As they rightly put it ..

I am quoting the following words from the book 'The last lecture', 2007. Very true and inspiring and it covers almost everything in such simple words, but conveys messages of great depth !

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE:

Personality:
1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment
3. Don't over do; keep your limits
4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
6. Dream more while you are awake
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Community:
15. Call your family often
16. Each day give something good to others
17. Forgive everyone for everything
18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6
19. Try to make at least three people smile each day
20. What other people think of you is none of your business
21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.
23. GOD heals everything
24. Do the right things
25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change
26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
27. The best is yet to come
28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful
29. When you’re awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it
30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy. 


I also was inspired by the following words. Read on ...


-When God takes away something from your hands,Don't think He is punishing you!He is just leaving you empty handed to receive something better!


-You don't know how strong you are, until being strong is the only option you have !
Have a blessed day .. from me with luv

Good ol' days

Remember cycling to school, in the traffic, with the uniform and braided hair .. what chaos during those days .. amma cooking, maid cleaning, appa shaving, sis1 bathing, sis2 still sleeping, and me eating breakfast .. seeing the tv or hearing the radio .. fun days really

i remember my best friend Rupali in 1st grade, she refused to eat and her mom called my mom, and said only if varshini eats rupali will eat . .so please make varshini eat .. wow ~~ I have since lost contact with her, hopefully i will bump into her someday. 1st thru 4th grades amma came to school and gave lunch to me, and a group of girlfriends sat under a tree on the playground and ate.

4th and 5th grades were so playful. running around and giggling with the girls, fighting with the boys, preparing for that 100 meters race for sports day, mass drills etc etc ... amma used to force me to study every day LOL

8th grade meant change - new school, teenage emotions bla bla .. opened a whole new door. I remember it was holi day, and the school banned colors inside the school campus and we were waiting for the evening bell, and changed t shirts, and started playing holi. This was the time i started playing throwball for the school team .. we did tournaments, it was team play. just masti and fun. i used to share with my friends my new nail polish, we used to cycle to home together .. I had a hero ranger, I used to cycle with both hands free .. donno how i did it, but I sure did LOL

High school was mostly academics .. many friends left CBSE for state board. But I stayed put in CBSE, which meant most of my friends moved away to differernt schools .. It felt so new, so strange, so different, to adapt and start afresh among new classmates. It was not the most pleasant experience I've had, but nothing to complain about. The funny thing I realize now, is that we still had to wear skirt and shirt to school, while most other schools went with more traditional uniforms. I remember the paatu class (music class) that we 3 sisters used to go to, as triples on kinetic honda ... we used to practise singing at home too.

College was a new chapter, as with everyone else, with me as well. I was a pretty and petite girl, brimming with confidence. I did extremely well academically, and stayed away from sports, which I was actually pretty good at. At school I was a fast runner, a good throwball player. First year at college, I remember I was in ' D 'section, we were a big group then... we have gone to cinemas, to beaches, to friends houses, to eat out etc etc etc .. fun days .. That was the time I really had a 'wardrobe' which primarily consisted of salwar sets ..

Second year of college onwards, classes were split based on our majors. This was another change. There was just one girl from my section (D) who came to my class now. She was the only one I had talked to earlier. It was a different feeling. Again it was a new start. I was all for it ! Excited ! Scared ! Anxious ! Conscious ! But I enjoyed it, i looked forward to my bus ride everyday. I boarded my bus at 7.40 am, and our route was along the coast, it was so rejunuvating every  morning, that fresh air, to see the waves, vast open areas on the beach waters, the boats and fishermen ..  it was a lovely feeling . It pepped me up to face everyday. Wow, I wish I could go in my bus no# 1 again.

One thing is for sure - Academically, I gave it my best shot and I was able to consistently remain the topper, and finally got state rank, which I sure am proud of, whether others acknowledge it or not :) :) It certainly is a feat, to be able to consistenly perform ! Kudos to me !!

Five quick years !

I came to this country five years back. I have learnt so many life lessons along the way .. I was so excited to buy my first flip-flop (slippers) for 2 bucks from Kroger. Hubby and I so exitedly selected a color that I liked. Fun times really. My first friend in this country - Sheetal, The first dish I made - upma, First trip - Dallas, so many 'firsts' to remember. Its amazing how hubby and I discovered so many things together, did trips together, learnt cooking, and the little things along the way !

We invested in two new cars almost immediately after we were married. It was a big step forward for us, but we believed in our decisions. I remember decorating our house with what ever little that hubby dear had accumulated up until then. Everything seemed new and fresh, with a positive vibration associated with it .. I remember my the surprise cake that my friend brought home for hubby's bday late at night, cutting the cake for my bday with just the two of us in our tiny apartment. It was so simple, yet so much fun, still so fresh in my mind.

Move from one bedroom to two bedroom apartment, and then dreaming about having our own dream home sometime became a reality when we took the brave leap forward and built our own home here in Houston. A spacious 2500 sq ft two storey house, that we were going to call home. We had so many things to look forward to, new friends, new jobs, new everything. At the same time, both of us kept growing spiritually, and kept our feet firmly on the ground.

Then came our blessing from god, in the form of a daughter. Life transformed, from the youth to the responsible. Little things didn't matter anymore. I only became more patient, calmer and more accepting of everything. Motherhood taught me so much.

Here I am, 5 years later, we have now got our green cards, and we are at a stage where we have the urge to get back to our motherland. Atleast the idea has got firmly rooted in our minds, and we hope to work toward making that dream and reality.

Live in the present, not future

I wonder why sometimes my mind wanders to the future. Its like trying to foresee what will happen, and amidst that we fail to live in the moment and appreciate the present. I always tell myself when I get carried away .. its one life .. its all the same at the end .. 'he said' .. 'she said' .. doesn't matter at all ..

But what about the past .. i love to recollect memories, so I keep them fresh in my mind. I often rewind .. for instance .. few minutes back, i rewinded back to one year ago, when I quit my job to be a stay at home mom .. I was relishing how it was to wake up at 10 with my daughter, see cartoons, make her take a bubble bath, make fresh food .. pat her to sleep and carry her to bed .. Now that I am back to work, I do miss all this .. I miss taking her out at noon to the book store, to the mall, to a play date .. Dont know if others rewind in their lives too ... Do they ? Do they not ? Is it just me ? I really don't know.

I am me :)

The iPhone

Finally ! I bought it ! I have also joined the league of smart phone users.What a bliss to have convienience-on-the-go. Totally satified with the purchase. Thanks to hubby who come up with the idea to buy one .. FINALLY :) :)

Still getting familiarised with so many apps to choose from .. free ones of course .. I hope to do justice to the iphone by fully using its capabilities  .. but im definitely not there yet ..

iTunes is certainly a blessing - I mean I can carry all my favorite 817 songs with me on the go right in my phone .. Thank you god for iPhone and other smart phones ..


Not long ago, we all survived without phones LOL
! Now beat that !

Thoughts ..

Last couple of weeks have been busy settling down at work. So far so good, work is challenging and interesting, which is how I like it to be.

Downtown Houston is connected by a network of underground tunnels, its a sight to see for any visitor, filled with eateries and hangouts. It's fun to work in those high rises downtown, MINUS the bumper to bumper traffic.

I have a chronic cold that has been persistent for a two months now. It is starting to irritate me, but my guess is that Archu brings it from her daycare to me. Maybe its time to see the doc.
Thought for today:
If there is nothing good to say, say nothing at all.

Getting back to work again ! This time with a BANG

Yes ! I am back working for another renowned Energy firm, as Management Consultant. I enjoyed my one year as a stay-at-home-mom. Simply enjoyed every day dearly with my precious daughter, something I will never regret ever ! I was able to enjoy the small little things each day, I cooked and cleaned and discovered things all over again, this time through my daughter's eyes. I know, for sure now, that home making in itself is a full time job, except that it is unpaid. Hats of to all other moms out for being there for their children and family !!!

As for me now, I am enjoying work again. Archu is enjoying her time with other kids her age at daycare, bringing home different projects each day .. its so exciting to discover things all over again like a kid :)

What's on my mind now

How hard can job hunt be ? Two simple words, but a long process behind it.

As on July 2010, the unemployment rate in USA stands at 9.5%, including 14.6 Million unemployed persons. ( source - US Census Bureau) Where are the jobs ?

Are unpaid internships even worth the time and effort ? Especially in Houston - spending all that money on filling your gas tank, and daycare, in pursuing an unpaid internship while in school ? I don't know !

Hi-Tech thieves selling children's social security numbers long before the little one's even have a bank account ! How horrific ..

Beyond us !

First it was my good friend's mother, then it was an elderly woman I knew since I was young, then it was a middle aged woman I knew, then it was another elderly woman who I have known very closely .. all victims .. to CANCER.

Tears rolled down my cheeks hearing the latest news, that that woman's cancer is at stage 4. Some things are beyond us. There can be no justification for such things happening to really good people. The effect such news can have on us is drastic. If only there was a cure.

All I can do is pray for them, and their family.

Scars of time

Situations we wish never happened in the first place, certain periods of time that seemed to pass very slow, like eternity but that will also pass. But there is always a reminder lingering in the mind, i think it is subconcious, and is there to stay in you for as long as you live.

Thoughts for the day

IF AN EGG IS BROKEN BY AN OUTSIDE FORCE..A LIFE ENDS.
IF AN EGG BREAKS FROM WITHIN...... .LIFE BEGINS.
GREAT THINGS ALWAYS BEGIN FROM WITHIN .
This is attitude

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IT'S BETTER TO LOSE YOUR EGO TO THE ONE YOU LOVE.
THAN TO LOSE THE ONE YOU LOVE ....... BECAUSE OF EGO
This is attitude

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WHY WE HAVE SO MANY TEMPLES, IF GOD IS EVERYWHERE ?
 A WISE MAN SAID : AIR IS EVERYWHERE, BUT WE STILL NEED A FAN TO FEEL IT.
This is attitude

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WHEN YOU TRUST SOMEONE TRUST HIM COMPLETELY WITHOUT
ANY DOUBT....... AT THE END YOU WOULD GET ONE OF THE TWO :
EITHER A LESSON FOR YOUR LIFE OR A VERY GOOD PERSON
This is attitude

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LIFE IS NOT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ACT TRUE TO YOUR FACE
IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO REMAIN TRUE BEHIND YOUR BACK

This is attitude

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SOLDIER : SIR WE ARE SURROUNDED FROM ALL SIDES BY ENEMIES ,
MAJOR : EXCELLENT ! WE CAN ATTACK IN ANY DIRECTION.
This is attitude

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THE WORST IN LIFE IS "ATTACHMENT " IT HURTS WHEN YOU LOSE IT. THE BEST THING IN LIFE IS " LONELINESS "
BECAUSE IT TEACHES YOU EVERYTHING AND, WHEN YOU LOSE IT, YOU GET EVERYTHING.
This is attitude

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"You never conquer a mountain. You stand on the summit a few moments; then the wind blows your footprints away." -Arlene Blum
This is attitude
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I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
Chinese proverb .
This is attitude

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The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could become.

All the worlds a stage

I like this one in particular, as it illustrates how each of us plays our part in this world ! Read on ..

Adapted from William Shakespeare - As you like it

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;

And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school.

And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow.

Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth.

And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lin'd,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part.

The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;

His youthful hose, well sav'd, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound.

Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything."

This poem so nicely describes different stages that we as humans go through. Different phases, emotions, feelings, goals, ideologies, beliefs, likes .. things that certainly change over time ..

The creative side of me

Guess what people .. I have given myself a haircut --- HOW ? by referring to youtube videos and so I have actually saved 25 bucks which otherwise I would have paid to a salon. Way to go girl !!

I am a fan of Oprah Winfrey. She is one of the women who I respect simple because of the depth of her knowledge and involvement in her talk shows. I have been seeing her shows on and off since I was in 9th grade. She introduced Racheal Ray, who now hosts her own show on cooking, and then was Dr. Phil, who hosted his show, which no longer airs, and then she also introduced Dr. Mehmet Oz, through the The Dr Oz Show.

Of late I've been enjoying American Idol, America's got talent, dancing with the stars etc. Time pass !

Dohas - 2 line hindi sayings

I read DOHAS in hindi class in my school days .. I enjoyed them because they taught me the inner meaning inside those words, and they way my teacher used to tell it was the highlight.

Few Kabir Dohas that I remember really well (taken from the web) -

1.

Kaal Kare So Aaj Kar, Aaj Kare So Ub

Pal Mein Pralaya Hoyegi, Bahuri Karoge Kub

[Tomorrow's work do today, today's work now

if the moment is lost, the work be done how]

2.

Bada Hua To Kya Hua, Jaise Ped Khajoor

Panthi Ko Chaya Nahin, Phal Laage Atidoor

[In vain is the eminence, just like a date tree

No shade for travelers, fruit is hard to reach]

Being big, important, powerful, wealthy is of no consequence. It is like a tall date tree whose fruit is out of reach, and which does not give any shade to the traveler.

3.

Dukh Mein Simran Sab Kare, Sukh Mein Kare Na Koye

Jo Sukh Mein Simran Kare, Tau Dukh Kahe Ko Hoye

[In anguish everyone prays to Him, in joy does none

To One who prays in happiness, how sorrow can come]

4.

Dheere Dheere Re Mana, Dheere Sub Kutch Hoye 

Mali Seenche So Ghara, Ritu Aaye Phal Hoye

[Be Slow O mind, Gardner may water garden a hundred times, but the fruit only comes when the season comes, so will the fruit of life come in its own time. Everything in life happens slowly, in its own time]

It's V Day

With valentines day around the corner, I have sneaked out with Archu to the bookstore to suprise hubby with a book that I am going to present to him. Its our 5th valentines day after our marriage.

I still remember , the last valentines day, I was a new mom and I had totally forgotten to give hubby the card and gift that I bought in advance .. so I would not have to go looking for one after I had the baby !! That was funny

Anyway, While archu is sleeping upstairs, I have managed to clean the house and also prepare food for hubby - todays special is bisebelabath and curdrice.

Today I created a twitter account. What the hell is twitter ? I had to create one to find out .. and I finally did .. not very different from facebook or orkut or google's buzz i believe,,, but hey ... does it hurt to have one more account :-)

Happy weekend.

Its study time !

Today I have a quiz on statistics course. Now that Archu is in daycare I have settled in a comfy place to revise for the quiz.. My third semester at the MBA program has shaped up pretty good so far .. Made some good friends, learnt some valuable life lessons as well, GPA has been good so far .. Teamwork skills are on the rise and so are the tuition fees :-) that was supposed to be a joke ha ha ha

I saw on the local news that UH may hike tuition fees by 4%. I feel thats not fair - to keep increasing fees ! I've not been active in blogging for a couple of months now .. hope to do so more often.

Patience ! Persistence ! Consistency ! Reputation !

Smart Stuff

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jarand proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed..

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else---the small stuff. 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.' The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, t here's always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.

Please share this with someone you care about. I JUST DID!

Bryan Adams !! One of my favs

Bryan Adams is one of the artists whose music inspires me. Here is a video from the movie Robinhood-Price of Thieves.
Happy Listening !

Shakira - Whenever Whereever

We are the world - Michael Jackson

One of my favorites .. I've decided to start embedding my favorite videos to my blog moving forward.

Today's menu includes Khaman Dokla .. Its a Gujrathi dish which I love.

Last evening we trimmed our plants in the front garden. Here is a comparison photo spaced one year apart.

THEN:

NOW

From Mom to Mom

I was visiting a bookstore (it was mommy time) while Archu and Hubby were home, I saw a woman fondling her 4 month old baby.

Oh, I must say my heart was filled with love and memories of my baby that tiny, clinging on to my shoulder. What a feeling. Everytime I see a mom with an infant girl slightly younger than Archu, it makes me want to hold Archu tight and give her a snuggly kiss and say and I love you.

Here is an interesting read from the book titled ‘Chicken soup for the soul–from women to women’.

---
Quoting-

‘‘I had 2 toddlers and the thought of waking up in the morning fully rested, instead of having my eyes pried open by tiny fingers was quite attractive. I had heard of the term ‘empty nest’ and correctly assumed that in an empty nest, I could wear clothes without spit up stains, finish sentences when speaking to my husband, carry a purse without squeak toys or pacifiers or cookie crumbs.

Oh, the beauty of dinner time without spilled milk, a house without the background sounds of crying, walls without sticky fingerprints, and being able to sleep throughout the entire night.

However, the ensuing years had automatically solved many of the distasteful parts of motherhood – No one would be spitting up on me, or cry to be fed in the middle of the night, nobody to be bathed or dressed or to have their shoes tied ten times a day. I tried not to look at the two empty bedrooms as I passed by them. Even though the beds were made, the rooms lacked character. The one-eyed bear was missing from his favorite spot on the floor. School books, papers and cans of hair spray had all disappeared.’’

End Quotes.

---

I was intrigued by this reality , for I have seen many women who have sent their daughters and sons to other places and miss them dearly. Very good narration by the author.