Wednesday, May 22, 2013

the straw that broke the camel's back


We are gathered here to attend the condolence ceremony held in the honor of the dearly departed companion, right hand man and confidante’ of Ravneet Sangha. The life span of affectionate companion, the harbinger of secrets was a mere four years, and it performed all its duties assigned to it with utmost dedication and diligence and in today’s times with complete loyalty.
This was the message poste don a face book status update, an event had been created whereby everyone concerned is invited to say a few words or post their messages along with their virtual extensions.
I know this sounds bizarre, but this is how I feel. I am left without my trusty extension. A virtual smart phone is just not a phone (all those advertisements are true) for once the spiel sold by the agencies and companies is true. My phone, my first cell phone so lovingly gifted has seen its share of drama, weddings, parties, captured funerals, elections, and nature and also tried to capture my old man in the moon. It’s been a note pad where I have rambled on, my thoughts and amateurish attempts at writing and musings.
The phone has also been a recorder of all human emotions from dressing up for weddings, to recording the kids growing up, to various life incidents.
When did I become so dependent on an inanimate object? A few weeks ago a friend in a social networking site had posed a question where she said, what is the impact of technology? And, I had been smug and thought that I am oblivious to all this addiction but no I am in the same boat like the rest of the world. It is so easy to be judgmental and to pass comment on others.
I think, no actually I say with utmost conviction we alive our lives via the phone. We remain in contact with our friends, work contacts, the world, the mali and most importantly the bai and the boutique wali ! Every one from the sabzi wallah , to the  doodhwallah to the teachers, to the secretary sahib of the building has a phone number, We live our lives, remain in contact with regular updates on world, sports , drama and the lifeline of our lives politics via this 2’x4’ touch screen . This complex yet simple screen that has toddlers also using it faster than adults holds our lives in place. It would not be wrong to say the crux of our lives is the phone.
And how could I miss out on those short bursts of calls that were so important to my life, the ones that had all the teasers of gossip! How would I survive without them?
I wonder, what to do? Do I give in to the temptation and buy myself another phone or should I rise above?

Well, who am I? A mere mortal, even Adam gave into an apple and I am guilty of just buying an Apple product. Forgive, me lord, for I am sinning.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Lean In Happy Mothers Day


Lean in is not a term for the poking similar to the ridiculous app on face book; neither is something referring to the Leaning tower of Pisa. It is the name of one of the most interesting and truthful accounts of life, society , behavior and deep rooted mannerisms of women and the society at large by a successful woman , Sheryl Sandberg. When I posed, this question to a group I belong to in the virtual world, the answer I got from a 30 yr old woman , was I dont want to. The other came from a principal of an engineering college, a young, progressive chap , it's too feminine !
Is the book covered with gooey hearts, cupid and sexy lingerie?
Is it fifty shades to true?
Methinks, the fault lies in the fact that the book is an honest appraisal of what haapens. I am so done with blaming one section or crying myself hoarse that we have not been given equal opportunity or any other hackneyed excuse and blame on men or our parents or generation.
Women need to find themsleves amongst the hulabaloo of life, to seize life, to make them selves heard. we are not born perfect , if we were we would just replace the other half of the population.
Dear girlies, women ,it is ok to be imperfect, it is ok to have down days, it i sno scarilege to have stressed out mom , want a day off , it is allright to call it quits, it is no reflection on you as a person if your kid didn't turn out they way you and your planned.
Its ok to be sad , to cry a little, to want to be desired, loved yet to be strong asa CEO. I thhink it takes a lot of guts just to be a woman. There is this one line where she says it,' Men get promotions based on future potential expectations , while women get promotion based on past laurels. Look around you, or actually just nearer to your mother, wife or sister. How much does she does and how much is left unsaid ? Her eyes say it all. Since the day we are born, every minute subtlely and sometimes loudly we are told about our position and what we can do and what we cannot do. All i ask is to let us lean in life and see the colors change.We , need to start believing in ourselves. Also, men need to let us build ourlives to change society and as I feel be more compassionate and empathatic. The world would be a better place if we would let women be rather than thinking of her as a trophy or remembering her only on Mother's  Day.