International Men's Day

Half of the day passes, and then I come to know that today is the International Men’s day. A commercial puts the topic in front that how we have become biased towards the fairer sex, and completely forgot the men (except those who are fathers, of course). #ShowMenSomeLove they say. And honestly I don’t see the harm in that. They are long overdue to be shown some appreciation for their efforts.
If we want an equal world, I think men also need to be remembered and cherished as we do the same for women now. We all are humans in the end, right?

So I dedicate this day to all the times a man has been good to me, done me a great deed, or just been friendly. He may be my father, who stayed out in the December cold to get my school admission form, or my brother who reluctantly took me to his friend’s birthday parties when we were kids because my mom made him do so; whereas he could have easily made a fuss and said no, but he didn't. They may be friends who gave me company when I was left alone, or teachers who have guided me through the toughest of times. When it comes to understanding the troubles of others, one can never be sure that a female perspective will always be helpful. Many a times I have found that men are much more helpful in solving ones problems.

A father, a brother, a friend, a companion and husband. Oh so many roles to play!For their chivalry, goodness of the heart and jolliness I am thankful.

Happy Men’s Day!

picture credit: google images

Changed!

Now you may have noticed I changed the name of the blog from "My words" to "Living to Learn"; the reason being, I found the former to be quite narcissistic, and this blog wasn't really about being my words, but just about some stuff that I learned. So, I think its fitting that I changed the name to the latter. 

Hope you like it, the people who are reading, though I don't know who you are, or even if you're there or not. This shall be another post out in the expansive void that is the internet.

But if you have read this post, please feel free to comment and subscribe to my posts :)

Thanking you in advance for your attention! :)

So So much  ^_^

And...

Saving..... Saved!

Savouring memories...

Now recently my computer crashed and all the data in it was erased, as a result my most coveted photographs, videos were all lost.

Why God ??!! Why??!!!

At first I wasn't so much as even sad as to why the hell would such a thing happen to me, though I knew why (sigh.).

Then the sheer depth of it all left me breathless. Years and years of compiling important stuff, capturing important occasions, had gone to waste. Total waste. And there was nothing I could do about it.

When we lose such things in life, they may be your college photos, funny videos of friends; might give a new perspective to us. You can't save everything, you will miss out on some things. And those moments which couldn't be captured will always be in your mind. They might fade away. But they'll be like your own sweet little secret. Something which only you'll be privy to. You might never be able to get those moments back, but you'll always remember the exact emotions of which those memories are made of.

But I was lucky enough to find most of the photos which I had lost on various friends' Facebook accounts. Thank God for the internet! 

Why do people care?

You see a woman, can be any body type, walking with skimpy clothes on. You feel uncomfortable. You instantly judge her character, assuming she is promiscuous.

This happens every time a woman is seen in clothes she chose to wear. I ask now, why do people care what someone chose to wear?

I think, its because of the way others look at that woman. I personally don't give a damn what people wear, its their business not mine. But what makes me uncomfortable is other people looking at that person, who is just happy being who they are. Now I would also like to say that this change of perspective in me is not old ( I'm no saint! :p ). I have recently started seeing things this way, and I am happy to say I find myself more at peace than before. Its that person's business what they wear and what they don't.
Having said all this, I would also like to point that a little good sense while dressing didn't kill anybody.

And let's not only make this about women; there are also men out there, wearing gravity defying pants! Of course they are ridiculed too. Which is required to an extent.

So let's let others live shall we?

Monsoon post part II

Internet connectivity during monsoons? ha ha ha! 

I don't know why, but every time there is some precipitation, my broadband network seems to flicker and die (also the reason why this post is late). It has a scientific explanation, yet I find it very annoying that if I am promised a high-speed broadband connection, then, by Indian standards, I am entitled to at least a nominal speed. But NO! How shall this happen! I NEED  the net, so I WILL NOT get it! Do what you will, this problem is so recurrent, I am habitual to it now. -_-

cough! BSNL cough!

Your private animal, err, insect planet.

This is a problem for both people who stay out, and those who stay in. All kinds of bugs will find their way into your eyes, nose and mouth if you are not vigilant.

 Weirdly coloured insects are seen in the evenings and the mornings, some bite, some make irritating noises, all in all, its a pest fest!

So... yeah... I think I covered them all; things which I don't like about the monsoons.

If you liked this post, please do comment.







P.S :- All gifs from google images.

I love the rains but....

Monsoon is the best season of them all, but its also the worst sometimes..

Puddles puddles everywhere, no place to drive. 

The most enraging thing about the rainy season are the puddles everywhere, I mean, and this probably only happens in India, the puddles are formed in ginormous potholes, which are really like death holes. You might as well leave a manhole open -_- .

huh  -_-

 And the worst thing is if you're on your scooty or bike, and a car just goes by you totally ignoring the fact that you are just beside them and splashes into that pothole like its a dirt-bike racing track, and you are splashed with that disgusting brown coloured water.Yuck!

Mean Monsoon.

This has happened to me more times than I'd care to admit. I always go around on my scooty, so I have to do a bit of prep before going out in the rains,i.e, wear my raincoat and stuff. It takes a few minutes. And more often than not, when I finish 'gearing-up', the rain stops; and I'm standing there like a doofus, thinking 'should I take it off'? But I'm too lazy to do that, so I just leave it on and drive to my destination. On the way I am subjected to awkward stares, people are looking like 'why is this girl wearing the raincoat when it isn't even raining?' By the time I reach my destination, the sun is shining. I sheepishly take my raincoat off and hurriedly shove it in the scooty. Its humiliating.

Why Why Why????

Everything is wet.

Everything is wet, nothing dries off. This irks my mother the most, because the clothes don't dry quickly, so I am told to be extra careful while going out, and hence I have to be extra careful while doing anything (read the above puddles part). So I can't rain dance if I don't have a fresh pair of clothes at home.

Yay raincoats!

 And what comes next when everything is wet? Fever, cough and cold.

I suffer from fever at least once during the monsoons.Its such a normal phenomenon for me. Diseases spread like freebies in the monsoons.
I have actually seen people line up in front of the doctor's office just as the first rains hit the city. People seem to get ill just about the time when the first raindrops hit the ground.
Not to mention it is quite depressing to sit inside when its so lovely out there. But I like it too.

I am so lonely...

So this is the Part I of why I don't like the monsoons (sometimes). Part II is coming up soon.





P.S :- All gifs from google images.

For the One who has lost faith.

This is for you, friend.

When life gives you lemons, you make nimbu ka achar, coz it lasts for long. (#indianswag :P )

Its never easy getting over your hardships, but you gotta get up my friend, dig a lil deeper. You'll see the change.

The good times are not that far my friend, they are just around the corner. Wait, and see the times change in an instance. Stay strong my friend, its going to end.

Life hasn't been so fair with you, but the tables are turning, watch them change, don't give up just yet, you almost at the finish line. It would be a pity to stop now, when you're so close to winning it all.

Most things is life come to those who struggle. Anything gotten easily is not appreciated as much. So struggle on my friend! Success shall be yours to take.

I am alive and living.

     Woah! It has been a long time since I've written anything here. so I'll give you a gist of what all has happened.

* I graduated , yeah I did! :D

Not my speech. Maybe.

* I gave n number of entrance exams, of which the results are awaited.

Hehehehehe (nervous..)

* I started reading books again.

I love Mathilda! :D

* And now, I've started writing again too.

 Mostly what has actually happened is, after three years of Grad school, I am finally free... and I'm hating every second of it. That's right, I'm weird. I don't know why this is bothering me, but I am suddenly vacant, with nothing to do. I am (read was) going crazy because I have nothing substantial to do. So, to overcome this 'phase' , I have started keeping a journal, meeting friends, watching plays (read 'play', as in ONE single play) and the usual pondering over the question, what is life. 

The last six months had been so hectic, I couldn't do any of these things; but now that I have time, I seem to have little interest in doing them. 

huh....yeah....

So this post is a way of me putting this question out into the void (i.e the internet), and waiting for an answer.

PS. I am new to gifs, so please don't be harsh with me. Thank you! :D

PPS. All gifs from google images.

Last post of 2013

So...

The year 2013 is coming to an end.

Filled with  laughter, happiness, sadness and tears.
We saw some of the most influential people leave us for the high heavens. We revelled our victories, and  mourned our losses.
All in all, this was a fantastic year, and personally, it was a fabulous year for me.

Particularly if I see the change in my country (India) , I have seen the drastic change in perspective of the populace. The young have become the driving force, bringing much needed change in society.


What I wish for the year 2014 is not so difficult, but not so easy either. I wish 2014 bring prosperity and peace to all, that all suffering be eradicated from the world, that we may find it in ourselves to rejoice in not our differences, but our similarities. Be human, believe in humanity above all religious faith.

I hope this small message resounds throughout.

My best wishes to all.

Happy New Year!!



(image courtesy- google images.)

          New found Love :- Frank Sinatra

Hey folks! Did you have a great Christmas? Comment below with your experiences :)Now getting to the topic at hand...

As you must have seen in my last blogpost, I mentioned Frank Sinatra's "Have yourself a merry little Christmas" according to me, as the best Christmas classic. So then I started listening to more of his songs; and I must say, I might have found my newest crush!!

From all the songs of Sinatra which I have heard, I thought the best ones were....

ALL OF THEM!!

You cannot find anything common in any of the songs, except the luscious, honey-sweet voice of that man which makes you want to swing your hands, tap your feet and dance the night away!!

As in the Indian music industry, there are classic singers like Kishore Kumar and Mohammad Rafi, I found that in the American music industry, there are Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and many more. 

These glorious angels of heaven bestowed with their melodious voices brought joy to us for many years. It's quite astonishing to me that I still find these songs enjoyable, even though I was not even present when these were launched. I guess that's why they are called classics! 

Still, from all the songs of Frank Sinatra, I bring you THE BEST ONES..

1) Strangers In The Night.

2) My Way.

3) Love And Marriage.

4) The Way You Look Tonight.

5) I Get A Kick Out Of You.

6) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

7) I've Got You Under My Skin.

8) Let's Fall In Love.

9) Fly Me To The Moon.

10) Come Fly With Me.

(The photographs have been taken from Google Images. )

Christmas Christmas Christmas!!

                            Christmas Classics

I am always in search of new songs. And now that my exams are over, I am on YouTube most of the time searching through channels, seeing if I find something which appeals me. As you all are aware, Christmas is here, so Christmas classics are trending. 

The best which I found were :-

Frank Sinatra

1) Frank Sinatra - "Have yourself a merry little Christmas".

2) Nat King Cole - "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire".

3) Dean Martin - "Walking in a winter wonderland".

4) Andy Williams - "It's the most wonderful time of the year".

5) Bing Crosby - "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"




Most of the best Christmas songs which I have heard are from the Home Alone series. I absolutely loved the first two parts the later ones, umm... not so much.

Other beautiful Christmas movies include-- 

1) A Christmas Carol.

2) The Polar Express. (2004)

3) Jingle All the Way. (1996)

4) Frosty the Snowman.

5) Miracle on 34th Street. (1947)

6) Home Alone I and II.



With this, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! Hope your life is filled with Happiness and Prosperity! :) :)

Mother

This is a poem I wrote in a certificate course examination a few months back. It was written on the spot so it might be a bit different.


Whenever I cried, my mother was there
To wipe my tears, to braid my hair.

As great as the albatross that flies above,
with wings so big, they covered the sun.
My mother's hands sheltered me below,
she held me tight, never to let go.

As the years passed on, and the seasons changed.
I grew older and she aged.
Her hair went white, her eyes grew sore.
But she never looked so beautiful before.

Now when I cry, I cry for her.
I miss her so, I would die for her.
I know she always loves me,
But I regret the days when she used to plead.
"Child, have your dinner, before it gets cold".
Thinking back, I am positively sure.
After God made her, he broke the mould.

P.S :- This poem is not based on my mother, but someone else's.

In Sickness not in Health. ...

 There is a time in your days when you feel like you are going to be just fine... you even think that you will be awesome during this period of time. But then smack!! You are down with a viral fever.. out of nowhere you are stuck at home when the weather outside is awesome. All because you chose to sit next to an unhygenic cave girl who has no personal boundary perception at all... why am I the one who is always stuck with such douchebags?

  I know what I said is harsh but the woman has no sense at all.. no sense of style too :P .. It is absolutely elementary in the life of a 20 something person that when you sneeze or cough you keep your face area covered. I do not know why it is so difficult for her to comprehend this?

Just some Indian things

A country where you are surrounded by people who have different ethnicities and still it is not at all difficult to be with them. It is the best thing about India. As they say "Variety is the spice of life" :)

    1)      You always eat Poha (Indian breakfast snack) with Chai (tea) or Jalebi (tubular sweet filled with syrup).

    2)      Indian boys always hate the smell of mehendi and girls just love it!!

    3)      During a wedding reception, you must always fill your plate with EVERY food item available; even though you might not eat most of it. You don’t want people to look over your plate and ask if you’re dieting.

   4)      If you have brought your Tiffin to college, don’t expect you’ll be able to even get a whiff of the food. It will all be gone within seconds, unless of course you brought some unsavoury veggies nd chapattis (Indian bread) you’ll probably have to eat it yourself :P .

    5)      Sachin Tendulkar is the GOD OF CRICKET, but when he is out of form, it’s legitimate to defame him and call him names.

    6)      Even though we may love to eat at Mc Donald’s, Subway, Pizza Hut, etcetera, the humble sabzi-roti (veggies and chapatti) is the most satisfying meal at the end of the day.

    7)      Bollywood (Indian movie industry) movies are the only ones in the whole world where the villain and the hero dance to pop tunes at the end of the movie in a very hip song.

    8)      You can try and eat a Dosa with your fancy cutlery, but it’s always better to eat with your hands.

    9)      We love our monsoons, hate the summers, endure the winters and well, when spring comes it goes away very soon.
  10)   EVERY Indian lady is addicted to watching absolutely ridiculous soap operas which are nothing but total sob fests. I have actually witnessed women crying because they missed an episode.

Failure Is Nothing But The Next Step Towards Success!

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."--Michael Jordan

I recently tried my hand at writing a 2000-word short story for a competition. I had the plot in my mind for about 20 days before I actually wrote it. I have to say, I am a bit lazy, as I had approximately 30 days to complete the story, but I wrote it only a few days before the submission date -_- . I posted it haphazardly, which revealed some good and bad things about me…

Firstly, I have the capability to write at least 1500 words in a day, I did not know that. I had written about 70 words initially, but as I got into a flow, the words just simply poured out my mind and through my fingers onto the keyboard.

Secondly, I know I said that I am a ‘bit’ lazy, but as I figured, I am more than a ‘bit’ lazy. I am incredibly lazy. What the good thing I found out was that I do the most astonishing things at the last minute. I once completed a 45 page assignment a day before submission!! Writing a 2000 word story was a new feat entirely.

Lastly, I get puffed up by appreciation, though I keep telling myself that I shouldn’t get too excited. The same happened when I showed this story to some of my friends. They appreciated my work and, as it was my first attempt, I was very excited. I was overwhelmed by the appreciation. I got my hopes up. I thought I would at least get some recognition from the competition for which I had written the story, but my efforts failed. I couldn’t win. I knew I hadn’t put much effort, I was sure I didn’t stand a chance against people who had used all the 30 days given to them for preparation.

I wasn’t heartbroken, but I felt a tinge of sadness. And it Ok, It’s human nature to be sad about failure.

What I learned from this small experience is that I won’t always win, but that doesn’t mean I should stop trying. If there won’t be any efforts how can I even dream of the prize!  

Doomsday approaching!!

  So the dreaded/awaited day is finally creeping on us. The date 21-12-12, the day the Mayan calender tells us that our time is up! Even the movie 2012 scared the bejesus out of people, but as the days went by, less and less people seem to care about it.Some responses from people which I got when asked the following question- "what will you do if the world ends on 21-12-2012?" were :-

1) Really?? well I better head off to China then!
2) No it won't. : |
3) I'm going off to South Africa, so I'm good :D
4) Yeah well it should, because of some horrible reasons like political unrest, genocide, blah blah blah...
and the best :
5)Who the hell cares man!!!

If the world indeed does end on 21st Dec 2012, you might as well do all the things which you wish you would have been able to do a long time ago...
So here are some suggestions for what you can do before the world ends!!

1) Visit an old age home...
2) Do something nice for a random stranger, like keep open the door for them when you are in a supermarket, mall , etc.
3)Say sorry to the person you hurt, even though you may not talk to them now.
4) Thank the person you care for the most for being there in your life.
5) Tell the person you love that you will always love them.
6) At least visit one concert..
7) Get a permanent/temporary tattoo.
8) Colour your hair.
9) Buy something expensive which you wouldn't buy otherwise.
10) Dance the night away with your friends!!

In short, just be happy for all the things that happened in your life, because however horrible they might have been, they have taught you a lot. Live a little for yourself and make others happy too!! Just 20 days left now...
Hey! you have little time left to do what you want to, so get a move on people!

Obsessed!!!

     I am totally obsessed with F.R.I.E.N.D.S... I have faint recollections of having seen it when I was in third grade. Since then I can never seem to get bored of it. I mean, every time I watch an episode, I laugh with the same intensity; even though I have seen the same more than five times!!!
    What makes F.R.I.E.N.D.S a great show is the most varied mix of characters, who represent some qualities that everyone has.There is the OCD  patient Monica, the gossip girl and a little bit spoiled Rachel, the geeky-professor but quite a charmer Ross, the ever so funny with commitment-issues Chandler, the wacky wierdo Phoebe and the gorgeously-stupid but a child at heart Joey.

       The best part of this show is that people can relate to the characters in it .You might not be a complete Chandler, but you may possess some of his qualities. And the qualities and the type of people shown are actually realistic (unlike in other shows where the people look fabulous all the time or when someone dies, they come alive after some time ). What I am actually trying to say here is that we can learn so much from a mere t.v show, that even life won't teach us.
     This T.V show has been my talisman through thick and thin. It has given me insight on how to cope with problems in daily life, how to handle situations maturely.
And of course the humour factor cannot be left out, because that's what makes this show evergreen. I cannot remember how many times I have been feeling a little low, and after watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S I always feel awesome!
My only regret till date is that I was not there that time when the show actually began; of course I was there, but I was just an infant. :P
Bottom line is: F.R.I.E.N.D.S is the best T.V show ever, and it will never get old!!!

Don't give up

My life has never been a beautiful journey, no one's is. But its definitely different from anyone else's. I thought I had nothing special in my life.
 Just the regular parents, grandparents, cousins and problems that everyone faces on a daily basis. It was when I started losing my blood ties that I understood the true worth of my being. I was special. I had to be.

Things happening in my life, I had never heard of anyone going through the same situation. I was helpless, alone . Sometimes, I do wish there should have been an instruction manual for "How to live life easily".

But all of the things which happened made me realize that its not about how much pain you went through, or how many problems you faced in your life; Its about after facing all those problems, were you able to put the past behind and "KEEP MOVING FORWARD".