tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-604793694840117912024-02-19T14:02:55.498+05:30Peeves PrattlesPeeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.comBlogger213125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-25854203150414947032023-08-21T08:58:00.001+05:302023-08-21T08:58:40.396+05:30Those Pesky Household Chores<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkppq6Xma_xnI54CbGlVhROKGdo47Hk67eBW1woxk3dIaqW9drD7jp4KiKIiuWSWPU8e699sivcArFFuIp34SmPMSwyJC5aUaKOLqCLW0QZ5BCYlAtluCmLIep69xmj67pydT3zpAeHjivE229iAhicf3SpRG9szVrN7PkWLjDFyjQ6_xfMGjaj1UF-o/s267/WhatsForLunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="267" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkppq6Xma_xnI54CbGlVhROKGdo47Hk67eBW1woxk3dIaqW9drD7jp4KiKIiuWSWPU8e699sivcArFFuIp34SmPMSwyJC5aUaKOLqCLW0QZ5BCYlAtluCmLIep69xmj67pydT3zpAeHjivE229iAhicf3SpRG9szVrN7PkWLjDFyjQ6_xfMGjaj1UF-o/w200-h142/WhatsForLunch.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Ten o' clock at night and I just finished sending the last email of the day. The dinner is done, and the kid is about to go to bed.<p></p><p>"What's for lunch tomorrow?" says a sleepy voice.</p><p>"I haven't decided yet!"</p><p>That's your standard answer. But inwardly you just cursed yourself, because not only have you really not decided what to cook, but you haven't even prepared the menu. And you still have to empty the dishwasher and reload it, fold the laundry, and also cut the vegetables for tomorrow.</p><p>Also, your kid wants to chat and delay sleeping!</p><p>Isn't that a usual scene? It certainly is in my house. According to me, three of the most boring chores are unloading the dishwasher, or if it's the maid who cleans the utensils, then putting the clean utensils back in their places, folding the laundry, and cutting veggies.</p><p>I never want to these tasks, and try to postpone them as much as possible. Invariably, it's the end of the day by the time I get to do them, and then because I don't want to push them to the next day, I end up doing them late at night.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62L09WrZCSqN4TposHDhqHut76-Z5HTYX1P2UmbN5HSDZ0cY4RSP6YXCT6tiqyOFHXkgvlCUzJQgKNeTODiq8F59hYjeXPLA5aaIyEMLTjb7lv7AekeTrbYJQHHRC94GyFJa5vzZcTONIR7Qf_P8GLhcria0gl1Dgq1ez6-F7o8SgXmWQPqXnafy-64M/s325/The_Genie_Aladdin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62L09WrZCSqN4TposHDhqHut76-Z5HTYX1P2UmbN5HSDZ0cY4RSP6YXCT6tiqyOFHXkgvlCUzJQgKNeTODiq8F59hYjeXPLA5aaIyEMLTjb7lv7AekeTrbYJQHHRC94GyFJa5vzZcTONIR7Qf_P8GLhcria0gl1Dgq1ez6-F7o8SgXmWQPqXnafy-64M/w189-h200/The_Genie_Aladdin.png" width="189" /></a></div>I really, really want a Genie to get these chores done for me. All other tasks I can manage, although grudgingly. But these three really get on my nerves. They are boring, time-consuming, menial, and repetitive. Also, nobody helps me with them!<p></p><p>That's not entirely true though. My husband does help me with the cleaning and cutting of vegetables. I especially hate cleaning the green veggies. So he cleans them for me (sometimes). I now have found a vegetable vendor who sells cleaned, cut vegetables. Yay!</p><p>I shudder when I look back at a hundred years back or even fifty when women did these tasks at home. I cannot imagine spending time doing them day in and day out.</p><p>But here's what I realised. In those times, and even now, these tasks can actually be fun. Ever thought of putting on your favourite music when you're cleaning the vegetables? Or even watching an episode of your favourite show on an OTT platform?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TQmhcim4wi-gdMp_7HJYE2pY5k2zJG3N823XBHE7FMvSrJLT6ke31UgvJr9W9CFB5jadirWuLwxasGH3rjwfJTfHUoYqQwnYrD02CnowDvzweduMBA237FDfZVHCS8fqdaSSQlMohu8IFZDNUsSAhFG3VW39E94F_mbMIfVVDooXimNXjOsqIxvqSPg/s600/CuttingVeggies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="600" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TQmhcim4wi-gdMp_7HJYE2pY5k2zJG3N823XBHE7FMvSrJLT6ke31UgvJr9W9CFB5jadirWuLwxasGH3rjwfJTfHUoYqQwnYrD02CnowDvzweduMBA237FDfZVHCS8fqdaSSQlMohu8IFZDNUsSAhFG3VW39E94F_mbMIfVVDooXimNXjOsqIxvqSPg/w200-h141/CuttingVeggies.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Perhaps, involving the entire household, even kids really might be fun. It actually could be those times when the entire family sits together and talks. And you know, really talks. Without mobiles, TVs, and any other gadgets.<p></p><p>These household chores are repetitive tasks that can be done while multi-tasking. And what better time than to spend it with the family talking about nothing and everything? May be that's when you'll be finalising your vacation plan, bitch about the obnoxious person in your team, listen to your kid's school adventures, and even resolve the world climate change problem.</p><p>Remember those old movies when the grandmas or mothers were shown making those वाती for diyas? Or grinding masalas, making chutneys, cleaning vegetables, and even cooking? So many of these tasks have now eased up. You don't have to grind masalas or flour on the stone grinder manually, or even manually make those वाती for diyas. Those are all available easily in the market.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTSiKmzoN25qCb2AsnMspxwRbhRDQIfujJ1EahfmGiQNU9TO-8f2pqtgkI56WFqtboz83q5lvblkKQO3sivFZauZkYw-lqQnAdJjOIzkntOMc_mfDp05FDDsvPiTBGoJYHH5IuNoSsDnwQ7CPKyYQlYxZnW_KqTOOkRDUVPp_Kk3YVPPyVdG8LjRVy-w/s1000/SharingChores.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTSiKmzoN25qCb2AsnMspxwRbhRDQIfujJ1EahfmGiQNU9TO-8f2pqtgkI56WFqtboz83q5lvblkKQO3sivFZauZkYw-lqQnAdJjOIzkntOMc_mfDp05FDDsvPiTBGoJYHH5IuNoSsDnwQ7CPKyYQlYxZnW_KqTOOkRDUVPp_Kk3YVPPyVdG8LjRVy-w/w200-h120/SharingChores.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p>I also know that it is not easy doing all these tasks at home, especially for a working woman. And I'm not even against getting all these items ready-made.</p><p>But in case you want to do these at home, it might be a good idea if the whole family joins in to share the chores. After all, work shared, is work lessened.<br /></p>Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-47247871387392992752022-08-08T18:44:00.006+05:302022-08-08T19:27:39.629+05:30Why Do Clothes Have Tags?<p>Have you ever tried a beautiful, new top that you had your eye on for quite sometime, only to get an itchy neck when you finally change out of it at the end of the day?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeb0F0KHQFz55vN6zzABLoZmSxISplI4vZ8rPVfZbCZOnaDU-H6LngqoT93lrv59K74Y55i7PGJAZ67hggUKI3UuXmFFzbeM6qXR2kwvHacwAizv2tm547KxzYUABmrKEOGozFIyFTk-vFZDyPz3-yOnRjSofGblHuujr-AFE_NJh1RHxyjg4IPTp/s360/Tag.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="360" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeb0F0KHQFz55vN6zzABLoZmSxISplI4vZ8rPVfZbCZOnaDU-H6LngqoT93lrv59K74Y55i7PGJAZ67hggUKI3UuXmFFzbeM6qXR2kwvHacwAizv2tm547KxzYUABmrKEOGozFIyFTk-vFZDyPz3-yOnRjSofGblHuujr-AFE_NJh1RHxyjg4IPTp/w104-h104/Tag.jpg" width="104" /></a></div><br />Why do all clothes have those hideous tags inline that scratch your skin and make your life miserable? Hasn't any designer ever, ever realised out of those hundreds and thousands of brands that those tags are terrible and one of the worst places to advertise your brand? Because, the first thing I do when I get out of that scratchy, itchy thing is to cut off all the tags to remove all traces of the awesome brand that I had always wanted to use! Sigh! Talk of brand power!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4gzhICOYc-hwPr1LAF1hQCVp1IIhSyGM2bqb1ozCasHQS7aJ8b5UTJQGmVhZqJu74Qmp42BBP9AS9EAbDZRCmHYQGVUvAaAMFqDfSyEZITgkyE80Fg9uzLIwip_H1t0IvfJIsUTQMrcG-Adncg9xD4yvqex5Qpie_zwxUPOpofSQWNtVEVTdnNep/s239/PriceTag.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="211" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4gzhICOYc-hwPr1LAF1hQCVp1IIhSyGM2bqb1ozCasHQS7aJ8b5UTJQGmVhZqJu74Qmp42BBP9AS9EAbDZRCmHYQGVUvAaAMFqDfSyEZITgkyE80Fg9uzLIwip_H1t0IvfJIsUTQMrcG-Adncg9xD4yvqex5Qpie_zwxUPOpofSQWNtVEVTdnNep/w185-h210/PriceTag.jpg" width="185" /></a></div>And then sometimes, you go to the shop of a pretty well-known brand and hope that you'll find something that you like. You step inside, and a nice dress catches your eye....hmm...trendy, nice colours, and for a change, it seems that it might really fit you well. But the fabric isn't that great. So as a last attempt to justify your buying impulse, you check the price, and that's when the 'brand' wall crumbles. You are left gawping at the price and touching the fabric several times, just to ensure that you didn't read it incorrectly!<p></p><p>The salesgirl is hovering around, hoping to get a good commission. And it's difficult to sound casual and nonchalant as you bow out as gracefully as possible, saying that the dress didn't really 'click'. It's hard hiding the fact that the brand, fabric, and price don't 'click', and that you get better options in half the price on that tag.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYu1nHuSvQ-8w_E6F8qLxPu3yBJ4Q5VoTCSRQ41mRq-S-nRJiJUDMvIhGunzEQS8t16i9L8nCvEwfDtp4jZ7iPaqluJRcQGbHOoPJbthekYeFZWceRlAoxC7xM9xWIXzXGv5OBZzAwrDH3YPJ7W56ICCO0y6fE--q1g72gI39Pe3dLiKZ37kXC4ccs/s216/SaleTag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="216" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYu1nHuSvQ-8w_E6F8qLxPu3yBJ4Q5VoTCSRQ41mRq-S-nRJiJUDMvIhGunzEQS8t16i9L8nCvEwfDtp4jZ7iPaqluJRcQGbHOoPJbthekYeFZWceRlAoxC7xM9xWIXzXGv5OBZzAwrDH3YPJ7W56ICCO0y6fE--q1g72gI39Pe3dLiKZ37kXC4ccs/w112-h108/SaleTag.jpg" width="112" /></a></div><br />Remember one of those times when you saw a great clothing item on sale, and realised that the tag did not say "Made in India" but made in that one place that you don't want to buy from, that you've promised yourself you'll avoid unless in dire straits! Remember that all-consuming melancholy that threatens to overwhelm you for taking that vow of patriotism? All because of that one tag!<p></p><p>Really, life is made so difficult because of these clothing tags! Wish it was easier to unlabel! </p>Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-91808762821861583712021-08-06T20:16:00.001+05:302021-08-06T20:16:37.697+05:30Delay Tactics<p> "I'm hungry!"</p><p>"I just came to get a glass of water."</p><p>"I can't find the notebook."</p><p>"Teachers just don't understand. Why do they pile us up with so much writing?"</p><p>"But I already know this. Why do I have to do it again?"</p><p>"Yes, yes, I've already started." (The book's not even opened!)</p><p>"If I've to do homework, give me my dinner." (As if I don't feed her at all!)</p><p>"I'm tired!"</p><p>"I'm afraid to sit in that room alone. Can you sit with me at the table?" (All puppy eyes.)</p><p>"But you said I can go and play!" ('After doing your homework' wasn't obviously heard.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nHD_fq_yU5PSW-cNQy24k8U9B8HGCs-XlmXlKENlBzh-okUFag8J2-uQacJ_3K3VVnPAQiJv3Zm0NzoCZO9K9mDgWuwpDinbW_WICIamILgEWw9LR3GtLa-jro-gPH2YA9dxLD6nprI/s800/WhoInventedHW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="800" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nHD_fq_yU5PSW-cNQy24k8U9B8HGCs-XlmXlKENlBzh-okUFag8J2-uQacJ_3K3VVnPAQiJv3Zm0NzoCZO9K9mDgWuwpDinbW_WICIamILgEWw9LR3GtLa-jro-gPH2YA9dxLD6nprI/s320/WhoInventedHW.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>And after all this, when finally a word or two are written, along with scowls and frowns, there's still the under-the-breath grumbling...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMQG2ixvUJ5oYeFkr_hc-OrqhdgqY56kxoXuKU8i382gJFb8tXpcvpvVmuegmLFm_l9MeVnxQig-ut3kwBL0lDFhH2fQ4DLcQviXizPCpYfWYpsTlklHzCvcRkvcO-8d1z1PoS-C5mRU/s1642/WhyIDidntDoMyHW.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1642" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijMQG2ixvUJ5oYeFkr_hc-OrqhdgqY56kxoXuKU8i382gJFb8tXpcvpvVmuegmLFm_l9MeVnxQig-ut3kwBL0lDFhH2fQ4DLcQviXizPCpYfWYpsTlklHzCvcRkvcO-8d1z1PoS-C5mRU/w200-h133/WhyIDidntDoMyHW.png" width="200" /></a></div>"Teachers are evil! They make us write."<p></p><p>"When I grow up, I'm going to be a teacher and give you all and my teachers so much homework."</p><p>I'm going to hold her to up to this promise when she grows up! And I'm going to have fun watching her when my kiddo has to deal with forty more students in her class when they give such reasons for not doing their homework.<br /></p>Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-33960238476310146032021-07-26T12:39:00.002+05:302021-07-26T12:39:55.557+05:30Don't Grow Up Yet<p>Daughters are treasures. They love selflessly. And they grow up too quickly. I have a seven-year old girl who already behaves like an eleven year old. She can make her own lunch, clean up after dinner, do almost all household chores that I do, and still laugh and giggle like only a kid can. Where did the years go?</p><p>Come Friday evening, she preps for a 'weekend' where she wants me to get up late and not do any household chores. She prepares a 'breakfast in bed' for me and asks me to lie down and read in the bed for the day. It's an amazing feeling. I've never had anyone do that for me.</p><p>Don't get me wrong. My husband does help me at home. We both try to ease each other's load. However, there's nothing so sweet and heart warming than your son or daughter making you sit down and take a breather because you don't get to rest and are too busy for your own good.</p><p>The other day, she told me, "I'll do five of your chores. But you only have to play with me for twenty or twenty five minutes." That's all? She just wants twenty five minutes out of my entire twenty four hours? And just to play? No new toy, no favourite dish, just play time! Where did she find that selfless love?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9Q4h-iAejXl3NAggDUHuwrYp6bnIqbHdI-U7XsyiiqqFWGgJ4C1y75w4ZFMsqcVNbyhEvW45yE4TyKKxpj8QiIIpbXf0w9gL30GYouAbU0IM2KCj2UAPgV9wk0eJL-97aWTS-4R9hq0/s416/MotherDaughter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="416" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9Q4h-iAejXl3NAggDUHuwrYp6bnIqbHdI-U7XsyiiqqFWGgJ4C1y75w4ZFMsqcVNbyhEvW45yE4TyKKxpj8QiIIpbXf0w9gL30GYouAbU0IM2KCj2UAPgV9wk0eJL-97aWTS-4R9hq0/w200-h200/MotherDaughter.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>She goes for a daily morning walk just to collect flowers. When she returns from the walk, she shows her treasure to me with a detailed explanation of where she found each flower and what she did on her daily round. Then she quietly asks, "Do you like it when I bring flowers for you?" Good God! Give me strength to answer her without shedding tears of love and joy! Like? Of course not! I love it!<p></p><p>One day, when she's no longer a seven-year old, no longer staying with us because she's studying somewhere else, or is away for work, no longer thinking of getting flowers for me, because she has her own flower-giving person, I'll recall these times!</p><p>Girlie, don't grow up yet!<br /><br /></p>Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-55257650225958350902021-05-28T14:34:00.003+05:302021-05-28T14:34:56.747+05:30Games Behind Doors<p></p><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEC-wUlcnlbh6AYco1BYu7KiN-o1AwaLNhAHAGyz3rVjuu3odgWpcOn5nfVrsc1WozJtqAWkGRysMPeEpMGZfqybdOyep97jfRurvVS7dF9pvSt067znOchQG4FWEOc2wXzrTU1NWhDSs/s1000/GirlWFH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEC-wUlcnlbh6AYco1BYu7KiN-o1AwaLNhAHAGyz3rVjuu3odgWpcOn5nfVrsc1WozJtqAWkGRysMPeEpMGZfqybdOyep97jfRurvVS7dF9pvSt067znOchQG4FWEOc2wXzrTU1NWhDSs/w200-h150/GirlWFH.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>We've all been at home for more than a year now. Not just adults, but kids have adapted to being inside the four walls. Although not an ideal situation at all, kids have learnt to play all sorts of games at home, whether alone, with parents, siblings, or even friends.<p></p><p>Online hobby classes, games, school, tuition, and even get togethers have become the much-needed social interaction windows for children.</p><p>But kids are amazingly resilient and adaptive. Not just physically, mentally and emotionally too. They have invented newer games to play at home, even learning to play with each other through the online sessions, and across balconies.</p><p>My seven-year old daughter has concocted imaginative games for not just herself, but also for us adults to be involved in. And I'm rather proud to say that I've stolen some of her games to use them as ice-breakers for my team meetings.</p><p>Since last year, we started with simple word games such as Name-Place-Animal-Thing and Animal-Sounds moving on to Using Rhyming Words in a limerick, Jumbled Words, Describe an object in the room. It's been amazing to see how my daughter has improved her prowess at words and language.</p><p>We've played Chess, Snakes & Ladders, Uno, Carrom, Guess Who?, Pictureka, Scrabble, and some board games that she invented on her own. We've done hide-n-seek, role playing (doctor-doctor, school, hotel, visit to beach, staying in awesome hotels with room service, which is of course provided by my daughter).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwOkYKLTdOUHelb5IXUWQvkP5_FjPshqwhgv6iibDNWLQjaMmE0BD2IfYajB1A573CZZmAdSJ9bQh9-7hqTrnQUpRuHktIRDK0KPKszOgTTYuMqQiz7sOa68zlEB66W4kQ2P_QvtGM98/s654/CommunityHelpers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="654" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwOkYKLTdOUHelb5IXUWQvkP5_FjPshqwhgv6iibDNWLQjaMmE0BD2IfYajB1A573CZZmAdSJ9bQh9-7hqTrnQUpRuHktIRDK0KPKszOgTTYuMqQiz7sOa68zlEB66W4kQ2P_QvtGM98/w200-h180/CommunityHelpers.png" width="200" /></a></div><br />She has been a traffic police, doctor and patient, teacher, PT instructor, yoga instructor, pilot, cruise captain, fire fighter, police, paramedic helper, ambulance (the vehicle, all with the beeper sound) and even a robot over the last year. How can you say that the year has not been happening and exhaustive?<p></p><p>I've seen her play and chat with her friends through online meetings, holding art classes for her friends, story telling sessions with her grandpa, and even daily video calls with grandma showing her new plants, activities, and even reading out stories.</p><p>She has written funny stories, a few chapters of two new novels, spooky stories, comic books, Chacha Chaudhary stories, and has moved on to write poems.</p><p>What is incredible is how imaginative this new life behind doors has been. I don't deny that kids haven't had enough physical activities, and they are missing out on playing out in the open. Yet, they have learnt and adapted.</p><p>There are a couple of kids who stay in a building opposite my house. They both stay on two different floors, but their balconies open out to the same side. Throughout the day, they are constantly calling each other, asking questions about daily routines, such as have you had your lunch, what are you having for lunch, what are you doing now, and all such questions, providing an awesome, free entertainment for us.</p><p>The other day, they decided to play hide and seek. I admit that this has been the most creative and imaginative hide-n-seek play that I have ever heard. Each took turn crying out, "Alright, I am ready! Guess where I am hiding!" Mind you, this is across balconies and across floors. The kids are at their own houses. And they are just imaging themselves hiding in the places. So the other kid would guess, "Under the bed, inside a cupboard, behind the sofa!" It was so much fun to hear them play!</p><p>I was not just astonished at their imagination but extremely proud at seeing them so adaptive and innovative.</p><p>We've all been harping about how excessively and utterly boring it has been being stuck inside the four walls. But we forget that windows, doors, balconies, and terraces are still open!</p>Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-73608488933011548402020-12-01T14:25:00.004+05:302020-12-01T14:25:45.826+05:30The Shapes In The Clouds<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohK6xGx_4KnUr0SZMffqN2h2re4D5FgBo6IW5GTjVWG_byyHDAanl_B_Acf7TX13AdvNeK8FQD6kbu12uF3A8cp55qPIVXv2XJgwqz5CwZWcaSF6MG39c910EyOc2rHEI8Vm5hiJsTrw/s797/CloudShapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="797" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohK6xGx_4KnUr0SZMffqN2h2re4D5FgBo6IW5GTjVWG_byyHDAanl_B_Acf7TX13AdvNeK8FQD6kbu12uF3A8cp55qPIVXv2XJgwqz5CwZWcaSF6MG39c910EyOc2rHEI8Vm5hiJsTrw/w320-h214/CloudShapes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Dragon, alien, crocodile, fox, alligator, and a whole bunch of them you'll see if you choose to. But do you even look up? I don't. Or to be accurate, I'd forgotten till my daughter reminded me to!<p></p><p>This little exercise started in our household when my daughter read a lesson in her English book about how a little boy finds new shapes in the clouds. Their homework for that day was to go look out the window and find shapes in the sky. And how we do that everyday. Even when we are out riding in a car.</p><p>Boy! How we have really missed out on those carefree things! Those little things that made up our childhood. That finger crossing that we did when we saw a red mail van, those pencil shavings that we kept in water overnight hoping that they would turn into erasers (duh!), the small designs that we cut and preserved from the wedding invitations that we received in the hope of using them for making greetings and then not using them because we liked them too much!</p><p>Innocent things that didn't matter to anyone but to yourself. A little ghungroo that you found on the road that you've still kept, an ice-cream shaped eraser that you got as a birthday present, that peacock feather that your dad got for you on a rainy day, a keychain that your best friend gave you. So many things, now lost to antiquity, boxed up in a long-forgotten drawer of an old table.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQINnl-LY8PpLWPDiY08adiPdC9MuLxJwnK4r1B-EOMnn6J0ZvZaNxB85IiUtZv2bcT9IQecCu5cFPHztP-I2yf4__Rj3_J13aPw7_gYaIvMsWeW-3UDXZSjseJDVtJE8dRYFWJL4ZdMk/s265/OctopusCloudShape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQINnl-LY8PpLWPDiY08adiPdC9MuLxJwnK4r1B-EOMnn6J0ZvZaNxB85IiUtZv2bcT9IQecCu5cFPHztP-I2yf4__Rj3_J13aPw7_gYaIvMsWeW-3UDXZSjseJDVtJE8dRYFWJL4ZdMk/s0/OctopusCloudShape.jpg" /></a></div>As my girl grows, I find my own childhood in her. Some of the things that she does or says remind me of how we grew up, what our aspirations were, how our playmates were! Our childhood is far behind us, but our kids bring back those memories that help us relive them.<p></p><p>I don't regret growing up. But I do love it when my girl reminds me of what we did when we were kids. And it does make my heart carefree to do some of those things again.</p><p>I found an octopus today in the sky. What did you find?<br /><br /></p>Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-32583633779986324302020-08-21T19:14:00.002+05:302020-08-21T19:14:18.261+05:30Work From Home, Work At Home, And Home Work<p> ... that's our new normal! Each one of us is doing this. I could also add a few more...No Work So At Home, Not Working From Home, Never Want To Work From Home, Enough Of Work From Home....</p><p>This new normal has really become a different life from what we had five months ago. Nothing had prepared us for this phase of our life. When we started with this lockdown, we had assumed that it will be short-lived. But now after five months, our lives are irrevocably changed.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="1024" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUjE9d3ct0xXzrl3FQfCNIB-k0UAOYMNgyL0jKMVzBpB6rTdHsWYjHYUFcTeEPekjWwiLVyDG5NiSyz-71ANjZei51jXnZ50gSCbfSVybW5Hjar5tjpmMsfPdP4wjCqImj5lW0rrZcRU/w262-h134/CagedAnimals.jpg" width="262" /></div>Being cooped up at home has changed our lifestyle. We are now spending so much time at home, just looking out of the window that I've now reconciled myself to the feeling of being a caged animal in a zoo. We really don't have a life outside. <p></p><p>Milk, food, vegetables, groceries, even non-essential items are now delivered to our places. We just open our doors to our cages, get the parcels in and barricade ourselves back in our cages. No wonder zoo animals have such busy lives!</p><p>Back in March when the lockdown started, it was summer. The harsh summer set in April and we were glad we weren't out in the scorching sun travelling to work and back. Kids enjoyed extended holidays, exams were canceled, and for them it was heaven being home. Of course they did miss playing outside and meeting friends. But slowly, we all accepted the new normal.</p><p>As April galloped into May, our life had turned upside down. Mall visits, evening drives, shopping sprees, friend meetups all morphed into cooking, cleaning, standing in self-distanced queues for essentials, working from home, entertaining kids at home, and surviving on meager supplies. Shops were closed and stepping out of the house was strictly forbidden.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="172" data-original-width="294" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSHnAwgccpEGIB25vdpBxd8b7t4vXAwGqGeUbGsOtskj3-ey8-10Ug2MwdQtAluebu-YJQ0GmNw5OTanCvWcX-Y95Q7Jxw3OpF6LdxiVmTRWx8LzqBFB7Y4AQeUvZw4tXRCESbU5qLy9k/w235-h138/ScreenTime.png" width="235" /></div>Most of the kids have adapted faster than the parents. They are all tech savvy, attending schools and co-curricular activities online. I've seen kids who are giving interviews online, solving puzzles, learning gaming and coding, all through the internet. Earlier, parents fought to keep the screen time limited for their kids. Now, parents have no choice but to allow kids to learn online.<p></p><p>My family is no exception to these changes. My kiddo attends school three hours a day and then moves on to watch her favourite cartoons and shows online. Add to that the TV that she watches and her screen time has exponentially increased.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2gRW7eA8J5-eO40yKtte3Hfa5wvosMrYsxP03AkSfpqPTaPW5i9L6X8Sqn0GamNcO6O4r_WMizRSEHnL7cjraa6Iz013fpmBZfRiGwMlfPx7LeOsFVSXLGhg1MdOGWlG8qx61A_SHx4/s2048/IMG_20200812_121247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1151" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2gRW7eA8J5-eO40yKtte3Hfa5wvosMrYsxP03AkSfpqPTaPW5i9L6X8Sqn0GamNcO6O4r_WMizRSEHnL7cjraa6Iz013fpmBZfRiGwMlfPx7LeOsFVSXLGhg1MdOGWlG8qx61A_SHx4/w94-h168/IMG_20200812_121247.jpg" width="94" /></a></div><p></p><p> When we keep her away from the screen, she devises different games for us. Some of the games that she has devised are: Danger crossing race, Guess the word, Clock game, Chocolate fair, Running competition, Karate exercises, Dance classes, Mask making competition. Almost every day, she comes up with a new game in which Aaya-Baba are the opponents. The games have elaborate rules, and not adhering to them ends in us getting expelled out of the game, or worse, double punishment. Thankfully, the game conductor is biased towards Aaya, and ensures that Aaya wins most of the time!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OMI47wvLm_CP3ynmEDLlux51EzKwRRKMl7Emb2ggFAik0HGbyc0zaxCH6uXdb6kdhxJG3ll86RRFP3SY068BvXVi_GqmXq6yLk5pyKQfBNgdKmF2UxoMletCLMEgANGiHRIxczVugk8/s2048/IMG_20200805_085641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1151" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OMI47wvLm_CP3ynmEDLlux51EzKwRRKMl7Emb2ggFAik0HGbyc0zaxCH6uXdb6kdhxJG3ll86RRFP3SY068BvXVi_GqmXq6yLk5pyKQfBNgdKmF2UxoMletCLMEgANGiHRIxczVugk8/w147-h262/IMG_20200805_085641.jpg" width="147" /></a></div>The other big part of the day is home work. And I'm not talking about the homework that my girl gets from her school. This is the homework that I need to do that she assigns me.<p></p><p>And that is the reason why I am so very busy these day! Imagine how much writing and work I need to do at home: usual office work, household chores, and my school homework.</p><p>The pandemic has brought so many changes in our lives that it is hard to imagine how it was a mere five months ago. We are still unsure of how it will be, or in fact, whether it will ever be completely normal again.</p><p>Till then work from home! </p>Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-79222365051337018802020-04-13T13:00:00.001+05:302020-04-13T13:00:58.211+05:30Games At Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JylZMZq-7qMEVEU_6NI4vu-HdPZNMBKhovt6uCDPuORDJg-tC6H0Wp-Zf9ZLG6K0Z3VskleuDqczIQDk2tY_L-4qH2ttz8AXaELVyRRzNb0u2-odScF_JWqIDloHg2ST6PasTmGqM6Q/s1600/Pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JylZMZq-7qMEVEU_6NI4vu-HdPZNMBKhovt6uCDPuORDJg-tC6H0Wp-Zf9ZLG6K0Z3VskleuDqczIQDk2tY_L-4qH2ttz8AXaELVyRRzNb0u2-odScF_JWqIDloHg2ST6PasTmGqM6Q/s200/Pizza.jpg" width="200" /></a>So the games in these Corona Lockdown times involve food that's no longer available, or is rare.<br />
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My daughter is right now devising games that are helping her tide these difficult times. She is at one moment a pizza shopkeeper, while at another moment she is an ice cream shop owner.<br />
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My area, although not completely under curfew, is facing shortage of fast food, biscuits, cakes, wafers, and every thing that kids would want to have.<br />
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But it is commendable that this young girl is holding her fort in these times. Although she keeps asking for these things, she recognises the fact that there really is nothing available. She is quick to quieten and wait for lunch or dinner time to quench her hunger.<br />
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Her dad found a pack of six cupcakes a week back and she is saving one for her birthday for tomorrow, because she knows that there won't be a big birthday with a big, nice cake tomorrow. (I have ordered one though from a society lady, which will be a surprise for her!)<br />
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And so here we are surviving on her game. In her latest game, she was dreaming for better days with her shop advertising loudly "भरपूर खाणं आणि भरपूर things असलेलं शॉप!"<br />
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Hoping for better days soon!</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-86228980945174240562020-03-18T11:00:00.000+05:302020-03-18T11:00:41.083+05:30Surviving Corona From Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm writing after a very long time! But thanks to the Corona virus, I've got to be at home, although working, and could spend an hour or so to start blogging again!<br />
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I hope all my (meagre) readers are safe and taking the necessary precautions to stay away from the deadly n-COVID-19.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1D1TJ_AsJmK7IjnbTg4pbWgehpFtvtLJZDqNrDTvYliMlICqDYz3IonzFWN-nYYJzbU76iHK1zjH74GhI2BqSh_YBXToTxTvanVDBrf2caXx59atVnzEZx7ofbU21mTAuGNkEmltfTA/s1600/WFH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="750" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1D1TJ_AsJmK7IjnbTg4pbWgehpFtvtLJZDqNrDTvYliMlICqDYz3IonzFWN-nYYJzbU76iHK1zjH74GhI2BqSh_YBXToTxTvanVDBrf2caXx59atVnzEZx7ofbU21mTAuGNkEmltfTA/s320/WFH.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
But I feel that being at home is no less life-threatening! Dealing with your spouse, kids, may be in-laws, and self at home for all 24 hours of the day, without a break for a week or more is going to take a toll on our mental health.<br />
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It starts right from a place to sit to work from home. The place should be comfortable in which you can stick for at least 4-6 hours at a stretch. It should be airy with good light, and most importantly, where you can receive the home wifi/broadband signal! Network issues with multiple people working are going to be frequent.<br />
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If you haven't spare rooms for two people to work together, attending meetings over phone is another challenge. We are used to meeting rooms when we have meetings. There are bound to be funny incidences when the mike is inadvertently left on, and you might hear discussions about what is to be cooked for dinner! Remember to take it all with a pinch of salt, and do not invite yourself for dinner at your colleague's place! You never know, you could be next in line for a mike fiasco!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2ea1ZHVPc3-yhDngzghmdgoGx1kSuHbKQPCqvz46uHRd31VJ5NwIZHXhZJsM4FShh8aFEFA4bMZh4mD6oBNdg9qkegJQgZb76T33iTgpxOweKqkzbzHBIC91HhVs3I4gUIgTKFktZqw/s1600/WFHMan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="950" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2ea1ZHVPc3-yhDngzghmdgoGx1kSuHbKQPCqvz46uHRd31VJ5NwIZHXhZJsM4FShh8aFEFA4bMZh4mD6oBNdg9qkegJQgZb76T33iTgpxOweKqkzbzHBIC91HhVs3I4gUIgTKFktZqw/s320/WFHMan.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Some of our colleagues do work from home regularly. We are used to hearing some background sounds such as dogs barking, kids howling, and even doorbells ringing. But in these times, be ready to have your kids around, constantly badgering you to play with them, help them with some task, curiously asking about your work just as you are talking on phone. Just bear with these times, and also enjoy the moments!<br />
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In fact, being with our kids and family is something that we rarely get. Enjoy this time with the kids. Just observe what they do the whole day, what they talk, what they think, and interact with them more! You'll probably get to know their humorous side, their wacky side, ingenuity, curiosity, and the fun side too!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6aRnTFNqbSDHv94G1YqPEpfS07R6Vy0lO6aE2iDN2K1zMdJCCBn6PTyolFR8_rB7_NMNl75WmlJlsfJn_UDVs0hYefDHSLnLBItY8hJb2cKfYy0PznTL5d7tmb2xVSWTm1_i3UpW640/s1600/GlassOfMilk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6aRnTFNqbSDHv94G1YqPEpfS07R6Vy0lO6aE2iDN2K1zMdJCCBn6PTyolFR8_rB7_NMNl75WmlJlsfJn_UDVs0hYefDHSLnLBItY8hJb2cKfYy0PznTL5d7tmb2xVSWTm1_i3UpW640/s1600/GlassOfMilk.jpg" /></a>Like yesterday, we had gone to get some milk, but we didn't get any. As we returned home on bike, it took me a few minutes to register the fact that my daughter was happily singing "No milk tomorrow! No milk tomorrow!!" (My daughter hates to drink milk, and was overjoyed to know that I wouldn't make her drink milk if there wasn't any at home!)<br />
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So stay put! All you know, we might still survive the self-imposed quarantine, and even learn to be more with our family!<br />
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Take care everyone!</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-49956869294688940952019-10-14T19:18:00.000+05:302019-10-14T19:18:44.180+05:30Revisions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Exams are on and my days end with revisions. Not for my little one who's taking her mid-terms! The revision is for me.<div>
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My little one has agreed to do revisions with me on the condition that I do all her study again after she is done with her revision. So here I am, dreading the revision, not because I am afraid of the little teacher, but for different reasons altogether!</div>
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Here's an example:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaumi8WU6hNOpdQD3hraVIO36p4bTWdTboh1yzhYWjImv57gIX5GcCr53rxfpsPpN9SnHvGFeefy8Yz2ekGSto6SU_mDo7egSawiQ_5LsSMJSd1OdVh2FMYSTWonTV_3xO2lveYu5jnE/s1600/DictationWordsRevision14Oct2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaumi8WU6hNOpdQD3hraVIO36p4bTWdTboh1yzhYWjImv57gIX5GcCr53rxfpsPpN9SnHvGFeefy8Yz2ekGSto6SU_mDo7egSawiQ_5LsSMJSd1OdVh2FMYSTWonTV_3xO2lveYu5jnE/s400/DictationWordsRevision14Oct2019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My work is on the right!</td></tr>
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Writing in a four-line pattern is not a joke now. With my fingers that are used to computer typing and not holding a pen, forget even a pencil, it is such a task to make the fingers move to write in a legible handwriting. My little teacher is very strict about not writing beyond the top and bottom red lines.</div>
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Whenever I get such a revision, I am reminded of the lengthy answers that I had to write, including the English, Hindi, and Marathi essays in school.</div>
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I also need to remember to (deliberately) make mistakes so that my teacher can correct me. The teacher is also very clever. She sometimes dictates the wrong words and "corrects" those in my notebook!</div>
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But my teacher is also very generous! If I so much as make a crying face, she will immediately give me a couple of more stars with an Excellent! remark even when I don't deserve it! Such a wonderful teacher indeed!</div>
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So the next time you sit down with your kids for revisions, do send a "Good Luck" to me too!</div>
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Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-16342028383081228732019-10-09T16:34:00.001+05:302020-04-13T17:06:06.295+05:30Like Mother Like Daughter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The other day, I was at home having lunch. As I finished my lunch, being in a super relaxed mood, I started talking gibberish. And then I grinned! A big, happy, proud grin!<br />
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The reason for that grin is that my daughter, Mahika, does exactly this the whole day. She just keeps talking gibberish the whole day, sing stupid songs, make up songs randomly and impromptu, and sing them in a sing-song voice, with her own music!!<br />
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It drives me crazy at times to listen to her songs! It mostly is the words that are just being spoken. So you might be saying, "Mahika, please pick up your clothes!" Immediately, you'll hear from her: "Pick up your clothes, shadoo-do-do-do-do! Aaya-Munni tells to pick up the clothes shadoo-do-do-do-do!"<br />
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Or may be:<br />
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Pick up the clothes<br />
Fothes, Toathes, Glothes, Mothes, Shothes!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1OvGZ0c7Lk1niw01ejFjv0H6UyDgEFOfC8g3T8EIMYhgG9FfkSR6tcwF8F-5KhBqZTCoqGjInmS49VD1y4mM9bNapc1uaiib-EBmm8VnqA-LyI3SQc7oTjP7WSgm6WCrib_6iqDZPew/s1600/LikeMotherLikeDaughter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1OvGZ0c7Lk1niw01ejFjv0H6UyDgEFOfC8g3T8EIMYhgG9FfkSR6tcwF8F-5KhBqZTCoqGjInmS49VD1y4mM9bNapc1uaiib-EBmm8VnqA-LyI3SQc7oTjP7WSgm6WCrib_6iqDZPew/s200/LikeMotherLikeDaughter.jpg" width="200" /></a>Duh!!!<br />
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But then, I shouldn't really be complaining! You see, my mom says that I was just like that! Ohh...I mean, she is just like me! I used to do all these weird sounds, and be constantly talking all the time. Apparently, my daughter has inherited the wrong genes from me!<br />
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But then, to own it, I feel good, even proud! And I get a glimpse of what my parents must have gone through (ohh the boredom of hearing those stupid words and senseless songs!)<br />
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It is looking at my own five and a half year old self! </div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-67376310713541561542018-09-04T16:12:00.000+05:302018-09-04T16:12:06.213+05:30The Drama Of Fancy Dress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRMfNVXWLxn2fAzoYhZ5WrFSzZtZgl-dOxfasEktZcBIWoeJhkcOg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for fancy dress cartoon image" border="0" height="200" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRMfNVXWLxn2fAzoYhZ5WrFSzZtZgl-dOxfasEktZcBIWoeJhkcOg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The new year of the school has started. We are covering the portion faster than the last year. And in the middle of all this, we get a notice of a fancy dress competition for the 4-year olds in 3-weeks time.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After last year's experience, we decide to start practising right away to ensure that the little one progresses to the final round! There's a preliminary round, and kids who do well are selected for the final round that takes place a week later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We started discussing what Mahika wanted to be and she came up with the idea of becoming a house! Oh my!! Couldn't she think of something easier?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So then the journey started of trying to find out what to make, how to make, how feasible it is! By that time a week and a half was already gone.</span><br />
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<a href="https://png.pngtree.com/element_origin_min_pic/16/10/28/dfec00a7635a7d350d3b86c5c5f1bd49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for egg cartoon image" border="0" height="200" src="https://png.pngtree.com/element_origin_min_pic/16/10/28/dfec00a7635a7d350d3b86c5c5f1bd49.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When I was googling for some ideas, I stumbled upon some videos of kids performing in fancy dress as eggs, and we stuck gold! Mahika now wanted to be an egg!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The next phase of the journey started. I viewed those videos online and came up with some lines that she could learn. I made her practise the lines with appropriate gestures. She too enthusiastically learned the lines without getting irritated by the number of times that I made her repeat them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We got the costume on rent from a nearby shop and made an egg cutout at home to go with that. Mahika was all excited about the whole fancy dress competition and the egg cutout.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">With (more than) enough practice for Mahika (and for me where I had started reading eng. - read ‘engineering’ as ‘egg’), we finally were ready for the D-Day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The school was thronging with multi-coloured fairies, Barbie dolls, fruits, trees, soldiers, policemen, pilots, farmers, and animals. There were different types of mobile phones, toothpastes and toothbrushes, Dairy Milk, Maggi, Bharat Matas, and vehicles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A few odd ones that stood out were a newspaper (Mahika had become a newspaper last year-they stole our idea!), an egg (Mahika), a rainy cloud (with an umbrella having cotton on the outside for the fluffy cloud and shiny strings to the umbrella as rain), and a rakhi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It was a pretty sight! All colourful and exciting! The younger kids were looking apprehensive. The older ones, who had already had a fancy dress last year knew the drill and were looking out for their friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Girls and boys with their different props were hustling and bustling to their classes! All those props made me think of how hard the parents had worked! All this for the drama of just a couple of minutes!! So much of trouble, so much hard work…all over within a few minutes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some parents had been smart and rented out outfits! Some had painted and cut and coloured and pasted the props themselves. Some others might have just reused items that they already had…There was this little girl who had become a fairy. One of the parents said that the girl must have worn her birthday frock, because every girl must be having a frock like that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Once all kids had been tucked into their classes, the parents were all outside the closed doors. Only after the school got over did we meet the kids to know how they did! And all we got to know was, “आया, मी छान म्हणाले egg चं !"</span><br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQpasFzo-M2kxJqfuN4oCB8HVl8SeCyF8CH7rADBWp5S3c7tIz0" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Related image" border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQpasFzo-M2kxJqfuN4oCB8HVl8SeCyF8CH7rADBWp5S3c7tIz0" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">All parents thought that their kids had done the best and were expecting that they would be selected for the final round. But only a handful got selected. Mine wasn’t! Frankly, it was a little disappointing! But then, participating is what is important.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">To take it in the right note, as one of the parents mentioned, “Thank goodness the kid wasn’t selected! We don’t have to do this fancy dress drama again for the final round!” How true indeed!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The rented outfit is returned and the drama is over! But we still have the egg cutout as a reminder of the good fun we had!!</span></div>
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Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-54506819180095288422018-05-25T16:01:00.000+05:302018-05-25T16:01:01.412+05:30आया, चल आपण clock-clock खेळूयात!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakJsMfua04QGKeRl-qWoP0Oa-ngVo6vHvWOM6yUVvpBqyZFW6u1Xgc3GDvC0o3QsfktL1Dbv02_ZTvmPn2lO7hAf2gatp1j6mW5dZWejC71ng2NTHhNyMBn482qUGvF7W-yS1U0gweog/s1600/Clock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="500" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakJsMfua04QGKeRl-qWoP0Oa-ngVo6vHvWOM6yUVvpBqyZFW6u1Xgc3GDvC0o3QsfktL1Dbv02_ZTvmPn2lO7hAf2gatp1j6mW5dZWejC71ng2NTHhNyMBn482qUGvF7W-yS1U0gweog/s200/Clock.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
...ही आज्ञा महिकाने मला दिली आणि माझे विचारचक्र सुरु झाले. खरे तर क्लॉक कसे चालते, किती वाजले, हे सर्व कळायला अजूनही ती लहान आहे.<br />
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अजूनही "काल" ला "आज" किंवा "उद्या" वापरते ती: "आया, आम्ही उद्या गार्डन मध्ये एक नवीन game खेळलॊ."<br />
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ह्या चिमुरडीला क्लॉक कसे समजवायचे!<br />
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मग मीच एक शक्कल लढवली.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYicy3qcP5t-C404CS9mQOfa4Gvsxm1j26VCZbeF2iQKBmHdBEeA3iKpl06l7SIN65sqMmXOOxDyCPHHfsnWfIfIMZxYjhxf1X6WHp87U1laACE_qx3eqaHztCxfkTEtnItRHPQBuWQic/s1600/GharcheClock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1170" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYicy3qcP5t-C404CS9mQOfa4Gvsxm1j26VCZbeF2iQKBmHdBEeA3iKpl06l7SIN65sqMmXOOxDyCPHHfsnWfIfIMZxYjhxf1X6WHp87U1laACE_qx3eqaHztCxfkTEtnItRHPQBuWQic/s200/GharcheClock.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Sticky Notes घेतल्या. त्यावर महिकालाच १ ते १२ हे क्रमांक लिहायला दिले. व्यवस्थित गोलाकार जागा दाखवून <br />
तिला घड्याळासारखे सर्व क्रमांक फरशीवर लावायला सांगितले.<br />
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आता काटे कसे करायचे? महिकाला मग समजावले, घडाळ्यात तीन काटे असतात: तास काटा, मिनिट काटा, आणि सेकंद काटा. तिला सांगितले, मिनिट काटा बन! मी बनले तास काटा.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcKdg3fFisb74y6gq37rTfMBycYmpv-xBxTdVqU8Y_RLxPwU8RP1qQXt7mqBFOZha0zQi5pI5xZ9VCg4G8Q6XClpdj83liXLBk6O1vN20KxMcjuWcaMJjJr3xhmXncmn2WPuGXQwK4rs/s1600/GirlClapping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="621" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcKdg3fFisb74y6gq37rTfMBycYmpv-xBxTdVqU8Y_RLxPwU8RP1qQXt7mqBFOZha0zQi5pI5xZ9VCg4G8Q6XClpdj83liXLBk6O1vN20KxMcjuWcaMJjJr3xhmXncmn2WPuGXQwK4rs/s200/GirlClapping.jpg" width="136" /></a>शाळेकरता उठायची वेळ आणि शाळेची van घ्यायला येते तो पर्यंत महिका काय काय करते, कसे करते, किती वेळ घेते, काय-काय म्हणते हे सर्व म्हणून आणि करून दाखवलं! आणि ह्या सर्व वेळेत महिका खरोखरी काट्यांसारखी गोल-गोल फिरत होती!<br />
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काय मज्जा अली! जरी तिला घड्याळ वाचायला कळले नसले तरी वेळेचे महत्व कळले असेल तरी छान! त्यात role - playing झालं, तिला "running" करायचे होते घरात तेदेखील झाले!<br />
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एकूणात, एक वेगळा खेळ झाला! फारच गम्मत!</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-30868004938206781182017-09-04T13:57:00.001+05:302017-09-04T13:57:10.380+05:30पुण्याचे २०१७ चे काही गणपती<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
सालाबादाप्रमाणे ह्या वर्षी देखील आम्ही गणपती बघायला गेलो होतो. सगळे मुख्य गणपती नाही बघता आले. तरी देखील जेव्हडे जमले तेव्हड्यांचे फोटो ...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUHjleq-RXgrPN9lDagbPqfctgaWammyPqwnTCBHTScbp4QivquI3fID0m3mqpBIl9vdHGVbVFnMaoE0Pr4ir-SUi32EbjrmqHyKZ42Jix-H1EFscNyN5UyaRJwJ-HmHR1Lz4anGACjQ/s1600/IMG_20170901_200512672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUHjleq-RXgrPN9lDagbPqfctgaWammyPqwnTCBHTScbp4QivquI3fID0m3mqpBIl9vdHGVbVFnMaoE0Pr4ir-SUi32EbjrmqHyKZ42Jix-H1EFscNyN5UyaRJwJ-HmHR1Lz4anGACjQ/s200/IMG_20170901_200512672.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">येथून सुरवात केली - विश्रामबाग वाडा गणपती. <br />देखावा: शिवाजी महाराज ह्यांची आग्र्याहून सुटका</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">शिवाजी महाराज </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZz4Y8CbcYhVASNpJHT5xyaQZ93E79mQR3yLKdxZITDTD0aQM5Yj5mxIq6bweSznGiHMoA8d4xF7LnLovMdv4TOZvP8bpWI4iqJ6-y-ZHrXQ5SK9i3RUxdo5Jvme2tKglZq02rbJi_Ys/s1600/IMG_20170901_202126829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTZz4Y8CbcYhVASNpJHT5xyaQZ93E79mQR3yLKdxZITDTD0aQM5Yj5mxIq6bweSznGiHMoA8d4xF7LnLovMdv4TOZvP8bpWI4iqJ6-y-ZHrXQ5SK9i3RUxdo5Jvme2tKglZq02rbJi_Ys/s320/IMG_20170901_202126829.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">जिलब्या मारुती </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7ppFG7sVs-hb4Hi4iDwUuW5T7MtU32CD9jUBnv6i2rKONL8efBRlhVvyUVcxUbxOpk5YC3gaj-cPM3FFmtsWPK8uMyXCaBhWkmwCiDzeAAwhbPwHNMo3tZNBQdyOZUyRYi7HPR647l0/s1600/IMG_20170901_205716275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7ppFG7sVs-hb4Hi4iDwUuW5T7MtU32CD9jUBnv6i2rKONL8efBRlhVvyUVcxUbxOpk5YC3gaj-cPM3FFmtsWPK8uMyXCaBhWkmwCiDzeAAwhbPwHNMo3tZNBQdyOZUyRYi7HPR647l0/s320/IMG_20170901_205716275.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">तुळशीबाग </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">इच्छापूर्ती गणेश, नारायण पेठ</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">मुंजाबाचा बोळ गणपती </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXcqVorYUrGPff93TRiiJOHBQtPPplLXHbnYaYETiFADdXO_VvxJJOol6kRlLa_P9m3Aa4I1dr91ujH_Or7W-WB1bewG_AEPPXxZkUxVhQoO-ryMQMNjpRcqQmlaVwQKBoUzG731j1M4/s1600/IMG_20170901_220807523_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXcqVorYUrGPff93TRiiJOHBQtPPplLXHbnYaYETiFADdXO_VvxJJOol6kRlLa_P9m3Aa4I1dr91ujH_Or7W-WB1bewG_AEPPXxZkUxVhQoO-ryMQMNjpRcqQmlaVwQKBoUzG731j1M4/s320/IMG_20170901_220807523_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">वीराची तालीम मंडळ </td></tr>
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Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-74201784117357550202017-07-03T13:00:00.003+05:302017-07-03T13:16:51.931+05:30(पावसाळ्यातले) रस्ते<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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वर्षा ऋतू असे सुंदर नाव असणारा आणि खरोखरी आनंददायी अश्या ऋतुचीदेखील एक unavoidable आणि त्रासदायक गोष्ट आहेच - रस्ते!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkXkWYSbXwuRfGtipdoGkyq-VcAj5HfTUN9WYRP8rjBmVdJKDS3Z-MxPM0E6gVrLf0VMltsiPFI99scQOD9fGMcHrPhoTKbGYbd3Zl5-AGkwyEOpobNo5XZckgNlcSqhoTg7lWc9Jw7k/s1600/Rain.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="830" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkXkWYSbXwuRfGtipdoGkyq-VcAj5HfTUN9WYRP8rjBmVdJKDS3Z-MxPM0E6gVrLf0VMltsiPFI99scQOD9fGMcHrPhoTKbGYbd3Zl5-AGkwyEOpobNo5XZckgNlcSqhoTg7lWc9Jw7k/s200/Rain.png" width="200" /></a>पावसाळ्यातले रस्ते हा सगळ्यांचाच अतिशय जिव्हाळयाचा विषय! कितीही बोललो त्यावर तरी ते कमीच असते. </div>
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कडक उन्हाळा सोडून, पावसाळ्याच्या सुरवातीलाच महापालिकेला रस्ते उखडायचे असतात! बरं ही कामं लवकर आणि वेळच्या वेळेस संपली तर महापालिका कसली! बरोब्बर पावसाळ्याआधी खणलेले रस्ते पहिल्या पावसात धोकादायक डबकी होऊन जातात. "माती, पाणी, उजेड, वारा, तूच मिसळशी सर्व पसारा" हे वाक्य तंतोतंत खरं व्हावं, ह्याकरता अविरत धडपड चालू असते खोदणाऱ्यांची. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasvmAfK5jqRGMsgIHcMp_7CYh-U0DOhY5PMZewga5A6wKQaRcyysQ8FW1-QdxfzDm6kKL5ljqe_1POON8Pd-tABzu37Pna6wLY1wCmCmGy-XT2i69d4MdmZoA5Yshrrcpy3OGnx1iYKQ/s1600/Camel-Cartoon-Clipart_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasvmAfK5jqRGMsgIHcMp_7CYh-U0DOhY5PMZewga5A6wKQaRcyysQ8FW1-QdxfzDm6kKL5ljqe_1POON8Pd-tABzu37Pna6wLY1wCmCmGy-XT2i69d4MdmZoA5Yshrrcpy3OGnx1iYKQ/s200/Camel-Cartoon-Clipart_3.png" width="200" /></a>मग भर पावसात गाडी ह्या अग्निदिव्यातून, सॉरी, पाणीदिव्यातून नेण्याची परीक्षा आपली. प्रत्येक डबकं हे जेव्हडं खोल, रुंद, आणि भरीव असेल तेव्हढं कसब वाहनचालकांना लावावं लागतं. मला वाटतं महापालिका ही असली डबकी मुद्दाम बनवते. पावसाळ्याच्या ऋतूत RTO च काम कमी व्हावं असा सुप्त हेतू असणार. कारण ह्या डबक्यांना avoid करत तुम्ही गाडी zigzag चालवू शकलात तरंच तुम्हाला गाडी 'हाकायचा' परवाना मिळणार असे RTO चा गुप्त नियम असणार. </div>
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खड्डे चुकवीत अथवा तुडवीत गाडी चालवून अगदी हेच आठवतं: "फिरत्या चाकांवरती पाठीला होतात विकार, बाईक असो वा कार!" म्हणजे खरं तर ह्या खड्डयांमुळेच कित्येक orthopaedic डॉक्टर्सचा गुजारा चालू आहे. जनकल्याणाचे अखंड कार्य पालिकाच करू शकते. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrEiMXANp0aeiGDLGYmv4uhNg3hKcjzfmOS45Ti_XV9eHdKGUxBOBi0GSWtM_a2otztWDyCW8gyGn-fvdsqInxZVIqSHSjZww7KWDwUxqSpMom_0tXGY-UpB_u3Yu2EXnhY1zg73_CtY/s1600/Trophy_cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrEiMXANp0aeiGDLGYmv4uhNg3hKcjzfmOS45Ti_XV9eHdKGUxBOBi0GSWtM_a2otztWDyCW8gyGn-fvdsqInxZVIqSHSjZww7KWDwUxqSpMom_0tXGY-UpB_u3Yu2EXnhY1zg73_CtY/s200/Trophy_cup.jpg" width="200" /></a>पण त्याशिवाय अश्या खड्ड्यातून जाण्याची एक गम्मत आहे खरी. तुमची जर लहानपणची उंटावरून सैर करायची हौस राहिली असेल तर ती खड्ड्यातून जाताना पूर्ण होईल. तुमच्या पुढ्यात एखादी गाडी नाही हे बघून खड्ड्यातून जाताना ५ सेकंद डोळे मिटा... तुम्ही स्वतः उंट चालवत आहात असे नक्कीच जाणवेल तुम्हाला!</div>
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अश्या पावसाळ्यातल्या जलमय रस्त्यांवरून तुम्ही तुमच्या इष्ट स्थानी वेळेत आणि धड पोचलात तर तुम्हाला "सर्वात जागृत वाहनचालक" ही पदवी मिळेल असे पालिकाने जाहीर केल्याचे ऐकिवात आहे! पहिला मानकरी कोण असेल?</div>
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Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-23047253275512111382017-06-28T11:33:00.001+05:302017-06-28T11:33:32.280+05:30का?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
महिकाचे 'का' प्रश्न सुरु झालेत. इतके की कधी कधी आपल्याकडेपण उत्तर नसतं त्यांचं.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMsZ6UyhNMEIj7bxj4FWtC_wjPcR5ankOKOOEUSNm9bVF4eF48QDNXmrqDt8pDK6OBYR8UIq4e9_PXSmvOAa3OYlIvh0x1hYYmxjQ7RDlpr1Q4XCpgT99Zr1d2Vt9Q-8N0qJ45ty2jss/s1600/DaddyGirl.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="356" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMsZ6UyhNMEIj7bxj4FWtC_wjPcR5ankOKOOEUSNm9bVF4eF48QDNXmrqDt8pDK6OBYR8UIq4e9_PXSmvOAa3OYlIvh0x1hYYmxjQ7RDlpr1Q4XCpgT99Zr1d2Vt9Q-8N0qJ45ty2jss/s200/DaddyGirl.gif" width="168" /></a></div>
काल रात्री महिका आणि तिच्या बाबाचं 'Knowledge sharing session' चालू होतं. काय काय प्रश्न विचारले तिने बाबाला!<br />
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पहिला वाहिला प्रश्न: "बाबा, आपण जेवण का करतो आणि पाणी का पितो?"<br />
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किती 'basic' प्रश्न झाला! पण तिच्या बाबाने खूपच छान उत्तर दिले. तिला कळेल आणि पटेल अश्या भाषेत. त्या नंतर तर प्रश्नांचा भडीमार होता. हर एक प्रश्न वेगवेगळा.<br />
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"बाबा animals आपल्या बरोबर घरात का नाही राहत, जंगलात का राहतात?"<br />
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"बाबा आपण newspaper का वाचतो?"<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNKe9PQyfXQZUFF60a1dTppY3K_8g8CI-pftjkXg2nK_4NTmu4VrtAC1vfd5VIIE176gAVpu9tz5kKL4ea_jGwu1XJozGs6TaIxjoshOx7mbDnQIz2d51zUXl9hMRyjVwXiMDjoC-V_Y/s1600/Chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNKe9PQyfXQZUFF60a1dTppY3K_8g8CI-pftjkXg2nK_4NTmu4VrtAC1vfd5VIIE176gAVpu9tz5kKL4ea_jGwu1XJozGs6TaIxjoshOx7mbDnQIz2d51zUXl9hMRyjVwXiMDjoC-V_Y/s1600/Chair.jpg" /></a><br />
"आपण घरात का राहतो?"<br />
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"सिग्नल का असतात?"<br />
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"आपण खुर्चीवर का बसतो?" (How cute and funny!!)<br />
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"How shall we make a cake?"<br />
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"How shall we make a tomato?"<br />
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"How shall we make bhaji and roti?"<br />
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रात्री सगळे प्रश्न संपले नाहीत की काय म्हणून सकाळ-सकाळी उठल्या-उठल्या मला एक-दोन प्रश्न:<br />
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"आया, आता तू सांग. आपण घड्याळ का घालतो?"<br />
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"झाडाला फुलं का असतात?"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmRjlU3icYrKDywldZR0qTQI9EwqX8ns04hJf2HwWs3rC8u1qEdcmPIkW9makrakEqFtyG1v2gOMWRKUMlbUkn_wivOwQ6_KgKUBJmCD7rDh_OSOQV3iBKviXLVtTusEvYodbc4jBe3o/s1600/curiousboy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="610" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmRjlU3icYrKDywldZR0qTQI9EwqX8ns04hJf2HwWs3rC8u1qEdcmPIkW9makrakEqFtyG1v2gOMWRKUMlbUkn_wivOwQ6_KgKUBJmCD7rDh_OSOQV3iBKviXLVtTusEvYodbc4jBe3o/s200/curiousboy.gif" width="200" /></a>हे सर्व प्रश्न ऐकून त्यांना समर्पक उत्तरं द्यायची ही आपली जवाबदारी.<br />
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पण खरं तर ह्यातून हेच दिसतं की ही लहान मंडळी किती वेगवेगळ्या गोष्टींचा विचार करत असतात आणि किती कुतूहल असतं त्यांना!<br />
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लहानग्यांचे भावविश्व, विचारसरणी, आणि imagination हे असेच विस्मयकारक असो! कायम असे प्रश्न सुचो आणि उत्तरं पण मिळो हीच मुलांना शुभेच्छा!</div>
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लहानपणची निरागसता आणि curiosity आपण मोठे होताना का बरं हरवून जाते? </div>
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Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-69039927825597418242017-06-13T14:41:00.000+05:302017-06-13T14:41:16.891+05:30New Year New School<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Mahika started her new school today. It must have been quite an experience for the little girl. New place, new teachers, unknown faces, unknown surroundings, and new friends. But like all new kids, she put up with it rather bravely.<br />
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The day started with us all waking up early, getting ready, and starting for school on time. We reached the school well before time to see a whole crowd waiting at the school gate. Various school vans, buses, cars, bikes were parked on the road. All parents with their little ones were gathered together waiting for the gate to open.<br />
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After waiting for around 25 minutes, the gate was finally opened. There was a huge rush to go in, just like entering a theatre for a movie. A total chaos reigned for some time where nobody knew which line was for which class, and how long it would take to go in. In the big rush, students and parents were all cramped towards the gate, sweating, and getting irritated by the minute.<br />
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But even in that big rush, the little ones were really brave. I couldn't hear anybody crying. Every little one was anxious, and fearful of what lay ahead. But they all were very forbearing and brave. Kudos to the little ones!<br />
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As we entered, we could see the school buildings, playground, and the surroundings. We all took our kids to their respective classes and left them at the doorstep.<br />
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It was a big moment. My little girl had grown up to go to a big school. Her eyes were so expressive, full of anxiety and fear, yet trying to be brave, and holding back her tears. Although not completely heart-wrenching to see her go, I did feel a little shaken to see her sitting in a strange place, coping it up with everything. Brave sweetheart!!<br />
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All parents waited outside the gate for the first day of the school to get over. We formed groups and talked about the school, studies, experiences of interviews in different schools, and remembered our own school time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzY2-uK8pVy9PJXAUkQFfvwudliDNt3BUrZJixmxwTFg411HIB6tl-mT5L2iioVPL6p45d9zen_GxDQ31IeW89KV0ugk-Xqrn9YEbuhdC-NzuwYs91G5aXWtFoXEkrhnEYM-1I1LjwWnk/s1600/Brave.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzY2-uK8pVy9PJXAUkQFfvwudliDNt3BUrZJixmxwTFg411HIB6tl-mT5L2iioVPL6p45d9zen_GxDQ31IeW89KV0ugk-Xqrn9YEbuhdC-NzuwYs91G5aXWtFoXEkrhnEYM-1I1LjwWnk/s200/Brave.png" width="160" /></a>Soon enough time was up, and all parents again gathered at the gate. A few first goers returned with crying kids and there was an eerie silence around. Each parent was wondering how his/her kid was.<br />
<br />
I picked up Mahika from her class. She did cry for some time on the first day, but was a bit settled as I picked her up. Today, she didn't cry at all. Bless you!<br />
<br />
The first hurdle is crossed. More to go. But to start well is half done!<br />
<br />
I am proud of you dear Mahika!</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-56828804222694440702017-06-02T01:07:00.001+05:302017-06-02T01:07:13.452+05:30Respecting Elders?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I had a peculiar experience a few months back. I've been wanting to write about it, but never got the time.<br />
<br />
I had gone to a nice cake shop that I always go to. It was around 4.30-4.45 in the evening. There wasn't enough staff and a few customers were waiting to place their orders. I too was waiting patiently for my turn.<br />
<br />
Just then an elderly lady walked in. She was very well-dressed, perfectly manicured and pedicured, wearing comfortable western wear, with a hint of mild makeup. She seemed a bit of a socialite, frankly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XxXFk6g52TSQtmwwdcC3UoQdZuLZwSFg1jfUoSqiE7OZ-PPM9FrIiiFKwRoJmrV-Ox-0HbuvG9HaJCj1RVWy-YnINjcMYyes8EmyqAiZXKoY_wCDn3a_OiVYp8u6EOk0gz8YAQYnNlI/s1600/OldAngryLady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="549" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XxXFk6g52TSQtmwwdcC3UoQdZuLZwSFg1jfUoSqiE7OZ-PPM9FrIiiFKwRoJmrV-Ox-0HbuvG9HaJCj1RVWy-YnINjcMYyes8EmyqAiZXKoY_wCDn3a_OiVYp8u6EOk0gz8YAQYnNlI/s200/OldAngryLady.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
The moment she entered, she blurted out her order to the first member of the staff that she laid her <br />
eyes on. He just nodded to her and continued looking after the customers who had arrived before her. She just couldn't seem to have the patience to wait. She rudely kept on calling out her order till the staff had to tell her to wait.<br />
<br />
She then said that the cake shop needed more staff, because they couldn't keep so many customers waiting. The staff member said that some of the other members had gone out for lunch. The old lady looked at her watch incredulously and wondered how could anybody have lunch that late.<br />
<br />
By the time this conversation happened, my order was ready. I paid and left the shop. I don't know how soon she got her order. However it made me think.<br />
<br />
I just could not respect that lady despite her age. She was extremely rude and inconsiderate. When I heard that some of the staff were having lunch that late, I felt very sorry for them. It was because of the customers that the staff couldn't have their lunch on time.<br />
<br />
Instead of being accommodating, the old lady was disbelieving and rude. It hardly takes time to be generous to others. As you grow older, you learn to be less selfish and more gracious.<br />
<br />
Can you respect the elderly even when they behave so meanly and selfishly?</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-91255947129177739082017-02-17T11:13:00.002+05:302017-02-17T11:58:41.951+05:30आवाज कोणाचा???<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
महानगर पालिका निवडणुका तोंडावर आल्यात. वातावरण सगळीकडेच चांगलेच तापले आहे.<br />
<br />
कुठला पक्ष जिंकणार ह्याकडे सगळ्यांचे लक्ष आहेच. पण तत्पूर्वी, निवडणुकांची धामधूम बघायला मज्जा येत आहे. रस्त्यारस्त्यावर रिक्षा, bikes, बसेस, आणि मोर्चे ह्यातून प्रचार होत आहे.<br />
<br />
प्रत्येक उमदेवार हा "गरिबांचे दुःख जाणणारा, त्यांच्या समस्या सोडवणारा, हळवा, कर्तव्यदक्ष, सुशिक्षित, आणि शब्द पाळणारा" आहे. प्रत्येक उमेदवाराने भरपूर (खाबू) कार्ये केली आहेत, म्हणूनच तो/ती जनतेची आवडती आहे. (म्हणून तर प्रत्येकाची कित्येक कोटी मालमत्ता आहे.) निवडून आलो तर काय काय करून जनतेचा सेवक म्हणून कार्यक्षम राहू हे प्रत्येक जण पटवून देत आहे.<br />
<br />
ह्या निवडूणुकीत प्रचार केवळ सभा, भाषणे ह्या पुरता मर्यादित नाही राहिलेला. मतदारांना स्वतः जाऊन भेटणे, इथंपासून, मतदारांच्या भ्रमणध्वनीवर फोन/sms इथपर्यंत सर्व युक्त्या वापरायला जात आहेत.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu5rUiTc3gxNSTwnj8NdsY6EzIShOzHT3nkrVegbhjsMp51_00nB0S10b1t0_pwDwA6-uh9W-FkTT7mCuxgNGibN5wA9JSCAEAF4Qli66FrR_tNJERdmTmLMYjotPq_RsxudFOXnQccg/s1600/Cartoon-voting-booth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu5rUiTc3gxNSTwnj8NdsY6EzIShOzHT3nkrVegbhjsMp51_00nB0S10b1t0_pwDwA6-uh9W-FkTT7mCuxgNGibN5wA9JSCAEAF4Qli66FrR_tNJERdmTmLMYjotPq_RsxudFOXnQccg/s200/Cartoon-voting-booth.jpg" width="165" /></a>एकमेकांच्या पक्षांना नावं ठेवणे, कुरघोड्या करणे, कार्यकर्त्यांमध्ये वाद घडवून आणणे येथपासून 'आमुक आमुक शहर देशोधडीला लावण्याचे काम" विरोधी पक्ष करत आहे इथपर्यंत वाद-प्रतिवाद चालू आहेत. खरं किती, खोटं किती हे जाणकार मतदार जाणतातच. तथापि सर्व उमेदवारांची हि बाचाबाची बघायला, ऐकायला गम्मत वाटते.<br />
<br />
ह्या निवडणुकीत मला जाणवलेली गोष्टं अशी कि अपक्ष उमेदवार बरेच आहेत. त्या सगळ्यांची चिन्हे फारच गमतीशीर. नारळ, शिट्टी, कप-बशी, क्रिकेट खेळणारा खेळाडू, मेणबत्त्या, टेबल, खुर्ची, गॅस सिलेंडर, कॅमेरा, कंगवा,फुगा ह्यासारखी अनेक चिन्हे!!!! साधारण हजाराच्यावर उमेदवार रिंगणात आहेत. बहुदा अपक्षांची संख्या जास्त असावी.<br />
<br />
ह्या रणधुमाळीत, कोणी जिंकेल, कोणी हरेल! कोणाचे नशीब फळफळेल, कोणी अगदी हिरमुसून जाईल!! आवाज कोणाचा येईल??? मतदारांचा की खणखणाऱ्या नाण्यांचा???<br />
<br /></div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-79128944038507492302017-01-06T15:21:00.001+05:302017-01-06T15:21:33.099+05:30... कभी ना बीते ये चमकीले दिन<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I had been on vacation with my parents, Sanjeev, and Mahika. And it was a great time. It was a short vacation but really good.<br />
<br />
We drove down to the place and for once, I was in the front seat without Mahika. She was with my parents in the back seat. We were a bit cramped with a lot of luggage. But despite that, we weren't too tired when we reached our destination.<br />
<br />
Mahika behaved really well in the trip. No tantrums, no irritating behaviour! Possibly because she had her grandparents with her with whom she doesn't get enough time to spend. She didn't complain about the food and ate whatever we gave her.<br />
<br />
She had a gala time in the hotel and enjoyed the lavish breakfasts in the hotel. Although she did insist on certain set of her favourite clothes, she wasn't very unmanageable.<br />
<br />
And what she really enjoyed was being at the sea. It was her first trip to the sea and she just loved it. She wasn't afraid of the water at all and was bold enough to venture out on her own in the water. She also had fun on the beach collecting sea shells, playing in the sand, and being overall very dirty. It was great to watch her at sea.<br />
<br />
I had a minor stomach upset and had to take rest. This trip will most probably be the only time when I could rest when I was really unwell and not worry about Mahika, because my mother was there to look after her. I dozed off to sleep while Mahika played with my parents and could get the much needed rest.<br />
<br />
While returning, although I drove for some time, I also sat with Mahika in the back seat, enjoying the breeze, greenery, nature, and the drive. It really reminded me of the song from Dil Chahta Hain..."Dil chahta hain, Kabhi na beete ye chamkile din..." as I looked outside the window. I could see the sun streaming in from the high trees and felt really good.<br />
<br />
As the song aptly says, this trip has given me a lifetime of memories that I'll always cherish. I only wish the vacation wasn't over so soon!</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-20590048687563785292016-11-15T14:47:00.001+05:302016-11-15T14:47:33.403+05:30How Is It Going?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
How is it going? That's what you tend to ask when you meet others after a long time. I too haven't frequented my blog site for a really long time. I do have a lot of topics to write on. But no time to pen down the thoughts.<br />
<br />
Life has been really too busy: following a routine of school, office, home, weekends, festivals, and back to square one. I had a break from school and office during Diwali. But Diwali tends to be more hectic than the usual routine.<br />
<br />
At work, there are multiple releases in the following months and it's going to be busier. I am really looking forward to a very nice vacation at the end of the year. Keeping my fingers crossed!!!</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-76952053547915675472016-07-01T12:10:00.000+05:302016-07-01T12:10:42.936+05:30Side Effects Of Being A Mother Of A Toddler<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As your baby grows into a toddler, the <a href="http://pensive-peeves.blogspot.in/2014/07/side-effects-of-being-mother.html" target="_blank">Side Effects of Being a Mother</a> slightly diminish and you develop the following side effects of being the mother of a toddler:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>You can sing all nursery rhymes, even those that you never knew in your childhood.</li>
<li>You keep humming the nursery rhymes throughout the day.</li>
<li>You are unaware of any new film songs, or for that matter any new films.</li>
<li>Your diet has changed from 'bahar ka khana' to 'ghar ka healthy khana' to benefit your kid.</li>
<li>You keep on searching for newer recipes for snacks and breakfast.</li>
<li>You use the new vocabulary that your kid has developed. You'll probably use all those words when you are at office and with friends. You'll also use the same phrases and the same intonation.</li>
<li>As a mother, you would be the only person who really understands your kid's language.</li>
<li>Your friends and colleagues are most probably bored to death by listening to your kid's stories.</li>
<li>Your schedule still revolves around the toddler and becomes a little difficult when it is disrupted.</li>
<li>You have most probably gone through the kid-starts-school phase and gone through the heart-wrenching 'rona-dhona'. If you haven't yet, you'll soon go through that and you must steel yourself for that.</li>
<li>In gardens and public places, especially in society parks, every parent will ask you your kid's age. The immediate question thereafter is which school you've chosen for the kid. The third question is the fee structure, followed by the board of education, and where do you keep the kid when not in school.</li>
<li>You'll secretly compare your kid to the other kids of the same age and pride yourself on your kid's progress.</li>
<li>You'll hear at least 75% of mothers complain to each other about how the kids eat nothing or are extremely fussy eaters.</li>
<li>Ultimately, though you love every phase of your kid's childhood, you'll remember your kid's baby days and wonder how fast time has flown.</li>
</ul>
</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-27451888148806677112016-06-28T12:42:00.000+05:302016-06-29T12:49:32.829+05:30My Daughter Is Growing Up<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Mahika, my daughter, is already two and has started Playgroup. It has been a wonderful journey seeing her grow up to a beautiful, adamant, smart, funny, little girl.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, she seems almost grown up while at other times she seems a helpless baby clinging to her mommy.<br />
<br />
But I am immensely proud of my little angel. At most times she is well-behaved and cares for everyone around her. She has her temper tantrums and drives me crazy when she throws them. But then, no fun without that. It would be so boring to have a tantrum-free child at home.<br />
<br />
Mahika has been going to the daycare since last year. She also used to be in the Playgroup class then. That has given her an added advantage of knowing all the rhymes and loves all the activities there.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoXoSo0oC1gFocazyoD5ipYaRYzfzO7X4GZVA0_1eP7RptlIgmImuoUBBL7wrS_GMxJOJp3dJOIUh-moS6LhXoZHNlB4eMOuCeeFD7T1VjSkQxyPg-7-oZKjr5wqhDWDdHJb7vcbKHFE/s1600/Toddler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoXoSo0oC1gFocazyoD5ipYaRYzfzO7X4GZVA0_1eP7RptlIgmImuoUBBL7wrS_GMxJOJp3dJOIUh-moS6LhXoZHNlB4eMOuCeeFD7T1VjSkQxyPg-7-oZKjr5wqhDWDdHJb7vcbKHFE/s1600/Toddler.jpg" /></a>But since her official class has started, I've suddenly realised how much she has learnt. She knows most of the nursery rhymes and songs. She knows a few opposites too, in English as well as in Marathi. She can count up till seven in Marathi and up till 10 in English. She knows almost all the colours, blue being her favourite. A few months back it was (b)ink. That's pink. She sometimes says 'b' for 'p'.<br />
<br />
Although she can say all sounds, she purposely replaces some on her own. So she used to call herself Makka, which changed to Mika. And now it's Pika.<br />
<br />
And she now wants to do everything on her own. It is fun to watch her try things out.<br />
<br />
Her sense of humor is quite astonishing. She can laugh at all absurd things and even at herself on some word play that occurs inadvertently. Her humor, playfulness, and caring nature endears her to everyone.<br />
<br />
The apple of everyone's eye, she's growing up real fast. It won't be really long when she will be totally independent and out there in the big world.</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-48422879335370576352015-12-13T15:57:00.004+05:302015-12-13T15:57:48.396+05:30The English-Speaking Rickshaw Driver<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday I boarded a rickshaw to return home. It was a Saturday, around 5.30 PM, and I was <br />
returning from an exciting day.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Av_BmWTE6z7icxMooaAU7u2z8Mgt2zBYcEAp6ZNc-MPykKTUzgjQ56LOcl2IQ7Nb8ktCsktKA7tFdZ0sgmawhlrYmyYtRFzzzV8KidTpFwNor-dWn6Lwl-zKp2JBlW_Ky2ONmoaW42Y/s1600/HappyRickshaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Av_BmWTE6z7icxMooaAU7u2z8Mgt2zBYcEAp6ZNc-MPykKTUzgjQ56LOcl2IQ7Nb8ktCsktKA7tFdZ0sgmawhlrYmyYtRFzzzV8KidTpFwNor-dWn6Lwl-zKp2JBlW_Ky2ONmoaW42Y/s200/HappyRickshaw.jpg" width="200" /></a>As we took a turn, the driver asked me why it was so less crowded today, and whether it was because it was a Saturday. I just nodded, not ready to delve in any kind of conversation.<br />
<br />
In a few more moments, the driver started talking about how he was learning English from his son and telling incidents about his passengers.<br />
<br />
He told me about two Iranian girls who had boarded his rickshaw. One of the girls wanted him to go faster and faster. So his answer to her requests was, "Next time you call me, I'll come on bike."<br />
<br />
He narrated how he was learning "good manners" and had a good sense of humor. He narrated another incident of how he replied to one of his customers by saying that he was "at your service."<br />
<br />
He also asked me whether I knew who the father of the constitution was. When I answered correctly, he showed me some script tatooted on his right forearm.<br />
<br />
He told me right at the start of the conversation that he was learning English from his son. But then he also quoted quite a lot of sayings in English. I thought that either he was too good at his studies to learn so much so quickly, or else he was lying about how he had just started learning.<br />
<br />
Frankly, I was a little unhinged.<br />
<br />
He probably had really good intentions. He didn't make any untoward remarks. He did seem respectable and honorable. But still I couldn't really be comfortable.<br />
<br />
I just couldn't figure out whether he was real or fake, and what he really had in mind.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOcfaMgU2s0F51b6yMty0jmYrj3xhLg58Eqv2b90jUAlTyuDjsEmWOPjlKRhJpXJmc97sn0JGjX40FjR4q_U2P84pJYqPwQVgjv75AUpPl0z_Gn-47ZGphNYyJrjqWYD5X7OwaIUTo90/s1600/RickshawDriver.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOcfaMgU2s0F51b6yMty0jmYrj3xhLg58Eqv2b90jUAlTyuDjsEmWOPjlKRhJpXJmc97sn0JGjX40FjR4q_U2P84pJYqPwQVgjv75AUpPl0z_Gn-47ZGphNYyJrjqWYD5X7OwaIUTo90/s200/RickshawDriver.png" width="200" /></a>I still keep on thinking whether it was necessary to judge him. But I cannot help but also think that in today's world, one cannot be too free with strangers, especially those who start a conversation without any reason, and who try to be too familiar and pleasing.<br />
<br />
My suspicion made me stop the ride a little further away from home. I didn't want to take the risk of letting him know my home.<br />
<br />
It was kind of a muddled experience.</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479369484011791.post-86170797990943420182015-10-01T14:54:00.000+05:302015-10-01T14:54:23.862+05:30Hello World!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My last post was in the August of last year. And all this time, I kept on thinking of returning to blogging again. But never did I ever get the time, and somehow didn't have the inclination. I hope that today's post won't be the only one this year.<br />
<br />
Three quarters of the year is already gone and we are all looking forward to the Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali festivals, as well as the end-of-the-year vacations.With all this, I am also looking forward to the end of the current release that I am working on. It will be a good release done and also taking stock of how the whole year went by.<br />
<br />
That reminds me of how quickly the year is gone. After Mahika was born, I got back to work after a break of seven months. I rejoined in December and it's already almost a year. Mahika is also one and half years old. This past one year has been full of surprises, learnings, unlearnings, adjustments, frustrations, and of course joy.<br />
<br />
Mahika is a constant source of joy. She finally started walking at around 14 months and now runs around everywhere. Full of energy, she keeps me on my toes all the time. She keeps herself busy all the time by playing some sort of game, babbling away all the time, following me in the house, reading books, listening to her favourite songs and watching her favourite videos. When I go to work, I really miss her.<br />
<br />
At work, I cannot believe that I have already worked on two major releases this year. A lot has changed at work. We have had a change in management and the team has changed. It really is a reminder that change is permanent. It's been exciting to go through this phase and survive.<br />
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I keep on thinking of what should I write about in my next post. And I still don't know. But I hope that I'll keep writing something consistently.</div>
Peeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00827722987685995457noreply@blogger.com1