15th June 2011. It's Lunar Eclipse. Another day when multiple superstitions are attached to it. In India, some of the popular superstitions are -
* Food cooked during the eclipse should be thrown away because it is impure.
* Pregnant women should not touch their belly during a lunar eclipse, else the baby will be born with a noticeable birthmark.
* Pregnant women should not cut anything, else the baby will be born with a cleft lip.
* If need be, pregnant women should not cook at all.
Again, these are superstitions passed on through generations because of the fear of the unknown or total ignorance. Most of the elders who pass on the superstitions are themselves ignorant about the facts behind the eclipse. There is no scientific reasons behind these superstitions.
I won't ever comply to these unwarranted superstitions.
Come on people, wake up!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Superstitions!
In India, superstitions are still strong in many households. Why only India, superstitions are prevalant in many other parts of the world too.
To begin with, what is superstition? Anybody? Well, as per me, superstitions are nothing but irrational beliefs arising from fear of the unknown or ignorance. Many common examples in India being if a black cat or in fact cat of any color (let's not discriminate now on the basis of color) crosses your path, people who are superstitious will go back few steps before proceeding further. Oh come on! It's just a poor cat wanting to gp from one place to another. What's the rationale behind this superstition? Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Shunya. Sunna.
Take another example. Milk should be boiled without covering it. Boiling the milk with the lid on is inauspicious. On asking how is it inauspicious, people following this superstition don't know the reason. It's just been followed blindly over by generations altogether. If you ask me, it's always better to cover the milk while boiling, because,
(1) milk is boiled quickly & therefore time is saved, &
(2) since the milk is boiled quickly, there is a saving in the gas too.
There are many more such examples, such as -
- Do not ever leave home without consulting an astrologer. Rahu and Ketu, two ominous planets, are waiting to ruin things for you. Wait for the shubh mahurat, based on the Hindu calendar. [Oh please! Is this possible? You may end up missing many of your important appointments or business.]
- A dog howling at night chills the blood – a portent of approaching death. [The dog may be having a severe stomach ache or maybe feeling lonely since you went on a vacation leaving your dog all alone locked up in the home.]
It's very difficult to get people who believe in supersttions blindly to change over a period of time or change them at all. They hold on to these superstitions so strongly because they are unaware of the reasons behind the "why."
Personally, I don't have any superstitions! If someone has a superstition, I try finding the rationale of it & have failed to find any valid rationale for the same. Just because people who follow these superstitions are themselves unaware of the reasons. And therefore, I don't believe in any superstitions.
The only way to eradicate superstitions is to educate people & increase awareness amongst them.
Are you superstitious too? Why don't you write to me about it & the rationale of your following the superstition?
Talk to me!
To begin with, what is superstition? Anybody? Well, as per me, superstitions are nothing but irrational beliefs arising from fear of the unknown or ignorance. Many common examples in India being if a black cat or in fact cat of any color (let's not discriminate now on the basis of color) crosses your path, people who are superstitious will go back few steps before proceeding further. Oh come on! It's just a poor cat wanting to gp from one place to another. What's the rationale behind this superstition? Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Shunya. Sunna.
Take another example. Milk should be boiled without covering it. Boiling the milk with the lid on is inauspicious. On asking how is it inauspicious, people following this superstition don't know the reason. It's just been followed blindly over by generations altogether. If you ask me, it's always better to cover the milk while boiling, because,
(1) milk is boiled quickly & therefore time is saved, &
(2) since the milk is boiled quickly, there is a saving in the gas too.
There are many more such examples, such as -
- Do not ever leave home without consulting an astrologer. Rahu and Ketu, two ominous planets, are waiting to ruin things for you. Wait for the shubh mahurat, based on the Hindu calendar. [Oh please! Is this possible? You may end up missing many of your important appointments or business.]
- A dog howling at night chills the blood – a portent of approaching death. [The dog may be having a severe stomach ache or maybe feeling lonely since you went on a vacation leaving your dog all alone locked up in the home.]
It's very difficult to get people who believe in supersttions blindly to change over a period of time or change them at all. They hold on to these superstitions so strongly because they are unaware of the reasons behind the "why."
Personally, I don't have any superstitions! If someone has a superstition, I try finding the rationale of it & have failed to find any valid rationale for the same. Just because people who follow these superstitions are themselves unaware of the reasons. And therefore, I don't believe in any superstitions.
The only way to eradicate superstitions is to educate people & increase awareness amongst them.
Are you superstitious too? Why don't you write to me about it & the rationale of your following the superstition?
Talk to me!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Things never to say to a woman
Few days back, I was reading this article that said few things men should never say to your woman.
If men always said what was on their mind, they probably wouldn't be saying lots of things that a woman would want to hear. It's not that men intentionally want to hurt their women, but let's face it, men can be quite insensitive at times and say things that might seem innocuous but can be downright hurtful, insulting, or both.
Okay, let's be fair to all men, in general. The intentions may not be rude or insulting. But at times what men says and what women hear may be totally different things.
Take an example. A man says to his wife, "Sweetheart, you're looking amazing tonight." On the face of it, this is a plain compliment by the man to his wife. However, does the wife see it that way too? Maybe no. Possible response, "What do you mean by 'today'? Don't I look amazing everyday?"
There were two things that I found to be really true were -
1- Whatever you decide is okay with me
Try saying this to your woman when you really don't mean it. In case you tell your woman to decide and then then knock down whatever she decides, then that is nothing but a recipe for a dangerous disaster.
Want an example? Look at the following example -
She: Where should we go on a vacation for our anniversary?
You: I leave the decicion on you this time. Just let me know where you want to go & we'll go there.
She: Let's go to a place in Rajasthan named Kalakho. I've been wanting to go there for ages.
You: What?! Kalakho in Rajasthan?? Oh please, anywhere else.
She: Oh ok. How about Muunar then?
You: No, no, too far off.
She: Coorg then? It's very picturesque!!
You: Coorg? What's there to see in Coorg? What's happened to your choices?
She: *What the heck!$%* followed by a 15 minute blah blah blah which you entirely deserve but are still wondering what you did to instigate!
Therefore, if you are not willing to do anything she wants you to do, don't tell her to decide.
2- I love you
Surprised to find this one in a list of things you should NEVER say to a woman? Well... Whatever you say, say it only if you mean it. If you don't mean it from the bottom of your heart, don't say it. Avoid saying it just because you think your woman wants to hear it.
If men always said what was on their mind, they probably wouldn't be saying lots of things that a woman would want to hear. It's not that men intentionally want to hurt their women, but let's face it, men can be quite insensitive at times and say things that might seem innocuous but can be downright hurtful, insulting, or both.
Okay, let's be fair to all men, in general. The intentions may not be rude or insulting. But at times what men says and what women hear may be totally different things.
Take an example. A man says to his wife, "Sweetheart, you're looking amazing tonight." On the face of it, this is a plain compliment by the man to his wife. However, does the wife see it that way too? Maybe no. Possible response, "What do you mean by 'today'? Don't I look amazing everyday?"
There were two things that I found to be really true were -
1- Whatever you decide is okay with me
Try saying this to your woman when you really don't mean it. In case you tell your woman to decide and then then knock down whatever she decides, then that is nothing but a recipe for a dangerous disaster.
Want an example? Look at the following example -
She: Where should we go on a vacation for our anniversary?
You: I leave the decicion on you this time. Just let me know where you want to go & we'll go there.
She: Let's go to a place in Rajasthan named Kalakho. I've been wanting to go there for ages.
You: What?! Kalakho in Rajasthan?? Oh please, anywhere else.
She: Oh ok. How about Muunar then?
You: No, no, too far off.
She: Coorg then? It's very picturesque!!
You: Coorg? What's there to see in Coorg? What's happened to your choices?
She: *What the heck!$%* followed by a 15 minute blah blah blah which you entirely deserve but are still wondering what you did to instigate!
Therefore, if you are not willing to do anything she wants you to do, don't tell her to decide.
2- I love you
Surprised to find this one in a list of things you should NEVER say to a woman? Well... Whatever you say, say it only if you mean it. If you don't mean it from the bottom of your heart, don't say it. Avoid saying it just because you think your woman wants to hear it.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Can you change anyone...
... till the person is willing to change from within? In most cases, the answer will be no.
Take for example one of my colleagues in one of my previous organizations'. We were into a high pressure project & had stringent deadlines. We had jokes that there's time to reach office, but no time to go back home OR if someone left in the evening as per office timing, then that person was leaving during half day! Now coming back to this person - let's name the person X. X would, by default, leave by 6 or 6:30 PM everyday. Even though there was work left. And X would, by default, go on unplanned leaves during the fag-end of the project, specially when the presence was required. All of X's work would then land on me. This was explained that this is not the right attitude towards work & change has to be there. All of it fell on deaf ears! We could not change X's attitude. Why? Just because X did not want to change.
Take another example. Someone I knew was married to a guy who flirted a lot with many women. And mind you, this was unhealthy flirting that he used to do. Initially, the wife didn't give much of a thought. Then when the unhealthy flirting did not stop & complaints were flowing in, the wife finally spoke with the husband. It did not help. It continued to such an extent that the husband wife separated. This could have been avoided only if the husband was 'willing' to change.
The willingness to change needs to be from within a person. No matter how much love, quarrel, politeness, sarcasm, or trying to show the reason - till the other person is unwilling to change, change cannot happen.
Take for example one of my colleagues in one of my previous organizations'. We were into a high pressure project & had stringent deadlines. We had jokes that there's time to reach office, but no time to go back home OR if someone left in the evening as per office timing, then that person was leaving during half day! Now coming back to this person - let's name the person X. X would, by default, leave by 6 or 6:30 PM everyday. Even though there was work left. And X would, by default, go on unplanned leaves during the fag-end of the project, specially when the presence was required. All of X's work would then land on me. This was explained that this is not the right attitude towards work & change has to be there. All of it fell on deaf ears! We could not change X's attitude. Why? Just because X did not want to change.
Take another example. Someone I knew was married to a guy who flirted a lot with many women. And mind you, this was unhealthy flirting that he used to do. Initially, the wife didn't give much of a thought. Then when the unhealthy flirting did not stop & complaints were flowing in, the wife finally spoke with the husband. It did not help. It continued to such an extent that the husband wife separated. This could have been avoided only if the husband was 'willing' to change.
The willingness to change needs to be from within a person. No matter how much love, quarrel, politeness, sarcasm, or trying to show the reason - till the other person is unwilling to change, change cannot happen.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Hi... I am back.
It's been quite some time since I wrote my blog. Quite some reasons for not coming back to my blog; however, the strongest being that I didn't have anything much worthwhile sharing.
What's happening nowadays? Well, it's been four months now since I am on sabbatical. Mix of emotions around this sabbatical. Happy in a way because (1) not many people get a chance to be on a sabbatical in their careers & if I have got a chance after nearly 10 years of work, it's a good thing. (2) I get to do things, which I couldn't do when I was working due to the time factor. (3) Relax.
However, this sabbatical has it's downside too. Most prominent one is when the continuous flow of money stops. The first month after leaving work when salary is not credited, pinches. Then, with so much of free time, I kinda got lost as to what to do. And then if I do not pick up projects on an on & off basis, I know I'm in a risky proposition of forgetting things easily. And yes, I am missing the office life!
So, what have I decided? I decided that the sabbatical won't last beyond 2/2.5 years.
What else? On a lighter note, the last movie I watched was a movie named 'Game' few weeks back. The media critics had actually trashed this movie left, right, and center. Print media gave it 1 to 1.5 stars out of 5. But on watching the movie, it wasn't that bad. Yes, there are some very basic crime solving techniques they had shown; however, overall it was an average movie. Not trashy. 2.5 out of 5 stars maybe. Small concern with one of the stars though. Abhishek Bachchan looks too arrogant. Every time. Arrogant for what - don't know. The Bachchan last name? Well...
There's a wedding soon that I'll be attending. After ages. There hasn't been weddings that we went to in the last 1.5 or 2 years. So, it'll be a good change.
Well, nothing much otherwise. Will write back again soon.
What's happening nowadays? Well, it's been four months now since I am on sabbatical. Mix of emotions around this sabbatical. Happy in a way because (1) not many people get a chance to be on a sabbatical in their careers & if I have got a chance after nearly 10 years of work, it's a good thing. (2) I get to do things, which I couldn't do when I was working due to the time factor. (3) Relax.
However, this sabbatical has it's downside too. Most prominent one is when the continuous flow of money stops. The first month after leaving work when salary is not credited, pinches. Then, with so much of free time, I kinda got lost as to what to do. And then if I do not pick up projects on an on & off basis, I know I'm in a risky proposition of forgetting things easily. And yes, I am missing the office life!
So, what have I decided? I decided that the sabbatical won't last beyond 2/2.5 years.
What else? On a lighter note, the last movie I watched was a movie named 'Game' few weeks back. The media critics had actually trashed this movie left, right, and center. Print media gave it 1 to 1.5 stars out of 5. But on watching the movie, it wasn't that bad. Yes, there are some very basic crime solving techniques they had shown; however, overall it was an average movie. Not trashy. 2.5 out of 5 stars maybe. Small concern with one of the stars though. Abhishek Bachchan looks too arrogant. Every time. Arrogant for what - don't know. The Bachchan last name? Well...
There's a wedding soon that I'll be attending. After ages. There hasn't been weddings that we went to in the last 1.5 or 2 years. So, it'll be a good change.
Well, nothing much otherwise. Will write back again soon.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
...
Hi again. I was going through my book of poetry few days back and was amazed what all I used to write! Well, it was mostly a bit sad stuff - as I used to write earlier when I was very sad... And the words used to flow. One of the poems...
You see the pain in her eyes,
But alas, her eyes are dry,
She won't cry,
No, she won't cry...
You see the anger that burns from her gaze,
The madness that sets you ablaze,
She won't cry,
No, she won't cry...
You see the the fear that closes her eyes,
The smile she wears, is but a disguise,
She won't cry,
No, she won't cry...
Yo see death's hand that has glazed her eyes,
No one has seen her die inside,
They won't cry,
No, they won't cry...
You see the pain in her eyes,
But alas, her eyes are dry,
She won't cry,
No, she won't cry...
You see the anger that burns from her gaze,
The madness that sets you ablaze,
She won't cry,
No, she won't cry...
You see the the fear that closes her eyes,
The smile she wears, is but a disguise,
She won't cry,
No, she won't cry...
Yo see death's hand that has glazed her eyes,
No one has seen her die inside,
They won't cry,
No, they won't cry...
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Christmas! I bought & decorated a Christmas tree this time. A bit expensive, but boy! Does it loo beautiful. Yesterday on Christmas, we went to our friends' place for Christmas get together. There were so many people who had come in for this get together. It was good to go & meet them.
The couple friends who were hosting this had invited their photography shoot group. There were around 15 people - all enjoying this party! Good for them.
It seems people are having two different images. They want to do everything such as heavy drinking and smoking; however, they want to depict a clean image in front of their elders too. "Oh, I don't want to drink, my parents are around. What will they think? I have a very clean image in front of them." Oh, come on!
My hubby & I were a bit left out though - as we didn't know most of the people who had come in for this party. Four people at the max whom we would have met once or twice earlier & that's about it. And out of these four, we had helped one when her car had broken down - I don't think she still recognized us! Others were totally new & strangers for us. And they acted as strangers. One of the people who came in with his wife - walked in - one by one said hello to all - and by the time I stood up to introduce, he just walked past me - & so did his wife - and started meeting others. I felt as if I were invisible! Or felt like vanishing from there at that very moment! The only thing common between these party people & us was that we also attended the same photography class as them. Nothing else.
We started from the friends place around 12:30 AM & returned home around 1 AM. Took us 30 minutes to reach our home for a distance that takes no more than 5 minutes! And why? Just because it was very very foggy and zero visibility! It was so very difficult to see what was there in front of us or which side we were going. Very difficult drive it was!
Nothing much otherwise. Keep fit & be a hit!
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