...we shake hands and exchange mokkais...and then he brings out this almost empty box of 'Jangris'...there's an extremely tiny bit left...and he says ' lets celebrate'...he breaks the tiny bit into halves...and gives me one. And he says 'cheers' and we both squash our pieces together...allowing some sugar syrup to ooze out...and then eat it at the same time....and laugh like hell..what a drunken act...the moment...magic.
d) Its past 11...and all the lights in the house are switched off...the moon's rays are touching the balcony floor...touching the tip of my toe...as i sit on the floor...there's music in the background...a voice so mesmorising...lyrics overflowing with meaning...like the song itself is a painting...a beautiful composition...The song's first few lines....
Nila Kaigirathu, Neram thegirathu, Yaarum rasikavilaye
Inda Kangal Mattum unnai kaanum.
Thendral pogindrathu, Solai sirikindrathu, Yaarum suhikavilaye
Inda Kaigal mattum unnai theendum...
Katru veesum, veyil kaayum kaayum, adhil maatram yedhum illaye
Vaanum mannum, nammai vazha sollum, andha vaazhthu oyavilai
Yendrendrum vaanil...
The lyrics - magic, Hariharan's voice - magic, Rahman's music - magic.
I guess magic, afterall, is not limitted to Harry Potter.... Its everywhere. In the air you breathe...In the sound of your voice... In your smile... In your off-note singing... in your heart-beat....
Signing off...
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Ramayana Murdered
A young second generation Indian in the US was asked by his mother to explain the significance of "Diwali" to his younger brother, this is how he went about it...
"So, like this dude had, like, a big cool kingdom and people liked him.But, like, his step-mom or something, was kind of a bitch, and sheforced her husband to, like, send this cool-dude, he was Ram, to somenational forest or something... Since he was going, for like, somethinglike more than 10 years or so.. he decided to get his wife and his broalong...you know...so that they could all chill out together. But Dude,the forest was reeeeal scary shit... really man... they had monkeys anddevils and shit like that. But this dude, Ram, kicked with darts andbows and arrows...
So it was fine. But then some bad gangsta boys, some jerk called Ravan,picks up his babe (Sita) and lures her away to his hood. And boy, wasour man, and also hi! s bro, Laxman, pissed..... all the gods were withhim... So anyways, you don't mess with gods. So, Ram, and his bro get anarmy of monkeys...Dude, don't ask me how they trained the damnmonkeys... just go along with me, ok...
So, Ram, Lax and their monkeys whip this gangsta's ass in his own hood.Anyways, by this time, their time's up in the forest..and anyways...itgets kinda boring,you know... no TV or malls or shit like that. So, theydecided to hitch a ride back home... and when the people realize thatour dude, his bro and the wife are back home... they thought, well, youknow, at least they deserve something nice... and they didn't have anybars or clubs in those days... so they couldn't take them out for adrink, so they, like, decided to smoke and shit...and since they alsohad some lamps, they lit the lamps also...
So it was pretty cooool... you know with all those fireworks... Really,they even had some local band play along with the fireworks... and ! youknow, what, dude, that was the very first, no kidding.., that was thevery first music-synchronized fireworks... you know, like the 4th ofJuly stuff, but just, more cooler and stuff, you know. And, sodude, that was how, like, this festival started."
I found that funny, and...i really din know wat to post...so...thanx for your time :)
Signing off...
"So, like this dude had, like, a big cool kingdom and people liked him.But, like, his step-mom or something, was kind of a bitch, and sheforced her husband to, like, send this cool-dude, he was Ram, to somenational forest or something... Since he was going, for like, somethinglike more than 10 years or so.. he decided to get his wife and his broalong...you know...so that they could all chill out together. But Dude,the forest was reeeeal scary shit... really man... they had monkeys anddevils and shit like that. But this dude, Ram, kicked with darts andbows and arrows...
So it was fine. But then some bad gangsta boys, some jerk called Ravan,picks up his babe (Sita) and lures her away to his hood. And boy, wasour man, and also hi! s bro, Laxman, pissed..... all the gods were withhim... So anyways, you don't mess with gods. So, Ram, and his bro get anarmy of monkeys...Dude, don't ask me how they trained the damnmonkeys... just go along with me, ok...
So, Ram, Lax and their monkeys whip this gangsta's ass in his own hood.Anyways, by this time, their time's up in the forest..and anyways...itgets kinda boring,you know... no TV or malls or shit like that. So, theydecided to hitch a ride back home... and when the people realize thatour dude, his bro and the wife are back home... they thought, well, youknow, at least they deserve something nice... and they didn't have anybars or clubs in those days... so they couldn't take them out for adrink, so they, like, decided to smoke and shit...and since they alsohad some lamps, they lit the lamps also...
So it was pretty cooool... you know with all those fireworks... Really,they even had some local band play along with the fireworks... and ! youknow, what, dude, that was the very first, no kidding.., that was thevery first music-synchronized fireworks... you know, like the 4th ofJuly stuff, but just, more cooler and stuff, you know. And, sodude, that was how, like, this festival started."
I found that funny, and...i really din know wat to post...so...thanx for your time :)
Signing off...
Sunday, February 05, 2006
We live every moment
I know it's hard to keep an open heart, When even friends seem out to harm you.
But if you could heal a brokent heart, would't time be out to charm you?
-Guns n Roses (novemebr rain)
A sunset with all its brilliance and character...
The yawnful wake of the first flowers in spring...
The death of the last stars at dawn...
The fall of a crumpled leaf from a tree, on temporary vacation...
The first painful cry of the new-born...with more painful trials ahead...
A newly formed wrinkle at the corner of the eye...
The first strand of silver in a usually black mass, apparently indicating wisdom...
The yellow-ness of a fading photograph...with an unfading smile...
All coiling into a single point...a single word...TIME.
Time...with which need arises and dies...
Which gives...and takes away...
Which asks...and later answers...
Which turns bright blue skies into dreadful storms...
Which is the master...seldom the servant...
Which is forever the easiest to blame...and accepts fault gracefully...or so it would seem.
Time...that makes us live in lies...
Time...that shows us the true face of fact...
Time...that shows the true colour of people...the flaws and the goodness...the beauty and the other side...
That makes the best teachers...
That guides a lost mind...stranded, faceless...
That turns a glance into a bond...a bond into life...life into death...and beyond.
That turns one's words into another's thoughts...
That makes great men immortal...great events last forever...and great words live well past their utterance.
Time that leads in the element called mystery...doubt...speculation.
Time...that heals wounds...that run in the soul. That cannot be seen...but...is incapable of removing the scar...pity.
Time - The creator, The destroyer...
The pain, the comfort...
The good, the bad...
The bottomless enigma...
The question, The answer...
The answer...time.
Signing off...
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