The Special Agent called “Me”

Photo Credit

I faced the brightest light imaginable. It was blinding and I could barely see anything clearly and in midst of all this a strange voice asked who I was.

I said it’s the Special Agent called “Me”. You know, I am the most special person I have ever known, I explained.

“Special, my foot!” came the reply.

I wanted to ask him to show me the feet. Instead I got rebuked for trying to be funny. I realized he was reading my mind and meant serious business. As if to leave no doubt, he authoritatively asked me to explain why I thought I was special.

My life flashed back in front of my eyes as I desperately tried to substantiate my claim of being special.

I have felt sad at the suffering of others at many occasions, I remembered. Sometimes I even donated some money or clothes. Alas! The money was not even a fraction of my then living expense. I am ashamed that handing down those clothes were as much important to clear my wardrobe as to help others. Better not mention this.

I am very special to my mother because I thought as I always miss her and speak to her the every other day. She only see me through her lens laminated with unconditional love. Could it be a reason to feel special? Probably not. I cannot with her for extended period of time as I live in a different country thousands of miles away. I would rather keep my mouth shut, I decided.

I do feel special for the efficiency with which I accomplish my task at the workplace. However the fact of the matter is that it won't take very long to find a replacement once I am gone. This probably doesn’t make me any special either.

I am very special to my child as I consciously try to do all the right things all the time. She believes her dad knows everything and I reassure her at every step. I am worried that sometimes I ignore her mistakes carried away by the paternal affection. This probably is not too fair.

Having pushed to my wit’s end, I contemplated if I was special to my siblings as we have grew together and understand each other more than anyone else. Maybe to those close friends with whom we can laugh at ourselves or nothing at all like imbeciles.

Did I do something particularly special good to the nature my last resort. Perhaps not! I drive to work alone rather than sharing a ride leaving a large carbon footprint. Moreover, I haven’t planted a single sapling over the past decades or even longer. I helped others to get some done, that doesn’t give me any brownie points either.

 “Enough of this nonsense. Stop it here!” The voice commanded and warned me not to even consider those sharing of the touchy stories on my wall and some “likes” on my Facebook philosophies.

“I want to be a special person. The humane philanthropist who is benevolent and big-heart star to the odd unknown person in distress. Show me the way,” I pleaded.

“Now you know what you got to do. Move along but remember to meditate, think and have patience. You are already unique and shall be a special person soon.” The light gradually transformed into the most wonderful sunrise I have ever witnessed.

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

P.S. I am special to my spouse in a special way and have no wish to disturb this balance. This is the only reason special reason why any reference is missing above.

Virtual Shopping - You Let Us Down

In 2010, I had blogged about shopping online in my post Bricks and The Bytes. I was then surprised with myself that someone like me could buy air tickets, books to clothing from online retailers. This was no mean feat for someone of our generation who has witnessed the computers evolve to a common mans device. I was upbeat that bytes will completely overtake the bricks as far as shopping goes.

I have a dream today, I told myself borrowing from the famous speech by Martin Luther King, as wrote the post about the virtual shopping.                   

Having associated with design and construction since my college days I had seen the ins and outs of the way we create our shopping experience. I had dreamt that our physical shopping experience will undergo a paradigm shift from the way they do business and so will the online shopping. But what I have seen over the last 5 years saddens me. Our IT industry and online retailers have focused on expanding their customer bases and none to improve their experience. The tribe of physical malls on the other hand continued to grow and thrive unabated.

I have a dream that we could use the power of TV and Internet to select and pay for our clothes in a much smarter way than we do today. I hope there will be affordable 3D cameras available within our homes and devices that could take vital measurements of the purchaser. Those can transmits back that information in real time so that you could see yourself wearing that dress.

How wonderful experience it would be to see how well it fits or how suitable that dress is for you and all these happening in real time. The video in the clip below gives a fair idea of what things could be. There will be some ethical issues but those could be addressed.

I borrow from the same speech and shout out "Now is the time" to make some real improvement and take virtual shopping experience to the next level.

What Would the Expert Say

When the angel finally arrives to our home we are overjoyed. In that euphoria we sometimes miss to take some fundamental yet crucial precautions.
It may sound difficult to accept but true that the adage "less is more" is nowhere more appropriate then when it comes to skincare for the newborns. We need to understand that not only is a newborn baby’s skin delicate, so is the immune system. All chemicals, fragrances or artificial additives should therefore be avoided from all types of clothing and accessories. Ignorance is definitely not bliss and can expose baby’s skin to skin ailments such as dryness, irritation, rashes etc. and leave a long-lasting scar on the skin.

The following interview with an expert is an effort to protect our babies through proper care.

Q: How many times should we bathe the baby?

                

A: Resist the urge to bathe your baby too frequently during first year of the life. Remember baby’s skin has natural oils from birth which protect the skin from external forces. Frequent bathing and particularly with soaps may deplete that protective oil increasing the vulnerability of the skin.

Q: Can I start using new clothes straight away?

A: New born babies have sensitive skin. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends that you wash clothes and towels before using those on your baby’s body.

Q: Can I use regular laundry detergent?

A: There are special laundry detergents available that leave fewer residues after washing babies’ clothes. However it is completely alright to use regular detergents.

Q: Do we need to wash baby’s clothes separately?

A: Always wash baby clothes, bedding, and blankets separately and not with regular family laundry

Q: Can I apply sunscreen lotion on my baby?
 

A: It is advisable not to apply sunscreen cream on babies under 6 months. Rather keep them under the shade. After 6 months it is alright to apply sunscreen cream but choose the one with highest Sun Protection factor.

Q: Can you please give some advice on diaper routine.

A: The mechanism that prevents the diaper from leaking also stops air from circulating inside the diaper. This is the principle reason for diaper rash. It is advisable to clean baby’s bottom with clean water and apply diaper cream only when the skin is completely dry. Allow your baby to have diaper free moments once in a while but regularly.

Q: What are other precautions for having rash-free diaper days?

A: Following are some tips to help protect your baby:

• Remember to check diaper frequently.
• Immediately change diaper when wet or soiled.
• Avoid using baby wipes to clean the diaper areas as some wipes contain perfume or alcohol which can further irritate and dry baby's skin.
• Don't rub to dry the skin. Pat dry the diaper area instead and then put on a fresh diaper.

The above is a humble effort as a pre-emptive measure to safe guard the delicate skin of our babies and the interview with Paediatrician Mr. Imaginary is actually imaginary. 

“Pampers brings you the softest ever Pampers Premium Care Pants. Its cotton-like softness is #SoftestForBabySkin and allows it to breathe, thus keeping baby’s skin soft and healthy, and your baby happy. ”

Honey, I won a million US$!

“Honey, I won a million US$!” a very few will believe these when they hear something similar from their spouses. Even if someone does, it will be with so much of suspicion and scepticism.

Our household has two female of the species and each of them, I know will react in two diametrically opposite ways. My daughter who still believe in magic as well as miracles will congratulate me and probably request me to buy her a robotic puppy. She wanted to take one for a walk but we told her it was too expensive for a toy. The other woman will convince me this offer was from that distant land in Africa which had built up quite a reputation for itself by promising top dollars in lottery, inheritance or charity to anyone who was willing to bite the bait.

But if it is true and all mine, a million US $ in clean monies will make a huge impact on my life and for that matter anyone's life. A million US dollars is more money than it actually appears to be, it's six and half crores of Indian Rupees. I can argue that the pleasure is in earning and such easy money will definitely not make any self-respecting individual happy, blah, blah, blah.  I will then be naive... to say the least!

It will make a difference...

If you remember the salaries for fresh graduates from engineering colleges during the nineties in our national capital, you remember me. I know how is it not to have money in the bank when the bills start coming at the beginning of the months. All we could do was dream big.

I was not the only one in the league of daydreamers desperate to see even quarter of a million disposable rupees sitting in our accounts. An amount considered good enough to feel secured and content. It did not happen as quickly as I wished though it came earlier than dreaded. It brought in the independence and basic security to the life alibi after giving away 50 hours of each week for a paltry sum and slogging the butt out.

I soon realized how dynamic this world was and how fluid the targets could be. New targets progressively replaced the earlier ones and the transition was so seamless that even I was kept in the dark when my goal posts moved. Then came the realization that the journey is more important than the destination itself. There are many unfulfilled desires and there will be many more that will add up with the passage of time. Some of those, I know for sure will never see the tick on it's right side. Even if a million dollars come my way all of a sudden.

So how much good is that money for me!

I will not imply that a million dollars is no good for me or it cannot buy our desires. It's not just big deal, it's a massive deal. It’s true that I cannot buy me a personal jet or a celebrity mansion with a million dollar but I can easily retire in a decent bungalow by the sea with a shiny sports car in the garage along with a four wheel drive to keep it company. What remains can continue to work for me at various financial institutions to generate steady revenue and sponsor a well-balanced diet of tea, coffee and other liquids hailing from the Americas, France or the Scotland. 

That probably will be a fantastic lifestyle that allows for every luxury without the need for any work.  Eat drink and be merry with the hobbies and other passions close to the heart, as they would say! The million dollars question, however is would we be able to do so or find it too selfish a thought to have crossed my mind. I know the answer. 

We would be much more comfortable trying to make this money work for the needy, less fortunate and the ones in distress. Let's put together a non-profit organization to look after them and in the process generate a few employment opportunities as well. We are game to take up the challenge to make the million dollar work hard and work effectively to allow this machinery move on.

This I can say with conviction, will make the world a much happier place than having one Suman speeding away in his fast car flashing a Zenith, Piaget or for that matter a top of the range Rolex and leaving behind a whiff of Havana cigar mixed with his personalized designer perfume.

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

A Baby is a Precious Little Miracle – Pamper her

Only a few moments ago, it seems a precious little miracle happened in our life as our beautiful angel was delivered. Today she sits next to me discussing what would protect the soft skin of a baby.  

It was a brilliant idea, I thought to have a family discussion on a subject like this. Moreover, it provides an excellent opportunity for my daughter, a second grader to participate and brainstorm on a topic.

We started by asking ourselves what was most important for a baby. There was no surprise in that. It was sleep, we all agreed as they sleep for the best part of the day. Babies, however have shorter sleeping cycles compared to adults and it gets even shorter if she became wet and uncomfortable.

That is one of the reasons why we keep a waterproof material for the baby to sleep on. The most common practice is a rubber cloth topped up with soft linen.

“Is this comfortable” I asked the house and it was a "No” in a chorus. “The baby wakes up in the middle of the night crying, every time she wets herself” the daughter quipped.

“A happy baby need to have continuity in sleep and wetness is not permitted”, I try to sum up after everyone has put enough ideas on the tables. I steer the discussion in order to list down 5 practical hints for protecting the soft skin of a baby.

• 1. “Soft linen is good but it should be dry and therefore she needs to wear a diaper at the night. Otherwise she might have irritation or maybe rashes.”  I appreciate the style as my daughter delivered the knowledge acquired only moments earlier and wonder how fast babies grow up. 
• 2. “You know, before putting on a fresh diaper one should wipe the baby dry and apply a soft skin cream” she repeats a point her mother mentioned a little while back. 

What else could you think of, I question the two females sitting beside me?

• 3. “Always wash the clothes using an antiseptic liquid as it is important to disinfect the clothes in addition to cleaning,“ suggests the elder of the two. " Don't forget to apply baby powder before putting on the clothes" reminds my little one.
• 4. “Should we not use fabric softeners”, I think aloud. “Only if the baby likes the smell” tells my little one. Point well taken I signal with a nod. A sample test required before using this liquid for her clothes.
• 5. ”The last one should be temperature, daddy” she says. I give her a puzzled look as if to ask what’s wrong about the temperature. “The clothes she wears should always be suitable for the temperature around. She should be comfortable and not feel too warm or cold” she expands. “Ah ha! That’s important to avoid the baby's skin getting dry or sweaty” I make a mental note. “Also make it a point not to use cold water while washing the clothes as results is always better with warm water” the mother chips in on temperature.

“Thanks team! We are done with this assignment,” I declare signalling them to focus their energy and attention somewhere else.

“We can have such discussions more often,” the daughter looks at me expectantly.

“We most certainly shall have more such discussions on a variety of subjects in the coming days”, I get up appreciating their contribution and realizing how involved a child can get given the right opportunity.

“Pampers brings you the softest ever Pampers Premium Care Pants. Its cotton-like softness is #SoftestForBabySkin and allows it to breathe, thus keeping baby’s skin soft and healthy, and your baby happy. ”

Come on get off my back. Leave me alone!

I am getting intimidated by the demanding and commanding nature of all with whom I have association these days.I agree that I have requested for a wakeup call in the morning but when I open my eyes and give a pat that task should be considered completed. There is no need to keep calling me again and again like a nagging child. That's one time when I feel like throwing the phone away and teach it a lesson but only the price tag even with those sleepy eyes keep me from doing that.

I collect all the resolution it takes and get ready for work get into the car. As soon as I switch the ignition on, the car starts beeping to remind me about the seat belt. I say “Thank you very much” and move on. As I continue with my journey, there it goes again beeping at a much higher pitch. I say “shut up!” you did your duty now let me too have some rights to decide. It gives a damn and keep beeping which I ignore for some time and finally give in as the score goes love - two.

I reach office and try to access my email account but the server reminds me change my password. This is the single most important aspect for me being the communication lifeline, I decide not to mess around and key-in a new password which is easy to remember. The server object saying it’s not secure enough and instructs me to use special character, numerals in addition to alphabets. I somewhat complicate my otherwise simple character to create a password strong enough for their taste and satisfaction. Score goes Love - three.

Now it wants my mobile number so to ensure even more safety and I punch in the numbers eager to get along with my work. But now it tells me that a code will be sent to my phone and it does after a while.

The first mail I check is a promotional one luring me to buy something from somewhere. I bite the bait and head for the mega sale on the Apps. Now the app wants to do is check my location. That's purely an intrusion into my privacy and get worried about the grip the one who woke me up in the morning is trying to have on my life.

“Come on, get off my back! Let me alone!” I murmur before I get going with the daily work routine.

Last score of the morning: one – three. Game paused.

Together & Happiness

"You won't believe who was sitting next to me at the coffee shop this evening!" a friend came and told me today creating the drama he mastered over the years. He later told me that in the table next to his sat a man without a phone in his hand or even a laptop in his table. According to him it was quite odd and was quite certain that he was deranged as only they could act like that.

While I knew he was trying to be funny, deep inside me I knew it definitely was a rare sighting in today's world. Such individuals are few and far in between.

The world has taken giant leaps over the past century and left behind the old ways of life. The Generation X of the world who was largely responsible for this change are fast turning into senior citizens challenged with the impacts of their own revolution. Some of us are stuck in the middle struggling with the new way of life while still romanticizing with the past.

We conveniently blame our smart phones and other gadgets as reason for not being able to spend quality times with our family, friends and loved ones. But the fact of the matter is these gadgets are here to stay and the sooner we learn to adopt those into our lifestyle, the better it is for us.

Our ability to remain connected to the internet 24x7 doesn’t not mean that we should be constantly surfing the net. Similarly it also doesn’t warrant that we should keep passing on messages to a large group of friends or acquaintances as soon as we receive those from somewhere. There is no denying that we cannot shun those from our life any more as our favourite pastime, reading, too has become digital. Only when we bring discipline in our life we will be able to use these technologies as tools to improve our life and not let them become the wedge that pushes the family apart. Otherwise persons around us shall continue to become invisible as we stay engrossed in our computers, laptops or other handheld devices and each individual becomes an isolated island.

Only when we control what we do, when we do and how we do things in our life shall we create little islands of kissanpur in our daily life and enjoy the joy of being together and happiness or in other word togetherness.

The joy increases manifold when we all go to a new place with our extended family and spend at least a week in a hotel where all we need to care about is spend quality time, laugh together remembering all those sweet memories from the past and at the same time creating memories for the future.

Kissanpur "Real Joy of Togetherness" Video 

This post links to http://www.kissanpur.com/.