MatrikaS Scribble your heart away

          Love for reading and writing was initiated to me by my Dad when I was in school. He used to get me all types of comics and story books of our time to get me hooked to reading. And since I was a bookworm, I used to lap up all those books as a hungry and starved child.

     

           One fine day my Dad gave me a dairy in my hand (not the fancy, artistic one, but a plain boring dairy which the bank people give it to their customers on start of New Year) and told me “you have read enough, now concentrate on your writing skills. Note down your day to day activity, your daily experience, secrets which you can’t share with us, all in this dairy. It will help you evolve as a person.”

     

         And truly, this writing habit of mine did help me. Even now whenever I hit a low point or high point, I jot down the details and it helps me clear my mind and conscience and think clearly. This writing habit also helped me increase my hold on English language and helped me start blogging.

      

        Due to my love for writing and reading I was always gifted with books or writing material in my childhood. And I, being me used to always keep 1 page of unused sheet or paper aside as a remembrance of the gift I received.

     

          So when I saw MatrikaS“Scribble your heart away …” campaign on Facebook, I thought let’s give it a try. Let’s see what’s new for writers. But when I received the package, I was awestruck. Even my parents who were present when I received the parcel were held in awe, as the products I received were totally awesome.

     

          I received 3 cube works ring books in yellow, pink and green, 1 notebook (journal) & 1 notebook (6 Subject).

       

        What I 1^st noticed that each piece was individually and neatly packed, the colours, the outer cover design, all too good. Great attention was given to each and every small detail.

 For example, the ring books were individually packed in plastic covers, the book’s front cover itself is hard plastic cover, which prevents it from getting crumpled or spoiled by rough use or by getting wet. The intricate design on the cover itself it too delicate and beautiful.

Cubeworks Ringbooks

The notebook journal is another beauty, black cover with golden margin, small and easy for a person on move to carry. In short it’s a black beauty.  What I loved about this journal, though called Journal, its small in size, easily fitting in small handbag or office bag, so easy for a person who always travels. Plus it doesn’t have printed dates on every page which means one can make multiple entries for same date or skip few days if you don’t have any entry to make for some reason.

Notebook (Journal)

Also separate pages for important dates to remember, to write down which books I want to read or work which has to be accomplished or for a person who travels there is a section to note down place one might want to visit on his travel, and for a person like me who makes a note of all expenses done, this journal has 12 pages to write down details of expenses done.

Last but not the least the notebook (6 Subject) is one real beauty. I fell in love at 1^st sight. Its metallic blue cover with a game board on front, its jet black binding with silver writings is hard to resist. This notebook, too, like journal has no printed dates on top, so again it is useful for multiple entries. The pristine white ruled pages are inviting you to start writing on them.

Notebook (6 Subject) Front view

Notebook(6 subject) Back view

Black Binding with silver writing

In all, I loved all the products sent to me by MatrikaS and would surely recommend it to my friends and relatives. It is also a very good gifting option for those who love gifting stationery and to people who loves to write. I feel anyone who receives MatrikaS products will start writing as soon as it lands on their work desk.

Thank you, MatrikaS for giving me this opportunity to explore your products and use them and also gave me a chance to review them.

ThisPost has been written as a part of the Scribble Your Heart Away With MatrikaSPaper Products Campaign.

Black Desires

        The colour Black is a mysterious colour. What does Black mean or signify?

        Black means elegance, black is formal, black means power, black means inauspicious, black is mystery and darkness and for some Black means protest. The colour Black has different meaning for different people. For example some people consider wearing black is inauspicious while some consider it as auspicious. For some a black dress is elegant, formal for others it's rough or unrefined.

        For me Black (being one of my favorite colours) signifies many things. For me Black is real beauty in its own sense because, you can cover any colour with black, but you can't cover black in any colour… This was the basic rule taught to us in our drawing class.

        You can match any colour dress with black, you see a woman with thick, long jet black hair and you go “wow, what a beauty!”, you see a black shiny Mercedes or BMW and you gasp, struck by its elegance. That’s the power of black.

        Like all women I too desire for a thick, long and shiny black hair. Thick, long mane is an integral part of any Indian women’s beauty.

        Next on list is to possess a pair of comfortable black trousers or jeans, of easy, breathe through material, which won’t wear off within a year of use, as it goes well with any kind of dress or top.

        To go with above attire, one needs good pair of black comfortable footwear. I wish to own atleast one dozen pair of black footwear, no matter which brand, what matters is, you can wear it for long duration without getting a shoe-bite.

        Coming up next on my black desire list is to own a black iPad, with all features and sleek look, easy to use and carry, wherever I go.

        To carry iPad when on move, next I require is Black Hand bag, which will hold all my regular necessary stuff and still won’t look all stuffed up and bulky.

Well, these are some of my Black desires, simple and ordinary desires of any women.

This post is a part of #WhatTheBlack activity at BlogAdda.com

You have got mail-- A surprise gift

        Some years back when there was no email, no sms, we used to communicate and pass on information and be in touch through an art called writing letters to our near and dear ones. There was also an activity called “chain mail”. Wherein one person sends letter to ten of his/her friends, who then again send them to ten more of their friends and this chain continues…

       But with invent of new technology and gadgets and social media network, somewhere down the line we have lost the art of writing letters to our near and dear ones.

       So when admins of Indiblogeshwari group decided to start this “You have got mail” activity all were excited and enthusiastic. In this we have to send a gift and a hand written note to a Blogeshwari from our group, not from our same town.

       I was chosen by Kirti Mukherjee from Gurgaon, Haryana. Last week when I received my package of gift and hand written note, I was overwhelmed.

       Gift consisted of 2 miniature Ganpatis with stones and a book “Social Potpourri- An Anthology”.

      

        Being a staunch Ganpati believer I was so happy and feeling blessed with the gift and after reading the book, I was speechless. Such nice stories, no wonder Kirti told the book is dear to her, and now it’s also dear to me too…

Thanks Kirti for such wonderful gifts and Thanks Janaki, Vinita and Sharmila for starting this activity which helped us make and know each other in our group.

Marriage, Perfect Match and Affair

          People say matches are made in heaven… Is it so? Then why do some people feel miserable in their relations? Why do people have affairs? Why do married couples go for divorce due to lack of compatibility? Why do some say I will never marry again in my life or never again will I marry the same person?

          There has always been a debate which option is good: Love marriage or arranged marriage. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

          First let’s deal with arranged marriage. In arranged marriage, it's not bonding of two people but of two families. They search for ideal match. Then their horoscopes are matched. If they match perfectly then only they go ahead or else they search for another match. They check the background of each other’s families, the boy’s and girl’s character etc etc… they consult their family deities, astrologers for a perfect date and time to get married and after so much of consulting and spending lakhs and crores of money they get married. 

          Initially everyone hits the roadblock… every relation does… some try to solve it, some choose to ignore it, some choose to fight it. Not every marriage has a happy ending.

          Next let’s deal with love marriage. Two people meet, get to know each other, start liking each other, fall in love and decide to get married. There too they hit blocks in terms of family rejection and pressure etc. If all goes well they go ahead and get married, if no, they try to convince, plead, cry, fight and even if they don’t agree some go ahead and get married inspite of family opposition. Initially they too face teething problems. But then, some make their marriage work and some fall apart.

          Some might think why I chose this topic to write. Well, since a couple of days newspapers are bringing out news about celebrity couples who are heading for divorce. Some of them were in relationships since childhood (childhood sweethearts or romance as the tabloid says), some married since few to couple of years…

          When people fall in love they think they have found the perfect match for themselves. They get together. But after a few years why do they feel they are not made for each other? People who say they can't live without each other, why they can't live with each other after some matter of time?Why do people who loved each other say, this life time is enough, never meet me in another life?

          I don’t say all marriages end up in this manner… but now-a-days whoever I have been meeting, are facing some or other issues… ya ya you’ll say I am definitely meeting all kind of wrong people… But frankly ask yourself “Am I happy in my Marriage?” What’s the use of so much of match making, horoscopes, astrologers and auspicious time and all the crap? What’s the use of spending lakhs of rupees on a wedding which sometimes doesn’t last long?

          So much of money is spent, so much of time and energy is wasted, result, the couple after few years say they are not compatible and choose to go on separate ways.

          Not all marriages end in this manner. I have also seen many marriages last for a lifetime. There are many couples who inspite of severe highs and lows of martial life have stayed together and made their marriage work. But they never let outside world know about their dispute.

When you make the sacrifice in marriage, you're sacrificing not to each other but to unity in a relationship.

Joseph Campbell

          And when these people who are already fed up of their lives, do manage to find love outside, they are termed as extra martial affair and these people are cursed, abused, called as house breakers…

         

          Marriage doesn’t mean sacrifice or adjustment of any one person. Both need to keep aside their egos and adjust. No one is born perfect.

          Not all choose to get separate or walk out of a marriage. Some stay because of society, some due to kids and family, some due to financial dependency and some, who think it's their fate (Indian culture). If anyone tries to make a move then, there is mud flinging, calling of names, bitching and God knows what all… but why can't anyone understand if a couple is miserable and they want to move ahead why can't they do so on good terms? It's their life… why do they have to be miserable for their whole life. Why do they have to set bad examples for their kids by fighting in front of them and being miserable?

          Initially when a couple hits a rough patch, elders say “Have a baby, everything will settle down”. Bringing a baby doesn’t always solve the problem, it sometimes aggravates it.

      

    People treat marriage like a cycle. As soon as kids come to age, people ask “Searching for match?”, “Still not found a match for your son/daughter?”, “When is the wedding?”…

          After one year of wedding, they ask “When are you giving us good news?”, “When is the baby due?” Again after 2-3 years “When is elder one getting a sibling?”… Then peace, till these kids grow up then again the cycle continues…

          People treat marriage as a means to just carry their lineage forward. Sometimes before the girl realizes anything, she is married off to a stranger and told to bear his kids and carry on whole responsibility of the household.

          Somewhere had read this true quote “Whole life we are told not to talk to strangers, but after marriage we are told to sleep with one…”

          In present times, where life is short and unpredictable, let’s enjoy life with people we love, we care for. Once married, leave the couple alone, don’t pressurize them with when to have kids, how to behave with each other, etc… they are grownups that’s why you got them married, then why not leave them alone to lead their life. Why keep dominating them, manipulating them? You lived your life, let them live theirs. Don’t treat marriage as a means to bring in kids; it's a lifetime decision for two people to spend life together.

          I know, many of them who will read this many not agree with it, but this is my point of view. Not every marriage is perfect. Take for example Hrithik and Suzzanne Roshan. Everybody said they are perfect couple. And now see, they are separated. Couples don’t wash their dirty linen in public. But then it doesn’t mean that they are perfect, not-fighting-having-no-trouble couple.

Zero Size Figure

          In recent times people have become health conscious. People worry about how they look, how to dress, etc.

          More important, people especially women are worried about their figures. They all want to have size zero figure. Slim and trim.

          Thanks to all Bollywood heroines, size zero is occupying mind on women of all ages. And to attain that size some take to crash diets, gym, and what not leading to health issues which they neglect.

          Why can't people be happy with how they are? Why do men prefer to have wife or their girlfriends to be slim? Girls too prefer to be size zero. They look down at people who are bit healthy. Why?

          But what they don’t realize is that is the reason of weakness, failing health, bone issues, list is endless…

          You need not be size zero or double size. But what is important is that you remain healthy and disease free. That’s what is important. What will you achieve if you have hour glass figure but constantly keep falling sick?

But yes being overweight or obese is also not good. You need to maintain your health. That is important not the size. Unless you are happy with yourself, no one will see your positive attitude, your inner beauty. External beauty fades away, what remains is inner beauty.

Be happy with the way you look. Remaining fit is necessary but don’t make it an obsession.

Eat healthy and remain fit.

Youth's Attitude

          Today’s youth and their attitude sometimes surprise me.

On one hand I find the youth very promising and innovative, on other hand I sometimes find them callous, selfish and indifferent attitude.

One such incident I would like to share here happened recently at the therapy clinic where I take my daughter. A child was made to stand using wall as support. The therapist who was handling her, instead of paying attention to the child diverted her mind from the child and the child fell down. Even the mother, who is usually attentive, was distracted for a split of second when the child fell. The child shaken from the incident was consoled by the said therapist asking for forgiveness. At the same time another therapist, a young girl in early twenties who had joined recently told the other one “Why are you so worried if the child fell down?”

I could feel my blood boiling. How can anyone say like that? What if that child had got hurt badly? How can anyone be so careless, so callous??

The child had just missed hitting her head on a stool kept there. What if she had hit her head on the stool and got injured???

The western culture is catching up amongst them. They demand privacy in early days and start confronting over simple otherwise avoidable matters. They prefer no strings sex which is unimaginable for us.

The youth today is less tolerant and sometimes it turns out to be good. We all are aware of the recent rape case to which majority of people who raised their voices, were youth. End-result, the release of strict laws in no time and punishment to the accused.

If those qualities are channelized well they will only do wonders for the society. I find today’s youth super confident, very realistic, and highly enthusiastic. They just want to get started with their career upon completing studies. Highly career-oriented but less patience, want to make quick money in short period of time.

They use their intelligence in creating frauds, hacking etc instead of channelizing the energy in doing something useful for themselves and country. Wish they realize this and bring in a change.

Xmas Celebrations

          When I was small two festivals held much of importance; Deepavali and Christmas. Deepavali, the festival of lights wherein we got to burst crackers, wear new dresses and got a month long vacation.

          Christmas was also special because during that festival I got to visit My Mom’s office and have fun. Her company, on a last Friday of the year used to open the doors for the kids of the employees. It used to be fun.

          Games, party, sports, Santa Claus, Jingle bells song, yummy food and lots of gifts; what more a child would want???

          But being a mischievous child, my Mom used to start blackmailing me a week before, “If you don’t behave properly for a week I won’t take you to the party” and me would try to well behave for a whole week.

          On D-day, used to get up early, in the shivering cold, wrapped under sweaters, holding Mom’s hand I used to leave the house, imagining day full of fun. Going by train, then in company bus, meeting all new kids, on reaching there enjoying the food… those were the days…Sweet childhood memories.

         

Me n my Bro at one such X-mas Party

          Also after Christmas Mom’s friends used to send home loads of Christmas sweets, cakes and all goodies which I and my brother used to fight over for a larger share.

          What a fun day it used to be?

Whatsapp..

          Thanks to this one application on android and other smart phones, people are in constant touch with each other.

Whatsapp got people connected; helped by forming groups and helped them chat, when on move which is not provided by Facebook or Orkut. You can say, we are connected to our near and dear ones irrespective of place, time and at no extra cost....

You know Whatsapp is run by 50 people and made 19 billion when Facebook bought it. Yes....Whatsapp is a huge entrepreneur achievement and while we speak Whatsapp is printing dollars.

I met my long lost friends, some school mates whom we knew nothing about few years back, are ones with whom now I confide in most, today.

I feel my life is same but Whatsapp has tied my hands with my school friends throughout the day so that while I am doing my routine jobs I also say “hi”, smile, laugh, empathatise with their problems, share my feelings....all together…Multitasking… My daily chat with them completes my day... My day starts with “Good Morning” and ends with “Good Night” to all my dearies… In between we catch up with everything; kids, school, office problems, domestic issues, health issues, everything under the sun. Inspite of not being near we have we have a shoulder to cry on, friends to share laughter, agony aunt advice, friendly advice everything.

I am more close to my friends then I was previously. Got to be in touch with them after being separated for so many years.

Thanks to Whatsapp for this beautiful contribution.

Vijetha

Vijetha means Victory.

This house of ours has a special value for me and my parents.

My parents had bought this place in native place. It was 10 min walk from sea.

Why it's my favorite??? It had a huge garden surrounding the house, filled with various coloured hibiscus and roses, many coconut trees, few mango trees, many other varieties of flowers and few vegetables.

When initially we shifted to this place it was nothing but a house surrounded with sand. With hard work and determination my parents converted it into a paradise.

My only regret is, my contribution in bringing this change was zero as I got married with a year of shifting here.

After couple of years they sold this place as it was becoming difficult to maintain due to their failing health.

I miss this place.

Unpredictability

Life is so unpredictable and it was proved to me in month of November when I came to know about the shocking news of death of a very young distant cousin of mine, just 26 years of age. He was coming home with his younger brother to celebrate Diwali when the bus they were travelling meets with an accident.

How heart wrenching it is for the mother, who is getting ready for the festive celebrations as both her sons were coming home but instead her elder son’s lifeless body comes and younger son whose mind, body and soul is shattered on witnessing his elder brother’s death.

How do you console a father who has to take his young first born to cremation on his shoulders, whereas he always thinks of completing his final journey on his son’s shoulders?

How would you understand what that younger brother must be going through, when one moment both brothers were planning how to celebrate Diwali and next moment his life is plunged into darkness, when he witness his brother’s lifeless body in front of his eyes?

No one can imagine the trauma of the younger boy…

You might think of it as a movie scene but it did happen in real.

Mother getting all preparations done for arrival of her sons, both sons excited about spending some free time with their family and friends. Mom and dad waiting for their kid’s arrival in morning, but instead their phone rings and their whole world come crashing down…

Having gone through the trauma of losing an elder brother, I know how difficult it is. You are in a turmoil, whether to console your parents forgetting your own sorrow and feelings or getting drowned in your sorrow.

Praying to God, to give this family all the strength they might need to overcome their grief.

No grief is bigger for a parent than losing young, healthy and grown up kid of theirs so suddenly.

That’s life, which is so unpredictable.

Thank You, Thanks...

          It's such a common word, often used by all. Sometimes casually, sometimes it means a lot.

          Say this one word to the person who helped you, stranger or known and see their face lit up.

          So today through this blog I would like to Thank all of you who supported me through this A-Z challenge. Thank you all A-Zeders who read my blogs and commented (even though I was unable to find time to reply back or read theirs). Thank you all my friends and well-wishers who supported me and encouraged me through this challenge. Thanks to all my friends, especially to Janaki who told me not to quit this challenge as “you are not a quitter”. Who told me not to lose heart and try but not give up, when in middle of challenge I had thought of giving up.

          Thank you Sangeeta, Mamta, Sunita, Poonam, Kavita R, Kavita J, Viju, Rashmi, Sahana, Vishaka (list is endless), some of my besties who regularly read and commented on my blogs. Thank you all. If I missed some one out please don’t mind as it will take more than a day to name them all.

       

          A heartfelt thanks and big hug to all once again who read, commented, followed, liked and voted for my blogs.

THANK YOU.

School Memories/Friends

So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.

-Helen Keller

          People say school memories and school friends never leave us… They remain in our heart forever… How true is that???

          School life was the best part of my life… I had enjoyed my life to fullest in those 10 years…I had also made many good friends… But I had lost touch with all my school mates after leaving school as I had shifted to my native place for further education…

          But 6 years back when we got a laptop, I was able to get in touch with all my classmates, batch mates through social networking sites.

          Few months back when I got my new phone, I became a part of a group on Whatsapp formed by girls of my batch from school…

          And it was nearly like I had never been out of touch with them… it was nearly 19 years since I passed out from my school. So on friendship day i.e. 1^st Sunday in month of August, it was decided that we girls will meet in Thane…

          Soon the D-day arrived. I had butterflies in my stomach…God I am meeting my friends from school after 19 years, will I recognize them, will they recognize me, what will I talk to them??? Questions were endless… Talking on networking site and chats are different then meeting people in real…

          Finally I reached the venue and it was like 19 years, says who??? We had never separated…

1st Meet At Korum Mall

           In this past 1 year we met thrice. And all the times it was more girls from school and more fun.

          School memories/friends are the first friends we make in our life and it remains for lifetime.

2nd Meet at Tikujini Wadi

        

            School memories are those memories we cherish throughout our life. It's the life wherein we enjoyed without any worries or tensions. Ask anyone, and all will reply school life was the best part of our life.

         

         Being in touch with our school friends even after school is the best thing one can ever wish for.

Thanks to networking sites and applications I met my friends after so many years and a very strong bond has formed among us... We are like one big family.

3rd meet at My Place

Love my School Memories and my School Friends.