This Months Reading Challenge

Every month I set this calendar for completing my reading challenges. Whether I review it or not on my blog, it's a different story. I try to read at least four books in a month. One book, each week. An average book I read is may be 250-300 pages. Some are larger and some are smaller. I break this down to 40 pages a day which I read early on so I can get it over with. It’s an easy, manageable goal, which doesn’t seem nearly so daunting as 52 books in a year. This is critical to managing your emotional state, making it feel like it’s totally reasonable. My reading time is set  late nights and morning hours when the kids r at school. I manage to read couple of chapters on the roads when my husband is driving, at doctor's office, or waiting for kids in the parking lot. As soon as I finish reading a book  I update my Goodreads and Shelfari challenges and try to give review on those books.

Reading has made me a much better, more complete, and happier person. All the world’s wisdom is contained in books– most of it is not on the internet or known by people in your social group, so this can really help you expand, if you let it. So start today.

My this months challenges are :

Completed and Reviewed on my blog.

Currently Reading

In a Book Shelf

In a Book Shelf



In a Book Shelf



In a Book Shelf

Will soon get back to you with the reviews on these.

Don't Interrupt !!

Do you ever find your kids interrupting you when you are having a conversation with someone else? Are you tired of telling them that they need to wait? 

I had the same problem. I solved my problem by teaching them  to put their hand on my hand when they wanted my attention and then to wait. 

When they would fall back into trying to verbally interrupt me, I'd remind them “That won’t work.” They soon learned that the only thing that did work was to put their hand on my hand and wait their turn. They were rewarded with my full attention when it was their turn.

This really worked for me. Now they know how to get my attention and m always there 24/7 to give mine, it's just they should learn and understand and put it into practise as to how to get attention without interrupting.

Book Cover

To me there is nuthing better than a cover of the book. One of my second favourite place in the world is Book Store. (Chapters Indigo ). First favourite place is Library. I know , I know, I said this a lot of times but plz stay with me. There is a huge book store very close to my house n library at next intersection. It's in my daily routine to go to these two places thrice a week. Two times library n once Chapters Indigo.

Well, not all can afford to buy all the new books that cums in the market. So I go to Chapters, browse around the whole store looking for the new releases, pen down their titles, read the review at the back, and then order it online from the library and when the item is available m notified. Cool Na !!

Sumtimes I just walk around for hours just looking at the cover of the books. I'm well aware of the saying that, "U can never judge a book by it's cover." but I don't believe it. !!

Without further ado, here is the cover of the book that caught my eye last evening in the store n it's "In Transit" status from the library for me.

Pink Smog by Francesca Lia Block.

What this cover say to me:

Based on the cover alone, it looks so creepy!! The fact that the whole cover is in pink with those looks thrown in really makes it stand out. Can't wait to read this one and show it off !!

Review of this book at Amazon: Pink Smog

What cover took your breath away this week ?

Never Mind, I'll Do It !!

As parents we can find ourselves frustrated by the lack of speed our children have in getting tasks done. When we are tired of waiting or really need something done right now, we may find ourselves saying “Never mind, I’ll do it!” It often takes less time and energy to simply do it ourselves. However, when we jump in and do something our children should be doing, we are stealing the opportunity for them to increase their self discipline and sense of responsibility.

What do our children think when they hear us say “Never mind, I’ll do it”? Perhaps thoughts like:

• I can get out of doing work if I simply delay long enough.
• Dad is mad at me but at least I don’t have to do it.
• I’m kind of lazy.

Since there are no positive messages being sent in this situation, it’s something to avoid doing.

One dad described being so frustrated with his 5-year-old’s slowness in getting dressed that he finally took over and dressed his son. In his anger he scolded his son saying he was acting like a baby and shouldn’t need help getting dressed. What thoughts was this boy probably having about himself in this situation? What thoughts was he having about his dad?

Another approach this dad could have taken was to give his son the choice of getting dressed at home or taking his clothes in a bag and getting dressed at school. Allowing our children to accomplish their own tasks in their own way is a gift which will help them grow.

About Me

Today I've plenty of reasons to play a game. This weekend is a long weekend here in Ontario. Tomorrow it's a provincial holiday (Family Day). Tomorrow it's my 12th Wedding Anniversary too. Ofcourse a successful one with two wonderful kids. Can't ask for more. Touchwood. This is a "fun post" . Let's play, share, n tag. Here r the rules:

RULES:


1. Post these rules
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them.
6. No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 RANDOM THINGS ABT ME:

1. First of all cums my family. I love my family, my husband, my kids, my in-laws. Their happiness means the world to me. They r happy, m happy. They r not m not. I live for them.
2. M addicted to books, libraries. If m lost from my family in the mall, they know where to find me....lol....If m not home, they know where I am.
3. Cooking, cleaning, music n driving a car r my other hobbies.
4. I CANNOT see anybody in pain.
5. I can't live without  tea, coke, coffee. ANYTIME.
6. It's not the clothes, not the hair, not the looks, not the eyes, n definately not the money that matters to me abt others but its the personality that attracts.
7. I don't party, I don't socialize, I don't shop much. But I don't think twice when it cums to kids.
8. My worst nightmare r lizards, cockroach, rats, little inscets crawling on the ground....eeewwww...yuck.
9. I find happiness in little things around me.
10. I love sunrise n sunsets.
11. I love my house. I can't saty out of it for a longer time.

QUESTIONS FROM ME:

1. Your favourite book ?
         Keeps changing. "Love in a Nutshell" cuz m reading this now n its kinda interesting.

2. Which internet site do u waste ur time on? ( Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
         Facebook..lol...games , status updates, ...trying to cut down on this ...

3.  Your Favourite holiday destination?
         Mauritius. I've been there but wanna visit again.

4.  Your Favourite movies?
         All Leonardo DiCaprio Movies.

5. The song on ur mind right now ?
         Cuando Me Enamoro by Enrique and Juan Luis Guerra.

6. What's sumthing u always have in ur fridge?
        Ice-creams

7. U miss being with ?
        My Parents.

8. The one thing u want in ur house?
        Pool Table.

9. Beach or the Mountains?
         Mountains.

10. Ur drink ?
          Coffee.

11. Define urself in one word ?
           Simple.

MY TAGS:

Book BagLady
Tantrums, Troubles, and Treasures
Lets book it
I'm a book shark
Kristina's world of books      
The Thinking Mother  
My life. One story at a time .

Want more TAGS lemme know....
             

Tribute to Whitney Houston

She had an effortless voice I've ever heard. May her soul RIP...:( ...These r some of my personal favourites and wud like to share.

I Will Always Love You

Could I Have This Kiss Forever

Rock With Somebody

I Wanna Dance With Somebody

Winning an Award

I'm Every Woman

And the list is endless......... R.I.P Whitney we're not just letting go of a beautiful woman but a voice that no one can even compare too she was beautiful inside and out no matter what mistakes she made she is a symbol and an icon of a generation of amazing music. Your gone but not soon forgotten. Love.  

Hardcover or Paperback

Actually it doesn't matter. I like both. There are places where u want to carry paperback. Like bus-stops, doctor's office or in the park. There r things I like abt Hardcover books, n things I hate. They're luxurious to hold, with thicker paper and smooth, sometimes deluxe-to-the-touch dust-jackets, but they weigh too much to cart around on the bus, park any where outside the house. There r some books which I really want them in my bookshelf at home in hardcovers. like Steve Jobs, Nora Roberts, Hugo Cabret, Fallen In Love, Peter Robinson, Harry Potter, Taken, Hunger Games, to name a few.

Which one do u prefer? Hardcover or Paperback? And Why ?

When Technology Takes Over Kids

How do you know when your kids are becoming too attached to their technology? One mom knew when she asked her son to turn off his Xbox game and instead of turning it off, he shoved her.

Being pushed was a big red flag for her since he was normally a cooperative kid. After a family meeting, they decided to have no TV, movies or computer games from Sunday evening until the following Friday evening. She says their home is much more pleasant with this new rule. 

My two kids age 9 and 4, do play games. They have everything what a kid asks for at this age. But there is a limit n time for every little things. They have their scheduled routine. Sundays its their day. Games, movies, dinners, shopping. They name it. But, its THE only day, THE only time with limits. 

Young kids becoming addicted to video games is a problem across the world. An international study of video gaming among kids found about 9% of children in grades 3 - 8 were pathological gamers - resulting in depression, anxiety, social phobias, and lower school performance.

As with all potential addictions, it’s much easier to control the behavior before it becomes a full blown addiction. If your kids are starting to show signs of being too attached to their technology, it’s time to make a change. 

Word Cloud

Like many of you out there, I'm constantly trying to find unique and different words to replace the boring old ones that I always seem to turn to. Such words add a bit of spice and intrigue to our stories and, let's be honest, they make us look (and feel) a little smarter too.

Checking out a suggestion from one of my kids teacher, I signed up for StumbleUpon a few months ago to help me with this ongoing quest. I've actually gotten some pretty cool link suggestions. Two that have been very helpful.

The first was a blog post about creating Beautiful Word Clouds, like the one in the opening picture. Basically, you choose a word (like 'technology') then brainstorm on all words that are related to the main one. It really helped me in writing a short story I'm working on. "MAKE IT HAPPEN".  For writing books, though, I was looking for something more. And I came across something awesome the following week.

The light came from another blog post on DESHODA called, "100 of the Most Beautiful Words in the English Language" (which, for some reason, actually worked out to 103 words!) WOW! What an amazing list! Let's just say I printed it off and added it to my word folder to refer to whenever I get stuck. And I thought I'd share this list with all of you today so you can do the same.

Yeah, I'll probably still suffer with the occasional bought of 'Writer's Block', but never again will I be stuck with trying to find a beautiful, unique word when I need one. Conclusion? Start with a Thesaurus, move to creating your own Beautiful Word Cloud then add some of these words to it.

Happy writing to you all this week!

Until next time!

Khairu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Ailurophile: A cat-lover.
2. Assemblage: A gathering.
3. Becoming: Attractive.
4. Beleaguer: To exhaust with attacks.
5. Brood: To think alone.
6. Bucolic: In a lovely rural setting.
7. Bungalow: A small, cozy cottage.
8. Chatoyant: Like a cat’s eye.
9. Comely: Attractive.
10. Conflate: To blend together.
11. Cynosure: A focal point of admiration.
12. Dalliance: A brief love affair.
13. Demesne: Dominion, territory.
14. Demure: Shy and reserved.
15. Denouement: The resolution of a mystery.
16. Desuetude: Disuse.
17. Desultory: Slow, sluggish.
18. Diaphanous: Filmy.
19. Dissemble: Deceive.
20. Dulcet: Sweet, sugary.
21. Ebullience: Bubbling enthusiasm.
22. Effervescent: Bubbly.
23. Efflorescence: Flowering, blooming.
24. Elision: Dropping a sound or syllable in a word.
25. Elixir: A good potion.
26. Eloquence: Beauty and persuasion in speech.
27. Embrocation: Rubbing on a lotion.
28. Emollient: A softener.
29. Ephemeral: Short-lived.
30. Epiphany: A sudden revelation.
31. Erstwhile: At one time, for a time.
32. Ethereal: Gaseous, invisible but detectable.
33. Evanescent: Vanishing quickly, lasting a very short time.
34. Evocative: Suggestive.
35. Fetching: Pretty.
36. Felicity: Pleasantness.
37. Forbearance: Withholding response to provocation.
38. Fugacious: Fleeting.
39. Furtive: Shifty, sneaky.
40. Gambol: To skip or leap about joyfully.
41. Glamour: Beauty.
42. Gossamer: The finest piece of thread, a spider’s silk.
43. Halcyon: Happy, sunny, care-free.
44. Harbinger: Messenger with news of the future.
45. Imbrication: Overlapping and forming a regular pattern.
46. Imbroglio: An altercation or complicated situation.
47. Imbue: To infuse, instill.
48. Incipient: Beginning, in an early stage.
49. Ineffable: Unutterable, inexpressible.
50. Ingénue: A naïve young woman.
51. Inglenook: A cozy nook by the hearth.
52. Insouciance: Blithe nonchalance.
53. Inure: To become jaded.
54. Labyrinthine: Twisting and turning.
55. Lagniappe: A special kind of gift.
56. Lagoon: A small gulf or inlet.
57. Languor: Listlessness, inactivity.
58. Lassitude: Weariness, listlessness.
59. Leisure: Free time.
60. Lilt: To move musically or lively.
61. Lissome: Slender and graceful.
62. Lithe: Slender and flexible.
63. Love: Deep affection.
64. Mellifluous: Sweet sounding.
65. Moiety: One of two equal parts.
66. Mondegreen: A slip of the ear.
67. Murmurous: Murmuring.
68. Nemesis: An unconquerable archenemy.
69. Offing: The sea between the horizon and the offshore.
70. Onomatopoeia: A word that sounds like its meaning.
71. Opulent: Lush, luxuriant.
72. Palimpsest: A manuscript written over earlier ones.
73. Panacea: A solution for all problems
74. Panoply: A complete set.
75. Pastiche: An art work combining materials from various sources.
76. Penumbra: A half-shadow.
77. Petrichor: The smell of earth after rain.
78. Plethora: A large quantity.
79. Propinquity: Proximity; Nearness
80. Pyrrhic: Successful with heavy losses.
81. Quintessential: Most essential.
82. Ratatouille: A spicy French stew.
83. Ravel: To knit or unknit.
84. Redolent: Fragrant.
85. Riparian: By the bank of a stream.
86. Ripple: A very small wave.
87. Scintilla: A spark or very small thing.
88. Sempiternal: Eternal.
89. Seraglio: Rich, luxurious oriental palace or harem.
90. Serendipity: Finding something nice while looking for something else.
91. Summery: Light, delicate or warm and sunny.
92. Sumptuous: Lush, luxurious.
93. Surreptitious: Secretive, sneaky.
94. Susquehanna: A river in Pennsylvania.
95. Susurrous: Whispering, hissing.
96. Talisman: A good luck charm.
97. Tintinnabulation: Tinkling.
98. Umbrella: Protection from sun or rain.
99. Untoward: Unseemly, inappropriate.
100. Vestigial: In trace amounts.
101. Wafture: Waving.
102. Wherewithal: The means.
103. Woebegone: Sorrowful, downcast.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Last Week I Finished :

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Reading Now Is :

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Up Next :

The Stones Release by Kerry A. Jones  




How far along are you in your current read before you start thinking about what you’ll read next?



I usually know what the next 2-3 books I'm going to read are. That way I'm sure to get the books I've agreed to do a tour/review of read in time. If I don't have anything scheduled for a few days, I'll pick a book from my TBR shelf of from the books I have set aside for a challenge.  

The Candle ( My Haiku)

Am I the candle

burning myself but I'm glad

there's light for others.

Did You Help Someone Today?

     Wherever u live, wherever u go, there r people who need your help: the elderly man or lady who can't rake the leaves or wash the car, that kid who just fell off his bike and looks hurt, the mother who needs someone to watch her kids so she can run to the grocery store. Isn't there something you can do? Not for money, but just that you're a nice person u have a big heart. You can make an unforgettable difference in someone's life, by giving just a little of your time and energy. And the person u helped will never forget it.

     I remember this thing happened with me years ago when my mother-in-law was in hospital for her knee surgery. I used to go every afternoon to accompany her for lunch. I have my coffee n she has her lunch n we chat. I noticed, there was this very old lady in her late 80's next to her bed. She had lunch in front of her but was not able to eat coz of all those antibiotics passing her veins from her right hand. She was looking here n there to find  Nurse so she cud help but as usual, when u need help u'll never find it. So minutes later I went up to her n asked her, "Wud u mind if I feed u?" She said, "i really appreciate if u don't have problem." .....

    
     Couple of days ago I got a message from a dear friend of mine that his Uncle met with a severe accident. Nuthing I cud do but Pray n next day I got the message that he is fine now n surgery was successful. What else I wanted to hear !! There is a saying which goes, "You are always there at a place, at a given time, for a REASON."
     It's so easy to get lost in our own little worlds, worrying abt our own problems. You can do better than that.Take a minute to look around you and notice other people. You have the power to reach out, to care. Use it to help others, and let others help you when u need it. That's what we're here for.    

ATM

A new sign in the Bank Lobby reads:

"Please note that this Bank is installing new Drive-through ATM machines enabling customers to withdraw cash without leaving their vehicles. Customers using this new facility are requested to use the procedures outlined below when accessing their accounts.
                   
After months of careful research, MALE and FEMALE procedures have been developed.

Please follow the appropriate steps for your gender:
                   
MALE PROCEDURE

1. Drive up to the cash machine.
2. Put down your car window.
3. Insert card into machine and enter PIN.
4. Enter amount of cash required and withdraw.
5. Retrieve card, cash and receipt.
6. Put window up.
7. Drive off.

FEMALE PROCEDURE
1. Drive up to cash machine.
2. Reverse and back up the required amount to align car window with the machine.
3. Set parking brake, put the window down.
4. Find handbag, remove all contents on to passenger seat to locate card.
5. Tell person on cell phone you will call them back and hang up.
6. Attempt to insert card into machine.
7. Open car door to allow easier access to machine due to its excessive distance from the car.
8. Insert card.
9. Re-insert card the right way.
10. Dig through handbag to find diary with your PIN written on the inside back page.
11. Enter PIN.
12. Press cancel and re-enter correct PIN.
13. Enter amount of cash required.
14. Check makeup in rear view mirror.
15. Retrieve cash and receipt.
16. Empty handbag again to locate wallet and place cash inside.
17. Write debit amount in check register and place receipt in back of checkbook.
18. Re-check makeup.
19. Drive forward 2 feet.
20. Reverse back to cash machine.
21. Retrieve card.
22. Re-empty hand bag, locate card holder, and place card into the slot provided.
23. Give dirty look to irate male driver waiting behind you.
24. Restart stalled engine and pull off.
25. Redial person on cell phone.
26. Drive for 2 to 3 miles.
27. Release Parking Brake.

Money

There was a man who worked all of his life and saved all of his money. He was a real miser when it came to his money. He loved money more than just about anything, and just before he died, he said to his wife, "Now listen, when I die, I want you to take all my money and place it in the casket with me. I wanna take my money to the afterlife."
                   
So he got his wife to promise him with all her heart that when he died, she would put all the money in the casket with him.

Well, one day he died. He was stretched out in the casket, the wife was sitting there in black next to her closest friend. When they finished the ceremony, just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said "Wait just a minute!"

She had a shoe box with her, she came over with the box and placed it in the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down and rolled it away. Her friend said, "I hope you weren't crazy enough to put all that money in the casket."

"Yes," the wife said, "I promised. I'm a good Christian, I can't lie. I promised him that I was going to put that money in that casket with him."

"You mean to tell me you put every cent of his money in the casket with him?"

"I sure did. I got it all together, put it into my account and I wrote him a check."

The Wealthy Barber Returns

On Thursday, after dropping off kids to school, I and my husband had an appointment with a Banker. She was explaining us all the new policies, terms n conditions which we both were patiently listening as she thought we were, but I admit we were not. We didn't knew this would talk 2 hrs. I don't blame her, she was doing her job n we were doing ours. And we didn't wanted to interrupt her either. So all this time went by n we were at our next level for paperwork. It was time to pick my little one from school. My husband had to leave n I had to be there for further proceedings. Finally, everything came to an end. All processed, Done, Deal, Signed....and my hubby didn't come yet. As I was waiting for him n wishing if I've had the book to kill my time, This banker came up to me n gave me this book to my surprise. What more could I ask for. The book is about financial security, money saving, investments and all money related issues. Though this subject is not my cup of tea, I started reading to kill my time.
     "The wealthy Barber Returns" by Dave Chilton. I must admit that it's an amazing read. He is so funny, so smart. He stated all the simple plans for better financial future. The topics are excellent, the advice current and helpful. I really liked his thoughts on credit cards. His statement, "I can't afford it" really impressed me. Nice everyday advices. Its very interesting of what he has to say after 20 years of "The Wealthy Barber". I didn't read this one, but sure will.
      He is coming here in Mississauga for two of his seminars. Will try my best to attend if time permits.
     I am thankful for that banker for giving me this book as a complimentary on our project and added that we were her #1 customer. That HELPED....:))

Make Life 100%

What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants
you to give over 100%.

How about achieving 101%? What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might
help you answer these questions:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

and

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E

11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But,

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E

1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

It is our attitude towards life and work that makes our lives 100%.

What do you think? You might have something to share with me.

Fibonacci

    
     Last night I made this Fibonacci Sonnet. I started at 1:00 a.m n by the time I finished, it was 3:30 a.m. I know it doesn't take long to make this Sonnet but as this is my first ever so was trying hard on this. I knew how to make Fibonacci Sonnet but its been a while that I left the practise.
     U know what Fibonacci is ? Do u ? OK, let me tell u in short. Here's how it works:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21.....To get a Fibonacci number, u add the previous two numbers.
0+1=1, 1+1=2, 2+1=3, 3+2=5, 5+3=8, 8+5=13, 13+8=21, ....and so on...OK, so now the point is, as u have made this sequence, u can use the same pattern for words to make short paragraph called "sonnet." All u need is Pen, Paper and a Steady Hands n ofcourse a Steady Mind to focus...lol..
     First write a word, then write another word, then write two words to make a sentence. Next, write a three word sentence, followed by a sentence of five words. Very soon ur finishing ur eight word sentence, ur thirteen word sentence, topping it off with a woofing twenty-one word sentence. The next paragraph should be shorter than last one. Ur going backwards now. 21, 13, 8, 5, 3, 2, 1, 1. It ends the way it started.......Its as easy as that ....This is my second challenging adventure after Sudoku's, Ken ken, and now Sonnet.....Its fun...Here's my FIBONACCI SONNET. Hope u'll like it and do share ur tries.

My

dream

so real

in the garden of flowers

picking the brightest one among all the colours

placing it tenderly in the vase of love, sparkling it with the perfume of care

warding off even just a speck of dust, tending to it every minute of the day

guarding it well from the eyes of others

this flower is my treasure

You are

THE

FLOWER.    

Changes and Awards

Hello Everybody, How r u all doin' ?

     My today's blog is on CHANGES. Don't think that m going to write a 150 words essay on this subject. Enuf said in all my previous blogs.

     The change m talking abt tonite is the changes I made in my Blog Designing. So far I've never focused on  proper designing my site, coz I've always busy writing. I pick a random life topics, every day to day issues. Nuthing in particular. I blog for my passion in writing. So tonite, I was just browsing different blogs, reading them. I smiled with them, felt sorry for them. While travelling along with them, i was even focusing on their styles, patterns, the gadgets they used, how they have designed. Learned a lot from others and tried to applied on my site. Hope u'll like the new look. Your suggestions are more than welcome.

     This afternoon when  I was on my usual routine of checking my blog. It came as a surprise to me upon receiving a " One Lovely Blog Award" from a very friendly and inspiring blogger from Philippines. Thanks a lot, Mama Mia, I'm so touched for the love you pass on so sincerely despite the fact that we have just got acquainted. You have chosen me so wholeheartedly to be among the lucky recipients. Wow! It's really a surprise.

      Mama Mia, the idea of receiving an award never crosses my mind. This is my fourth award I got from a blogger friend and I'm appreciating it so much. In so many ways, I'm grateful that others are willing to spare some of their precious moments to read my simple posts. I'm trying my best to put bits and pieces together and come up with something that might be of interest just to anyone. I blog for my passion in writing, be it ever so simple. Initially, I couldn't help wondering whether anyone would care to drop by. It isn't a big deal, it's just that the inquisitive side of my mind plays its role. As time goes by, I realise that there are quite a number of visitors and it keeps on growing. Some left comments which inspires me even more and for that I always make a point to reply all comments, giving a little bit of personal touch which I regard as my commitment towards friends to keep the friendship going.

     Going through the journey of life, the unexpected happens, sometimes. As I said in one of my posts, I'm unable to foresee what lies ahead, be it good or bad. Somehow, I cross paths with so many wonderful people from some other parts of the world. Thus, making my life even more meaningful. We are all total strangers but in many ways bloggers unite us and enable us to share so much; from a simple talk to something that can boost our knowledge in different fields.

     I enjoy visiting other blogs, too. There are times when it comes as another surprise on seeing my blog listed in the blog list of other bloggers. I feel honoured for the appreciations and compliments from all these great bloggers. It gives inspiration and and does make a lot of difference....Cheers !!

Just Perfect

Hello Everyone,
                          First let me wish u all a very very Happy New Year. Another chance to get it right.
 So....Its 1:40 a.m here in Toronto, with a temp High of 6 degree n Low of -2, showers here n there n not to forget my Coffee. Family is sleeping. Kids looks adorable when they r sleeping. Just perfect time to WRITE. (well, not really..but anyways) Usually I READ at this time.
     Now here I m putting on my "Thinking Cap" to create wonders. Let's see what's cooking in. Oops, It say LOVE...:)
     Love is like a war: Easy to begin n hard to end. Love, a small word that carries thousands' meaning. When in love, everything is beautiful and the feeling is so  wonderful beyond description. Love defies all barriers. Come what may be it crossing the sea of evil, climbing the mountain of thorns, walking the road of dangers or trekking the jungle of obstacles, a madly in love couple endure all.
     Like a story; love has its beginning, rising climax and anti-climax. Initially, love is always at its best. Its grows and blooms beautifully. Everything is at its extreme feel-good.
     I ever said : Be it the fire of separation nor the evil of temptation will ever separate us.
     Now, I am wondering how could I ever come up with such a very powerful statement? The answer lies in the heart sizzling with love. 
    
     I'm not going to elaborate more on this. Let me ask u : "How do you define LOVE?"

     Music and Love go hand-in-hand. The best way to express is to take the help of music. My current favourites are two songs, "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars and "Dil Ye Bekarar Kyun Hai" from Players. (This is a bollywood song with English translation for u). I am captivated by the beautiful lyrics that talk abt love, administration and the beauty of a beloved person... Enjoy...Good Night ...:)

Just The Way You Are

Dil Ye Bekarar Kyun Hai

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.