Life and Its Experiments

Towards becoming technology slaves.

Editorial Muse

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November 4, 2014

Yesterday was a normal day for me. I got up at my usual time and the first thing that I did was checking my phone for any unattended messages. After fifteen minutes I finally stepped out of my cozy bed and then made some tea for myself. Mornings are generally full of a lot of hustle and bustle. We all try to compensate that extra 20 minutes sleep by hurrying into everything but I make sure that I give my tea its own due time and attention. I pulled the bean bag and sat on it to enjoy my tea, not to forget my cellphone was in the pocket of my pajama all this while.

The moment I sat an involuntary action happened and my cellphone was again out from the pocket in my hand. I kept checking every nook and cranny of it as if some treasure was hidden in it. I finished my tea, got ready and headed out for work. I hired an auto to come to work, the moment I sat in the auto I again took out my phone and started fiddling with it.I am an I.T professional and needless to say my work involves continuous gazing at the computer for long hours. Even though the work is hectic still I manage to swipe through my phone many times.

I left office at the right time and the moment I sat in the auto the cellphone again came out. I was again looking into it expecting wonders to happen out of it.I am the first one to reach home, my two other flatmates come a little late than me. I got fresh and made a cup of tea, it takes away the tiredness of the whole day. For a fraction of second I thought should I open the television or should I open the laptop but I am so glad I ended up opening the book I was reading. After twenty minutes my flatmates arrived and we made dinner. One of my flatmates had some urgent office work so she started working and the rest two of us were waiting for the food. In another five minutes I opened the television and the third one also opened her laptop and started looking at the online shopping websites.

We three were pretty much busy in whatever we were doing and in that moment of time I realized we have become slaves of technology. If I have to describe how the living room looked the simplest way could be there were three fully functional machines present in the room. After a long day at work we are together and instead of talking with each other we were busy performing our slavery for the technology. How mechanical and insensitive we all have become, and when I say this I put myself at the first to be blamed. We are so lost in the advancement of the technology that we have forgotten the human touch and its warmth. I wonder how our next generation is going to cope up with this.

This thought moved me and I decided that I am going to end this slavery. I know it isn’t possible to let go of everything but I decided that everyday I am going to spend at least two hours away from technology and its innumerable luring options. I am going to invest some time going old school and talking to people directly rather than messaging them on facebook and gmail. Through this post I want to urge all of you to make sure that technology doesn’t take over you.

Healthy kids beget healthy world.

Ruby Singh

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October 30, 2014

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Health is wealth, it isn’t just a saying but it is true to bits. Right from the moment we are born till we die health is a major point of concern for all of us. The care and vigilance increases when we talk about the health of our kids at home.

A healthy child makes a happy home, this statement is complete in every aspect of its own. Our kids are our life and we can do anything to make them healthy and happy. A healthy kid adds life to the house and to our lives. Their shouting, their playing makes us young and alive. If we don’t hear yelling them for a minute we get scared as to what has gone wrong and why isn’t he the usual him. One tight hug from them after a long day at work takes away all the tiredness and worries. Like his laughter makes the house illuminated with the giggles his sickness makes everyone sad and morose. Nobody is same when the child is sick. There is just one thing on everyone’s head, his health. It doesn’t just make one person silent it makes the whole house go mute. The energy, the enthusiasm and the playfulness just goes for a toss.

I remember when my nephew got sick every single person in the house has just one prayer on their lips, it was his health and his well being. Home is not the same home anymore without their jumping around and messing up the things. Even my maid got a little irritated and said “kya karu? sab saaf hi toh hai. Baba jaldi se theek ho toh kaam karne mein bhi kuch maza aaye” (what to do? Everything is already clean. I wish baba gets healthy soon so that even I can enjoy my working).

Right from the atmosphere of the house to the daily routine followed in the house everything changes when the kids of the house are sick. We do everything to make sure they don’t become the victim of the changing weather or sudden rain. The quite conventional thing that has been followed in my house since I was a kid was having a spoon full of Dabur Chyawanprash. For more details of the Dabur Chyawanprash and its effective ingredients and their affect on our metabolism please refer to the link Dabur Chyawanprash. Since I was a kid I have been seeing my mother giving everyone this daily dose so that we have all the necessary immunity to protect from common communicable diseases.

Every kid is a star for his/her parents and their health hold the most important place in their priority list. I wish and pray no parent had to see their kids fall sick and helpless. Let us pray together for the well being of all the kids out there.

This post is written as a part of contest from I ndiblogger A healthy child makes a happy home.

This time it is going to be gharwalidiwali for me.

Ruby Singh

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October 19, 2014

11

They say, home is where the heart is and for me pretty much everything comes from heart. There is no place like home, it is something irreplaceable. I stay far from my home and my family because of my work but there has been no festival or for the matter of fact even no birthday when I haven’t longed for home. I feel I belong there and I will be accepted there no matter what I do.

Diwali, needless to say is one of the biggest Hindu festivals in India. A time when every single person tries to take a break from their nomadic life and head home to be with their family and friends. I haven’t gone home for Diwali in the past two years, so this time I am just head over heels to run to home. I remember how helpless I felt seeing everybody packing and leaving for home but I couldn’t do because of some or the other good reasons. But this time I had made sure no matter what happens I am going home and so am I, in fact I am leaving tonight so you can very well imagine how closely I can relate to this gharwalidiwali theme.

Yesterday was a normal Saturday for me and I was surfing a popular social networking website when I stumbled upon the below video

This video left me with teary eyes and took me back to last two Diwali when I couldn’t be home. It made me realize how often we take our parents and home for granted. If we need them then there are very high chances that they need us too. I started remembering why the last two years I couldn’t go home for Diwali, 2012 I was in Hyderabad and couldn’t manage the leaves and in 2013 I was in Malaysia and couldn’t come home because of some stupid tax issue. Today when I sit and look back then I realize these were some very stupid reasons because of which I missed two splendid Diwali at home with my family and friends.

Often we go by the need of the hour and decide what is right for ourselves but what I would like to request to everyone out there is just for a moment think about your parents and family back at home. You can always earn more money, always convince your boss why you took emergency leave but you can never get back to these festivities ever again. The fun, the music, the prayers, the laughs, the Diwali dinner, the cracker, the lights and the warmth of the place called home can never be recreated.

So if you aren’t going home for Diwali for some or the other reason, look again you might get some nerve to press on and head home. You still have four days, figure out something, jump on a random train, or a bus or buy that expensive flight tickets but try just try one more time to come home because there is no Diwali like gharwalidiwali

This post is written as a part of contest from Indiblogger Diwali – a time for family!

My Marathon experience !!!

My experiences

Ruby Singh

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October 14, 2014

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This was the first marathon of my life. I have missed a couple of them before due to some or the other reasons. I had pretty good reason to give up this one as well but I made sure that no matter what happens I am gonna attend this one.

With a lot of zeal and enthusiasm I reached Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium at sharp 7 am in the morning, just like it was mentioned in the instruction pamphlet. At the venue I felt as if the whole city was there. It was such a delightful scene. A school bus arrived and I see a big lot of kids getting down from the bus. I saw middle aged women all geared up for the marathon. I then realized this was worth my morning lazing around. The entrance looked something like this.

We were thoroughly frisked to make sure that all the necessary safety precautions were followed. Men marathon was scheduled to start first and after then it was women’s turn. I was very excited as the flag off was to be done by the one and only Sachin Tendulkar. Someone who doesn’t need an introduction.

Finally our turn came, we lined up and we entered the stadium. After the wait of another 15-20 mins, I heard the announcement welcoming Sachin. The whole stadium started shouting and roaring. I saw him, he was right on the stage. It was an awesome feeling, witnessing the God of cricket live in front your eyes. Along with Sachin, Vijyendra Singh was also present there. I didn’t manage to click his picture but I did manage to capture the stadium through my phone, posting some of the pictures for you.

We started off with our marathon and it was an adrenaline rush which pushed us all to shout out loud while we exited the stadium. It was my first marathon, the arrangement and the management was so impressive. There were water stations at regular interval, mobile toilets and mobile ambulance to take care of causality, if any. More than this, what really left a mark was the encouraging slogans recited by the CRPF men standing on the way. They would clap for you, cheer you which really lifted the energy level.

I always knew that I am not going to win this marathon, I had gone there with a target for myself which was 10 kms, and to my surprise I did complete the target. When I came back to the stadium, the closing ceremony has already started and I knew some eminent personalities were suppose to come. I entered the stadium and I saw John Abram on the stage along with Nana Patekar. There was one more television personality was also there, I could recognize him but didn’t know his name. If you want to have a sneak peak, refer to the picture below.

I was hell tired, my leg, my ankle were hurting like anything. I sat on the ground, saw the closing ceremony and the winners receiving their awards. It was an enriching experience for me and I have decided that every year I will take part at least in one marathon. So what about you, are you still to have your first experience and if not then how many marathons have you ran yet ?

What my mother would say ?

Ruby Singh

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October 9, 2014

2

Come running into my arms,
you will be loved no matter what,
the world might judge you but I will not.

You are the best that I could have,
for the world you might be one,
but for me you are the world.

(This post was written for yeah write under the short stories category, word limit 42, theme – what would your mother say ?)

M for Mystery

Uncategorized

Ruby Singh

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October 8, 2014

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I have been looking everywhere,
I have been doing my bit,
but still it isn’t fair and yes its a mystery.

I have worked my eyes off,
met all the deadlines,
but still it’s not good enough, why ? still a mystery

I have loved with all my heart and soul,
gave every bit of me,
but still I have to prove, why such a fight? still a mystery

They say they want you to be happy,
want to get the world at your feet,
but just cant give the little that you need, why such hypocrisy? still a mystery

The desire and needs never ends,
got the thing but still want the thing part two,
you have everything you need, why the dissatisfaction ? still a mystery

its not only M for Mystery but
L (Life) for Mystery too !!!!

This post is written as a part of ABC Wednesday and Write Tribe.

It's okay not to know everything.

My experiences

Ruby Singh

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October 7, 2014

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Homo sapiens are the most inquisitive creature in the world. Their desire to know everything is always burgeoning more and more. Right from life’s very small to the most significant questions, they want to know everything at the very moment.

Before a child is born the parents are curious to know the sex of the child, it is just about nine months and they can witness it by themselves but the eagerness takes away all the glory. May it be at work, at home or in relationships we always want to know everything instantly. Patience is the virtue, we all have completely forgotten it.

I sometimes wonder why can’t we wait for things, let them take their own sweet time and come out in a shape and form in which it is destined. Why to apply external forces of eagerness, curiosity and deform the whole result.

Curiosity and eagerness is good when it comes to learning and exploration. It is observed that people who have more curiosity are tend to be more keen towards learning and grasping. It is so strange how the same thing completely changes the result just with a little change in the context.

Over the last few months I have learned that we should not strive to know everything then and there. It is completely okay and normal if you don’t know all the answers. The thing that holds importance is your enthusiasm, passion and willingness to learn and accept new things. If you are open to change and learning sooner or later you will get all the answers that you are looking for.

I came across a few pictures recently which had a huge impact on me. I would like you all to have a look at the below pictures

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Every single words is true to bits. When we have a stable mind all these big adages makes a lot of sense but at the time of any crisis our wisdom goes for a toss. We again become the human beings who are impatient and want to know everything right there.

Referring to the first picture, what caught my attention was the part which talks about the willingness to learn. Here learning doesn’t mean learning some hard core skill or techniques but learning to tackle our daily anxiety attacks, learning to take life as it comes, learning to smile no matter what the situation is. Learning is the only resort which can save ourselves from the unwanted anxieties and worries. Coming to the second picture it says continue the journey and trust the process, we should only focus on our next goal and should keep our deep faith and trust in the destiny that God has created for us. If we can follow religiously these two things all the answers will come to us, and that is exactly what the third picture depicts.

Isn’t it simple enough that we can comfortably practice it in our daily life. But we don’t, we have got into a habit of reckless thinking and worrying. keeping our eyes wide open all night long will not lead the sunrise early.

So it is my humble request to all of you out there to cut some slack and live life without unnecessary mental pressure and agony. Let it go, let some questions be unanswered, let some curiosity about some stupid things be intact. It is okay to be a human and not a super hero. It is okay if you aren’t the prim and proper person you are suppose to be. We have just one life, do live and don’t waste.

The sad demise

Ruby Singh

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October 6, 2014

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I am not a pet person. I have never really liked the idea of having pets at home, but there is always something which compels you to think otherwise.

A very closed friend of mine lives in Hyderabad and he is a pet lover. After finding a nice apartment and a flatmate in Hyderabad, he still felt there is something missing in his life. His landlord had a huge dog, his name was Sunny and he used to stay in the common area from where everyone could see him while entering and leaving the house. He used to strike random conversation with the dog while opening the lock of the door, and with time it became a habit for him. Apart from this dog a cat used to come to his balcony and stay there during the nights.

His love for pets couldn’t be held inside anymore. He made sure that the cat had enough to eat and a cozy place to sleep through the night. It became a routine for him and his flatmate also liked the tiny one hoping and meowing in and around the house.

It was a lousy Saturday afternoon and an advertisement on quikr.com made it exciting. He noticed that there is an advertised for giving away 2 kittens for cat lovers. No wonder his love for cat was burgeoning at a very high pace and this advertisement has given a way to take out his love. In no time he made up his mind that he is going to get those kittens home, needless to say his flatmate was well is agreement with this idea.

Without wasting a single day, he called up the concerned person and they both went to get the little ones home. By the evening the kittens were home, and every possible arrangement was done to make them feel at home. Both the kittens were very small and fragile and my dear friend took care of them like little kids. The first day went in settling them down in the house. If you are wondering how the two little devil looked, below is the picture of both of them.

One complete week has passed and the kittens were now comfortable with the house and the people around them. They had starting trusting them, they used to run to them when they entered the house after a long day of work. I remember him saying “it is a bliss not to come home to an empty house, these kittens run towards you and make you feel as if they were waiting for you”. He also told me no matter how tired I am, I always have the strength to play with them. Things were going very fine until a day when he observed that one of the kittens was showing very abnormal breathing pattern. She was making a lot of noise while breathing and her stomach movement was not normal.

Needless to say, he got very worried and without wasting a single minute he took the kitten to the vet. After reaching the hospital, the doctor examined her and in another twenty minutes she was no more. The doctor confirmed that she was suffering from Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and its a congenital disorder which means that she had this by birth. Doctor also confirmed that there was nothing he could have done to save her, ultimately she had to die. The below is a collage made of pictures taken just a day before her demise, isn’t she a beauty ?

I got a call from him in the afternoon, the moment I picked up the phone I heard sobbing and in a very feeble voice he told me the whole story. He was into tears and I felt so bad that nothing could be done to save her. He was continuously blaming himself for not taking care of her properly but I consoled him saying that there is nothing you could have done. She was destined to die because of that fatal disease.

He was so hurt that he decided that he will return the second kitty to the owner because he couldn’t afford any harm to her. I told him not to do so, she was there for quite long time, she is now comfortable there and if she goes to a new place it would be a new struggle for her. He also agreed to this and still the second kitty is with him. She is always in his room and at times in his bed as well.

I was moved to see the whole love between both of them and nothing in my life has ever led me to even consider having a pet but this little kitty has done it. Yes I would love to have a kitty at my place.

Do you have pets at home ? If not, are you planning to get one ?

Its time to move, again

My experiences

Ruby Singh

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October 6, 2014

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I have been travelling across cities because of my work. I have also traveled to another country Malaysia and that too because of work. Every time I have to move to another place I have to leave the current place. Moving isn’t easy for me. Every time I move from one place to another a part of me stays back there. I don’t know what is it but it makes me sad.

The first time I moved out, was from my parent home to Bangalore to join my work. It was the first time that I was going to live without my family. It was hard for me considering how close I am to my parents. I still remember at the airport how my father burst into tears and said take care of yourself. That day is still so fresh in my memories. It makes a lot of sense if I was sad at that moment as I was leaving my house for the first time.

Later after 11 months I got transferred to Gurgaon, a city close to my home town. The day I had to move out of Bangalore I had no reason to be sad as I was coming to a place which was way close to my home town and I could visit my parents more often. When I left Bangalore, I was so restless that I puked in the taxi on my way to the airport. What was it, was it my friends, the place, my flatmates I haven’t figured it out yet. I was just sad and couldn’t help but cry, the reasons are still unknown.

After around 9 months in Gurgaon, I was sent to another city called Hyderabad. I was excited to go there because it was going to be a rescue for me from the downfall at my work. Hyderabad was going to be resort that would help me with my work. I was looking forward to it, but the time I was packing my stuff I couldn’t stop myself from looking at my room again and again. I would do some packing then again I would sit idle and look at things around me. I wasn’t very good friends with any of my flatmates here but we coexisted and everyone dropped by to wish me luck for my future. On my way to airport I didn’t cry this time, but I could see flashes of my room, people crossing my eyes. Saying good bye to Gurgaon wasn’t very difficult for me but something was left behind, what was it I still don’t know.

After 8 months in Hyderabad I got the opportunity to travel outside the country. I was sent to Malaysia and It was a big milestone in my career. Everyone was so proud of me, my friends, my family everyone around was very excited for me. It was a great achievement for me because I bagged it all on my own. I remember my colleagues threw a farewell party for me and there they asked everyone to say one good and one not so good thing about me, the not so good thing was all about me being too emotional and that I need to take things practically. And yes that is true, I need to learn to be a lot more pragmatic in life. Few of my close friends came down to drop me at the gate of the office and as I hugged them for the last time I couldn’t help but cry. I cried all the way back home and I was sad dead inside, what was it ? why I was sad I should be have been on cloud nine but at that very instant I was deeply sad. Reasons still unknown.

Malaysia has been the live changing destination for me, it has a very special place in my life for many reasons. After the blissful stay of 9 months my project got over and I was suppose to come back to India. The day I was suppose to travel back, I was shivering since morning, my heart was pounding like a train engine. I was still packing my stuff, going to every corner of the house again and again, looking clueless at the swimming pool and the pool side cafeteria. But what is to be done has to be done. My taxi came and my flatmate helped me in loading the luggage in the taxi, she hugged me and said don’t forget to say the prayer before the flight starts. I said goodbye to her and hopped in the taxi, as it ,moved towards the gate I kept gazing at everything inside the condominium, every place, every stair, every wall reminded me of some or the other things. I said goodbye to the guards at the main gate and my taxi got on the main road. My heart was beating at a rate faster than a super fast train and even before I knew I was into tears. A huge part of me is still in Malaysia and something tells me that I am still not done with that place. It feels as if there are still some business undone there. I was extremely heart broken and sad. Probably the first time I knew why I am sad. Yes, I knew why I was sad and that made me feel even more helpless because I couldn’t do anything about it.

Yes they say change is the only constant and blah blah but how much you can really accept the change. I have had some very tough time in moving and even today when I think of those days, it makes me morose.

Do you also feel the same ?

Why Sarita Devi is upset..

My experiences

Ruby Singh

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October 1, 2014

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This is coming straight from the 17th Asian Games currently going on in Incheon. I heard the news today and it made me really sad and disappointed. Sarita Devi lost her Asian Games lightweight (57-60kg) boxing semifinal against South Korea’s Jina Park. There have been many controversies around it, It is believed that just because the judges were Koreans they made a bias decision by giving the game to Jina Park.

I came across a lot of news article and videos wherein Sarita has poured her heart out. I read the reports where it was pretty clear that the first two rounds the match was quite competitive but the last two rounds were owned by Sarita. She even made the local fans awestruck by her deadly punches. Nowadays matches are conducted based on the points, which makes the decision very dubious. Everyone, right from the players to the spectators agreed that Sarita should have won the bout.

Her husband was also very disappointment, and his anger was clearly seen when he was screaming “You f***king Koreans have stolen this medal,”. He also told the reporters that “The bout was fixed and this was an uncivilized decision.” Similar case was heard from Mangolia, both Mongolia and India has filed a protest on similar grounds but later the protests were rejected.

Sarita Devi was heartbroken, she broke into tears while talking to the reporters. She told the reporters that she was staying away from her kid so that she can concentrate on her training, she did her best and if because of no reason and biased judgement she loses the match then India should have taken a stand for them. She also said that “When it comes to winning medals, we always come in the front for India. Why didn’t we protest. There’s a bias against us as we’re from the North-east. Are we not from India?”. With her teary eyes she also apologized to all the people from Manipur who were expecting her to come home with a medal. It was so heartfelt that even after such a controversy the lady is humble enough to say sorry for something she didn’t do, such is her modesty for a nation who didn’t took a solid stand for her

What made me more disappointed was her resentment towards the Indian authorities, and the thought that she is from north east not from India crawled in her mind. I have some background of sports too and I know how it feels when your team or your country gives up on you. It feels as if you did all this for nothing.

I just hope the Indian Boxing Federation takes a stand on this, because such incidents only demolishes the confidence and the mettle of the players. All I want to say here is maybe you weren’t able to do a plus one in the medal tally for India but for me you are a hero. You are truly an inspiration for everyone out there. Your tears aren’t wasted and so I am making sure that this story goes viral and everyone comes to know about it.

Have you heard about the incident ?