Monday, September 21, 2015

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Thought for the Day #3 - And should you like to fall into that pit, and to be burning there forever? – Jane Eyre

Random Thought #3.1

You know the job gives you 2 lacs per month but doesn’t give you 2 minutes to hit the bathroom. 
Angel: Not worth a darn, you dumb head!
Devil: Look at all the money you get.  Car in a year.  Independent house in two. 

You know the guy you love is a drunkard.  He’s totally not worth your love.
Devil:  He’s my eternal love.  I can’t imagine a life without him.
Angel: Let go off that idiot!  There are other smarter and cuter guys in the planet.  If you can’t find one, I’ve heard Mars has better ones! Move on, my baby!

TFTD – Why does the Devil always win the battle of thoughts?
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Random Thought #3.2 (Or maybe a Sequential Thought #3.1.2)

Which brings us back to the question - "And should you like to fall into that pit, and to be burning there forever?"

Obvious answer – No.  Interestingly, except for the father in Somalia who goes to sleep worrying if his son will survive another day without food or the mother in Iraq who doesn’t know if her child will live to see the world yet another day, the sufferings of everyone else is self-inflicted; because of the choices that we make – OURSELVES!
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P.S: Now don't worry, my TFTD's were supposed to be fun and I definitely don't want to set a bleak mood in here.. things will get better if you read "I moved your cheese" by Deepak Malhotra.  It did for me and I guess it did make sense, at least some!

Monday, August 26, 2013

Thought for the Day #2 - What's with this poetic and advertising license?

My previous TFTD - Birthday Candles

#1 Ever heard of this song "ஒவ்வொரு பூக்களுமே சொல்கிறதே" in the movie Autograph?

Well, if you did, ever wondered why the lyricist wrote "ஒவ்வொரு பூக்களுமே" when it should have been "ஒவ்வொரு பூவுமே"?  We've been thought right from childhood that its "Every single flower" and not "Every single flowers"!!

#2 Now think of this, McDonald's ad line "I'm loving it!".

I distinctly remember my English teacher at school telling me that sense of touch, sight and smell don't take the present continuous form. It's always "I see it".  It can never be "I'm seeing it" or for that matter "I smell it" and not "I'm smelling it"!!

So, hey you poets, lyricists and advertisers... you're the lucky guys out there.. you know you have the license to err...  and I'm "jealousing" it, cause I'm not one among you!! :P :P :P

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Kids, I've learnt this from you "Self-Pride even during times of adversity"

Hmm.. talking of Andhra and Child Labor...

The PG accommodation I stayed before this one, was run by Reddy Gaarus.  Now one thing I hate about them (though I owe them big time for the amazing pappu dal and spicy gonkura chutney) is that they employ kids as bonded labors -pay their parents a meager amount every year and bring the kids to work for them, at the PG accommodation.

My stomach used to crunch every time I saw these cute kids Venki, Prasanna and Seenu clean my room, wash all the soiled dishes, or cut vegetables at 5 in the morning and they're not even half my age!

Luckily, there were other friends of mine at the PG who sympathized with them as well, and together we wanted to make a difference in their profane lives.  We thought it would be best to pool in some money and send them to a nearby government school.  So, we call the kids one day to my room and tell them this, assuming the kids would love this idea.  BUT..

All three of them NOD and say no.. They don't want to go to a school.  They're happy with the meager 100 bucks our owner gave them.  But why?  They won't give me an answer but its a firm no and the owner is already screaming their names at the top of her voice and they make a dash outside to answer her call.

Two days later, I try convincing them again, saying I would talk the owner, how education was important, how getting a decent job once they complete school would mean a lot. But NO.. either my convincing skills were bad or the kids had a solid reason to say NO..

This left me thinking as to what might be the actual reason they refused.

Reason #1:  The kids are too scared of the owner.  I once heard of the story when one of these kids tried finding another job outside and got a whacking on the ear, from the owner.  :(

Reason #2:  Our PG was the ONLY place they knew in Bangalore.  They'd never been to the park two streets away.  Maybe its like in the movie "Shawshank Redemption" where this old guy Brooks is freed on parole, but unable to adjust to the outside world after 50 years in prison hangs himself.  Similarly, maybe its the fear of facing the world that made them say No.. 

Reason #3:  Self-pride.  I'm a little inclined to this one, because I have my own reasons!  I started getting "5 Star" bars for the youngest kid - Seenu, everyday when I came back from office.  The first day he took it from me ecstatically.  The second day with a smile.  The third day was a bit reluctant but it took it from me after I forced him to.  The fourth day, he sternly refused.  I was a little taken aback but did notice the self-pride in the child.  That night I narrated the incident to Pragna, my roomie, and she goes "Oh yeah.. these kids have a lot of self-pride. They would rather work and earn the 100 bucks they get from our owner, rather than get anything for free - be it a 5 Star or education for that matter!".   

Whatever be the reason(s), their self-pride and never die spirits were actually inspiring.  They worked all day and still laughed a lot, always were cheerful and I loved their daily "Akka, ee roju office lo enti visheshalu.. Annam thinnara akka?" (Pardon me if my Telugu is incorrect!)  Maybe there was lots apart from education taught in schools, that I needed to learn from them - How to stay cheerful even in times of adversity definitely being one of them.

I don't see the kids anymore after I left the PG, but I think of them often.  I seriously wish their lives improved, and they continued to smile and stay their cheerful selves.  Love you and miss you Venki, Prasanna and Seenu!

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P.S: I still don't think refusing education by guarding your self-pride was a right thing.  I honestly wish the guys studied.  But what resulted out of the whole thing, was me loving their never-say-die attitude, their tenacity and me learning always to smile, in whichever situation I might be.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Thought for the Day #1 - Birthday Candles

It was Jithu's birthday and Radha had ordered a wonderful chocolate truffle cake.  I was literally drooling over the cake waiting to grab a piece when,

8.15.30 PM:   Everyone's gathered around the cake
8.15.32 PM:   Jithu almost with the knife a few inches away from the cake and close to cutting it
8.15.39 PM:   (Someone in the crowd) "Hold on, where are the candles?"
8.17.50 PM:   Radha, after a frantic search in all the drawers confirms we had none.
8.18.10 PM:   (The 'someone' goes again.. ) "Candles MUST be blown when the birthday cake is cut, if not, bring the matchbox over, let him at least blow a lighted matchstick!"
8.18.30 PM:   So there goes Jithu, blows out a lighted matchstick and proceeds to cut the cake wildly..

Well this instantly made me think..

A birthday is a happy occasion, ain't it?  And a birthday party - a happier one! ;-)  Then why do we blow out lighted candles, especially when light is considered to bring warmth and joy?  Instead why not, light candles and let it die out gradually?  Just like what Mom does in our Pooja room with the Kamakshi vilakku?

I never got an answer!



3 Quick n Easy Girlie DIYs

#1 Water Marble Nail Art

Thanks to Rek, who introduced me to this stuff; it turned out to be the funnest thing in a long while! :)

And, of course, thanks to Youtube.  For those of you, who don't know what marble nail art is, here you go and in the end, that's how cute my nails looked like! :-D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9A_9FH7e-A

   

#2 Home-made Waxing

Though I love getting myself pampered at a salon, preparation of this home made wax was damn easy.  Trust me!  Its Youtube again! ;-) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLjyttw0Tlk and that's how it looked on me before and after!


#3 Yay.. Hair Do's!

LuxyHair tutorials on Youtube.. man, the best Hair tutorials ever.  I simply love Mimi and Leyla.  Way to go, gurls! - http://www.youtube.com/user/LuxyHair

So, here goes my Mimi-inspired French braid.