The Invitation

Now, when I say invitation, what comes to your mind?

What have you been “inviting” of-lately? ;-)

'Inviting' people, and in-turn 'inviting' problems?
OR

Not 'inviting' people, and in-turn 'inviting' problems?

It’s pretty simple, when you talk about a wedding invitation, you can find the app for both the above mentioned situations. Coz boss, you gotta understand one thing, there are all kindsa people out there and you have to cater to their needs at times (well, another class of people will say, “why should I cater to others’ needs, when they aren’t to mine?’ Fine, Agreed!) But when it comes to a wedding invitation, things get really really serious, what we are talking about here is a wedding, and that’s no child's play!

The following is a guide to, 

“How YOU invite problems, with/ without inviting people” 

;-)

Okay, now, assume that your daughter Andrea is getting married. And you gotta invite a coupla people for the wedding.  What you have to understand is that, you know a lotta people who vary in the degrees of closeness, and if you don’t make them feel that appropriately close as a consequence of your actions, then, here you go, you have already invited a tiny winy problem, by not even doing anything! 

(I’m sure your thinking, “Holy Crap!!”) ;-)

Well, everyone has their own expectations from you and c’mon you didn’t intend to make them mad! 

Didn’t you! ;-)

Here are some situational examples, in decreasing order of closeness of people you are inviting!

A & B (family) talking, “Andrea was this small when she was born, and look she’s getting married now, oh how time flies!! I’m sure they’ll come home this weekend to invite us.”

What did you do? Invited them over the phone! :-/

C & D (family friends) talking, “Hey did you hear Andrea is getting married, strange we didn’t get a call for the wedding yet!!”
And what did you do? Posted them just a card, inviting them.

E & F (Distant Relatives, living away) talking, “Hey did you hear the great news, our Andrea….. we should have got the card by now”.
And you? Forgot to invite them!!!!!

K, L & M (your best friends) talking, “Hey guys Andrea’s getting married…and they didn’t invite us  :-(”
And what were you thinking??? You mentioned to them once that Andrea is getting married, as soon as it got fixed!! So that’s not actually an invitation is it? 

When K calls you up to ask you why you didn’t, you’d be like (there are two ways to handle this) 

“Oh C’mon!!!!! You’re my best buddies!!! Why do I need to invite you, it’s OUR family function, do I have to be so formal about the invitation?? Now, since when did we get formal??”

Or
“Hey I didn’t invite you because I knew you’d be busy and you anyway wouldn’t make it to the wedding” :-/

This is what I hate about people…when they ASSUME things!!! As if you are accurate in your assumptions!!! 

I don’t get people who assume things about you (which is 95% of the time a wrong assumption!!), and on their wrongly assumed basis, they act, which adds to the mess!!!

Your business is to invite them properly, in the appropriate manner according to the priority, whether they make it to the wedding or what is their wish!! Make sure that you give them no chance to complain. By doing something that is not expected from you or by not doing anything at all. Because that's what people do, expect, complain and comment (generously).  This is how simple it is to invite trouble!!! 

:-/

So, know your priorities, act accordingly, express generously, don't assume things,and hey!! don't forget to enjoy the wedding! ;-) ;-)

27th January 2012

Being a trichromat, and more!

(This pic has been used to conceptualize the representation of colours to "KILL MONOTONY", no offence is intended.)

For me, ‘seeing’ something colourful is like taking in a fresh breath of air…something rejuvenating….it’s like quenching my thirst after a jog…..it’s a stimulating feeling…
If you’re thinking, ‘What the hell is she talking about?’ LOL!  Allow me to explain! ;-)

First, look around you…”YEAH! LOOK AROUND!!!!”

You saw a myriad of colours around, right? I’m sure till now you weren’t consciously looking!  You’ll realize that in your room itself you’ll have so many colours, maybe what you weren’t doing till now was appreciating the existence of these colours! (These days people don’t appreciate the presence the loved ones in their lives, leave aside colours! LOL!!!)

Some colours are pleasing, some very bright, some hurt the eye, some are very sober and dull, some like this and some like that! Colours have always fascinated me, no wonder my favorite colour kept changing all the time since childhood, because I loved, umm, most of them!!! A colour in its own is wonderful, but a right combination of colours is mind-blowing! I say that, “IT’S A VISUAL TREAT”, and I tend to get those kinda treats very very very often! Because I’m very observant and I keep intently keep looking around, having an eye on my surroundings! ;-)

I have always wanted my colours to sing.

-Paul Delvaux 

Here's a list of colours, I found, lovely compilation!
http://cloford.com/resources/colours/500col.htm

I have always admired artists (being one myself); a pure play of imagination and a perfect blend of colours is what it takes to create a masterpiece. You need to visualize it to make it! It’s sheer brilliance, the creative minds impress me more than the intellectual ones, ALWAYS. It's like I'd rather be blind, if not have a vision!!! 

The intellectual ones, Integrate. The creative ones, Paint!

 -Divya Mohan

Throughout my childhood, I painted a lot, and I still do. I love the palette. It’s like the universe, comprising of all its elements. There’s a  place for every colour. And a place to mix them as well. Painting is a fulfilling task. When you’re in the world of colours, you totally forget about the other world, you’re actually in!

Thinking about colours, always makes me count my blessings, rather question them! Thank God I’m not colour-blind, rather "colour-deficient". A big thank you to the “Rods and Cones” in my retina for functioning properly! Because I cannot imagine a life without colours! People with normal vision don’t realize this, and the people with defective eyes, do not even know what it is like to ‘perceive’ ALL colours! :-O

I cannot pretend to be impartial about the colours. I rejoice with the brilliant ones, and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns.
-Winston Churchill

99% of all colorblind people are not really color blind but color deficient; the term colour- blindness is misleading. Many people think anyone labeled as "colorblind" only sees black and white - like watching a black and white movie or television. This is a big misconception and not true. It is extremely rare to be totally color blind (monochromasy - complete absence of any color sensation). There are many different types and degrees of colorblindness - more correctly called color vision deficiencies. 

Colours can influence your moods, feelings and emotions. Colours influence your actions and how you respond to people, situations and ideas. 

I love the sea's sounds and the way it reflects the sky. The colours that shimmer across its surface are unbelievable. This, combined with the colour of the water over white sand, surprises me every time.

-John Dyer

This link gives you a compilation of the meanings of colours in different cultures! I found it really interesting!

http://www.globalization-group.com/edge/resources/color-meanings-by-culture/

"ARE BLACK AND WHITE COLOURS?"

There are some theories to this. 

Ask a scientist and you'll get a reply based on physics: “Black is not a color, white is a color.” Because he sees colour as light. Black is the absence of color (and is therefore not a color), black object absorbs all the colors of the visible spectrum and reflects none of them to the eyes and white is the blending of all colors and is a color, white reflects all the colors of the visible light spectrum to the eyes

Ask an artist or a child with crayons and you'll get another answer: “Black is a color, white is not a color.”Because he sees colour as pigments/ molecular colouring agents. As a kid, I also used to say that white has no colour in it. LOL! Don't know what I was thinking then. :-P

Well, be it a colour or a pigment, not getting into too much of the science part of it, colours make life really exciting and interesting, I'm sure if everything were black and white life would look dull and mundane! Black and white as a combination together looks classy, NO DOUBT on that! ;-) Don't forget to see the flowers, birds, trees, buildings when you go out! 

I enjoy and relish every colour around me, coz I believe in enjoying and acknowledging the small things in life! ;-)

Have a colourful day!! ;-D

Note: A 'trichromat' is a person with normal colour vision!! ;-)

25th January, 2012

Man vs Machine

Greetings, Slaves of Technology!!

How do you do? ;-)

Well, IF the alarm clock woke you up, the coffee- maker made you coffee, the toaster made you breakfast, the vacuum cleaner kept your house tidy, the dishwasher did your dirty dishes, the washing machine cleaned your clothes, the car took you to work, you worked out at the gym and then the microwave made you your dinner, I guess, you had a great day! [The routine- That's what they call it ;-)]

In this world everything has become mechanical, electrical and, now digital! :-/ Which I find is good in some ways and bad in many. With the passage of time, man is becoming more and more dependent on machines! I don’t see anyone striking a balance between being self-dependent and being machine- dependent. No doubt, in this world, luxury has become more of a necessity but if you are in a situation wherein you feel that, 

“Oh, the gyms closed today, how the hell am I gonna exercise??” or “Ohh! The microwave is not working, let’s order Chinese food from outside”, then you’re in for some serious trouble mister!!

What do you think in the good old days people used to run on the treadmill to burn that extra fat? There’s a freaking park outside, AND LOOK!, “complimentary” fresh air, run for your life!!! :-P And what do you have a stove for, to complete the look of your kitchen?? I am sure that you started thinking of the stove in the kitchen as the vermiform appendix- the vestigial organ in your body! LOL! So what if you’re a working woman? You wouldn't die if you yourself cooked with your own hands on the stove for your family!!!

What you don’t realize is that you have started to believe that you cannot manage without these aids! Whereas you can, honey. :-)
Machines earlier used to be present only in factories and now, there’s a machine for every simple job you can do on your own, and trust me it’s all at your home, for no good reason, and it is, in all ways influencing your lifestyle in all aspects! 

After a whole day of sedentary work in the office, well, it’s kinda the same at home, ain’t it? Coz you ain’t doing anything! :-P But do make sure to oil the joints, tighten up the screws of those machines and make sure that the wires have their insulation intact. What you don’t realize is that, just the way you take care of your machines’ well being (yes, it has become as important as your family member), it is important to take care of your own health.

Sedentary life is like slow poisoning, it kills you ultimately and for free, you get a whole range of diseases, well, everything you get for free is not good. ;-)

Machines have of course helped mankind save time on so many things, but a machine for everything? SERIOUSLY?

"Utility is when you have one telephone, luxury is when you have two, opulence is when you have three - and paradise is when you have none."- Doug Larson

A classic example is a vending machine! I know it’s awesome-technology, but really, if you had those stuff in a shop, probably you could have a few people employed and make them earn for their bread and butter. And you talk about charity, donating stuff to the poor? Yeah right, who’s even thinking about them? I am sure you are so concerned!!! :-O

Our lives begin with the help of machines and end with the help of them, they aren’t really gonna let go of you that easily. Electrical cremation, yes, a machine is gonna help you become ashes even after you die, you should be sooo grateful to it, right?  :-O 

Oh yeah, then there’s a power cut!! It’s like a nightmare right? Think about this, take two situations:

“Uncle George passed away in Santa Cruz, and you’re like Awww Ohh”,

“The power is off since three hours, and you’re like OMG really??? Life is so unfair!! Why does this happen to me. For what is God taking revenge on me??”
Hmph, justified aren’t you?

People used to live without fans, and you are crying because you are dying without the AC because of a power-cut! BRAVO!!!

"War destroys men, but luxury destroys mankind; at once corrupts the body and the mind."- John Crowne
 

Technology has saved so many lives, has made life so easier, you save a lotta time and get the job done. I'm not questioning the power of technology, here, I dare not. But, everything has its pros and cons. A pair of arms and legs used to be man’s closest friends and assistants to perform his errands. But as the time passed by, man used his wit and power and invented various easygoing gadgets to perform his work without putting any pressure on his shoulders. Invention of machines and gadgets has made his life so easy that at a very slow pace he started becoming dependent of machines for everything.

Sounds like the invasion of aliens on earthlings. Geez!!

Don’t become a victim to these machines, do your work as much as you can on your own, it’s for your own good, for whatever you can’t you always have a machine to help you out :-)

Don’t make “using a machine” your “default option” is what I wanna to convey to my readers :-)

Note-  When I mean machine, I mean anything that is invented by man that works on electricity, or any other mechanism. You might call it a gadget. Or a subset of what technology has gifted you, which in-turn was developed my man.  
20^th January, 2012

(This article was typed on MS Word, and why didn’t I use a paper and a pen to write it down initially? Well, typing is more convenient!!

THIS IS WHAT TECHNOLOGY DOES TO YOU. Haha!!) 

Stay true, Stay you

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you someone else is the greatest accomplishment.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Forgot about “THE YOU” in “YOU” right?  A faint voice from within that is yearning for justice? A voice that you perhaps buried deep within because of many reasons. A voice to which you should have listened to way back. A voice that used to stop you from doing certain things, but what you listened to, were the voices of the people in the world, who meant nothing to you, those voices who knew nothing about you, those voices who didn’t know you skin deep. 

It’s high time, you start listening to that voice within you, because that’s the real you, the unadulterated you, the pure you :-) It’s never too late to begin. :-)

In this constantly changing world, with the constantly changing people, and with the people who are constantly trying to change you, letting none of this affect you and carrying on with your life as if none of this is happening, is a big accomplishment, indeed. Its a battle I fight everyday, and let me tell you for sure, its worth it! For that, first, you should know who you are, where you are from, what you want and what you intend to become (ie, the better version of your own-self). You have come on this earth with a purpose, and no one dare try to get you off-track.  NO ONE.

Suggestions and advice are always welcome from others, but applying whatever you feel is relevant in your life, is YOUR wish. No one can force you into doing something, because YOU are the master of your life and there is only one ruler- YOU. Unless and until you clearly define yourself in this world that is full of crafty people, they will keep bombarding you with their nasty tricks. You do not need to bother about the people, if they don’t respect you for what you are. If someone is trying to bring you down, show them that you are strong enough to get up. Because YOU CAN. You are much stronger than you think. The only reason why people are trying to bring you down is because of the reason that you are better than them, maybe in a few ways or all ways. Everyone has their take on everything! You also have yours. Don’t let the opinion of others consume you.

“You really have to look inside yourself and find your own inner strength, and say, “I’m proud of what I am and who I am, and I’m just going to be myself.”

 -Mariah Carey

Negativity is all around and people will try their best to bring you down. You don’t have to change with the changing trends, if it is against your beliefs or wish. If people think you are not “kewl” (mind the spelling, it’s not cool :-P ), don’t give them a damn, why do you have to?? Its your life right? So, it’s your wish! You take decisions for yourself, don’t let the jerks around you change you or your mindset. You are unique, well, everyone is. Don’t try to become someone else, for petty reasons. Believe you can and you've already won half the battle! If you don't stand for anything, you'll fall for anything! And you don't want that to happen!

One of my favorite quotes goes like this-

“You like me? Raise your hand! 

You don’t? Raise your standards!” 

Never sacrifice yourself, just because someone has a problem with it. Well, it’s their problem, why are you worried? Let them learn to deal with YOU ;-) Give them an opportunity to grow! Some people might say that you have an attitude problem. If they have a problem with your attitude, that’s not your concern!!! 

There is something that YOU can do better than any other. Listen to your inward voice and bravely obey it. Life is about living your own way, not existing the way others want you to. Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the face, and say, bring it on! 

“You were born an original, don’t die a copy!”

Make sure that you’re not saying a ‘no’ to yourself, for saying a ‘yes’ to somebody else. Why compromise, adjust or adapt to the people who don’t mean anything to you? God wont ask you what your highest salary was, he will ask you whether you compromised on your character to obtain it. Be true to yourself. 

Learn to say NO! No one can force you to do anything just because they want you to. You give them some space, and they'll dance on your head! Be clear about what you want. 

Don’t let anybody use you, you’re not public property, you are a licensed version of yourself and it’s strictly private property, and sorry, trespassers are not allowed! Let no body invade your life, for a matter of fact, let no body invade your mind, your privacy, your anything and everything!!! Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

“Be your higher-self every day.”

Strive to become the best of yourself. Growing old is not a big deal, growing up is. ;-) Be a better person everyday. Because true nobility is being superior to your previous self.

18th January 2012
This post is about me. Yes! This is how I live my life. I have always been the kinda woman, that makes the devil say, "Oh Crap, She's up", every morning! Haha! I hope that some of you, yes you! :-P begin living life afresh soon, and realize what matters the most. And always remember......

..........;-)

Lonely, Not Alone

Solitude takes me
To a higher level of consciousness
Away from the senseless talks
Of the locals
Where I can hear the supreme
Talking to me
in an enchanting vocal

Solitude is a state
Of completeness
Where I am in equanimity
In all aspects of life
Happiness attained from the people

Is illusionary

Why run after lay men
When I can get what I want
In a few moments of enriched silence.

With solitude comes power

Increased focus and concentration
A vision to succeed

To have a bright future, indeed

In solitude I introspect

And improve myself
Privacy is for what I drool
How can this be attained

Amongst a bunch of fools

For in solitude
I have attained enlightenment
Its something the mass
Just cannot get

Solitude is a drug
Euphoric and ecstatic

Solitude is the joy of being just yourself
You are the master of your life
Why encourage others to participate in yours?
If you strive for the best,
Its only solitude that can give you, what you expect.

Conversation with the worldly people
Is a futile task
Worldly affairs, don’t lure me anymore
Solitude, is like a ray of a sunbeam

In the biting cold of winter

“Bliss, Bliss, Bliss……”

For the one who has tasted a life
Of solitude

Knows the true essence of it
It is bliss
It is fulfilling

It fills up your heart

Coz he knows the value of himself
And not the jibber jabber
Of the others
Who claim to know themselves

With solitude comes peace

The best private time

That cannot be attained in

The company of the lay men

Who just know to blabber and whine

A man who loves solitude
Knows the value of your time
A man who loves solitude
Will understand you skin deep
Anything arty and crafty will never lure him
Coz he knows reality, and he knows quality stuff
For him life is not a game of bluff

The life of a man in solitude
or in the company of holy men
is the ultimate way to be.
Sometimes I wonder is this how
the sages in the Himalayas
who take penance feel
this is how life is meant to be

The human race shows
fake emotions
what’s the point in interacting
with these partially evolved apes
who don’t know the value of

Companionship and attachment
They are not social animals,
Just animals, in thirst of betterment
Wanting to overtake their peers
in this petty meanness of humanity
Who in want of which can
Change their shape and form anytime
Such an existence is useless

You will never find a companion

As companionable as solitude

Anything conductive and deep
can only be attained in solitude
for this is what the
elevated minds yearn for
Only the ones who enjoy and relish solitude
Will understand the true meaning of the above lines
Because the bliss solitude gives
Cannot be put down to paper, rather typed ;-)

My favorite quotes on solitude.

Being solitary is being alone well: being alone luxuriously immersed in doings of your own choice, aware of the fullness of your won presence rather than of the absence of others. Because solitude is an achievement.

Alice Koller

Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self.
May Sarton

Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.
Aristotle

Conversation enriches the understanding, but solitude is the school of genius.

Edward Gibbon

Converse with men makes sharp the glittering wit, but God to man doth speak in solitude.

John Stuart Blackie

I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.
Albert Einstein

The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.
Albert Einstein

A solitude is the audience-chamber of God.
Walter Savage Landor

In love with life, her space, her privacy, her solitude... :-) :-)

Jan 8, 2012