Read to GROW

“The more you read,the more things you will know,

the more you learn,the more places you’ll go”.-Dr.Seuss

Reading may be hard for some people but it can be developed into a habit.It is never too late to start reading and widen your daily horizons.Remember that good book makes good read.Books are one’s real friend,they help you to cultivate a feeling of satisfaction.If reading is not you have done till now,it is never late to start.Reading can be developed into a habit easily.

Anything that you would like to read can be a starting.You can begin with a newspaper,magazine or a story book.To start developing interest in reading you can take up a comic book or short stories.Reading can be anything and everything.

15 minutes a day.Yes,just 10-15 minutes a day and its enough for the beginners.Make a point to read at a particular time of the day,like,in the afternoon or after a nap,before sleeping or time that suits you.Stick to that routine of reading at your chosen time.

You can carry a book always with you,so if there is a waiting time,or a queue,or in a bus,anywhere you can just open the book and indulge in your world.

Join a library.This will help you find more books and understand the type of books you may be interested in reading.Joining a library will also make new friends with the same interest and people you can discuss about reading.

Try to read carefully each word and understand what you are reading.Always make sure to mark or underline difficult words and look for their meanings later.Consult a dictionary.

Make a list of books you read and to be read.

Make your reading time pleasurable.Do not read for the heck of it or under pressure of reading.It is not a compulsion but a choice.

Gradually increase your reading time from 15 minutes to half an hour or one hour.Find more time and different things to read.Keep books handy and easily available like near your bedside or in the drawing room.So you can grab a book whenever you wish to read.

Last but most important,reading will help you to broaden your worldview,make you aware of different authors,will enhance your knowledge and make you smarter.Always be positive before reading and tell yourself “I am going to enjoy this”.

Cheers!!!

P.S. the above article is written on demand for students to inculcate reading as a habit.For the students of MINDFUL ACADEMY http://www.mindfulacademy.in

OUR OWN DESI "DISNEYLAND"

WOW!!! What a day.First I must say that this is an absolutely "Amazing" place that they have built...everything about the place is fantastic, the ambiance, the rides, the restaurants and the fun...just Amazing. Congratulations to Mr.Manmohan Shetty and family for setting up this theme park.

We started early on 22nd August at 8:00 am.Its was an office trip with a large group of 30 people.We had the benefit of pre-booked tickets and a shuttle service(included in the package)from pune.Reliving the college days with singing out loud and dancing on numbers throughout the journey.We reached there in around two hours,including a break midway for refreshments.One look from the front and you would think that Adlabs Imagica is quite small and hardly your half day is going to be passed in enjoying it to its fullest but once you enter it’s majestic world, you  lose track of time and  yearn for it to go on forever………..

The last time, I went to an amusement park was around 15 years ago,and there, I was barred from sitting on rides due to my stunted height. Well, this time around it was different. In order to fill up the adventure void, I had to try all the 26 rides at India’s own Disneyland.

Located near the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Adlabs Imagica is India’s answer to Disneyland. Built at an expensive cost of Rs 1,600 crore, Manmohan Shetty’s magnificent prairie-like theme park excels expectations. The entire park is divided into zones like Arabia, Asiana, Americana, Jambo Africa and Viva Europa. The adult rides are not for faint-hearted, and are very high on the ‘heart in your mouth’ quotient. Thrill seekers(like me)definitely got the dose of adventure on rides like Nitro, Scream, Deep Space, Dare 2 Drop, and Gold Rush Express.The food here is expensive, and you are not allowed to get in the outside food. But, then who goes to an amusement park to eat right? Also, the view during the night is breathtaking when the lights are on.Everybody had a very thrilling experience, even after a day still we had a hang-over of the rides

GO GUYS GO… SOME THING TO SEE….SOME THING WE CAN BE PROUD OF .. SOMETHING TO MAKE A DAY SO BEAUTIFUL.

CHEERS!!!

P.S. Thank you to Mr.Ayush Jain(CEO) and Mr.Pravin Uttarwar(CTO) Mindbowser Info Solutions Pvt Ltd (http://www.mindbowser.com) for organising this fun trip which truly acted as a stress-buster for the all.

Celebrating Red Day

A Red Day!!!!  whatt???!!!! yes, you read it right.Ohh,its not a national day or a holiday….just celebrated at my home today.(see pics).

Everyday I wake up, I have some plans for the day ahead……....usually I do.And with me, also wakes up my SHIN CHAN, the little devil(anika).Even she has some plans for the day…..but the main target is her poor mom or call it a supermom.

“So today, when I (ANIKA) woke up,and saw mumma(me) with almost work done and a smile on her face, which said “mission accomplished” I thought of a new play never played before.Let me play with the food colour that I saw the other day,kept in the kitchen drawer.And here we go..1..2..3…”

No worries dear, mumma is ready to play and capture moments to be cherished later.

And so we printed hand and foot on a sheet , made red aatta (flour),ate red chapati (Indian bread) and had whole loads of fun.So what if I had to do the mopping and cleaning floor again….or wash more clothes than usual….or even re-do the kitchen thing.

We made memories.

CHEERS!!!!!!

Love the LEMONS...

Why do life gives us lemons  and not oranges or apples???....or mangoes??? It would be easy to make fruit juices or smoothies.May be lemons are fine too, because they are expensive these days.You can dry them out and make pickles.No,don’t worry, I am not discussing about the price and the tastes of fruits and veggies.

Its about the hardships and the difficult times in our lives.At some point of time we all have faced challenges,difficult situations created by someone or as gift from life or misfortunes.We lose hope,fail and regret things.What can be done about such situations……..nothing much but nothing less too!!

While hardships are hard to deal with,they all have the tendency to work out in the end.Make every “bad” thing as an opportunity to change,grow and learn.Nothing remains forever,not even the “good”.You can’t be always eating desserts and chocolates in life.

Think about it…..why measure your life by Lemons??

Instead,lift a glass and toast it looking on the bright side.Take the lemon moment….reminding yourself that it’s possible to make lemonade from the sour times.Offer comfort,care and love to yourself. Rebounce and say I am happy even though am having difficult times.Reassurance and confidence is important…..and then lots of chocolates,stupid movie,crazy friends,night outs,party,drink or whatever makes you chill.When everything turns out super and life starts giving you apples then ask…..…..oye!!!what happened to the lemons?????

The old optimistic proverb is “when life gives you lemons,make lemonade”

So what would your saucy,funny,or pungent line be????????? share and complete the phrase………………..

“when life gives you lemon…………….”

CHEERS!!!!!!!

Celebrating Independence Day

Wearing the tri color,singing patriotic songs,flag flying high on buildings ,the day has been and always will be a special one for all the Indians.Our PM Mr.Modi’s speech was substantive,well to stress on unity and national goals,covering issues about women and poverty.

Today we celebrated this day in our society.I dressed up Ashita and Anika for the celebration(pictures attached).Both participated in the cultural activities.Ashita proudly said the Indian Pledge and Anika dressed up as Chacha Nehru.Whatever we put the effort in,as a mother I feel proud and glad.

Recalling my school days I remember celebrating Independence day.It was like the most-hyped-festival for us( the so called festival).Ours was a girls school and we waited for this Day as we were supposed to join in the celebration with our neighbouring school which was a boys school.I know all my school friends reading this will actually be able to relate this and recollect the fun and masti we did.It was the most important day to attend school.(all those smiles,giggles and wink wink for my friends :) :) ;);) ).

Today, I think independent India will really come into being when it is free of corruption, its people feel safe and secure and the day poverty is eradicated, India will truly be independent.I feel very proud to be an Indian and the freedom that we enjoy in our democracy. Wishing my friends and readers a

great Independence Day and hope that we work towards making a greater and stronger India.

Happy Independence Day to all

CHEERS!!!!!!!!

LIFE IS UNCERTAIN , EAT DESSERTS FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How many of us remember as a child, eating the worst things in our plate first and saving the best for the last.May be you can see your kids doing that.

Or saving the last chocolate which sometimes you don’t get to eat because you brother or sister finds out first where you hide it.

Or that candy ice-cream that you hold in your hand waiting for your friend to finish hers first,eventually yours melting.

Sometimes you have to lose something before actually appreciating it’s worth.It is sad...but true!!

Every time I am thinking what i have lost,I remind myself of what I have…..my two beautiful daughters...I  am missing on that very moment thinking about the past.

We forget to live in the present.All moments are so precious, only if we choose to see them as such.

We never realize that just being together and being alive is reason enough to celebrate.Most of us keep waiting for the special moment when things will begin to feel special.We keep happiness on hold in anticipation of a better tomorrow.Why not make every moment…..why not rejoice the moment of life and stay prepared for the moment of death….which is obvious but the time is undecided.

How often do we tell our parents,partner or children that we love them and are thankful to them for being in our lives.We don’t make them feel important everyday but wait for special occasions to come like birthdays,anniversaries,etc,etc.We have to enjoy life everyday and not on special occasions.

Call a friend you have been wanting to talking to from a long time…..wear your favourite clothes today…...treat yourself with something nice today…..may be your favourite dessert,a spa or a glass of wine.  ;) :)

I have started to take the best part or pieces first and do not wait anymore for the future.You never know where you’ll be tomorrow.Don’t save the best for the last which may never come.Live in the moment.

Enjoy the long weekend.(15th -18th august 2014)

CHEERS!!!!!!!

LIFE......As it goes on!!!!

After the tragic incidence in my life,many times i sat down with my mind full of thoughts to pen down......but as soon as i started writing i felt a storm of emotions,good enough for failing to write.

But finally i have braved and i am here,writing once again.

Just like that,on a rainy morning,after sending ashita to school,feeling low and remembering how it was until last year,everything happy and joyful....

Today again the weather is the same,even the rains and its smell but life has changed beyond imagination.

You never know how much you really believe anything until its the truth and infront of you.

It will be almost nine months now when ASHISH left us.His sudden demise was a shock wave for me with two little kids.Life has taught me how to live and move ahead as there was no option for looking back.

Keeping myself on track and taking care of the kids,giving them what they deserve is the only aim in life.Now playing the dual role of a mother as well as a father its more important to gather strength,stamina and power to move forward and plan a new journey.....which begins now.

As they say....life goes on.....!!!

One more thing that i am trying to get back once again is my love for drawings or say making charts and posters.I did a lot in my college days and haven't much lately so i thought why not.Now just hope i dont fail of this bandwagon.

Wish me luck!!!