When we were small

Drive:

700 meters from Palarivattom to ByePass and it takes 35minutes to cover that.Same with Padamugal to Vazhakala or Kakkanad to CEPZ.

In Europe or States I definately think it is a pleasure to drive. Everyone is patient and curteous. There's not honking, roads are good and the enforcement of the law is serious.

In India, the main problem is population,narrow roads and number of vehicles on the road which makes it a huge excercise in logistics to manage. The roads are bad, and people not educated in the ways of traffic to know that the more orderly they are, the better and faster the ride will be.

I think the govt should take themselves and our laws seriously and enforce the laws no matter what it takes. Have a digitized online driver points system that is linked to the amount of insurance they pay. The more violations / accidents = more points = higher insurance. Improve roads and awareness.
Start spending some real money on this (smartly) and it will pay for itself in lesser pollution, fuel consumption and time spent on the roads rather than at work.

The unwritten law of the road is “FILL IN THE GAPS”. However, that keeps the driver always on alert ready to stop or swerve at any point. Compared to this, driving in the US or Europe can be a BIG BORE. It tests your patience waiting for the cars in front of you to move after the light turns green. Each driver has his/her own response time and imaginary distance to be kept between the next car. The left turn light can be a nightmare at a busy intersection. While, in India -the entire block of traffic starts moving 15 seconds before the opposite light turns yellow - that is Indian efficiency…! And there is the thunder or horning before the actual move. The rickshaw and taxi-wallahs have mastered the art of “wading” through the traffic with wafer-thin margins employing efficiencies of space, time and gas - leaving all others dumbfounded.

Walk overs. Fly overs. Metro lines. All projects saw ground struck months ago, yet precious little progress has been made and even if done, don't think it can match that in other developed countries any time soon.

OOps and with the increase in number of vehicles and traffic - feel sorry, there are no footpaths and bylines to drive bi-cycles. Wish people understood the importance of space to walk, ride cycles - which would benefit the environment as well as the health of individuals. Moreover where and how do we part the vehicles? Once parked, how do we take them out?

Blogging, Reading and Writing....

When I started my blog, it was fun and a great way for me to document my experiences and to vent my frustrations. I’d never blogged. I had no idea what I was doing. Now as I breath in and out; so is reading and writing to me.

Plus, and most importantly, I love reading and writing. As I have started writing this, my collection of books have also increased, and love to have this.



I wanted an online diary to store my thoughts. I love my family and friends. I love writing about all that effects them.
Speaking of the Indian family, where I once saw only strength and solidarity, I now see scores of unhappy homes, where public faces are proud and happy but private lives can be torture.

It is interesting to read many other blogs as well in due course. Interesting to have this platform. Thank God for providing this opportunity.

So, if any of you are still out there, cheers! Please put in your comments.

Om Ganeshaya Namaha!!

Though people presume that I am a great devotee of Krishna primarily because of my name, I tell them I love Ganesha more- so I follow him -In fact the love of Ganesh for his parents. I belive they are our God's.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a great social custom still in practise. I loved it when in Mumbai and had been missing it. Glad to see the pictures from my schoolies. In 1893, Lokmanya Tilak transformed the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organized public event"to bridge the gap between Brahmins and 'non-Brahmins' and find a context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them", and generate nationalistic fervour among people.

The impacts of the festival on the environment can be summarised to be the following:
1.The water pollution caused by the immersion of Plaster of Paris idols into natural water bodies.
2.The water pollution caused by chemical paints used on these idols.
3.The waste generated by the non biodegradable accessories used during the worship.
4.Noise pollution
5.Traffic congestion
6.Increased consumerism

Amongst these the first two can be partially resolved by a shift to eco sensitive materials and practices. Traditionally, the idol was sculpted out of mud taken from nearby one’s home. After the festival, it was returned to the Earth.

On a lighter note Best traffic advertisement of the year... Picture of Lord Ganesha with a saying..'Take care of your head, not everyone gets a replacement like me'

Quite amazed that Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam would often fall during the same time. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi, the fourth lunar day of the waxing moon fortnight. The date usually falls between 20 August and 20 September. The festival lasts for 10 to 12 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi. Onam Festival falls during the Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug - Sep) and marks the commemoration of Vamana avatara of Vishnu and the subsequent homecoming of mythical King Mahabali. Yes, soon after Karkidakam/Sravan which is a period of silence

With Best Wishes - Sr. Mercy Jose & Co.

As every thing comes to an end, both good and bad - so also our school days did come to an end. We had farewell from our juniors on the 15th of February 1992. After which our headmistress Sr.Mercy Jose on behalf of all teachers gave us a small booklet. Though of samll one of 32 pages - there is so much to learn as I go though it every time.

'With Best Wishes' is a farewell gift of love from teachers to students compiled by J. Maurus - A Better yourself Book.

Go forth and use
The gifts of youth,
But temper them
With ageless truth
And gratitude
For help received,
For those who in
You have believed,
And patience for
What time will tell
In realms where
Great achievements dwell,
Go forth...
We surely wish you well.

--------------------------
The Open Door

There is a door that opens wide,
Inviting you to enter;
This door is opportunity
And life is at its centre.

Broaden your mind’s horizon...
Exchange the ‘no’ for ‘yes’,
This open door of adventure
Will lead to new success.

Behold, the open door of love,
Of friendly brotherhood;
He who opens up these doors
Will build a world of good.

These doors all open outward,
And you may enter free,
If you but have the vision
For opportunity.

- Margaret Freer

Rule of nature

Have often wondered why even today, so many women take medication to postpone their menstrual period especially when festivals or other event are around? If it is to have bother less time or do they still believe in the impurity myth? Why should the girls let the world know that they have got periods, but having to stay out of the places where Puja is performed or away from people and things?

During olden days people had to do loads of physical work, which they do not have to do now. And women would get to relax during these days. Also since there were no sanitary napkins and women may have to clean themselves frequently, it could have been for hygienic reasons as well. Since women would not listen if they were asked to take rest, this kind of abstinence would have been imposed on them. It would have started just as a precaution or advise and not a law or ban. Just as untouchabilty spread,this concept also could have had its misinterpretations. In olden days there was a ceremony to celebrate girl attaining puberty, as it ia considered as a positive aspect of a girl's life.

During this time drops in estrogen levels have been known to trigger migraines. Estrogen levels may affect thyroid behavior. For example, during the luteal phase (when estrogen levels are lower), the velocity of blood flow in the thyroid is lower than during the follicular phase (when estrogen levels are higher). In some cases, hormones released during the menstrual cycle can cause behavioral changes in females. So when you consider a women having her periods,She is both having disturbance in mind as well as body.


Though some do not belive in it, it still exist in the minds of people as some like to continue following old custom, relations. This is God give, how can God be angry on you for something that is natural and God given? We need to respect something that is natural. Medication can harm. It’s time we stop this nonsense of menstrual exclusion. If we approach the issue of menstrual myths with proper reasoning, our mothers and grandmothers will change their outlook towards these myths and refrain from imposing them upon us.So my dear schoolies I have done my bit since long and again trying to spread this word with wider audience in busting menstrual myth.

Change will not happen unless we become the change. We need to question the relevance of old customs in today’s time.

Leadership

A lot has been written about Leadership - There is this wonderful book on The Leader who had no title as well. But thought of putting something together learned since then.

Of all the qualities needed for leadership, only one is indispensable - courage. Without it, all the others are more or less useless. Courage has been shown by all who we recognise as true leaders, from Alexander to Thatcher. A leader must have the ability to take hard decisions and calculated risks. This rule applies at all levels and in all situations - in school, factory, boardroom or sporting arena, no less than on the battlefield or in the council chamber. Leaders have to give courage to others, while creating the illusion that they know exactly what they are doing.


Leadership is partly a confidence trick, and those who practice it cannot afford to be too predictable. Good leaders must be able to tolerate frustration and stress. Some traits a leader must have in abundance are.....

Willingness to Learn
Leaders don’t begin life knowing everything there is to know about the business world. If pride gets in the way of your ability to learn, you’ll be selling yourself, and your business venture, short in the long run.

Incredible Work Ethic
A leader shows up first for work and leaves after everyone else has gone home for the day. The leader uses his or her work ethic to communicate what is expected of employees.

Brilliant Communication Skills
Leaders must be effective communicators. Poor communication will cause a breakdown in the function of your business. Whether you are communicating praise to employees or managing a conflict, effective communication will make your business more successful.

Enduring Patience
Business leaders must also have an abundance of patience. Business success takes a long time to earn, and individuals who cannot patiently wait for goals to be achieved may end up putting too much pressure on employees.

Ability to Dream Big
While patience is necessary, it’s also important for a leader to dream big. You must create the vision for your business’s future. Once the vision has been dreamed up, it’s time to start implementing strategies to achieve your dream.

Courage to Take Chances
An effective leader has the courage necessary to take risks and pursue new opportunities. According to Dr. David Javitch, a writer for Entrepreneur.com, a leader’s ambition and willingness to take risks is the greatest source of inspiration for his or her employees.

Ability to Trust Others
One of the most important characteristics of a good leader is simply an ability to trust others. This may be evident in a leader’s willingness to take a chance on an employee and give him or her an important business task. It may be a leader’s ability to take a chance by outsourcing some business tasks so that the leader has more time to devote to growing and developing the business. Trying to do everything on your own because you cannot let go of the “reins” will only get you and your business into trouble.

These character traits may help you run a more successful business if you can work on cultivating and developing them in your own life.

Shakespeare was good about leadership, as about most other things – he wrote in Twelfth Night – Mistress writes to Malvolio "Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them". Greatness and leadership are so closely akin that the words give us a useful point of departure.

"Born great" has two possible meanings: either being born to a great position, such as that of an hereditary monarch, or possessing natural talents and/or virtues of an exceptional kind. Clearly not everyone born to a great position is worthy of it, and relatively few have the qualities of a great leader. But the greatness of certain offices can rub off on their occupants, who may not otherwise have qualities out of the ordinary. Some appear to have the gift of leadership, but are found to lack it when tested. Others are recognised as "born leaders" and exercise effective leadership up to a certain level, but prove disastrous failures beyond that level. It is very hard to judge the point beyond which a person will be over promoted.

Like those born to great offices who prove, against the odds, worthy to hold them, such people have "greatness thrust upon them".

"Some achieve greatness" denotes, above all, those whose greatness is self-made. But all of the really great leaders must be regarded as achievers, whatever their advantages of birth and training. Most of those who achieve anything in the world are ambitious, and some have very exalted ambitions which they have never the chance to realise. A few rise higher than they or anyone else could have imagined, and then prove equal to the challenge.


Democratic leaders have the difficult task of both guiding the people and seeming to respond to the popular will. Autocrats are obviously freer to exercise leadership, but among them the most successful have been aware of the need to be loved and admired as well as feared, just as many of the best democratic leaders have been natural autocrats, restrained only by conscience and realism. The essential qualities of a good leader are much the same, whatever the environment.

Here are 7 secrets to leadership success:

1. Leadership is about making things happen

If you want to make something happen with your life - in school, in your profession or in your community, do it. Perceived obstacles crumble against persistent desire. At the same time, one need to have compassion for others. Therefore, persistence for your cause should not be gained at the expense of others. Another bit of leadership wisdom!

2. Listen and understand the issue, then lead

Time and time again we have all been told, "God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason"...or as Stephen Covey said..."Seek to understand, rather than be understood." As a leader, listening first to the issue, then trying to coach, has been the most valuable advice.

3. Answer the three questions everyone within your organization wants answers to

What the people of an organization want from their leader are answers to the following: Where are we going? How are we going to get there? What is my role? Kevin Nolan, President & Chief Executive Officer of Affinity Health Systems, Inc. believes the more clarity that can be added to each of the three questions, the better the result.

4. Master the goals that will allow you to work anywhere in today's dynamic business world

* The ability to develop an idea
* Effectively plan for its implementation
* Execute second-to-none
* Achieve superior results time after time.

Forget what others do. Work to be known for delivering excellence. It speaks for itself and it opens doors.

5. Be curious

Curiosity is a prerequisite to continuous improvement and even excellence. Study people, processes, and structures. Making progress, in part, is based upon thinking. Learn to apply this notion of intellectual curiosity by thinking about organization's future, understanding the present, and know and challeng to creatively move the people and the organization closer to its vision.

6. Listen to both sides of the argument

Listen to all different kinds of people and ideas. Listening only to those who share your background and opinions can be imprudent. It is important to respect your neighbors' rights to their own views. Listening to and talking with a variety of people, from professors to police officers, from senior citizens to schoolchildren, is essential not only to be a good leader in business, but to also be a valuable member within your community.

7. Prepare, prepare, prepare

If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail. If one has truly prepared and something goes wrong the strength of the rest of what you've prepared for usually makes this something easier to handle without crisis and panic. "Preparation is the science of winning."

Great advice comes from many sources - parents, other relatives, consultants, bosses, co-workers, mentors, teachers, coaches, and friends. The important point to remember is to stay open, listen to everyone, but also develop your own leadership style.

Stress & Weight

If you want to lose weight, your metabolism has to burn off more calories. A study at The Ohio State University shows two ways to help it do that more efficiently. The research demonstrates that to start making those waistline inches disappear, you need to:

find a way to cut back on stress and
stop eating so many unhealthy fats.

Otherwise, in combination, those two elements can slow your metabolism and make it more likely your body will create more body fat. The scientists found that women in the study who reported one or more stressful factors the day before eating a fatty meal burned, on average, 104 fewer calories than women who weren’t stressed. (The calorie-burning was measured during the seven hours after the meal.) The scientists figure that, in a year, those daily 104 calories could add up to an extra 11 pounds. This means that, over time, stressors could lead to weight gain.

We're more likely to eat the wrong foods when we’re stressed, when we eat the wrong foods, weight gain becomes more likely because we are burning fewer calories.

Popular ways to control or reduce stress include exercise and meditation.

Railways

Railways are a major form of passenger and freight transport in many countries. It is ubiquitous in Europe, with an integrated network covering virtually the whole continent. In India, China, South Korea and Japan, many millions use trains as regular transport. In North America, freight rail transport is widespread and heavily used, but intercity passenger rail transport is relatively scarce outside the Northeast Corridor, due to increased preference of other modes, particularly automobiles and airplanes.South Africa, northern Africa and Argentina have extensive rail networks, but some railways elsewhere in Africa and South America are isolated lines. Australia has a generally sparse network befitting its population density. The highest railway in the world is the line to Lhasa, in Tibet. Western Europe has the highest railway density in the world and many individual trains there operate through several countries despite technical and organizational differences in each national network.


The oldest, man-hauled railways date back to the 6th century B.C, with Periander, one of the Seven Sages of Greece, credited with its invention. Rail transport blossomed after the British development of the steam locomotive as a viable source of the power in the 18th and 19th centuries. With steam engines, it was possible to construct mainline railways, which were a key component of the industrial revolution.

Railway can take you places..Picture I could'nt take when in London, Thank You Sharyn Coleman for this....From here at King's Cross Station we could go to.......but not to to Hogwarts Could you please give us the address J.K. Rowling.....Next time in London, this is where I Would definitely want to go.


Was amazing to find the level of underground railways in London; the tube connectivity is amazing.

Having visualised mumbaikars living in and out of the railways, was facinated to see the much complex railway undergrounds and other railways in UK. Mumbaikars @ local train –
1. We will stand in empty trains and will fight for seat in crowded ones.
2. We don't believe that the train is gonna arrive until the time indicator displays "01 mins remaining"
3. Yes act dead if someone ask for your seat in "Mumbai local"
4. A city with blend of different people and three things, 'pudhil station', 'agla station', and 'next station'
5. Slow local trains - the one which halts at all stations
Fast trains - the one which halts in between the stations.
6. Everything is fair in love, war and local trains.
7. Local trains are the only place in Mumbai where men are more civilized than women.
8. That awesome moment when in local trains you dont have to move towards the exit, you are simply pushed towards it by the crowd
9. If Borivali passenger gets into a Virar fast train. Thats a serious crime boss.
10. Once you survive in a Mumbai local during journey from VT to Kalyan or vice versa during peak hours. Boss you can survive anywhere in the world.
11. Train timings (9.27, 10.49 etc) are really important events of life.
12. In every local train journey you will find atleast one person asking " arey yeh platform kis taraf aayegi?"
13. Nobody remains "untouched" once you enter Virar / Karjat fast local.
14. There is a invisible station between Borivali and Kandivali called as "Thambevali"
15. Second clasd ticket Rs 9 and first class ticket Rs 104. No difference. You can't sit in either.
16. Getting a virar fast train from Andheri / Borivali during peak hours is more difficult than getting into IIT and IIM


Was facinating to see metro line in chicago and good to see good ones comming up in Delhi, Mumbai and Kerala.

It was amazing to stay just about the railway line in Bonn. The maritimehotel crosses the railway line, and it was interesting to travell underground a river in a train!

With the pollutions due to motor vehicle,and increase in the number of people travelling, the frequency and the distance, am sure the railways have a long way to go.....

Excellence...Dream...Risk...

If you are not willing to risk the usual you will have to settle for the ordinary.

"You are highest living form of divine creation gifted with infinite intelligence and ability to accomplish whatever you desire in the highway of life. In fact most people used to exist on this planet without any definite purpose and such people are hoping for miracle to happen with finger crossed. The great dreamers are people with definite purpose and they take action to manifest their dream desires into physical reality. So whatever dream purpose you have , just take passionate action in the light of strong self believe and faith of God to manifest it into physical reality as miracle never happen by itself rather miracles are made to happen. You are responsible in charge to design your personal, professional and spiritual life as nobody else gonna eat for you, dream for you, breathe for you and act for you except you yourself...." Dhiraj Kumar Raj

Though I do still believe in miracle. For me our life, nature and everything around is a miracle.

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.- Norman Vincent Peale

Excellence comes from following vision with dedication. Psycho energy comes from within and gets frutified with passion to achieve.

So are you risking?

Banana - Not Just the Fruit - Some interesting facts.

Was a person who always loved banana's and when asked which ones; I would say I don't like the big yellow ones but can eat only 1-2 at a time, small yellow ones may be 4-5; but my favourate are the green ones.

There are so many things made out of raw and ripe banana. Why only banana the plant as a whole is of so much help.

Neil love eating on the banana leaves - as all of us in Kerala still love and do...is'nt it much better and hygenic than paper plates, provided properly washed? And it do take our memories to the old days.

The roots of the plant is of high medical value; stems and flowers are also used for cooking and we can make yummy dishes out of it, as we do with raw bananas. Payasam, varatiyathu and Pazham puri are some of the yummy and common dishes made out of ripe banana. One of my fathers favourate and last made recipe - Banana Paysam, so yummy fully cooked out of banana's cultivated by him, in his own courtyard. Fuel used for cooking was wood from his own garden. So much he loved banana's and cultivating them! He had promised to give a full bunch of banana's that onam to a couple of people - but there was a heavy storm in the april of 2012 bringing down many of them. Little did we realise that it was just a small storm little before a bigger one!

There is much to be said about banana nutrition facts. It is said that Banana help reduce depression, regulate blood gluose, anemia, blood pressure, increase brain power, since bananas are high in fibre they help to overcome constipation,·being high in B vitamins, help calm the nervous system, acts as a dietary aid against intestinal disorders because of their soft texture and smoothness.

So I would love to continue eating Banana's and other things made out of it..How about you?

Heart for the soul -Save Our Twisha

Twisha is born with a rare birth condition LGOA which means she has an incomplete Esophagus (the tube connecting mouth and stomach), hence unable to eat/feed by mouth since birth.

Sweety's husband forced her to leave his house, when Twisha was only 5 months old. She was blamed for giving birth to a faulty child. Though she suffered abuse for 7 years both physically and mentally, divorce was granted even without her consent (Because of Australian Law). There is no maintenance for Twisha and Sweety.



Twisha has already undergone around 20 various (Major & Minor) surgeries in Sydney, Australia, with no success to cure her condition. The only chance for her to live a normal quality of life in future is a medical treatment available only in USA . And so she is fighting and advocating for Twisha to get her medical care transferred to the facility in USA, where Specialist Surgeons can perform a life changing operation- a "Foker Operation" on Twisha.

Sweety has started raising funds to pay for Twisha's medical treatment in USA. She is still looking for contributions. She has to raise $1.2 million for her daughter's treatment in USA and so far she could raise only $200,000. If any of you could help propagate her story and help in raising contributions, she would immensely appreciate it!

On how to donate - Please visit www.twishamakhwana.com for donation details.

Also if any of your acquaintance wants to donate higher amount they can actually do it through a pledge form wherein the money will get paid only after Twishas admission in the hospital. For pledge forms please write to Sweetie at missiontwisha@gmail. Com

To have the latest and greatest in their lives, you can check out her facebook page.

Sweety Makwana (Twisha's Mum)
Secretary/Public Officer
Mission Twisha Inc.
ABN: 18220183868
Fundraising Licence No: CFN22987
Mo: 0470312770
Web: www.twishamakwana.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missiontwisha
Twitter: https://twitter.com/missiontwisha
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Twisha28/videos?flow=grid&view=0

Hope these help her at least to some extend in saving sweet Twisha!

Inferno...Cysts

Why all over we here these days ill health and diseases? One thing most common among girls today which was not much before is - Cysts.

Cysts are closed sacs having distinct membrane and division, it may contain air, fluids, or semi-solid material. It can form in various part of our body and common among girls is in the ovaries. Particularly during the childbearing years. Once formed, a cyst may sometimes resolve on its own. Whether a cyst that fails to resolve may need to be removed by surgery will depend on what type of cyst it is and where in the body it has formed.


There are several different types of ovarian cysts. The most common is a functional cyst. It forms during ovulation. That formation happens when either the egg is not released or the sac -- follicle -- in which the egg forms does not dissolve after the egg is released.

Other types of cysts include:

* Polycystic ovaries. In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the follicles in which the eggs normally mature fail to open and cysts form.
* Endometriomas. In women with endometriosis, tissue from the lining of the uterus grows in other areas of the body. This includes the ovaries. Endometriosis can be very painful and can affect fertility.
* Cystadenomas. These cysts form out of cells on the surface of the ovary. They are often fluid-filled.
* Dermoid cysts. This type of cyst contains tissue similar to that in other parts of the body. That includes skin, hair, and teeth.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) - Symptoms

Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) tend to start gradually. Hormone changes that lead to PCOS often start in the early teens, after the first menstrual period. Symptoms may be especially noticeable after a weight gain.

Symptoms may include:

* Menstrual problems. These can include few or no menstrual periods or heavy, irregular bleeding.
* Hair loss from the scalp and hair growth (hirsutism) on the face, chest, back,stomach, thumbs, or toes.
* Acne and oily skin
* Fertility problems, such as not releasing an egg (not ovulating) or repeat miscarriages.
* Insulin resistance and too much insulin(hyperinsulinemia), which can cause things like upper body obesity and skin tags.
* Depression or mood swings.
* Breathing problems while sleeping (obstructive sleep apnea). This is linked to both obesity and insulin resistance.

Adenomyosis:

The term "adenomyometritis" specifically implies involvement of the uterus. It is the presence of ectopic glandular tissue found in muscle.In adenomyosis, basal endometrium penetrates into hyperplastic myometrial fibers. Adenomyosis may involve the uterus focally, creating an adenomyoma. With diffuse involvement, the uterus becomes bulky and heavier. Some women with adenomyosis do not experience any symptoms, while others may have severe, debilitating symptoms. Patients with adenomyosis can have painful and/or profuse menses (dysmenorrhea & menorrhagia, respectively).

With age, people not only grow wiser, but also have health issues...no wonder doing research they need to be wiser. Well on the title - had been wondering if something would have really happened as mentioned in the Dan Brown's novel on Inferno?