Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Reflections
Club No : 03373392 Area 33 Division J District 20 Area 33
Desert Divas’
Issue 1
November 2013
Reflections
Volume 2 1
January 2014
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
From the Editor’s Desk Sowmya Rangarajan Projects, competitions, exams and vacations ! A newsletter in the midst of it all ? What can I say, the platter is brimming, threatening to overflow. Apologies dear readers for a delay in the second issue itself. If you recall I did mention in the last issue that we Divas are enthusiastically moving forward, but on feet that are still a trifle unsteady. As we continue on our journey of “Reflections” you are sure to catch glimpses of our little triumphs, the first being our victory at the inter-club debate competition held last December at the Skyline College Sharjah. With the euphoria of our first ever win still in our hearts we are eagerly participating in the club contests that have just begun. Taking into account some valuable suggestions received, we have incorporated a few changes in the content of “Reflections”. This issue includes a couple of articles meant exclusively for those aspiring to nurture their speaking skills to become effective toastmasters.
“Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn”, said Benjamin Franklin. Desert Divas’ are willing learners but we need your suggestions, comments and reviews to propel us forward.
Cover Picture : Contributed by C. Sukumar Challenge Contest Answers : 1. Storm in a teacup 2. A fish out of water 3. Raining cats and dogs 4. Couch potato 5. Burning the candle at both ends.
Correct Answers given by : Shedly Patrick and Lalitha Sriram Best Caption : “Can I watch TV pleeeeease“? By Lalitha Sriram
Click away with your cameras and send in your photographs. The best picture will be selected for the cover of our next issue .
Puzzles have been marked for easy identification with in your answers.
Don’t forget to send
All feedback , answers to contests and photographs may be sent to sowmya100863@yahoo.com 2
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Contents President’s Message
MTM Usha Mohan
4
Mentors and Sponsors
5
Excom Members
6
Mentor’s Message
DTM Balaji Nagabhushanam
7
Potpourri - expat/local news Expo 2020 Dubai
MTM Anita Sambhus
9
Potpourri - expat/local news ICDC 2013
MTM Usha Mohan
10
Wanderlust - travel feature on Udaipur
MTM Radha
12
Panacea—health matters Caring for your voice
MTM Ila Mohnot
14
Wealthy Wise - money matters Gold Discussion
MTM Nina Gandhi
15
Myriad Musings - mixed bag of thoughts and opinions Cleanliness is next to Godliness
MTM Lalitha Sriram
16
Myriad Musings - mixed bag of thoughts and opinions Jewels in the Crown
MTM Deepa Umashankar
17
Myriad Musings - mixed bag of thoughts and opinions Of Apples and Apple
MTM Vijaya Sukumar
18
Myriad Musings - mixed bag of thoughts and opinions Change for the better
MTM Padma Ramji
19
Myriad Musings - mixed bag of thoughts and opinions Poem Nature’s Gifts
Kaustubh Krishnan
21
Myriad Musings - mixed bag of thoughts and opinions Poem The Creator
MTM Naheed Arshad Desai
2
Challenge Corner - Proverbs / Phrases
8
Landmark Quiz
11
Puzzling Cities
20
3
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
President’s Message Usha Mohan Happy 2014 to all of you out there. Congratulations Divas! Winning the ICDC cup was the cherry on top of the icing, on the cake. The cake being the metaphor for the great year we have had. The last meeting we had was a Speakathon! Having only heard of a marathon, this was certainly unique and interesting. With eight Divas speaking back to back, time just flew. At this point, I would like to take the opportunity, to thank our mentors, MTM Mallika Ramanathan, MTM Anupama Parkar, MTM Ranjani Jaidev along with DTM N.Balaji for their continued support and motivation. We march into this year with new found confidence and vigour. January is proving to be a busy month with members gearing up for the club's first ever Speech Contest. Having raised the bar for ourselves, I am confident of our ladies doing extremely well in every category. Prior to the chartering of our club when we were having trial and mock meetings with our mentors, we would often hear them talk about how by being a 'Toastmaster' you belong to a fraternity, where competition is tough but there is no animosity or rancour, where you are part of a huge family whose members are ready to help create a good learning environment. I am proud to say, that this is indeed true. So long Divas, do remember to bring your friends for our meetings ! The more the merrier !
'It has been a hectic four months, since I assumed my duty as President of Desert Divas TM Club! What with two meetings a month, ICDC 2013, arranging the first ever Speech Contest of the club & contributing this article for our club's second newsletter! I look back and marvel at the amount I have learned. My sincere gratitude to the Toastmasters fraternity'.
4
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Mentors and Sponsors
Mallika Ramanathan
A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself -- Oprah Winfrey
Sumita Narayan
Anupama Parkar
Ranjani Jaidev
Toastmasters International Mission We empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. 5
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
EXCOM MEMBERS 2013-2014
CLUB MISSION Usha Mohan President
Sowmya Rangarajan VP Public Relations
We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth
Vijaya Sukumar VP Education
Radha Hari VP Membership
Shedly Patrick
Anita Sambhus
Padma Ramji
Sergeant At Arms
Treasurer
Secretary
6
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Mentor’s Message - Getting your body and mind ready How many times in the midst of a serious conversation have you felt disturbed by your body posture or style? Worse still, how many times have you wondered if you are the only one who is standing straight while everyone else is looking for support for their body to lean against?
DTM Balaji Nagabhushanam
out. The second speech was about Organizing, with an opening, body and conclusion. I did fairly better this time coming away from the lectern, but, the paper still in my hand and worried about what the audience was thinking of me. The third was even better and this time, I won the Best Speaker Award – reason I won was, I put away the paper and spoke from my heart. That is when I took the actual challenge in life.
Don’t worry. This is normal. It is said that non-verbal communication i.e. body language and gestures contribute maximum to a speech. When asked to deliver an address to an audience, most people either cross or fold their hands or hold one palm with the other – sign of nerves, maybe!!! There are still others who have their hands in their pockets, fiddle with their dress or fidget with some item or the other in their hand. The most common mannerisms with legs are - crossing legs, scratching the floor with nails, trembling etc.
I wrote project 4, “Show what you mean”, from my heart. I practiced in front of a mirror as well as in the presence of some friends. At the end of the rehearsals, I felt at ease because I had tried my best to coordinate my arms, legs and other body movements. Believe it or not, I won again and this time, I won because the Body Language was in perfect tandem with the speech.
I too had this problem whenever I was asked to speak to an audience during my school and college days and even during training sessions which I conducted after I was employed. But all this changed when I joined Toastmasters in the year 1998.
How could I do it? Can you do it? WHY NOT? Here are some simple steps from my personal experience with which I think you can master this technique. 1.Understand the occasion where you are delivering your address and also the topic in case it is already decided – if not develop a topic based on the occasion.
Initially when I went through the Competent Toastmasters manual ( CC was CTM then), I was shocked at the demands – organize your speech, show what you mean, use your voice, use simple words…. My God, will I ever be able to do all of this, I wondered. I did not fear and took the plunge.
2. Try to gather some information about the type of audience and the auditorium / venue. 3. Get to know the total time for which you need to deliver your address. 4. Prepare a draft version of the address keeping in mind that a total of 100 words can be spoken per minute – so if you are delivering an address for five minutes, speech length should be for a
The first project – my Icebreaker was delivered from behind the lectern and with the entire speech written – half of the speech was read 7
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
maximum of 500 words.
body (gestures) would have co-related with your speech – you will be wonderstruck when 5.Go through the draft once, twice and probably a you realise that in a total of five or six rethird time – you will get better ideas and eventually hearsals, your verbal and non-verbal movechange the speech to the final script – but it does ments have co-related automatically. not end here. 13.Just go through one more rehearsal in the presence of your children, life partner or close friends – request them to watch your body movements and the delivery of your speech – they need not worry about the time or the quality of content.
6. Start rehearsing the speech without any body movements – i.e. read it out loud with the paper or the laptop or IPad in your hand – do not forget to time your speech at this juncture. 7.You will most probably identify that you are either well ahead of time or past the time depending on how you went through reading your speech – if you are just one minute ahead, do not worry but if you are past one minute, there is a problem. 8.Do not change your speech – but rehearse it part by part – i.e., the first five lines, then the next, then the next etc., without the paper or laptop or IPad in hand – do not time yourself during this exercise.
14.Incorporate the feedback received and rehearse your speech one last time – YOU WILL BE THE BEST SPEAKER IN TERMS OF GESTURES AND BODY LANGUAGE. Though there are 14 steps listed above, the entire exercise will just take you some three or four hours divided between two or three days. Once you adopt this exercise, it will be very difficult for you to separate your Verbal and Non Verbal Communication whenever you are asked to speak to an audience.
9.You will slowly realise that you are comfortable with some parts of the speech which you can readily Want to give it a try? Why not do it for your remember but some never come to mind; continue next Toastmasters project – regardless of rehearsing those difficult parts. whether it is an Ice breaker 10.Next, rehearse the entire speech without your or an Advance speech? notes or laptop and time yourself. Good luck. 11.By the time you complete your third rehearsal, you will find that you not only remember 75% of your speech but are within your time limit as well. 12.Believe it or not, by this time, unconsciously your
Challenge Corner Identify the 2 proverbs / phrases from the given clues. 1. Apt words for a pep talk, this proverb indicates that there is hope even in the worst of circumstances. Known to have been used first by English historian and theologist Thomas Fuller. 2. This refers to an open display of feelings for everyone to see. Used first by Shakespeare in Othello. 8
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Potpourri
Expo 2020 Dubai UAE Anita Sambhus Wednesday 27th November 2013 will remain in the memory of Dubai residents for a long time. Many of us including me were anxious the whole day. As the voting began, most of the Dubai residents started following each development closely. UAE sailed through the 1st round easily and one competitor was eliminated. In the 2nd round of voting, Dubai got enough votes to proceed to the final round. Another competitor was eliminated. Now the competition was between Dubai and another city. Tension was building all over the city. We were counting seconds as the final voting was under way.
the future” is very impressive and inclusive. Dubai also has a very robust action plan on how to actually go about hosting the high profile event. It is based on the concept of sustainability, mobility and opportunity. Multimedia expressions of this theme are very eye catching and very interesting. Videos and pictures on the Expo 2020 can be seen on the website. expo2020dubai.ae/
Dubai is the 1st city in the Arab world to host such an event. Dubai has achieved this glory solely because of the great leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Ruler Seeing a helicopter circling around the Burj Khalifa, of Dubai and Vice we wondered why. I have never listened to the President of UAE. radio with so much bated breath in my life. And He has said that soon I heard a Dubai correspondent relaying the Dubai’s limits news from Paris say,” We did it “. I jumped with start from the joy and conveyed the news to my family. In no time sky. With Burj Khalifa erupted in festive colors to inform all of leaders like him, Dubai will scale further Dubai that yes, we made it. Now, Dubai is a summits hitherto not envisaged by anybody. Candidate city, most proud and very much capable Dubai will continue to dazzle the world. of hosting Expo 2020. Dubai expects to receive more than 25 million World Expo is a trade exhibition in which various tourists in the year 2020. Now Dubai will add countries participate and showcase their products even more impressive elements to its and services. This exhibition lasts for 6 months and infrastructure to get ready for the big day and is held every 5 years in different parts of the world. to execute a spectacular event. This will bring This Expo is a very prestigious event for the host in its wake huge business opportunities and country. Dubai expects to benefit in a big way in hundreds of thousands of jobs will be created. terms of increased visitors, increased trade and I am a proud resident of this beautiful city and commerce, long term relations with various business am really lucky to witness this outstanding partners. achievement. Over the last 3-4 years Dubai has been working tirelessly to project itself on the global stage as a futuristic city, a city that cares, a city with most modern infrastructure, a city home to 200 nationalities, and a city most suitable to host Expo 2020. Its theme “Connecting minds and creating
9
Anita is a long time Dubai resident who has just recently discovered the joys of being in a Toastmasters Club.
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Triumph at ICDC 2013
Usha Mohan
With our hearts beating like drums of a tribal clan, we entered the venue for the ICDC 2013. The Skyline College, Sharjah is a sprawling campus, which was very daunting to us Divas, as we hold our meetings in a cosy party hall in a residential building. The huge group gathered there, didn't do much for our nerves as well. Twenty of the best clubs, pitted against each other added to our nervousness. To make matters more frightening......we were going to open! Debating
Potpourri
calm. The topic this time was ' Superman, Batman, SpiderMan, Super Heroes or misleading idols'. It was a piece of cake for our ladies speaking against the topic. Speaking with conviction and honesty, their opponents, were no match for them. Finals! Driving to the venue that morning with this very nervous team of ladies, who would have thought that would reach this far! I must confess here that, I did! The day before the contest I told our team that we would win! Call it premonition or whatever; I did have this very strong feeling. The toughest part was yet to come....the topic ' Sachin Tendulkar, first Indian sportsman to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, did he deserve it?' The team we were up against, The Lagoon TM club. The very experienced men looked as tough as nails! Adding to the confusion, our ladies though being a fan of the sport didn't have much on the cricketer.
against the three man army from the HSBC Corporate club. The topic being ' Freedom for an individual in today's world is a myth ' and we were debating for it. Taking one look at the three very visibly nervous ladies, the three man army, smirked and thought this was going to be easy ! Never take your opponents for granted, I say, especially harmless looking, women next door types. The Divas just took the round with their well-prepared opening, rebuttal and summarizing. Semifinals! We never planned to be there! Being a new club, we were just getting to learn to communicate and do our Icebreakers! And here we were in the semifinal round, competing against another all women team from the Our Own School. After the initial bout of nerves, our team members were easing into their roles with precision and 10
Speaking for the topic, our opening by Bindu Krishnan was honest and from the heart. The men from Lagoon were out to get our jugular! Very scary, their rebuttal was fierce. Then entered our lioness Sowmya! She is August born and a true Leo, she doesn't give up without a fight. It was a treat to the ears to hear her speak with so much confidence, emphasizing on the opponent's negative points. Then came Vijaya, who summarized the entire debate with such panache, the entire auditorium roared! The final moment was here! We waited with bated breath. In third place was the Dubai
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Advanced Speakers. In second place were the toastmasters from Star of Arabia Club. . The winners of the ICDC - 2013 are.......any guesses? Yes, you are right “Desert Divas�!! It was surreal! Euphoric was putting it mildly.......the feeling was unexplainable. With the prestigious cup in our hands and the entire TM community's eyes on us, we had set the bar high for all, including ourselves. Driving back home with the winning team, is a scene that, I will cherish for years to come. Come to think of it, Sachin Tendulkar is God to Indians the world over. You can't lose debating for him!
Potpourri
Usha is an amateur artist with a keen interest in charcoal sketching. She loves travelling and exploring new places.
Landmark Quiz Identify these famous landmarks 2
1
3 4
11
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Udaipur – A perfect blend of history, heritage and beauty 31st May, 2013 – an unforgettable date in my life ! I was chosen as the mega winner of Club Mahindra Resorts which entitled our family to a free stay for a week at one of their resorts. I was ecstatic when I heard the news as I had never won anything in my life! I have always loved to travel… In fact, it is my dream to explore the many exquisite places in India! After a detailed survey, we chose Udaipur as our holiday destination. Often referred to as the ‘Venice of the East’, Udaipur is also known as the ‘City of Lakes’ and is one of the most frequented tourist destinations of India. Our trip started off with a 11 hour long train journey from Mumbai to Udaipur. After checking into the resort, we decided to go sightseeing. We had hired a car and our driver was a local person who knew every nook and corner of Udaipur. Our first visit was to Maharana Pratap Museum. I have read tales extolling this great Rajput ruler’s chivalry and courage and so was totally enamoured by the gallery inside the Udaipur City Palace devoted to this legendary warrior and his 12
Wanderlust Radha Hari
horse Chetak. The museum displays a lot of old sculptures and inscriptions and antique paintings of Mewar. It is a perfect treat to lovers of art!!! As Udaipur is known for its beautiful lakes we wanted to visit at least one of the lakes on the first day itself. Lake Pichola was on the top of our itinerary. A boat ride on this exotic lake took us to the famous ‘Jag Mandir’. We enjoyed it more as we were taking a boat ride after ages. This is situated on an island in the middle of the lake and over the years has become the most sought after venue for the big fat weddings. In fact the best part of our boat ride was hearing our driver relating his experiences of the rich and famous weddings that he had attended till then. ‘Saheliyon ka Baari ‘which means ‘Garden of maids’ was our first place of visit on the second day. This was built in the 18th century by Maharana Sangram Singh, supposedly for the royal ladies. It was beautiful with a lotus pool, marbled elephants sprinkling water and fountains. It was very picturesque and that gave us ample opportunities to click loads of pictures! A visit to Udaipur is incomplete without a visit to
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
the famous Sreenathji Temple at Nathdwara . Frequently visited by Hindu pilgrims, this place tends to get over crowded. The nearest railway station is Mawli Junction which is about 30kms from Nathdwara.
Udaipur Trivia
1. Udaipur Airport namely Maharana Pratap Airport is located near Dabok at a distance of 22 kms from the city of Udaipur. Many domestic airlines connect the city to all the major cities of India including Jaipur, Mumbai, Delhi, Mumbai After a tiring day of shopping, we were glad to get and Kolkata. Regular air services are into a restaurant to get a taste of lip smacking Rajaavailable for Delhi and Mumbai. sthan cuisine. We noticed that though there were several vegetarian restaurants “Dal Baati Churma”, 2. Udaipur Railway Station is located at a remained the most popular dish in most of them. comfortable distance from the city of More than the taste of the cuisine what we really Udaipur. Rajasthan Railways connects loved was the variety and the way food was served to us! We were treated like royalty in all the restaurants Udaipur station with all the other cities of and we enjoyed the attention thoroughly. Rajasthan as well as India. There are frequent trains which run to and from The Udaipur trip remains one of my most memorable Udaipur connecting Jaipur, Mumbai and trips and I strongly recommend that everyone visit Delhi. One can also travel to this beautiful this wonderful historic place at least once in their lifecity by the luxurious Palace on Wheels time! ‘Shop till you drop’ is the slogan tourists adopt when they visit Udaipur. We also did the same thing. From vegetable dyed bed sheets to Rajasthani dress materials and artefacts to beautiful jewelry, Udaipur has it all, it truly is a shopper’s paradise!
3.
Udaipur is well connected by a brilliant road network to major cities in India. This mode of commuting is both easy and economical. Udaipur Bus Stand has regular bus services, connecting Udaipur with nearby cities including Delhi, Jaipur, Chittorgarh, Indore, Kota, Ajmer, Ahmedabad and Mt. Abu. Rajasthan Roadways provides the facility of Deluxe Buses and AC coaches for the convenience of passengers. One can also hire taxis and cars to reach Udaipur by road.
Radha is a homemaker, extremely passionate about music and quizzing. People usually get an adrenaline rush on a roller coaster or while doing para gliding but she gets the same feeling while watching a quiz show, especially when the contestant is close to winning the jackpot!
13
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Panacea
Caring for your Voice Ila Mohnot
It is not necessary that you take care of your voice only if you are a singer or wish to become one. A pleasant voice is a treat to the ears; the listener should wish that you would speak on forever. The vocal cord in our body is very tiny. It is only somewhere between 18 to 23 millimeters in size and lies within the larynx. One will be surprised to know that when we speak the vocal cord vibrates a 100 times per second. So if one continuously misuses it, it can get damaged permanently. Here are a few tips to keep the vocal cords healthy. 1. Exercise them. Breathing exercise is the best exercise for vocal cords. Vocal cords are muscles. They need to be warmed up. A simple warm up exercise involves humming. Lips should be touching, teeth slightly separated. Feel the buzzing sensation when humming. Proper breathing also helps in maintaining a good voice. Put your hands
diet of fruits veggies grains nuts and legumes. Spicy and fried foods can cause acid reflux and damaged the vocal cords. 5. Avoid cold or very hot liquids. If one has sore throat then take warm liquids, gargle with Salt water, take warm soups. 6. Do not smoke. Smoking dries out the cords.
X X
on the stomach. When you inhale the belly should bulge as it is taking air inside and when you exhale the stomach should come to the original position. 2. Keep drinking water. This keeps the cords wet and they function well. If you do not drink adequate water the cords can get dehydrated.
Ila is a qualified naturopathist and an 3. Do not shout or strain your voice. accomplished classical 4. The whole body supports the voice. So keep the dancer. whole body toned. Eat healthy and eat a balanced 14
X
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Wealthy Wise
Gold - The Mesmerizing Metal Nina Gandhi Gold...the very name brings up images of brilliance and luster! It is a metal that has enchanted civilizations from times immemorial. Labelled 'tears of the Sun' by the Incas probably due to the wars and destruction caused by the greed and lust for it, the power and lure of gold is undebatable. Several civilizations have gone to great lengths in their quest for gold, be it the Egyptians, the Lydians, the Greek, Chinese, Indians or Americans. Gold has always has had a great value for humans. The desire for gold led Spain to attack Inca and conquer it. The first use of gold as money occurred around 700 B.C., when Lydian merchants produced the first coins. Gold mining as a science was given a boost during the Roman Empire. During the Classic period of Greek and Roman rule in the western world, gold and silver both flowed to India for spices, and to China for silk. Gold in the form of standardized coins gradually replaced the barter system making trading easier. As a monetary standard began setting in a world economy became viable. World economies were able to grow and prosper due to the concept of money in the form of gold and silver in standard weight and fineness coins. At the beginning of the 20th century, gold was the base of the monetary system. In the 21st century, gold has been demonetized and is just another scarce commodity. Every Nation holds a gold reserve, intended as a store of value and as a guarantee to redeem promises to pay depositors, note holders, or trading peers, or to secure a currency. Preserving the gold reserves is of intrinsic value to nations and therefore highly relevant in contexts of crisis and war. India is the world’s 11th largest player in terms of gold reserves with the country’s central bank. The place we all live in Dubai, is fondly called the 'City of Gold'. The ongoing DSF has goaded us all
15
to buy gold, with the temptation that we may end up winning 1Kg gold. The question that arises is, 'Is Gold a wise investment?' Gold, if bought in a physical form does not earn us any interest. But then again, look at the history of increase in the price of gold in say, last 42 years. Take for example in India, the price of gold in 1971 per 10 gms was around Rs 193/ - as against the price of gold in 2013 which was around Rs 30,000/per 10 gms !!!!! Wonder which investment can give this kind of returns! Presently, we can invest not just in physical gold but also in gold exchange-traded funds or ETFs, which have given considerable returns in the last couple of years. Many banks like SBI, HDFC CANARA BANK and industrial houses like BIRLA, RELIANCE, KOTAK etc. have introduced gold ETF MUTUAL FUNDS, which too have given good returns. Another option is investing in E-gold. E-gold, an electronic way to buy the yellow metal , gives better returns than gold ETFs. In 2012, it returned over 16 per cent compared to the 11 per cent average return given by gold ETFs. Experts say e-gold will always beat gold ETFs in returns. By the way what do you think will be the approximate value of all the Gold in the world today ??? $ 6,414,733,707,086 Yes - That's trillions Based on current gold price of $ 1,241.00 (Figures from onlygold.com)
Nina is an avid reader and a keen learner. She is happiest spending time with her family.
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Cleanliness is next to Godliness Lalita Sriram
Picture a scene – you ring the door bell and the door opens to showcase an untidy and unorganized room. What is the first thought that would enter your mind – “These are not very clean people”. Yes, it’s true – a clean and organized abode reflects a person’s character. The home need not be aesthetically decorated but one that has been set up with functional logic reveals to the eye a systematic mind. This concept can be extended to a ladies handbag, a man’s office desk, a woman’s kitchen and a child’s cupboard. They speak out loud our capacity to organize our thoughts and our lives. Even fashion and beauty specialists have emphasized the need for clean hair and clear skin which are easily achieved by following a sensible diet and lifestyle. We are all aware that cleanliness has visible benefits scientifically –it keeps us disease free, but what may not be evident is that there is a spiritual aspect to it too. Esoteric sciences speak of “chi” – the universal energy that permeates everything around us- and its flow in our body and in the environment we stay in whether at office or at home. They reveal the importance of having free-flowing chi. Objects that are loved, used and appreciated have a strong, vibrant, joyous energy around them. In contrast anything neglected, forgotten, unwanted, unloved, or unused will cause the energy in our home to slow down and stagnate. It is thus imperative that we take efforts to keep our environment clutter free. Innumerable small tasks from our end can help us achieve this. Check your
16
wardrobes and closets on a regular basis, “decide” on those things you really do not require – no point storing stuff that we have not been using or even thought of in the past year. Every time you buy new clothes give away a few old ones (for charity). Put the 3 R’s into practice – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. You’ll soon find changes in your home and in your life. As per the “Bagua Map” - a very basic tool used in Feng shui, different areas of our home are connected to different aspects of our life. As we clear the clutter at home we release the obstacles to facilitate free flow of chi into those aspects of our life. Taking stock of your cupboards indirectly translates to taking stock of your life. So, go ahead and pull out those suitcases that decently camouflage the clutter. Release clutter from your home and from your life.
Lalitha is a homemaker who loves to read, cook and sing. She is happiest when she sees her family happy and smiling.
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Myriad Musings
Jewels in the Crown Deepa Umashankar I have always maintained that the Queen’s language is sacrosanct and every other form is a spin-off. The recently concluded Australian Open has been an eye-opener of sorts, though. I would, earlier, cringe at the way the average Indian would speak in English- in fact would dread listening into the local Hindi Radio stations where the callers and respondents would insist on always answering the RJs in what they imagined was the English language.
over. We speak it in our own manner and style- after all we have resilient and nuanced native languages that strongly influence our language traditions and metaphors. So the next time you hear phrases like, ‘kindly do the needful’, ‘please revert’, ‘prepone your ticket’, ‘take your seat’, ‘passing out’, ‘all of you’ll’ or ‘I am thinking in my mind’- simply grit your teeth, square your shoulders and smile from your ‘liver’ as Elizabeth Gilbert would say and carry on. That should bother the grammarians of the world- we are cheekily hungover by the Jewel in the Crown...
My earlier interactions with native English speakers would leave me feeling like Naseeruddin Shah or Om Puri (crossover Indian actors) in a Merchant-Ivory Production on the Raj. It would sound so flat and ‘oh- so- Indian.’ Not that any effort was made to mask it, yet what was presumed to be a neutral accent (from a purely Indian stand point, of course) would exasperate my own home acritical ears. But watching these players from various parts of the world drove n undeniable truth. That language is for communication. Mastery is the bastion of a privileged few. How effectively we are able to translate our thoughts to words and present the message is often more important than faking an accent. Li Na’s victory speech with its witticisms was delivered in an unmistakable Chinese lilt- the words simply bounced off the enamel of her teeth. Still, it held the audience’s attention and drew plenty of chuckles. Cibulkova’s Slovak induced diction, Nadal’s flamenco in English, Wawrinka’s throaty take on the language and Sania’s nasal yet cracker of an interview all proved one point- the Queen’s language by default, has become the link language the world 17
Deepa is a freelance journalist, dedicated mother and an enthusiastic toastmaster.
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
OF APPLES AND APPLE!! Vijaya Sukumar As a young girl growing up in one of the smaller cities in India the only varieties of apples that I was aware of were the red apple, Kashmiri apple and the Custard apple. It was only after coming to Dubai that I got to know the variety of apples grown across the world ranging from Granny Smith, Gala, Golden Delicious to Fuji and many more. I never really cared for apples as a kid but then as I tried out the different kinds available here I started relishing a few of them. At last my mother was happy that I was now paying heed to the adage- “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Needless to say the added lure that the apple had was the fact that it kept not only the hunger pangs away but also those dreaded inches that seemed to pile on my waistline with unabashed ease.
This particular apple did not grow in an orchard but was introduced to the world by Steve Jobs and his company APPLE INC - the iPod. Suddenly everyone was up in arms to get his or her hands onto the iPod. So hubby soon ended up buying an iPod Touch too, which just resulted in two from a family of four at any given point of time being closeted up in a room oblivious to the rest, lost in the world of music of their choice! Even as I enjoyed listening to my iPod I felt the first pangs of fear creeping up for suddenly kids and hubby could only speak about Apple and its products. My fears were soon realized as within 2 years my house was invaded with Apple products from an iPad, MacBook Pro, iPhone (right from 3GS to 5C) to an iMac. An ardent fan of everything Apple my husband even got an Apple TV. No other brand comes into our house….all four of us only have iPhones; reasoning being …. “We can all be connected through the iCloud “, says hubby who is definitely on Cloud Nine!! All I can say now is that Apple seems to have clouded his thinking, day in and out he waxes eloquent on the innumerable benefits and advantages of Apple products. Either he is talking about Apple products or using one of them. Apples, which were once the priority on my shopping list; suddenly seemed to dominate our lives.
Each time I was tempted by a plate of spicy hot fritters I kept thinking of all the antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that I would get if I ate an apple instead. In this fashion apples soon became a priority item on my grocery list. Having become a dedicated apple lover I soon tried to entice the hubby and kids onto the apple wagon. Was I successful??? You bet I was…apple with chaat masala, apples in salads, fresh apple juice and apple crumble soon became the order of the day. To put it in a nutshell Apples truly became ‘The apple of our eyes”!
One by one every family member fell prey to the addictive Apple devices resulting in me often finding myself all alone. Apples today are no longer ‘The apple of my eye’. In fact I’m forced to coin a new adage – AN APPLE EVERY DAY KEEPS THE FAMILY AWAY!
Life was all hunky dory until a few years ago when a new variety of Apple came into the market that upset my applecart. Apples till then could do no harm I had thought and innocuously welcomed this new species into my house. Hubby dearest could not stop raving about it and spent hours reading up about it. I too fell in love with it, as it was the easiest way to listen to music as I moved around busy with my daily chores. Apple and music… one may ask?
Vijaya is a fun loving person always on the quest for an adventure or a new experience.
18
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
CHANGE, for the better! Padma Ramji Getting an opportunity to pen down my thoughts is something that I never thought I would ever come across, especially at this stage of life. Wait, what is this strange feeling that I get? I feel that I have lost my identity as an individual. Education, marriage, my teaching jobs and parenting have all been taking up my time; so much so that I have ceased to think for myself or about myself. Children come in to our life and make so much noise for the first seventeen years of their life that we can hardly stand that noise. Then they step out of our house to pursue their education, leaving behind so much silence that it drives you mad. Letting our children move out of our thoughtfully built home may be a rewarding experience for them, but it is an agonizing experience for us. Coming back to my point, where has it left me?
Give me some sunshine give me some rain give me another chance I wanna grow up once again I'm sure many of us want to do that once again, if only there was a rewind button in our life or a time machine that could take us back in time! Nevertheless I still feel that there is not much to lose. I can start afresh, all over again. The only difference now is that I'm more inspired by youngsters who by age are a generation behind but by thoughts are a generation ahead. How fearless are their minds? How seamless are their thoughts?
They live their life to the fullest. There is so much to learn from them if we leave our egos behind have always loved being with young individuals. They have this vibrant energy around, which is so infectious. With them around, we tend to forget Birth, growing up and marriage has taken the teeny-weeny worries that look monstrous me through various roles that I have rendered to the best of my ability. I don’t think I have even otherwise. had any thought of venturing beyond the L O C that has been laid by my mind on behalf of my family. But I must say my mind has been tarnished, going through the monotonous chores of life. I definitely needed a WD 40 to remove the rust that had accumulated. Fortunately I did find my WD 40! Want to know where I found it? In our "Desert Divas"! As a forum, it has given me the platform to think for myself, express my views and to bring about my individuality to be seen by the people who matter to me. No wonder I have grabbed this opportunity to write. I feel my forties are my new twenties. A song from the Hindi movie "Three idiots" comes to my mind,
Coming back to getting over the fear of losing my identity, I want to change for the better! If the history of the world can be written in one world, the word is "Change ".I want to take that first step of making that change, to move ahead and change for the better. I want each and every act of mine to take me near my dream. I have to move ahead with time lest I'm left behind as a thing of the past.
19
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
Have you heard the success story? What is the secret of success? asked the Sphinx Push said the button Never be led said the pencil Always keep cool said the ice Be up to date said the calendar. Never lose your head said the barrel Make a light of everything said the fire Do a driving business said the hammer Be sharp in all your dealings said the knife Find a good thing and stick to it said the glue So how about being inspired by the success stories of all the above and putting them together to bring about that change? I would on a closing note, like to quote Gandhiji.
"You must be the change that you wish to see in the world”
Padma is an optimist who loves to be amongst people with a lot of positive attitude towards life.
Puzzling Cities ?? Tease your vocabulary and identify each “CITY” Examples: A. Not complicated, making easy -
Simplicity
B. A form of unseen energy that is dangerous, yet useful at homes and to work high-powered machines.
Electricity
Clues 1. The quality of being bold and impudent 2. The quality of being genuine 3. The quality of being heinous, cruel or wicked 4. The maximum amount something can hold in it 5. The quality of being if not actually mad, at least funny and peculiar 6. A very small quantity 7. In short supply 8. The quality of being savage and cruel, found in wild animals 9. To let everyone know, to advertise 10. Insincerity of conduct – double-faced behaviour
20
Volume 2
Reflections Jan 2014
The Creator
Nature’s Gifts
Naheed Arshad Desai
Kaustubh Krishnan I move slowly through the forest, past the streams There I feel the cool breeze T'is like I am in a trance, feel my body beginning to advance.
He moulded us from the dust of clay, Filled in breath to live and stay He gave us eyes to see the light, Mind to think and heart to win and love to do ,tongue to hold and lips to speak the truth
There I see the magnificent hills and yonder the vales As I slowly lie on the grass the sun sets behind the mountains great.
Hands to lend and feet to move, in the path which is best for you
I feel so relaxed, that all sorrow vanishes away into thin air. I realize that Nature has a way to make us feel joyful and gay
He commands the sun to rise and moon to hide and rains to please you rivers with water and trees with fruit are all his gifts for you Birds that sing ; during the spring are in love with you
Nature gives us quiet and peace colourful bliss with utmost ease Better than noise and worldly things are birds that soar with immense wings I pray for more of nature's gifts In today's times of fights and rifts Thank you lord for Nature's grace Each time I see an open space
and we human beings are lost in our worldly dues and forget the creator who created me and you.
The son of MTM Bindu Krishnan, Kaustubh is a 13 year old 8th grader who is
Naheed’s simple philosophy of life is
very fond of writing.
‘ live to be loved and love to be liked’
21