Sukhee Parivaar [My first post in national language Hindi]

Note non hindi  readers- I am  lured  to write this post in Rashtra Bhaasha-Hindi.

सुखी परिवार

 click this for the information

ढूँढ कुछ और रही थी. मिला कुछ और. गूगल पे कुछ  ढूँढा और मिला यह खबर.

94 के उम्र में बच्चा. पहला बच्चा. यह ज़रूर नोट कीजियेगा. अच्छा हैं.

बस यही नहीं, दुसरे बच्चे की  उम्मीद भी रखते हैं यह जनाब. रोज़ दूध पीते हैं और अगले दस साल छोडके भी देखो तो ऐसे तंदुरुस्त रहने की हिम्मत रखते हैं.

बढ़ती उम्र के साथ जल्द ही बच्चे ना हुए लोगों के लिए स्पूर्थी बन सखते हैं यह जनाब.

हमारी बधाई और  शुभ काम नाएं इनके साथ.

An forwarded E-mail

"I kind of dislike forwarded emails/messages" I'd told my friends many times. No offense.I was clear that any and every forwarded email is something I would not read at all!  But seldom some nice ones touch my heart and some worth reading.

This story was sent to me by my old pal in Qatar[who also follows my blog]. I liked the theme. Thanks Minu.Iam sharing this to all through my blog.

The Donkey's Attitude.

picture is from here

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL :
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happens.

3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

Who said women cant drive

I drove just past sunset last evening. Had to reverse and suddenly heard a honk from the back! But I can see no car. How could I? Someone had forgotten to turn on the headlights of his big black Toyota Corolla!

It was NOT a lady driver anyway.

Statistics  points at males being major culprits while behind the wheel than women, yet it has become a ritual for women to be super framed as unstable, unobservant, careless, slow drivers!

parking for women only

Apart from the picture on the right, we also have crazy videos like this- click on below links.
1] all for an U turn?
2] never ending parallel parking
3] too funny

Differentiation amongst the gender stereotypes challenging the driving skills?

Has anyone read about the 'men are from Mars and women from Venus" by Dr.Gray.

He applies the metaphor that Women and Men are different. As different as they are from different planets. They vary in having diametrically different communication styles, emotional needs and personal values.

However in contrast to some psychologists  who emphasize similarities between the genders, Dr. Gray clearly states that his content stresses exclusively about the general differences and this can not be applied blindly to everyone.

Not to forget to mention ther's also one more I can remember that is "Why men don't listen and women cant read maps"! Hilarious- I'd suggest someone who likes to read might sure enjoy this book.

There can be unending debates on such topics.  There was an interesting video some colleague was circulating, basically by Mazda advertising.
Here it is- who says women cant drive.

Gulfis life

This topic was on my mind from some time now. How to hit it was the dilemma. Here I plunge into it today.

Check out this link to the -strange camel discovered in doha.

Ordinary desert ships

OUTLINES :- Orbit of this post is the life in gulf region, the introspection of the people in here and out of here. I do present my opinion, my experience, and also others opinions who freely donated to me sometimes with or without invitation!
Mid 2006 saw a surprising change beckoning us. A proposal for a good career opportunity in the oil and Gas sector in Qatar for my husband rushed in through someone. We all looked forward for the new  "change'  and towards migrating to Doha.
Much to do about but we received open opinions like, "gulf" but its like a "sauna" zone!. Some were like, 'ummmm but its a place not for you people" and so on. We were unsuccessful in obtaining answers for some of such retorts. Why, once recently I offerred to a friend to visit Doha for a holiday, the reply was a big laugh and a callous comment" Gulf!!" with a laugh. I pity those who don't open their eyes to see the other side of the hill or know about it.

In this rapidly globalised and technology era that shrinks the world so small, we managed to gather major information we needed about the social life, culture, communication an unending list that any expatriate needed to digest.
Living and working in the Gulf proposed challenge to us. We struck a deal we would return after 2 years to homeland.

Easily heard about the oil energy, traders who survive on the importing of  "all" food stuff to a safety pin into GCC.  Wars were supposed to be common in these regions, which has changed its form into "revolutions" now . A common strategy seen in any/many other countries today.
We came with little expectations but ended up having welcome surprise. Nice.

All the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] countries constitute of a population where expatriates account for major percentage. Its their contribution that adds up to the success and development of these countries. needless to say. Asians, natives of the U.K, U.S.A happen to be the main concentration.
Camels, oil-refineries,trading, are not just the trademarks of GCC. There is greenery. There are man made entertainment areas. Whole lot of activities for all age groups. What more?.

Be it professional life, social life, children education, extra curricular activities, we are living and thriving every bit of it.
In past 5 years Gulf region has seen very cold winters unlike the last decade and also good rains often.

This is one topic which could make a whole book if I were to write about. Nevertheless this post in brief expresses that we enjoy every part of our stay here, learn & grow too.
Hail- Gulfis life.

Link to  a desert side stunt by someone that I shot:-Stunt-link.

The children played

A bunch of children played.

Quite as many as a dozen sometimes. One could catch these romping horses each evening.Outdoors. As an united gang.

Identity: Majority of females with few males too. All went to school and under 15.

Row houses / rows of trees. Jumping between compound boundaries was their custom. Hide-seek their favourite game. They hid anywhere & everywhere. Territory included someones terrace, between another's guava tree branches, garage....Screamed at top of their voice to be audible to everyone of the gang.

Seldom mischievous. Never destructive. Crawled like lizards on walls, scared the squirrels on the trees, chased snoopy the catty and many more. Street dogs hated this gang and never wandered anywhere close to these hurricanes!

In small territory , they bustled covering miles. Screeched at top of their vocals;  sweated piggish; called each other names like 'fatty, swollen cheeks, egghead, duffer'; made faces out of anxiety; also seldom banged and bumped into quarrels. It was as if a custom!

If one mother called out for a message, some other would be there receiving it. If one hid across some kitchen wall he/she would not forget to retort "aunty what are you cooking" and vanished before the aunty recognised the child.

Someone washing clothes on the big black  antique washing stone would suddenly find a thud landing of a ball in front of her!

They spent time bamboozling people with their hoax stories for april fool.

Nice bunch, a naughty bunch!

Nostalgia -nostalgia- Instances narrated revolve around my school days.

 I-  Yes- I was a part of the gang. Generally the gang leader. The row houses was the colony where I spent my childhood. Snoopy was my sisters catty. My playmates I still cherish. Every member of that gang is spread across the world today, many on Face Book!

I always link the post to the origin of the idea. Today my 6 year old went to play pen, climbed stairs with friend and played "Rapunzel"!! This is the era of barbies and Ben 10. Best man made air conditioned luxury play pens! And modernised games composed of fairy tales.....where every dream comes true!

Link to all photos I picked up:  fotosearch via google.

Me, books and few quotes

As I read "Tuesdays with Morrie"[check out about the book here] this thursday, the idea of writing this post beamed in. 

All that books feed you may be knowledge.  Success is more rendered by life's lessons and much of attitude.

Today amidst my contemplation-triggers my hands just happened to pen these quotes. Some accumulated in my memory dump files and few from- quote garden.

1. I find television to be very educating.  Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book.  [Groucho Marx]
2. Be careful of reading health books. You might die of a misprint. [Read somewhere]
3. Let books be your dining table,
And you shall be full of delights
Let them be your mattress
And you shall sleep restful nights.
[ Unknown Author]
4. Good books are only keys. You need to know how to unlock. [This is my thought]
5. Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind.  [James Russell Lowell
6. Many borrow my books. Some return promptly. Some don't till I follow up and some never!. My verdict stands, the ones who return read them actually, rest of them don't!
7. Never judge a book by its movie.  [J.W. Eagan]
8. He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book.
[Benjamin Franklin]
9. A good book has no ending [Author forgotten]
10. Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.[Author forgotten]

A tiny glimpse into a portion of my library

I dedicate this post for the Thursday Challenge theme: For more details, pictures click here.

BOOKS" (Very Old Books, Library, Electronic Books, Piles of Books,...)

That train travel

Travelling can be fun &  interesting but my be hassle also for some. I never held particular likes or dislikes but encountered some adventurous, some memorable voyages in life that I want to share in this post.

Lets hit start the journey to the  'story of the journey' ..............

Chennai - Mumbai Mail

 

It was 1997 when I approached close to my final term of my engineering study at Manipal. I was to attend 30 days training at the Imperial Chemical Industry Mumbai as part of my project.

My travel plan plan was like this: - Mangalore-Chennai via train
                                                  - 3 days program at Chennai [to spend time at my friends house in IIT campus along with other 2 friends].
                                                  - Next  Chennai- Mumbai by train.

Appreciate a friend who handled all of my bookings.
 First part of travel went fine. An interesting journey to Chennai. I can never forget the gleaming face of the skinny train hawker wearing only a torn trousers selling"peanuts" but chanting "time pass, time pass". I wondered, time pass a synonym for peanuts? Hilarious. And of course regular "chai chai chai". Enjoy this link of a tea seller on Indian train.
[I happenned to  read this news. Do glance at it too- Deccan Herald News- Train hawker studies medicine]
The stay in campus of Indian Institute of Technology- awesome. Rich greenery, deers wandering just around your houses, strict cyclists. Dwelling in this scenarios seems so peaceful.

Time to depart from chennai and to proceed to Mumbai rolled in . I was aghast to only then learn that I was booked in a  "slow train"[cant remember the name] from Chennai to Mumbai! What was so interesting in it do you think?. Continue reading, & figure out yourself.

It was 8pm. To my horrid surprise I boarded into an almost empty compartment! Only fellow travellers turned out to be a father & daughter. We smiled at each other and settled down.  As the train pulled up itself I felt a lump in my throat sensing weird fear. Wandering mind!
Unable to gather any sleep that night I finished full batteries of my "Walkman" listening to Aamir Khans' "Mann" and "Hogi pyaar ki Jeeth". Drat!. Only cassettes I could find. 
Morning dawned after some broken naps now and then. Window gazing, few "walks" up and down to loo, occasional peeping to see the dad-daughter kept me quiet in the morning. I suffer red loneliness but the dad-daughter seemed so contented with each others company  and dint bother to enter into any conversation with me! By afternoon I had finished all the food that I had packed and was spying the dad-daughter had packed loads of food [yes i actually spied & envied too] . By night fall I waited for supply of food and to my horror the kind of "meals" that was served tasted rotten!.

I was almost shocked as I walked past the loo to see armed security on guard! Now what? To add to my terrifying loneliness & torturous boredom ? Looking at me fearing they assured me that the train ran past an  bandit terror struck area, to add to it this was a slow train, hence the security. Huh!. But, my mind wasn't convicned. My eyes tossed between the dad-daughter who seemed so comfortably fine in their seats, and the uniformed security whom I dint trust a bit. Could feel  "lump" in my throat return. A gloomy me glued to the seat hopelessly, negative imaginations throttling in the mind.
 Like in movies that I see- what would happen to me?.
This night also passed off with hardly any sleep, no food or peace.

Ultimately triumphed as the train pulled in into Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus next morning. My only co passengers and myself bid a gesture of bye to each other. Dreadful day & 2 nights spent.
Mumbai- yeah!....Was so delighted. As I ate and slept in my uncles house at Mulund Mumbai, the travel memories haunted me, including the songs from movie "mann", faces of the "hatte-khatte" armed security& also of the unfriendly dad-daughter !!
Seemed like a night mare. Dare do my bookings myself from now!

Perhaps this story ran long enough. Will come back with other story of my voyage in next post.
[ The animated pictures are picked up from here]