Happy New Year

Best wishes for the New Year and the years to come. 

The best New Year's Resolution I came across is to take care of one's health and make sure that their family is healthy and happy. All my life I have made New Year's resolutions only to forget about them after a month. I am not going to make any resolutions because it is hard work to keep a check on them. Instead I will check mark the things that I finished doing and feel good that I got something done. When it comes to weight I will not worry about the numbers, instead I will just eat right and go for walks. 

I hope that the new year is full of good things from the beginning to the last day. I may sound as naive as a child but is there anything better than hoping for the best? Let us think about the ways we can have peace and aim at making this world a peaceful place. I don't know how I can reach people in far off places to talk about peace, but I can do my share by doing small things in my own way.

I wish everyone a safe and happy New Year. I pray that everyone gets (and gives) a gift of kindness and understanding in every situation. I hope that everyone is in good health. Amein.

My Favorite Christmas Memory

Please Join this blog hop hosted by Cherdo on the flip side and Janie Junebug and make it successful. http://www.cherdoontheflipside.com/

 My favorite year was 2008 when on Christmas day my husband came home from the hospital after open heart surgery  (a quadruple bi- pass surgery). His surgery took place on the eighteenth of December. It was a six and a half hour long surgery when they had to stop his heart and use a heart - lung machine so they could work on his heart. I remember that very well, when I kind of collapsed with happiness when the social worker told us my husband is safe and is in the critical care unit. When I saw the surgeon later that evening I did not have enough words to thank him. That week we were going crazy making back and forth trips to the hospital as his recovery was taking longer than expected. There were days when we would be happy with our three year old grandson wishing everyone Merry Christmas and there were days when we were worried about my husband's heart rate and his other numbers. Even on Christmas Eve we were not certain as to when he would be coming home. Then finally on Christmas day the doctor gave an OK for my husband to come home. That morning our home was not as clean as I would have liked it to be and I did not have a lot of fancy food, but our home had our whole family. My husband, my two sons, my daughter, my daughter in law and my grandson were all on the table eating whatever was there. Simple healthy food. That year is still in my memory. We will always be grateful to God.

Pray for School Children

It does not seem very long time ago when poverty was the only hardship children had to face to get education. I guess we can say that children whose parents could make just enough money to provide food and shelter and maybe a couple of outfits would get devastated if their children wanted to go to school and they could not pay the fee. I remember my own parents giving up their hobbies and things they liked to make sure we were able to go to school. I also remember my brother and I sharing a case of color pencils and a compass box. Today most of the countries of the world are rich enough to provide free education, and thanks to global generosity children can afford proper supplies for school.  Yet children are suffering more than their share of hardships. Some have actually lost their lives simply because they happen to be in school. Some will suffer from  PTSD for a major portion of their lives. Two years ago on the fourteenth of December was the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school and this morning we heard the horrible news of the attack on a school in Pakistan.  Some of us have children and grandchildren who go to elementary school. Some of us have children who go to college even. 

This Holiday season let us all pray that our young ones stay safe anywhere they happen to be. 

  

Thanksgiving Prayer

                                                                     

  I feel kind of funny writing a post about Thanksgiving Prayers while it is snowing outside the window like it is January already. It has snowed in November quite a few times in the past, but for some reason I feel that we have been robbed off of Autumn. It could be because the mall managers have decided to let Santa Claus come in the week after Halloween or it could be because we have started seeing Holiday ads on the television . Actually a lot of decor items from October colors have been marked down to clearance prices. So it is not that expensive to set the table for Thanksgiving. I guess I do not have any reason for complaining about time rushing us and making us edgy. I simply wish that we start being a little less fussy about holidays anyway. I remember going all out and shopping until the last minute to make sure that I had every single detail taken care of. I feel that I should not  have to do that any more. My husband thinks that if I feel this way I should be the one to talk and let my family members (and friends) know that I am going to resort to just one entree( or two)  and one desert and maybe salad and other vegetables. Sure, people might snicker and gossip but if we care about each other it is best to make it simple for everyone. This is one of my prayers. Simplicity and care. Why wait until we become frail. This way the transition into senior life will be a little easy.

 I am also praying that my family, my friends, my blogger friends and my neighbors stay happy and healthy. I am thankful that I get to read wonderful blog posts while I am hardly writing. I may not have commented a lot but I do enjoy the funnies and appreciate fine writing. I am thankful that people read my posts and I do welcome and thank new readers and new writers.  

I am also praying that everyone else around the world get to improve their lives  and have hope and love. Amen. 

Wrong Message

" I am - - - - - (such and such person) and I approve this message" .  I think almost everyone of us have heard this line at least a dozen times while watching the television or even listening to our radios in our cars. "Taking part in politics is a dirty game," they say but it would be much more appropriate to say that it is more like a game of immature high school kids.  Why else would they make a list of negative qualities of their opponents and start making fun of them. All through the years that I have been a citizen of America and have been thrilled to use my right to vote, I have ignored this side of politicians, giving them a benefit of doubt that they do not mean any harm. However, this year I am feeling disgusted by a negative message from a candidate who is a mother, a doctor and a leader. She may not have written the message herself, but she certainly did not double check the message written by someone else. She is just using the message very carelessly. Why am I so upset? The campaign ad is making fun of the opponent's last name. Just because his last name rhymes with the word "Phony or Baloney" it does not mean that he is a bad candidate. Besides making fun of the last name is very childish. Like my daughter says we do not have any control on our last names.

I just happen to know someone whose son was teased for having the same last name that rhymed with the words phony and baloney. I had told the dad not to worry because as people get older they do not make fun of others. I think that I am upset that I did not know better.

Attention Span?

Working as a vendor auditor had been an easy job, as my mind used to be focused only on one task at a time. Check the numbers, match them up with the system then pass or fail the audit. Customer service however is a different story. Listen to the problem like it is your own then check with the manager and while waiting for the answer, keep the customer entertained. I still send blessings to my teachers who taught us good business manners during field trips to different shops to get extra credits in business school. So it became my habit to train new people to be the best they can be.
 A lot of people wonder as to why they should do their best when they don't get even a smile from cashiers when they shop. I guess when discount stores offer us savings we go there in spite of not getting a smile. However I still did not get used to the carousel of bags that rotates as the cashier puts the merchandise in them. We are supposed to pick them and put them in our carts. I am used to handing the bag to the customer therefore I expect the same courtesy. My husband must have explained this to me several times that not every store is the same. I think that I will have to come up with a mantra to remember not to leave a bag of merchandise (that I payed for) in the carousel. I am not upset about the money but I am upset that I have to focus on the carousel only. I wish that just once, the cashier would look through and ask if I took every bag from the carousel. I know that I could just tweet about my complaint but I did not think that it was enough. I had to write a blog post.

Thank you

                One of the very important lessons that I have learned in my life is to never take any one or any thing for granted. One such thing is the platform named "Blogger". Here I can write about my concerns and my thoughts.  Here I also get to read a lot of great posts that are inspirational, educational and fun. Here I have met people who I have developed an attachment with. I have gotten used to reading posts by certain people on a regular basis and if for some reason I do not see one I worry. All of us are getting older, some of us faster than others. Some of us are being pulled down by worries of different kinds and in spite of being young, are feeling the stress life can bring. I myself have not been able to write due to my own health concerns and health concerns of my loved ones. However I do read a lot of postings. I may not have left any comments but I do thank everyone who writes. I appreciate all postings as I know that I cannot get reading material that is written from the heart anywhere else besides here. So thank you. 

Not a toy

I was thinking of taking psychology in college in 1970 after we saw a movie in India. The name of the movie was  "Khilona" meaning "Toy". The theme was kind of unrealistic in the sense that a doctor suggests that a young man needs a life partner to treat  flashbacks of his dying girl friend. My parents talked me out of taking psychology because I had come quite far with Economics as my major and was almost done with my education. Later on in life I learned different aspects of human mind through experiences of people around me. A very young coworker of mine saved her teenage brother-in-law from attempted suicide and became his sister/best friend, just by listening to him and giving support that he could not get from his own parents. I have always listened to people who need to talk and vent so they don't feel alone. I always wonder what makes people sad and how I can help.

I am in New York and it is very expensive to travel abroad to understand different groups of people and to figure out how many of them are actually sad and suffering from loneliness. All I know is that a lot of people in America are lonely and sad. We always hear the words "mentally unstable"as part of news when it comes to school shootings or even random killings. So does it make sense to play around with the minds of young and old people alike by experimenting on social media network and manipulating human emotions? Do the people involved realize that there are some people whose PTSD and or Anxiety/Depression can be effected by these experiments and manipulations? Will the people involved be accountable or responsible if even one human being loses his or her life as a result of this experiment? Experiments and studies are done in controlled environments with supervision by professionals and with the consent of the participants. They should not be done as a ploy to increase visits on social media sites.

Happy Father's Day

My mom always blessed me when she wished my husband a happy father's day. She would say that if it was not for having each other we would not be good parents. I understand what she used to say, but when I look at some single parents I see that they do not leave any task undone, they do not let their children feel the  absence of the other parent and more over they sacrifice their own personal life for the welfare of their children. One such example is the Dad from the television show and also the movie"Veronica Mars".  Actor Enrico Colantoni did a fabulous job as Keith Mars the single dad of Veronica, a high school student who had to deal with differences between rich girls and below average income family girls.  He stood by her and guided her while his daughter had to put up with the attitude of teenage girls who knew not much other than entitlement. He let her be brave and figure out cases while still keeping an eye out for her. He risks his own life to save hers when she gets herself into dangerous situations. Yet when it came to his own personal life, he always keeps his daughter's welfare in mind. I always wondered how many men are like him. 

A coworker of mine in my previous job comes close to the dad in Veronica Mars. His wife died leaving a three year old daughter and he never thought about getting married again or even dating. He started thinking about ladies, only after his daughter got into high school and insisted that he should have a life.

                                                 

Happy Mother's Day

 Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and all of their children.  

 I miss my mom on Mother's day  more than on her own birthday or the day she passed away. However today I miss someone who always called me "mommy."  She was not related to me nor was she as young as my children but she called me "mommy" anyway. My husband always wonders why she called me "Mommy" as she was almost my age. 

There have been times when I have gone out of my limits and told people to do the right thing especially when it came to their health. Some times my younger coworkers teased me and said "OK mom," and we laughed.  One of my neighbors did not take care of herself at all.  I really felt bad for her. I did not want to pry or ask questions as I did not know her that much as she moved in the neighborhood much after we did. Then one day when she opened up to me and told me that she needed to take better care of herself, I thought that may be I can encourage her to eat the right foods and invite her to come for walks with me.  Whenever I asked her to come walk with me she gave some reason or the other to avoid having to walk. Then she would smile and say "All right Mommy I will come tomorrow."  Tomorrow never came. Summer time would change into Fall and then into Winter. We never got a chance to walk. I did keep a check on her and asked whether or not she is eating right. She always said "OK mommy," and avoided the answer. Then came the time when she moved into a Senior home. I felt bad, but her son and our other neighbors said that it was the best thing for her.  Within a year after she moved in the Senior home, I found out that she died. One of my neighbors told me that she died because she was not taking care of herself at all. She had gained a lot of weight and not leave her room.  Today I am wondering if I could have done something more than just be a friendly neighbor.  

Best Wishes and Thanks

  I would like to thank everyone who is participating in the A to Z Challenge.  I am hoping that I will be able to read a good number of blog posts this time, since I am not taking part. These blog posts from the challenge have been very informative and entertaining while being inspirational as well. I wish everyone all the best.  

Also, special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this challenge. 

Let It Go

***SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE FROZEN BELOW***

It has been  almost a week since John Travolta has pronounced Idina Menzel's name incorrectly. People everywhere are making fun of him.  I do feel sorry for him, because a lot of people have mispronounced my name and I simply corrected them a few times. The big difference between Idina Menzel and me is that she is a well known artist. So how could anyone not know her name. I did not know about her until I saw her as a guest on a couple of shows. Later on when I saw the movie Frozen, I realized how good she sings. 

When we were young and our moms told us bedtime stories they always told us the moral of the story in the end. When we see Disney movies we know that they are meant for kids. What we seldom realize is the fact that there are hidden metaphors in those movies. The Oscar Winning animated movie is amazing to watch. We take technology for granted, but if someone understands the difficulties of the work that goes behind animation they will be amazed too. Besides having beautiful animated scenes, the movie has a very good motto. It is teaching us adults that if you have a child with a problem, do not hide it. Try and see if there is an answer to that problem. A treatment if you will. In the movie the younger sister, Anna suffers separation from her older sister Elsa because their parents want to keep Elsa's secret from everyone including her younger sister. In the end of the movie Princess Elsa the girl with the problem is telling herself to let it go, meaning let the secret come out in the open. The best part of the movie is that the treatment for the problem of the older sister is only unconditional love and that she finds in the heart of the younger sister. 

What I learned from the singer Idina Menzel is to keep trying your best. If she can sing in spite of broken ribs I can keep doing my daily chores in spite of breathing problems. "Let it go" to me means do not dwell.

Chronic Illness and the Workplace

When someone gets a big cut and has to go to the emergency room or even urgent care, they get sympathy and they also get a note for work. Also when someone falls and breaks a leg and has to use crutches, people can see that they are hurting.  It just seems like people need to visually see when someone is in pain to understand and give the hurting person a break. Those of us who are suffering from debilitating long term illnesses do not seem to get a break.  What do we do? I asked one of my co-workers and she said that maybe we can either suffer or let the illness get so bad that it gets visual attention. I knew that she was kidding so we both laughed. 

 Living with diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma is hard enough, but if you are working full time it gets even harder. Harder than putting up with the daily routine which is different from a healthy person is the fact that so many of us have these conditions that people think they are easily treated. While keeping diabetes (type 2) under control is somewhat in our hands and high blood pressure is not very hard to keep under control, asthma is a totally different condition. It can be triggered by a number of factors and one of them is our nerves. So, some of us who understand this fact are able to breath all right in spite of being chronic asthmatics, but some of us who have emotional hardships like anxiety and also depression need the help of people with strong nerves. I urge people at work place to help asthmatics in any way possible. They are working in spite of suffering because they want to be responsible citizens and pull their own weight.

 Last week, we heard in the news that some NY State employees were taking compensation and disability benefits by using false documentation. Of course they were arrested.

Love yourself notes

 In India,  those of us who were born between the 1950s and 1960s were supervised by our parents and other adults to make sure that we are doing our best to study as good as we can. Working adults were told by other working adults to do their best to make sure that they don't make any mistakes at work so they don't lose their jobs. We were also told that since India has become an independent country we need to improve our standards and we have no excuse not to do good. So those of us who could not make it in India left India for different reasons. That was well and good. The thing that bothered me a lot about our upbringing was the logic of not letting anyone talk good about themselves. Adults believed that if we talk good about ourselves it is bragging and bragging will make us big-headed and also lazy. I don't believe in bragging but I do believe in believing in myself and finding out about my good side and at the same time finding out where I can improve. 

Now that I am a grandmother, I would want to stop the notion that thinking good things about oneself is going to make them lazy. If one gets ninety percent in a subject instead of hundred, one should not have to feel bad, just try better next time. Same thing at work, if you know that you have done your best and the company still picks you to be the one to let go (because they are down sizing), you should not ask yourself what did I do wrong?

This Valentine's Day along with writing words to let someone know how much you like them ,why not write yourself a note about the wonderful qualities you have.

Art

I am sure that on Grammy's Monday, productivity of most people at work goes down by at least ten percent. In the first place we are all tired. Also, most of us are talking about our favorite artists. We are happy if they won, and we justify the winning to the fullest, and we show our regret if our favorite artists didn't  win anything.  

What is the criteria on which an artist gets an award? I would not know. I asked a few people and they said that it was complicated. Nevertheless we keep getting tips and clues from our television and radio announcements about different songs and different artists being nominated. So we watch in the hope of seeing someone we like get up and take the award. When that doesn't happen, we feel bad for the artist. What we don't realize is that to an artist winning is not everything. 

Last night watching Sara Bareillis sing along side of Carole King made me realize that for an artist singing with someone they admire is more important than winning an ward.