Simi K. Rao's Blog

I know you will say that you don’t have anytime for yourself. Life doesn’t give you time. What with work, family, friends, social media, etc, etc. Yes, maybe you will take a week off to go somewhere someday but now you have to rush, and if you get a minute you will browse posts on social media and cycle through conflicting emotions and live life vicariously even when you know that is unhealthy.

Be kind to yourself and break the chain before it pulls you down. Taking a break can be as simple as going for a walk for half an hour everyday; taking up a hobby such as painting or drawing; read a book; improve your knowledge on various subjects; learn a new language; call and talk to someone.

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It certainly is The Garden of the Gods. Located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, about 70 miles south of Denver, this natural park features majestic ancient sedimentary rock formations that once were at the bottom of the sea. Starting in the Pleistocene Ice Age, this area is the result of millions of years of glaciation and erosion. There are many unique formations to see such as ‘balanced rock’, ‘Siamese Twins’ to name a few and many trails to hike and guess what, access is free! What more can one ask for? So, if you happen to be in the Denver area, be sure to pay a visit.

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A museum is not just about the art.

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When in New York if you want to get away from the concrete jungle, visit this lovely little museum with works of 20th century’s most important sculptors, Isamu Naguchi. You will be struck with awe and wonderment as you walk through the museum and grounds–Why? How?

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She was trying to keep up, through a perspective of arms and legs, holding on to her mother’s hand.

Hurry c’mon. We will be late for the matinee!

It was the weekend. Family fun time. They spent it outside…going to the movies, sometimes two shows in one day, her dad being a big movie buff. They started early after a light breakfast of bread and jam, or idlis if she was lucky. Mom made the batter from scratch. Idlis were her favorite and she could have them anytime-breakfast, lunch or dinner. Fluffy soft, white like snow, dipped in savory sambhar with fresh coconut chutney on the side, so yummy and wholesome. She preferred them to dosas- they gave her a stomach ache.

They rush to the theater and get the tickets, they always do somehow.

They were no movie ratings in India at the time, except perhaps an A certificate for the adults-only ones. Rather they were all PG or parental guidance. Her dad took her to them all- comedy, horror, mystery, thriller, good, bad. She rarely got the plot, she was so young. The movies didn’t interest her really, rather it was the moment, the whole act of going out and spending the day with her family. Taking refuge from the hot sun in air conditioned halls, then wandering along the bazaars of Karol Bagh, Jan Path or Cannaught Place, holding tightly onto her mother’s hand, while assiduously licking an ice cream cone. She was proud of her beautiful mother, in her crisp starched cotton sari. How she walked so elegantly without tripping. Because she was a superwoman, her mother was.

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a flutter in my heart and mind
a tremor in my limbs
a need to go somewhere, someplace
stumbling drowning in a dark confusion
a disorientation so deep
there is no escape

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I love the desert, the lovely warm hues of brown, red, green, blue. I love it as much as the ocean and the mountains. The silence wraps around me like home.

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When I’m done with my chores, I sit at my window and observe. There’s a lot going on here to keep me busy. I see children growing up, families moving in and moving out. Lives being nurtured and destroyed. The best stories are woven on my street.

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Because I need to tell them and I need to hear what others have to say. I need to get out of my little shell and explore. Because my life isn’t your life nor your thoughts mine. You don’t share my experiences, my way of life, or my religion. There are doors I want to open that I never knew existed. I want to hear new voices and opinions, concordant and discordant. Pretty and not so, often downright ugly. So many worlds exist within this world. I love me a good story.

Maybe you’d like to read some of my stories? If so check them out here.

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Site of the 1929 Ibero-American Expo, this grand 50,000 sq meters plaza is a must see for all who visit Seville. It was designed by Seville architect Anibal Gonzalez as the site for the 1929 Ibero-American expo and has a unique palace-plaza structure with four bridges and two towers. It also has a moat like canal surrounding the perimeter that can be traversed by boat. We visited the plaza in the morning briefly and then returned in the evening for a lazy stroll and were wowed as it was lit up and the fountains played. The 49 Spanish provinces are represented by beautiful tiles. Again, we admired the blend of Renaissance and Moorish architecture and walked through the gardens nearby. It was an unforgettable experience. And for those interested in pop culture you can spot the plaza in movies like Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and The Dictator. Loved it!

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