My Parents Were Right

Aren’t they always? I wonder if they ever get used to being right so often. All I know is, being a kid, it’s not always nice being wrong and then being given the “I told you so” look. Just the other day I rummaged through a closet full of things looking for my black hat and proudly announced, “It’s not there.” I was confident enough to challenge Mama to come and see for herself. At the end though, I was made a fool of when it magically appeared in her hands seconds later from the very same closet.

There were times when my parents told me specifically not to touch the hot plate but honestly, is there any way anybody can help but touch it just to make sure that it really is hot?Especially when someone has told you not to? And again, when I was blowing my finger tips after that I realized that my parents were right. You could call my adventurous experiment stupid ofcourse but if you were to ask me, I would call it the ‘workings of a curious mind’ (and I bet lots of you would like to call it that too…unless you’re a parent that is).

Day in and day out we make mistakes which we were warned not to make.We make them. Again and again only to finally understand that a lemon is supposed to be sliced horizontally and not vertically(have I finally got that right or did I just mix up the two again?)

Either all you parents out there know that we kids didn’t check the last drawer beforehand(which would mean that you can read our minds…can you?) or you’ve been through this phase before so you know where the pitfalls are and how deep each one is. Somehow though, I think they are inter-related. You’ve been through this so you know what we may be thinking and doing….so you can read our minds. Sort of. But not always I believe otherwise all those “Oh what a surprise!”s you’ve been giving us every year on your birthday was not actually a surprise to you. Darn.

P.S-I know it’s been a while since I’ve blogged, I have been awfully busy with school. Infact, I still am but I thought it was about time I posted this draft I’d made about a month back

 

Do We Smile Too Much?

I just typed a brief message to my friend not long ago and re-reading it made me realize what I had written

“I’ve sent it “

Honestly, I don’t know why I put that smiley right there…it just happened. In fact, I know lots of people my age who cannot help but use an emoticon after every sentence!

It doesn’t necessarily mean that I was smiling right then but I can’t really explain why I typed it anyway.

The graphical smiley face was created in the year 1963 by an artist named Harvey Ball to bolster the morale of the employees of an insurance company(it apparently worked).That emoticon went on to inspire so many of the other emoticons we see today.Believe it or not but a New York Times transcript of Abraham Lincoln’s speech written in 1862 reveals the sign” “ which may be a typo, a punctuation construct…or it just may be an emoticon winking right at us!

The cute yellow smileys( I always wondered why they were yellow…is it because yellow is a psychologically optimistic colour? Or simply because they are suffering from Jaundice? If it is the first reason, then shouldnt the sad emoticons be a different colour?Blue maybe? ) are thoroughly over-used these days and I wonder, are we smiling too much? Are the emoticons taking over?

Today, there are so many emoticons that I really can’t say I know even one-fourth of the total out there. I honestly didn’t know there was an emoticon for an upturned table.(why would anybody want to use that?)

Here is a list of the most common ones I know: (try tilting your head to your left and see the face as if it were a sentence..from the left to the right. It makes sense that way. The leftmost would be the eyes and so on.)

– an emoticon where the colon represents the two eyes and the “P” is a tongue sticking out.

– this time I didn’t use a colon because this is a winking emoticon, I used a semi colon instead.

o.O – which would represent the two eyes(and a nose in between I believe), where one eye is larger than the other.

:S – this is used to express confusion

:/ – this emoticon most aptly describes your mood when you are feeling down in the dumps about everything. You are sad, annoyed, angry…and the list goes on.

Goodbye for now!

 

A Beckon

Some people cloaked in their own dreams forget how to reach out.

 

A few know what is the way and yet they their instinct doubt.

 

There are those here who know how to fly but seldom flap their wings.

 

There are people who dismiss their strengths as mindless, futile things.

 

There are those who wish to climb up high but never put on their shoes.

 

There are people among us who their own capabilities abuse.

 

There are those who don’t take chances, they are afraid of their flaws.

 

They sit in repenting the past, and of what already was.

 

So get up you cowards, awaken from your fruitless reverie

 

Just know that you can be whatever you may wish to be

 

There is much to learn in this world which you will never find in there.

 

Make it a day worth remembering, bring the star out if you dare!

 

Your destiny is calling out and all you need to do is believe .

 

Fight your own demons and only then can you acheive.

 

Your life isn’t for you to dwindle around on a thread.

 

Create paths of your own and race right ahead!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bathroom Theory

You read that right. No, don’t worry just yet..

See, I thought about bringing this particular topic up since I have failed to understand why exactly this phenomena occurs. And it occurs a lot. At least with people my age, give or take a couple of years. Facebook has become too obvious now-a-days. You don’t ask a person whether they have a Facebook account, you just say, “We’ll stay in touch on Facebook.” So as you would expect, majority of the people in this world, are on Facebook.

I really don’t mind that since there is no use of going against the people who spend hours doing futile-nothingness. Its like smoking. We all accept its there and we all know that the only way a smoker can quit is if he/she has a change of heart. So, stop writing articles on it, they aint gonna stop until you become really mean and manipulate Mr. Zuckerberg to shut the system down(that would be very cruel). Why very cruel? Because there are people who simply wish to stay in touch with their friends far, far away! You want to close Facebook down? Fine…but then you have to cut down the phone bills for us.

One of the chief elements of Facebook is the photos. Again, I have learnt to live with them. The pouting, the close-ups and all that comes with it. I don’t know why they do it, but I shrug it away anyways. Maybe they like looking like fishes you know?

Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the most popular place to take pics these days..

But one thing I don’t understand is why on earth would anybody take about 50 photos in the bathroom? Those teens can’t all be crazy! So thus, the bathroom theory. I think that since there has to be some reason to indulge in this manner of photography, I must, for the well-being of all those unaware, develop the following points:

1) Mirror, mirror on the wall – Everyone likes to look good in photographs, especially if they are to be on the net (and more importantly on Facebook). So maybe instead of carrying the mirror everywhere they want to take pictures of themselves, they resort to standing in the bathroom and do a two sec check up of their hair-do or whatever before the light flashes. By doing this, they know exactly how they are going to look in their photo before its taken.

2) Lights, Camera, Facebook – Then again, it could be the lighting. Some bathrooms have great lighting so perhaps they want to take good pictures and stuff. Maybe.

3) Two of ME! – I have seen photos of people and their reflections(Yes, they really think we are interested in their reflections). But its a thing, probably. When I was very young I fantasized about having a twin with the whole Mary Kate and Ashley thing going on. So maybe they still dream about that…about having clones.

4) Comfy much? – My dad says that the most comfortable place for any human in this entire world should be his bathroom (because you are in the most uncomfortable position when you really, really need to go and you can’t..) So while having their photos taken, they become conscious and rush to their most comfortable place. You guessed it! It’s the bathroom!

Most of all I think they’re crazy. No offence but I just don’t get it. Usually when I ask such absurd yet genuine questions to some of my peers, they simply say, “We do it to pass time.” Can’t you pass time in taking photos of yourself in the garden or something? Or does it take longer in the bathroom?

Okay, you can get worried now.

Peace!

 

Why Dresses Are’nt Always A Wise Option…

Beautiful flow-y gowns look elegant no doubt. But I have got a list of reasons why I can’t always resort to wearing them :

1) They do not have pockets - Well none that I have seen. And honestly, pockets are really handy. I, for one, cannot carry those big handbags because they are too much of a trouble and the small ones would be an issue because I would just leave it near the washroom sink somewhere and never realize until I got home.

2) Watch your step! - If its one of those really long ones that reach up to your toes you’re going to have one hell of a time in a crowd. Youd fall face down before you can say “Dolce and Gabbana”.

3) Because you can’t have fun – Not in the real sense anyway. You can’t frolic around with little kids in the park or jog with your dog. You cant even have roadside ice-cream in peace because you’d too worried about your dress the whole time!

4) Its windy out there – Weather is unpredictable and if you want to be prepared for cold weather, normal denim jackets are a totoal no-no around a dress. You have to have some fancy wrap around your dress (and who wants that?). Also, unless you have a sudden urge to imitate Marilyn Monroe, I don’t think wearing a dress in windy weather would be appropriate.

So there you are! Casuals are all- purpose, pocket-having and climate-friendly. Most importantly, you dont always have to act like a “lady” in casuals…you can be whoever you wish to be.

So for that party next week, go right ahead and wear a dress! But wouldnt you rather wear your jeans to go buy milk?

I stand for all things casual!

 

Did That Just Happen?

Every person on EARTH should travel to Europe sometime! (Not all at once of
course) Because it is lovely!

Everyday I would see something I never thought looked like that. Believe me, nothing I read about The Leaning
Tower of Pisa could really explain what I felt when I saw it there. I remember wondering if the world looked tilted from the top. I have read, heard and googled all of those places….but seeing is believing. And man did I believe.

From snow fights in the Alps to the sculptures in Rome, from the rides in the red buses in London
to the sight of The Eifel Tower by night….it was so magical! The walks in Germany and the oh-so-fashionable Paris. Austria, Amsterdam, Vatican City, all unique in their own ways.

Have you ever seen those travel brochures with people sitting on little canoes in Venice? I felt like I was one of those little photographs, sitting on the deck of the gondola. Our gondola driver’s name was Roberto (yes,very much Italian).No fancy cruise on some huge ship can beat the feeling of riding on a small gondola in Venice….even though the canals in Venice? Yeah, um not very hygienic. The water is 700 years of sewage (thank God he told us that after the boat ride).

The Big Ben took the cake of course what with me always wanting to see it and all but the Buckingham Palace
bought actual tears to my eyes. It was just so beautiful.

There is so much more but I’m rambling am I not? I won’t spoil it for you. See it for yourself sometime and
you will remember the feeing for as long as you live! (At least I think so…I only came back yesterday so I don’t really have first hand experience but still…)

There are some things I didn’t like though…

1) The pigeons – Why? Why? Why? Why so many pigeons?

2) The keyboards – At least the ones I had to mange with were terrible. All the letters were mixed up!

3) The public bathrooms – No, it’s alright to be dirty…they are after all public bathrooms, it’s a universal
problem. But I have an issue with the paid bathrooms. I didn’t know people have
to pay to go! So every morning we made it a point to finish off all bathroom
business in the washrooms of our hotel rooms…which were free.

Ah well. It was the best trip yet and I hope to have many more with my loved ones.

A word out to all of the amazing friends we made there! You guys rock

Adieu

 

What We’re Made Of!

Ring A Bell?

I just want to clear some things up about females. Being a female gives me at least some authority on the subject of females. There are so many things misunderstood about our half of humanity.

1) Pink may not be our favorite color. Yes, it’s true; don’t be shocked. Not all of us like pink and even those who love pink don’t want to live in pink cities and walk through pink fields while gazing up at a pink moon. We know
about other colors and like other colors too, you know.

2) We are not “naturally bad drivers.” Absolutely not. Sure, some of us are bad drivers but some of us are great drivers. Men can be pretty risky behind the wheel; and the more horse
power under the hood, the less safe it is to be out on the streets. It’s not like driving ability is in our genetic code. I’m not saying XX is a formula for crashing cars and XY means you’re a shoe-in for Fast And Furious, Part 11.  What I simply mean is, we all have our driving faults.

3) We prefer to be called “girls” over “chics” or “gals.” Do we look like newly hatched babies of hens? Do you
see yellow-colored feathery friends when you look at us? Um, no.

Check out my new earrings

And another thing-I assure you that the “gall bladder” is a small organ that aids in fat digestion and secretes bitter juice called “bile” (yes, you can Google it). Gulls, on the other hand, are, well, birds. We are none of those…by all means we are and always will be “girls”.

4) We do not “over react” all the time and do not use crying as a manipulative tool. Just because we express our feelings more than most men do, does not mean we feel “too much.” Crying is a natural response to any intense emotion! There are other ways of acting out—like punching a wall or someone’s
face, using your car as a drag racer out of a driveway, yelling and slamming
doors. Men, sound familiar? Women do these things, too. So no, not every woman
cries and those who do probably need a good cry because a guy just punched a hole
in her wall.

5) Our silence is golden. Not much escapes our attention and we know a lot more than most people give us
credit for. It’s called wisdom folks…something that you believe is alien to us.

PS- Thank you again Lorna! Women Power

 

Top 10 Things To Do When Bored To Death On An Airplane

Airplanes can be pretty boring…especially when they don’t have those little television screens. What next? Do you just sit there? Nope.

1) Read a book - Works every time. Nothing more to be said.

I look boring to some and comfy to others!

2) Write – Why not? All you need is a pen and a paper and by the time you get off, you’ll have a poem to your name.

3) Anagram – It’s very effective! It takes up a lot of your time (and brain) but its fun to read afterwards! For example, “Justin Timberlake” becomes “I’m a jerk, but listen”

4) Stare out of the window  – Just look out and experience procrastination at its best..that is, if you are fortunate enough to be sitting next to a window.

5) Entertain babies – I can very confidently state that I have never stepped on to a plane where at least one baby wasnt squealing. They are the most amusing and fun to be with humans! Play with a baby why don’t you?

6) Read a magazine – Airplanes provide those free mags. Agreed, they aren’t all that exhilarating but still, desperate needs call for desperate measures don’t they?

7) Make use of the earplugs – Those kind air hostesses always pass out those earplugs so put them to use and listen to some music to pass the time.

8) Play a game – I invent all sorts of games when I’m bored. Since airplanes have so many people, try guessing what each of them may do once they reach their destination. For example: if I were to see a blonde woman in her twenties reading a novel, I would guess she was going to meet a friend for the holidays. On the other hand, an old lady knitting a sweater maybe going to take care of her daughter’s new-born!

9) Engage in conversation – You never know, you might have just found a far away relative…this world is very small I’ve heard.

10) Sleep – One of my least favourites but I’m sure it works. I’ve seen people snore through their entire journey….how on earth do they manage to do that?

 

Is That A Bird? Is That A Plane? Oh No, Its A Plastic Bag…

 

I need not explain what global warming is about. A first grader would be aware of what it’s all about. And yet “knowing” and “being aware” are two different things entirely.

For starters, it’s commonly believed that home appliances that are turned off do not consume any electrical power. That is not always the case – in fact, some electronics such as computers, phone chargers and television
sets are drawing power from the grid even in stand-by.

How many times were you made aware that you can help counter act global warming if you plant more trees? Well, it isn’t wrong but it’s important to realize that randomly planting trees can have a negative
effect on the environment, and actually help increase out planet’s temperature. Studies show that plants that are planted near the equator do help but those on the upper latitudes can act otherwise…they can help absorb more heat! Nature lovers should always use sound scientific research as a
theoretical foundation for determining the best places to plant trees near them.

These two examples are only the beginning…ask yourself, are you really doing something, anything to help? Or are you just finding more ways to destroy your homeland? Do you really not care?

Of course I know you’ve read this a million times, but I wish you would read it once more and act upon it.

• Change your Kitchen Habits — Use reusable containers for food
  storage instead of wrapping food in foil or plastic wrap. You can also use
  unbleached coffee filters, which does not produce the deadly toxin dioxin in its
  manufacturing. Use rags to wipe up spills instead of paper towels, and use
  biodegradable wax paper and bags.
• Shopping Bags — Plastic bags are not biodegradable even if they say
  they are they do not decompose fully. Also the ink is made up of cadmium, and is
  highly toxic when it is released. Whereas paper bags are reusable and
  biodegradable. However supermarkets use paper that has never been recycled
  before and they always say “recyclable” not “recycled”. Here is what you can do:
  if your purchase is small don’t take any bag, this alone could save hundreds of
  millions of bags. Bring a cloth bag when you shop, or use string bags.
• Beware of Your Showers — If a four person family showers each day for
  5-minutes, in one week they would use 700 gallons of water. This is enough water
  for a person to live off  for three years.

Its time you started you know….it may not be too late.

There is a website that you can log onto..I am a member of it myself. You just have to enter in your email address! www.ecogeek.org   

Be a hero!

 

 

Did You Just Say “OMG”?

I’m pretty sure it’s not just me.

It’s everywhere! I have already expressed my views on the various short forms of everyday words we use on emails and chats and text messages but I have yet to point out how much it grieves me when words like “lol”, “omg” and “ily” are used when we talk to each other.

I was recently discussing the use of such short forms with a friend of mine and the only thing we could think ofwhy people do this is to save “time”. In this “pedal to the metal” world around us, time has become like a deep breath—both a luxury and a necessity that we rarely get and yet, if that is the case, then why do we spend hours on social networking sites? Of course, you could be the exception; I am strictly speaking in general terms.

To be honest, I don’t see how “OMG” can possibly convey the shock and surprise that a well-delivered “OH MY GOD” can express. It’s not satisfying to say just 3 letters when you find your new hybrid that you’ve waited 6 moths to get and pledged your soul to a foreign nation just got paint balled!   

And don’t you start on why you should say “OMG” simply because you are conserving “energy”.

Another friend of mine and I were chatting one morning when I happened to crack some joke. You wouldn’t believe what she said (well, maybe you would). She laughed a little and then said “lol”. First, I thought she was pulling my leg and then I saw she was still smiling. Yes friends, the world most certainly is changing!

There are so many more ways people indulge into such awful language and they are all around us. Spelling is getting worse and so is grammar. And I am worried to death. I do not want to live in a world where people go around saying only 5-6 letters when they meet. How on earth are the conversations going to continue?

Around 25 years later: two friends meet…their face to face conversations will be something like the one given below.

“Hey”

“Hi”

“watsup?”

“nm. you?”

“sme here.”

“gtgnw”

“k”

“bye. hftc”

“bye”

Oh yes, you can imagine your kids/grandkids saying this…

I am not saying I don’t indulge in net slang. Due to the hatred I have for the word “lol” I have never used it and yet, I find myself using other short forms such as “gn” for goodnight or perhaps if I have enough time, I may actually type “gudnight” instead!

Believe me, though; I so terribly want to change.

PS- Did you know “DLTBBB” means “Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite”?

 PPS- A huge thankyou to Lorna…I couldnt have done this without you