Started a new blog where I aim to post more frequently. Wordpress pulled me in!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
iMessage vs BBM
iMessage launched to steal the thunder from BBM. But will that happen? The BlackBerry sells because of BBM and most importantly the price at which it comes. I'm not arguing the great number of apps that the iPhone has and their user interface. The BlackBerry still has price on its side!
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Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
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Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Saturday, June 4, 2011
The New Generation of Parenting
Before anything, I do not have any children, I still consider myself a child. So no, this is no profound analysis of parenting based on anything I have experienced myself. It's more of what I see around me. And well, everyone has an opinion about everything (the reasons blogs exist in the first place!) and well, here is mine.
Since I was 15 years old, or maybe even younger, I've not been fond of children (yes, I was a child myself, but didn't like anyone younger). Thought of them as a nuisance and a waste of space. Howling, throwing tantrums, the works. Growing up in India, it became very common for children to be far, far away from mystical words like 'manners' and 'respect'.
People around me told me I would grow out of this phase. I did. Now I don't dislike kids anymore, its the parenting I question.
I think there are a few primary problems with parents. The first could be that they try to love their kids a bit too much. Rather, try to show every ounce of the love they have for the kids. Many of the parents I see now had relatively strict parents when they were children. Perhaps they are trying to over compensate for that? I understand that you love your child, but if the kid is going around the dining table, pulling a guest's arm whilst she is trying to have a meal is a bit too much! Why don't such parents tell them to simply stop? Are they just too scared that any harsh words will make their five years olds face a traumatic life changing experience? Well the only life changing experience the kids would face is learning how to behave. These parents are by far the most annoying I've ever met.
Sometimes I see parents, middle-class mostly, whom I don't think ever thought about parenting. It's like there was a fashionable bus going around town and the only way to get on was to have a handful of kids. So voila! Let's have some kids. These are the parents everyone has travelled with either in a train or an aircraft. The kids going on with their "mummy... papa.. what is this... when will we reach?" (perfectly normal questions for a 8-10 year old), but the ghastly thick parents simply not responding to them. So the child is on a non-stop rut, giving Barkha Dutt some stiff competition. And the parents, well, they help create the perfect advertisement setting for noise-canceling headphones imbedded in your brain (of sorts, if you know what I mean).
The interesting ones are who have kids, but don't quite have the time for them. I do sympathise with them to a certain extent. Everyone needs a career, make money and all that jazz. They try to be good parents, but they tend to let their children loose with materialistic replacements for the parents' time. These kids would go on holiday to a place where they could run and play, but they'd rather sit infront of the television and blank out! Gameboys (or whatever they are called), phones, Xbox, etc. They can't quite have a conversation! These kids are savvy with electronics and remote controls, but unfortunately, they are not aware of the surroundings around them. They learn whatever the virtual world shows them, but that's pretty much it. One would argue that these gadgets are a great source for information and education too, but I feel it shares a very thin line with information overload. As far as I remember, learning by experience is a whole different ball game.
Again, all this is just an opinion! There are tons and tons of fabulous parents I've seen, who sacrifice a great deal for their kids. Even the ones I've mentioned above have done the same. This is just my happiness at the fact that I don't hate kids anymore!!
Since I was 15 years old, or maybe even younger, I've not been fond of children (yes, I was a child myself, but didn't like anyone younger). Thought of them as a nuisance and a waste of space. Howling, throwing tantrums, the works. Growing up in India, it became very common for children to be far, far away from mystical words like 'manners' and 'respect'.
People around me told me I would grow out of this phase. I did. Now I don't dislike kids anymore, its the parenting I question.
I think there are a few primary problems with parents. The first could be that they try to love their kids a bit too much. Rather, try to show every ounce of the love they have for the kids. Many of the parents I see now had relatively strict parents when they were children. Perhaps they are trying to over compensate for that? I understand that you love your child, but if the kid is going around the dining table, pulling a guest's arm whilst she is trying to have a meal is a bit too much! Why don't such parents tell them to simply stop? Are they just too scared that any harsh words will make their five years olds face a traumatic life changing experience? Well the only life changing experience the kids would face is learning how to behave. These parents are by far the most annoying I've ever met.
Sometimes I see parents, middle-class mostly, whom I don't think ever thought about parenting. It's like there was a fashionable bus going around town and the only way to get on was to have a handful of kids. So voila! Let's have some kids. These are the parents everyone has travelled with either in a train or an aircraft. The kids going on with their "mummy... papa.. what is this... when will we reach?" (perfectly normal questions for a 8-10 year old), but the ghastly thick parents simply not responding to them. So the child is on a non-stop rut, giving Barkha Dutt some stiff competition. And the parents, well, they help create the perfect advertisement setting for noise-canceling headphones imbedded in your brain (of sorts, if you know what I mean).
The interesting ones are who have kids, but don't quite have the time for them. I do sympathise with them to a certain extent. Everyone needs a career, make money and all that jazz. They try to be good parents, but they tend to let their children loose with materialistic replacements for the parents' time. These kids would go on holiday to a place where they could run and play, but they'd rather sit infront of the television and blank out! Gameboys (or whatever they are called), phones, Xbox, etc. They can't quite have a conversation! These kids are savvy with electronics and remote controls, but unfortunately, they are not aware of the surroundings around them. They learn whatever the virtual world shows them, but that's pretty much it. One would argue that these gadgets are a great source for information and education too, but I feel it shares a very thin line with information overload. As far as I remember, learning by experience is a whole different ball game.
Again, all this is just an opinion! There are tons and tons of fabulous parents I've seen, who sacrifice a great deal for their kids. Even the ones I've mentioned above have done the same. This is just my happiness at the fact that I don't hate kids anymore!!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
India Gate, New Delhi post India winning the Cricket World Cup!
This is why cricket is religion in India. I have never seen so many Indians having an absolute blast all together! For once, everyone was on the same page, everyone just wanted to make merry! For the first time, I could stand in the middle of a massive crowd and feel completely safe! No Republic Day parade can ever beat this.
For everyone in Delhi who thought there is no point going to India Gate to face the crowds, this was a once in a lifetime experience. That is because India will not have to wait 28 years to get the cup again!!
For everyone in Delhi who thought there is no point going to India Gate to face the crowds, this was a once in a lifetime experience. That is because India will not have to wait 28 years to get the cup again!!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Formality 101
I finally reached that stage. The stage when I felt that enough was enough, I needed to drop all formality, especially with close friends. Pat comes the harsh reality - too late! They've not only got used to it, but they expect it.
In the past few months, I've learnt that half my burst outs and anger were for the sole reason that I was too formal to actually ask for the things I wanted or needed from loved ones around me. Sometimes (or many a time in my case), I just expected people to know and understand the unsaid.
Well, they obviously weren't mind readers - it all boiled within - ever so often - BOOM!
Don't get me wrong, my list of things never included the likes of materialistic gifts, but more of support, mostly only support of someone being there, someone just giving that extra helping hand and sometimes, just someone's sheer physical presence. Silly me thought these things don't have to be demanded outright!
So I went and took the leap. I demanded. I asked and I thought I would be granted. Well, I should have been! If I can listen to wants so direct at times, that my skin crawls back just that little bit! Well, not that extreme perhaps, but that familiar moment when a friend just says something so outright, that it goes down your system much much after you already said yes.
Yes, I also wanted to hear that yes. I expected the same reception that I give. Was I mistaken. It struck me then; put the formal and quiet and independent face on for too long and then you've lost the power to just, well, be more vocal with them.
It's like a dog you give food to whilst you're eating, wake up at 3am because he does 'chuun chuun' and give in to him chewing on that shoe. Well, he does really seem to like that pair! To tick him off one day is only going to fumble the crap out of him, quite literally in this case.
I am a formal person. I do have people in my life whom I ask for favours and do feel a little awkward asking them for it, no matter how close they are to me. I do, truly, appreciate it when they say yes, no matter how small the favour. However, everyone doesn't fit that bill, some are just Zimbabwean dollars!
Wonder if it's correct to question myself for asking, and accepting that perhaps its too late in the day. Or perhaps I am right and that there is a good reason dog training schools are prospering so much these days.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
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In the past few months, I've learnt that half my burst outs and anger were for the sole reason that I was too formal to actually ask for the things I wanted or needed from loved ones around me. Sometimes (or many a time in my case), I just expected people to know and understand the unsaid.
Well, they obviously weren't mind readers - it all boiled within - ever so often - BOOM!
Don't get me wrong, my list of things never included the likes of materialistic gifts, but more of support, mostly only support of someone being there, someone just giving that extra helping hand and sometimes, just someone's sheer physical presence. Silly me thought these things don't have to be demanded outright!
So I went and took the leap. I demanded. I asked and I thought I would be granted. Well, I should have been! If I can listen to wants so direct at times, that my skin crawls back just that little bit! Well, not that extreme perhaps, but that familiar moment when a friend just says something so outright, that it goes down your system much much after you already said yes.
Yes, I also wanted to hear that yes. I expected the same reception that I give. Was I mistaken. It struck me then; put the formal and quiet and independent face on for too long and then you've lost the power to just, well, be more vocal with them.
It's like a dog you give food to whilst you're eating, wake up at 3am because he does 'chuun chuun' and give in to him chewing on that shoe. Well, he does really seem to like that pair! To tick him off one day is only going to fumble the crap out of him, quite literally in this case.
I am a formal person. I do have people in my life whom I ask for favours and do feel a little awkward asking them for it, no matter how close they are to me. I do, truly, appreciate it when they say yes, no matter how small the favour. However, everyone doesn't fit that bill, some are just Zimbabwean dollars!
Wonder if it's correct to question myself for asking, and accepting that perhaps its too late in the day. Or perhaps I am right and that there is a good reason dog training schools are prospering so much these days.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
Tweet
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Help!
You could be a strong, no shit individual who thinks nothing can get to him. An important presentation due tomorrow and no work on it? Angry boss for the unexpected leave you took? Parents found you drunk, or worse still, with a stash of hash? Your response to things like these could be, ah well, life goes on! We'll take it as it comes.
Whether you're one of them or someone like me, who does, well, give a shit, there are always those moments when you want to scream from the rooftop for help.
I've been there.
Even if I say so myself, I'm a tough cookie. However, after a rather nasty tiff with someone close to me, I was shattered. Crying for days, walking around aimlessly and sudden outbursts of anger where I could kill anyone who came my way. A friend heard my silent screams for help. She stood up for me and gave that man (ofcouse it was a man! Nothing else can knock a woman down except a man, simply being a man) a sounding which could make Gordon Ramsay proud.
In my short lifetime, that was one of the very very few moments when I definitely knew that someone's got my back. What made it even more special was that I never told her to do so and neither did she do it thinking she's helping me. It was just something she simply felt she had to do, seeing me in the state I was.
Moving on to greener pastures, the entire episode got sorted with time. However, the incident reconfirmed that I wasn't wrong, as I was told on occasions, for fighting for someone with all I had, not caring about my personal relationships for it.
But then, as they say, life goes on and you keep learning.
You can fight for someone with all your might, but where do you stand once it's all over? The problem is all sorted? Does the person you fought for care enough to make sure you're not alone in the dark? Unfortunately, not very often. And I learnt this the hard way. I've been big on loyalty all my life, running away from hypocrisy at the earliest signs of me showing it. Surrounded by hypocrites (and I don't mean this in a bad way), I always felt saddened by it. But at the end of the day, there is no point in standing up for someone who's not got his grounding right in the first place. Who might turn a new leaf tomorrow.
Don't get me wrong. I well believe in what feels right today, can feel wrong tomorrow. But my question is, what about the ones who fought for you when you were standing alone? What happens to them when you turn on your heel and foes become friends? Do you build the bridge over the crater created by you? Or do you, well, hope they sort it out by themselves? After all, you didn't 'really' ask them to fight for you!
Life goes on and I'm learning. But I'm just that tad extra cautious now.
Tweet
Whether you're one of them or someone like me, who does, well, give a shit, there are always those moments when you want to scream from the rooftop for help.
I've been there.
Even if I say so myself, I'm a tough cookie. However, after a rather nasty tiff with someone close to me, I was shattered. Crying for days, walking around aimlessly and sudden outbursts of anger where I could kill anyone who came my way. A friend heard my silent screams for help. She stood up for me and gave that man (ofcouse it was a man! Nothing else can knock a woman down except a man, simply being a man) a sounding which could make Gordon Ramsay proud.
In my short lifetime, that was one of the very very few moments when I definitely knew that someone's got my back. What made it even more special was that I never told her to do so and neither did she do it thinking she's helping me. It was just something she simply felt she had to do, seeing me in the state I was.
Moving on to greener pastures, the entire episode got sorted with time. However, the incident reconfirmed that I wasn't wrong, as I was told on occasions, for fighting for someone with all I had, not caring about my personal relationships for it.
But then, as they say, life goes on and you keep learning.
You can fight for someone with all your might, but where do you stand once it's all over? The problem is all sorted? Does the person you fought for care enough to make sure you're not alone in the dark? Unfortunately, not very often. And I learnt this the hard way. I've been big on loyalty all my life, running away from hypocrisy at the earliest signs of me showing it. Surrounded by hypocrites (and I don't mean this in a bad way), I always felt saddened by it. But at the end of the day, there is no point in standing up for someone who's not got his grounding right in the first place. Who might turn a new leaf tomorrow.
Don't get me wrong. I well believe in what feels right today, can feel wrong tomorrow. But my question is, what about the ones who fought for you when you were standing alone? What happens to them when you turn on your heel and foes become friends? Do you build the bridge over the crater created by you? Or do you, well, hope they sort it out by themselves? After all, you didn't 'really' ask them to fight for you!
Life goes on and I'm learning. But I'm just that tad extra cautious now.
Tweet
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
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