This I have learnt today...

Unleash those ideas

2012-01-19T16:58:00.000-08:00

So...the multi-talented, "modest" (NOT), multi-tasker that I am, I picked up yet another "hobby"...making jewelry! And any new hobby warrants a brand new, dedicated blog. So that's been done too.

A distant (technically), close (practically) relative just found out I have blogs...because I promoted the jewelry one on FB. She said she loved to read blogs, and went through all of mine. And left an email how much she enjoyed reading about everything I was upto. And I replied, yeah, there's a lot of things I start, never continue with anything. To which she responded, well, you at least start, I don't even do that. She said she read all my posts, enjoyed them, but was too lazy to comment :)

Well, I ain't lazy now, am I? Had to come up an entire new post to respond to her!

Her comment got me to think, what is it that stops us from trying things out? I know this girl, lets call her Concha, (hehe :) is an amazing painter. There may be other things she loves to do as well. I have noticed folks that are artistically inclined find various outlets for their creativity. So I bet there are other things too.
So what is the roadblock?

I came up with a few things that would apply to me....

Daydreams....some of these amazing ideas I have, that I never got around to implement, are simple flights of fancy. They may not be difficult at all, but are just passing thoughts. They come, make me smile, and go away. Off late, this has started to bother me. I seem to find jewelry design ideas in pretty much everything that I see. (My shoe laces got a good bit of attention today! No, don't worry, they are not coming off my shoes and going onto someone's neck! I will buy new ones :p). Especially at night, when I am tossing and turning, and thinking about what I should do the next day. Amazing ideas! Which are gone by the time I wake up. I don't have a solution to this problem :( You may suggest that I note down my ideas and refine them later. Can't do that. I would never sleep if I did that! The only half-baked solution I have come up with is to think of one or two projects at a time instead of letting my mind wander the universe. If the scope is limited, I can focus and remember better.
Ease of implementation...this can definitely be detrimental, epsecially when you dont have all the material and equipment you need. But this can also be an opportunity to think outside the box. I have done that quite a few times with my jewelry..the standard component is not available, but I absolutely HAVE to finish something to find peace of mind. Rummage around, use something else, and voila, interesting new technique. I have turned into quite the hoarder too. I collect things that catch my eye even though I am not sure what I will do with it. I recently asked my husband to give me some of the used postage stamps he collects...want to turn into a pendant, I said. He gave me a funny look, no stamp :(
Laziness...we are all guilty of it :) When we have our idea, we mostly think of the end product. Not the work that goes into it. You start to think of the mundane things, and you give up even before you start! I DETEST doing accounts for my jewelry business, actually so strongly, that I sometimes think why am I even doing this! Luckily for me, my husband set up an easy spreadsheet for me to use in the beginning and my nephew is helping me find more powerful software that will help me get this beast under control. If this is what is stopping you, find help! Someone else might actually like doing what you hate (no, cleaning up your mess does not count here!)
Lack of time...I think this is mostly an excuse. Sometimes it is a genuine reason, but mostly it is an excuse. Whenever I feel I do not have time to do everything I want to, I think of a friend of mine...she works full time in same office as me, has two small kids, goes part time to grad school...and she managed to run a half marathon. Just thinking of her makes me get off my butt and get going!
Company...is very important. If you have folks you can bounce your ideas off of, who would encourage you to get better with your efforts, the enthusiasm stays. Boredom is kept at bay if there are others involved. My friends and I started a "craft club" 2 yrs ago. At the first meeting itself, we were all wondering how long this club would last. We meet once a month, everyone brings their own project to work on, share ideas, learn new things and have a good time. We will have our 2nd "birthday party" next month! Whodathunk!!! Building a team is definitely going to make your interests stronger and deeper. So go out there and find your buddies!
Sense of purpose...this is a big one for me. Most of my crerative pursuits died in their infancy because at some point I would think why am I even doing this. Am I achieving anything at all? Most of the times, the answer was "nope". Other than using the time to do something other than watching tv, or reading, nothing else is accomplished. On the contrary, hobbies can be expensive. You want to buy the best equipment, get the best training..all of this costs money. I am pretty frugal by nature. So I get all my training through library books, use material I can find around the house (no, no, don't worry, I am not going to use those shoe-laces) and so on. Even if the money factor is taken care of, I would not be happy after pursuing something for a few months. I needed a "purpose". And I got that for my jewelry hobby! Folks loved my designs, offered to buy them, and I donated the money. A lot of good achieved, I am happy I get something challenging to do, my friends are happy they have something unique and beautiful, and the charity gets much needed funds. I have my purpose!

I would strongly encourage everyone to atleast give their ideas a chance to see the light of day. You will feel good, may decide this is what you were meant to do with your life and continue, or decide that you don't really like it, and be glad that you tried and now you know for sure!
That is what happened with my "writing career". I love writing my blogs, so thought maybe I should try some freelance writing work. I tried to find something I would like. Believe me you, I could find nothing! This made me realize I am not really a writer, I just like to talk and say what's on my mind. So gave up on that idea, but am glad that I know that this is not for me. Write your blog, and be happy. No need to worry about making a living out of it.

So Concha, unleash your ideas and enrich the world with the vibrant colors of your art! And if this list does not cover your reason for not trying, then let me know, will throw another post at you! All the very best, dear!

Going to distribute warm clothing..

2011-01-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

This is a post by a friend of mine living in Delhi. Excellent idea, needs very little organizing, and anyone that has a will can do it:

Hi there, we are planning to distribute blankets to the needy on the streets of Delhi. the plan is to buy as many blankets as we can, get out in a car at night and distribute the blankets to people who are on the streets. We don't need actual numbers to get going... we just know that there are hundreds and thousands on the dying of the chill while most of us chill out on new year's eve...

Here is his original post ... Going to distribute warm clothing (blankets)

This world is awesome!

2010-12-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this blog that I have fallen in love with. It gives pointers on How to Find Your Happy Place. Galen Pearl has a lovely way with words, makes everything so easy to understand. I read her post Awe is Awesome first thing this morning. Loved it! It made me stop and look at the wonderful world we live in. Here are some awesome things I noticed today.

Pomegranates! We have a small pomegranate tree in our yard, and we harvested about 7-8 of them this year. I was trying to separate the juicy, red arils. It was a tough job. They were so juicy, that a little bit extra pressure and I would get splattered in red! So juicy that if one of them fell to the floor, the floor was splattered in red. That's when I had my awe-filled moment! This fruit is amazing! It is packed to the brim with such delicate things. And each one of them is safe inside the hard outer skin, separated into separate sections with soft white membranes. Perfect design! Awesome!

Fruits in general are awesome! I love most of them, and am overdosing on pears these days! Nature is amazing, so many different fruits, each one with a different structure, texture, color and text. Awesome!

The human touch is awesome! One loving hand on your head will make a nasty ache go away, even if temporarily. One loving hug will take away so many worries. So simple, so powerful! So awesome!

Be Happy in Making Others Happy?

2010-11-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

What do you think?

I think not!

This is something my father used to say over and over to us when I was growing up. It got ingrained in me so much, that making someone happy was the ONLY way for me to be happy myself!

Now you can imagine how messed up that makes me! I am not sure of my own likes and dislikes. I go with the flow. I do things for others hoping it will make them happy.
- If it does, I am on a high....for some time. Until that person says thanks and moves on. Then my bubble bursts and I start looking for someone else to make happy.
- If what I did does not make the other person happy, it makes me very very miserable! Possibly making the other person miserable too!

And the vicious cycle continues!

I would revise my father's advise to say:
You are responsible for your own happiness. Only YOU can make yourself happy, only YOU have the power to make yourself sad.

Now if only I knew how to erase what's etched on my mind, and follow my new advise! Sigh!

Happiness...for everyone!

2010-08-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

This is another one from the Secret Scrolls:

When you ask for happiness and a beautiful life, ask not just for you, but for everyone.

When you ask for something better, ask not just for you, but for everyone.

By all means ask for abundance and health for you, but also ask for it to be given to everyone.

...Can you imagine what would happen if over six billion people asked for these things for you?

I like it.

It might not actually work, but I like it.

It may be something selfish (6 billion people returning the favor?), but I like it!

Have been thinking a lot about "happiness", hope to do a post soon about all my thoughts.

From the Secret Scrolls...

2010-03-15T13:38:00.001-07:00

I have subscribed to getting occassional emails from the "Secret Scrolls". This is related to the book "The Secret".

Mostly, I agree with what they..mostly I don't think too much about it, and accept it, since, well, it makes me feel good at the moment.

The latest one this. And I don't agree with them this time.
"Our natural state of being is joy, and it takes so much energy to think negative thoughts, to speak negative words, and to feel miserable. The easy path is good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.

Take the easy path."

I don't know about this.
First, there is no easy path to anything.

Next, to some, negativity comes more naturally. That's their "nature", that's who they have become traveling through life. Everyone has a story to tell about how they got there. Once there, its not easy anymore.

Hmm..I don't like this line of thought. Stopping right here.

Balance!

2009-10-26T22:00:00.001-07:00

Its a balancing act...life is.

Like walking on a tight rope. It starts when you are born, and you try and balance everything carefully while walking.

Weight is added with every step you take, and more and more co-ordination and determination is needed to stay steady on the rope.

This weight, this baggage, it comes in various forms. Some of it is responsibilities that we need to shoulder as we become more independent, more mature. Some of these responsibilities are like the pole that the tight-rope walker has in his hands. It helps with the balancing act. Some of them, like caring for your self, your family and friends, helping the community are responsibilities that we need to take up. Otherwise we become that extra, unwanted weight in some one else's balancing act.

Others, like unnecessary worries, fears, grudges, ego, all these can, and should be dropped. Ironically, it is these back-breakers that we have more of than the good, grounding weights. We tend to convert our responsibilities into worries, challenges meant to stimulate our minds turn into stress, and somehow things unravel and begin to fall apart.

We need to learn to distinguish between the different situations of life. Necessary challenges should be accepted whole heartedly, discard what is hindering our progress, and keep walking.

We may be surrounded by people who love us, but that walk on the rope is a solitary one. We start off with a safety net provided by our parents, but eventually, it is just one single person on his own. We may have spouses, kids, friends, but maintaining these relations is also a balancing act.

I hope to make good judgments and walk to the finish well balanced if not perfect.

Wish me well, friends!

Smile

2009-03-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

I was humming one of my favorite songs yesterday, when I actually paid very close attention to some of its lyrics. I hate it ever since! The song is

तुझ से नाराज़ नही ज़िन्दगी...

I know a lot of us love this song to bits. The reason I hate it now is this line...

मुस्कुराऊँ कभी, तो लगता है...
जैसे होठों पे, क़र्ज़ रखा है...

Rough translation:
Sometimes when I smile
It feels like a debt on my lips

This is simply impossible!

A smile can never be a debt! It is one of the purest forms of expressing joy, of bringing joy, and transforming hearts and minds!

Just smile, and you instantly feel better!
Smile at stranger and you have a new friend!
See a baby smiling and you forget all your own worries

There is nothing new in this post :)

Just wanted to share a smile!

And lots of wonderful quotes about smiles here!
Do click on the link, its wonderful!

Go on...make the first move...

2009-01-14T22:36:00.000-08:00

A favorite song of mine is this one from the movie "Thodi See Bewafaai"

हज़ार राहें मुड़ के देखीं , कहीं से कोई सदा न आई

(Rough translation: I turned around a thousand times, but no one beckoning to me...)

It is a very poignant, very soulful song. It is picturised on a married couple, they are very much in love even after years of separation. The song depicts how they are yearning for each other, but are waiting for the other person to take the first step.

He says...

तुम्हें ये जिद्द थी के हम बुलाते,
हमें ये उम्मीद वो पुकारे...

(You wanted me to call you, and I was hoping that you would)

And she says...

है नाम होठों पे अब भी
लेकिन आवाज़ में पड़ गई दरारें...

(I still have your name on my lips, but my voice is hesitant)

The song starts off when they are still young, and ends when they are quite old. What a waste of time and emotion! All that was needed was a phone call, a few heartfelt apologies, and a new (and hopefully better) beginning!

I am sure we all will relate to this situation, where we are desperately missing someone, but are too reluctant to take the first step. It may not just be someone we are romantically involved with, it could be a friend, a parent, a sibling, just about anyone.

We are afraid of how they will react, whether they will accept us back or not. What if they lash out in anger and ask us to go away? What if they insult us? What if they don't feel the same way as we do? What if they simply ignore our existence and walk away yet again?

I would say, more often than not, the other person is also waiting for you. And will offer their own reconciliation once you make that first step. And even if they don't, well, you still have nothing to lose! At least you will know that you tried your best.

So lets begin this new year by letting go of our egos, and making that phone call to the loved ones that we are missing so much. It seems scary, but might turn out to be quite easy after all!

Opinions...

2008-12-27T22:32:00.000-08:00

Opinions are ... like you know... you have heard it before... like ... a**h****.
Everyone has one. But seriously, whose do you use? Yours or someone else's? (sorry! couldn't resist it, hehe :)

So look unto yourself for "what to do"!

There will be nay-sayers and there will be yes-men. So who do you believe?

One person looks at you and all you do and says, "you are multi-talented! You are so good at so many things!"
And the very next instant someone looks at you and all you do and says, "You are good for nothing. You cannot do anything right".

Hmm...so who do you believe? Yourself, of course! Who else will know how you feel?
Who else will know whether you have given your 100% to something that you get criticized for, or 10% to something you get praised for!

You and you alone can be the judge! And what is more, you are accountable to yourself first and then anyone else. You have to set your own bar and work towards it. You decide what satisfies you and what does not. After all you are responsible for your own happiness, not someone else! Right?

So...you know....opinions also...use your own!

Be harmless!

2008-10-13T17:24:00.001-07:00

I was reading "The Little Book of Letting Go" by Hugh Prather this morning. I had started reading it a while ago, then put it away, and something made me pick it up again this morning.

The book has these "exercises" that Hugh recommends to do for a couple days and then notice the difference in how your day goes.

The exercise I read today made me have a very cheerful day! It said something like this...

"Just for today, I will live a harmless life. I will not hurt anyone, either by thought or by action, including myself"

It was quite profound! There are a lot of lessons in that one line. The most important ones being "not hurting anyone by thought" and "including myself".

Not hurting anyone by action is easy, but controlling thoughts, thinking ONLY good about everyone and everything...this takes practice! And I did it today simply by repeating the above line in my head! It works! I laughed more than I have in a long time. I made others laugh more than I have in a long time! I was happier and more cheerful! I felt that I liked everyone more than I have before, that I cherished them more, enjoyed their company more. All it took was a conscious decision!

And not hurting yourself is also quite a strong message. We all tend to be quite hard on ourselves, criticizing ourselves more than we should. So give yourself and everyone else a break, and be harmless!

Thanks!

2008-09-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

To Kanan for this award...

She gave it to this blog... for the positive energy that is being spread all around from each little post.

Thanks Kanan! I am glad you and other visitors like it :)

I need to pass this on to 6 other blogs. Need to think about this a bit.
Will put an update here soon...

What we can learn from nature...

2008-09-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

We are landscaping our yard, and I have been spending quite a lot of time in there lately. Got to see a lot of things which I would usually simply ignore. Here's a small "picture story" about what I have learnt!

Look towards the sun...

These flowers always try to find sunlight, and that's what they look at. They have a "one-track mind", so to speak. No matter what happens, look at the "bright, sunshiny side of life"

Hope...

If this little sprig of green can survive with such little to go for it, so can you! All is not lost yet, there always is hope, if there is a will!

Persist! Don't give up even if there are people against you.

This used to be a big shrub. About as tall as me. We had to cut it down to clear out space for some new stuff. Its just about one foot tall now. In just a few days after it was hacked, this survivor sprouted new leaves! Ain't backing down that easily, this one! No matter how many enemies you have, you can always find sustenance if only you look for it.

PS: Do forgive the not-so-inspiring picture. The message is very strong!

Forgive!

I don't have a picture for this lesson, but I do have a story. We have some beautiful, very cheerful gerbera daisies in some pots. They have at least one flower at any time. We water them every other day. Last week, I forgot to water them on their scheduled feeding day. They flowers were droopy and looked quite dead. I watered the plants, and within an hour, the flowers were up and dancing in the breeze again! I had been forgiven my neglect! It held no grudge against me. It didn't get all sarcastic and say why are you here now, leave me alone.

So many simple lessons, ain't it!

Accept it!

2008-08-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

Today's mantra...

Accept it!

This applies to SO many different situations in life.

Most of us feel...at some point or the other...if only were different, I could do this, I could do that. There is no end to the "if only"s once we get started down this route.
Well, accept it!
Accept the fact that things are the way they are, not the way you wish they would be!
Accept the present...
Accept WHERE you are, only then you can decide where you can go!
Accept WHAT you have, only then you can decide what you can do with that!
Accept WHO you are, only then you can be who you want to be!
And also accept the past, only then will you be able to move forward! There comes a point where you need to stop questioning...why did this happen to me? It happened, nothing will change it, so accept it, and look ahead.

Heard of the line "if life hands you a lemon, make lemonade"?
I think life hands us more than just lemons, it gives us a lot more that we tend to ignore when we focus on that lemon!
SO...stop living in some pipe dream, wake up and look at what you have, accept it and make it work!

********

At some point or the other we feel all alone, feel that no one is there to support us, where is the point in doing all of this anyway.

This is also something we need to accept.

That you ARE indeed all alone.
You are the only ones that can feel the way you feel.
You are the only one truly responsible for your happiness.
You are only one you can truly depend upon at ALL times!

Once you come to terms with this truth, nothing is impossible (well..almost) to achieve.

Eliminate the "N" words!

2008-07-10T14:07:00.001-07:00

Today's mantra...

Eliminate the "N" words...

No
Never
I do not
I can not
I will not
Not, nyet, nah, nope!
Netc, netc.. (just trying to be goofy :) I mean, etc, etc!)

Why you say? Because eliminating the negative makes us more positive.
When we think about all the "no's" and "dont's", we are thinking negative, instantly.

Just converting our thoughts and conversations to contain less of the N words, we bring in more of the P.

Lets try to convert some and see...

But I don't want to go out
I want to stay in and read my book

I never get to pursue my own hobbies!
I would like to spend more time with my hobbies than I am right now

I don't have time for that right now!
Let me check my schedule and see if I can fit that in

And so on...
With each of these examples, we are more or less saying the same thing, but it does not sound so bad. The red sentences sound like we are complaining, the green ones sound like we have a solution to whatever is being discussed. It sounds like we have a plan, a "good" plan.

If the red sentences are directly meant for someone, they will mostly, immediately get defensive. Instead of seeing what you want, they will think about what you do not want. So the focus of the entire conversation heads into the wrong direction.

So...be assertive, talk about what you DO want, about what you CAN do, about what you WILL do.

I would love it if you can give me some sentences with "N" words in it. I want to see how many of them I can turn into something positive :)

Be unto others what you want others to be unto you!

2008-06-26T17:18:00.001-07:00

I got called "a bundle of negative energy" yesterday.

Right when I was thinking the same thing about the person who said it to me!

I am not always the one rubbing off negativity, but at that moment it was me. There was this happy, smiling person, laughing and talking. Then I make one "cribby" remark and the other person's mood got soured too. It was not even anything about them, just a general comment, but that upbeat spirit felt sad listening to me.

They say when we interact with people, we see our own reflection in their attitude towards us. This is mostly true.

If you smile at someone, you're most likely to get a smile back (unless you have pissed them off big time!)

If you're nice, most likely even a rude person will get shamed into being nice to you.
If you're rude, most likely you will wipe away the smile on the other person's face.

If you're upbeat, you can lift the spirits of the most wretched and miserable person.
If you're negative, you will most likely dampen the spirits of an otherwise confident person.

So, be happy, stay positive, most likely it will rub off on others too :)

Just Do It!

2008-06-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

Mantra for today:

Just Do It!

A lot of us are procrastinators! We'll do things we like, and keep putting off the other boring ones. For some of these tasks, tomorrow never comes. More often than not, these are simple, 5-10 minute tasks. They are insignificant enough to ignore for now, but important enough to not completely push them off our to-do lists. The longer we postpone them, the bigger they seem to get.

One very common example is mail! I get so many things in the mail that simply need to be filed away. That's all I have to do with them. Open them, read them, put them away. And since it is such a small, boring task, I have a big pile of mail! The bigger the pile gets, the more impossible the task of sorting it out seems! A task which was once going to take only 2 minutes will now probably take 2 hours!

And since I know in the back of my mind that I have this pile to sort out, I feel guilty about doing other leisurely things like reading a book for some time. The guilt is very valid, there IS work to get done! And so the cycle continues. I cannot enjoy my leisure because there's this nagging thought about the mail in my head. And I won't do it because its boring, and by now its taken on a life of its own, and become a big task!

There are quite a few such examples we all encounter everyday. The easy way out would be to just do it! Right there, right then! Get it over with. Make it a thing of the past!

Make it a habit to take care of these mundane things right away and see how much easier you breathe! How much spare time you have! Remember that old saying,

"A stitch in time, saves nine"?

How true it is!

And now for today's blessings...

Today I am grateful...

For the opportunities presented to me everyday...for correcting my mistakes, and for doing things I want to
For the fact that I am not poor! I saw this kids' picture on a photoblog. Was a small boy who had rough hands because he had to work hard to get his next meal!
For the fact that there are organizations out there that help me help kids like him! (It still breaks my heart that these kids have such a life...through no mistake of theirs!)
For my sister :-) She left yesterday while I was still at work. House was a mess since there were 6 of us, including 2 kids, living in a small space, and I was not looking forward to the mess. She left it spick and span :) God bless her for doing this for me!
That this blog of mine is actually helping folks feel happy :) That means a great deal to me!

Don't worry!

2008-06-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

Mantra for today, a very cliched one:

Don't worry!

Its the biggest enemy of our happiness! You are probably saying, but there are so many problems, how can I not worry? And my answer is, yes, there are, and there will be problems. Those problems need solutions, not worry! Right?

There really is no benefit to worrying. My parents always tell me, we are so worried about you, you are so far away. I ask them why? And they say, it just happens, we can't not worry. Don't you worry about us? And honestly, no, I don't. I don't see the point of it. If something is bothering me, I will tell them, suggest a solution. Thats about all I can do, right? My worry, or their worry, or anyone else's worry is not going to help anything!

I have inherited my mother's worry genes. Her name is "Mani" and she is nicknamed "chintamani". Chinta literally means "worry". And she does it 24/7! So do I!

And I am slowly realizing how it is eating away at my happiness and the happiness of those around me. I constantly stress about this is not working, that is not working, how will we ever do this or that! What will that person think of me, will someone get angry if I do this, or if I don't do that, stress stress stress. And the chain of thoughts just does not end! I spend so much time thinking of all things that could possibly go wrong, that I forget to enjoy my life at the moment.

So now...I take a deep breath, shake off all that negativity, and I KNOW that I can handle whatever life throws at me only if I don't get scared of it!

And here are the blessings....

Today I am grateful...

To have realized a few things that can put a smile on my face, no matter what!
To have such great friends...in blogville and otherwise
For my ability to write!
For the chocolate souffle that I just ate
For the simple, helpful and non-judgmental people that work with me!
For the husband that I have! I feel so happy to have him in my life!
For my home, and all the critters I get to see in my backyard. The squirrels, the birds, the cats, love them all! (as long as they stay in the yard and out of my house, of course!)
For my friend who recently got engaged (you know who you are, and I am waiting for pictures!). This one makes me very very happy!

Think before you speak

2008-06-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

This one, I think is one I need to follow everyday! Not just for one single day.

Think before you speak!

I have a tendency to worry about things (to the point of insanity) and when things don't go the way I want them to, I find some scapegoat or the other (usually the husband, who, I claim, is not 100% innocent, but is still a scapegoat!) to vent out. And once I start, I completely lose all sense of what I am saying. Once I cool down, the 20-20 hindsight shows me what an ass I have been. But hindsight is no good, is it? There are, unfortunately, no reverse gears in life where you could use the hindsight and back up. The damage is done, the other person is really, really hurt. And more often than not, the point I am trying to make is completely lost in the verbal torrent! Not something I am proud of, but I figure if I speak about it out here in public, and hopefully get some flogging for it, I will watch my words :(

So, my mantra, think before you speak. If it is something you don't want to hear, then it is something the other person also does not want to hear. If it hurts you, it hurts them too! And if its hard to find something nice to say, then say nothing at all! Silence is definitely better than accusations.

And now for the blessings...

Today I am grateful...

For the hindsight actually. So that I can develop a good foresight :)
For a whole new week ahead of me to do everything I was not able to do last week
For the 5 new lilies in my yard :) They are SO beautiful!
For finally feeling good about my cooking :) Its a big milestone!
For the sweet words my friend said to me today (I had cooked some special pasta for her kid, and they all loved it :)

Relax...

2008-05-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

The mantra for today...

Relax!

Isn't it sad that we need to remind ourselves to relax? To stay calm? To reassure ourselves that things will be okay? Or to make ourselves see that things are, in fact, great! I guess thats the price we pay for growing up. We understand more, we have more responsibilities, and more stress. And people like me are one step further! If there is nothing to worry about, instead of enjoying the peace, I will worry about why there is nothing to worry about! There must be something that I am missing, that I have overlooked and will come to bite me later. Or I will be stressing out about how things didn't work out the way I had thought they would. Just feel down and low about the way the day went. Which is exactly how I am feeling right now. Tired, disappointed and frustrated. But I am going to follow my mantra, and am going to go home, take a nice hot bath, take a book and read it till I feel better! I am not going to think about anything else until I feel peaceful again.

Blessings...

Today I am grateful

For the fact that nothing exactly went wrong today. Things got delayed, but nothing's quite broken
For the fact that I am just tired, and not sick. A little bit of rest will fix this one!
For the first lily that bloomed in my yard today :)
For the chocolate cake we shared today at my manager's baby shower :)
For all the help I am getting for fixing some issue at work
For my very normal life
For my family! I have recently heard so many stories of strange things going on, that I am appreciating my simple folks even more!

Respect time!

2008-05-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

The mantra for today is:

Respect time...yours as well as others'

I waste SO much time doing "nothing". Sure I am not literally doing nothing. I surf the internet idly (when there really isn't anything there that I find interesting), I sleep even when I am not tired, I read books that are boring me to tears, I spend time making excuses for not doing things (its too boring, why can't YOU do it, I don't have time, you do it better than me, I am more tired than you are, I don't like it, I simply don't feel like it, blah blah blah and blah!) And when I have really done nothing worthwhile, the whole day, I spend the evening feeling bad about it! That I wasted the whole day, did nothing, I am no good, blah, blah and some more blah! I used to crib and gossip a lot too. Hubby got me out of that habit! God bless his dear heart for saving me from that!!!

I had my review meeting last week, and got great feedback from my manager. I came back feeling really good about the appreciation I was getting. And then I started thinking, I am hardly putting all my effort into my work (yeah, the blogs are a BIG distraction!), imagine what I can achieve if I got truly serious. I have wasted so much time! Then instead of feeling bad about the lost time as I usually tend to do when realization dawns upon me, I decided to "review" my day, and see how I can make the most of my time. No, not quitting blogging. I like doing it, I like writing stuff down, it serves as a good outlet for all my thoughts and feelings. Just want to get more organized about my day!

And now about respecting other people's time. Can't stress this enough as well! Everyone has their own work to do, if they are taking time to help you with something, respect that! Do your research thoroughly before you ask someone else to help. And when you do ask them to help, listen to what they are saying! You owe them your undivided attention! I phase out so many times when phone calls get too long and confusing. Its hard, but we do need to respect the thought and energy the other person is putting in! And never forget to thank them! Sincerely!

Last week a colleague had setup a "class" to get the entire team up to speed with some tools we need to use. He had prepared slides, and was helping everyone individually configure it as well. It was a complex system, and was taking time. At one point, I started thinking, gosh, when is this going to end, why is he taking so long...and I stopped the thought halfway. HE is helping ME. He is being charitable with his time, I should be grateful, instead of feeling like my time is being wasted!

To summarize, time is a very precious and limited commodity. We don't have forever to do what we want, to make our mark in the world. So make the most of every minute!

And now for the blessings...

Today I am grateful

For the chance to meet so many of my cousins and uncles and aunts, and other extended family.
For the opportunity to introduce my husband to everyone. I really feel good about it, that he has met everyone, and got along well with them
For the love and good will that I felt from my family when I met them. Everyone (ok, most of them were if not everyone ;) was SO genuinely happy to see me!
For the California weather! I know, I know, I keep saying this again and again, but Texas was hot and humid! Glad to be back home.
For all the tools out there that will help me organize my day

Special for today:
I finally remembered to carry my own bag when I went shopping today. Felt great to say, "I don't need that bag today, I would like to use my own". About 4-5 less plastic bags in the landfill. Yayy! One grocery store even gave me "bag-credit". I was super-thrilled when the guy at the checkout counter told me I'll be getting a credit. I was itching to see how much. Was totally shocked to see....3 cents!!! Then I laughed at myself...3 cents > 0 cents ;p

And my husband also laughed. Why you ask...I like to always be stylish, so I carried my nice pink Victoria's Secret tote bag to buy groceries ;p

And now I find this whole thing totally hilarious :) ROFL :)

Forgive!

2008-05-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

The mantra for today is

Forgive!

Forgive others who hurt you, forgive yourself for mistakes that might have cost you a little too much. There will not be one single person on earth who can claim that he has never been wronged, he has no grudges against anyone. If they can, then they have probably slept through their life ;)

Resentment, grudge is a negative sentiment that is most harmful to the one bearing it. Its like the "dementors" from Harry Potter, they suck away all happiness and fill you with dark, unhappy thoughts. The person you hate probably does not even know about your feelings, and is completely, blissfully ignorant about it! So who loses here? YOU do. You lose your peace of mind, your happiness, and the precious time you spend in thinking about it. And if they do know about it, and if you care about this person, wouldn't it be nicer for both of you if you forgive them? Sincerely forgive?

So folks, let bygones be bygones, get rid of the baggage, and enjoy your precious life!

Blessings...

Today I am grateful...

That my work is being appreciated so much. That my ideas are highly regarded, and I am considered as a very important asset to my team! (Yeah, just had that review meeting!)
That I will be seeing my family tomorrow. I am going to a wedding :)
That my husband greets me with a huge, happy smile when he wakes up in the morning! Its my sunshine!
That my friend tried to cheer me up with a funny story. I was not able to explain what was bugging me, and why I was so sad. She didn't try to dig in more, just did what she could to cheer me up. And her effort itself helped :)
That I can go home early today. I am tired :(
That I am finally able to forgive a very important person in my life. I feel free and very peaceful

Have a great weekend everyone!

About Commitment and Effort

2008-05-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

Today's mantra is:

Think carefully before you commit, and if you commit, give it your best!

There's two messages rolled into one here.

Think carefully before committing...

Often times we find ourselves "stuck" doing things we would rather not do. There are things that need to be done, and are very boring. The mantra does not apply to such things :) You gotta do what you gotta do. Where the mantra does apply is when you really do have a choice whether you want to do something or not. Someone asks you for a favor, wants you to do something for them, or help them with something. This is something you are not very comfortable doing, but this is a very good friend of yours asking you. Will you agree to help? Most of you will say yes. This is where you need to apply the mantra. Be honest with yourself, and with your friend. Be frank and tell them you don't feel you are the right person for the job, and will not be able to do full justice to it. It is very important to set the boundaries where you want them to be. Otherwise you will find yourself getting deeper and deeper into this mess of "obligations you'd rather not have".
Easier said than done, right? So, lets say you agreed, you were not able to refuse. Now what?

Now comes the second part.

Give it your best shot.

If you do it, do it well. Do it so that you would be proud of the end result. But you're thinking, if I do it well, that person will come back and ask for more (which is exactly why you should refuse in the first place!) And what I am thinking, if you do a shoddy job, it speaks badly about YOU! That you are a shoddy person, that YOU are not reliable, that YOU don't know your job! Anyone who looks at the work you have done will only look at the work, not why it was done the way it was done. Apart from what others will perceive, you yourself will feel a sense of satisfaction about a job well done. Makes sense?

So, to summarize, pick you tasks carefully, and pour your heart and soul into it! Have fun with everything you do!

And here's the list of blessings for today...

Today I am grateful...

For places like the goodwill store...I can get rid of my junk easily, and someone else can benefit from it.
That I get to drive on well maintained roads, not ones filled with potholes! (This one is courtesy of Vrij..)
For my husband (haven't mentioned him lately, have I? :) He makes me feel good.
For the good sense that I have finally developed of not getting involved in other peoples' mess unless asked to! (Well, I did, but he was glad I did, so that one instance does not count ;)
For the joy I get out of cooking a good meal. I used to hate it. But have started applying today's mantra to it lately, and well, I like it more than I used to!
For being able to get up early! I actually am up by 7:30 and do stuff! I exercise, I water the plants, I do this and that, I actually get a lot done before the hubby wakes up! And I love watching the critters in my yard in the morning!

Believe in yourself

2008-05-19T22:41:00.000-07:00

The mantra for today is

Believe in yourself! Trust yourself!

Even if no one else does! Because if you don't then who else will, and why would they???

Most of us are trained to live by the rules made by others, by the standards made by others, within boundaries set by others. We lose faith in ourselves, feel low and sad, if someone else does not approve of what we do, or if we do not meet someone else's expectations. That is one of the biggest difference between successful and unsuccessful people. Successful people don't always listen to the nay-sayers, they do not let the pessimists in their lives hold them back. They do what they think is right for them, and move ahead whether they have any support or not. They don't let overly critical people govern their lives. This does not mean you should be fool hardy and stubborn. You should think through what you want to do, try to weigh all the pros and cons, and if it makes sense to you, then go ahead with the plan, even if there is opposition.

So, folks, look to yourself for validation first! Your own approval should matter the most!

The blessings list goes thus...

Today I am grateful...

That I survived today's layoffs in my office. A lot of folks didn't :(
To my husband who taught me to be patient, and meticulous with what I do, especially my cooking. I cooked a three course dinner for 7 people all by myself, and was a great success. Thanks, sweetie!
For all my blogger friends who have been missing me these last couple days that I was gone AWOL :) I missed ya too!
For the lovely California weather
For caring and understanding parents
For the magic of life! I found a nest in my front yard today, with 5 tiny blue eggs. It was simply amazing

Enjoy the chaos!

2008-05-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Today's mantra...

Enjoy the chaos! Take it easy!

This mantra just shoved its way into my day! Nothing went as planned from the minute I woke up.
I couldn't wake up at the time I wanted to, I couldn't find the clothes I had planned on wearing, I had meetings from 10:00am to 3:00pm, and ALL of those scheduled ones got canceled, and new ones came out. A friend asked me to go to lunch, and I said, can't, as we had a team lunch today. The minute I emailed her back, I got another one that we couldn't do the team lunch today! So on and so forth. I walked around for half the day with this completely confused look, I just didn't know what to do next! All my carefully laid out plans were gone up in the air...poof! Finally, halfway into the day, I decided to just let it be, sit back and watch what unfolds. Typically, I start panicking when the first thing goes wrong. I think I have to give credit to my colleagues for me still being able to breathe easy! They were like, whats eating you? Made fun of that big question mark on my face, and it easily got replaced by a smile :)

Bottomline is, take it easy. Sometimes we just cannot control what happens around us. The more you try to make things go your way, the deeper you go into the mess! All you can really do then is enjoy the unpredictability of it all. Imagine the day's events as little gift wrapped boxes, full of surprises!

That said, I am a bit nervous now. My mid-year review meeting that was going to happen tomorrow, got pre-poned to an hour from now. Yikes! Lets hope its another nice little gift wrapped box, and not a nasty jolt!

And today's blessings...

Today I am grateful...

For life! Chaotic as it was, I thoroughly enjoyed what life brought be today!
For my colleagues, they are such funny people
For all the laughter around me
For the appreciation being showered on me
For all the goodwill around me

I feel truly blessed due to all my near and dear ones! Which includes all of you!

Laughter dose of today...

My colleagues. Haven't spoken to/met anyone else today, so the list is limited to this.

Be Present!

2008-05-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

I woke up and read Ankur's post first thing in the morning, so am not feeling grateful for anything right now :( Such things just shake up your faith in the world, don't they? Aren't the cyclones and earthquakes enough? What is it that drives them? A promise of heaven after life? Give me a break! Why not spend your energies and creativities in making heaven right here on earth instead of dreaming of something that might not even exist?

Am not feeling grateful, but I'll still take a shot at it.

My mantra for today, which I had thought of before I went to bed last night is:

Be Present!

This is straight from Oprah...
Staying present keeps us in the moment which is where life is. Life does not exist in future predictions or past grievances; all we have for sure is right here and right now. Every moment teaches us something, and if we are busily trying to change or control something we miss the grace intended for us.

I read it on her website a long time back, and it really struck a chord. I have a tendency to dwell either in the past (negative things! That didn't work out, this person hurt me, etc!) or worrying about the future (I have to do all this work, and I don't think I will be able to finish it, and if I don't then blah, blah, blah!). I was totally miserable when I went down these trips. This article on Oprah made me realize that I am not living well! By dwelling in the past, I am only creating more bad memories to think of in the future. What a vicious cycle!

This song says exactly the same...

आने वाला पल जाने वाला है
हो सके तो इसमें ज़िंदगी बिता लो
कल जो यह जाने वाला है!

I particularly like this stanza...

एक बार वक्त से लम्हा गिरा कहीं
वहाँ दास्ताँ मिली लम्हा कहीं नहीं
थोड़ा सा हँसाके, थोड़ा सा रुलाके
पल ये भी जानेवाला है

(Keshi, am gonna ask Veena or Ankur to translate this properly for you, and will update it later, ok?)

How I wish this is not what I decided upon for today. Its a sad present today :(

Now for the blessings section, that I really feel like skipping today.

Today, I am grateful

That it was 7 bombs, not 100 :( (this does not make any sense to me either!)
That the 8th one was diffused
That, selfish as it may sound, my family and friends are still safe, for how long, I don't know. But they are safe right now.
For the relief workers that are trying to help in whatever way they can

I think I am done, a shorter list than I wanted, but that's it, can't do no more :(

Yesterday's peals of laughter were contributed by:

Abhishek's comments to my baby steps post. Hilarious!
Me myself, going nuts with the camera!
Hubby dear, just being himself.
Me, the hubby and the "clean the vacuum cleaner project!"

Lets all pray and wish for peace! Very, very sincerely! Please!

Take those baby steps!

2008-05-12T01:43:00.000-07:00

The mantra for today is:

Take Those Baby Steps...

I thought of this one when I was exercising today. I use this DVD called "Slim in 6" by Debbie Siebers. She claims that if you follow the DVD for 6 weeks everyday, you will be really toned and strong. I bought it a few months before my wedding, when I was sitting in front of the TV, with a tub of ice cream, fretting about my increasing weight. And there comes this ad of hers. I bought it.

And boy, is it tough! The first day I tried it, I almost died. I just could not keep up with her. Arm somewhere, leg somewhere, and then she says, with a sweet smile, "follow my breathing". You kidding me! Follow your arms, your ankles, your knees, your butt, and now your breathing too! All that with my stomach pulled in? I literally screamed at her, "Abey chup kar!" (Be quiet!)
I was ready to quit in the first 15 minutes itself. Debbie said, you'll be better tomorrow. So I tried again the next day and the next. Debbie was right. It did get better with practice, and after 6 weeks with her, I was good enough to give a VS model a run for her money!

Today, I was so fluent with the routine, that I didn't even need to listen to Debbie. That's when I remembered my outburst the first day, and how the little baby steps I took that day had become long, confident strides!

Now for this weekend's blessings:

I am grateful

For the opportunity to meet my college friends after 12 long years! It was a blast!
For the internet. It was my eldest sister's 23rd (!!!!!) wedding anniversary and we were all able to reminisce about the day through our yahoo group! Sis had a truly unbelievable story to tell about it. I was really young, so all I remembered was the food and clothes and the people.
For all my blogger friends!
For the return of Pri!
For my husband's love and patience

Weekend special: Mini-reunion with my college friends!

Have a great week ahead, and please feel free to share your blessings with me!

Spread the good cheer!

2008-05-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

Today's mantra is:

Spread the good cheer!

Think about this. You are feeling really down, helpless, and what not. Someone passes by, and gives you a very nice, bright smile. Didn't that make you feel better? Even a little bit? Come on, admit it, it did!

I had read this a long time ago somewhere:
If you see someone without a smile, give him one of yours

I say,
If you see someone without a smile, give him one of yours, and then 4 more to 4 others! Let it multiply 5 fold!

A smile from me :)

This picture reminds me of a story from way back when my niece Aneri was really little, maybe 2 years old. She lived in Oregon at the time. She woke up in the morning, walked out to the living room, looked out the window and said, "Good morning, sunshine!". Its Oregon, there's no sunshine! But she said it with so much cheer and happiness, that it stuck with me! Its such a nice way to start the day!

Ok, now the blessings list!

Today I am grateful for:

The alarm clock! You should be too! Else I would still be sleeping, and no posts nowhere from me :p
Friendly strangers! The ones who smile at you for no reason, the ones that hold the door for you, the ones that...you know the ones :)
People that take time to help! This is specially in reference to a colleague who is SO patient and helps and explains things even if it takes a really long time for the rest of us to understand. He's awesome!
People who take time to say "Thank you", who show their appreciation in any which way they can!
For this really bad pasta that I just bought from the cafeteria. Bad as it is, it is better than being hungry!
To my colleague who offered me her lunch of lemon rice after seeing that I did not like what I was eating!

This is what made me laugh today:

My colleagues joking around
Veens' post about her new "boy friend"
Watched "Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi" yesterday, that was good. And then "Home Improvements", that was totally hilarious!

Today's special:
Its Friday!!!

When in doubt, assume the best!

2008-05-08T14:15:00.000-07:00

The mantra for today is:

When in doubt, assume the best!

In other words, be more trusting, try to not to suspect the other person's motives.
We typically tend to assume the worst when in doubt. More often than not, we end up embarrassed that we let our imagination run so wild! So, lets assume the best!
I know it sounds a little too optimistic, I know, we do need to be cautious, the world is not that simple, etc, etc, but assuming the best may also reduce the misunderstandings that get created with pretty much every breath we take, with every step we walk! Just believe in the goodness, at least of those we know, ok, people?

And now for today's blessings...
Today I am grateful

For water! Enough said :)
That Veens is BACK, with some GREAT news!
For all the freaks that I met today, which made me feel less of a freak!
For the garbage collection service. Seriously, I can't imagine what I would do with all the trash if they didn't come to take it every week. Funny things come to mind when you start thinking, ain't it! (ok, now I am back to feeling like a freak!)
For this particular colleague of mine who thinks its his personal responsibility to make everyone laugh :) And he does such a good job! Thanks dear! You make life happier!
For that one friend who listened to my looooong rant last night, she just listened, without giving any unwanted advice. Listened until the rant didn't make any sense anymore...which means...the rant died, she helped me get rid of it! Thanks dear! You rock! You always know the right thing to say!
To xh and ceedy, for giving me tips for my pictures. But xh, if you tell me to go take pictures at 2:00am, my husband will say "iska ilaaj karayenge kya"? (Thats what he says to me in response to all my antics)
For all the folks who take time to read my ramblings, if not for them, I would not be writing!
For my dear, dear husband. 'Nuff said about him too!

This made me laugh today (and last night):

Talking to a friend after a long, long time.
Chatting with veens, she had me in splits!
Watched "When Harry Met Sally" and "Frasier" yesterday. Just too good!
My husband and the things he says. Total nuts!

Today's special:

I am wearing a watch my father-in-law gave me
I am wearing my mother's ear-rings (I just decided to take 'em, and she was quite glad to give 'em)
I am wearing a necklace a real nice relative of mine gave me
I am wearing my beeeautiful engagement ring (well, this I do everyday of course), that my husband gave me.

I thought of ALL these loving people while getting ready today, and it made me feel VERY special!

Am missing Pri today, she hasn't visited me yet :( Am surprised how quickly I get attached to people

I feel lucky today

2008-05-07T11:26:00.000-07:00

Its one of those days, I am bored, feeling all "empty inside", a little down (dunno why, everything seems pointless today!) Maybe its the clouds, no sunshine today! But I will still try to count my blessings.

Today I am grateful...

For coffee! Or else I would simply have slept my life away!
For my job. I get to do what I like, and I like what I do!
For my colleagues! Its like a family, no kidding!
For my cushy, comfortable life. Nothing seems to be wrong :) (And yet this "empty" feeling...sigh...)
For oh, I really don't know. Lets see. Ok, well, for, lotion! I hate it when my skin feels dry (who doesn't). I love lotion (especially if its fragrance free!)

I want to say for blogger and all my blogger friends, but no "dum" in today's post. Want to save it when I can really wax eloquent about it!

And this is what made me laugh today:

Pri and her comments to me! Love your humor, Doc!
Pri's post about Love...A universal feeling. Mast hai.
A little devil toy on a car. Yeah, I have taken a pic (but of course!). Will post it on my pic blog if its come out good.

Hope the day will bring more laughter! To me and to you :)

Mantra for today: (This is a new feature. Starting from today, I will think of a mantra to follow for the day)

I feel lucky today

And well, I did start feeling better once I thought about it. Woke up feeling really down. And remembered I had written this in a comment on Keshi's blog, and decided to will myself to feel good and lucky. Been feeling much better since then! I feel lucky because..well...there is nothing wrong, nothing to feel unlucky about!

Wishing a lot of luck to you as well :)

Something special today: I stitched the pants I am wearing today. I am actually feeling quite proud!

Online bill payment!

2008-05-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

I am grateful....

For online bill payment. One click, and you're done. Think of all the paper that's saved! No paper bills (huge saving!), no envelopes, no checks, no stamps, and all that glue and ink saved as well! Oh, that was just me trying to sound oh-so-environment-conscious. Its actually just because it makes my life so easy and reduces at least some of the clutter that I am drowning under!
For Netflix! Can you believe they have "Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi!". Am eagerly waiting for volume 1.
For books. They can soothe, they can intrigue, they bring laughter (no tears, I don't read the tragic ones! I read "A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry and it was so disturbing, I decided never again! I will stick to my Stephanie Plum series!), they take you to far of lands, they bring romance and joy. Everything! In the comfort of your own home (or park or train or beach or anywhere at all!)
For the internet. Today, its because it keeps me connected with my sisters!
For my perfect health. The doc looked almost astonished that someone can have such perfect blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, WBC, RBC, and a whole host of other things that he checked. I am the perfect specimen :)
For my perfect eye-sight! I am so glad I don't have to go through the hassle of glasses or contacts, and whatever else that comes with it

Blessings for Monday, May 5th, 2008

2008-05-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful....

For a good night's sleep! I am feeling so HIGH today. All because I am well rested. And continuous, peaceful sleep is something that does not come very easily to me. So it is definitely something to rejoice about!
For the beautiful state of California! I will forever crib about how expensive it is over here, how bad the traffic is, etc (gotta stop, this blog's not about cribbing, right? ;>), but I would not want to live anywhere else! Everything I would ever want is right here...the mountains, the rivers, the beach, the desert, the snow, the flowers, the prosperity (I can see an average of 3 BMWs, 3Mercs, 3 Lexuses at any given time on the road!!!), the technology, the culture, world cuisine, the opportunity to do ANY blessed thing I would want to do! California, I love ya!
For the internet! And folks who share their recipes! Thanks to all those people out there who are a saving grace for me time and again :) My husband and I are from the opposite ends of the country, and he likes dishes I sometimes have not even heard of, and he is incapable of describing to me! Google, thou art the savior! I have learnt pretty much all my cooking from people on the internet. My favoritest recipes:

Baigan Bhaaja
Gobhi Manchurian
Orange Souffle (Am not able to find the link anymore, I have it printed)
Walnut-Zucchini bread
Zucchini Pancakes

For the magic of photography! I am SO glad I have "discovered" my love for taking pictures. I am "seeing" a lot more things, and the beauty of the world has just increased manifolds! Am not as good as I would like to be yet, but I am thoroughly enjoying it!
For all the household gadgets I have. Imagine life without a dish-washer, washer-dryer, vacuum-cleaner, microwave (and the thousand other gardening tools my man has acquired, will list those out some other day!). Yeah, yeah, I know, a lot of households in India don't have these, but they have MAIDS! I am glad I am not dependent on a maid though!
For my garlic peeler! Seriously! It has made my life SO much easier. In goes the garlic, a gentle roll of the peeler, and out comes a very nicely peeled clove! Mine is green. Here's a picture...

For my husband (this bullet will probably be a constant in all my posts here :)

And there will be one more list...of things that made me laugh today:

A post by dear dear Veensie about her striped pants :) Girl, I think its your post that has made my day so bright and cheerful!
A picture in the x-ray room of the doctor. It had a little dog, sitting with his back towards the camera, in a gown (you know, the kind the docs make you wear while examining you), and his head turned around, with this "look" on his face. Oh man, it was just SO cute!

Thou shalt count thy blessings!

2008-05-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

This blog is a direct result of a post I did on my other blog (the one where I talk, talk and talk your ear off!):

Thou Shalt Not Crib.

Instead, thou shalt count thy blessings!
So here goes, please do join me and tell me about the blessings in your life as well!