Things I Hope My Kids Learn Sooner Than I Did

1. The amazing amount of "anything and everything" that's out of our hands.
2. The pleasures of pausing somewhere you shouldn't at two in the afternoon.
3. How money works.
4. It's the small moments that make it worthwhile.
5. How to dance. (This one I still donno ...:)..)
6. Success in life is how well you deal with Plan C.
7. Admitting you don't have all the answers produces remarkable results.
8. Don't tell someone who knows how to do his job, how to do his job.
9. Figure out who the important people are; make sure they know you know.
10. Last but not the least, Service. Service to mankind is service to God.

In-Laws

    
     Admittedly, this has been an easy one for me coz my in-laws are extraordinary people. And I must say my husband is equally lucky cuz my parents were also special. But its his bad luck that he didn't see his father in-law and didn't get much time to spend with his mother in-law. However, for many people, in-laws present quite a challenge, to say the least. And even if you like your in-laws, you do have to make certain sacrifices simply because of the nature of marriage. You will, for example, have to make trade offs as to where u spend holidays. You will also have to deal with the almost unavoidable problems of conflicting backgrounds and upbringing different religious philosophies, differing views on parenting, discipline, spending, saving, the relative importance of spending time with family, and so forth.Yet, despite the probable differences among you, I believe that most in-law relationships have the potential to be loving and filled with mutual respect.
     The trick to making the most of ur relationship with ur in-laws is to stay focused on gratitude. While their almost certainly will be differences you will have to deal with, gratitude will enable you to appreciate, rather than struggle against, those differences.
     Its easy to forget, yet you love your spouse, you owe ur in-laws an enormous debt of gratitude ! If not for their bringing your spouse into the world, you'd be with someone else, or alone. In most instances, it took ur in-laws (or one of them) to raise your spouse. So, regardless of what you may think,, they played a significant role in your spouses upbringing.
     Before you sarcastically think some think like "that explains why my spouse has certain problems," keep in mind that the opposite is equally true. If you blame ur in-laws for any issues your spouse struggles with, its only fair to give them credit for his or her strengths as well. In addition, if you have children, their genes their physical makeup come, in part, from your in-laws. With their contribution, your children would not be the people they are. If you think your kids are cute, and who doesn't think so, some of that cuteness, whether you want to believe it or not, comes from your in-laws.
     Believe me, m not a bury-your-head-in-the-sand-and-pretend-that-everything-is-perfect kind of person. I realise that all in-laws have certain difficult qualities, just as I will too my future daughter-in-law, some day down the road (way down the road). However, what choice do u have? You can continue to complain abt your in-laws, make mean spirited jokes about how difficult it is to have them, and wish that they were different or you can begin to focus less on their irritating quirks and characteristics and instead focus on that which you have to be grateful for. I believe the decision is an easy one. Stay focused on gratitude and my guess is that you will be able to improve your existing relationship in a significant way.
     I share this cute corner with my mom-in-law. This filmy gossip. I get her the weekly newspapers. She reads them n shares it with me when we meet and I do the same. And trust me, I just read it for her. She even saves some cooking tips, health tips paper cutting for me and we share n discuss.
     Every relation has this sweet corners, find them, maintain them, feed them, give space, make space. These corners helps save relations when things go wrong, when things r not in control. It helps to let go things. Understanding is a must in all relation......Enjoy your weekend with your in-laws...:)

Will This Matter a Year from Now?

     Almost every day I play a game with myself that I call "time warp." I made it up in response to my consistent, erroneous belief that what I was all worked up about was really important.
     To play "time wrap," all you have to do is imagine that whatever circumstance you are dealing with isn't happening right now but a year from now. Then simply ask yourself, "Is this situation really as important as I'm making it out to be?" Once in a great while it may be -  but a vast majority of the time, it simply isn't.
     Whether it be an argument with your spouse, child, or friends, a mistake, a lost opportunity, any kind of problem or circumstance, chances are, a  year from now you aren't going to care. It will be one more irrelevant detail in your life. While this simple game won't solve all your problems, it can give you an enormous amount of needed perspective. I find myself laughing at things that I used to take far too seriously. Now, rather than using up my energy feeling angry and overwhelmed, I can use it instead on spending time with my husband and children or engaging in creative thinking.

Recognize When You're Fighting Reality

    

     After a lecture on the brain development  which I attended in the library last evening, I was speaking to a 47 year old man from the audience who had a 20 year old son. This nice man named William, was telling me how disappointed he was that his son was decided not to attend college. He said that it was "his dream" that his son did not make the same mistake he had.
     William went on to say that he knew not going to college was the worst decision he had ever made and that he was certain his son would never recover if he make the same mistake. I could see in this man's eyes that he believed what he was saying, that his pain was real, and that it was severe.
     That fact of the matter was that William's son wasn't going to college. It was obvious that nothing this father could do or say was changing that fact. The problem was that William was fighting against certainty.
     Learning to recognize when we are arguing with, or struggling against, reality may be one of the smallest shifts you can make in your attitude. But it may also yield one of the most significant insights. Very simply, recognizing when you are fighting reality spells the difference between guaranteed misery and a life filled with peace and contentment.
     Think about what happens whenever any of us argue with reality, when we resist what is. We might dwell on how much we hate the fact that the new neighbor has moved in down the street, or that the liberals or the conservatives are in charge of Congress (as the case may be). The problem is that the neighbor has moved down the street, and the liberals or conservatives are in charge, just as William's son has decided not to attend college. In any of these cases, it's eye-opening to ask the question: how is resisting concrete reality going to help? Or put it even more bluntly, is there any chance whatsoever that fighting reality is going to make you feel better? The answer is- and will always be- No.
     You can hate the truth, and you can talk about it and resist it until you're blue in the face. You can complain and look for sympathy, stomp your feet, feel like a victim, and spend the rest of the your life feeling sad, depressed, angry, and resentful. But none of this is going to change anything.
     Being aware of the difference between what we can control and what we can't is critical for day-to-day happiness. Once we understand what we want to do, we can make the most important decisions about what we will do. Instead of fighting with his son, for instance, William could have simply shared his concerns and worked with him to ensure that the decision to skip college did not damage his future.
     It's a subtle shift in your thinking to be able to recognize when you're fighting reality, and the fact is that most of us do it a great deal of the time. But if you can make that slight change in your thinking, you will save yourself a great deal of agony and empower yourself and your decision like never before.

My second ebook "MAKE IT HAPPEN"  soon to be published at Amazon Kindle, in EPUB format and Paperback format. Working on the last couple of chapters and is entirely different from "MY LIBRARY OF THOUGHTS" .....Happy Reading n Have a blessed day :)  

Quotes

1. One of the basic differences between God and human is; God gives, gives and forgives. But human gets, gets, gets and forgets.

2. Never be satisfied with the life you are living until you see that you are much better than who you think you are.

3. We always wish that we could have changed our past...never realizing that the past has already changed us.

4. Love ur parents. We r so busy growing up, we often forget they r also growing old.

5. The best relation is one in which Yesterday's fight doesn't stop today's communication.

6. GOD is the reason y even in pain, we smile; even in confusion, we understand; even in betrayal , we trust; and even in fear, we continue to fight in life.

7. Respect your parents. They did High School without Google or Wikipedia.

8. The most painful thing isn't to be alone,but to be forgotten by someone you can't forget.

9. Sharing a permenant relationship is not an easy task. It depends on the spoken words.
But also depends on understanding the unspoken words..!!

10. Human happiness and human satisfaction must ultimately come from within oneself. It is wrong to expect some final satisfaction to come from money or from a computer.

In Each of Us

    
       As I was writing one night, I went for a walk on the beach with a cup of coffee in my hand. This helps me to think how do I continue my story. It was beautiful twilight, the sun just setting, the clouds going pink in sky. I walked down the road to the beach, and then along the beach heading south. As I did, I came upon a seagull standing on a single leg, who was also out having an evening walk, his single foot tiotoeing shyly into the water. Amazingly, majestically, he was balancing his curved and lovely body, a body the size of a football, on a leg the size of a knitting needle.
     I was touched by the sight. How had he lost his leg? At birth? To the jaws of the shark? The bill of a seagull? The teeth of a dog? What I wondered even more was what kept him going. What Signature Strength had allowed him- no, not allowed, but directed, insisted, commanded him despite his terrible loss- to come out tonight for a walk. Was it a gift for balance? Love of the sunset? The inspiration of challenge? Determinnation? A love of the water? The will to keep travelling with his mates?
     I'll never know, of course, and it doesn't matter. The gull had done his work, inspiring me, reminding me that in each of us there is a unique, powerful impulse, a way we always engage with life that is utterly consistent with who we are at the core.

YOU

There is a beauty of life, you are its dream.There is a beauty of compassion, you are its passion.There is a beauty of truth, you are its heart.There is a beauty of love, you are its soul.You are the angel coloring a rainbow for the beauty of life with your truth, compassion and your love. You are strong never weak, your heart shines, your wings glow, the sky always looks up to you; spread your wings beyond the sky. Give yourself to life and love will gift you.

Pleasures of Reading

Some people get pleasure from picnics and tours. Others like to discuss various topics and find pleasure in it. But the reading of books provides us with such pleasure as we do not get from any other activity. Great is the blessing of books.

 Books are written by learned persons. They contain the best experiences and thoughts of their writers. Literature is said to mirror society. Writers put in their books not only their own ideas and feelings, but also what they observe and find in society. The books of the past reflect the condition of the times in which they were written. By reading books written by great thinkers, we come in contact with their minds. Books enable us to know the best of different countries. So, if we want to keep abreast of the great minds of all ages, we must read books.
 When we are alone, books are our best friends. They entertain us in our spare moments. Good novels, books on poetry and short stories, give great enjoyment. At times we become so absorbed in our books that we forget even our important engagements. Loneliness is no trouble for a reader.
 If we are in a cheerful mood, our joy is increased by reading. When we are in a depressed and dejected mood, books console and soothe our troubled minds. They provide us with the best advice and guidance in our difficulties. Indeed, books are out best friends as they help us in our need.

Books contain grains of wisdom. They give us sound moral advice.  Now-a-days the world is changing fast. A man cannot remain in roach with the changes in his own country, or in the world, without reading the latest literature. One who wants to be respected in cultured society must keep himself well-informed. Good magazines, newspapers and other books provide us with valuable upto-date information. It gives us great pleasure to feel that our knowledge is upto-date. We get great satisfaction when we feel ourselves to be well-informed and capable of moving in any educated society. Reading of good books is the key to the store-house of pleasure.

 It was the English author Bacon who said that reading makes a full man. No one can question the truth of this saying. But we cannot derive full advantage from reading, if our choice is not good. Some books are such that instead of doing any good, they do positive harm to the readers. Such books must be avoided. Cheap books, not in cost but in contents, should not be read, even if they provide some amusement and entertainment. It is the reading of good books alone which bestows upon us the maximum benefit.

Is Good Spelling Necessary?

Don’t skip over this this because it looks weird. Believe it or not you can read it.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmorantt!

Me, Myself and My Time

Hi everybody, Good Morning, How r u all today ? It's been long time since my last blog post, but anyways m back, u may continue ..lol..:)

     This morning when I woke up, my husband said, " Today u take a day off from everything, from cooking, cleaning, kids drop-off, pick-up and take the car keys n live the day u want to live, spend it the way u want. This is ur post-birthday gift." This is my birthday week, I was soooo happy. I do spend most of my days, almost all the days the way I want, but this one was special. So I decided to spend my whole day in the LIBRARY, where I always wanted to spend time alone, all by myself. I always come with my kids here, for them. But today I want to breathe in this world alone. This is the only place from where I can't figure my way out. Being the weekday n early morning, the library is all quite. Just couple of staff members here and there. Perfect day and place to spend a day with laptop, books and blog. Lets see what comes up.

     "The Taker" by Alma Katsu (A Novel), I just finished reading yesterday is a great book. Alma Katsu takes the reader by surprise in the first chapter of her mesmerizing debut and stops delivering. What a wonderful book! A dark, Gothic epic worth savoring. A sweeping story that transcends time as it moves effortlessly from the tempestuous past to the frightening present. Enchanting and enthralling! No question- I was TAKEN. It is devastatingly so, like reading The Scarlet Letter while riding a roller coaster, on acid. Seductive, daring, soaring, and ultimately gut-wrenching, The Taker is a lush, historical rendering of transcendent love, paranormal beings, and the depth of pain that can be felt by immortal hearts. It's an astonishing good read.
     The other in my bookshelf  for today's read is "Where I belong" by Gillian Cross and "Undercurrent" By Tricia Rayburn. So will start reading this n will get back to u with the review on these. You have a great day ahead. And Happy Reading.
     And in the same breath I would to thank my husband for the beautiful gift. :)
    

Coping with Stress

Is there a woman alive who doesn't suffer from stress? If there is, seek her out, ask her to share her wisdom. When you find her, I'd be willing to bet she'll offer the following suggestions:

Cultivate gratitude.
Carve out an hour a day for solitude.
Begin and end the day with prayer, meditation, reflection.
Keep it simple.
Keep ur house picked up.
Don't over schedule.
Strive for realistic deadlines.
Never make a promise you can't keep.
Allow an extra half hour for everything you do.
Create quite surroundings at home and at work.
Go to bed at 9 twice a week.
Always carry something interesting to read.
Breathe- deeply and often.
Move- walk, dance, run, find a sport you njoy.
Drink pure spring water. Lot of it.
Eat only when hungry.
If it's not delicious, don't eat it.
BE instead of DO.
Set aside one day a week for rest and renewal.
Laugh more often.
Luxuriate in your senses.
Always opt for comfort.
Start pleasing yourself.
Don't answer the phone during dinner.
Stop trying to please everybody.
Let Mother Nature nurture.
Stay away from negative people.
Approach problems as challenges.
Honor your aspirations.
Set achievable goals.
Don't be afraid of your passion.
Surrender expectations.
Savor beauty.
Create boundaries.
For every "yes" let there be a "no".
Don't worry; be happy.
Remember, happiness is a living emotion.
Care for your soul.
Cherish your dreams.
Express love everyday.
Search for your authentic self until you find her.

Have You Ever Wondered ??

- Can you cry under water?

- How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

- If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches?

- Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?

- Why do you have to "put your two cents in"...but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?

- Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

- Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

- What did cured ham actually have?

- How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

- Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?

- If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

- If you drink Pepsi at work in the Coke factory, will they fire you?

- Why are you IN a movie, but you are ON television?

- Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Your Life Can Change At The Drop Of A Hat

     Sudden change is often a difficult subject to talk about in front of a group because a certain percentage of the audience believes I'm being a little pessimistic. I can assure you, I'm not.
     It's critical that we realize that at any moment our lives can change. Realistically, there will come a time when our everyday life will suddenly be altered. We just don't know when it will be.
     Many of us will get that dreaded phone call, giving us some piece of bad news. Maybe you'll hear from your doctor that something is wrong with you. Or maybe you will unexpectedly lose your job.
     Change may also goes both ways. Your life can be altered for the better in an instant. When you least expect it, you might meet a new friend, fall madly in love, come up with a brilliant idea, or discover a new career direction. You just never know, and this is one of the reason why life is so exciting and mysterious.
     Far too many of us dread the idea of change. We like things just the way they are. However, whether we like it or not, things are going to change. Living life with the awareness that it's going to change helps prepare you for the unavoidable. Rather than being shocked or thrown off when a change comes, you can react with an unruffled sense of acceptance.
     I'll never forget the time when I and my brother were having breakfast in the morning, this was the year 1997 and were ready to go college and we heard our mom scream. We went into her room to see what went wrong, and was shocked to see our dad passed away. I mean out of the blues, for no reason. He was just 40. Time went by and after two years even mom passed away. These were the only two changes in our lives that we still couldn't accept it. It is said that everything happens for a reason and for good. I don't see any good in these changes. The only question I have deep inside is WHY ? and I always fail to get the answer.
     Today when my kids get awards at school, I miss them by side. Wishing they were here to see this. When I wait in the parking lot for my kids to come out of school, I miss dad in the passenger seat by my side or on the drivers seat to pick them from school, grab them in their arms, treat them candies and I scold him for not doing that. ..........phew....guess I got carried away.......
     So where was I ?..But one thing I learned is, you should always be prepared for the change, as a matter of fact, for the WORST, cuz happiness we accept it anyways, however it comes, whenever it comes. It's just that these changes we're not ready for. Every day each of us is subjected to situations in which the underlying issue is the simple fact that life is changing.
     It is important to remember that change is not only inevitable but also something that we can prepare for. I know that might sound weird, but stay with me. Go through your closets and give away all those things you no longer need and have held on to for too long. Notice that, as you let go of these items, even if you're a little uncomfortable at first, everything is okay. In fact cleaning out the closet feels pretty good. You're learning that, although change can seem difficult and unwanted, it can also lead to pleasant surprises.
     Knowing that life can and does change at the drop of a hat is a powerful tool. With this knowledge, you can participate in making changes in your life rather than simply waiting for life to happen. And when life does spring surprises on you, this awareness allows you to respond to what comes at you more flexibly and with an open heart.....:)  au revoir

Take A Vacation Every Day

     Suppose you have 20 things to do during the course of a day. Further, suppose that nineteen of those things go well. The question is, which of the 20 things do most of us tend to focus on when we get home at night? Which do we talk about with those we love?
     The answer, of course, is that most of us tend to focus on the one two things that went wrong instead of the overwhelming number of things that went right. Why? Because we've become accustomed to spending our times and mental energy zeroing in on all that's wrong and all that needs to be done.
     It's time to create a new habit. Even if the good outweighs the bad, we spend the majority of our energy focusing on what went wrong. That's why it is time to take ourselves on what I call mini-vacations.
     We don't have to be on cruise or in a cabin in the woods to relax and enjoy ourselves. Instead, we can easily set aside short periods of time each day and bring fun and balance back into our lives.

      I'll put forth my example. For me a mini-vacation is a must. I just can't move without this vacation or else I end up ruining my day. For me my day, my time is very precious. Doesn't matter even if I purposely waste couple of hours knowingly. My mini-vacation includes, reading newspaper with a cup of tea early morning when my husband n kids r still sleeping, go for a long walk with ipod, I love long walks in the snow, solving sudoku puzzles without fail when family is at work/school. Going on a long drive with some snacks, music, coffee, ice-cap...yummm.....read a lot of books at night, blog, chat with friends for a little while, watching movies, listening to music while cooking, there is hospital nearby my house and volunteers are always welcomed at such places. I go there, volunteers for couple of hours, take flowers for 10 patient, help them with their lunch, talk to them, smile with them, cry with them.........I go on a vacation everyday with at least 2-3 things from the list. That makes my day and I'm ready for the family when they return home in the evening. It's a reset button that helps you de-stress.

    

Whatever you do on ur mini-vacation, if it gives you a break during your day, it's perfect for you. It is your special time, if possible make it non-negotiable. In other words, don't let other priorities interfere unless they are true emergencies.

     When we take a mini-vacation everyday, life isn't nearly as overwhelming. We have something to look forward to that is perfect antidote to our results-obsessed lives.

     This is a very small change in terms of minutes expended, yet the energy, enthusiasm, and vitality it produces with astound you.  

Make Mine Iced

Simple Pleasures

                              If I were to be really honest, I would have to confess that one of the greatest pleasures in my life is an ice-cold Coke (but only in the glass bottle, the ones in the can taste metallic) on a hot summer's day. The combination of the sweetness yet tanginess of the flavor with the amount of carbonation - nuthing surpasses it. Apparently, I am not alone in my obsession, as confirmed by the enormous storm created when the company tried to introduce a new formula.
     Unfortunately, I love Coke so much that I tend to overindulge and have to find other liquid refreshments. Enter iced tea: great tasting, lots of different flavors if that's what you desire, no carbonation (there's only so many bubbles a person can consume a day without feeling a bit overdone), no sugar and therefore no calories and, if you use decaf tea, absolutely not bad for you in any way. I drink it summer and winter, night and day. It is so satisfying that it makes em forget all about Coke. Well, almost.

Things To Do

Sun Tea:
                 Sun Tea is great because it has a mellower flavor than brewed tea. Drop 4 teabags in a quarter pitcher of water (the pitcher must be glass). Cover to keep out bugs and put the pitcher outside in a full sun. After a couple of hours, when the sun is really hot and u r too, remove the tea bags. Add ice and serve.

     For a variation, use a peach fruit tea. When the tea is ready, cup up a chilled peach into bite-sized pieces and add to the tea. Serve immediately for a one-of-a-kind refresher.     

Most Important Part of Your Body

My mother used to ask me what the most important part of the body is. Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct Answer. 

When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Mommy." She said, "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon." 

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes." She looked at me and told me, "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind." 

Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, "No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child." 

Then one year, we had to go to a funeral. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my mother cried. I remember that especially because I never saw her  crying. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to my relative. She asked me, "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?" I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. 

She saw the confusion on my face and told me, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson." 

She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, "My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder." I asked, "Is it because it holds up my head?"  She replied, "No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. 

Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it." 

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one. It is made for others and not for yourself. It is sympathetic to the pain of others. People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did . But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.

Housewife's Prayer

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."

Thank your dear Lord,
For things to do;
Tasks to complete,
That are never quite through,
Thank you for the laundry,
That piles up so fast;
For the tub I just cleaned,
Though I know it won't last,
Thanks for the toys,
That litter my floor;
For the mud-cake shoes,
That sit by the door.
Thank you for the fingerprints,
On once-clean glass;
Thanks for my carpet,
Now covered with grass.
Thanks for the kitchen,
That never stays clean;
For the skillets to scrub,
That lay in my sink.
Just prove that I'm blessed;
God gave me a family,
I can live the mess.

Happy Birthday GOOGLE

     I’m not what you would call a qualified poet. In fact I don’t even know how you get qualifications for doing poetry stuff. Maybe you have to sit some exams with a lot of boring words and try to think up rhymes.

     Whatever. I do know that when the muse takes me… actually I don’t know what a muse is either. It’s what they say, those poet dudes – “my muse has deserted me”. I’ll Google muse later.

     Tell you what. Let’s just get the poem thing out of the way and then maybe I’ll ramble on a bit more.

     Incidentally, when I sat down to pen an ode to Google using the medium of.. why am I talking like this? It’s like - mention poetry and one has to get all high brow and la-di-da. I don’t normally say one either. Usually it would be me or I in a fake I’m your mate sort of way.

     Let’s start off with one of those poems that doesn’t rhyme. Cheating really but I’d like to save the best till last.

You are my doorway
To a world outside my house
Where naked forms enchant and
You can get coupons for groceries.

You are a name
That has become a verb
A bit like Hoover
But not like Walmart.

I don’t key search terms in using an engine
Neither do I employ a complex algorithm
When I want something from the internet

I just Google.
Sorry Bing.

Google Rhyming Poem

I have used artistic licence, quite a lot of it, to redefine words within certain poetic parameters.
That is to say, I have cheated fairly extensively.

They asked me how to rhyme with Google
I said “Easy, if you use your noogle”
So off we go, toot, toot the bugle
Aboard the Chattanooga Choogle
We’re on our way to Honaloogle
Can pay for it in Russian roogles
Or credit card from my mate Dougal
No room though for my best Bazoogle
Some dogs allowed, but not a poogle
And certainly no Winnie Poohgle
Must always tip, please don’t be frugal
Here’s one, don’t stand in a canoogle
We hear a "cock a doodle doogle"
And fields of cows all mooing moogle
Their milk is churned, it’s centrifoogle
The bull next field wants his conjoogle
They said you cannot rhyme with Google
It’s easy if you have a droogle
Or better still a doobie doogle.
Doobie Doogle

 Google rhyming was more difficult than I thought. In retrospect I should have gone for Bing but it wasn’t my first choice. Same for most people I suspect.

“How can you top that?” you say, and I modestly admit that it might be difficult.

Monday ! Monday !

         Monday ! Monday , What M I doing today ? Usually Monday to Friday are not that busy for me. Myself, my mind and my time is all mine and at Peace till 4:00 pm.. Kids go to school, I have my own stuff to do at my ease, so on n so forth. I get busy after 4:00 pm till 8:00 pm. That time is just for my kids.

     But today's schedule is a bit different. My kids go to IB World school. Today IB Team members are visiting school from Europe for the evaluation. They are here for  two days. One day with teachers and the other with parents. These two days are very important for me. I have a blind faith on this IB Programme.Not that I don't trust any other school or programme, but doing this programme was my dream which I couldn't achieve it.  I just can't compromise on this programme for my kids. And the best part is, this is THE ONLY school in my city and to my reach. There was no school with this programme till 2008 in this city. This is the first school who got recognition.  Tough I know the in and out of this programme, but it definitely make a difference when I'm sharing the same table with them.

     I have a lot of hope with these sophisticated n dignified people today, with this school, with my kids presentations. Hope all goes well with everybody.
     Gotta go. Get back to you on this very soon.

Doing as We Do, Not as We Say

    
     Possibly the most influential relationship our children observe is the one between their parents. This is where they are most likely to learn how respect is expressed in daily living. No mater what we tell our children about how to behave, the way we act towards each other is the message they will actually receive.
     It's been a day full of bickering between the 6 &7 year old kids, Andrew and Emily. Mom finally loses her patience and yells, "Stop fighting, I can't stand it anymore!"
     Both kids look up at her in surprise and then Andrew replies, "But you and Daddy argue all the time. This isn't any different."
     Mom is speechless. She's never thought of it this way before, but she knows Andrew is right.
     Our children notice the way we speak to each other: our tone of voice, our attitudes, our unexpressed emotions. It's not simply a matter of whether we fight or argue. It's the way we resolve disagreements, how we communicate each other in clearing up minor misunderstandings, and how well we respond to each other's needs.
     Even the smallest gestures of attractiveness and concern that passes  between Mom and Dad are noticed by our children, becoming a mental model for how to treat loved ones. When they hear the expressions of polite interaction - "please", "thank you", and "you're welcome", - used in a habitual and natural way, and when thoughtful question such as "Can I get you something?" and "Can I help you with that?" are in the background of their everyday lives, they see the way people can help each other through life in both big moments and small.

You Create Your Own World

     Disney is reputed to have required his staff to meet every morning at 7:30 at their Burbank studios and follow this ritual: They would point to their temples and say, "My imagination creates my reality."
     How right he was. The world we live in is the combined images of all of our human minds. We have made the world into what it seems to be for us. We fly, have cars and houses, sleep in beds, have A/C, spend money, go to work in the morning, not because all this is the part of the universe, but because we invented it. First we visualized it and then we collectively caused it to exist. If we stop believing that all these things exist, then they'll stop existing for us.

     There is no time and no space. There is only ur minds and what they create. This is best seen and understood in a brilliant film called "The Gods Must Be Crazy". It shows a pygmy tribe living in peace and harmony in the Kalahari Desert, when a pilot throws a Coke bottle in the midst and totally disturbs their serenity and tranquility. It's mind-expanding, humorous story.
     No one saw this more clearly than Socrates, who could often be found sitting outside the city of Athens greeting strangers. One day a stranger came up to him and said, "I would like to live in your city. What kind of people does it have?" Socrates replied, "What kind of people are in the city you come from?" To which the man replied, "Oh, they're not very nice. They lie, steal and they cheat. That's why I'm moving out."

     Socrates, in his wisdom, replied, "It's the same way here. If I were you, I'd keep looking."
     A short time later another man came up and asked about the people in Athens. Socrates again asked him about his own city. The second man replied, "They're wonderful. They always help each other. They are truthful and industrious. I just thought I'd see the other parts of the world."
     Socrates, in his wisdom, replied this time, "It's the same way here. Why don't you go into the city? You will find just as you imagine it should be."
     When we move, we bring our attitude, ideas and images with us wherever we go. Why not work to improve them now and always, in all ways?
    
     "It has been said that the great mandate of our world is not to set things right, but to see things right."

"The Magic of Thinking Big" Giveaway

Some books come into your life that absolutely and utterly destroy every mediocre thought ever established in your mind. They’re rare, but they do appear from time to time in your life. The Magic Of Thinking Big was one of those books that impacted me in a BIG way.
So for that reason I would like to share some of that experience with you by giving away a copy of one of my favorite motivational books – The Magic Of Thinking Big .
Time and again, throughout the years, I have returned to this masterpiece to unlock its secrets. In fact, I have loved this book so much that I’ve worn out my original copy.
So I’d like to offer you a chance to win a brand new copy.

What To Do

To enter this competition all you have to do is choose JUST 1 of the following statements drawn from the pages of this magnificent book and tell me what it means to you personally.



1. Believe you can succeed and you will.
2. You are what you think you are.
3. Action cures fear.
4. Think progress, believe progress, and push progress.
5. Study setbacks to pave your way to success.
6. Be a doer, not a don’t-er.
7. Tune in to Channel P (for Positive), the Good Thoughts Station.
8. Give spiritual strength to people and they will give genuine affection to you.
9. Manage your environment: go first class.
10. Use the big thinker’s vocabulary – use big, bright, cheerful words.Go on – take a minute to share your wisdom with us and you might just be the one I choose to receive your own personal copy of this amazing book.
　

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry.
Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is yesterday with its mistakes and cares,
Its faults and blunders, Its aches and pains.
Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed.
We cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow.
With its possible adversities, Its burdens,
Its large promise and poor performance.
Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
Tomorrow's Sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds,
but it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.
This just leaves only one day . . . Today.
Any person can fight the battles of just one day.
It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternity's -
yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.
It is not the experience of today that drives people mad.
It is the remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday
and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Therefore LIVE FOR TODAY .

Appreciate

Appreciate those who have hurt you,
because they strengthen your heart.

Appreciate those who deceive you,
because they improve your wisdom.

Appreciate those who slander against you,
because they improve your personality.

Appreciate those who whip you,
because they arouse your will to fight.

Appreciate those who abandon you,
because they teach you independence.

Appreciate those who make you stumble,
because they strengthen your legs.

Appreciate those who denounce you,
because they remind you of your shortcomings.

Appreciate those who give you strength.

Definitely Not To Be Missed !!!

Priya married Hitesh this day. At the end of the wedding party, Priya's mother gave her a newly opened bank saving passbook, with Rs.1000 deposit amount.

Mother: Priya, take this passbook. Keep it as a record of your marriage life. When there's something happy and memorable happened in your new life, put some money in. Write down what it's about next to the line. The more memorable the event is, the more money you can put in. I've done the first one for you today. Do the others with Hitesh. When you look back after years, you can know how much happiness you've had.'

Priya shared this with Hitesh when getting home. They both thought it was a great idea and were anxious to know when the second deposit can be made. This was what they did after certain time:
- 7 Feb: Rs.100, first birthday celebration for Hitesh after marriage

- 1 Mar: Rs.300, salary raise for Priya

- 20 Mar: Rs.200, vacation trip to Bali

- 15 Apr: Rs.2000, Priya got pregnant

- 1 Jun: Rs.1000, Hitesh got promoted

.... and so on...

However, after years, they started fighting and arguing for trivial things. They didn't talk much. They regretted that they had married the most nasty people in the world.... no more love...

Kind of typical nowadays, huh?

One day Priya talked to her Mother:'Mom, we can't stand it anymore. We agree to divorce. I can't imagine how I decided to marry this guy!!!'

Mother: 'Sure, girl, that's no big deal. Just do whatever you want if you really can't stand it. But before that, do one thing first. Remember the saving passbook I gave you on your wedding day? Take out all money and spend it first. You shouldn't keep any record of such a poor marriage.'

Priya thought it was true. So she went to the bank, waiting at the queue and planning to cancel the account.

While she was waiting, she took a look at the passbook record. She looked, and looked, and looked.

Then the memory of all the previous joy and happiness just came up her mind. Her eyes were then filled with tears. She left and went home.

When she was home, she handed the passbook to Hitesh, asked him to spend the money before getting divorce. The next day, Hitesh gave the passbook back to Priya. She found a new deposit of Rs.5000. And a line next to the record :

'This is the day I notice how much I've loved you through out all these years. How much happiness you've brought me.'

They hugged and cried, putting the passbook back to the safe.

Do you know how much money they had saved when they retired? I did not ask. I believe the money did not matter any more after they had gone through all the good years in their life.

"When you fall, in any way, Don't see the place where you fell, Instead see the place from where you slipped.

Life is about correcting mistakes."

LOVE IS PRECIOUS DON’T MISS IT…

SO, ENJOY LIFE ... STARTING WITH THIS WEEKEND......

Be Willing to Take Advice !!

Once upon a time, there were three people who went to watch drama together. One of them was far-sighted, another one had a hearing problem, and the other had a twisted head.

After the show, they were judging the drama.

“Today’s show had great singers, but the costume design was poor,” said the person who had farsightedness.

“The costume was perfect, but the sound was too low,” said the person who had hearing problem.

“The sound was loud and the costume was fine. Everything was great, but the performance stage was lopsided,” said the person who had twisted head.

From the story above, most people do not admit their shortcomings. It’s because the person, who had farsightedness, cannot see things in clarity, but complains about the costume; the one, who had hearing problem, cannot hear things clearly, but complains about the music; the one, who doesn’t admit his twisted head, but complains about the performance stage.

According to statistics, the vocabulary most often used in our daily communication is either “I” or “me”. Aren't conflicts among human and disputes among nations, the results of over-emphasizing one's opinion?

Accept sincere advice and the reality of truth given by others. One who is willing to take advice and relinquish one’s ego can work well with others.

Good Morning World !!

Decide to be happy today, 

to live with whatis yours - 

your family, your business, your job.

If you can't have what you like, 

maybe you can like what you have.

Just for today, be kind, cheerful, agreeable, 

responsive, caring, and understanding. 

be your best, dress your best, talk softly, look 

for the bright side of things.

Praise people for what they do and 

don't criticize them for what they cannot do.

If someone does something stupid, forgive and forget.

After all, it's just for one day.

Who knows, it might turn out to be a good day! 

The Most Important Promise

Most people I know try to honor the promises they make to others. And if something prevents them from keeping those promises, they feel bad about it.
But there is a certain type of promise that most of us break quite often and don’t give much thought to it. I’m talking about the promises we make—and break—to ourselves.

We all have them. The promises to eat healthier, exercise more, worry less, break out of our comfort zone. We swear that tomorrow will be the day we finally begin our novel, or start that new business, or take those flying lessons. But tomorrow has a way of never arriving.

What have you promised yourself you would do and never did? Or never finished? Isn’t a promise to yourself, just as important as a promise to others?

I’m here to tell you it is.

Honor your promises. Especially the ones you make to yourself.

Right Speech

RIGHT SPEECH

There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "A speech will either prosper or ruin a nation." Many relationships break off because of wrong speech. When a couple is too close with each other, we always forget mutual respect and courtesy. We may say anything without considering if it would hurt the other party.

A friend and her millionaire husband visited their construction site. A worker who wore a helmet saw her and shouted,"Hi, Emily! Remember me? We used to date in the secondary school." On the way home, her millionaire husband teased her, "Luckily you married me.Otherwise you will be the wife of a construction worker." She answered ,"You should appreciate that you married me. Otherwise, he will be the millionaire and not you."

Frequently exchanging these remarks plants the seed for a bad relationship. It's like a broken egg - cannot be reversed.

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND !

The Way Back Home

The father of a teenager usually tries to teach him life skills in an attempt to prepare him for the proverbial 'Big-bad world'. One such father was on a business tour to a foreign country. He had taken his fourteen year old son with him. They were staying at a small hotel.They went out in the day. They were walking on a busy road.

 Suddenly the boy realized that the father was no where around. He looked around for him desperately, but to no avail. The boy looked in the restrooms; the shops; the restaurants and the corridors. But no where could he find his father. The boy was scared. He felt tears brimming in his eyes, but he fought them back.. He walked the street up and down several times but could not find his father.

 As the sun began to set, the boy decided that the best thing he could do was to make his way back to the hotel.. He rummaged through his pockets, only to find that he did not have enough money to pay for his fare back to the hotel. Anyways, he did not even know the way back. So, he tactfully asked the traffic policeman to guide him on how to get there, without letting him know his actual predicament. He took a bus to a place that was half way to the hotel, for that was the farthest he could pay for.

The other half, he walked. He read the directions from the site maps on the way. Many times he had to ask for directions from strangers. It was late in the night when he finally trudged into the hotel tired, hungry and weary. He marched up the stairs to their room, hoping to find father inside, but he was disappointed. He sat down and thought, 'What next? What should I do? How will I find him in this alien land, with no money in my pocket?'

 Just then he heard the key turn in the door and father walked in! "Dad,Where were you? I've been looking for you all over? Why did you leave me alone and go away?"

The father eased himself out of his shoes and stretched himself onto the bed, "I was only a few steps away from you, all the time!"
"What do you mean?" asked the boy incredulously.

"I wanted to see, if you could fend for yourself.

I was testing you to see whether you could find your way back to me."

 "Oh! Really? Then why did you follow me all the time?" 

 "I had to be sure you were safe. I must say, you did rather well. I'm quite proud of you!"

Years passed. The boy grew up to be a man and the father became old. One quiet evening, the old man sat in the garden, looking at the sunset.

He was talking to God, "Lord, I am old now. I've gone through so many ups and downs in life. Do you even know what I have been through? As I sit in this armchair in the twilight of my life, I wonder what life is all about. I wonder why you created me and then left me alone in this world to fend for myself. Why do you not guide me? Why don't you talk to me sometimes?
 Then God replied, "Do you remember the day, you decided to test your son?"
 "Yes."
 "Did you let him out of your sight, even for a moment?"
 "No."
 "*Neither did I! If only you had looked around carefully, you would have seen me. I too expect you to find your way home. Your son did well; he found his way back to his father! I too expect you to find your way back to your eternal father; to your eternal home! ome my child, I am waiting for you to find your way back to me because you belong to me!