10 Steps to Keep Yourself Motivated

Recently I was reading an article which focused on how to motivate children towards good thoughts, good activities and good results. Most often we are successful with the “carrot dangling just ahead” method. What about us? Don’t we too need motivation to surge ahead in life? Most of us are in such a stage of life that we seem to have achieved what we were aspiring for since we were young. Monotony has set in and often we are not able to start the day with a cheer on our face. I myself find it hard to get motivated to exercise.

Below are ten points which I shall not claim to be “The Mantra” to get motivated, but they are definitely helpful to get out of the slump that may have set in.

1. Thinking too big and setting large goals can act as deterrents, so break up the main goal in to smaller ones and target one at a time and gradually proceed to achieving the larger goal. Of course, don’t forget to celebrate when you achieve the small goals.
2. Identify your goal, read about it and may be blog on it. The comments you receive can keep you motivated for a long time to come. (Oh yeah! I am blogging on this for the same purpose.)
3. Each day few negative thoughts manage to creep in to the mind, spend some time sorting them out and replace them with positive thoughts forcefully.
4. Read and think about your goals daily. Keep a chart that will indicate how much has been achieved and how little is left to attain the final result.
5. Don’t give up half way through, stick on with your efforts. The road is smooth with minor bumps along the way.
6. Sometimes when the going gets alone, it can depress you. Look for support from like minded people. You have decided to quit drinking, look for organizations and forums which can help you.
7. Make bold reminders. “Quit Smoking”, “Quit Drinking” or “Exercise for 15 minutes”… more. Paste them on your mirror, refrigerator, inside of wardrobe; this will help you remain focused.
8. Look for inspirations, read success stories, google your goal and find the steps to achieve them.
9. Keep yourself excited about the end result you are going o achieve. You have started a painting, keep working at it dreaming how beautiful the finished product will look, which room you will put it up, the effort is lot easier.
10. Commit the goal you have decided to achieve publicly, that way you won’t back out of it soon. After all it is a matter of your reputation. To start with, announce to your friends and relatives who will frequently question you on the progress.

(Not a complete list, hence I welcome you to add more tips on this.)

Indian Weaver Birds

Weaver birds are the architects of avian kingdom. The nests are elaborately woven by the birds, all from their genetic memory with no formal training. In fact each of the different species of weaver bird has different style of weaving the nests. Bird experts can easily identify the species from the way the nest is built. On the way to Kokkarebellur we chanced on this tree having five to six weaver bird nests.


The males of the species build them with grass blades fetched from nearby fields during their innumerable trips. Once the female approves, the nest is completed and she lines up the inside of the nest with soft grass. The entrance is made in such a way that the birds find their entry very easily while it is extremely difficult for predators like snake to maneuver around to get to the entrance. We saw a nest with two separate entrances; probably one was for the male and the other for the female and the babies.



The birds feed on insects and grains. Some species of the weaver bird fly in huge flocks and can have destructive power equal to that of locusts. We spent an hour there, waiting patiently to get shots of the birds perched on the nests. The birds were constantly chattering totally unmindful of our presence.


One interesting myth associated with these birds is that these birds bring fireflies to the nests to light the nests up. One has to do bird watching at night to see if this is true. Once the breeding is over, the nests are taken over by other birds. What we saw here were the weaver birds enjoying the last days of summer after raising their young ones. Next season we plan to be on time to get shots of these birds building their nests.


For more Camera Critters visit Misty Dawn's.

Google Knol Launched

Google has launched their latest: The Google Knol. "The key principle behind Knol is authorship. Every knol will have an author (or group of authors) who put their name behind their content. It's their knol, their voice, their opinion. We expect that there will be multiple knols on the same subject, and we think that is good."

The most attractive feature of Knol is the adsense integration. At Knol you will get paid through adsense, i.e. the more popular your articles are the more you get paid. Blogs as you all know enable you to get you latest writing to your readers easily. Knol is better comparatively, especially when when you want to write an authoritative article on a single topic. Readers can rate, comment and submit a review on it. You get paid too, it is at your discretion whether you wish to integrate the adsense feature. So does it sound like a better option? ;)

The log in page is: https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?... And the loading spinner is colorful.



Yet another interesting comparison I read is: Wikipedia is an encyclopedia while Knol is considered a library.

Just as an encyclopedia, Wikipedia provides verifiable article on every topic worthy of inclusion. Knol on the other hand is a collection of various opinions and experiences, some of them contradicting each other too!

You will have multiple Knols on the same subject. Thus Knol will play the role of sharing information and knowledge and we as users may have to make our own study about the sources and authors to decide which to believe and accept.

As they say: Everyone knows something, tell the world what YOU know at knol.google.com

"Mother and Child"

Copy of the Great Work of Jamini Roy's "Mother and Child"

Seeing my daughters' art works done during the vacations, I felt motivated to do one too. Mridula was willing to help, but I was not sure what I should attempt since this was the first time I was going to weld the paint brush seriously. All the paintings she suggested looked very beautiful and complicated too. Then I saw one of her works which she had done based on Jamini Roy's Mother and Child.

Jamini Roy is a renowned artist of India, born in 1887 in an obscure Bengali village of the Bankura district in West Bengal, an area especially rich with a folk art tradition. He arrived in Calcutta in 1903 to enroll in the Govt. School of Art. He was the most famous pupil of Abanindranath Tagore, whose contribution to the emergence of modern art in India remains unquestionable. More... here.


( The above picture is the outlining done with M-seal, before I started the actual painting)
On a visit to Calcutta, Mahatma Gandhi once sent word to Jamini Roy to bring some paintings around for a private showing. The artist politely refused. "As a man," said Roy, "I will gladly go and touch his feet with my hands. As an artist, never. It is his duty to come and visit me."


Jamini Roy evolved his own language of painting which he termed as 'Flat Technique'. I felt it does not require too much of shading work while painting, so chose to do this. Mridula helped me throughout. The outlining was done with M-seal to give a mural effect, the almond shaped eyes took more time and in 20 hours spanning over a month the copy of the great work was ready.

Handling Grief

Do you remember the rhyme?

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap clap)...

Right from childhood we are taught how to express our happiness, we are also taught, "Don't worry be happy". The state of happiness is very pleasant and who wants to come out of it. But then life is one cycle of happiness and sorrow, and we humans are a bundle of emotions. How do we express sorrow?

The emotion GRIEF, especially the grief over the death of a near and dear person will have shattering effect on one's psychology if it is kept pent up within oneself. And this is one dark moment which one experiences at some point of time in life. A terrible sense of loneliness and depression can sink in after the loss, in spite of being in a crowd, surrounded by people, by halves and quarters. So, how does one express grief? May be we are expected to act dignified and gulp it all down?

True, there is no defined perfect way of expressing grief, yet we have to heal ourselves and get out of the situation. Most often it is our contacts that can work miracles in our road to normalcy after that shattering blow. Contacts can be with our relatives, friends, and even pets. Huge connections are not required, sometimes discussion with a total stranger gives you a new perspective to the situation. Communication with our contacts is a must, one may just need to talk it all out. Shutting oneself out of social contacts and squirming all alone can only lead to depression and self pity. Today the advances in technology are a boon to establish and nurture contacts.

Engaging oneself in fruitful activities, keeping the mind diverted by watching TV, movies, plays also help. One can try meditation too. Help those who are going through this phase of grieving. An affectionate smile from you followed by a warm hug can do wonders. Try spending a little more time to listen to their tale of sorrow, very often you will find your sorrow is negligible compared to others'.

This is definitely not a comprehensive list of what can be done, what other ways do you think are helpful to handle this emotion?

( The above image is a sculpted structure I saw in an exhibition recently. I sometimes wonder what goes on in the mind of sculptors when they sculpt images. This particular sculpture caught my imagination. It looks as if the man is sitting all alone and grieving or is in deep sorrow.)

Just Because I am Mute...

Just because I am mute
don’t run your knife on me.
To express your love to your beloved
isn’t there a better way?
To engrave your lover’s name
isn’t there a better place??

Just because I am mute
don’t name me thus.
Today this metal name plate
is half inside me.
To identify me among
my other tall friends
Isn’t there a better way??

Just because I am mute,
Just because I don’t bleed
you think it doesn’t hurt.
Ah! So you tattoo yourself?
So when you have that
whole length of canvas on yourself,
why mark on my bark??

Before you pierce me next
to identify me, think.
Just think would you like
a RFID tag inside you,
to have your movements tracked??
I am not human, but YOU ARE.
Just because I am mute
SHOULD YOU???



Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Hair Care at Home

One does not have to spend on expensive products for hair care. A Google search will throw up ‘n’ number of results, each site competing with the other offering fine tips of hair care at home. And the recent disaster of the upcoming model Fadhya Asif forces me to comment that had she used some home care tips she would have been still modeling, flaunting her beautiful curly tresses.

One of my friends, Sujata Ramaswamy, here runs a beauty salon from her home. She is a graduate in agriculture and has taken up this profession of beautician out of interest. The unique feature of her salon is that she uses only herbs and all the herbs are home grown. I have seen her garden; she has an amazing collection of plants. She knows each of them by name and their medicinal properties too.

I go to her for the hair care products she prepares at home in a small scale. She intends to expand her dealings as her college going son soon settles down in some profession. Sujata very willingly shared her formula of Mehndi paste that she applies to my hair for color and conditioning.

The ingredients that go in to the paste are (this is her own formula):

1. Hibiscus red petals (for color)
2. Rosemary leaves (for nourishing)
3. Indigo leaf (for color) (see picture)
4. Dry fenugreek seeds (for conditioning)
5. Fresh amla (for nourishment)
6. Curry leaves (nourishes, gives strength to hair)
7. Beetroot juice (for color)
8. Black seasame seeds (for color)
9. Aloevera sap (nourishing and conditioning)
10. Mehndi (color)
11. Tea and coffee strain (for color)
12. Egg white (for conditioning)
13. Eucalyptus oil

She grinds all the above ingredients except the last two in to a fine paste. Just before applying the paste she massages the hair with eucalyptus oil, (prevention from catching cold) and then she mixes in the egg white into the paste and applies to hair. The paste should be on the hair for around two to three hours. (The picture on left is not my head's !) After it is washed off the hair feels soft and good. At least they never get entangled in to a mess.

Update: Brenda Bryant has written a wonderful poem for my hairdresser friend, which I could not just let it lie in my comment box. I am putting it up here as an update for all to read. Thank you Brenda!

This poem is really for your hairdresser friend. The names of the ingredients are so lyrical that the end result must be quite lovely too.

May the hair look as lovely as the words you use!
May the sheen be as silky as the blends you choose!
Hibiscus, Rosemary, Indigo
With Aloevera to add that glow.
Amla, Sesame, Fenugreek,
All such delicious words to speak!
Eucalyptus, Mehndi too,
The hair will shine with a brilliant hue!
The words are so lovely that it's quite certain
The hair will be like a silken curtain!
Hibiscus, Rosemary, Indigo.
Hibiscus, Rosemary, Indigo.

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

My sympathies are with this young, upcoming model, Fadhya Asif. The reason being Lakme Salon has made a mess of her hair. It was sheer indulgence on the part of the reputed salon when they offered the “Refresh Indulgence” hair treatment to Dimpy (as she is fondly called) to soften her hair. The hair had softened to such an extent in the two hours she had it on, that all her hair was in knots. For another two hours the tussle with the tresses was on. With no solution in hand the knotty mass of hair had to be chopped off. She lost about 15 inches of her precious locks.

A model by profession, you can well imagine the curious stares she is getting in her industry instead of the modeling contracts. Well, she has slapped a case against the salon and The Lakmes are yet to figure out how to get out of the knotty problem they have got themselves entangled in. If a reputed salon like Lakme uses substandard products as she alleges, I dread to think what other salons must be using. And this is just on hair, better think twice before such beauty enhancing products are used on skin.


My message to her would be: Don’t be disheartened Dimpy, your locks of hair will be back soon, but do teach them a lesson so that they don’t dare to mess around with others' hair again.

Of Jasmine buds and Water Lily flowers

I don’t have a garden to do gardening. This is one of the pleasures one has to give up to stay in high rise apartments. But then, the urge to see something green growing around me and something to tend to with my own hands was always there. And obviously the balconies became my miniature gardens. I have not done any major vegetable gardening but there are few flowering plants. And my efforts are on to turn this balcony garden into a gorgeous garden.

Two of my balconies face the southeast so it receives the maximum of morning sun light. (This is one of the important factors you have to keep in mind if you intend starting a balcony garden.) I have placed few potted plants in these balconies. My small collection of plants keep me happy and reasonably engaged.

My Jasmine plant is of the small and yellow variety, I have this single variety only. It is also called the Japanese jasmine (Jasminum Mesnyi). It is not a climber and still small, but soon I will have to provide it with some kind of support as it gains height.

There are few other varieties of Jasmine and the flowers have different types and arrangement of petals. I have collected a few shots of different jasmine flowers during my tips to nurseries and I am sharing them with you here. The single round of petals in the common white Jasmine is the common variety and grows easily too.

String of Jasmine flowers.


Below is the Jasmine of the five round petals variety. Jasmine symbolizes amiability, feminine sweetness and beauty. When Vasco da Gama returned from his circumnavigation of the globe in the sixteenth century, he brought home a small, fragrant, white flower from the Far East. Italian brides often wear a sprig of jasmine flower on their wedding day, hoping for good luck. Jasmine is the national flower of Pakistan.


This is a shot of the seven round petals jasmine flower.


And below is the star jasmine variety. Just in case you are motivated enough to grow a jasmine plant, you can check out the tips here. These varieties need sun or light shade and wet, moist soil. They are easy to grow in Indian climatic conditions and you are assured of fresh flowers regularly for Puja.



There are so many colors of water lily available to the extent that you can choose the color variety to go with your balcony garden settings. The Lily plant I have is of the purple color variety. It is called the Nil Mahanel flower in Sri Lanka and the botanical name is Nymphaea Stellata. It was declared as the national flower of Sri Lanka on 26th Feb 1986. Here are a few snaps of the purple water lily from my balcony garden.



The Lily flower symbolizes purity and innocence, and as the flower of the Resurrection and of the Virgin, it is widely used at Easter. The white water lily is the national flower of Bangladesh.

Mine is the tropical variety, the water lily is on the stem that rises above the water. (The hardy variety has the flower sitting in the top of the water.) It bloomed quite regularly last season in my little terracotta pool. The flower survives for four to five days, opening in the mornings and closing the petals by evening. I have few fish in the pool to take care of the mosquito larvae. This variety flowers from November to March and when they bloom it does add a touch of romance to the garden.