Zebra Crossing

" Hurry up guys..hop on...we are kinda late!", I blurted out as I got my car to the podium where two eager souls and a calm heart was waiting for me. We were to go for a movie and were running late.  It was a date with much awaited movie show for three generations..me, my mom and my kids. "Some one's mom is gonna fly us to the theater", said my mom. And before everyone was comfortable in their seats, I drove off! Not only the movie, but the trailer of the upcoming releases, ahead of the show, was something I really loved to watch, always! So did not wish to miss them. 

Murphy's* law (if something has to go wrong, it will!) was very much interested in proving itself right that day. And I feel, rather strongly feel that when we are running out of time, it does turn out as the naughty goblin...And it did! We were stuck in the traffic, courtesy the marriage procession and then some un-supportive traffic signals. The movie theater was just few blocks away from where we had started. But...here I was, stuck at the last traffic signal, with few minutes to go for the show to start off...I could see the movie theater and was hopeful that we would make it in time! Alas...the amber had to turn red at this very second, why- o- why..I wondered.

My thoughts were talking loudly with me. But then I sensed some commotion outside. From the rear view mirror, I saw a gentleman frantically waving and gesturing. Suddenly I could hear the loud honking. Again I checked in the mirror and realized that gentleman was asking me to go ahead. I was clueless. The red signal was red enough yet! I was just behind the zebra crossing. Few pedestrians were half way through the road crossing. 

"Tuck Tuck"...there was a knock on my side of the window. As I lowered the pane, I saw the same boor, standing right next to me and arguing to take the car ahead. How fast this man had jumped out of his car, I wondered, as if in jiffy...I was really impressed!!!! His noble point of view was that I should have taken my car ahead of the zebra crossing, and should have saved some time. I could see from his expressions that he actually meant to call me a lousy lady driver! Veraciously, I replied, "Do you think, I am going to build my house here at the junction? Or build some garage for my car here? Red does seem to be red yet....whats your opinion?" The gentleman got the message and murmuring some not so good words, he went back.

To make the situation lighter, my daughter said, "Mom, do you know one thing? All zebras have white and black stripes. But like our finger prints, they also have different patterns! Imagine if our roads also had different patterns of the zebra stripes..." I was amazed at this thought! 

That very moment, my mother, who was sitting next to me, pointed at the mother and daughter duo who were crossing the road. The daughter, a kindergartner, was happy to hop and jump on alternate white strip and was singing some rhyme. For her, the entire world had frozen and she was happy playing on the keys of the piano to make the most melodious song! She was the performer and she was her own audience... a pure bliss! And mother wore a terribly frustrated look! What a contrast I thought! But that's what the life is all about!

So which side of the zebra crossing are you on?

----------By MocktailMommy Anagha

YES BOSS

"Boss"...  one of the most important and equally complex relationship in a corporate environment. As we take a first dip in the corporate world, our immediate reporting manager becomes a guide or captain who helps us to sail through the initial phases of our career. Since we must trust and follow our mentor, we tend to agree on most of the issues. That’s when we come across this most frequently used word ‘YES BOSS’!

Though in totality, the word depicts positive affirmation, the intention or thought behind it is very critical. Even though this word is used for boss management, there are divided school of thoughts in its application and intent.

Many of them follow this simple rule of ‘YES BOSS’ either due to fear of conflict or some of them use it for their own advantage. It’s often argued whether success is purely dependent upon sincerity, effort and ability to work??? Raises, perks and promotion often depend directly on how you manage your manager. This often leads to wonder to what extent there should be agreement and when to apply the brake.   

In every organisation, you would find a person who has this tendency to agree on almost everything with his manager. Not surprisingly, he turns out be the favourite among the lot and this makes us to think whether the ‘YES BOSS’ rule has a big role to play???

It reminds me of a Bollywood movie “Yes Boss” which gives us a good learning in a true sense. The movie evolves around an ordinary person who blindly follows his boss's order to fulfill his dream. Though his intention is pure, it eventually lands up him in trouble due his manager's evil intention. It also raises the question whether he should have applied his consciousness which would have raised conflict in short terms but yielded positive results in long term. 

The golden rule is that one must work with sincerity and dedication. Some of the smart way of working to avoid conflicts are...

 1) Put up your sincere opinion and not argument

2) Strive for Open Communication

3) Simply trust in some matters and go ahead

4) Demonstrate your capabilities and initiatives

5) Develop healthy and respectful relationship

The most important thing to remember is ‘Be Yourself’ and do not compromise or follow others. If you follow the golden rules, you are sure to achieve the desired goal and not always follow the “YES BOSS” way!!!

---------------By MocktailMommy Rupa

Xciting Thing That Never Happened!!!

"Hurrah!! The Vacation Started.............." came shouting, my daughter ...returning home from last day of her school. What a relief........when those words reached my ears....now at least for few days.......no more getting up early......preparing tiffin.....taking studies......Ahh! I was so happy as if it was my vacation!!!

Good Thought!! What if it was my vacation, what would I have done???Wishes and dreams fly with the speed of sunlight or may be faster.... While cooking food in the kitchen, I was tele-ported my wonderland!

First thing first.....Fresh and hot cuppa of tea in the open lawns of my bungalow nestled in nature's beauty, surrounded by snow clad mountains, valleys and greenery all around! Was it the nature around or the hot tea that was pleasing my senses...hard to find out!

No bargaining in dreams please......Sky is the Limit!!

Next is to take my own sweet time to get ready.. thats a luxury you know... ask any mom of two bubbly kids!  And here I am ready to have a roller coaster ride.

Ride on my magnificent beast...The Royal Enfield bike. Let me make it crystal clear, I will be riding the bike on the narrow roads of huge mountains with valleys besides and the waterfall around wherein people are having fun, doing river rafting; Stopping somewhere at the corner of the road,taking a snap or a selfie with the beauty of the place in local traditional outfit!

In afternoon, it was the time to have lunch as I was hungry....being hilly area the only thing we could have was sizzling spicy hot Maggi.....with almost 10 variations. SSHH!! ......its so spicy......Lend me some water please...this is what I reach out for.

After finishing so called lunch the ride continues with nothing to do more....than to find a quiet open space perfect for the scenic sunset.......and in the evening to have a hot cup of tea with that scenic sunset......with no words to speak.....just to be together ... to connect to self and the Supreme!!

Shsh!!!! suddenly the whistle of the cooker popped up......bringing me back to my kitchen and to present. Here I was, the Alice in real land... where my kids were shouting for lunch and household chores asking me to finish it up!!! Xciting thing that never happened...or may I say...one that happened to me just now???

----------------By MocktailMommy Karishma

Why???...To Why Not!!!

Why (Y) for women :

Why ??? 'why' always has be a first question for all women ....may it be her personal life or professional life or family life? She always has to face first of all a...  " why " ???  Nearly a hundred years since women won the right to vote, their political and societal power is still only a fifth of what it should be... 

 Now , it's a high time that we need our space , our freedom , our identity, our growth ... History had witnessed many women with exceptional bravery and intelligence who walked shoulder to shoulder with men of their times. Let us remember woman of the freedom era who fought bravely for their country and contributed towards the achievement of independence of the country India. They are still source of inspiration for us , They still fill our hearts with respect and courage. 

In simple words, we have the brilliant opportunity to expand our philosophical, psychological , physical and professional potential by obtaining our God given right to become educated. An educated woman who has absorbed the many different perspective of life. So , first we have to make every single woman ' a educated woman '. Then only we women will start opening up more often in private setting and find our voices and feel more empowered to speak our minds publicly and prominently , too.

"Is this possible that a woman gets freedom in the fearful environment? "  NO. Freedom means something different to each one of us. Freedom to a woman  may mean that she wants the clean and quite place , a place where there is equality in gender , where people live and let others live also , a place of friendship, a place full of positive thoughts , a place where she is safe , a place where she can walk alone freely without any fear, and many more things. Today's woman, fortunately has got freedom of expressing her point of view ...

Modern women is  free to choose , to make decisions.... Then why  ....this "why" always has to confront us???  " Women need freedom , not protection "... Our opinion matters !!! We are living in 21st century. Still some of the question faced by us, even today, never seemed to have changed for women from ages. So now it's time to take decisions and exert that we have our opinions and they do count!

Why I can't drive better than my husband ?

Why I can't proposed to my boyfriend first ?

Why I can't be a big action movie fan ?

Why I can't win in arm wrestling fight with my brother ?

Why I can't beat my boyfriend in FIFA ?

Why I can't be a superhero of my kids?

Why I can't train him in a gym ?

Why I can't fix the bulb ?

Why I can't be a home maker ?

Why I can't wear a short skirt ?

Why I can't go on a road trip with my girls???

These questions are never ending ... but we have to change it !!!

We can choose to do anything...... be something bigger than  what the world want you to be ...

I get to choose .... we get to choose !!! From Why??...To Why Not!!!

-----------------By MocktailMommy Vidhi

Vision Yoga

‘Yoga’ as the word, as the way of life, is gaining popularity across the world. The word ‘Vision’ added to it catches further attention since it involves one of the most vital organs of the human body. My daughter was recommended spectacle at an early stage of five and I was little disappointed and worried on how this would turn out going forward.

We were recommended to a therapy or course by our neighbour who had found positive result after completing the full course. We were little hesitant, however we thought there was nothing to lose to give it an attempt. We went through a routine check-up and were recommended a two-week course which was to be continued at home on everyday basis.

Vision Yoga is conceptualized by Dr R.S. Agarwal. He has studied and researched at the Sri Aurobindo School for Perfect Eyesight after which he has designed the course and exercise tools, techniques and material. He has been in this field since 1997 and has educated over eleven thousand people on restoring, maintaining and improving natural vision. People from all walks of life and all age groups from 4 years to 90 years have benefitted immensely from these simple yet powerful eye exercises. The preaching goes as ’YOU CAN PRESERVE AS WELL AS IMPROVE YOUR EYESIGHT THROUGH "VISION YOGA".

The course begins with a routine check-up with and without the specs to determine the course to be prescribed. You are provided with a kit with various charts, an eye patch, eye wash cup, acupressure thumb pad, ball etc to do the exercises. You will be guided to do the exercise by vision educators. Thereafter, you will continue to do the exercises for the remaining days based on the length of course (ranging from min two weeks to max four weeks). The exercise is far simple to perform (which can be performed by kids also) which includes looking at the object moving in different directions, reading in candle light, blinking eyes and acupressure which are specific to individuals based on their eye condition and treatment requirement. The course also includes a half day lecture which is very informative and provides insight on the care and proper use of eye.

My daughter still practices the exercises on a routine basis which has helped to get rid of her spectacle. I would also recommend this course not only for people who have some sight of eye disorder but also for others since this would help to maintain a healthy vision.

You may visit http://www.myvisionyoga.com for further better insights.

----------- By MocktailMommy Rupa

Unexpected Guest...What Do I Serve?

       

Hello friends. I am sure each one of us has gone through this situation at some point in our lives. You get this unexpected call from a close friend or relative that they are in town and would like to meet up in an hour or so. Out of sheer courtesy and love, you offer them to join you for a meal.....and they accept the invite graciously. That is when the alarm bells in your mind start ringing!!!! Suddenly you realize that you have a messy house to be set straight and a meal to be ready in ONE HOUR!! The panic sets in..."What do I do? What should I make? Do I have the groceries and ingredients??

CONFUSION REIGNS!!

But now, no more. This is not a war zone, so don't worry. Its not that difficult a situation to handle. Take a deep breath, calm down and quickly clean out the living room and dining areas. Just a quick look at the washroom and you are set. 

Next, walk into the kitchen and just sort out the groceries and ingredients available at your disposal. Its easy to make up dishes in a jiffy once you have tamed your mind. I have had this experience quite often and therefore I have a few recipes stored in my brain for it. I would love to share these with my friends so that it might be helpful to them whenever needed.

So, my dear friends, I bring to you a few recipes which can be prepared in a jiffy with easily available ingredients.

Masala Boondi Bhel:-

Ingredients:-
Masala boondi(deep fried chickpea flour)
 -1 medium bowl
1 large onion 
1 large tomato
1 small bowl of finely chopped coriander 
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt as per taste
Chat masala as per taste

Method:-
Finely chop 1 large onion and 1 large tomato and then mix them together in a big bowl. 
Add finely chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice to this mixture.
Add salt and chat masala as per taste. Keep it aside ready to serve.
Finally, just before serving, add masala boondi and mix it well. Serve in a bowl garnished with some finely chopped coriander.
NOTE : If you mix boondi long before serving, the bhel becomes soggy and you don't get that crunchy effect.


Apple Raita:-

Ingredients :-
1 big apple 
1 medium bowl curd/yoghurt
Sugar as per taste

Method:-
Wash the apple well and cut it into small pieces.
Add curd/yoghurt and finally sugar as per taste.
Mix it properly and chill in the refrigerator if needed. Serve cold or at room temperature as per preference. 




 Mayo Sandwiches

Ingredients:-
1 loaf of sliced bread (white/whole wheat) 
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper 
1 yellow bell pepper
1 big onion
1 small bowl grated carrot 
2 to 3 tbsp burger mayonnaise(egg less if needed)
1 tsp black pepper 
1 tsp oregano 
1 tsp mix herbs 
1 tbsp chilly flakes 
1 bowl mozzarella cheese(grated)
Salt as per taste

Method :- 
Finely chop the red,green and yellow bell peppers and onion. Mix them together in a bowl. Add the grated carrot to this mixture.
Add the mayonnaise, black pepper, oregano, mix herbs, chilly flakes, cheese and salt to the above mixture and mix well.
Take two slices of bread. Apply ketchup to the inner sides and butter outside. Fill the mixture in between and grill or toast the sandwich to your satisfaction.
Cut into triangle pieces and serve with ketchup.

Now, weren't those really easy to make?? So, worry not....

JUST ENJOY DELICIOUS FOOD AND HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH YOUR UNEXPECTED GUESTS!!!

Taiwan Chronicles

Hello friends. I hope each one had a lovely weekend. After a relaxed weekend, its back to the grind of daily routine called "Work". There is one reason I looked forward to this Monday though..... you guessed it right.... the pleasure of getting to read some great blogs!!! 

My topic for T is a short post about my trip to the wonderful country TAIWAN. Taiwan is a small, beautiful island to the east of the Chinese Mainland. Although it is not a very big country as far as total area goes (35,883 km2 or 13,855 sq mi), the natural beauty of this country really left us awestruck. We chose to take a 5-day guided tour of the island as we found it convenient, but one can choose to tour on their own too as the transport facilities are pretty good. The best time to visit Taiwan is between February to April, which is spring season there. Although Taiwan has much more to offer than what i can cover here, I will give just a few glimpses of this mesmerizing country.

DAY 1 : TAIPEI 

Taipei

We landed at the Taoyuan International airport and checked into our hotel in Taipei, the capital city. After that, we were taken on a city tour which included the National Palace Museum, Taipei 101(tallest building in Taiwan) and Chiang Kai-shek Memorial hall. Taipei is a bustling metropolis and also has a lot of places to offer for shopping. it has one of the largest night markets in Taiwan, the Shilin Night Market. One can also try the street food here, the variety is mind blowing!!

DAY 2 : SUN MOON LAKE

Sun moon lake & Wen Wu temple

It is the largest lake in Taiwan. The east part looks like the sun while the western part resembles the moon. Hence the name. It is surrounded by hills which have plenty trails you can explore. Other places of interest are the Wen Wu temple And Ci En Pagoda. The Wen Wu temple is dedicated to Confucius, the Chinese philosopher, teacher who is respected as the God of knowledge.

DAY 3 : KAOHSIUNG

Love river promenade

Kaohsiung is another big city in Taiwan. It lies on the southern side of the country. The main attraction here is the Love River with its scenic promenade. One can spend a lovely evening here sipping coffee and just watching the river flow with all its serenity. The other attractions here are the Lotus Pond and two pagodas that stand tall on it. The unique feature about these were the entrance and exit. The entrance was through the mouth of a Dragon and exit through a Tiger. It signifies entering good(dragon) and defeating the Evil(Tiger). 

Lotus pond, Fo Guang Shan, Temple

We also got to visit the Fo Guang Shan buddhist monastery which is the headquarters of the Chinese Buddhist Religious Society. It is extremely vast and peaceful. The main attractions here are the huge statue of Buddha at the centre of the monastery and the Vegetarian Buffet Lunch at the restaurant, which is prepared by the monks. We also visited a temple which was devastated during the 1999 earthquake.

DAY 4 : KENTING NATIONAL PARK

Cat Rock, Nixon Rock & Aboriginal show

This national park is situated at the southern tip of Taiwan. It boasts of unparallel natural beauty. We had a great time seeing the various rock formations, coral reefs and other wonders created by natural wear and tear by the ocean and winds. We also visited the Eluanbi Lighthouse, which was constructed to guide ships which would previously often collide with the rocky shore. Overnight, we got a taste of the aboriginal culture of the region through a vibrant display by some very talented kids at our hotel!!

DAY 5 : HUALIEN and TAROKO GORGE

Rock Formations

The Hualien shore also boasts of breathtaking views of rock formations made by constant currents from the ocean. From there we proceeded to Taroko Gorge which situated on the Eastern side of Taiwan. This region frequently bears the brunt of natural calamities like earthquakes and typhoons and therefore is sparsely populated. But the beauty of the Taroko gorge and its natural Trails make the stay here worthwhile.

Trails in Taroko Gorge

Finally, after 5 days of all this excitement, we returned to Taipei at the conclusion of this tour. As my husband was staying in Taiwan for a fellowship, we decided to stay back for a few days in Taichung. There we visited a few places of interest around Taichung. The place which touched me the most was The Earthquake Museum. This was a school which was totally destroyed in the 1999 ChiChi earthquake. It has been preserved as a reminder of the horrifying night which took Taiwan by shock in the middle of that ill-fated night of 21/9/1999. Just watching the remains sent chills down my spine. 

Earthquake museum

Mango desert & Icecream!!!

Other than that, we visited the Museum of Natural History and Night markets to taste the Taiwanese fare. We specially loved the Mango desert made from fresh mangoes.

Natural history museum, Taichung

All I came back with was some happy and loving memories!!! Do visit this country if you can. I will surely do so again sometime, as there is so much more to discover!!! 

--------------By MocktailMommy Prasanna

Summer Craft For Kids...Holiday Special!

Summer is here, ever rising mercury has announced it in a real HOT way!... And it's a vacation time for kids as well !!! It is usually kids ' favorite time of the year'- but not so for parents and nannies. It can be tricky finding activities to keep your child occupied during this time off from school. Other than days by the pool, what can you do to bring some excitement into the seemingly endless dog days of summer  ?

The answer is :  CRAFTS !

Here I am giving you some kids friendly craft ideas that are inexpensive, easy, great for all age groups and perfect to do indoors.  When we talk about summer , the first thing that pops up in our mind is " SUN " . Lets bring the sunshine at home without the heat with this easy to make SUN craft.

Materials required for SUN :

* A waste c.d.

* Scissor

* Glue

* Sketch pens

* Colorful paper strips ( 1 c.m. Wide and 12 c.m. Long )

* Yellow and white A4 size paper sheet ( you can use card papers for both )

 Method :

1. First,  cut a small circle from yellow paper sheet.  Circle should be a smaller in size than CD. Then make cute expressions on yellow circle for Sun's face by using colorful sketch pens.  The sun may not look cute these days with all the heat and sweat but try to make it as cute as possible.

2. Then, cut again a circle from white paper sheet which should be the size of CD

3. Now, make loops from colorful paper stripes . Stick a glue at one end and press other end on that.

4. After that put all loops on white circle . Arrange them in a circular way and keep little distance between two strips . Then stick all loops with glue .

5. At last , stick  CD on that white circle with strips and then put yellow circle on the top of the CD. Your cute colorful sun is ready !!!

Now , lets make another craft, a " Hot Air Balloon " with those left over colorful strips. It's so easy and younger ones love making and playing with it!

Materials required for " Hot Air Balloon " :

* One white drawing paper

* Colorful sketch pens

* Glue

* Colorful strips

* Pencil

Method :

1. Draw some scenery with pencil and draw a hot air balloon that is little bigger in size than the rest of the scenery on drawing paper. 

2. Now make textures and fill colors in trees, land , clouds by using colorful sketch pens.

3. Then stick strips, one by one, in circular way . Glue one end of strip at one point and stick other end on opposite side of the circle. 

4. Your hot air balloon composition is ready to fly high!!!

After a hot summer all that we want is rains ....the waterfalls !!!  So what better than waterfall craft for kids . Lets make a "Waterfall Of Hearts Card" .

Materials required for " Waterfall Of Hearts Card " :

* Any colorful A4 size paper

* Small ready made colorful  heart shapes sticky note (You can make hearts from colourful papers as well)

* Scissor

* Glue

* Pencil and ruler

Method :

1. First take an A4 size paper and draw a rectangle 6 inch wide and 9 inch long, cut it with scissor and fold it into half to make it look like a card.

2. Cut a 8 inch long and 2 inch wide paper strip from remaining paper.

3. Next take a heart shape sticky note and place it on this strip such that it's bottom tip touches the bottom of the strip. Now draw a line on the top of the heart such that it is perpendicular to the height of the heart shape sticky note.

4. Next draw 5 lines parallel to this line moving upwards at a distance of 1 cm .

5. Then fold all the lines with the help of a ruler.

6. Now take the hearts and stick the top portion using glue on each of these lines.

7. Your strip with the hearts is ready.

8. Next cut another small strip.

9. Stick the bottom of the heart strip at the center of this new strip as shown in the picture.

10. Then roll the heart strip backwards and stick the new strip on the card such that the rolled over heart strip is able to slide through.

Now , our waterfalls hearts card is ready to roll, watch this video to see it in real!

In case you are not able to see the video above, please check it out on our YOuTube channel... https://youtu.be/x8FduO7Rq-k

Not satiated with these craft ideas...hungry for some more craft ideas with kids???  Visit my Facebook page... "Artful Kiddos" at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1356686247751138/

---------------------By MocktailMommy Vidhi

Rose Diaries

                    

Roses have long, colorful history .The rose is the king of flowers(or should I say queen??) It has been grown in many different colors over centuries .They are available  in a wide range like red, pink, white, yellow, orange and many more. They have been specially bred to grow in a wide variety of growing habitats and colors. Rose is widely used across the world as symbol of love, sympathy or sorrow.

Different colors signify different meanings. I am listing some of these below. You are welcome to share your opinions too!!!

Red Rose- A red rose expression of love. Red roses usually show deep affection.

Pink Rose- There are lot of variations of the pink color. Usually pink roses are used to express gentle emotions and deep, endless love.

White Rose- White rose is color of purity, innocence and sacred love. White roses usually symbolize a new start.

Yellow Rose- Yellow roses are usually used as an expression of exuberance.Yellow roses show joy, warmth and sometime welcome.They are a symbol of friendship and caring.

Orange Rose- Orange roses remind most people of a fiery blaze. Orange rose is a symbol of passion and energy and can be used to show desire & pride.

Roses are best known as THE ORNAMENTAL PLANT grown in one's garden and indoors. They have been used for perfumery, minor medical uses, food,drinks and also many more uses.

Rose Petals are used in making rose oil that is steam distilled by curing roses. Rose essence is rich in flavanoids, tannins, antioxidants and vitamins A,B,C,D & E giving ample benefits to our body and skin.

Rose petals are occasionally made into jam, jelly, rosewater, syrup etc. So, we use rose water and gulkand, in summer,  to beat the summer heat. I am sharing the recipe for GULKAND. Enjoy your summer, Friends!!!

GULKAND

Ingredients: 

Rose petals (petals of fragrant and light pink roses). - 2 cups

Granulated Sugar - 2 cups

Cardamom powder (Elaichi). - 1 tablespoon

Rose essence. - 2-3 drops

Method:-

Take Pink rose petals, gently wash the petals with water and let them dry on a dry cloth.Chop the petals into pieces.

Add equal amount of sugar by weight in the petals.

Spread a layer of rose petals in a dry glass bottle with a lid.

Now spread a layer of sugar over the rose petals evenly.

Then again spread a layer of petals over the sugar layer.

Repeat till all the petals are over.

Close the glass bottle with a lid and keep it in the sunlight for 7 - 10 days.

Mix the gulkand every other day using a clean spoon.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate it.

Making Gulkand at home is better than using the commercial ones as they add the complete rose flowers, instead of just using the petals. Please make sure that the rose petals are clean and free of insects.

Gulkand can be used daily and is an excellent summer tonic.

HOPE YOU ENJOY THE GULKAND TO COOL OFF AND HAVE A ROSY SUMMER!!!

                                                                     -By Mocktail Mommy Ruchi