Mrs. Flantee's Tea Party

Hey Guys,


Here's the link to my first e-book, called Mrs. Flantee's Tea Party. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006AAKSEM


It is a simple light-heated story for kids that teaches the values of sharing and caring.


Do check it out and let me know what you guys think of it. And stay tuned for more. 

Worshipping nature this Diwali

Is nature a religion? Maybe not. Because nature does not expect you to pray to it.

But is nature a deity? Many religions believe that. Directly and indirectly. The greeks called her Gaia, the spirit of the earth. In India, we celebrate the harvest festivals- Lodhi, Baisakhi- to thank nature for the food we eat.

At the same time, we abuse her too. Not only razing down the trees, building concrete roads and breaking the hills, but also in the garb of other celebrations- viz. diwali celebrations.

If there ever was an Indian goddess of nature, she would possibly be depicted in the most pristene atmosphere- where trees and birds and animals and fish alike would be around her. Now imagine the gold adorned goddess covering her ears and choking because of our celebrations. Doesn't quite fit the pristene picture now, does it?

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Most organisms adapt

I just read Seth Godin's blog where he talks about how ecosystems outlast organisms. Fair point, which got me thinking... What makes an organism leave the ecosystem? Is it that the organism changed? Or other organisms that polluted the ecosystem enough to make changes so evident that eventually the ecosystem itself changed. So the other organisms have two choices. Either adapt to the change, or find another way and move out.

welcome to hidden door number three. some organisms find their way to challenge ecosystems. They're not rebels. They won't dramatise their existence. They'll come straight to the point and get the change made. And again, won't rebel when not taken seriously.

Look out for these guys, they'll be the quiet ones.. And they're very few.

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About A-Bout

The dictionary explains the word 'bout' as 'A period of time spent in a particular way'. A bout of happiness, a bout of joy, a bout of depression, a bout of sickness. 

Maybe if used loosely, the term 'a bout' can be interchanged with 'a phase'. 

Hence, it is important to note that bouts are just temporary, hence everything you feel or do, is well, temporary. Just like- happiness, joy, depression or sickness. 

So stay calm, and know that the small things in life are only phases and learn to know about a-bout.

Over and out!

The stuffed piggy-bank

The stuffed piggy-bank,
He makes no sound.
He's bright and shiny
All year round.

He stands atop a pedestal
Out of reach.
How well to behave
Is what he can teach.

The empty piggy-bank
He's upto no good.
Tattered and broken
He's got bad looks.

With a grim face
He sits at a table,
he'll make so much noise
Even with a wiggle.

So which piggy you got?
Would you want to exchange?
The one on the table
Is for you to blame.

Trade it now
For the one that seems happy.
The one that will
Always remain sappy.

Trade it now
For the one that brings more health
The one that will
Always be in the pink of health.

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Imagining your World

They say Music makes the world go round.
Just like, Technology brings the world together. Money can make you buy the world. Love can save the world. Education can make the world wiser. Imagine a world without these things. No music, no technology, no money, no love and no education. Imagine yourself staring into a void. Suddenly, the focus starts moving away from the world and at yourself. Now its time for you to build your world. Fill it with whatever you want. That's where your life begins and the mediocre ends.

The scarecrow and the dog

A lush open field that has been around for decades.  Two protectors of the field- the scarecrow and the dog. Both given the sole responsibility of protecting the field. But their actionables different.

While the dog is a runner; the scarecrow oversees the field from a distinct height. The dog barks and screams, the scarecrow only sees. While one gets a hat and multiple layers of clothing to cover him through the night; the other is expected to stay awake and guard. And if the dog spots something in the dark of the night, he howls and protects the field. To his dismay, he is criticised for making a hue and cry.

The dog, attuned to be the best friend, befriends the scarecrow too. The latter however, grins and exudes unfaithfulness. Something that only the dog can sniff out; and detest.  

Scarecrows and dogs exist everywhere in society. They have been around since ages now, talked about through history. Wise men have studied scarecrows. They have given them names like mannequins and decoys.  

They have been spoken about in literature - In the Wizard of Oz, the scarecrow is looking for his brains.  The dog- Toto doesn’t speak at all until much later. Scarecrow was batman’s greatest enemy! If not for Robin, a dog would have been his side kick.

So which of these are you, and who do you want to be?

Amusement Park: Open Monday to Friday

Disclaimer: This blog is purely fictional. Any relation to a culture, language or antics is purely co-incidental. 


Like a lot of people, I work at an amusement park. Every day is a fun day and the work we do entertains people. We also earn some money while at it. So let me take you through a typical day and introduce you to (take a dig at) my work mates.


We come from a normal world, and like normal people, we have to go to work and come back to reality. I don't put a clown's nose when I leave from home; but my dressing may explain where I'm going. In fact, I don't even travel by a normal route. I travel via a rollercoaster, left and right and wheezing away, keeping a track of the time it takes for each ride to get complete. The coaster is named by the destination it goes to: Ma'Roll. 


Once there, we are asked punch in the time you walk into the park. But here, the total time within the park is kept track of only to determine the level of craziness involved. Needless to say, the head clown is the craziest (no points for guessing who, appraisal at stake). He keeps switching between crazy gizmos, first to free the angry birds from the gizmos, and then to capture them on camera. He still struggles.


We also have the 'Get your kids to work' day. While some may think that getting their kids to the park is too much by crazy standards, two brave clowns think its safest that way. And voila, they teach us new tricks and inspire us. Helps us innovate. 


Some of my work mates are so inspired, they are always ready for receiving a two- thumbs up, even if its only on a calendar. They will pull all strings to get there. 


A big clown joined us a few months back. Unfortunately, a midget got jealous and yanked him on his head. Since then, he keeps forgetting the previous conversation. (I think  he was a dreamworks cartoon character earlier).  


Another one has been a clown since years now. Someone who knows his history well, and may have been a part of it. He is a pro at clown currency and explains to us how it originated in every single detail. 


We retain our productivity at all times. We need to do funny antics, pay our part, improvise; coz there is a camera capturing all of that. And a clown watching videos all the time. Wait- they are not our videos and that's not his job! Eh, what the heck, let the craziness spread!


If you think we all act like funnymen, you are wrong, we are also about the monies, the technology, the sweeping and swabbing the confetti... its all in a days job; all with a, well, fake painted joker smile. 


The visitors to the amusement park are not too difficult to find. They're the ones without the red noses (And no, Rudolph has his own Santa themed park.) They get so fanatic with the place, they'd pay us more only to hang around in the park. 




The place where I work is also a nature park. While there are a few animals and few clowns that are static, they look like trees; there are also a few apples and berries. The apples are white and the berries are black. Without them, it would be fruitless to be here. 


That's the way we run the show, 'coz entertaining begins from home (or is that charity?). We do just anything to change the blues to the yellows (and no, not the way ad agencies photoshop). We call ourselves Jack-in-the-box not. 


Blogger's note: I hope you noticed in the beginning of the blog I didn't mention relation to people being incidental. 

Karma,The Secret, Truman Show

My interpretations of the above (short  gasp) The mind is playing games! 

Lots of times, its good fun to see unprecedented things happen as you please, on a regular basis. That's what I call being on the Truman Show. Incidentally, the Truman show is also one of my most favourite movies.


But these small things are fun, something to even brighten up your day or just keep you wide awake. The mind, my friend, does a lot more than just that. Sometimes, life altering decisions are made basis these events that you see or know. 


For example, when I am on my way to the park, I see a person wearing sneakers just like the ones I want. during that day, I also come across someone talking about them and an advertisement alluring me to get them. That's what you call being on the Truman show. 


In another example, one of my friends is seeing, hearing and thinking pregnancy. In her office, on the roads, on TV, in her home, other friends getting preggo. Its all over the place and its freaking her out!  Little does she know, its only because her mind is alert about that one topic and is taking over her life. Why else would she think that contraceptive pills are purposefully placed where they are at the chemist?

As you sow, so shall you reap. Moral science books are filled with it. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap- that's what the bible says. However, I prefer the modern day connotations- the law of attraction, the way it is explained puts you in complete action, to do something about, well, your actions. Incidentally, The Secret is also one of the most inspiring books I have ever read, for the sheer confidence with which it is written. 
Other phrases work when you realise you have done something you shouldn't have, and now its too late. It helps put a blame on the universe. Like the word 'Karma' (in the fake english accent). Its about something that you have already  done in the past, and now you're paying for it. You can't do anything about that now, can ya? Or like the Justin Timberlake song- What goes around, comes around. The origins of the proverb is unclear, but it may as well be from a non-preacher. On the other hand, 'life comes a full circle' has got an optimistic, familial tone to it. 


Thinking back, perhaps the bible version is right about as you sow, so shall you reap- because you sow an idea in your head, and your mind does exactly what you show it, it reaps! The mind decides to indeed play games with you, and creates your universe. You need to either be comfortable enough to live with it, or tame your mind to think what you want your universe to be. 
which links back to the law of attraction. 


Through our lives, we have been trying to tame our mind, and sometimes our mind tames our soul. And when those energies come together, it makes US unique.

The week after

So all the big occasions are over and done with- the last day to submit your investment papers, April fools day the world cup (yay!), and a rather long weekend. Guess people have gotten used to excitement.

No wonder I saw a crowd gather in the middle of the road crowding something big and tall. A little closer my rick goes and I see a huge elephant bang in the middle of the road shitting and peeing, to the awe of its spectators.

All this while I'm compulsively using my cell phone to chat up about office gossip. Now thats what you call full-on entertainment.

For the second half of my journey halfway through the city I took a bus. It was pure leisure. And you know what, the songs you listen to seem shorter when you are aimlessly spending time sitting by the window. On the other hand, when you need to reach somewhere quickly, it seems like the song is going on forever, just like the journey.

Days like this need to come more often, but they don't coz the holiday list on the softboard says that there are only 3 optional holidays available to you. Wait, maybe I'm not seeing it right; after all, the list is really really tiny. Wait is there a secret flipside to the list that has more holidays. Nope, just recycled paper!

Best part of the day: All the secrets in the air adding a tease element. Good fun!

Introduction

Copy - paste and edit. That's all what life seems to be about. We copy what we aspire, what others are doing and we wish to do. We paste it into our lives. And then we edit- the struggle to find out what it is that really matters.

This blog is full of it. For all you guys who thought that I'm going to copy-paste other people's experiences and edit them out, you're wrong. I'm just too full of myself to do such a thing (anyone smirking?) So this is all about how I copy, paste and edit everyday experiences of my life, and for those people around whom my life revolves, i'll get a snapshot of our lives together.

Some work may be fiction, take it like an extension of my fact. But beware: some facts can really be wayyyy stranger of fiction, and I'm not going to categorize the two. Call it creative liberty. After all, I am part of the advertising family. (yea, one of those!)

I really hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it!