Monday 31 October 2011

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!

Tuesday 18 October 2011

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. :)
    

Thursday 13 October 2011

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.

Tuesday 11 October 2011

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?

Sunday 9 October 2011

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

Friday 7 October 2011

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.  

Sunday 2 October 2011

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.