Penned down

There was a time when the newspaper was an integral part of daily life. Every morning, my grandfather, like every TamBhram used to be the first one to pick up the crispy hot paper - The Hindu and rigorously read through all the sections. Easy chair and a cup of coffee with Hindu used to be grandpas regular routine. For me it was always the page 1-3 and the magazine. Later it slowly developed into the business sections as well. But forever favorite would be Metro plus and Young world that I still love. Technology came and changed it all. Google news and all the TV channels give us breaking news, before the dear old newspaper could edit, plan and publish it. Many houses have inf act stopped buying any hard copies of the newspaper. We still buy the newspaper, but there is no one to cherish the beauty of the articles. I read the magazines when I get time, even though the main paper is glanced at like a routine every day. The primary reason for getting newspapers for me ri...

There is one question a blogger would never like to hear- "You seem to be blogging. You dont have much work at office, is it?" For the women the question is further more compounded as to whether she is now a housewife! As per them, it is possible for every other hobby to coexist with our daily routines - photography, travelling, reading, sleeping.... Anything but writing. Writing has always been perceived as a tasks that occupies time, but adds no value to our day to day work. This is especially the case when the blog site is an intra office blog site. (Thinking of infyblogs. RIP). God forbid if the poor soul's manager gets to see the blog, he shall immediately jump to the conclusion that the blogger is 'jobless' or 'vetti' and dump them with more work. Not stopping with that, snide comments shall be made during project meetings and even during appraisals! The fact that the enthusiastic blogger has taken some personal time to actually compose the blo...

As a child we have always wanted something special. A toy, a pencil box or a new school bag depending on what was the rage among the other children. And most of the times the new stuff would come only after days of pleading and pleasing. Sometimes we would know better than to ask for stuff we knew our parents would not buy. Media, ads and overall exposure for children has changed the scenario now. Television, internet and mobile media has so much reach among children that they know the new products, the cost and its benefits even before we could realize the ad is for a new product. Going by the recent trend of positioning everything from detergents to cars with children audience in mind, it is going to be tough to wean off kids from the ad addiction. And cutting down on TV, internet and tablet time raises a question in my mind - Am I applying discretion or resorting to deprivation? My son was watching TV around 1 hour a day in the evening. The quintessential programme of ...

It is always a nightmare for children when parents add them as friends on FB. Not that we have anything to worry, but still... parents and friends are supposed to be two separate entities, never mixed up. Only the really really close ones are allowed into that circuit of family friends. Nevertheless, my mothers interest in FB started when she met a couple of her friends. A casual remark, triggered a conversation on their FB accounts and inquiring why my mom was not on FB. She hadn't thought on the same till now, but suddenly the idea was seeded in her head. Peer pressure strikes at all ages, i presume. And yours truly was the called to create mommy's FB account. "Everyone is on FB. Can you create one for me?"  Like all parents, my mom's password are known to all except her. Apart from remember my 1000 odd passwords for my office, client, yahoo, gmail, wifi router and other bank accounts, our dulling memory is utilized in remembering the same for our par...

Where am I? I dance to a melody unheard I smile to a word unsaid Surreal my world is, Albeit it is in my head. For that is where I can be Myself without any fear. For there my mind is free Judgmental no one near. Where a smile is not inferred Where a glance is not judged Where words are from the heart Where virtue is not smudged I live in a world far away, Beyond where mortal eyes see. It is world made of love Where the mind is free.

A woman- the mother is perhaps the first association of any being with the world. The toil of motherhood, coupled with balancing all the worldly expectations is what makes all poets and writers laud the so called fairer sex. Yet it is this same woman whose existence is questioned the very moment she takes her first breath. Read an article about a 4 day old girl child being found abandoned in the dustbin of Mumbai. Dear Mom... I thought I was God's gift to you I loved before I knew what love was I had dreams and hopes Even before my eyes could open. In your womb, dear mother I thought the world was great! Why did you break the notion, Without even giving me a chance? A chance to look at your face A chance to be held in your arms A chance to smile at my first love A chance to be why I came here - your child!