Swati’s Diary

Life is Fleeting, Are You Breathing?

2013-05-16T09:38:00.000+05:30

If you are feeling overwhelmed, breathe. It will help release pent up anxiety and tensions. Carve out time to breathe deep – breathe deeper and fuller.

Breathe in and breathe out – it will help you relax yourself – both physically and mentally.

Fill your heart with joy and gratitude. The feeling of being joyous and grateful is unmatched. We all have so much to be grateful for.

Fill your mind with positive affirmations. Indulging in some spiritual reading before you get on with the day helps. Listening to motivational or spiritual music is undoubtedly uplifting.

There is mounting evidence that suggests breathing promotes relaxation and brings down stress. Stress can be alleviated with the help of ‘conscious breathing’.

Those who experience ‘chronic fatigue’ and ‘heart palpitations’ should practice conscious breathing on a day-to-day basis.

If you are moving too fast, please, pause, breathe. Take stock of your life. Become aware of your breath.

In today’s fast paced world, it is very easy to get swamped by negativism. It is very easy to get caught up in the daily grind, it is easy to lose sight and miss out on life’s golden moments, but, beware, life is fleeting, you need to catch your breath!

Anything that keeps the brain in overdrive is bound to have an impact on your sense of being. You can ease mental, physical and emotional fatigue by breathing.

We human being internalize too much and hence we need an outlet to release those bottled up feelings and emotions. Reset your day with conscious breathing.

Become aware of your breath: Concentrate on your breath. Breathe in and breathe out. Watch your incoming breath, watch your outgoing breath. Don't rush!

Take A Cue From Sammy Sosa, Mumbai

2013-05-06T10:21:00.000+05:30

If you are in the hospitality business, you’ve got to be hospitable! Sammy Sosa knows it well, in fact exceedingly well. The Mexican joint at Oshiwara, Mumbai is a must-visit place for all those looking to relish authentic Mexican and Italian food. Choose from a lip-smacking range of burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, pizzas, potato appetizers and more.

Warm hospitality is the number one thing that customers look forward to, notwithstanding good food and prompt service. Sammy Sosa scores in all departments. It is about 5 years old I guess... it already enjoys an enviable reputation but still cares about being customer-friendly, about making them feel special and catering to all their needs.

The minute we sauntered in, there was this guy who greeted us with a genuine smile. His friendly yet professional attitude took us by surprise. He was more than welcoming and forthcoming. He was genuinely happy to have us at Sammy Sosa – that’s how I’d like to describe our experience. The place had us completely floored! Where do you get such hospitality in Mumbai? How many times has the owner of a restaurant greeted you with a radiant smile and personally attended to you, in fact attended to each and every one present?

Unwelcoming hoteliers and snappy frustrated waiters, please, take a cue from Samrat @ Sammy Sosa, Mumbai. And all you Mexican food enthusiasts, do bite into the very delicious Burritos Mania and sip that yummyliciously refreshing Kiwi Mojito.

More restaurants need to focus on customer-service and less on getting to the top (number game and all). When your customers are happy, when you serve them well and treat them with respect, you are bound to be talked about!

Who Really Cares About Sarabjit

2013-05-03T14:30:00.003+05:30

Where was Rahul Gandhi when Sarabjit Singh was battling for life after being brutally attacked in jail? Why is he faking emotions now? These guys can stoop to ridiculous levels of impropriety, seriously!

Expectedly, Rahul, along with the Congress entourage are being flown in lavish choppers to express grief and sympathy over National Television. (The common man is here to fund their extra comfy chopper trips as mentioned in the post below). And, as always, our very 'authoritative' PM condemns the incident calling it barbaric and that perpetrators be brought to justice. Meanwhile, many other Sarabjits continue to languish in Pak jails.

Promising govt. jobs to Sarabjit’s daughters or crores to his family are not enough to compensate for a loss that’s irreparable! Hugging his relatives is a good way to garner publicity and votes but is not going to bring back a father, a husband, a brother and a son.

R.I.P Sarabjit Singh

Facts Every Indian Should Know And Probably Knows

2013-04-30T10:42:00.003+05:30

Source: Internet

A letter to Rahul Gandhi apparently written by an IITian.

Rahul Gandhi says, "I feel ashamed to call myself an Indian after seeing what has happened here in UP."

Dear Rahul,
You really want to feel ashamed???

Don’t be disappointed, I'll give you ample reasons to feel ashamed.

* First ask Pranab Mukherjee, why isn't he giving the details of the account holders in the Swiss Banks.

* Ask your mother, who is impeding the investigation against Hasan Ali?

* Ask her, who got 60% kickbacks in the 2G Scam ?

* Kalamadi is accused of a few hundred crores, who pocketed the rest in the Common Wealth Games?

* Ask Praful Patel what he did to the Indian Airlines? Why did Air India let go of the profitable routes ?

* Why should the Tax Payer pay for the Air India losses, when you intend to eventually divest it anyway! You guys can't run an airline properly, how can we expect you to run the nation?

* Ask Manmohan Singh, why/what kept him quiet for so long?

* Are Kalmadi and A.Raja scapegoats to save big names?

* Who let the Bhopal Gas Tragedy accused go scot free? (20,000 people died in that tragedy)

* Who ordered the state sponsored massacre of Sikhs in 84?

* Please read more about how Indira Gandhi pushed the nation under Emergency in 76-77, after the HC declared her election to Lok Sabha void!

Dear Rahul, to refresh your memory, you were arrested/detained by the FBI at Boston Airport in September 2001.

You were carrying with you $ 1,60,000 in cash. You couldn't explain why you were carrying so much cash. (Incidentally, he was with his Columbian girlfriend Veronique Cartelli, allegedly the daughter of a drug mafia. He was kept at the airport for 9 hours, later freed on the intervention of the then Prime Minister Mr. Vajpayee. FBI filed an equivalent of an FIR in US and released him).

When FBI was asked to divulge the information, by Right/Freedom to Information activists about the reasons Rahul was arrested, FBI asked for a No Objection Certficate from Rahul Gandhi, so Subramaniyam Swami wrote a letter to Rahul Gandhi, "If you have nothing to hide, give us the permission"

He never replied!

Why did that arrest not make headlines Rahul? You could have gone to the media and told, "I am ashamed to call myself an Indian!” Or is it that, you only do like to highlight symbolic arrests (like in UP) and not actual arrests (In Boston)

Your mother's so-called sacrifice of giving up Prime Ministership in 2004:

According to a Provision in the Citizenship Act, A Foreign National who becomes a Citizen of India, is bounded by the same restrictions, which an Indian would face, If he/she were to become a Citizen of Italy.

(Condition based on principle of reciprocity)

You can't become a PM in Italy, unless you are born there. Likewise an Italian Citizen can't become Indian PM, unless He/She is not born here!

Dr. Subramaniam Swami (The Man who Exposed the 2G Scam) sent a letter to the President of India bringing the same to his notice.

President of India sent a letter to Sonia Gandhi to this effect, 3:30 PM, May 17th, 2004.

Swearing ceremony was scheduled for 5 PM the same day. Manmohan Singh was brought in the picture at the last moment to save face!

Rest of the sacrifice drama which she choreographed was an eyewash!

In fact Sonia Gandhi had sent, 340 letters, each signed by different MP to President Kalam, supporting her candidacy for PM.

One of those letters read, "I Sonia Gandhi, elected Member from Rai Bareli, hereby propose Sonia Gandhi as Prime Minister."

So she was pretty interested until she got to know about the facts!

Rahul, you go to Harvard on donation quota. (Hindujas gave Harvard 11 million dollars the same year when Rajiv Gandhi was in power), then you are expelled in 3 Months/ You Dropped out in 3 Months....(Sadly Manmohan Singh wasn't the Dean of Harvard that time, else you might have had a chance... Too Bad, there is only one Manmohan Singh!)

Why did you go about lying about being Masters in Economics from Harvard .. before finally taking it off your Resume upon questioning by Dr. Subramaniam Swami (The Gentlemen who exposed the 2G Scam)

At St. Stephens., you fail the Hindi Exam. HINDI EXAM!!! And you are representing the biggest Hindi speaking state of the country?

Sonia Gandhi's educational qualifications:

She gave a sworn affidavit as a candidate that she studied English at University of Cambridge. According to Cambridge University, there is no such student EVER! Upon a case by Dr. Subramaniyam Swami filed against her, she subsequently dropped the Cambridge credential from her affidavit.

Sonia Gandhi didn't even pass High School. She is just 5th class Pass! In this sense, she shares a common Educational Background with her 2G Partner In Crime, Karunanidhi.

You fake your educational degree, your mother fakes her educational degree. And then you go out saying, " We want Educated Youth into Politics!"

Not that education is a prerequisite for being a great Leader, but then you shouldn't have lied about your qualifications!

You could feel a little ashamed about lying about your Educational Qualifications.

You traveled in the local train for the first time at the age of 38. You went to some villages as a part of election campaign. And you won a Youth Icon!

25 Million People travel by train Every day. You are the first person to win a Youth Icon for boarding a Train.

Thousands of Postmen go to remotest of Villages. None of them have yet gotten a Youth Icon. You're neither YOUNG Nor ICONIC!

Shakespeare said, What's in a Name?

Little did he knew, it's all in the name, especially the Surname!

Speaking of surname, Sir do you really respect Gandhi or is it just to cash in on Mahatma? Because the name on your passport is RAUL VINCI, not Rahul Gandhi.

May be if you wrote your Surname as Gandhi, you would have experienced, what Gandhi feels like, literally (Pun Intended).

You people don't seem to use Gandhi much, except when you are fighting Elections.

Imagine fighting elections by the Name Raul Vinci...

You use the name Gandhi at will and then say, " Mujhe yeh Yuvraj shabd insulting lagta hai kyonki aaj Hindustan mein democracy hai, aur is shabd ka koi matlab nahin hai!

Yuvraj itna hi insulting lagta hai, to ladh lo Raul Vinci ke naam se!!! Jin Kisano ke saath photo khinchate ho woh bhi isliye entertain karte hain ki Gandhi ho.. Raul Vinci bol ke Jao... Ghar mein nahin ghusaenge!!!

You could feel ashamed for your Double Standards.

You want Youth to Join Politics.

First you join Politics. Because you haven't joined Politics. You have Joined a Family Business.

First you Join Politics. Win an Election fighting as Raul Vinci and not Rahul Gandhi, then come and ask the youth and the Educated Brass for more involvement in Politics.

We would appreciate if you stop requesting the youth to join politics till you establish your credentials...

Why We Can’t Join Politics:

Rahul Baba, please understand, your father had a lot of money in your family account (Swiss Bank) when he died. Ordinary youth has to work for a living. Your family just needs to network for a living.

If our fathers had left thousands of crores with us, we might have considered doing the same. But we have to work, not just for ourselves, but also for you so that we can pay 30% of our Income to the Govt which can then be channelized to the Swiss Banks and your personal accounts under some pseudo names.

So Rahul, please don't mind if the Youth doesn't join politics - we are doing our best to fund your Election Campaigns and your Chopper Trips to the villages.

Somebody has to Earn the Money that Politicians Feed On!

Air India, KG Gas Division, 2G, CWG, SWISS BANK Account Details, Hasan Ali, KGB, FBI Arrest...

You want to feel ashamed?

Feel ashamed for what the First Family of Politics has been reduced to - A Money Laundering Enterprise!

Popular media is either bought or blackmailed, controlled to manufacture consent! My guess is Social Media is still a democratic platform. (Now they are trying to put legislations to censor that too!)

Daily Inspiration

2013-04-29T10:15:00.001+05:30

No matter what you are experiencing in your life right now, trust that all is good and unfolding in your best interests.

Everything occurring in your life has been perfectly orchestrated to inspire your maximum evolution as a human being. Learn from life and allow it take you where you’re meant to go – it has your highest interests in mind.

Happiness is nothing more than a state of mind that you create by the way you process and interpret the events of your life.

It is what’s going on in your inner world that prevents you from having all that you want in your outer world.

To get the best from life, be completely present and mindful in every minute of every hour of every day.

Take a good look at your environment. Your thoughts are shaped by the people you associate with, by the books you read, by the words you speak and by your daily physical surroundings.

The gateway to lasting happiness does not swing outward, it opens inward. The greatest treasures are the treasures that lie within.

A worrisome thought is like an embryo – it starts off small but grows and grows. Soon it takes on a life of its own. Stop feeding what doesn’t serve you!

The only power worth anything is authentic power – that which comes from within.

Let go of all your resistance and move into a posture of surrendering to whatever is unfolding - it is one of the best ways to walk the path of your destiny, your true path.

We’re so busy chasing life’s big pleasures that we miss out on the little ones, like walking barefoot in a park on a rainy day, planting a rose garden or watching the sun come up.

We are so arrogant as human beings. We think we are more intelligent than the universe - the universe that created the sunsets and the rainbows, the universe that created the stars and the moon. We think we know more about what’s in our best interests than the source that created all that exists.

- Robin Sharma

Ramdom Musings

2013-04-23T09:18:00.000+05:30

Meddling in other people's lives and affairs causes a great deal of damage, and sometimes the damage is irreparable. 'Butting in' is downright cheap, unacceptable and highly immoral.

Sometimes, you're obligated to connect with people who are not on the same wavelength as you. That's a lot of hard-work.. takes reserves of patience and endurance...

Respect does not come with seniority and overbearance, give respect to get respect, period!

We're a generation of deluded narcissists.

Parents should think twice before overpraising kids; insincere praise can do more ham than good.

10 Things You’ll Never Learn in School

2013-04-16T10:58:00.000+05:30

1- Forging genuine friendships - There were no friendship classes

2- Managing relationships - No classes on how to manage relationships efficiently

3- The art of living life - No classes on how to patiently and positively navigate thru life

4- Self-love - How to love yourself

5- Living in harmony - How to co-exist

6- Build an organization

7- Buy a house

8- Raise money

9- Love a child

10- How to discover your true calling

... not knowing how to do these things is what messes people up, not whether they know Algebra, Geometry, Political Science or can analyze Literature...

Moms Are Moms, And They Are Irreplaceable!

2013-04-15T12:05:00.003+05:30

The ability to always give - give generously and love unconditionally, the ability to appreciate what they have instead of craving they had more

The way they grin rather than groan thru life, even at their worst, even at their most vulnerable

The way they effortlessly adapt to changing circumstances, the way they smile thru tears

The way they find joy in the mundane, the way they juggle responsibilities

That rock-solid positive attitude towards life, that spine of steel, that zest for life, that innate love and care

Kudos to all moms - single moms, double moms, working moms, stay-at-home moms, black moms, white moms, lower middle class moms, upper middle class moms, fair moms, dusky moms, over-qualified moms, under-qualified moms, illiterate moms, Hindi speaking moms, English speaking moms, size zero moms, pluz size moms – MOTHERS ARE MOTHERS, and it takes someone extraordinarily special to be a mother!

Stop Sympathizing With Sanjay Dutt

2013-03-22T10:58:00.001+05:30

In a landmark judgment, Indian actor Sanjay Dutt has been sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act. Dutt has been convicted for possessing illegal weapons in the case involving the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts. The actor has already served 18 months in jail and is now required to serve the remaining term.

That Bollywood does not think Sanjay Dutt is a criminal is outrageous. In fact, the Bollywood fraternity has come out in full support of Sanjay Dutt. How disgusting is that!

Sanjay Dutt's conviction is a ray of hope - it has established a new precedent. For once, the Indian judicial system has been appreciated for dispensing even-handed justice. We need more such landmark judgments... (Apparently, Salman Khan's hit-and-run hearing is scheduled for March 25)

Some stories are doing the rounds on social networking sites. I would like to share one such story that I stumbled upon this morning…

I don't feel sorry for Sanjay Dutt. Know the entire story. He wasn't a young fellow then. He was 33 & supported the Mumbai Blasts 1993.

The amount of weapons, guns, and grenades that were found from Sanjay Dutt's house was no less than what Kasab was carrying during-26/11.

"I've already suffered for 20 yrs," says Sanjay Dutt. And the victims of the 1993 blasts & their families have been having a picnic or what?

"I'm shattered & in emotional distress," says Sanjay Dutt. Fact is, you're lucky you were convicted only under the Arms Act. Got off cheap !!

His driver who transported weapons got 10 yrs but Sanjay Dutt got 5 yrs why? That is itself leniency !!

Sorry Sanjay - I love you as an Actor (especially the Munna Bhai series) but hate that you were party to the worst Terrorist attacks !!

29 Things I’m Hopelessly in Love With

2013-03-20T10:32:00.003+05:30

1- Words – anything to do with written words

2- Classics – particularly works of D.H Lawrence and Ernest Hemingway

3- Writing

4- Quiet time

5- The incredible beauty that surrounds us (Some of the best things in life are intangible… we’re way too distracted to notice the intangibles)

6- The scent of mud after the rains

7- The smell of old books and freshly printed books – the smell of books

8- The fragrance of incense sticks

9- Raindrops on windows

10- Bathroom mirror fog after a hot shower

11- Lucky bamboo plants

12- Silence that’s awkward yet beautiful

13- The beauty of black n white photographs

14- Sunsets

15- Beaches

16- Scented candles

17- Personalized wall decor (angel wings are beautiful.. inspiring)

18- Orchids and lilies

19- Unique artifacts

20- Fancy colorful stationery

21- High ceilings and chandeliers

22- Coral lipsticks

23- ColorStay eyeshadow

24- Everything pastel - pastel jewelry, pastel accessories

25- Cupcakes and muffins

26- Alvin and the Chipmunks

27- Nutella

28- Coconut water

29- Cheese caramel popcorn

A Rare Category of the Most Beautiful People I Have Known

2013-03-12T11:09:00.000+05:30

I’m not fascinated by people who smile all the time. I am drawn to the way people look when they are lost in thought, when they are introspectively passive, the way they look when they stare down at their feet, when they flush crimson with embarrassment, when they fumble when interacting with authority, the way they look when they half-smile, the way they look when they fight back tears...

I am drawn to those who wake up after a night of despair and grief, weary and torn to bits and are still sweet to the ones they love.

I am irresistibly attracted to people who can be alone with their thoughts… who can luxuriate in their company in the empty moments of life.

I am fascinated by those who beautifully create extraordinary moments out of the most ordinary things… people who find happiness in the mundane

I look up to those who can live with failure – personal and professional and still face life head-on… I look up to them with great awe, respect and admiration…

I am fascinated by those who are not born with a silver spoon dangling down their mouth and who still make it big in life … those who have loved and lost… those who are immensely grounded despite tasting success at a tender age… the modest ones who don’t toot their own horn and let their work do the talking for them… the ones who catapult into the limelight but are not ashamed of humble beginnings…

.. these people are truly truly beautiful!

When Someone You Love Becomes A Memory...

2013-03-07T12:55:00.000+05:30

I lost my ailing grandmom just 10 days before my long-awaited wedding. My granny breathed her last on 9^th Jan, 2013.

Grief-stricken, we still decided to go ahead with the wedding - it was a unanimous decision taken by the elders of the family.

All those myriad emotions that I went through, during that period... I don't know... it's probably something that very few can relate with...

The 13-day long death ceremony was cut short to a week to ensure smooth timely wedding rituals.

Tucking my unreadable emotions very stoically into the recesses of my mind, I wrapped up my last minute shopping after the death rituals concluded.

A would-be-bride is anyway riddled with anxiety. I was obviously a bundle of nerves, for a billion reasons, and, of course, the thought of moving out of parental cocoon unnerved me– to top it all, the loss of my grandmom killed me every moment. Incidentally, my dad underwent a critical bypass surgery a few months before my wedding. His unexpected surgery (during my courtship) shook me inside out. I am not connected with anyone the way I am with my darling dad.

My dad’s surgery, my grandmom’s untimely death and some other complications, at a time when I was to take the big matrimonial plunge- I felt like I had a huge stack of obstacles in front of me… God, that anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach… I don’t know… I couldn’t stop mulling over all the ill-fated events…I didn’t know whether I was sinking or swimming – my guy helped me navigate... Like a rock he stood by me in my darkest hour. I am indebted to God for having someone as affectionate and caring as him. Thank you, love!

Yeah, you’ve got to move on. Yeah, it’s the beginning of a new life. Yeah, you’ve got to look past your old life and embrace the new one with an open mind…

Moving on is easier said than done…

Emotions cannot be booted out overnight… You can bury the past, it is not easy to bury wounds, wounds need to be healed! Sometimes the pain lingers for too long.

Conventional wisdom tells us that time heals all wounds. Yeah, maybe… I'd like to believe that...

I guess I have emerged stronger and mature than ever before…

R.I.P, Dadima.

Cut Yourself Some Slack

2013-03-05T14:24:00.000+05:30

Do you depend on caffeine to get through the day? Do you feel like your life has lost meaning along the way?

Running out of steam? Struck by a feeling of something missing?

We often find ourselves caught in the vicious rut of life – we are likely to feel less motivated and more frustrated. We become irritable – we are bound to snap at the slightest provocation. A sense of haunting loneliness surrounds us.

We get so caught up in the whirlwind of our daily routines that we forget to sit back and savor the little pleasures of life. We forget to bask in the small yet fun-filled moments that life offers everyday – moments like a baby’s laughter, watching a bird soar, swirling trees, the scent of roses, the sound of waves lashing agasint the shore and many more…

Impossible deadlines, outstanding obligations, time-bound commitments and routine responsibilities - life is full of complexities that we have to maneuver through on a daily basis - how are we to find calm and peace in a crazy scenario like this?

Cut yourself some slack, please!

A breather from the mundane routine of everyday life is the need of the hour! We all need to break the monotony from time to time to infuse fun and excitement into our otherwise humdrum lives.

Here are a few ways to reignite your passion for life…

Make art

Take a different route to work

Take random pictures and put together a colorful collage

Read KRK on Twitter

Feel the wind blowing through your hair

Watch your breath – your incoming breath and outgoing breath

Write a letter to loved ones. IMO, a handwritten letter evokes tremendous happiness

Walk… just walk

Listen to the tackiest songs while sipping coffee

Make time to watch a film, even if it means groaning through ‘I Me aur Main’

Dance… even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room

Embark on a spiritual sojourn

Read an engaging book

Stop and smell the roses

Bake a cake

Paint your emotions

Write a blog post

Maintain a journal to scribble random thoughts

Blow air bubbles

Watch 'Alvin and the Chipmunks'

Revamp your space with scented candles, flowers and canvas paintings

Enjoy boredom - let your mind float to places it has never been

Redevelop your passion and pursue it

Watch the sunset

Hug your spouse (hug like you mean it)

Buy something vibrant and colorful – fancy stationery, sexy sassy lingerie, flowers, artificial jewelry, tees, etc

These are some brilliant ways to elevate your life from the ordinary into the realm of extraordinary

Exaggerated Praise Can Do Harm

2013-03-01T11:32:00.001+05:30

I was reading a piece on self-esteem and decided to share my thoughts on the same. While it is important that parents instill a healthy sense of self-esteem in children, it is even more important to keep them grounded. In other words, there’s a thin line between too much praise and too little praise, and adults need to do the balancing act tactfully.

Too much praise amounts to overinflating your child’s ego at the very outset. Such children grow up with a heightened sense of self-esteem that makes them somewhat vain as adults. They begin to harbor a bit of a superiority complex and adopt a condescending attitude towards others.

Lavish praise heaped on young impressionable minds can do more harm than good. Such kids grow up to be self-obsessed and self-centered to say the least. Incidentally, nobody likes to be in the company of narcissistic I-know-it-all individuals – individuals who cannot stop tooting their own horn, individuals who cannot stop tomtoming their strengths and achievements.

Instilling a realistic sense of self-esteem is key to success!

Too Many Questions, Too Few Answers

2013-01-06T10:39:00.002+05:30

Sometimes we are expected to put our likes and priorities on the back burner and wait for that opportune moment which may or may not come. We are expected to tailor our lives to accommodate the likes and priorities of others.

At some point in our lives, we feel like recliner chairs – a chair whose backrest can be suitably adjusted to the user’s convenience.

Most of us tend to suppress our feelings and emotions without realizing that they remain buried for years only to resurface at some unexpected point. The manifestation of these feelings can take some really disastrous forms. The repercussions could be devastating.

When the chips are down, you just have one person to fall back on – yourself!

Sometimes when you don’t articulate your real feelings, you end up raging within. Suppressed rage or resentment does not disappear with time. If anything, it festers, till one day the volcano erupts destroying everything around.

Romance is NOT poetry, moonlit drives, chocolates and candles, pretty red roses or expensive gifts. Romance is genuinely caring about one another; romance is being sensitive to the problems of your partner.

When You Find Yourself Immersed in the Writer's Vision

2013-01-05T00:21:00.001+05:30

When I'm reading, I often find myself totally immersed in the writer’s vision, I feel as tho I’m there. I can feel the wind rustling thru my hair, I can smell the fresh bread baking. I can hear the waves lashing against the shore. Such is the magic that words can bring to a blank page. Such is the interest that creative writers evoke in readers. Such is the connection that prolific writers make with readers - it sets their imagination on fire!

I hope to forge a connection like that with my readers.

On a somewhat similar note, I'd like to articulate my thoughts on SEO. Keyword-driven content seems to have gained great prominence in recent times. IMO, SEO drains all creativity out of an assignment. It robs a piece of its creativity.

I've Become So Numb

2012-12-31T01:35:00.001+05:30

I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface
Don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes

Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
And every second I waste is more than I can take

I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
Become so tired, so much more aware
I'm becoming this
All I want to do is be more like me and be less like you

Can't you see that you're smothering me,
Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control
Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you

I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
Become so tired, so much more aware
I'm becoming this
AlI I want to do is be more like me and be less like you

And I know
I may end up failing too
But I know
You were just like me with someone disappointed in you

- Linkin Park

A Seemingly Fairy-Tale Marriage with a Not-So-Happy-Ending

2012-12-28T00:34:00.001+05:30

.......

Part 2:

However hard the couple had striven to maintain a smooth exterior on their marriage, the underlying cracks were becoming difficult to ignore. They began to drift apart. The situation degenerated further in the coming weeks. The two wallowed in a state of matrimonial purgatory.

The sordid details of their relationships made great fodder for gossip columnists and scandalmongers. The mudslinging between the warring couple became the subject of common conversation. The public’s thirst for entertainment and gossip obviously remained unquenchable.

He continued to be absorbed in his concerns while she drank herself into oblivion. An incorrigible alcoholic, her exhausted livers and kidneys finally failed her. Her life was in shambles, and she knew that. She retired to bed – her head clouded with a billion thoughts.

She awoke from her restless slumber in the early morning hours. Standing on the hearthrug, looking out the broken window, she decided to liberate herself. She chose to leave her husband’s protection thereby relinquishing access to any funds.

Their marriage had the makings of a perfect fairy tale but dissolved as one of the most scandalous divorces ever. A marriage between two opposing personalities – a marriage that threw the couple onto paths of obsession, hatred, revenge, financial ruin and destruction!

Plunged in Grief

2012-12-20T00:28:00.003+05:30

Part 1:

She slammed the door shut.

Sitting enclosed within the walls of her dingy room, she could do nothing more than wait, contemplate and fret. The reality of the situation began to settle in. The worst was now upon her.

Morning wore into afternoon.. afternoon into evening… and evening faded into night.. She sat there despondent, her anxious head buried in her hands…

The entire circus of events in which she found herself was overwhelming and disconcerting.

She remained frozen with grief.

The stakes were perilously high!

To be continued...

One Lesson to Learn From Life of Pi

2012-12-17T12:53:00.001+05:30

LEARN TO CO-EXIST...

For me, this lesson could not have come at a more opportune time...

JAI DADI KI!

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3 insightful quotes, Yann Martel, Life of Pi...

“The reason death sticks so closely to life isn’t biological necessity-it’s envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous possessive love that grabs at what it can.”

To lose a brother is to lose someone with whom you can share the experience of growing old, who is supposed to bring you a sister-in-law and nieces and nephews, creatures who people the tree of your life and give it new branches. To lose your father is to lose the one whose guidance and help you seek, who supports you like a tree trunk supports its branches. To lose your mother, well, that is like losing the sun above you. It is like losing--I'm sorry, I would rather not go on.”

“Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer.”

Food For Thought

2012-12-07T01:01:00.001+05:30

Courtesy: http://www.marcandangel.com/

One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are. Sometimes it’s better to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than trying to make everything and everyone conform to an impossible ideal. No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.

Leave people to their opinions and judgments. Let them love you for who you are, and not for who they want you to be. Or let them walk away if they choose.

If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who you are or no one else will.

It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them. Problems will not disappear unless you take action. Do what you can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch. These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.

Start listening to your own inner voice. It is okay to discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your own intuition.

Start noticing the beauty of small moments. Find happiness in the small things that happen every day. Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner. Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.

PS: It amazes me how people toot their own horn... to an extent that is EXASPERATING... Self-praise is so uncool... it's plain insecurity... and then there are those who don't get tired of proclaiming how busy they are or how jam-packed their schedules are... Why tom-tom your on-the-run schedule all the time! What a turn off! Torture of the highest order...

Random Musings

2012-12-01T23:52:00.000+05:30

There are times when I feel there's something lurking under my bed…like there’s something hiding in my closet… I guess the only monster I should fear is the monster inside of me..

The worst kind of heartache is the kind we inflict on ourselves..

Parents are parents.. There is no substitute for parents.. There is absolutely NO SUBSTITUTE for parents..

The humming of birds, the crashing of waves, the breeze thru my hair, the sun's warmth on my face..

Love is a bird, she needs to fly.. Let all the hurt inside of you die..

लोग क्या सोचेंगे, अगर यह हम सोचेंगे, तोह लोग क्या सोचेंगे।

What True Love Is…

2012-11-24T00:33:00.000+05:30

I have come to realize what True Love is… because I have been loved like that…

True love is when your dream becomes his dream… when your goal becomes his goal… true love doesn’t distract you, it takes you closer to your goals… you don’t want to waver an inch from your goals…

True love reignites old dreams… rekindles lost passions

True love is being loved despite your flaws…

The day you begin to feel your flaws make you even more perfect… you have found true love…

The day you feel reality is finally better than your dreams… you have found true love…

Things that seem insignificant to most people are of paramount importance to him… that’s true love…

True love is his unflinching support and unwavering commitment during the times you've had it rough... Truly, true love is being loved at your weakest…

True love is when he loves you more than himself and cares for your happiness more than his own…

True love is being loved to the point of selflessness…

True love is the best thing in the world…

~~I’ve found true love, hope you find it too…~~

True love has found me, hope it finds you too…

Don’t Hide The Madness

2012-11-22T14:20:00.002+05:30

All of us need a touch of madness… it can help us survive this mad world… this madness can be saving, quite literally…

If you ask me, madness is an art… Madness is truly genius…

Madness doesn't wear you down… In fact, madness is all breakthrough… madness is interesting…

If I had a world of my own, some part of it would be madness…

I have come to believe that the world is an enigma… and madness can help… it can help in inexplicable ways… I don’t want to hide the madness…

Wishing everyone a touch of madness…May the upcoming year be filled with madness…

Make Time For Quiet Moments

2012-11-15T22:04:00.002+05:30

My life has been crazy lately…

I’ve been experiencing feelings of disorientation…

I’ve been desperately craving a few quiet moments…. We all need quiet moments, don’t we?

Some things are beyond our control, and I don’t want to be fazed by circumstances.

I want to spare myself all the emotional burden and the inevitable guilt that follows. I want to put my anxiety to rest. For once, I want to stop thinking about the world. For once, I don’t want to care about people who think I have changed. I can’t be managing every relationship efficiently. I can’t be reserving a space in my heart for everyone I know. I don’t think I am forgetting old relationships because I have embraced a new one.

What the heck, life isn’t about pleasing everybody! I am not going to stretch myself… The world can take a hike!

I want to sink into some quiet moments, and I don’t want the world to intrude. I want to settle down to quietness.

I want to meet myself and relax!

PS: My 29^th birthday was magical.. incredible… unbelievably beautiful! It had me in a state of trance! I’ll be forever grateful for this day!