I Recommend(AmitL)

Hi,all!!I'm sure you all had a Happy Diwali and a Dazzling New Year!!On to the interesting topic of the month: 

I recommend:

- Smiling in the dark when you wake up in the morning.

- Drinking 3-4 glasses of water before brushing your teeth.

- Saying a prayer before distracting your thought processes with TV/radio/newspaper

- Reading at least one positive thought, like' Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use'

-Exercise for 15-20 minutes-be it walking/jogging in place,walking outside,stretching,et al.

- Now,my favourite-have a cup of tea.

- Think about one thing/person you're grateful about, in life.

- At work/office/college/school: If someone's annoying you,think of one good part of their personality.  Your responses to their spoken words will make you the winner.

- After lunch,i.e. the afternoon period,when your efficiency's going down: Think of your motivation for the day/week: Could be something you plan for the evening,or for the weekend. It could be salary day coming up. (Of course,if that doesn't work, a painkiller pill like Combiflam is the last option...at least for me..LOL)

- In the evenings-now,this one's really difficult,unless you're a forced bachelor/ette like me- keep some 'time out' for yourself- for a calming bath/shower or to read a book you've been meaning to since quite some time or to listen to 'Chak De Phatte' kind of songs which can't fail to put your feet in tip-tap motion,to sit in silence for a few minutes.....endless possibilities.

- During anytime of the day,you can also try 'palming'-i.e. covering both eyes with your palms while keeping the eyes open and looking at the endless blackness...does wonders,sometimes,but,only if the mind is not too tense.

- Before going to dreamland and after taking the relaxing bath/shower: Close your eyes/pray and Thank God for letting another day pass by without any major health issues,any major problems,except,of course,for those petty nuisances(Colleagues arguing,kids shouting/fighting,wifey cribbing,friends ignoring....LOL) which,when you think of it, are what really make your life worth living-bringing the variety which adds spice to what would otherwise be a dreary existence!!:)

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Post script::If you can follow even half of the above tips, hats off to you!!I haven't been successful to that level so far(Except for the prayer parts) !!!And,then,again,maybe that's again what brings variety to life-being happy doing some of these things,and,being unhappy because I lost my temper/felt sad,etc!!Life's too precious,after all!

Happy Diwali!

It's your life... live it up!!

Hey folks!! I have been away... a long time from blogsville. Despite having hit a block amongst other worldly matters, Ishi's suggestion hit hard: "I recommend". I didn't really have to think about it. I simply knew... such is the simplicity of the topic. So without much ado lemme plough ahead.

In these past few months, while I have been running around to get a few things done and finally moving to a distant land, I lost touch with a few things. It was during the 10 hr flight from Kolkata to London, watching Kung-fu Panda 36000 ft above sea level, I was lost in introspection. I took a stock of my life in the past 3 years and tried to come tally out the good and bad incidents during that phase. Soon, I realised... somewhere along while I did find a part of me, whose existence I had doubts upon, I had also lost out on parts which were mine. Good riddance?? I dunno!! But, I had changed enough to have a high blood pressure, losing my temper at the slightest of pretext, had become more demanding or may be exacting!!

And when I compared them to the better things in life I've had during that time, I chanced upon what I would say, I have adopted as a fundamental principle and would love to follow all my life.
And this is what I recommend everyone:
Get out... think out of the box... life is not meant for conventional thinking... you have only one life!!
Be bold, be brave... stand up for what you believe in!!
Party hard, sing like it its your last, dance like no ones watching you!!
Smile always... love every moment!!
Someone has hurt you? Fair enuf!! Move on.. don't brood!!
Let love happen to you.... step out and get drenched in the rain!!
Love someone as if this is the last chance you'll ever have!!
You may not achieve all that you want, but make a success out of what you get!!
Last, there's a lot to do, lot to see, loads to laugh about, loads to cry about, dozens to moan about, scores to win over.... but time is at a premium. So don't spend your life stuck at one point!!

I may have missed a few points here... but this is what I firmly believe in. Silently I might have been following most of it, but this may be the first time I'm jotting it down!!

Cheerio
It's your life... live it up!!

Topics(AmitL)

Firstly, welcome back to Ishi-reading your post,and, noting that you were always 'in touch'with BUF, during the past few months,brought a smile to my face, as also Keshi's warm welcome comment to the post.

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Topics- that's certainly a nice'topic' suggested by Keshi. The first thing which comes to mind is people- people who can talk on any topics, who can link any word you say, with a whole stream of talk on that word,nee,topic. Sometimes, I admire such people and their gift of gab. At other times,particularly when I'm trying to concentrate on something else, I feel like asking such people' what will make you shut up?'(But, naturally, I don't-instead, I follow the age-ole dictum of 'ignorance is bliss'- just stare blankly at the person or the wall behind him while he/she is gabbing, and they'll get the message pretty fast.

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Let me give an example of such 'topical experts: (I'll try one of the above topics with them, one of these days-always good to get a bit of GK)

- Friend: This guy,whether he's solo or when we are in a group. If I make polite talk by saying' Isn't the weather improving?'- there, that's the signal for him to go off into a discourse on how the weather changes from exceptionally hot in the five summer months, to cool in October-Nov to cold for the next three. (Of course, he forgets that I've been here for six years). He even talks about the cloud seeding which they do here to bring rain, which also is something I know. So, to change the topic, I talk about traffic fines- and, off he goes, talking of how the fines and charges for visas and so on are continually making life difficult for people. So, again, I change the topic to movies. And, off he goes- how can one spend 300 bucks(it's 25 dirhams, here, for a ticket) on a movie you might not even enjoy? blah blah I prefer to watch TV instead blah blah....

- People in India: It's the same with some people in India, too....they can flit from topic to topic with ease- right from the prices of kaanda-batata(onions n potatoes) to inflation in general to train fares to stinking toilets at railway stations to school fees to how government servants continue to take bribes to rising electricity bills to petrol costs ....ad infinitum- the sky's the limit for these people. And, particularly, if you're coming from abroad, they're even more keen to show off their general knowledge of the world to you. And, I just hate to prick their bubble of happiness, when they ask a question like ' Are you in proper Dubai?', as if they're veterans of this Emirate. (Incidentally, the answer is 'there's nothing like proper or improper Dubai, the Emirate is just like one of our Metro cities, and everywhere you go, is a part of Dubai only)...but,me being me, I just politely nod my head and tell them where I stay,work,etc,and they nod understandingly like I'm talking of Chinchpokhli or Borivali.

But then, all said and done, let me admit-I feel envious of such people- why?No reason-maybe because I've always been more of an avid listener than a talker? Maybe because I prefer to talk only when I feel it makes sense to exercise the vocal chords and make people listen?Maybe because I'm more of a writer than a talker? Ahahaha! Anyway, give me time-maybe I'll master the gift of the gab one of these days!

Cheerio and let me say'I'm already working on Ishi's brilliant topic suggestion'I recommend'. Keshi, I wonder, will you post before I do?*challenging,rolling eyes*.

Better late than never (Ishita)

About time I put up a post here!!! I meant to do so earlier but got caught up with stuff at home (been updating my blog with whatever's on with me)....

BUF is one blog that I have followed through out my self imposed break. There were days when I would get to BUF even without going through my own blog :) ... I must thank those of you who still get here for sustaining it. Though I do miss the ones who well aren't around. But then I tell myself just as I had reasons to stay away, I am sure they have theirs.

I won't put an update on my life. Most of you know it all :)

I will however make a topic suggestion. It's quite a simple one really. How about a topic called "I recommend..." so basically u can write about whatever u want to recommend to people...a book, a dish, a movie, a blog, clothes, places to visit, suggestions to improve BUF!, blogging tips....u have an idea to recommend...just go ahead write about it!

I'll get back once I work on mine :) ...

Of course apart from Kesh and Amit no one's been posting regularly here...but BUF's a blog and even one person is enough to make it work :) ... I'll do my bit and send out a mail to everyone (just presuming that some don't get here at all and hence don't know what's going on...or if anythings on at all!)

That's it for now :) ... I'll be back!

Miss Me When I'm Gone

Hey everybody! It makes me sad and annoyed about how I haven't been able to regularly follow up with this place.I guess when you set your mind on something, you pretty much devote all your time to it till you achieve it.

The past few months haven't exactly been a joy ride.Sometimes, getting chronically obsessed with something takes quite a toll on you.

I know, what I'm doing has its pros and cons but I'm growing along with all the change and kind of learning in the process so I guess thats ok.

I'm going to be applying for SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), London either in 2010 or 2011 for my Masters and Phd in Applied Japanese Linguistics and I have another year of intense studying to do till my credentials prove worthy of that college.I have to sync my getting in with a lot of things going on in my life and worrying about it pretty much brings me down horribly.I have been working really hard and this is pretty much something that I want REALLY REALLY BAD.In order to get in, I practically have to devote all of my time to studying and I haven't had much time for friends.In fact, I almost forgot I turn 19 in a week!

So, thats what I've been upto.I know I won't have 'friend' problems there.With Loony and Sam there ;-). I need all the support from everyone here at BUF! :-)