With more of the world going digital, there has been a sharp dip in the need to exercise our brain.
We don't have to remember phone numbers anymore---our phones do that for us.
Forget postal addresses--it is the age of e-mail and our friends are all just a mouse click away.
Don't have good handwriting? Relax...the speed of your keyboard typing is more important now.
But, all this comes at a great price! Weakened brains and minimal use of our grey cells.
Recently, I realised this truth and started to tackle some mental puzzles,doing crosswords and playing scrabble.
What worries me more is that our children are getting a direct entry into this digitised world and have no room left for creativity, genius or mental kung fu.
We have to pull up our socks and make sure that books are read, games are played and numbers are memorised. Let us not make robots of our kids.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Friday, October 12, 2007
Tales of a student driver
Wheel in hand, grit on face and clutch under the left foot--we are ready to roll...almost.
Started driving classes about 2 weeks ago and the experience has been liberating. I am just glad I got around to it before hitting the 30-year mark:)
Critical things to remember:
See you on the other side with a full-fledged driving license:)
Started driving classes about 2 weeks ago and the experience has been liberating. I am just glad I got around to it before hitting the 30-year mark:)
Critical things to remember:
- Wheel balance
- Steering is not a grip-and-hold-on-for-dear-life affair
- Releasing the clutch slowly when starting the car
- Moving quickly from 3rd/4th to second while braking or turning
- The half-clutch..where the clutch is released slowly,while keeping the brake pressed down.Then when the gear shift vibrates, time to release the brake to move forward
- Releasing and applying hand brake when moving and stopping respectively
See you on the other side with a full-fledged driving license:)
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Poem by Me:) (published by poetry.com in 2001
LOVE in practice
Walking into the room i sniffed the air
yes i could sense it..hostility everywhere
smiling i strode around the chairs
making my presence felt
warmth in my body warmth in my smile
i reached out and touched one child
she drew back i felt pain ...but soon i
smiled again
after a while she came close daring
to touch my skin..wincing i let her
knowing this could lead to gain
then it came like the beauty of a shower
light and pleasant..Her smile drawing
in the sun's rays
sweeter than manna was this joy
for the only other who held me(close)
was my owner...a darling little boy
Shailaja Vishwanath
Saturday, August 25, 2007
My take -'In her Shoes'
Normally not one for a truly girly movie,but I took a chance with this one. Surprisingly, I found it good.
See on IMDB
The tale about 2 sisters who tread different paths in their pursuit of what they want is quaintly touching. Kudos to the performances by stellar cast- Toni Collette,Cameron Diaz and Shirley Maclaine.
Ultimately, it comes down to how family,friends and love are the most indispensable things in life.
The poem by e.e.cummings at the end has a special appeal for me as I have studied his work in depth. Worth a watch.
My rating: 8 on 10
See on IMDB
The tale about 2 sisters who tread different paths in their pursuit of what they want is quaintly touching. Kudos to the performances by stellar cast- Toni Collette,Cameron Diaz and Shirley Maclaine.
Ultimately, it comes down to how family,friends and love are the most indispensable things in life.
The poem by e.e.cummings at the end has a special appeal for me as I have studied his work in depth. Worth a watch.
My rating: 8 on 10
Thursday, December 14, 2006
The cutest little bundle
No..It did not arrive by post,e-mail or special messenger.This package arrived all covered in sweat,blood and love on the night of July 17th,2006.It had the most amazing pair of eyes that wanted to see the entire world the day it entered this universe.
Gayathri, my daughter, screamed her way into our lives with gusto and pink cheeks.
It is nearly 5 months since she set foot in this world and it has been an unbelievable journey thus far.The sleepless nights, the crying due to colic have all come and gone .But each second has been worth re-living and enjoying to the fullest.
Now the baby prattle and the joyous beam when she sees her father are all Kodak moments in their own league.
I know these moments are short -lived, but they are the ones that make life worth living. Somehow nothing compares to the unbelievable love and joy that a baby can show you...
Gayathri, my daughter, screamed her way into our lives with gusto and pink cheeks.
It is nearly 5 months since she set foot in this world and it has been an unbelievable journey thus far.The sleepless nights, the crying due to colic have all come and gone .But each second has been worth re-living and enjoying to the fullest.
Now the baby prattle and the joyous beam when she sees her father are all Kodak moments in their own league.
I know these moments are short -lived, but they are the ones that make life worth living. Somehow nothing compares to the unbelievable love and joy that a baby can show you...
Monday, July 25, 2005
Labour of Laughter--A published article of mine in THE HINDU,June 27,2005
I was trying to write on humour and the exercise was turning out to be a nightmare. Four hours of sweat, toil, paper, ink and strands of hair pulled from my scalp had produced a final, typed copy of 417 words.
Glowing with pride and satisfaction, I punch in the e-mail address and dash off the copy. Then, I sit admiring myself in the mirror, practising my gracious smile that says: "Oh, it was but the work of a moment."
The phone's shrill ring jars me out of my idyllic world of narcissistic pride. The editor on the other end says: "We wanted something humorous; not an outpouring of your emotional attachment to the idea of humour."
Glumly, I hung up and realised an axiomatic truth that many aspiring writers are privy to.
Writing isn't easy. Writing on humour is far from easy. And writing a humorous piece is the most difficult of all.
Chewing on the tip of my fingernail, I contemplate on the various probable topics I could explore. Politics? Too common. Sports? Too limited. Religion? Too controversial. But everyday events? Yes! I would stun readers with my incisive insight into the mundane world of routine occurrences. Bold and intrepid, I would strip the serious facade off day-to-day happenings and expose the warm humour pulsating beneath the surface.
"Ahem. What humour?" queries a voice. Not on the phone this time, but from within my head. Startled and annoyed, I have to admit there doesn't seem anything funny in getting the daily supply of milk, leafing through the newspaper or buying groceries from the supermarket, standing in long queues to pay the bill.
Humour writers, like syndicated columnists and cartoonists, are always under pressure to produce the best. Although we laugh every day reading the comic strips, at the masterful execution of wit and at the satirical caricature of public figures, rarely do we appreciate the effort that goes into its production. I should know!
Glowing with pride and satisfaction, I punch in the e-mail address and dash off the copy. Then, I sit admiring myself in the mirror, practising my gracious smile that says: "Oh, it was but the work of a moment."
The phone's shrill ring jars me out of my idyllic world of narcissistic pride. The editor on the other end says: "We wanted something humorous; not an outpouring of your emotional attachment to the idea of humour."
Glumly, I hung up and realised an axiomatic truth that many aspiring writers are privy to.
Writing isn't easy. Writing on humour is far from easy. And writing a humorous piece is the most difficult of all.
Chewing on the tip of my fingernail, I contemplate on the various probable topics I could explore. Politics? Too common. Sports? Too limited. Religion? Too controversial. But everyday events? Yes! I would stun readers with my incisive insight into the mundane world of routine occurrences. Bold and intrepid, I would strip the serious facade off day-to-day happenings and expose the warm humour pulsating beneath the surface.
"Ahem. What humour?" queries a voice. Not on the phone this time, but from within my head. Startled and annoyed, I have to admit there doesn't seem anything funny in getting the daily supply of milk, leafing through the newspaper or buying groceries from the supermarket, standing in long queues to pay the bill.
Humour writers, like syndicated columnists and cartoonists, are always under pressure to produce the best. Although we laugh every day reading the comic strips, at the masterful execution of wit and at the satirical caricature of public figures, rarely do we appreciate the effort that goes into its production. I should know!
Teaching- My dream job
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to teach. As far back as grade 6, I recall having said that i would become a teacher one day.That dream came true in the Summer of 2001.
A memorable year in many respects...2001.
The year I met my future husband....2001.
The year we were united in holy matrimony...2001.
The year I was awarded a Gold Medal for my Masters in English Literature...2001.
And, the year I began working....2001.
Through my students, I see new ideas,new approaches, new questions and further avenues to explore. The days in a teacher's life may be many things, but the one thing it can never be is Boring!
Looking back, I realise that the people I feel most indebted to are my parents, who never stood in the way of my dreams and my teachers, who always recognised my interests and allowed me to express myself.
So, to the teachers of this world, This one's for you.
A memorable year in many respects...2001.
The year I met my future husband....2001.
The year we were united in holy matrimony...2001.
The year I was awarded a Gold Medal for my Masters in English Literature...2001.
And, the year I began working....2001.
Through my students, I see new ideas,new approaches, new questions and further avenues to explore. The days in a teacher's life may be many things, but the one thing it can never be is Boring!
Looking back, I realise that the people I feel most indebted to are my parents, who never stood in the way of my dreams and my teachers, who always recognised my interests and allowed me to express myself.
So, to the teachers of this world, This one's for you.
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