Christmas Greetings

My FB page is packed with merry Christmas wishes. Some pure n simple Merry Christmas, some like it short n simple, Merry Xmas, (who wants to type CHRISTMAS!)

Some are special ones, “don’t want much 4 Christmas. I just want the person reading this to remain happy & merry in life 4ever.” And this message is posted for the benefit of more than 350 people, how do you think Santa will manage this?

This one is a very happy one and it simply says Happy Merry Christmas, everyone!

Another happy Indian Christmas I came upon was “Anandmay Xmas” true Indian, true secularist.

A greeting from Santa I thought “Ho ho ho.. Merry Christmas to everyone” but it was from a lesser mortal than Santa.

But then there are some unique ones too. “MARRY” Christmas, dear whom you planning to marry off too? Then there is “Very Meri Christmas”, will someone please tell the fellow is not meri teri, its Merry!

A dear friend of mine wished all the way from the Vatican City, why he did not wish from his side I still wonder.

Here's wishing everyone a very merry and blessed Xmas, this was not from the pope but still sounds like it.

But my favorite one was “A day in my office is like Christmas. I do all the work and a fat guy in a suit gets all the credit. Merry Christmas all!”. Applies to all of us dsnt it?

But underneath all these different ways of greetings and wishing and there lies a desire to pray and hope for a better future for the other person, weather the other is willing to reciprocate or not. Though the deed is a very small, the thought that counts is insurmountable one.

 

Hey before you go don't forget to add your share of funny interesting or unusual greetings to my list.

Belated Thursday Challenge

I don't know how all these fellow bloggers get into these various blog competitions and challenges but like looking at what they are doing. One such blog pal of mine is Bikram. After seeing HIS collection of STUFFED toys, opps sorry not toys, ANIMALS, which are not fluffy (for the record) and amongst which most he has won in the fair games, I was reminded of a similar picture I had clicked of Stuti (my daughter for all those who don't know).  

And in this picture she looks like a stuffed lost doll to me. Like all parents even I am obsessed and possessed by my child.  

Just A Call Away

Just a call away

I know you are there

Somewhere

Far but not very away

Near but still not dear

Your embrace is familiar          

Our encounter is memorial

I know it all too well

Yet somewhere

Just a mention of yours

And the joy that it brings

The smile that comes

But the memories

Prick and give pain

Hurt the within

Somewhere                   

Your words which were

Promises for me

Your thoughts that were

Meaning of life for me

Are all around, somewhere

The times spend sparkle my eyes

With tears

Bring weight on my hurt

With tenderness

But I know you are somewhere

Also thinking and waiting

For as you had once said,

You are just a call away

To talk, to share, to be

Together somewhere

                         

                                                                                                                           

US...

Once

I was pretty, once you were attractive.

I was loving you were caring

There was chemistry

There was affection

Then there was a perfect US.

Now

I am still appealing, you are still striking

I’m still in love you still care

There is an understanding

There is warmth

But today where is the US in our lives?

We are busy, time is flying

But so is life;

Each moment is telling us,

You’ve just lost a joy

Let us gather ourselves

To build it again

To cherish you and me together

To enjoy the feeling of being US

Once Again

Different Diwali

Diwali – a festival of lights, of crackers and sweets, of parties and merriment.

Light in Diwali denotes spreading of knowledge, friendship brotherhood and lots of love and peace. But in reality we end up doing just the opposite.

We welcome Diwali by cleaning our houses and then decorating it up with fancy electric lights, which consume more power then what some people have access’s to in an entire year.

We light diya’s and candles to seek blessing from Goddess Durga and Saraswati, but we forget that in doing so we are causing harm to Goddess Earth, “Dharti mata”. We use so much fuel in lighting diya’s in the celebration of this 5 day festival that we forget that some of our brothers need this same fuel to cook food.

We burst crackers, each trying to be louder and brighter than the other, but at the cost of our environment, air and noise. Ask a dog lover how much his pet is affected by all the noise created by these festivities. Ask a mother of a new born, how she managed to make her baby sleep that night.

We cook loads and loads of sweets and delicacies also offer them to all those who come to our house, but forget to share it with the needy. 

We always want to show people how much better we are than the rest, but we forget to share our good fortune with the lesser ones.

Remember every time you feel better or more fortunate then someone else, give the extra something away, you will feel more superior.

We often say, dhan is Laxhmi, but to make Dhan into Laxhmi, you have to give it away. Try it, and feel the difference.

TATA makes BSNL happy (at my cost)

Date: 25^th October 2010

Remember my post (customer is king) mentioning my trouble with my board-band connection? Well there is another twist in the story. This week again I had problems for more then a week. But because of all the difficulty I had last time they gave me a local cell number which I can call on when a problem persists. Read when they can’t provide me with the service.

Here I was happy to have some human to talk to and not some computer. But just then, I realized every time my net doesn’t work, I call my technical help desk at least 10 times in a day – this does not include calling the toll free number. And because I am using a BSNL connection, I’m being charged by them, this goes on for more than a week.

Hence I end up paying both TATA and BSNL for a service I don’t get to use. Somewhere I am also convinced; secretly TATA must be having some share and holding in almost all telephone companies. Similarly it would make good business sense for all non-performing service providers to do the same, so as to earn more revenues!

Brilliant aren’t I? NOT AT ALL. Just bored and tiered and frustrated that I can’t do anything other than right on my system, not knowing when I will be able to post it online.

Waiting for the connection

Finally I get to put the post up!

Happy Diwali! 

5 minutes, please

A wife called her husband at work, during his so called “peak hours “(when is it off peak?).

Tring Tring.

Husband:          Hello? (In his sweet and ready-to-help you tone.)

Wife:                Hi! It’s me.

Husband:          “Oh, What is it?” (In his very husbandly tone)

Wife:                “What do you want to have for dinner” (wanted an excuse to talk to him.)

Husband:          “I’ll call you in 5 mins. Am busy right now.” (Being genuinely busy and                                    tied up with more important matters.)

Wife:                “Ok fine but don’t forget. Bye.”

Husband:          “” Why say bye when I am going to call back in 5 mins.

After waiting for more than an hour the wife calls husband again.

 

Wife:                “Hi” (a bit angry and hurt but tone still in control)

Husband:          “What now, I told you I’ll call you once I’m free”

Wife:                “No you said you will call in 5 mins.” (Loosing her patience, almost)

Husband:          “Ok so I was busy and you can make whatever you feel like, I don’t have                                  issues.” (Thinking he understands and is being co-operative.)

Wife:                “Ok. Bye.” (Hurt, disappointed and even feeling lonelier.)

Next day the wife was out with her friends, she had called and informed her husband that she will be gone for 2hours in the evening. On returning home, he finds us still out, so he calls to inquire about her whereabouts.

Wife:                “Hello”

Husband:          “Where are you?”

Wife:                “I told you I will be going out with my friends”

Husband:          “Ok I’m home when will you be getting back?”

Wife:                “In 5 mins.”

Husband not being used to being alone in the house, calls wife in less then 20mins and asks what happened why she isn’t home yet.

Husband:          “You said 5 mins; it’s been more than 20.” (Irritated and almost angry)

Wife:                “Ya I know, but yesterday your 5 mins was 2 hours long and today lasted only for 20 mins?” (She was teasing him not realizing that he is angry)                

Husband hangs up, would have banged the phone had it not been his new hi-tech cell phone.

BCAM- SCAM!

My last post was about illuminating people about Breast cancer and spreading its awareness but while posting it and giving it the title I did, another though came across my mind, and I decided to write about it before it left me. So here I am, writing 2 posts on the same day. And there I was calling myself lazy in my older scripts.

IF on the virtual front I am bombarded with news and information about breast cancer, its causes, symptoms and more then in the real world I am made to pay (literally) and contribute towards its so called research and “life saving technology” development.

There are lots of stored and restaurants which out up a donation box featuring a picture of the most under-nourished child and asking us to drop in some money just while we are paying for some frivolous stuff picked from the same store.

 

These days, being the days of October- also known as the PINK MONTH, stores world over are flooded with pinky pink stuff, be it ribbons, scarf, bags, caps, cufflinks, car magnets even shoes anything in the name of charity! I even came across a pink diet, beat it!

I saw this article where to spread breast cancer awareness a footballer is wearing PINK SHOES! Then there is this site who wants to make it all fun, so they have organized a pink walk, kind of a marathon, where you have to donate, under the guise of buying a lantern and walking with it till the end. Here I was wondering where the fun part is. All these marketing charades I just can't digest.

Just last week while checking my Pizza bill I came across an item called charity, I was “charged” Rs.10, a petty amount per person, but without consent. Here let me clarify I am not complaining about being charged, but about the fact that no one is calculating what percentage or what share of the amount thus collected is going where, weather it is benefiting anyone other than the pizza joint or not.

On asking the attend there, I was informed that even they don’t have a clue, in the manager’s words, “they were asked to charge and were just doing their job.” They thought I was making a scene for a mere couple of bucks, conveniently forgetting and ignoring my line of reasoning and questioning. On an average, even if the joint is billing 250 tables, a petty sum of Rs.10 accumulates to Rs.2500 per day, assuming this has been going on for even a month, the amount escalates to astounding Rs.75,000. Here I have not taken into consideration the fact that on Sundays and Holidays these joints cater to more than 500 tables.

Is there a system or technology which shows us in whose pockets this collection is going? If I’m donating to some cause I should be made aware of its beneficiaries in the least.

Charity is not something that you pay for and get away with a feel good factor; it is something you have to do. You could start being generous to people around you, who work for you in your office, in your homes and do your bit.

Taking it a bit further you could spread out in your neighborhood, your area, your city. Take a step one by one, there are a lot too many companies already spending more than billions on research, they all want to crack the code and hit jackpot, there are very few people who are actually wanting to do some good.

October, BCAM

October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, not day not week a full month. Though I happened to know about breast cancer and its consequences, a bit also about its causes and symptoms, it was only after I took the quiz by indusladies.com that I realized how ill-informed I was, not only was I having some myths and misconceptions about this widespread dreaded disease, but also was missing out on some serious facts. You could also test your Breast Cancer awareness by taking the quiz yourself, but before that read on so that you get all the answers right (unlike me)!

Like for instance I was under the impression that Breast cancer can affect only women over the age of 40years, but now I know this was my false impression, cause although breast cancer in women is a common form of cancer, male breast cancer also occurs and accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths in men.

Likewise, young women are being diagnosed in their teens, twenties and thirties. Even if the percentage is very low compared to that of older women aged 40 years and older, the point is it does happen. So it is more than necessary that we all spread the awareness message to all and sundry.

Research has yielded much information about the causes of breast cancers, and it is now believed that genetic and/or hormonal factors are the primary risk factors for breast cancer.

Staging systems have been developed to allow doctors to characterize the extent to which a particular cancer has spread and to make decisions concerning treatment options.

Breast cancer treatment depends upon many factors, including the type of cancer and the extent to which it has spread. The options are Mastectomy - Removal of the whole breast including cancerous tissues or Lumpectomy - Surgical removal of involved breast tissue with a bit of healthy tissue.

Some Simple facts:

An Indian woman has a chance of 1 in 28 of getting breast cancer in her life.

(Is this higher or lower than that of an American woman? After all we have to compare ourselves with them on all counts.)

Four hours of moderate exercise per week reduces the risk of breast cancer

(Another great excuse to get on that treadmill right now!)

A low fat diet with enough vegetables and fruits reduces the risk of breast cancer

(Don’t we always read this for keep away from of all diseases?)

Alcohol in take in excess of 60ml per day (of 70% spirit) increases the risk.

(That means we can drink 50ml per day! Cheers!)

Age is a risk factor in the development of breast cancer.

(There another reason to hide my real age.)

Male gender's not exempt from breast cancer.

(Talk about gender equality.)

Some Serious Facts

Annual Examination by a breast physician /breast surgeon is recommended when a screening mammogram is done.

Oestrogen replacement treatment in menopausal women increases the risk of breast cancer.

Oral contraceptives used for over 10 years in women under 35 increases the risk of breast cancer. However 10 years after discontinuing, the risk ceases to exist.

Mammography in women younger than 40 years has a low yield owing to density of the breast.

Breast feeding for over 6 months reduces the risk. The more children you breast feed, the more you reduce the risk.

You have higher chance if a first degree relative (mother/sister) has the disease

Self Examination +annual doctors Examination + periodic mammogram has decreased the mortality from breast cancer.

But the good news is Breast cancer has a cure rate nearing 90% when detected early. It is advised to conduct a Breast Self-Exam after the age of 20 every month and an annual

Clinical Breast Examination after the age of 30 by a Qualified Doctor and then after the age of 50 an annual Mammography is a must.

Pictures courtesy emedicinehealth.com 

Sasuraal Genda Phool

Being away from the net made the telly my obvious next choice or rather my other best friend. I was “hooked booked and cooked” – as the designer duo Abu-Sandeep say on their show “The First Ladies”.

In school I was taught that India is a land of diverse religions, traditions and customs, had they showed me these shows in those days I would have learnt my lessons much easier and faster. Now I’m almost an expert on customs and traditions of not just the Gujrati culture but also Bengali, Marwadi, Rajasthani and Marathi households.

Now I know more about these cultures then my mom too, like last week when the Gujju family of “Saath Nibhao Saathiya” was fasting and then celebrating some teej I asked my mom why she never did it! Likewise I know much in advance when Karwaachot or any other Ashtamis or Teejs are around the corner. I remember in the “Yeh Rishta Hya Kehlata hai” series (also known as Akshra wala at home); they stretched pulled and dragged the holi celebrations for more than a month!

Then in the Aanandi series, “Balika Vadhu” I learned the way they greet each other with a “Ghanni Khamma” I’m not sure what it exactly means but from whatever little I understand of the language I think it is a sort of an apology, please correct me if I’m mistaken, I’ve come to this conclusion on the basis on the 2 words, Ghanni meaning lots and Khamma meaning sorry, I could be completely wrong also. But on the other hand, in most of the other regions people greet with their Lord’s name, like Jai Shree Krishna or Jai Jinendra, or Jai Matadi etc. I rarely hear a Namaste, which is supposed to be our national greeting.

These shows create make-believe scenes so close to their natural environments that even if I dint know much about India I would always associate a Marwadi person with Rajasthan, and similarly a long sari draped in the special Marathi style with someone from Maharasthra. Though I have lived in Mumbai for some time, I dint know then that mother is “aai” then, now I do!

Similarly I’ve also come to know more about their cuisines and special food items they prefer and prepare for particular seasons. Like for instance, for Parsi a lamb and meat preparation called Dhaan-Shaakh, a lovely dish even in the vegetarian form.

Though there are also some regions and cultures that we are completely clueless about like the eastern and the southern Indians regions are largely ignored and then there is an absence of Muslim and Christian families’ completely from the screens too. Though these are mentioned in the passing in some of the “haat ke” serials like “Tarakh Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma” and others but not in the main stream line.

These days I love this show called “Papad Pol” on SUB TV, for its romantic humor. I also enjoy Suhana in “Sasuraal Genda Phool”, this show portrays how a family can make life so much easier if they all come together and accept the new girl as their own, letting her be herself and loving her unconditionally. 

These things can only happen on television, but here wishing people learn from these examples and practice them in real life too. 

Customer is king??

Customer is king, bait or a fake feel good statement!

For the past some weeks, almost 2 months now, I have been facing regular problems with my broadband connection. On complaining to the guy whom I hand over my payment to, I’m told not to worry, it will be done soon; and it is. But he forgets to mention that it will be a temporary relief. Within 2 days I’m again facing the same problem again.

Then I take matters further and call their “customer care” number, which for the customer’s convenience they keep toll free, because of which you have to keep trying a zillion times to get through, throughout I’m wondering how many other users are having similar difficulties with their connections too!

My call is finally answered by a computer, who asks me so many (useless) questions about me, my account, my location and so on, that I almost forget what I had called for. Then after being transferred through the maze, I call it a maze coz that’s how I felt, press 1/2/3 for language selection, then again go through a dozen numbers to tell them what service I’m using, then I have to tell them which connection I’m using, and then I have to select which department I want to talk to, accounts, recharge, technical, etc etc!

Just when I was on the verge of hanging up a polite and friendly human is on the other side of the line, I say hello too and she asks me who I am, where I am calling from (how does it matter?) what connection I have and all the same series of questions all over again! And as it is as soon as I give them the name of my connection they will have all these same details in matter of seconds on their monitors as well. But as I needed my net to be working again so I oblige her though very sardonically! 

Oh did I tell you even after selecting English as my preferred language I am made to converse with a Marathi speaking executive, we both somehow manage to understand each other. And after going through all their procedural requirements for almost all afternoon she tells me I am in the wrong department! I had selected technical and now I had to go to the complaints department! I ask her if there is a short cut of some sort, coz I’ve already spent more than an hour to get till her. But I realize she’s hung up- all the hospitality and politeness don’t with!

So I’m off calling them again. Anyone out there have any ideas how I can make this happen faster and easier, like life is supposed to be with developing technologies?

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Birthday Bash!

 For the last couple of weeks I’ve been a bit busy and tied up, I’m hoping some of you noticed, well there were many reasons, but to keep a long story short, I shall blame it all on my, recently turned, 4 year old daughter, thank you thank you. First it was her various infections, I don’t know if it is with all kids or just her that she picks up all the viral and bug infections floating around the city. But the core reason I was tied up, was cause she made me promise her a “BIG” birthday party (In her words), in exchange of her taking her medicines and letting me put her eye drops as per schedule! I dint have a choice you see.

As it is planning a kid’s party is a tough job, now I had to do it as she says! So from the venue to the menu I had to get her approval and then her dad’s, after all he was the financer! As compared to our parties, I think and now I even know, after 4 years, that its more tough to work out their parties, coz in case I miss out on something for my friends, its ok, we are more relaxed and chilled, we meet to gossip not to gobble, but with kids you have to make sure they everything is right for them, starting with the invite, then they have to like the place, have something interesting to do, eat right, and enjoy otherwise all our mehnat (hard work) goes down the drain. Basically they should not get bored and have lots of fun activities to keep them occupied.

After spending so much time and energy on organizing the event, I thought why not share it with you guys and even ask for more pointers to be considered next year while organizing the party again! I also realized that the whole thing with a kid’s party can be just as easy or as complicated as you're willing to make it. Just remember a few simple rules for planning a children's birthday party.

You could start with the guest list, (trust me don’t ask your kid whom all he/she wants, as this can make the list never-ending!)  then accordingly set a budget and also make a list of possible venues available in your city.

Budget

Ofcourse this needs to be done first and in accordance with it all your other planning will follow up. Set an amount that you are willing to spend on the party and also allocate funds for all other purposes.

Guest list

You could add as many guests as you like, but then be prepared to splash that kind of money. Ideally your guest list should be a mix and a balance at the same time. For example if your party is for a 10 year old kid, it should have only children, but if your child is in the age group of 1-5 years then it would be a good idea to invite either parents or their caretakers with them.

Here try and avoid kids who don’t gel well with your child, like in my case, my daughter was disappointed that I had invited an unavoidable cousin of hers for the party.

Venue

Keeping the budget and the guest age group in mind you can select your place. In case you want to keep it at your place there are also lots of options available these days. You could choose to celebrate the birthday anywhere from your own garden or your local garden, or you could also use your terrace area, or just use your house. Incase your room sizes are small, then use separate rooms for the kids and parents! There are buildings which allow residents to entertain in their garage, basement or terraces too. You should check with the concerned authorities though.

For those who want to keep the party outdoors, you have various options too. From regular Pizza and Burger joints to food courts and ofcourse your neighborhood hotels also have banquet halls and party areas.

I personally like doing it at the home; it gives you much scope for making it special and entertaining at the same time.

Theme

More recently the word “theme parties” has cropped up like mushrooms, and now a days, there this other word I’m coming across more often “Flavor”. Well call it what you wish, but themes can me as varied and as diverse as your imagination.

You could opt for basic themes or flavors, like colors to numbers (age of the birthday child), to more exotic as World tomorrow, Royal Kingdom or anything as elaborate as you can imagine. Then there are the all time favorites like Disney characters, Ben Ten for boys and Hanna Montana for the girls. My 8year old niece tells me Barbie is “Oh so old fashioned”!

For older kids, you could use your child’s favorite book or movie for the same and then incorporate its reading or watching in the party too.

It is also a good idea to use the season or any other festival that happens to fall in the same period as the party theme too. Like for example in India, in the months of July and August monsoons are a favorite choice. During Diwali and Navratri you could keep a more traditional idea.

But all in all do sit down and ask your child what she/he wants specifically wants. You could ask the child to give 2-3 ideas as to what a party should have as per him and then finalize the theme. Sometimes kids want something specific like clowns or tattoo makers, you could either hire professionals or just get someone you know to do it for you.

Invite

You will need to send written invitations to your child’s friends with whom you don’t have personal or telephonic contacts with. Even otherwise it is a nice way to announce your party and also introduce the guests to the theme and set the mood of the party too.  People will also not be confused in regards with the date time and venue of your celebrations too, so it is a nice idea to send a written invite rather than an oral one.

There are lots of ready made options available in the market but keep in mind your theme and them select the one that best fits your requirement. There are also lots of options available on the net that can be downloaded and printed too; these can also be personalized to suit your requirements.

You could also make the invites on your own if you start planning early on. For example if your theme is Balls, send a fancy transparent bag with lots of small balls and circular chocolates with it and write the party details on top of the bag.

Incase you want your theme to be monsoons inviting kids with an umbrella printed with the required details on the underside is also doable.

Décor

The décor of your venue should be corresponding to the theme of the party. It would be very convenient to hire professionals in this too, but then if that was the case you would not be reading my blog! So for decorations you could use balloons, balls, cut outs, ribbons, toys etcetera etcetera. Incase of a movie or book theme, get large cut outs made from the pictures available and set up a projection area, away from all the noise and chaos.

These days, the market is virtually filled with novel and unique decoration ideas just find something that suits your purpose and mood. Using some imagination and creativity, you are sure to create a strikingly stunning look for the room. After all, it is a very special day that comes just once a year. just once a year.

Games

Games again will vary as per the age group and also the theme of the party. Though some favorite kid party games are more or less in lines of musical chair (substitute chair for a parcel), four corners (named with relevance to your theme, eg. For a jungle themed party corners can be named as animals), or a simple Simon Says for your little tot’s friends.

The trick is to keep it simple and easy to follow for younger kids, and a bit of skill and luck based too. But in the end all kids should be happy, so don’t give away gifts to only some; all should be awarded for participating.

Food

Now for my favorite part, my daughter did not want to serve food only! But try to keep your menu in accordance with the party time. Serve finger foods and easy to eat foods if the kids are unaccompanied but don’t forget something to drink, after all the play and fun I’m sure they will be famished and will gobble up whatever you serve.

This is a never ending subject, I just think I will have to write individually on each topic so as to be able to give more and also receive more helpful hints. Don’t forget to share your experiments and experiences with me. I would also like to know which topic I should start with first. FOOD?

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 Image Credit Google Images.

Suicide Awareness Week – 3rd-10th September

This is in view with the suicide awareness week – 3^rd-10^th September! I know I’m late, but better late than never.

Life is like a rented house, you have to leave it one day and go, go to unknown lands, anonymous destinations, but still at times you feel so low, so distressed that those unknowns look more promising than the present that seemed “promising yesterday”. What is it about life and its circumstances that make one succumb seemingly easy to end ones life?

Recently I came across an article that said India has the highest suicide rate in the world, a staggering and ever rising 10% in which about 40% are adolescents! Various reasons and circumstances have been cited as their excuse to end their lives, but none worthwhile. The foremost excuse being education and then it was peer pressure.

As per Asiaone, an Asian news portal, in India, at least 125 people aged 29 years or below are committing suicide every day and 51 per cent of the total suicide victims are graduates, college students or younger. Unbelievable ain’t it? But true.


I came across another site, maithrikochi, (Ive also used the graphs and pie chart from them too.) a Cochin based NGO, working for suicide prevention in Kerala, who told me that state wise it is amongst the developed and more progressive states that the suicide rates are much higher as that compared to the urban regions, than why do I always keep reading more and more about farmers killing themselves?  

Like from this graph, I gathered that Bihar has the lowest suicide rate average at 0.7 whereas Pondicherry has the highest average, astounding 50.2. And it was other southern states that also surprised me, like for example Kerala its average comes to 26.8. Now does his mean that education and literacy have a negative impact on our suicide rate? Bihar had the lowest literacy rate and at the same time Kerala is supposed to have 100% literate population. Amongst the top 6 slots for states with the highest average rate of suicide 4 are from the south. Tripura with 22.3, Karnataka with 21.7 followed by Tamil Nadu at position 7 with an average of 18.7, all this when the combined Indian average is 10.5 and this is the highest as compared to the world numbers.

It is also bizarre that we keep reading about students ending lives cause of all the above stated reason, but then their contribution to the suicide pie on basis of profession is a mere 5%, on the other hand housewives, ya my fellow ladies, are better donors, their share is that of 21.5%; second only to self-employed (who and what does this segment comprise of?) who are holding the biggest slice with a whopping 41%. I was thinking if they have included females working on their own under the self-employed section, then how does one decide the exact reason for taking their lives? I mean, take for example, a house-wife, working as a freelancer, but committing suicide cause of some household fight? Which sector does she fit in? Similarly, if a working student killed himself, how can we blame the education system for the same?

Since the 80’s our national suicide rate has gone up by 67%, it is not that life has become difficult and more turbulent as compared to that those days, it is just that we have become less tolerant and more demanding in life. I had read somewhere that these years are the best times to live in as per a survey, but then if this is the case why is our youth giving up so easily? What is it that makes a person end his or her own life? There was this instance in the movie 3-idiots, I would like to remind all those who ever feel suicidal at some point or the other in their lives, to keep a  picture of your parents or your loved one with you, and to look at it and think again if you want to end it all or not.

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Toys Aaj Kal

Frames of Freedom

This picture was taken by me on a sleepy afternoon on 15-4-07, no other photograph came to my mind when I read about the Frames of Freedom contest, for many reasons, but the foremost important one being that no matter what we say, feel or think, no bird, no sky no being is as free or as innocent as a child. 

He thinks he has the world around his fingers; things are under his control; he can aim for the sky and get some starts from there. A child has not been shackled by the experiences of life so his spirit is as free as can be.

Lots of people think it would be nice to be able to fly like a bird, but even the bird has his set limitations. He has directions and methods to follow too, but a child is a man-mauji, who is not bound by any restrictions.

Some think it would be nice to go someplace where there are no telephones no internet or no television to hound them, the child has it all, but nothing can bother him.

Try telling a child and an adult simultaneously to shift a heavy piece of furniture single handedly, the child will run and go struggle to make it shove an inch, but the adult, will accept defeat even without putting in any effort; as his mind is restricted with knowledge, gained from life’s experiences.

This post is for the Blogadd's Frames of Freedom Contest

Rat Race

What is it with life that makes us keep ticking? Pushes us to move ahead? What is it in life that we want to achieve and what happens after we get it? Do we feel happy? Do we relax and retire? Make place for others to compete in the rat race? Why is it called the rat race in the 1^st place? Do rats race? No, its only humans who are into this never-ending game of being one better than the other. For that matter we make rats race and also bet on rats. Well I don’t know where this happens but if we can bet on horse, cocks and cockroach races, why not rats?

Being happy is not getting something or doing something. At times it is just a feeling of being able to do something or to get something. If you want to be happy, seek it within yourselves, this is what most of those gurujis tell me, it’s also the same in all those self help books that I have read on being happy being content. But in reality is it that simple, for that matter what in life is simple?

We go out of our ways to make life simple but in turn making life more complex. Take for example all the hi-fi electronics items that man has got around him. In the olden golden era, all man needed was 2 stones and some wood. But today with technology comes head-aches (this is how the adults in my house put it up.) coz with the gadgets come the highly priced maintenance contracts and then at the end of the month the power bills, which these days is shooting higher and higher day by day at my place, well no guys that was not the reason for my long hiatus off the blogosphere! I just had lots of catching up to do, as in read all your blogs. Trust me, these days I’ve discovered a new passion, reading blogs. Especially reading old and new posts of Indian bloggers, ya I’m still biased towards Indian writers, maybe cause it’s easier for me to connect with them. But maybe once I get done with this I would scout for other blogs. Whatever I mean here by other I’m not sure, will write about it as soon as I find out. But coming back to my point of making life simple, I think it is mostly at times in our hands to take it as it comes, now that the power bills are soaring, we can try and cut down on unnecessary usage, use power saving instruments, but other than that worrying or cribbing is not going to help us. Same way in life, the sooner we accept our circumstances, our dilemmas the sooner we will be able to face them and deal with them with an open mind, with a calm mind.

How often do we realize that in a tense situation, had we kept our cool we could have approached the issue in a better manner and obtained better results? If we are able to keep cool, a check on our temper and a clear head, no situation is beyond repair. It is not very difficult to keep life simple, haven’t you heard or read- Ignorance is bliss? The more we think and try to find hidden meaning in others words or actions or read between the lines the more issues we will rake up. As in relationships, I follow a very simple rule, live and let live, but if incase there’s not much I can do to handle the issue in a proper manner I stay as far away as I can. And wherever I can’t do anything about the circumstances I blame destiny, by placing the blame on someone I can’t fight with I resign myself to the situation, but if I had blamed a person I would have thought things can be changed, circumstances can be revolutionized. But I think at times, it is better to accept, accommodate and adjust than to fight.

How many times, when your plans got cancelled or alter because of someone else have you let your steam off? How do you react when you had to drop something that you had planned for all week because of some unexpected (and unwelcome) guests had showed up? When is comes to handling unforeseen situations like a mature being you don’t need to be too old to do it. The first step to dealing with an untoward situation, or when things don’t go according to plan is to accept that not everything is under our control, then step two is to accommodate with the present way of progress and then later in step three is to see (and also wish) if there’s anything that can be done to make the circumstances more favorable towards ourselves.

In life we all have our goods and bads, highs and lows, friends and foes, adversities and opportunities but it is our attitude towards different situations and circumstances that make us different individuals, different identities. There is nothing like good or bad, it is what we want and how well we can play the cards dealt to us by destiny.

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Toys Aaj Kal

Wordless Wednesday

This is a picture shot, created and edited by a friend's husband, Tojy George. Its one of a kind...was completely awed by the colors, the motion and the locations. It is locations and not location as this is a collage of 8 pictures shot in and around New York.

You can see his more of his pictures at Tojy-George-Photography

Doomed Friday the 13th

 Friday the 13th: a regrettable juncture of unlucky number and ominous day.

 The sixth day of the week and the number 13 both have foreboding reputations said to date from ancient times foretells more misfortune than some innocent minds can bear.

This day occurs at least once, but at most three times a year. Any month's 13th day will fall on a Friday if the month starts on a Sunday.

When I call Friday the 13^th unlucky, don’t for once imagine me to be a Paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobic (fear of Friday the 13^th) yes, these set of people also have name tags for themselves!

Exactly how long this superstition has been around is difficult to say, but it still holds the uncontested top position around the globe for being the most favored, I mean feared, fallacy doing the rounds. Nobody really knows who Friday the 13th was tagged as the unluckiest day of all. From what I have read, I was shocked and shamed to find that many people follow this belief just blindly; there is not explanation logical or illogical or any background information for the same.

Individually Friday, being the sixth day of the week is considered unlucky as some of the unfortunate significant events in the Christian tradition are said to have taken place on Friday, primarily such as the Crucification, Eve’s offering the apple to Adam, the beginning of the great flood or the confusion at the Tower of Babel.

The origin of the connection between the number 13 and ill fortune are similarly Christian, the most common stemming from the Last Supper, at which Judas Iscariot was said to have been the 13^th guest to sit at the table. Thus, 13 started being referred as an omen of bad fortune in English literature.

In the British times, both Friday and the number 13 were once closely associated with capital punishment. By British tradition Friday was the conventional day for public hangings, and there were supposedly 13 steps leading up to the noose.

In present times, lots of hotels and skyscrapers do not support a 13^th floor; airplanes have no 13th aisle. Restaurants don’t have table 13. But the joke is on the Paraskevidekatriaphobias, of course, since the 13th floor, table, aisle is sitting right there behind the 12th, obviously -- it's just labeled as 14 to hoodwink you into relaxing. There are offices that don’t work on this day, wish mine was one of them; weddings and ceremonies are avoided and so is long distance traveling, be it by road or air.

Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. But is an excuse for not going to work? I would like to believe it like that. Then I would be disappointed that Friday the 13^th comes calling only once or twice a year.

2 movies have been made under Friday the 13^th name one in the year1980 and again in 2009. And now this time we have our own desi version, a horror film, Help, starring Bobby Deol and Mugdha Godse. According to the producers this is the 1^st horror movie being released on this ill-fates day. I understand very well why he wants to release the movies on this auspicious day, for once he will not have to take the blame himself when the movie booms (which is a given) at the box office, they will all blame the poor Friday the 13^th and hence hammer one more nail on this doomed day.

In the case of Friday the 13th, people have been told it will be a bad day, so they selectively remember all the bad events that occur throughout the day. It’s an easy way to rationalize the screw-ups for which we ourselves are ultimately responsible. Do we truly think nothing good has happened on this day? Where do such baseless erroneous beliefs and myth crop up from.

You may not take drastic safety precautions every Friday the 13th, but are you totally immune to the superstition? Given the choice, would you get married, start a new job or close on a house on Friday the 13th? Most people wouldn't, even though they don't put much stock in the idea. Superstition has a way of creeping up on people when they're in a particularly vulnerable state.

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