Say it with Honey!

Photo courtesy daburhoney

Temptation, thy name is food. This leaves us with the challenge to challenge our tongues with tough challenges. Nobody can undermine the power of the tongue as uttering the wrong word or eating the wrong food would invariably end up in social or physical hara-kiri. But the irony of the life of us lesser mortals is that whatever food that tastes good turns out to be not healthy. We are faced with a situation similar to that of the proverbial monkeys alibi a little difference....  see no food, hear no food and eat no food.

We are afraid to bet our paunch less bodies and dig into the delicious buffet spreads as we have many an example of those who did otherwise. Our outlook however changes with the advent of the first sign of tyre in the mid zone of our bodies, so to say our Madhya Pradesh. Initially we are high on the confidence level that we will get rid of the extras with some magic crash diets of protein or zero carbohydrate or by skipping of one meal every day.

But without the intended results nowhere in the horizon, we soon bite our tongue and the realization dons that it is rather easier though than done. It does more harm than good depriving our bodies of the vital nutrients in the process. Doctors believe that crash diets are based on false interpretation of theories and rapid weight loss can actually slow down the metabolism leading to weight gain in the near future. On one hand it has the potential to weaken our immune system exposing us to risks of variety of diseases and on the other hand makes us emotionally weak prone to depression, moodiness and irritability.

But why take it to that extent? The nature has given us a bounty to choose from and some of those have near magical power. We need to do is to develop our taste within and around those elements and maintain a healthy balanced diet. One such product that is easily available in all parts of the world is the honey.We have its references in our early scriptures while physical evidences of its use have been discovered in the ancient Egyptian tombs.

A table spoon of this golden liquid when built into our daily diet brings in culinary delights along with many a medicinal benefit. According to the National Honey Board of USA, a table spoon full of honey contains 64 calories and it is cholesterol-free, fat-free and sodium-free with no amino acids. This could be used in a variety of ways to bring taste, interest and diversity to our menus.

Bernard Shaw once said “there is no sincerer love than the love for food”.  It is almost certain that we would be tempted to indulge into other niceties. Our motto should be to “do it in moderation” and followed by adequate exercise over the next days.

The Fact of the Matter

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

There is one thing in common among young hostel boarders and particularly for those from engineering college. They have spent hours debating, arguing and fighting on topics ranging from anything to everything on their tryst to establish a point of views. The walls of our hostel rooms have witnessed countless ideas, arguments and logic wash down the drain by gallons of coloured liquids be it tea, coffee or hardcore alcoholic drinks. There were some who built their arguments on solid foundation of references and statistics. But my way of life is more like Winnie and always find more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?” ( A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh).

One of the live issues had been India’s post independence growth and development alibi our successive government’s inability to alleviate the conditions of poor. My point of view has always been that it is not so much the politicians that failed us as our bureaucrats and technocrats. The fascination for being an engineering or medical professional has deprived our country of the much needed social thinkers and planners. This resulted in partial if not complete failure in achieving what we ought to have achieved through our five year plans. I acknowledge that we needed to achieve a lot and had to reach out to all corners of the country. Retrospectively we should have asked ourselves “how do you eat an elephant?” No offence meant to the elephant and planned accordingly.

We have miserably failed to connect our villages to the cities creating opportunity for those opportunist middlemen to take advantage of farmers and producers. When we did built the highways, we let our government run public works departments to do it leading to another round of corruption for lack of appropriate checks and balances. The right way would have been to let the private entities built and maintain our highways while PWD monitor those, thus having two party accountable for this rather than none. Unfortunately 68 years down the line, we are still struggling to connect our people.

Another interesting but universal fact is that this world is very cruel. Everything that we love and enjoy turns up being injurious to our health and existence. People often get pestered by their spouses to stop this, stop that or do this, don’t do that and more often than none transforming the better halves into bitter halves. The resultant effect is that people break their resolution in the same speed as they make those and creating more problems than solutions. My point of view is doing things in moderation. Live a life with a balanced approach to work, exercise, eating healthy or junk food, or consuming alcoholic drinks. This will take relationship to the next level.

It’s not all that will agree with my opinion, they never did and some might ask me to shut up but I will end this reminding what a young girl had once said. “People can tell you to keep your mouth shut, but that doesn't stop you from having your own opinion.” 
― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Slavery - It's a Present Continuous Tense

This week I read the news story of a Burmese man called Myint Naing who got reunited with his family after 22 long years. He had been tricked by a broker offering a job in Thailand in 1993, when he was only 19 years old and desperate for money. But instead he ended up being sold to become one of the approximately 200,000 slaves working in the Asian fishing industry.

His escape brought back memories of a book named Papillon, which narrated an enduring escape story from Devil’s Island in French Guiana by a convict called Henri Charriere. The escape of Myint from his captivators must have been no less daring. But he was neither a convict nor will he be able to make millions selling the rights of his story. Despite that Myint is luckier than those left behind.

Slavery is not new to this world and African slave trade is one such example, where people were caught, herded as cattle to be bought and sold as slaves to the western households and farms.  The Church of England issued an apology for their role in slavery ahead of commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the Slave Trade Act of 1807, which abolished slave trade in England.

"The profits from the slave trade were part of the bedrock of our country's industrial development," Thomas Butler, the bishop of Southwark, said in a speech before the vote. "Many people and institutions in every part of the country were complicit in the transatlantic slave trade; and I have to say that this includes the Church of England."

Even as this system was being abolished, it ensured that interests of slave owners were not undermined.  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4694896.stm  As the slaves were liberated in 1833, compensation was paid to owners and not to slaves. In one case, the bishop of Exeter and three business colleagues received handsome payments of nearly £13,000 for 665 slaves they had to free.

While the Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, English and French slave traders were often brutal, they were not always working alone — many Africans were also complicit in this victimization.

Why did I bring up this subject?  Well the answer lies in Myint’s story. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/former-slave-myint-naing-reunited-with-his-family-after-22-years-at-sea-10359536.html   Many of the companies where people like Myint have to work rely on slaves to supply fish to the USA, Europe and Japan. To keep the prices affordable in the developed nations these men work for up to 24 hours a day and have to survive on boiled sea water and bit of rice.

Many flung themselves overboard rather than keep living as slaves.

Slavery was Then and it still exists Now. It will continue to do so till people remain poor and vulnerable while their governments remain selfish caring for the benefits of the leaders.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century

My 6 Word nano-tale

Careful; Framed  picture could also slip!

Ernest Hemingway had once wrote a story in just six words (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”). That is a nano-tale and he is said to have called it his best work. The one above is my humble effort to be creative with words and picture for a 6 words nano-tale.

Life Of A Blogger

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

I heard enough about the terrible Life of a poet not to venture into that foray. They are challenged with finding an audience and start losing friends as soon as they start reciting for them. The richer of the tribes throw parties with the hope of gaining a platform to showcase the talent but free food and drinks goes only so far. The artist feels helpless, while others see you as a menace... a threat to the society.

I was not aware that similar fate is destined for bloggers till I had one of my own. When I discovered the world of blogging, I said "now I have a place to showcase my creativity.”  I set one up and started filling in the pages but the eyeballs to appreciate those were missing. The Blogging portals brought a glimmer of hope to the budding writers as they developed a community with like minded people. The trouble is that a selected few are interested in other’s writing. The community operate on a plain and simple philosophy, which is "you scratch my back and I will scratch yours”.

I thought why can’t this world have those kind hearted benevolent folks of  Facebook who will “like” anything and everything that is posted as long as it do not exceed a few lines. I start to participate in all competitions pinning my hope not so much on winning but on the guarantee that at least the judges will take the pain to read my posts. For me that was one confirmed reader and it turned into a routine … all in a day’s work. It perfectly matched Hero Honda bike’s punch line… fill it, shut it and forget it!

Last Thursday I received an email announcing I have won a contest. Firstly it was a state of disbelief and as I was not expecting a result. Adrenal was not running high in my veins nor was I prepared to do palms on the cheek winner act the way the beauty pageants are trained to do.

I went back to the website, verified, confirmed and reconfirmed. Did the “pinch on arm” test to check I was actually awake and uttered.... "OMG, it’s true. I informed my family and went on to ask my daughter, a second grader... "Are you proud of your dad?" She said “yes I am” though I was pretty sure she did not understand much. Once the excitement sank in, I said “this is a watershed moment in my blogging career. This is now going to fly.” While the future reality remains to be seen, this is definitely is an inspiring career high point.

Through this post I convey my thanks and gratitude to the organizers and the judges.

The Winners were announced here Winner Announcement – Parachute Advansed Aromatherapy Oil #SlowDownZindagi Activity! And I am at number 9.

The competition was organized by Blogadda and could be found at http://blog.blogadda.com/2015/03/12/de-stress-and-slowdownzindagi-with-parachute-and-blogadda and my winning contribution can be read at

http://sumandebray.blogspot.in/2015/03/stress-deducted-at-source.html

LIFE IS SHORT, LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST!

Life is short and everyone should live life to the fullest. I am writing this because I had a sad awakening last month when I lost two of my close childhood friends. They were my buddies and left us forever. One of them passed away in his sleep while the other while awake and both because of cardiac problem. They were they were not particularly young but they weren't old either. They were in their mid forties and in word from Arundhati Roy, "Not old. Not young. But a viable die-able age."

Our average life expectancy is increasing and long life is not uncommon these days. But Life is uncertain and one has to be lucky to be alive in good health with friends and family around. It’s true that in the present times there are large number of people taken away from the world everyday by means of war, terrorism, poverty and natural calamities. The latest reminder of uncertainty was when 9000 people perished during the devastating Nepal earthquake. But sometimes passing away of a single person gives even more grief and paralyses our logical and creative mind alike.

Our Earth is a little over 4.5 billion years old and it would hardly make any difference if a man were to live till the age of 85 or dies at 45. The cruel reality is that we human and other earthly beings are mere mortals. However, it makes a world of difference to the people who loves you and depends on you emotionally or economically. It is therefore important to be by their side as long as possible and leave behind some wealth for them to carry on.

Here are a few advices I am taking on board for the rest of my journey called life:

• Strive to have a strong and healthy body rather than a strong ego.
• Go for regular medical exam even when not sick.
• Drink more water even if not thirsty.
• Let go even if faced with grave problems.
• Give in when required, even if I am in the right.
• Be humble even when I have the power on my side.
• Stay contented even if not rich.
• Exercise everyday and even when I am busy.

Come along friends, lets do it together......

Right Photographer for Special Occasion

This is post is the second and concluding part of the series" Finding the Right Photographer"
 

There was a time when photography was very special and an artist drawn portrait was more affordable. I was reading one day about a trying photographer taking speculative photographs of people in the late nineteenth century in the book “Three men in a boat” by Jerome K Jerome. The photographer was standing by the riverside and took a photograph of the passing boat commuters with the intention to sell them later to those who could afford to buy them. But that was another time when wealthy owned and roared their personal boats and motorcars were futuristic dream.

But today everyone takes photographs and probably their claim to photographer is as strong as our claim to be writers. How to select the photographers for our special occasions? What makes a good photographer? How many of these traits do they possess?

Passion & Obsession for perfection

The single most important criteria is that the photographer should be passionate about his work and be obsessed with getting each shot as a perfect one.

At one of the ATP tournaments and I was observing the activities of the photographers and the video-graphers. They were seated in the most prime position of the stadium and it was a tough contest going on. They were glued to their cameras alibi those giant ones but focusing only to one side of the court. The irony is that one has to love tennis to be able to stay focused and for anyone who loves this game it’s a pity not to be allowed to watch it. But it’s their passion for photography (and job off course) that reigns supreme!

 Story Teller

A picture is worth a thousand words. Story telling is at the heart of a good photographer and each of the pictures should be part of the story. He should be a natural story teller.

Patience

He should be patient with his clients and hid photography. He should have the patience to wait for the perfect shot. 

Pleasing personality

A good photograph is only possible when the subject is comfortable and relaxed. His persona should be able to generate confidence in the subject and keep them relaxed, comfortable and natural.

Technicalities

He should have a sense of wonder and imagination to bring freshness to his work. Another important aspect is to have the ability to use software to correct and touch up images. Post production is as important as taking the picture itself.

Style

Preferably he should have a signature style of his own and even if he is not a master he should thrive to be one.

But how does one finds out what inherent characteristics a photographer possess. This is the most difficult part for any contract. The easiest way is to approach through reference from a friend or an acquaintance based on their personal good experience.

Alternatively one has to test his professionalism and passion by “trial & error” method. But adequate precaution should be taken as not to leave too much to chance as some event happens once in the entire lifetime.

As a starting point once should visit his studio and take an interview.

Review his earlier works to judge if some of the listed qualities are visible in his works.

Find out how many shots he is going to take and at what theme and positions. This is to find out how thorough he is with this task.

Know if he is going to print those and also what will happen to the soft file and the copyright.

Request for a detailed quotation but note that neither a low price signify the photographer is not creative nor does high price guarantees an ACE photographer.