Another day Another opportunity

Each morning comes with lots of new opportunities. At the end of a day if you feel that you have missed few of them, then dont worry. You will get some more the next day. But that doesnt mean that you do nothing. You need to learn from the mistakes, so that you dont repeat them the next day. You need to act, if you have been inactive. You need to be aware that you don't want to miss them the next day.

Bangalore: My Checklist for choosing the hospital for maternity

Following points should be noted in my opinion. These were some of the important points which should definitely be considered. May Not be exhaustive list. But we did use it while we zeroed on our doctor and hospital.

-Facilities available at the hospital: Check the following:

• Cost: It is very important to eliminate options of hospitals which one cannot afford to rule out any possible frustration or hassle due to budgetary constraints later. a> Insurance and affordability: If you have insurance cover, it is important to make sure that the hospital recognizes the same agency and also to check what things will be covered by the same and how much will be overhead. This includes taking into account to some extent possibilities of any common complications which arise in pregnancy, labour or delivery. Even then, it may happen that the agency may get derecognised and you have to shell out the money on your own and then settle for reimbursements from the agency later. b> If there are packages available, what does it include.
• NICU: It is very important that your hospital has a good NICU. In case of emergency, this facility might be needed for the baby. Also the location of the NICU - How far it is from your room in case you need to feed the baby 10 times during the day.
• Ambulance services
• Lactation consultants
• Dietician
• Privacy of rooms to bond with the baby
• Chaos
• Preferably in multi speciality hospitals, other specialities on different floors
• Space to walk
• Baby nursery policies
• LDR rooms separate or not: Husband allowed? Other visitors allowed? Baby allowed?
• Phototherapy machines and process of using it: These days Jaundice is very common among newborns. So, in case your baby at the time of birth needs phototherapy, you should be aware of the process : whether you can keep the baby in the same room or separate rooms and what is part of package. Ask them how much extra you should budget in case your baby has jaundice. Also check to see what % of babies are diagnosed with this in that hospital.
• Pediatricians: Do they have in-house pediatricians or who will be present at the time of baby's birth. May be a good idea to meet one of them in the hospital to get your comfort level. (Normally ignored during pregnancy but a competent neonatologist, paediatric surgeon, general paediatric doctor and associated facilities to deal with all possible complications might become very important)
• In-house store (basic items for baby, mother, etc can be a boon for the modern nuclear families), pharmacy and canteen is available 24x7.
• The nursing staff
• The in-house duty doctors
• Labour observations room
• Hospital policies regarding labour procedures: shaving, enema, food and drink allowed, mobile fetal moniters, Positions allowed, bath post delivery,
• Things to bring
• Distance of hospital

-Choosing the doctor: Check the following:

• The doctor's experience and qualification.
• It is very important for the mother to be specially comfortable and confident of the doctor.
• The frequency with which doctor attends a labour and how responsive he/she is over phone. His/her C-section vs normal delivery rate will give an idea of his/her support for normal deliveries.
• Doctor's schedule and other engagements - consults in 10 different locations
• Whom to contact if doctor is out of town or unavailable due to unforseen circumstances

 

Toddlers ... Parenting.. Very nice article.. recieved on mail

As babies become toddlers, many parents begin to think and talk aboutdiscipline. No wonder: your baby learns to do a lot, and not all of itis what you'd choose.Understanding your baby in the months around her first birthdayYour nearly-mobile, nearly-talking baby is certainly capable ofunderstanding what "no" means, and of beginning to co-operate withadults, even (sometimes) when she doesn't actually want to. But sheisn't ready to cope with adult anger when she doesn't co-operatebecause the reasons for the anger are beyond her understanding -- itseems to her to come out of the blue.
Your toddler has no way of knowing that the thing she did or that justhappened -- milk down your clean shirt, a briefcase emptied out -- wasthe one more minor disaster that was your "last straw". Even if shehad sensed your previous tension, she would not have understood whatcaused it: the early morning meeting at work for which you stayed uplate preparing and then overslept in the morning,so you were ingetting her up, and will be late getting to work. She doesn'tunderstand much about your feelings or your affairs, nor should she.They are not yet her concern. If you scold, she may enrage you furtherby laughing; if you shout, she will jump and cry. If you lose yourcool to a point where you actually punish her physically, shaking her,smacking her or leaving her in her cot, she will be as amazed andhorrified as you would be if someone close to you suddenly turnedaround and slapped you.Until she can understand the reasons for adult anger, your toddlercannot learn anything useful from punishment. When the reasons dobecome comprehensible, she will be able to learn without punishment.
Suppose your child pulls a glass vase off the coffee table and breaksit. You may justify your angry scolding on the grounds that she shouldnot have touched it because you have told her many times not to touchit -- and anyway she should have been more careful. But think aminute. She touched the vase because it was there: her naturalcuriosity told her to examine it and her memory and understanding arenot yet good enough to tell her which things are not allowed or areforbidden. She broke it because her manual dexterity is not yetadequate for handling delicate things gently. So was the accidentreally her fault? If the vase was really valuable, what was it doingleft within her reach? She is being punished for being what she is:ababy.
Now suppose that she tips all the food out of her dish on to thefreshly-swabbed floor. In fury you say that "she ought to knowbetter". But ought she? A few minutes earlier you helped her to tipall the blocks out of their bag onto the floor. She does not know thedifference between throwing food and toys. As to the clean floor, sheprobably watched the household help swabbing it with soapy water. Isshe supposed to understand that soapy water cleans things, but daaldirties them? Once again you are being cross with her for being theage she is and for behaving exactly like children of her age do.Discipline and cooperationThe key to discipline and cooperation with children is to clearly,consistently and caringly point out what is off limits or notacceptable. At this age, it will mean making eye contact with her,telling her “no” in a firm but gentle tone when she tries to stick herfinger into a plug point or toddles towards a flight of stairs andfollowing that up with action – pick her up and put her in anotherpart of the room or distract her with a toy or a book. If shepersists, repeat the same steps a few times till she gets the messageand moves on to something more interesting. This is much moreeffective than shouting from one side of the room about the danger inwhat she is doing and how she should listen to you. She may getstartled or scared at the loud tones at first, but then she'llprobably ignore you and continue doing what she wants because shedoesn’t understand much of what you are saying anyway.
Whatever other people may sometimes suggest, going gently with a babythis age cannot "spoil" her or create behaviour problems for later. Infact the more consciously you love her, and enjoy the way she lovesyou, the better. If you let yourselves realise and reciprocate herinexhaustible desire for smiles and hugs, it will be obvious that thelast thing she wants is to displease you. It will be a long time yetbefore she can understand what pleases you, though. Your pleasures arenot the same as hers. You don't like daal on the floor....From one year to two-and-a-halfDuring these months, your child's developmental clock tells her thatit is time to stop being a baby and move towards being a separateperson. If you treat her as a baby, she will fight you every step ofthe way and, in the end, she will win her independence because shemust. But she will win it after some terrible battles and a lot offrustration on both sides.
But that clock does not yet read "childhood", so attempts to manageand discipline her as you would a child will not work either. You willbe faced with a lack of understanding that looks like defiance, andevery battle you join will end with hurt feelings and some lost love.So don't try for absolute control and don't label your child as goodor bad. Your toddler will be "good" if she feels like doing what youhappen to want her to do and does not happen to feel like doinganything you would dislike. With a little cleverness you can organiselife as a whole, and issues in particular, so that you both want thesame thing most of the time.
Your toddler has her blocks all over the floor and you want the roomtidy. If you tell her to pick them up, she will probably refuse. Ifyou insist, a fight will be on and you cannot win it. You can yell ather, punish her, reduce her to a crying mess but none of that will getthose blocks off the floor. And even if they do, the next time youwill go through the same routine. But if you say, "Mummy is going toput the blocks in the bag FIRST!” you turn a chore into a game, anorder into a challenge. Now she wants to do what you want her to do,so she does. She did not pick up (most of) the blocks "for mummy"; shedid not do it because she is a "good girl". She did it because youmade her want to. And that is the best possible way to go.
Conduct your toddler through her daily life by foreseeing the rocksand steering around them, avoiding absolute orders that will beabsolutely refused, leading and guiding her into behaving as you wanther to behave because nothing has made her want to behave otherwise.
The payoff now is fun instead of battles for you all but the laterpayoff is seriously important, too. This toddler, who does not knowright from wrong and therefore cannot choose to behave well or badly,is growing up. Soon the time will come when she does remember yourinstructions and is able to foresee the results of her actions (if sheclears up without a fuss, she can move on to the next game oractivity); does understand the subtleties of everyday language; doesrecognise your feelings and your rights.
When that time comes, your child will be able to be "good" or"naughty" on purpose. Which she chooses will depend largely on how shefeels about the adults who are special to her and have power over her.If she reaches that next stage of growing up feeling that you arebasically loving, approving and on her side, she will want (most ofthe time) to please you so (with many lapses) she will behave as youwish. But if she reaches that stage feeling that you are overpowering,incomprehensible and against her, she may already have decided not tobother trying to please you because you are never pleased; not tobother when you are annoyed because you are annoyed so often; not tobe completely open about her loving feelings for you because you have not always seemed to reciprocate those feelings

Funny things which kids have said

This is taken from http://www.davesdaily.com/funpages/funny-kids.htm
1. Jack was watching his Mom breast feeding his new baby sister. After a while he asked: "Mom why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?"
2. Melanie asked her Granny how old she was. Granny replied she was so old she didn't remember any more. Said Melanie, "If you don't remember you must look in the back of your panties. Mine say five to six."
3. Steven hugged and kissed his Mom goodnight. "I love you so much, that when you die I'm going to bury you outside my bedroom window."
4. Brittany had an earache and wanted a painkiller. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a childproof cap and she'd have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: "How does it know it's me?"
5. Susan was drinking juice when she got the hiccups. "Please don't give me this juice again," she said, "It makes my teeth cough."
6. Danni stepped onto the bathroom scale and asked: "How much do I cost?"
7. Tammy was with her mother when they met an elderly, rather wrinkled woman her Mom knew. Tammy looked at her for a while and then asked, "Why doesn't your skin fit your face?"
8. Mark was engrossed in a young couple who were hugging and kissing in a restaurant. Without taking his eyes off them, he asked his dad: "Why is he whispering in her mouth?"
9. Clinton was in his bedroom looking worried. When his Mom asked what was troubling him, he replied, "I don't know what'll happen with this bed when I get married. How will my wife fit in?"
10. James was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt." Concerned, James asked: "What happened to the flea?"

100 Ways To Make Someone Smile

This is borrowed from http://www.turnbacktogod.com/100-ways-to-make-someone-smile/. Just reading this made me smiling. This is more american centric but good ones. will definitely try some pointers.

01. Call an old friend, just to say hi.02. Hold a door open for a stranger.03. Invite someone to lunch.04. Compliment someone on his or her appearance.05. Ask a coworker for their opinion on a project.06. Bring cookies to work.07. Let someone cut in during rush hour traffic.08. Leave a waitress or waiter a big tip.09. Tell a cashier to have a nice day.10. Call your parents.
11. Let someone know you miss them.12. Treat someone to a movie.13. Let a person know you really appreciate them.14. Visit a retirement center.15. Take a child to the zoo.16. Fill up your spouse’s car with gas.17. Surprise someone with a small gift.18. Leave a thank-you note for the cleaning staff at work.19. Write a letter to a distant relative.20. Tell someone you thought about them the other day.
21. Put a dime in a stranger’s parking meter before the time expires.22. Bake a cake for a neighbor.23. Send someone flowers to where they work.24. Invite a friend to tea.25. Recommend a good book to someone.26. Donate clothing to a charity.27. Offer an elderly person a ride to where they need to go.28. Bag your own groceries at the checkout counter.29. Give blood.30. Offer free baby-sitting to a friend who’s really busy or just needs a break.
31. Help your neighbor rake leaves or shovel snow.32. Offer your seat to someone when there aren’t any left.33. Help someone with a heavy load.34. Ask to see a store’s manager and comment on the great service.35. Give your place in line at the grocery store to someone who has only a few items.36. Hug someone in your family for no reason.37. Wave to a child in the car next to you.38. Send a thank-you note to your doctor.39. Repeat something nice you heard about someone else.40. Leave a joke on someone’s answering machine.
41. Be a mentor or coach to someone.42. Forgive a loan.43. Fill up the copier machine with paper after you’re done using it.44. Tell someone you believe in them.45. Share your umbrella on a rainy day.46. Welcome new neighbors with flowers or a plant.47. Offer to watch a friend’s home while they’re away.48. Ask someone if they need you to pick up anything while you’re out shopping.49. Ask a child to play a board game, and let them win.50. Ask an elderly person to tell you about the good old days.
51. During bad weather, plan an indoor picnic with the family.52. Buy someone a goldfish and bowl.53. Compliment someone on their cooking and politely ask for a second helping.54. Dance with someone who hasn’t been asked.55. Tell someone you mentioned them in your prayers.56. Give children’s clothes to another family when your kids outgrow them.57. Deliver extra vegetables from your garden to the whole neighborhood.58. Call your spouse just to say, I love you.59. Call someone’s attention to a rainbow or beautiful sunset.60. Invite someone to go bowling.
61. Figure out someone’s half-birthday by adding 182 days, and surprise them with a cake.62. Ask someone about their children.63. Tell someone which quality you like most about them.64. Brush the snow off of the car next to yours.65. Return your shopping cart to the front of the store.66. Encourage someone’s dream, no matter how big or small it is.67. Pay for a stranger’s cup of coffee without them knowing it.68. Leave a love letter where your partner will find it.69. Ask an older person for their advice.70. Offer to take care of someone’s pet while they’re away.
71. Tell a child you’re proud of them.72. Visit a sick person, or send them a care package.73. Join a Big Brother or Sister program.74. Leave a piece of candy on a coworker’s desk.75. Bring your child to work with you for the afternoon.76. Give someone a recording of their favorite music.77. Email a friend some information about a topic they are especially interested in.78. Give someone a homemade gift.79. Write a poem for someone.80. Bake some cookies for your local fire or police department.
81. Organize a neighborhood cleanup and have a barbecue afterwards.82. Help a child build a birdhouse or similar project.83. Check in on an old person, just to see if they’re okay.84. Ask for the recipe after you eat over at someone’s house.85. Personally welcome a new employee at work and offer to take them out for lunch.86. While in a car, ask everyone to buckle up because they are important to you.87. Let someone else eat the last slice of cake or pizza.88. Stop and buy a drink from a kid’s lemonade stand.89. Forgive someone when they apologize.90. Wave to someone looking for a parking space when you’re about to leave a shopping center.
91. Send a copy of an old photograph to a childhood friend.92. Leave a pint of your spouse’s favorite flavor of ice cream in the freezer with a bow on it.93. Do a household chore that is usually done by someone else in the family.94. Be especially happy for someone when they tell you their good news.95. Compliment a coworker on their role in a successful project.96. Give your spouse a spontaneous back rub at the end of the day.97. Serve someone in your family breakfast in bed.98. Ask someone if they’ve lost weight.99. Make a donation to a charity in someone’s honor.100. Take a child to a ballgame.

Its a Magic world

Its amazing. There is magic everywhere. A flying bird. A fluttering colourful butterfly. A switch can light up the bulb. Switching on the fan. Making noises. Clapping.
Its magic. Look it through my son's eyes. The pure joy in his eyes when he these things working. He really loves all of it.
His joy makes me feel how many things we take for granted as if there is nothing great about, as if they were always there. We never enjoy the existence of these seemingly unimportant things.
But for my son every new thing is magical. He loves them. He can get angry with his toys for not acting as per his wishes. He hugs and loves every soft toy.
And me ... I love every thing he loves. The way he calls me pappa and sometimes mummum. The way he hugs me when he is feeling shy. The way he follows my small instructions. The way he always helps us when we are busy arranging the house. The way he brooms the floor. The way he tries to clean the mess which he has created. His smiles after his acts of naughtiness. His way of catching our attention.
It breaks my heart to see him cry. Or to see him unwell. Or to see him in pain. Or when I am not able to help him. Or when he cries when I am leaving.
But for me also a magic world. Magic world of my son. Blessing from God. The joys he has given us. The way my son recognized my first touch.
Its all magic. Magic of love. Magic of Trust. Magic of Togetherness.

Warning From Indian Police Dept

Warning From Indian Police Dept

Daylight mugging or theft can be happen to anyone. Its advisable not to stop the car for any unknown person even during daytime irrespective of the reason given by them. Even if you have to do this, drive the car to a place where you are comfortable and have help available at hand. Both Men and Women need to be aware of following things:

• Beware of paper on the back window: When you walk across the car park, unlock your car, you start the engine and put it into Reverse, When you look into the rear-view mirror to back out of your space, you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear screen. So you stop,and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is), because it is obstructing your view. Then when you reach the back of your car, the car-jackers appear out of nowhere. Your purse,bag and valuables would be still in the car. So the car-jacker has your car, your home address, your money, and your keys. If you see a piece of paper stuck to the back window, lock your doors and just drive away.

• Attacked with eggs on your car’s windshield: If you are driving at night and were attacked with eggs on your car’s windshield,DO NOT operate your wiper or spray any water. Eggs mixed with water become milky and block your vision up to 92.5 %.You are forced to stop at road side and become victim of robbery. This is new technique usedby robbers.

• Seeking Help: Miscreants sometimes act as their car breakdown or seeking any help. When you stop and step out of car, a gang appear out of nowhere and will fled away with your valuables and vehicle. Its advisable not to stop the car for any unknown person

• Pedestrian is standing on the divider: A pedestrian will stand on the divider appearing to cross the road but is actually waiting for a lonely car driver. You may let them pass and as you pass him, he will hit back of car and two guys will say your car hit the person. They will ask you to take the injured person to the hospital in your car and two/three people will get into your car and then rip you off with whatever you have. Sometimes miscreants will chase your car in bike and will ask you to take the injured person to the hospital.

Some incidents which happened near Sarjapur Road. Beware....
http://sarjapur-road.com/daylight-mugging-in-sarjapur-road-332.html

Very Enlightening Feedback...

In the space below write any overall comments about this course or the instructor not covered above
Comment written: "If I had one hour to live, I'd spend it in this class because it feels like an eternity"

Courtesy: Funnyexamanswers.com

Top 10 kidisms- courtesy baby center

When I said to Dylan (4yrs) "please tidy up these toys, I am sick of looking at them" replied with "well dont look at them then!"- added 21/04/2008 by FayeNDylan · 411 votes

Lily you have shoe's on the wrong feet .....No mummy they are my feet...- added 13/01/2008 by pickleholder · 368 votes

Me: "I'm not here to tidy up after you, you know". Loki (4): "Well, what are you here for then?" :-O- added 25/02/2008 by SharonBug · 273 votes

Another "not funny" one but I have to post this cause it made me melt. "Mummy, you make my heart happy"- added 31/03/2008 by NatSophandCharlie · 266 votes

Not my child, but we found it funny. My OH nephew on going to see his new brother and sister in hospital after they were born. Looked at them and pointing at just one said 'mmm, can we have that one?' bit like going to choose a puppy!- added 21/08/2009 by lolly10 · 248 votes

Me: "how would you like a brother or sister?" - Jake: "I'd really like an older brother"- added 07/01/2008 by amelie2 · 242 votes

When Jake was about 3 he asked me what my "down there" was.... I was so taken aback I blurted out "fairy" and he said... "no it's not, it's not got wings"- added 05/02/2008 by amelie2 · 201 votes

"Mummy, what's that sugar all over our computer? "that's not sugar, that's dust"- added 13/01/2008 by emmapudding · 197 votes

When Freya was little we were playing Billy Goats Gruff over a sweet little bridge at a National Trust property. Dh was chasing her as the troll and Freya ran off crying, "Oh no! It's the remote control!"- added 30/03/2008 by akjc · 193 votes

Jake 4 years: I love you more than power rangers!!- added 09/01/2008 by amelie2 · 93 votes

Cool Sun is now a daddy of a super cool SON

It happened in September 2009.

Resume Consultancy

One of my very close relative was giving consultancy to the batchmates. She came across many funny resumes incidents:

1. Family history: This person was very particular about providing the details of his family member in the resume  e.g. his younger brother is a school swimmer champion. My relative first tried to explain that this information is irrelevant for any employer. But he was NOT budging. So she said frustatingly then why dont you put your Family Tree in your resume. He said that " OH! thats a great Idea. I have space too in the resume for putting that up"

2. Objective: After looking at another person's resume, who has written that "I want to become XXX in two years" as an objective. She suggested that why dont you come up with some long term objective. After an hour or so he came back with following GREAT options for objectives to be written in the resume:

a) This is the better one. " I want to work at some place where I can earn very good money without working" Very true. Who doesnt want that, except the employer :)

b) " I want to marry a very beautiful girl" . He said that actually Beautiful is not the correct word but sexy is the right word, but he cant put that in his resume. How right!!! But he can put his marriage ambitions in his resume. I beg you pardon. Yes. this resume was for job... NOT for marraige proposal.

THINK OF SOMEONE WHO IS GIVING CONSULTANCY TO THEM :)

Bangalore Vs Rest of India

After a long time, I was able to put this on my blog. I found it very very interesting. Actually every city has its nuances. I think if someone can put this up for Bombay and other metros, it would be fun. This one is quite true for Bangalore. A bit dated as the city is also facing the heat because of slowdown.

Category	Rest of India	Bangalore
What is a sidewalk?	Shopping center/Homeless Shelter/ Site of temple	Two-wheeler lane
Autos	Run on Petrol/CNG	Run on Kerosene
Places where you can fill petrol/Diesel	Petrol Pumps	Petrol Bunks (or Banks)
How do cops stop your vehicle	Wave hand	Stand in front of the moving vehicle
Bribe paid to police if caught without documents	100 Fixed rate	"100 normally. 200 or more if you are an IT/Call centre guy."
Worst Enemy	Pakistan	TamilNadu
Most Hated person	Pervez Musharraf	Deve Gowda
Reasons for rioting	Religion/ sacking of cricket player	Water
Favourite pastime of residents	Discussing why politicians suck/ why Sourav was dropped?.	Counting potholes
Front Page news	How their undercover reporters exposed MP's.(Note: Bury the story if your channel/newspaper doesn't have the exclusive).	Reporting number of Potholes especially ones that lie in the way of Mr. Narayan Murthy/ Summer/winter/monsoon fashion tips.
What News Paper editorials talk about	Is dropping Ganguly good or bad for Indian Cricket?.	How closing pubs at 11 affect the IT industry.
English Spoken	With regional accent	With California/New York accent.
Languages Spoken	Hindi/English/Regional	Every language on the planet.
Reasons for traffic Jams	Cows on the road	Flyover construction/ VIP visiting Infosys.
Land grabbers	Mafia/Politicians	Software Companies
Historical Sites	Statues/ Buildings/ Temples	Half constructed Flyovers.
Frequent Complaints about Govt Departments	Corrupt/ Lazy etc	"Don't have websites/ Emails bounce"

Better early than late :)

A priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish.A leading local politician and the member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner. However the politician was delayed, so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited.
"I got my first wrong impression of the parish from the first confession that I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when questioned by the police, was able to lie his way out of it. He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his employer, had an affair with his boss's wife, and taken illegal drugs. I was appalled! But as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full of good and loving people."
Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and gave his talk. "I'll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived," said the politician. "In fact, I had the honor of being the first person to go to him for confession."
Moral: Never, never, never be late. ;-)

Transparent Laptop

Guys do read this if you havent.

http://www.s-anand.net/Transparent_laptops.html

"Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute...."

Secret Behind Happy Married Life

Once X asked Y, "What is the secret behind your happy married life?"Y said, "You should share responsibilities with due love and respect to each other. Then absolutely there will be no problems."X asked, "Can you explain?"Y said, "In my house, I take decisions on bigger issues where as my wife decides on smaller issues. We do not interfere in each other's decisions."Still not convinced, X asked Y "Give me some examples"Y said," Smaller issues like which car we should buy, how much amount to save, when to visit home town, which Sofa, air conditioner, refrigerator to buy, monthly expenses, whether to keep a maid or not etc are decided by my wife. I just agree to it"X asked, "Then what is your role?"Y said," My decisions are only for very big issues. Like whether America should attack Iran, whether Britain should lift sanction over Zimbabwe, whether to widen African economy, whether Sachin Tendulkar should retire etc etc. And my wife NEVER objects to any of these".

Dream Lines

http://solaas.com.ar/dreamlines/

(via http://manishl.blogspot.com )

Indians Racists??

Indian Racist??? read this

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/334413.html

Thought provoked

Ask yourself whether you are happy and you cease to be so. :)

- John Stuart Mill

The answer is not always C :)

from this article http://www.rayfowler.org/2007/06/14/the-answer-is-not-always-c/

I found this story about a college student who got a zero on a 100 question
True/False Communications Final(without neg marking) amusing. His professor
sent him the following email the next day:
Dear Michael,
Every year I
attempt to boost my students’ final grades by giving them this relatively simple
exam consisting of 100 True/False questions from only 3 chapters of material.
For the past 20 years that I have taught Intro Communications 101 at this
institution I have never once seen someone score below a 65 on this exam.
Consequently, your score of a zero is the first in history and ultimately
brought the entire class average down a whole 8 points.
There were two
possible answer choices: A (True) and B (False). You chose C for all 100
questions in an obvious attempt to get lucky with a least a quarter of the
answers. It’s as if you didn’t look at a single question. Unfortunately, this
brings your final grade in this class to failing. See you next year!
May God
have mercy on your soul.
Sincerely,Professor William Turner
P.S. If all
else fails, go with B from now on. B is the new C.
So, have you ever just
filled in the answers at random on a multiple choice test?
Update: Here is a
picture of the student’s actual test. Notice the T and F

printed prominently over the A and B columns.

Watch this video with speakers on

This video will definitely make you smile. The kid laughs whenever his parents make funny sounds and it is contagious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk
(courtesy: YOU TUBE)

Forgetfulness

I know I am very forgetful. Losing keys, forgetting b'days, mouse, meeting time , active key, where car is parked - you name it, I can forget it. Forgetting the wallet, mobile, ID card at home...or somewhere else is very common. All this happens to almost everyone -right?
Like I often loose pens. To solve the problem, I got myself a pen to hang around my neck - now where did I leave the pen and carry the cap hanging around my neck looking for it.

Right now, my Mobile is on silent mode and I just dunno where it is - its not lost - might be at home, or in car, or.... I tried to switch off lights of the room to see its lights blinking.

I had put potatoes to boil in a cooker. I remembered that I forgot to add salt and (luckily) opened the pressure cooker to discover that I had forgotten to put even water.
I have burnt 3 vessels till now - they are not used any more. (I was boiling rice)

I often forget where I am going (within 1 min of starting the car). Now my wife keeps reminding me at every turn, our house is on the left... :)

I have a friend who is particularly peeved by the fact that I rarely call but definitely do so on this birthday (long call) but it never occurs to be that its his birthday despite his hints.

BUT there is still hope for me. I think I am still less forgetful when I heard about the below incidents. The incidents are real life based. I am narrating them:
1. This guy went to a Mall on Saturday with his son who is less than a year old. He carries him in a crib. His wife didn’t come for shopping. He was alone. He went to one large shop. He left his kid there in a corner and started shopping. After an hour or so he went out of the shop with all the bags in both the hands and forgetting his son there. He went to another shop for selecting books. After which he went back to his car, with no thought of his kid. Now classic, in the car he is thinking he is forgetting something. And then he was thinking whether he has brought his son with him or not. He drove for around 1 km and looked at the front seat. And then He saw some nappies of the kid. He was scared to death and went back running to the mall. He found his kid surrounded by people who were playing with him, but none noticed that his dad was missing for hours. Thanks to weekend Rush!
This incident is very similar to a movie "One Fine Day".

2. This incident is heights of irresponsibility. Mom receives a phone call from a restaurant Y asking her to please come and collect her kids who have been left behind by her husband. She asks someone to rush over right away and then calls husband – Lo! He is sitting at a friend’s place having tea. He says “Oh shit! I left them at restaurant X” Wife : “But they are at Y” Husband: “ Oh yes! We didn’t get place in X, so we went to Y.”. Wife slammed – he didn’t even know where they were! He took them to restaurant Y and had asked them to order food while he parked his car in better place. Searching frantically for parking for sometime he found himself near a friend’s place and decided to call upon him. All this while kids had ordered food to their heart’s content and waiters humoured them happily (expecting large bill) as father had come and left them. As the crowd thinned in the restaurant they started feeling worried and called Mom somehow. I think they will put a new rule that parents have to leave premises with kids.

3. (This is personal experience) Day 1: IT prof Girl has lunch in cafeteria. Has 500/- note in one hand and tissue paper in other. She suddenly realizes that she is carrying her used napkin in her hand only to realize that the money is in the trash can. We all friends rummaged through it and got it. Day 2: Same thing repeats, but faster realization. Day 3: She brings money in small purse instead of in hand. This time the purse is in the trash. She theorizes that whatever is in her right hand goes into bin. Day 3: She has purse in left hand. Everything looked fine. Viola! She wiped her mouth with her leather purse. How could she do that??? Day 4: Now she simply brings exact change for lunch (Mom’s job to keep it everyday for her) and nothing except tissue is in her hand near trash cans.

4. Excerpt: “That was funny....these things to do happen..and with sumbody as careless as me..very often! before mrg,forgetfulness was only funny, not dangerous...lemme explain...pehle i used to keep my scooter keys sumwhere, never to find it...got duplicate made like 3-4 times, most of the times in collge, i left them in scooter only for the entire day...i had other things to do u c..look in the mirror, comb hair. .lol..so all this was funny
but now i work in kitchen, so its not funny..like the other day, i was makin tea..but i turned on the other burner which had oil pan..so while was waiting for water to boil...the oil was gettin hotter..and in minutes..smoke all around ..then twice, i peeled potatoes and threw the peeler in trash can ...once i kept butter knife in refrigerator and butter, in the drawer..the other day, instead of turning gas off, after making rice, i cranked the heat up..and wow, brown rice 10 mins later ! just yday my husband asked for phone..and i gave him TV remote..aree, both are black ”

5. More: "......I was famous for forgetting umbrella....as long as it rains I will hold it....once the rain stops...I will leave the same in some coffee shop or Kirana shop and walk.....just like that......once I went to library..picked up one popular book ..left my house key in library and instantly went for a movie and left that book in the theatre and when I reached home......U cud imagine......once I have brushed my teeth with shaving cream..... "

6. Still more: "Hey by the way I have a weekness. When I see a person some name pops up in my mind and start calling with that name. My children always cry because I change the names of their friends ! What is this ?

I try to remember their names. Alas! "

7. Excellent one: "Another time, my pregnant friend started experiencing delivery pains. Her hubby was so tensed thinking about all the things he had to do next, that he started his two-wheeler and before his wife could accompany him behind, he started his mobike and drove straight to the hospital where he realized that he had forgotten to bring the patient along! "

8. Brushing your teeth with shaving cream!

9. One finale: "One day, I completed cooking and other daily chores. I had prepared the usual curry (called Aamtiâ in Marathi). While I was getting ready for work, my college-going sis-in-law lowered the vessel in which I had prepared Aamtia and mounted another similar-looking vessel to boil Shikakai in water which she wanted to use for washing her hair. At that moment her friend called her and she went in the living room to talk with her. Presently I arrived, took rice in my plate and, with my mind on other things, poured the Shikakai water on it, mistaking it to be the curry. Not only that, I kept wondering why it smelled so funny; not the usual delicious curry flavour. I even remarked to my sis-in-law about it and ate one mouthful; well, almost it wouldnt get past my taste buds; it was so ugh! And at the same time she realized what I had savored when she found one-third of the Shikakai gone! Now whenever I see Shikakai m forced to remember its taste. "

Some excerpts from: http://chiksunny.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/03/of-absent-mindedness-and-forgetfulness.htm Rest are from friends!

Do share any more incidents that you have encountered.

Surname Story

Read this article in Times of India. This talks about some strange surnames. Read this most amusing story.

In my professional travels I came across a young lady called Kulvinder
Bill-Stickers. I waited till I was just sufficiently acquainted with her to
ask how she came by such a radical name. She said her father had come with a
lot of Punjabi immigrants on a ship from Bombay to Southampton some years
before and on the voyage he had become sick and tired of being confused with all
the other Singhs that were on the ship. He took a private and stubborn vow,
as one sometimes irrationally does, to change his name to the first word
that he saw when he set eyes on England. The ship docked and from the
railings Mr Singh saw the epithet 'BILL-STICKERS WILL BE PROSECUTED'
stencilled in paint on a wall. It's a notice telling people not to put up
posters there, just as 'COMMIT NO NUISANCE' on Indian walls means "don't
piss or crap here."

Mr Singh had run up against a dilemma. Was 'Bill-Stickers' one word or two, and what was this little dash between them? He made urgent enquiries and a friendly lexicographer in the Southampton docks pub told him it was, in England, considered a single hyphenated word. So there he was, Mr. Harjinder Bill-Stickers, who begat Kulvinder. One hopes she has a brother so that the last name survives.

Just think of the possiblities of the last name they could have got. :)