More than a month has already passed since the new year! February is all about celebrating love in all its forms – romantic, familial, friendships, and even radical self-love. Some of my best Valentine’s Day memories are of getting hand made cards from my son during his kindergarten years. Whether your plans for Valentine’s Day include a romantic night out with your partner, or cooking a nice meal for your family, I recommend taking the opportunity to show appreciation for all the love you are blessed to have in your life.
I hope you did not miss the COMA February event with the indoor games and the evening entertainment. The event was a grand success, and a huge thanks to the executive committee for organizing such a memorable experience for everyone. They have set a new standard for COMA events and I can’t wait for the next one. Special shout out to Pradeesh Puthiyattil for his bold and groundbreaking idea of hosting a stand-up show and for uncovering hidden talents from our Malayalee friends. A big round of applause to all the comedians who performed like pros despite this being their debuts, and I hope this is only a step towards bigger and better performances. Job well done to the young musicians in the Coconut Trio band who supported the stand-up and party game events. Congratulations to all the winners, and best wishes to everyone else who participated for next time.
In this edition, we are introducing member contributions. If you would like to submit content for future editions, please reach out to the EC team (coma.officials@gmail.com). Content should be 250 words or less.
I would like to gently remind everyone that February is also American Heart Month. Love your heart, make healthy choices, and stay protected!
Smitha Nishant
Diplomas and more – Aadhira Pramod
(Aadhira is the daughter of Priya and Pramod Pudhiyattil. She is a neuroscience graduate from UC and her interests include writing and traveling.)
Well, mom and dad, I just graduated from college. I’m a new grad all over again. Crazy, right? I can go around saying I have a bachelors now. I got a physical copy of my diploma a couple days back and every time I pass it as it sits on my dressing table, I am still marveled by the fact that the 4 years passed by. I’m in the midst of applying again, but this time I’m applying to graduate schools and let me tell you, I don’t miss it at all. I forgot what it was like to write essays that sum up your whole personality in 800 words. I also forgot what it was like to wait for your dream school to let you know if you got in or not. However, one thing that is different this time around is that I have in-person interviews which is something that I have been struggling with considering how much I dread interviews.
Other than graduate school applications, I have got to say I am enjoying the post grad life – I am back in the city of Columbus, sitting on kitchen countertops as I complain to my mom about pretty much anything life related, going on Costco trips with my dad, and dealing with my brother’s mood swings. Also, I finally got a job after consistently applying which is how I pass most of my time. My 12-hour shifts consist of seeing patients of all ages, taking their vitals, running tests on them if they need it, and sending out their labs. On the days I don’t work long hours, you can find me on the couch reading and listening to music. One of my new year resolutions this year was to write more. I lost touch with writing for a bit while in college but it’s nice to get back into the rhythm of it and thanks to Smitha aunty, I was able to write to you guys for this month’s edition of the newsletter.
That pretty much sums up my whole life as a new graduate. While it may not be the typical route one takes right after graduating from undergrad, it’s nice to take a break and see where life takes you. So, yeah, I may not have my life completely planned out, but that’s okay. In fact, now that I had the time to see my career goals in a different light, I feel more passionate about pursuing my desired career path. With that being said, I’m excited to see what this year will bring. Hopefully, an acceptance letter.
I hope the new year is good to all of you!
Sreejith Chandran’s Random Ramblings
(One half of his brain has gone nomad and the other has gone in search of the first. Glorifying his random ramblings and packaging it is his main hobby! Otherwise sane and grounded.)
മൂഞ്ചിയ പ്രണയങ്ങൾ (1)
അടുത്ത ജന്മത്തിൽ ഞാൻ നിനക്ക് സ്വന്തം എന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു അവൾ നടന്നു നീങ്ങി. . . ആ ക്ഷണം മരിച്ചു പുനർജനിച്ചാലോ എന്നാലോചിച്ചു നിൽക്കുമ്പോൾ തലേന്ന് നിലവിളക്കു കൊളുത്തിയിട്ടു അമ്മ പറഞ്ഞതോർമ്മ വന്നു. . . ഇനിയുള്ള ജന്മങ്ങൾ നായായും നരിയായും ആണ് പോലും. . . !! നാൽക്കാലി പ്രണയം ഓർത്തു ചിരിവന്നു, ശിഷ്ടകാലമെങ്കിലും ഒരു നല്ല മനുഷ്യനായി ജീവിക്കാമെന്ന് തീരുമാനിച്ചു, അടുത്ത ബീവറേജസിലോട്ട് വെച്ച് പിടിച്ചു!!
മൂഞ്ചിയ പ്രണയങ്ങൾ (2)
ഏറെക്കൊതിച്ചൊരീ യാത്രയിലിന്നെന്റെ,
തോളോട് ചേർന്നു നീ ഇല്ല…
നിൻ മൃദു സ്പർശനം തേടിയലഞ്ഞൊരെൻ
വിരലുകൾ നിന്നിലേക്കെത്തിയില്ല…
ആ മരത്തണലിൽ വെറുതെയിരിക്കുമ്പോൾ
നെറുകയിൽ നിൻചുടു നിശ്വാസമില്ല…
ചിത്രങ്ങൾ മാഞ്ഞൊരാ പുസ്തകത്താളുകളിൽ
നിൻപ്രണയ കുറിപ്പുകളില്ല…
പാതി മുറിച്ചൊരാ ചിത്രത്തിന്നൊരുപാതി
നെഞ്ചോടു ചേർത്തുഞാൻ നിന്നു…
നിന്റെ തൊടിയിൽ കൊഴിഞ്ഞുവീണൊരാ
ചെമ്പകപ്പൂക്കളാണു ഞാൻ…
പാദങ്ങൾക്കടിയിൽ ഞെരിഞ്ഞമർന്നാലും,
വേദനിപ്പിക്കില്ലൊരിക്കലും, പ്രണയമേ…
What I believe in – Deepa Menon
(Deepa Menon among her friends and family is best known for someone who is always living on the edge, loves travel, adventure sports, trekking, and diving (underwater and sky). On a sunny nice day she can be found hiking, and is always working on her next bucket list item.)
Motivation and Inspiration are two sides of the same coin. Motivation involves outside forces whereas inspiration comes from within. We can be motivated by a motivational speaker, but that doesn’t last long, however when we are inspired by something or someone, that stays within for a longer time.
The three things that have inspired me and have always worked for me are:
- “The Alchemist’s Law”
- “What you will, shall come to you”
- “Embracing shades of gray”
“The Alchemist’s Law” is a reference to Paulo Coelho’s novel “The Alchemist”. The novel follows the journey of Santiago, a shepherd boy, who sets out on a quest to fulfill his personal legend, or life’s purpose. Throughout the journey, Santiago encounters several obstacles, but he is guided by a series of universal laws, and the most important law of all, is: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” It’s easier said than done, the point here is, even for the universe to conspire to help you with something, first, you need that desire, want, or self-drive to achieve it. Setting goals or wanting to come out of a difficult situation is easy, but then the constant push and struggle to make the “desire” to “reality” will be the true test.
Similarly, the phrase “What you will, shall come to you” suggests that our thoughts, desires, and intentions have a powerful impact on our lives. It suggests that the universe responds to our will and helps us manifest our deepest desires if they are in alignment with our true selves and our life’s purpose. The idea is that if we focus our thoughts and actions on what we want, we can create positive outcomes and attract abundance and joy into our lives. However, it’s important to keep in mind that manifestation is not just about positive thinking, but also about taking inspired action and being open to opportunities as they arise. The idea is to align your will with the flow of the universe and trust that what you truly desire will come to you in due time.
The last and my favorite one is, “Living positively and embracing shades of gray”. Life is never black or white, or for the computer geeks, it’s not always 1 or 0. We need to be finding joy, gratitude, and meaning in life while also recognizing that not everything is simple or easily classified as good or bad, right or wrong. This approach involves being open to multiple perspectives, embracing ambiguity, and striving for balance and understanding, rather than rigidly adhering to black and white thinking.
I feel that by combining a positive outlook, and embracing grey with a nuanced and inclusive perspective, one can lead a more fulfilling and meaningful life. I always believe!
COMA Meals on Wheels program
If you would like to sign up for the Meals on Wheels program (2nd and 4th Sundays of each month), please join this WhatsApp group. When joining, please announce yourself as not everyone may have your number in their contacts.
Event Gallery
Here are some photos from the COMA Valentine’s Day 2023 event. Click on an image to see the full size version.
Photo Credits : Mekha Aravind
Event Videos
If you missed out the online cook-along session with chefs Pradip Ramachandran and Anjana Nair, you can watch the recording here.
Here are the videos from the COMA Valentine’s Day event.
Thank You from the EC Team
Dear COMA Patrons,
We wanted to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for all the hard work and dedication that went into making our Valentine’s Day show such a tremendous success. Your unwavering commitment to excellence was truly inspiring and helped to create an unforgettable experience for all those in attendance.
Whether you were responsible for organizing the event, managing the logistics, or volunteering your time and talents to ensure everything ran smoothly, your contributions were truly invaluable. Your passion and enthusiasm were evident in every aspect of the show, and it was a privilege to witness your hard work come to fruition.
So, from the bottom of our heart, thank you for all the great work. Special mention to Mekha, Pramod, Anoop, Linda, Lisa, Arun Chand, all the standup performers, the Coconut Trio band, and all the early birds who helped with decorations.
Thank you.
2023 Executive Committee