Grandmas Don't Know Everything

He'd been playing outside with the other kids for a while.

When he came into the house and asked her, 'Grandma, what's that thing called when two people sleep in the same room and one is on top of the ther?'

She was a little taken aback, but she decided to just tell him the truth. 'It's called sexual intercourse, darling'.

Little Tony just said, 'Oh, OK,' and went back outside to play with the other kids.

A few minutes later he came back in and said angrily, 'Grandma, it isn't called sexual intercourse. It's called Bunk Beds. And Jimmy's mom wants to talk to you.'

~~~~Found it somewhere. Thought it was hilarious... ~~~~~

Panduranga Mahatyam - Jaya Krishna Mukunda Murari

My Dad's Favorite song!

My Fav Cartoon!

Dear God, If you are listening

Dear God,

I really appreciate and am grateful that I have a good job and a secure life right now. I am also grateful for my family and well-wished long-distance friends. I am also grateful for a good and quiet roommate. I still have all parts of my body etc. Health is good, thank you for that.

But I just have one complaint. Why do you keep throwing new potential friends who are either married or are students into my life? You know married people are busy rotting at their homes. Students are pretty much busy with school and are poor. So basically they can never hang out and do things I want to do. Why do I keep meeting interesting people only in these categories. If this is a practical joke you are playing on me, IT’S NOT FUNNY.

Ok, sorry for yelling at you. Please, please, please let me meet one interesting person in Minnesota that is not weird and is not married and is not a student.

I will really appreciate it.

Thanks,

Aparna

Missing my Sony

I hated dogs. I can still recall our neighborhood dog chasing me around our colony back in India. I was only 10. Oh man, I cried hysterically that night. My mom couldn't calm me down. I then developed this phobia for DOGS (big surprise!!!) If I see a dog being walked by its owner on the same path I am walking on, I would cross the road and walk the opposite direction. Let a dog near me... NO WAY!!!!

But all this changed when my dad and brother brought Sony home! I was on the couch for weeks. I would not let that puppy near me. I mean she peed and pooped everywhere. Barked loudly. Chewed on everything and I was mostly scared that it would ... well ... chew me. Uhh I hated her.

I don't know when the transition happened. May be it happened when I started to care for her instead of loathing her. Maybe it was the first pat. Maybe it was her excitement to be around me. Maybe it happened when she finally managed to jump on the sofa and to sit next to me. Maybe it was her eyes! Maybe it happened when she sprained her ankle and was in a cast hopping around the house. Maybe it was when she started to behave. I don't know when it happened but it happened.

I started to accept her as a living being that might not bite me. And then I started to accept that I might play with her, and then maybe hug her and then love her like family. She is my Sony-gadu. She changed my life. She brought joy back to my life. Her simple happiness was breath taking. Her personality, her persistence to get the ball from under the sofa and her nagging us to feed her earlier than her eating time all got to me. Her joy whenever we got home from an outing. Her whining when we left the home. Her brattiness when she forgets that she is trained and pees in the house. The revelation came that I cared for this creature/beast was when she got hurt and had to be in a cast. She was so tiny, my little puppy Sony, in so much pain, yet she was ready to please and play. Her anxiety at the vets and how she clung to me and my brother as if she trusted us over the vet was a revelation. She made me realize that life exists in different forms. Feelings, pain, love etc can be left by other animals.

I am missing my Sony today. I come home to my apartment here in Eagan and no one runs to me all excited to just see me!

When in Rome, be a Roman (NOT!)

When in Rome, don't be Roman, covert the Romans into Indian! Just kidding. I have officially converted sherri into an Indian.

Happy Birthday Rashi

Thank you Rashi for teaching me the meaning of Friendship! Thank you for being there when I needed you. I love you.

Happy Birthday!

The Meaning of my Name

Did you ever ask your parents why they named you with your name?

My dad named me after my grand parents. My paternal grandfather's name is Appa Rao. Both my paternal and maternal grandmother's names is Swarna. Combined comes Aparna. But my name is an anciant indian name aswell.

Aparna is one of the names of godess Sakti/Parvathi, Hindu God of Destruction and Rejuvination. She is 1/2 part Shiva. It's true meaning is A (without) Parna (Leaf) - Without a leaf!

Here is the story on how Parvathi was named Aparna...

"Himavan – The King of the snow-clad peaks of Himalayas and his wife Mena gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Uma, also known as Parvati, daughter of the mountains.

Parvati was Sati re-born, the mother-goddess herself, determined to make Shiva a householder once again.
After Sati had immolated herself in her father Daksha’s Palace, being humiliated before all the Gods by her very own father who denounced her husband Shiva as a wild, beastly, indecent vagabond - Shiva full of remorseful agony for his dead wife, isolated himself and led a reclusive life in the icy caves of the Himalayas in his abode – Mount Kailasa. He rejected the world outside.

Determined to draw Shiva out of his cave and make him her consort, every day, Parvati crossed the cold mountain valleys and went into his cave with gifts of fruits and flowers, hoping to win his love. She would sweep the floor and tend to the fire, so that he might take notice of her.

He never did. Not even once did he open his eyes to look upon her charming face. He either meditated or he smoked his pipe, the chillum, and lost himself in narcotic dreams. Parvati knew that she wanted Shiva for a husband. But how would she win his heart if he never looked her way?

Death of Kama
Parvati invoked Priti (the goddess of love and longing) and Rati (the mistress of erotica), to rouse Shiva out of his meditation. They entered Shiva’s desolate cave and transformed it into a pleasure garden of fragrant flowers, spring breezes, dancing nymphs, buzzing bees and singing mynahs. Kama – The God of Lust and Desire also joined in with his Consort – Rati, and with his sugarcane bow sent love-darts and arrows dripping with desire into Shiva’s heart.

Shiva was rather furious than amused. In his anger, he opened his third eye and with a flame of fury engulfed Kama’s beautiful body and reduced it to ashes. With desire so brutally crushed, the cosmic sage resumed his meditation.

“What have you done?” cried Rati, Kama’s beloved Consort. “Without desire, the bull will forsake the cow, the horse, the mare and the bees, the flowers. There will be no homes, no families, as men and women will not love each other. Society will collapse and life will be devoid of its very essence. Desire may be the cause of suffering; but it is also the reason for joy. What is life without it? An existence without flavor.”
Rati’s lamentations moved Shiva. He saw the wisdom in her words. He realized that complete rejection of the world made little sense. Living had its price - suffering; it also had its reward – joy. One came with the other. Together they gave a reason for surviving.

The death of Kama alarmed the Gods: “Without the Lord of Desire, man will not embrace woman and life will cease to be.”

Parvati said: “I shall find another way to win Shiva’s heart. When Shiva becomes my consort, Kama will be re-born.

Parvati’s Penance
Parvati realized that she had to prove the earnestness of her feelings if she wished to be Shiva’s Consort. Perhaps he would marry the mountain princess, if her love for him was true. With her he would find the balance between Yoga and Bhoga.

She went into the forest and performed rigorous Tapas, wearing nothing to protect her tender body from the harsh weather, eating nothing, not even a leaf, earning the admiration of the forest ascetics, Sadhus and Sages, who named her Aparna – the leafless one.

Parvati focused her mind on Shiva. She thought of nothing but him. She ate nothing, drank nothing, she only chanted his name. She sat so still that ants began to crawl on her skin and lizards slithered over her limbs, taking her to be a rock. The Sages were impressed by the determination of the mountain princess to endure such an endless fast for so long a time. They gathered around her and blessed her. “She is Aparna, the girl who refuses to eat even a leaf,” they said.

Aparna matched Shiva in her capacity to cut herself from the world and completely master her physical needs. The power of her Tapas shook Shiva out of his meditation. Her persistence was amazing. Shiva was impressed. He stepped out of his cave and accepted Parvati as his wife. He married her in the presence of the Gods with sacred rites before the holy fire. The cosmos rejoiced.

Parvati melted Shiva’s stern heart with her affection. Together they played dice on Mount Kailasa and sported on the banks of Lake Mansarovar, discovering the joys of married life. The Goddess also awakened Shiva’s concern for the world by questioning him on various issues about nature, society, life and marriage. As he spoke, he revealed the secrets of the Tantras, the mysteries of the Vedas and the splendors of the Shastras that he had gathered in eons of meditation. Thus his great wisdom was revealed for the good of the cosmos. Parvati was the perfect student, Shiva the perfect teacher. The world was enriched by these sacred discourses. Inspired by Parvati’s beauty, Shiva became the fountain-head of music, dance and drama. He sang and danced to the delight of the Gods who were pleased to see his enchantment with the Goddess. He came to be known as Lord of the Arts – Kaleshvar.

The Cosmic Couple
Parvati and Shiva complemented each other perfectly. She was gentle and graceful; he was wild and forceful. She domesticated Shiva and turned him into a householder, much to the satisfaction of the Gods. She softened the stern hermit with sweet words; her smile stirred love in his austere heart. When she embraced Shiva and the two became one in a sacred union, Kama – the Lord of Desire – the catalyst of all creative forces – was re-born. The twang of the Love-God’s Bow and the fragrance of spring filled the air. The cosmos and the Gods cheered this divine union. "


That's the story behind my name. I am not sure if I will inherit Parvathi qualities of persistence and determination, but I am happy that my parent's have given me this name.

So what's the story behind your name?

A pinch of Family

My cousin brother's graduation get together.

It felt really good to finally see my family.

Mom, brother, me and Dad. I feel proud to be independent yet close to my family.

That's my younger brother... Miss hanging out with him.

Thats my extended family. Thats not even 1/2 of them. Maybe 1/7th

My brothers. There are 2 more missing from the picture. I don't even know how to express what it feels like to be a sister to these guys. (Brats I say)