Minimalism

“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say let your affairs be as one, two, three and not a hundred or a thousand… We are happy in proportion to the things we can do without.” – Henry David Thoreau.

What a great blog. It really inspired me. http://artofmanliness.com/2009/10/11/go-small-or-go-home-in-praise-of-minimalism/

These are the key points that I assimilated from the blog

the following are the principles of living the minimalist life as laid out by Babauta:
Leo’s Principles of Living the Minimalist Life
   
1.  Omit needless things. Notice this doesn’t say to omit everything.  Just needless things.

2.  Identify the essential. What’s most important to you?  What makes you happy?  What will have the highest impact on your life, your career?

3. Make everything count. Whatever you do or keep in your life, make it worthy of keeping.  Make it really count.

4.  Fill your life with joy. Don’t just empty your life.  Put something wonderful in it.

5.  Edit, edit.  Minimalism isn’t an end point.  It’s a constant process of editing, revisiting, editing some more.

I would add the following:

6.  Hold on loosely. Even to your prized possessions.  At the end of the day its relationships, not possessions, that make life worth living.


Well minimalism is going to be one of my utmost resolutions for the New Year..and a good one, that.

Links to other  minimal blogs
http://artofgreatthings.com/2009/10/a-guide-to-self-reliance-minimalism/
http://mnmlist.com

please do add any other blog links you like..

How to use Holiday time to rejuvenate || New Year Resolutions

All of us need a break once in a while to re-energize ourselves, to break out of the mundaneness of everyday life and enjoy some leisure. And this is quite important as a very simple adage goes "All Work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy" unless you are a workaholic :D Well, the key to feeling invigorated is to use the time at hand in an optimum way and to make the most of it in a constructive way.

With the New Year ready to ring in, its the best time to "Ring out the old" and "Ring in the New". Simply speaking, its a time for some New Year Resolutions and resolutions that are not made namesake but ones that can be really kept. Anything and everything is doable only when we try to make small commitments to ourselves, something I have talked about in one of my previous posts "One Step at a Time". And what is a New Year without any novelty or nascence.

These are some New Year Resolutions or alternatively how I want to use my holiday time to re-invent a new me 

Health Well this is going to be a very common resolution for most of us. Now I chose to write health because I would not want to mention weight loss, rather I would like to stress on general fitness. Taking charge of my health is the top of my list now. Well, as part of this resolution, my doable action is "To do at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least 3 times a week" If am not able to hit the gym , I am going to try to compensate that with a 30 minute brisk walk :)

Saving With our high tech lifestyles and the cost of living going up day by day, there is a dire need to save for the benefit of our future. While most of our generation believes in leading a lavish lifestyle, the recent recession has brought us to our senses and has made clear the importance of having a rainy day fund. We should make an effort to save 10% of our take home income every month. Cut down on the unnecessary expenses, impulsive shopping sprees and buy our very own piggy bank. I am not joking, I do have my own piggy bank shaped in the form of a baseball. And when ever I remember to, I put a note or two in it. I have resolved to make minimalism a habit.

Cherish Love To love and being loved, none of them should be taken for granted. Hug a loved one, do something for them to show them that you care. Spend some value time with your parents, gift a nice something to your husband or wife to show that you appreciate them. Small things that count so much in life. Just a little effort for someone you love, to cherish their love.

Smile Start the day with a smile. Think on waking up "Its going to be a good day". Believe it or not it works. Builds up positive energy and even if the day doesn't go well, a smile gives you the strength to handle it, to stand strong in difficult times. After all, it costs nothing to smile.


What are your new year resolutions for 2010?? Do share your interesting thoughts here..I have kept my list short so that I can keep them :) But you are welcome to add yours..

Staying networked.Is it really necessary?

How many of us have this habit of coming home, connecting the laptop to our Internet connection and staying online almost perpetually even if there is no real need or necessity for it. The need to login to Facebook, Orkut and other social networking sites and not to forget the myriad messengers, Gtalk, yahoo etc.

Its almost like an addiction. Yesterday, when I did just the same on reaching home, I found my connection not working and my phone line down. The disappointment I experienced, not to miss that I did feel liberated as well. I mean have you ever tried keeping your mobile phone at home and coming to office without it? The freedom that comes without it is just so incredible. But my dismay soon disappeared because the Airtel people were so quick to fix it. Nevertheless, it made me think to what extent are we a slave to this technology. 

When I asked a friend about it as to what he will do if he goes a day without network, he was quick to respond that he would fill liberated and go enjoy the singing of birds and other beauties of nature.I mean think of it, how robotic we become in front of our laptop screens, just giving away to the clutches of technology. There is a saying that too much of anything is hazardous, so is too much of Technology and Internet.

Many a times I find my mind cluttered because of the many tabs of Mozilla I have opened. I experience a loss of focus and feel disoriented. I am sure most of you experience the same.Hence, my resolve is to spend some time everyday in solitude, away from the mobile phones, the laptops, the INTERNET, the social networking sites, away from the constant urge to keep updating statuses( what purpose do they solve, merely letting the world know what you are doing at any juncture, but whats the real need anyway). In short, this is again leading me to minimalism.For instance, why should I jot down a blog post in the blogger notepad, why not write it in my paper diary first. 

Can you suggest some other examples, where we can break free of technology in our everyday chores?

500 Days of Summer

Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't.

A fresh breeze, unique, every scene of its original and watchable more than once. Thats what led me to watch it for the 2nd time and looks like I am going to watch it more than 2 times :) Such an adorable movie. Such lively characters, ones you can actually relate with. Summer(Zooey Deschanel), with the 60s hair cut, cute as a button. Tom(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) with the boyish looks and the sweet smiles( the smile that makes the eyes close :P)

Tom is looking for "The One" for him when Summer comes along as an assistant in his office. The greeting card one-liners writer falls for a girl, is totally mesmerized by her only to know that she is not looking for a real relationship. The randomly numbered days spent with Summer and the contrast between each is so awesomely shown, great originality here. How Tom swings from an elated mood to a sulky one when Summer makes it obvious that she is still not looking for a relationship. The small talks with the younger sis(she's his love guru :D), the conversations with mckensie and his other friend are adorable as well. The chemistry of the characters with each other is awesome.

Summer though is shown quite unpredictable. On one hand, she is sharing her darkest of thoughts with Tom and on the other hand, she doesn't feel for him as she should feel for a boyfriend. That part is quite queer.

What I also fail to understand that even after making him miserable, Tom falls again for her when they meet in the train only to have his heart broken again. The movie misleads when Tom and Summers in those scenes are shown so much in love. How they dance at Millie's wedding, so much in love, a made for each other couple. How Tom's "Expectations" do not align with "Reality" when he arrives at the party thrown by Summer is just fantastic. So true, seldom do our expectations align with reality. What impresses me is that this movie is closer to reality and still manages to entertain..

How in the karaoke session, Tom and Summer argue over the definition of Love and if it really exists! And how Summer whos afraid of relationship falls for another guy, just so agreeing with what Tom said "you will know love when you feel it" and how Tom is led to believe that nothing is meant to be, its just pure coincidence, everything that happens and so he moves on with his life..The end though is so Bollywood movie-like :D another gal comes along for him :) Well..A Happy Ending..

Not a love story..But a story about Love..

How not to react to situations and stay calm

Many times in our day-to-day lives, we come across situations which agitate us, which directly impact us and hence, we react to such situations. Humans are emotional, sensitive creatures. When emotions are affected, we humans react, its but human to react. We lash out in anger or frustration because we are not in our emotional equilibrium. We are emotionally disturbed, vulnerable.

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Now none of us are saintly creatures, its natural to react when someone hurts you or speaks offending words. But does reacting or lashing out help or does it make the situation worse?? Do you feel better after venting out your feelings or do you end up feeling miserable?? Does the situation end in a cordial way or does it end in a hostile way??

Let us see how we can handle difficult situations like these which tend to shake us and ruin our pacified self:

-- Monitor your emotions like a watchman Observe yourself like a 3rd person. When someone speaks hurtful words, stirs your emotions, what kind of thoughts come in your mind. What do you experience? hate, disrespect, anger, hurt and see these emotions come and pass through you. Try to analyse yourself as to why you are experiencing these emotions, learn to control and condition yourself to be calm and cool. So that next time when in the same situation, you know how to pacify yourself. Introspection in the very simple of words.

-- Keep your expectation levels low Expectations is the root cause of all unhappiness. When I expect a certain good behaviour from a certain someone, and when I do not see that coming, I feel extremely hurt and offended. Why did I raise my expectations about the other person?? I should keep to my region of influence, why should I try to raise my expectations over something that I do not have control over. As Stephen Covey rightly states in "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", the Habit 1 which is to be proactive."Proactive people focus their efforts on the things over which they have influence, and in the process often expand their area of influence. Reactive people often focus their efforts on areas of concern over which they have no control. Their complaining and negative energy tend to shrink their circle of influence." Words of such profound meaning and so rightly said.

-- Walk Away No its not cowardice, you are just staging a walkout to get away from your negative emotions. Why do people often say "Leave me alone" when they are upset about something. Isolation from the problematic situation or person does help. That does not mean you cut off yourself from him/her. No it does not mean a communication gap. It just means insulating yourself for a short period of time or the time span you need for cooling down from your pent-up emotions.

-- Write a diary Instead of lashing out verbally, instead of saying harsh words which can never be taken back, write! Write your heart out. Writing provides the necessary vent to your lava of emotions. Its a healthy habit, and if you do not want anyone putting hands on your diary, write and dispose of those writings. After all, you yourself would not want to be reminded of how you felt when you wrote a particular angry note in your diary.

-- Meditate Meditation relaxes your body, mind not to mention the various other benefits it has. The simplest form of meditation is 3 step and can be done for 10 minutes or so a) close your eyes and breathe normally b) concentrate on your breathing c) if your mind wanders and some thoughts pass through your mind, just be mindful of them and return back to concentrate on your breathing. Meditation in my opinion is any activity that you do with single-handed attention and focus.

Do you have any other points that you would like to share on how to remain cool and not react. You are more than welcome to share the same.

Yes she is married now..

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Her hennaed hands..mehendi in its true color..

Her clinking bangles..the cream and red chudhe..

Her मंगलसूत्र with the black beads..

Her hair partitioned in the center and with carefully put sindoor...

Her anklets..

Her bichiya..

Her smiling demeanor..

Yes she is married now...

Yes its a new life for her now..

Waiting..

Is too much anticipation right? Does it keep rekindling the fire of your cravings for a particular event to happen? Or does it leave you anxious and negatively excited as to what will happen when finally the much awaited event occurs.Lets see how we can perceive the word "Waiting"

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&& We all are or have been waiting for some event or for some person in our life to turn up. Waiting in turn builds up expectations, and too much expectation is not in the right spirit. I am waiting for my friend to call me and she is waiting for me to call her. Both of us have the expectation that the other will call, thats not right and can lead to ego issues and misunderstandings between people.

&& Waiting can be deemed analogous to procrastinating as well. Am waiting for my friend to arrive so that we can begin studying on a particular topic. This is not right because I in this case am dependent on my friend and I am not taking the initiative to begin studies myself. I am waiting for my manager to call me and assign me a job. I should be proactive enough to go and ask for a task myself if I have nothing on my plate.

&& Yes waiting in the right sense would be to wait for a friend to give him/her support. Lend a hand so that the other doesn't trip over. That waiting would fall under a positive category. But me being the counterpart should not wait for the other to lend a hand, that would be wrong since I would be soaring my expectations for the other. While its easier said than done, keeping your expectations low is very much possible. If I have a petty quarrel with one of my mates, instead of expecting him/her to say sorry, I should analyze my own behavior and go forward and apologize if I am at fault rather than groping for the other persons' mistakes.

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. - Barrack Obama

I also believe in the power of NOW, everything that is, is in the now as I have mentioned in one of my previous posts Life

&& Waiting can also be an another plus. It would mean being patient, I have worked hard but still not got the much awaited promotion. In that case, I am waiting and being more patient. Yes, but it never pays to be over-patient. One needs to raise a voice against any wrong-doing being done to them.

You can't wait for inspiration.
You have to go after it with a club.- Jack London

One might wonder, why the post! My answer would be, my musings about how a particular word can be perceived in multiple ways. And how so many words can be used to describe the context of a single word. 

The ability to express oneself is such a gift which everyone should exercise! Hence, my perceptions..

Paa

As one of my friends rightly said, that hasn't Big B been given an ugly face makeup with an egg like shape? Its not really pleasant to look at. But I consented but after watching the movie, also understood that suffering from Progeria ( an extremely rare genetic disease that causes accelerated ageing) did make that look inevitable.

Auro is a 12 year old kid suffering from progeria.His mom is Vidya(Vidya Balan), a gynaecologist and also a single mom. Thankfully for the director, we are not dragged into the flashback for much time. The whole flashback is cleverly shown in just one song(Ittifaak se) and for what turns out to be quite obvious, Abhishek Bachhan(Amol) does not want to marry Vidya(she is carrying his child) because he wants to help his father in politics and is not ready for so much responsibility.                                                                              

Vidya stages a walkout because she wants to have the kid. In another scene between Vidya and her Mom, its queer how Vidya keeps saying she can't have the kid because of the society, because she still has 3 years of her medical education left and how her mom keeps asking her whether she wants to have the kid. Bollywood normally has torturous scenes where the unmarried girl is forced to abort her child to escape the wrath of the society and lo! here for a change, maybe in a way manifesting the changing mentality of our parents, the scene is moving in quite a contrary direction.

Meantime, Amol has become a budding politician keen to show the masses that politics ain't that dirty as they deem it to be. In one of his political appearances that he makes, he lands up in Auro's school totally unaware that Auro is his own kid, yet totally awed by Auro's thinking. The blank globe, where its not about my country or your country, there are no regional bounderies and we are all one. Its humorous how Auro explains to his mom, how he stole the globe from the staff room and painted it white, not too much effort for the "Visionary of India" prize that he was bestowed upon :D

How Amol meets up with his son Auro and the uncanny attachment between them is shown well. How Vidya explains to her son that they do not want to be a "hichki" in Amol's life is a good scene but again flawed considering the fact that its a 12 year old we are talking about.

The script is flawed in many places, may it be Amol openly getting infuriated at the media or Auro speaking quite maturely like a grown up. The scene where he asks for pickle,not for himself but for his mom, telling her not to sacrifice something that she does not have to. Or the kids at Auro's school, talking about the meaning of Bastard, its very strange how kids are brought upto the level of grown-ups and are shown to think like mature 20 plus something guys or gals.

Big B,Vidya Balan have given their best performance, Vidya being given a befitting role. Abhishek looks convincing as a politician but I wish he was given better dialogues, and please why was he made to say that he was happy "not wearing a condom" :| and that was why he had Auro. That sounded quite stupid. Auro calling his granny "Bum" because she has a big bum :D the obsessive talk about potty :D there are some witty one liners here and there which keep you in the movie thus saving itself. Not to forget Arundhati Naag who plays Vidya's mother. Quite an impressive performance, hers.

Overall, Paa is a good effort by ABCL after a long gap. Amitabh Bachhan in one of his best unconventional roles steals the show followed by Vidya Balan, no other actress could have done this role better than her.

A lot of credit goes to Stephan Dupuis for a very realistic make-up.And hats off to Big B cause it wasnt easy to get the makeup applied either. An article about that here

A Thumbs up and 3 stars to Paa ***

Life

Our lives are made up of million moments,

spent in a million different ways.

Some are spent searching for love,peace and harmony.

Others are spent surviving day to day.

But there is no greater moment than

when we find that life,

with all its joys n sorrows,

is meant to be lived one day at a time.

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I got this as a Good Morning mail  from one of my friends and found it to be profoundly meaningful.

Rejoice, cherish the moments of joy. Stand firm in face of sorrows and difficult times. But do not forget to be "in the moment". Whether, it be joy or sorrow, realize its in the now. Regretting about the past or worrying about the future will not benefit in any way and will only perturb the mind.

Someone has said it correctly. Life is like an ice-cream, eat it before it melts. We have only one life, then why shouldn't we make the most of it. Why don't we begin today by simply doing the following

/**  Love our dear ones, let them know how much we care.

/**  Exercise daily and be healthy.

/**  Think good positive thoughts.

/**  Help the needy.

/**  Set realistic goals and strive to achieve them.

/**  Simply smile. It costs nothing to smile.

/**  Appreciate nature and the way God created it.

/**  Innovate,Learn something new.

/**  Make friends, read good books.

/**  Relax, listen to some good music.

You do not require to be wealthy or knowledgeable to enjoy life's precious moments. All that is needed is the realization that we are entitled to all that life gives and takes in its full magnitude.Why then should we let it go? Start every day anew and live to its fullest.

Would you like to add any other ways in which you would like to enjoy moments in your life?

One Step at a Time

This is a golden lesson, a lesson in standing on our own feet that mothers teach their babies, when the tiny tots are keen to learn how to walk. This very small and simple act serves as the best illustration as to how simple things in life can be achieved.

Baby Steps!! yes :) that is what will help you to efficiently finish any task that you undertake. In the simplest of words, take one step at a time towards your goals, dreams or ambitions. One small step will take you a long way. Also it would keep you consistent on your path, since you wouldn't be too fast or too slow, you would just be in the right steady pace. A slow and gradual step towards your goal would build your self-confidence and keep you moving in the right direction without any deviations.

One step at a time has its own plus points..I have listed down the points I could ponder..

+ Motivation Making smaller commitments to yourself is easier and easy to accomplish. Once accomplished, you get the necessary motivation to keep pushing. You get the drive needed to achieve more. Say, for instance weight loss, if you lose a kilo in a month which is quite doable, you are inclined to lose more the next month. Hence one baby step at a time is quite a motivation booster.

+ Clarity Consider yourself the developer for a software product. You don't come up with the whole architecture, the whole system in a day. You brainstorm, you build upon each module, you take one step at a time. This aids in clarity of each module, how each module interconnects with each other, the functionality of each module in isolation as well as unision. See the magic of one small step at a time, helps us to think simple, implement simply, stay away from cluttered thoughts and gradually build upon.

+ Satisfaction As you look back and track your progress at each step of your journey, you will be filled with immense self-satisfaction. This satisfaction would steer you forward as you keep looking back. Every success achieved would pave the path for another.

+ Patience & Calm Focussing on one step at a time builds patience and pacifies oneself. Have you ever observed what multi-tasking leads to?? Restlessness, anxiety, stress,distraction. On the contrary, one task at a time can be nipped in the bud quickly and without much botheration, you are able to concentrate better since a single task is at hand.

Do you have any other plusses that taking one step at a time would add to?? Please do share...

While I can run, I'll run ;
While I can walk, I'll walk ;
When I can crawl, I'll crawl.
But by the grace of God, I'll always be moving forward.
Cavett Robert

The Benefits of Walking

"Walk and Talk" is quite a popular ad of Idea these days. And why not? It makes a lot of sense, its a wonderful way of advertising and at the same time conveying a message related to health. The advertiser has strategically used health as a means to advertise owing to the fact that health/weight loss is one of the buzzwords these days. 

You see Gyms popping up in each and every area, some even 24 X 7. You see Sugar free ads, you see so many health magazines on the news stalls and now-a-days there is much increased awareness about food stuffs, which fat is healthy, which is not. In a world, where technology is progressing at a rapid rate, the advent of obesity is also on the rise. With our sedentary lifestyles, we ought to be concerned. Also, with our busy schedules, sometimes its hard to be a regular gymmer. And hence, I am talking about the benefits of walking.

All you need for a good brisk walk is a pair of good walking shoes, an mp3 player(if you get bored like me while walking),good company and the most important a good levelled walking area. Good shoes are a must as they will help you give a good walking grip and help you to maintain a steady pace. Also one should try to wear comfortable track pants and a tshirt. Now for a person, who has just begun walking should take it easy and maintain a comfortable pace. It is important to keep the body relaxed. The sole aim of walking is to exercize the body while remaining calm, don't let your shoulders get strained or legs feel the pain.  Walk straight, do not droop and maintain natural motion. The right way to walk is such that the heel should strike the ground first in a walking step, not the front of the foot.

I know its hard to get the motivation to start but once you look at the benefits of walking mentioned below, am sure you would be urged to start walking your way to health :

1) Walking helps to burn fat. Walking is a cardio exercize and just like walking on the treadmill helps you to burn fat, so does walking and what can be better that its a no-brainer, you need no machine and you have a natural eco-environment unlike the fabricated environment of the gym.

2) Boosts energy levels. Sit in your house whole day, and just observe the difference after a 30 minute walk. You will feel more energetic.

3) Boosts mental fitness, cures depression

4) Helps cure sleeplesness, walking keeps stress at bay.Stress usually interferes with sleep, walking thus helps.

5) Since its a cardio exercize, walking is good for reducing blood pressure and keeping a healthy heart.

6) Brisk walking 30 minutes a day is good for boosting your metabolism.

7) It helps in increasing your flexibility, by strengthening your muscles, bones and joints, thereby toning your body.

So..Walk away and make way for a healthier you!!!

26/11

As 26/11 is drawing near, and most News Channels have started having discussions on it,  I happened to watch one such program on Times Now last Sunday.The discussion was how do we feel about 26/11, now that we are close to its anniversary, do we feel angry, do we feel determined or sorrowful? While watching the same, I felt that isn't it pointless to have such sessions? What do we achieve from them? The discussion just served as a painful recalling of dark events,one such instance being where the photographer Sebastian D'souza talked on his memory of how he photographed Kasaab on CST station where the man slaughter was on and how he was not proud of that photo..since it was associated with a bad event..

Instead if media could summarize what went wrong, what could have been improved in the plan to counter the terrorists, how more lives could have been saved..can't the media experts in turn work with the government experts to implement the changes? We have the full footage now..of all the 26/11 happenings, we have all the facts, how the infiltration happened..can't we analyse them and be ready for any such further attacks..

One should watch the documentary on 26/11 directed by Dan Reed here. Its a live account of the 26/11 massacre, with live conversations of the terrorists with their pakistani counterparts, urging them to kill more people..telling them with enthusiasm that the Taj attack was being given maximum coverage on TV, that they are coming closer to heaven. That killing one Jew is equivalent to killing 50 other people. Its nerve wrecking how victims relive their experiences, give first hand accounts of how the Pak terrorists mercilessly killed people like how a child would use toy guns to fire at people.How they hadno signs of horror or shame on their faces, 20 something boys trained to such perfection to murder innocent human lives.

With this documentary some shocking facts also came alive. The one scene where a policeman tries to fire at Kasaab while he and his fellow mate are exiting CST station and his rifle jams!! Can you imagine that?? the rifle jams!! anti-terrorism squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare was wearing a bullet proof jacket and yet he succumbed to death . What does this manifest?? Jamming rifles, sub-standard bullet proof jackets! Is our security system, security personnel equipped enough to counter such terror attacks??

It is unimaginable, the wave of terror that was spread by just 10 terrorists from Pakistan. Is human life so cheap in India that infiltrators come easily, may it be a busy city station, a cafe, a jewish educational centre or 5 star hotels and start shooting at people as if there is no value of life!! Just 10 terrorists and a whole city terrified, 62 hours of massacre, 170 lives taken. And Kasaab the only terrorist alive out of the 10 hasn't been sentenced yet. The stark irony being that the anniversary of 26/11 just a day away and still justice hasn't been served. What can be more shameful than this for a nation like ours.

UP is UPlifting..UP you go :)

Picture courtesy : Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures

This is the first 3D animation from Pixar, yet another triumph for them.Pixar and Disney have done it again.

Indeed, Up is a charming and such a sweet movie. In some of its scenes, it touched me more than any non-animation movie. There are such real emotions in the movie that you might actually want to shed a tear or two while watching some scenes.After Ratatouille and Wall E, its UP :) And yes UP is going to go very up in its ratings.Currently, its IMDB rating is 8.5. And the tomatometer is 98% :) yey!!!

The movie's characters exude such warmth. Carl and Ellie as a sweet couple, taking life's ups and downs with a smile and Russel, the cute plump wilderness scout who is keen to earn an elderly assistance badge.Kevin, the trotting peacock-like bird, Dug the talking dog :D

In the beginning of the movie I thought its similar to Wall-E where there were such minimal dialogues. Since early in UP too, there is a non-verbal set of scenes potraying how Carl and Ellie met, fell in love, got married, could not have any children and finally slipped to old age. What superb story telling without a single word. And so profoundly moving.   

Carl and Ellie share this dream of having a Venezulean trip to the Paradise falls. Which Carl gets an urge to fulfill after Ellie expires. I love the balloon scene :) The house soaring with a bouquet of balloons...its such a happy scene :) its a balloon house cum plane :D looks so cool,so swell, so colorful in the blue sky..people exclaiming at it sight.What imagination!!  How Carl and Russel in their eventful journey bond and come to like each other, how Carl fulfills Ellie's dream and also learns an important lesson about what really matters in life. Quite a heart-moving story.

My favorite scenes in the movie, are the soaring house for one and the scene where after placing the house on Paradise falls mountain, Carl again flaps the pages of Ellie's adventure book. He stumbles on the many photos of theirs, capturing all their happy moments, each photo placed with care and thought :) These pages were meant to be filled once her dream of building the house on Paradise falls mountain got fulfilled. This very scene conveyed such a simple learning. We might not always get what we dream. The things/goals achieved in the process of achieving your dreams hold equal or maybe much more importance :) Wonderful, just a wonderful movie..

Personally I was glued to the movie every single moment while I was watching, was spellbound by it, so mesmerizing at times. An incredible movie, kids would love it, adults would enjoy it. UP is a must-watch, go watch it!!

Some extras:
See The director Pete Docter and the production designer Ricky Nierva discuss their work designing characters for the 3-D animated film “Up.” here
Quite interesting to see each character has been given such thought, some study has been done for each like for Dug, the talking dog

Watch the gallery of UP pics here

 

Indulge in Green Tea, Indulge in good health

Its high time we stopped consuming normal tea and coffee and switch to the very healthy green tea. So myriad are the benefits of green tea that one should start its consumption necessarily. Its a boon for people seeking weight loss especially.

The weight loss benefit is owing to the fact that Green Tea increases your metabolism rate by 4%. Ain't that great!!! Now after having read various sources, it has been said that consuming 3-5 cups of green tea per day can help you in reducing 70 calories a day. On other sites, they metioned drinking 5 cups a day such as here

Also green tea helps to increase the good cholestrol which is HDL and lowers the bad cholestrol LDL.Green tea has polyphenols which has anti-cancer properties, helps blood clotting and lowers cholestrol levels

It is very beneficial for people suffering from diabetes as atechins in green tea help to inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells thus controlling obesity. Green tea may also act as a glucose regulator. It helps to slow the rise in blood sugar after a meal.I have read that it can even treat diabetes.

Green tea protects the destruction of brain cells thereby making the probability of contracting Parkinson’s to minimal levels within our body. Also it strengthens the immune system thereby protecting the body against various disorders

Green tea also helps in maintaining dental health. It aids in digestion and reduces bloating.

A very detailed article on green tea benefits can be read here

I myself have tried Twinings Green Tea and Mint, it has a particularly good aroma and is easy to drink. Pack of 10 tea bags costs 35 bucks. Yet to try Lipton green tea, cheaper at 18 bucks for a pack of 10 tea bags.Can be tried with a dash of fresh lemon juice and honey to add to the taste.

I am surely gonna drink my way to good health, so should you :)

Atonement..You can only imagine the truth

Atonement implies making amends for a wrong doing. Here the atonement is being made by Briony Tallis, a 13 year old precocious girl who lives with on her family estate with her mother and sister(Cecilia Tallis/Keira Knightley).She is shown to be an avid writer.

Robbie(James McAvoy) is the family's servants' son whose education at Cambridge was kindly paid by the Tallis family. In an encounter between Robbie and Cecilia near the fountain, both of them realise the attraction and heat they both feel for each other, but the same encounter witnessed by Briony from the window is mistaken by her. Also because Robbie is Briony's crush.

After the fountain incident, Briony reads a letter intended for Cecilia and concludes that Robbie is a sex maniac as the letter was quite sexually explicit.Robbie never meant to send that version of the letter but mistakenly does. Robbie arrives for dinner at their house. He and Cecilia discuss the letter and admit their love for one another. They make passionate love in the library but are discovered by Briony

When Briony' cousin Lola is raped, she tells the police that it was Robbie she saw committing the deed when in fact it was a visitor to the estate.

A Wounded and vexed Briony deliberately gives witness against Robbie without realising its repercussions. Robbie is taken as a war soldier, an option given to prisoners. Cecilia becomes a nurse warden, Robbie and Cecilia meet before Robbie goes on the duty of war, Cecilia wants him to come back.

The immense feeling of love that both feel for each other. The postcard that Cecilia give Robbie to remind him of her. Alas, Robbie dies on the last day of evacuation and Cecilia died a few months later when a German bomb burst a water main and flooded the subway tunnel in which she and other Londoners had taken refuge during the Blitz.

In the climax, Briony is shown in a TV interview in which she is talking about her 21st novel Atonement, which is also her last novel as she is dying. Atonement is an autobiographical novel in which she has tried to give the happiness to her sister Cecilia and Robbie which she so prevented them from having in real life. The scene when she goes to meet her sister to say how terribly sorry she was for having given the wrong evidence, the audience might think happened really. But here in the interview, its clarified that she never had the guts to do that.

She wanted to have a happy ending for both of them in her book to atone of her sins. The movie ends with a happy scene.Robbie and Cecilia walk down the beach on a bright, beautiful day. On the steps of the seaside cottage, they look at the beautiful white cliffs, then disappear inside.

What an extraordinary atonement..a heart wrenching story..

Revolutionary Road

Kate Winslet has played a remarkable role in this movie released in 2008.As April she is shown to manifest varied emotions, disappointing as an actress, trying hard as a housewife, still lost in life and trying to find a meaning in the hopelessness and emptiness. Trying to find a place of her own in the world.

Her husband Frank, having a typical office job is frustrated with the emptiness too. Then one day April recalls the fire that was in Frank whilst his youth. His talk of going to Paris and she puts forth a plan, where they should move to Paris. Why? So that he can really find the time to know what he really wants to do in his life, while she would be working in one of the government organisations and be the bread winner.Frank agrees to this irrational, impractical plan. Thereafter, they are shown to be in a state of such happiness, they proudly tell their friends that they are moving away for good, for discovering the real happiness, for witnessing the beauty of Paris.

In the meantime, Frank is getting offered a promotion to work with the chief executive on a new project: computers and hence is in a dilemma as to what to do. When April comes to know of this and also that shes pregnant, the whole plan goes to ashes.

April is shown so unhappy, this part that Kate Winslet has played so brilliantly. In her misery, she still puts up a smile in front of her husband before she gives herself an abortion. Her misery finally takes her life.

The perfect Wheeler couple story is shown to end in sheer tragedy

A melancholic movie with some great acting by Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet, based on a novel by Richard Yates.

Ajab Prem ki Bore Kahani.

Well..this movie certainly qualifies to be added to the list of movies which are advised to be watched leaving your brains at home..The movie scored in nothing, the only consolation was watching the gorgeous Katrina Kaif and the chocolate boy Ranbir Kapoor although both wasted in underrated roles.

The story begins with this school dropout guy Prem(Ranbir Kapoor who runs a certain Happy Club, members being all good-for-nothing people. A total निकम्मा guy to be precise. Parents keep cursing him for doing nothing..In comes Jenny (Katrina Kaif), an orphan who lives with her parents, who just want to get rid of her by marrying her off to some rich Christian guy Tony. And here we are shown another agonizing set of scenes where Prem helps Jenny to elope..only to realize that she already has a boyfriend Rahul(Upen Patel) My God, why on earth he was given that role, I fail to understand.  Gazab kahani actually :|

Finally Jenny falls for Prem.I do not want to go into the details why and how.There is lil humour here and there, but its not enough to save the movie..Even the music fails to impress..A total bore, this movie. Thumbs down for Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani.

तेरे खुशबू मैं बसे ख़त..

 तेरे खुशबू में बसे ख़त मैं जलाता कैसे..

प्यार में डूबे हुए ख़त मैं जलाता कैसे..

तेरे हाथों के लिखे ख़त मैं जलाता कैसे..

जिनको दुनिया की निगाहों से छुपाये रक्खा..

जिनको एक उम्र कलेजे से लगाए रक्खा..

दीं जिनको जिन्हें ईमान बनाए रक्खा..

तेरे खुशबू मैं बसे ख़त मैं जलाता कैसे..

जिनका हर लफ्ज़ मुझे याद पानी की तरह..

याद थे मुझको जो पैगाम-ए-जुबानी की तरह..

मुझको प्यारे थे जो अनमोल निशानी की तरह..

तेरे खुशबू मैं बसे ख़त मैं जलाता कैसे..

दूर दुनिया की निगाहों से जो बचाकर लिक्खे..

साल हां साल मेरे नाम बराबर लिक्खे..

कभी दिन मैं कभी रात मैं उठ कर लिक्खे..

तेरे खुशबू मैं बसे ख़त मैं जलाता कैसे..

तेरे खुशबू से भरे ख़त मैं जलाता कैसे..

प्यार में डूबे हुए ख़त मैं जलाता कैसे..

तेरे हाथों के लिखे ख़त मैं जलाता कैसे..

तेरे ख़त आज मैं गंगा में बहा आया हूँ..

तेरे ख़त आज मैं गंगा में बहा आया हूँ..

आग बहते हुए पानी में लगा आया हूँ..

Nostalgia..

Ahh what days those were!! Trip to buy a pair of earrings for each of us(junk jwellery :P), evening snack at Juice Junction which was primarily a hot grilled Brown Bread Sandwich followed by a 1/2 juice at times..or mouth watering Paani Poori(this mention is especially for one of my dudette friends Preeti, am sure you are getting tempted even at the mention of this Preeti ;) also the brown bread mention was a tribute to our evening time together :) )..or a cup of hot chai and steaming plain dosa at Krishna Udupi..Lunch at Graamin..or Dessert at Corner House(This one's for Priya, one of my very sweet friends :D, yeah Priya I know you feel like a Death By Chocolate now :D)or Window shopping at Forum & to have something at Transit, look at the Soch sari outlet(remember Sanghamitra? :) ) Am musing if I have forgotten something..Oh yes...and the chat trips to Anand Sweets :P Amazing days!! Just so incredible that I won't ever forget them..And how did I not mention the post lunch chai sessions :D the post lunch walks..

I mean what more do you need to enjoy life..A good group of friends..who have common interests( Junk Jwellery and Gossip for us.. :D hee hee & oh oh I forgot!! commenting on ridiculous dressing sense of others, now don't mind this since it was for pure fun :D)

Feel so fortunate to have had such a good time with people I enjoy being so much with..Sanghamitra with her one liners :D Priya almost always busy in her work (But not these days ;) ) and Preeti always ready with tips on trendy dressing and health food :D Sigh! I miss you guys so much..so much that I had to write this post today..Just today I realised how much these little joyful moments meant to me..Those days will never come back again..but memories do remain..I hope you remember me too..maybe by looking at the junk jwellery I got for each one of you...or the capsicum curry that I prepared(the besan one yes :) ) or for the food court instance, when me and Sanghamitra ended up having bhel poori after a bland plate of Salad(which we started eating very enthusiastically but ended up making faces :D) or for the chikki Priya?? :)

I can't even express in words..how much I have begun to feel that no one can fill the places that each one of you held in my life and still hold..No matter what gals..I will always cherish your friendship..All of you rock!!! This post is especially for the three of you..my buddies..Preeti, Priya and Sanghamitra....Huggs

Writing is a great way to bust mental funk

Recently I found myself irked by boredom, routine, doing the same chores , same tasks day by day. I felt so vexed by it that I started to look for a way to relieve myself. I found reading blogs is a very constructive way to use time at hand. And there is a plethora of such fine quality blogs out there. Just do not understand how I was untouched by such a vast blogosphere out there. Anyhow am happy am part of it now.

While going through my usual reading routine I found this blog http://www.thehappyself.com/10-ways-to-bust-out-of-a-mental-funk It was just what I needed. Mental funk , that was exactly what I was struggling with.Generally, I find myself in a mental funk due to being very much in routine or having too much leisure that leads to a feeling of unproductivity. And the blog suggests such doable ways to bust out of it, am glad I read this post. Although I also feel that its easier said that done. 

When all is said and done

more is said and less is done

In addition to the points listed there, I think the last one "Compliment yourself", that was the one that helped rekindle the spirit in me. Definitely, the first point would maybe be the best solution of breaking out of the trap of mental funk. But when you are really in it, it takes immense efforts even to take a single step towards breaking out. At that juncture, you need a driving force, maybe just a flicker of hope that may come in any minimal form.

For me, it came in the form of user comments on my blog for the topic Minimalism. Here I was, in the inertia of dullness, sluggishness and all the synonyms of depression or blues and lo, I see some comments on one of my posts. That really cheered me up :-) I would associate it with complimenting myself. 

I had not written from couple of days giving into some mental blocks. Fortunately for the comments, thanks to all who commented, thanks for providing me the tiny bit of inspiration and motivation. 

And finally I feel free, out of the clenches of the blues..I owe this all to writing, to the ability that we have so that we can pen down our thoughts, may they be simple, yet they provide a different kind of freedom to the soul..

The only time I know that something is true is the moment I discover it in the act of writing.
Jean Malaquais

A relief from Ektaa Kapoor serials on TV

Am fortunate or some would say unfortunate to have a TV. Not that am a couch potato but yes its a good to watch something while eating dinner or while cutting vegetables(yes I make my own dinner, even thats a big relief)

All the saga of Saas Bahu serials, all the politics and conspiracy games in families, thankfully all those serials no longer come on TV, or maybe I have stopped watching that channel. You should try watching the channel Colors if you do not already. It has some very good quality serials and couple of them are on social issues which makes them all the more interesting to watch.

Baalika Vadhu on child marriage and widow remarriage. Naa aana is des Laado on female infanticide. And both of these serials are female oriented serials, the head in the family being a female. Such classy and genuine characters, each one are appreciable in their own role. No wonder TRP rating of Colors channel is so high.

Bye bye to ekta kappoor serials and Welcome to Colors :)

Never Resign to Fate

There maybe instances in life when it would be easier to resign yourself to fate than fight the odds. But that would be a cowards' path to take. Yes, it may take a lot of relentless effort to come out of your trials and tribulations but it definitely is worth the effort.

Why should one be hell bent on leading a life which does not give one the bare essentials of happiness. Where one is given no importance, where one is stuck for a loved one and bearing all the pain for no love, no respect in return. How meaningless, how torturous such a life would be, it is difficult even to imagine. Everyday would be like burden.

I have seen people in situations where coming out is the only solution. By coming out I mainly mean breaking out of a relationship. Making or breaking a relationship demands tremendous effort from any individual and that is always a life changing step, one that has serious, positive or negative implications on ones' life. And both are equally difficult to be decided upon. 

Religion and spirituality teach us to be patient, that things will be fine one day but that does not mean weaving a new world far away from the realms of reality. For, the need of the day is to be practical and stay in reality. One needs to be proactive for solving any relationship issues. Merely waiting for the day to come when things would be fine is just utopian theory.

I highly appreciate individuals who opt for a divorce when they foresee that it would be difficult or not feasible to carry on a relationship. Brave are those individuals, it takes heart, more than that it takes guts to end a relationship. How liberating it could feel and at the same time painful. But the question here would be are you leading a life you really wanted to or it is just an arrangement that you have made with fate?

And what if there is a child involved? The situation then becomes much more complex. Couples  try to stick together just for the sake of the child, not giving thought to the fact that the child also becomes aware of the cold war, the mental tension that has come between the parents. And this has a bad impact on the child. Single parenting sure would be tough but at least the child would have a healthy environment and if the single parent can provide for the child in health and sickness, what more is needed?

In instances, where people stay on, resign themselves to their fate, everyday is a slow death. Everyday is a step towards killing the person that you really are. Everyday is a compromise.

So this is what I have learnt today "Never Resign to Fate"

I dedicate this post to my father whom I so respect, my respect for him grows each day. He is my inspiration in life. Thanks for everything Papa!

Big Boss ??? Naaaa

Today I was watching Big Boss on TV. Yeah yeah in my defence, I was busy doing one of my chores while my parents were following it. And I had no option but to steal a sight once a while, mostly I was passively listening to the drama.

First and foremost and that seems to be the USP of the show :D Each character they have picked for staying in the house is so unique and I must say some of them are real samples, at least I felt so. The ones I really felt irritated with were Jaya Sawant. I mean com'on Aunty jee isn't it enough your daughter doing drama on reality shows when you felt the need to plunge in? but I must say you provide no entertainment :P Only Rakhi is proficient in that :D Rakhi I hope does not take this as a compliment :P

Next in line is that Kamal Khan, first of all I do not know who this guy is. But one thing am sure of even his mike would be begging for mercy. He has this umm how should I say it, a very shrill voice which is not at all कर्णप्रिय. If you know what I mean, myself I would like to be deaf rather than be around such a person. Sorry KK. no offense for you, I am just irritated with your voice and by the way it influences your personality.

Hmm, let me see, yess how can we miss Vindoo when we are counting others.Now folks this one is very foxy, knows how to shift the blame, when to take the blame and use each situation to his advantage. I think the others in the house should "beware" of him. Basically, looks like He's the Boss now.

Sherlyn Chopra?? Gosh!!! I just don't like her. Ok guys I know you might but I don't care. She just comes around like a gal who has a lot of attitude. The kinda gal who can mix up only with guys. Exactly what is happening in Big Boss now..

Ooooooh, Rohit, the fashion designer. I know the world is ready for its gay people but puleeeez, I do not want to see this sissy of a person on the show. Even Ross was better(Friends wala Ross :P)

Well..My list of "Not like" people ends here..All the Best to the others..Hope I do not follow Big Boss :| Although my father says its a physchological test for the people, I think its total crap of a show. What do you think??

10 Quotes on Happiness..

Happiness is a state of mind. It maybe due to the very trivial of things, nonetheless its a state of high that must be thoroughly enjoyed. For..life is short...

1) "Happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you" -- Nathaniel Hawthorne

2) "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." -- Mahatma Gandhi

3) "Happiness is like a cat, If you try to coax it or call it, it will avoid you; it will never come. But if you pay not attention to it and go about your business, you'll find it rubbing against your legs and jumping into your lap." -- William Bennett

4) “Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower, and draws all good things toward you.” — Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

5)“Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best,” and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called. — A.A. Milne

6) “Life is made up of small pleasures. Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. And if you don’t collect all these tiny successes, the big ones don’t really mean anything.” — Norman Lear

7) "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light." --Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter

8)"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion." --

The Dalai Lama

9)“The foolish person seeks happiness in the distance; the wise person grows it under his feet.” -- James Oppenheim

10) "Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory." -- Albert Schweitzer

Magnolia - The Movie

After having watched the movie, I endeavored to reason how the name of the movie was apt enough.

Well Magnolia is a flower as the movie poster vividly depicts and just as every petal is different, similarly the varied characters. But just as all the petals are connected to the one flower, so too are the people in the film interconnected. Marvellously thought name.
IMDB rating of the movie:8.2, Director:Paul Thomas Anderson

Brilliant interconnection of characters and the story of each.

Story of a dying man,Earl Partridge repenting having left his son at the age of 14 and a dying wife, repentful that he cheated on his wife. Married Linda.

The nurse Phil brilliantly played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, who endeavors to contact Frank T.J Mackey(Tom Cruise), the dying mans' son. As opinions go, this is by large the best performance given by Tom Cruise in the year 1999. Personally, am not a big fan of his. And plus his role in the movie, that of a Seduction Guru is well played by him.Although the character has been made to use some over offensive language.

Linda(Juliaane Moore), the dying mans wife, shown hysterical and maniacal. Mostly shown swearing in the movie, the part I disliked most. Self-realization dawns on her in the end and eats her conscience.

William H Macy, the Quiz kid Donnie Smith who is no longer smart as he deems himself and need a pair of braces just to befriend someone he think he loves, a bartender! Parents who never treated him well..the once whiz kid now shown desperate for love.

Jimmy Gator, the quiz anchor, who confesses to his wife about their daughter Claudia and how he had ravaged her.


Not to forget the cop who gets all cry baby when he loses his gun.


As quoted by Cole Smithey http://www.colesmithey.com/reviews/2009/03/-magnolia.html, I liked these lines of his best

Just as something so reliably surprising as the weather can modify people’s behavior, "Magnolia" encompasses an inter-connective human bond that accepts reality’s blind spots. Purity of intention, as the story suggests, is a happy accident that can hit everyone.