Tranquility In A Frame...

 ~~~ 

Circa 2014. Selfies became a cultural phenomenon of sorts with 'selfies' being the uncontested winner for Word of the Year 2013.

It is four years back that the selfie fever caught hold of the Indian audience with the mania for capturing the perfect selfie spreading like a syndrome. However, the advent of the trend had been called for, ever since Apple released the iPhone 4 with a reasonably good front camera for those times in 2010. Sooner than one could know, flaunting narcissism complemented by exhibiting self-proclaimed photography became a trend!  :o

Attaining perfection when it comes to capturing a selfie is a game of balance. There are a number of crucial factors among which balance is essential - be it the focus, the lighting, the number of persons in the frame, or proper framing of a scenic backdrop. 

More often than not, one ends up neglecting one factor or the other. The narcissus shall then not approve of the hefty bargain as it wishes to accumulate the best of all worlds. Quantity thus outweighs the scales in search of the quintessential quality.

Simply said, the entire gallery of numerous phones was filled with captures of 'no-one else but me'. That was not necessarily bad but I needed a reality check right at the start. 

Every frame has a fable to tell, or so I believe and selfies are no exception. Firsts are special too, and this memoir is about such a special 'first selfie'. The first ever selfie that I captured dates back to 2014 when I was an amateur in selfie-photography. I say 'was' because I have gradually learned the ropes and rarely falter. 

Picture this. The winter of December 2014. A pleasantly sunny morning in the capital city, Delhi. A school excursion to two of the most iconic monuments - Qutub Minar and Lotus Temple. 

For the uninitiated, a school picnic is the best opportunity for students as well as staff to capture memories on a formal pretext. This excursion was definitely not the first that I was accompanying students on, but it was the first where I could surely explore the selfie phenomenon. 

So, among the two landmarks, first on the list was Qutub Minar. Owing to the fact that Qutub complex is a huge one, it took us quite a big chunk of time to explore the intricately carved monument and its peers located in the immediate vicinity. 

It was upon reaching the Lotus Temple which is as aesthetic to look at as it is revered, that it dawned on me - we had very little time to bask in the beauty and purity of this epicenter of the Baha'i faith in the heart of the city. 

As much as it had a calming effect on the nerves just by witnessing the architectural wonder in person, there was also a hollow in the heart on having to rush through the visit owing to the fact that the time allotted to parents for the pickup of students back at school was nearing. 

I somehow had my Eureka moment in wanting to absorb the positive vibes radiated by this House of Worship and it then occurred to me that the ever-prevalent selfie trend could come to my rescue, albeit hurriedly. 

If I had to capture my first-ever selfie at that moment, I had to act fast. However, there were a couple of hindrances blocking the way. 

• My colleagues and students were already at the head of the exit line of the premises, given the fact that all of the students had already boarded their respective buses and my colleagues were calling out for me. 
• All in all, I had the span of a few seconds to focus on and capture this precious memorabilia of a monument in the frame. The fact that the frame should also have me was tricky enough to make or break my selfie game. 
• As much as the picturesque background was set to be captured in all its glory in natural lighting, the same sunlight hindered my view of what was being captured in the frame. 
• I decided to let the monument's presence in the setting vis-a-vis my presence steal the limelight in the capture. 
• It was a make-or-break situation at that moment as I just had to capture the frame, relying solely on my instinct and rush towards the school bus without giving the final result even a glance, as there was no scope for even a second click, with the third being completely out of question. 

All I did was that I boarded the vehicle with my fingers crossed. My demeanor in that situation could be compared to that of a student waiting for their Board Exam Results. Anxiety and Excitement - two-in-one. 

It was on reaching home that I opened the gallery and viewed my first-ever selfie for the first time. 

Voila! 

Although my face clearly reflects the guesswork that was on my mind all the time, I was overjoyed to witness the symbolism of peace in all its eminence with the capture intact. However, there was a slight disruption to my joy as my face had not been completely captured. 

And, it is the only imperfection that I long to correct to date. How I wished that I should have been in the possession of such a device that could provide a slightly wider-angle shot! 

I had been consoling myself to date that attaining perfection in any aspect is an illusion, with the anecdote holding true for selfies as well, consoling myself that this capture was not bad at all considering that it was my first-ever attempt. However, the heart pines, as it is in a habit of doing so. 

On the flip side, such a capture provided me with a much-required reality check. 

SO  MANY  SELFIES. 

SUCH  LITTLE  KNOWLEDGE, 

OF  SELF. 

I thus felt that I had managed a pretty good job out of my most precious selfie as I did not let the self reign supreme in the capture. After all, a symbolism of tranquility stands intact in the frame. Imperfections and flaws are the entities that define self, and the same had come to the fore in the capture as well. 

However, it is today that I felt that my single, most frivolous concern has also been addressed. Thanks to a brand of Vietnamese origin that plans to launch itself in the Indian market tomorrow, my woe concerning this particular memoir can finally be laid to rest. 

Picture an expertly crafted device boasting of a crisp design and precise technology that offers the ultimate 'Selfie Experience' thanks to a front, dual 'Selfie Camera' that captures a 120° wide-angle shot. 

As a brand, Mobiistar is all set to treat the Indian audience to the best ever witnessed in the smartphone industry as they partner with Flipkart to become 'Mobiistar on Flipkart' - a range of devices that provide promising battery life with no compromise as far as affordability is concerned. 

I couldn't be happier as I won't ever have to worry about fitting both the backdrop as well as the smiles precious to me, precisely in a single go. 

Capturing the perfect selfie, with or without my near and dear ones up close, with the heart of the capture intact - the scenic backdrop - would be an effortless task from now on. Getting my hands on Mobiistar's exclusive devices would mean that I could the perfect selfies seamlessly. 

I am all set to #EnjoyMore with #Mobiistar. :)

 ~~~ 

P.S.: Images concerning Mobiistar have been taken from IndiBlogger. 

An Acquaintance Revisited...

The feeling that overwhelms on being able to capture the perfect selfie in the first try is indescribable as far as millennials are concerned. However, the enthusiasm to partake the masses in going on a selfie-spree had gradually caught on with me a couple of years back, when the world was also enveloping in a self-imposed blanket of self-love.

More often than not, it is the finer details that are overlooked when one embarks on a selfie spree. Numerous factors have to be taken into account before zeroing-in on the perfect dose of narcissism that can be fueled by the social space for the admiration of one's network circles.

Apart from being a series of trial and error, being able to capture the perfect selfie is also to be complemented by the best-in-class technological advancements especially as far as the camera and battery life of a smartphone are concerned. So much so, that most leading brands in the market have come up with the concept of selfie phones itself that is solely dedicated to the task.

For me, however, capturing selfies is more about freezing memories in a frame rather than unadulterated self-love. One such capture that is especially close to my heart is this.

Another celebrity selfie for the envious lot, you may think. However, this capture has an interesting anecdote that forms for the 'Fable Behind The Frame' as I like to call it.

As an educator since the past three decades, I have realized that nothing or no-one rather, is able to leave as lasting an influence on a child's impressionable heart and mind as a teacher. For it is at such a crucial stage in life that a student becomes a student of life in the true sense.

If I were to rewind to what makes this selfie so likable to me, it would bring me to the beginning of my career when I had recently completed my post-graduation and had joined one of the premier educational institutions in Delhi during those days.

There was an equal emphasis on academics and co-curricular activities, which should ideally be the case too. This led me to Hyderabad, early on, with a contingent of talented girls aged 11-14 to participate in an inter-school dramatics competition on the occasion of the silver jubilee celebrations of the establishment of one of the most prominent girls' schools in the city - Nasr School, Hyderabad.

How the journey from Delhi to Hyderabad was made possible was because of the fact that The Nasr Dramatic Society (NDS), founded in 1980 is the youngest and the only school dramatic club to be affiliated to the National School of Drama, here in the capital city till date.

It was here that I spotted a ten-year-old effervescent youngster bringing on stage a certain grace, charm, and maturity as a budding thespian. I could see the sparkle in her eye but had I ever imagined that such a sparkle would turn into the radiant Dia Mirza that we all know now!

Yes, I had been to Dia's school and witnessed her in action, excelling in dramatics at such a delicate age. I am sure she had put her best foot forward at academics as well. Our school eventually brought the trophy home as it was customary that the host institution would participate but not be in the running for accolades.

It was then that our girls were called on stage and I accompanied them to receive the prize on behalf of our institution. There she was, Dia, being the vivacious girl she is, holding the certificates in tow on the stage. It was then that I appreciated her participation and told her that I could see her achieving heights in life, in the long run. That was my brief tryst with Dia Mirza, who now comes across as an effortless artist with a brilliant stage presence.

Back to present time, where I spotted Dia as a brand ambassador at the launch of a new range of air-conditioners if I am not mistaken, by Panasonic last year. I had completely forgotten about our tryst but at the back of my mind, I was a fan of Dia's acting prowess. I was coincidentally seated at the front during the Media Briefing and after the QnA session, Dia herself was quick to recognize me and thank me for being one of her initial audience apart from her parents, peers and school teachers.

As a consequence, an acquaintance was revisited as I was made to wander in the bylanes of the pleasant past. Yours Truly was a novice at capturing selfies until quite recently and that is where Dia took the lead by adjusting the angle of the camera standing up and close to me with her hand on my shoulder. It was at that moment that the 'perfect selfie' was captured by Dia herself. 

While this was happening, I could hear people whispering (and being green with envy, of course), as to how this was an extremely personal encounter with a star, that is out of reach for most, if not all. After all, Dia is a person who transformed her dreams into perfectly executed plans! :)

As much as being in one frame with Dee, the Diva is a delight, I am also joyous about the fact that Dee is the 'Diva with a Duty', as she firmly voices her opinion on issues concerning our immediate surroundings and the society as a whole, the latest example being her pledge to beat plastic pollution at the recently concluded IIFA 2018 Press Conference.

As a sweet gesture, she even wrote a note of thanks and signed an autograph for my daughter. 

On the whole, the key to the ideal 'Selfie Experience' is a suitably crafted 'Selfie Camera', and many would agree with me about the same. Amongst the upcoming players in the market, I see tremendous potential in a Vietnamese smartphone brand founded in 2009 - Mobiistar. In line with their motto being 'Enjoy More', they are all set to set foot in the Indian market with the promising proposal of a device that features crisp technicalities in the form of a front, dual selfie camera that captures a 120° wide-angle shot. 

Apart from being the perfect arsenal for an ideal group selfie, such powerful features also guarantee more smiles as there would be no complaints of a comrade being cropped out or the picturesque background being compromised. 

Coupled with a long-lasting battery and economical pricing marketed exclusively as 'Mobiistar on Flipkart', I am sure that #Mobiistar would be able to create a substantial impact in the Indian Market with their catchphrase aptly being #EnjoyMore. :) 

 ~~~ 

P.S.: Images concerning Mobiistar have been taken from IndiBlogger. 

Indulging In #Yougraphy With Canvera...

With smartphones being equipped with high-end cameras, clicking pictures has become everybody’s favorite hobby. Be it at a birthday party, a wedding or a vacation, the trend of taking selfies and quirky, cool pictures has found favor with everyone from college-goers to tech-savvy grandparents.

At the beck and call of a single click, each capture becomes a new addition to the Gallery of the smartphone. But, where have we got lost in the sojourn of getting the digital photographs from a camera reel or point and shoot converted into a much-loved photo album that had an element of surprise working in its favor at the first glance? What about making these smartphone captures morph into memories to cherish forever?

I do not particularly like the idea of so many heart-warming clicks just being stored on a digital medium, forgotten over time, and not adorning a rightful place at home, and I had a chance to rejoice earlier this month, thanks to Canvera, which is a domain expert in photo book printing in India

Canvera, in association with HP as their technology partner, has launched its #Yougraphy range, to turn magnificent photos into prints with some unique products & accessories.

A place full of photos printed on fine art canvases, framed posters and prints hung up on ethnic jute ropes with metal clips and the option of ordering all of this on an easy online platform with just a few clicks. Sounds too good to be true?

That’s exactly what I experienced at an event held earlier this month. Canvera announced a unique code for each attendee and asked us to browse and order #Yougraphy products like prints, posters, canvases, photo books & share books through their website. There was also witnessed a live demo of the unveiling and usage of products and a selfie booth was set up, where we clicked pictures with interesting themes and backgrounds.

Canvera has deployed HP’s state of the art Indigo Digital Press technology that has revolutionized the Indian photo book industry by, surpassing the conventional technologies on double side printing, variety, speed, quality, and cost. The non-tearable & weatherproof printing provide the consumers the much need longevity of their memories.

I ordered some of the posters, prints, and Youbooks featured on the Canvera website of our vacations to Andamans, Goa, and some celebrity features over the past two years and was mighty impressed with the on-time delivery, classic packaging, and immaculate finish of the products, both inside and out. :)

As a customer, the choices I had in terms of print quality (namely Glossy, Matte, or Scuff-free Velvet), the size of individual prints, the number of pages in a Youbook, choice of cover (hard or soft) and the variety of custom themes for each Youbook was overwhelming. Also, upon uploading each photograph, Canvera's mechanism was able to alert me if it was a low resolution and required a smaller print size to preserve resolution.

With all the products being manufactured in Canvera’s in-house production facility in Bengaluru, I was also impressed when the products reached me in a span of five days.

Having tried their products for once, I vouch for their quality and service standards and am sure that I'll keep returning to Canvera for framing my memories in print. :)

A Blast From The Past With #YaaronKiBaraat...

Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave and impossible to forget. As far as the concept of friendship is concerned, I believe it to be a rocky path, for the core of a relationship between two individuals is always put to test through thick and thin and being friends with a person who comes across as a stranger at first is no easy task. More often than not, we end up befriending foes in the skin of friends, ultimately learning from bad or poor judgement of the multiple facets to an individual's personality.

As far my brain's blind spot takes me, the fondest and most cherished memories that I have of pleasant times with good friends dates back to two phases of my life - to my college days and to the early days of when I had joined the teaching profession - the latter being as early as stepping out of college and immediately stepping into the profession which has been with me since three decades. While I defy the popular notion of naivety by having befriended wolves concealed in sheepskin multiple times over, it is also true that I've kept it a low-key affair throughout, as far as friendship is concerned, by having a close-knit circle of the three of us.

When I navigate through the memory maze to recall, I am taken back to the times when we had to pen our dissertation for my M.Sc.(Anthropology), researching on the growth pattern and physical characteristics of Pahadi natives.

I have always been a well-read individual taking interest in and performing my best all through my academics. For me, it was never rote that worked, but my grasp on concepts in the subject of my liking.

While I may (and always have) come across a bookworm-like geeky nerd to all the fun-loving divas and hunks, devising pranks, gossiping and taking advantage of another person's humility have never been my cup of tea (or coffee) and it is the sole reason that I have taken pride in solitude, never loneliness.

My principle in life has been clear as a crystal - The lion(ess) walks alone while the sheep (wolves) flock together. I am of the opinion that it is not always necessary to be surrounded to be valued, and it is true that I had as many (or lesser) friends, enough to count on my fingers, for it was not easy for me to gel well with people whose point of view did not resonate with mine or whose ideals took an entirely different trajectory as opposed to mine.

My circle of friends was not a #YaaronKiBaraat in the true sense of the phrase. Neither do I believe that a #YaaronKiBaraat has to be pivotal to your survival in society. But, if you have been part of one, or pride in having maintained a #YaaronKiBaarat in your circle, I need to take tips from you on the art of pleasing everyone, for sure.

It was during my college years that I came across two ladies who I believe, mirrored my thought process, and it is then that we gelled well - getting to know each other, sharing similar experiences from the past, and reacting in a unanimous fashion to situations, being each others pillar of support, and as far as I can recall - never having faced a bone of contention. It is this commendable sync of ideologies that I miss, now that we have drifted apart - in distance and time - never in hearts, though.

The other anecdote of friendship from my life was with a colleague, who became a dear friend in the long run. From having joined the profession of teaching together at the age of 22, to mastering in the same discipline in academics, to sharing the same birthday month and even the same name, we had many things in common for this particular friendship to work.

Why I'm recalling these two episodes from my life is because I noticed that #YaaronKiBaraat - Celebrating Friendships, a new initiative by Zee TV, hosted by Sajid Khan and Riteish Deshmukh is going to air on weekends, beginning tomorrow with the iconic pair of Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha gracing the stage together for their maiden episode.

I hope that this series turns out to be a roller-coaster ride of sorts, with celebs recalling their pleasant blast from the past as I have, through this post on my blog.

Since Time Immemorial, Familia Decennia...

"Come Kids. I'll tell you a story."

"Is it story-time already, Grandma?" 

"Toi ti - toi ti!"

"Yes. Come along quickly!" 

~~~ 

That was Grandma 50's calling out to her tiny tot 90's and the gibberish toddler, 2K. 

Yes, Ladies & Gentlemen. 

Welcome to the legendary Familia Decennia... 

The family of decades. :) 

~~~ 

What Familia Decennia, you may ask. It is a pity if you don't know of them. Familia Decennia has been present amongst us since time immemorial. 

Grandpa 40's heads the family effortlessly while Grandma 50's dwells on the elegance of the yesteryears with her anecdotes. 

Dad calls out to 60's and 70's; Mom identifies with the 70's and 80's. 

Tiny tot 90's is a hybrid between eras. 

Toddler 2K is still exploring. 

Together, they are Familia Decennia, 

They create nostalgic memorabilia. 

~~~ 

"Something which we think is impossible now is not impossible in another decade." 

Constance Baker Motley must have dwelled much on the fact that time symbolizes a flowing river, which never stagnates, to make such a statement. 

The child at heart is hard to discipline. The child in blood-relation, harder. 

It is in learning the ropes as a child and teaching the same to your kid that you traverse the crests and the troughs, albeit with one wide gap to bridge. 

"The lessons of the Past are ignored and obliterated in a contemporary antagonism known as the Generation Gap." 

As parents, it is imperative to realize that we must not limit our children to our own learning for they were born in another time. 

The perception of 'Survival Of The Fittest' also graduates with the passage of time. 

The single-most important truth to let sink in lies in the fact that our parents' outlook towards life, their lifestyle was suited to their survival in those times, our lifestyle aided us to successfully survive our times, and that of our children is keeping them all fine till this point in time, and will continue to, hopefully. 

~~~ 

As far as the incessant declaration of being superlative to the successor by the preceding generation is concerned, it is a concept which is going to stick around till eternity. 

In my opinion, major events in my lifespan were timed just perfectly by Lord Almighty. 

C'mon, whose impeccable sense of time and sense am I even daring to doubt? :D 

To this date, day, hour, minute, and second, I thank heavens for blessing me with a child who was born in the 90's and attributes her childhood to the 2K millennium. 

For there can never be a more appropriate timeframe to call yours, if you wish to bridge the digital divide. 

~~~ 

You tell me, which generation has seen the use of landlines, cordless phones, mobile phones, and smartphones, all at once? 

Which one's the mother, which one's the daughter?
One utilizes the round-dial, fiddles with the cordless, another! :) 

Which generation will claim to have kick started the W3 Revolution, by exploring desktop computers, laptops, and wearable smart devices, all at once? 

What decade will I remind you of when I riddle you with a generation that had seen that arduous cable TV era and has now effortlessly switched to wafer-thin Plasmas and OLEDs, while rapidly advancing to the times of live-streaming becoming the norm? 

While the mother here boasts of her parents having decorated the house with the first monochrome television (masked by a colored screen, to give the impression of colored television) of the locality, which was at that time considered to be a luxury, and had all our neighbours in awe, the daughter considers it a cakewalk to have access to the telly tube. 

They'll tell you of which decade when they profess affinity to the erstwhile VHS recordings which graduated to cassette reels, and finally to CDs and floppy disks? 

नन्हे-मुन्ने गीत and Twinkle-Twinkle,
Nursery rhymes with an innocent sprinkle. :) 

These kids will be able to boast of the fact that they practiced the art of letter-writing, have witnessed the working of a yesteryear post-office and have actually wondered where the envelope with that one, two or five rupee stamp disappeared down the letter-box. 

They will be able to bask in the glory of having been the first ones to familiarize themselves with the prevalent SMS lingo too. 

Thankfully, the Letter Box was in a much more respectable state in both my daughter's and my time.
It has been reduced to a pitiable state post-2005. :(

Who would have seen the five, ten, twenty paise coins, the fifty, hundred, five hundred rupee notes, AND known the Bank ATMs also? 

Tinkering around with the Paise in our pocket,
Until paper money made it lighter, our wallet! :) 

The one resounding answer to all the above queries would be a cheer in unison, from the 90's kids. :) 

Thankfully, my child has seen the two extremes - the remnants the physical reflections of many erstwhile manifestations as well as the virtual avatars of a convenient lifestyle.

I am relieved by the fact that my daughter would not surprise her parents by behaving like this kid...

...Or like Dennis here: :) 

~~~ 

The experience of one emotion, however, which I feel my child and the kids today at large have missed out on has to be the absence of instant gratification for any effort put in. 

Today's time and life are fast-paced ones. So, it is more than justified for her generation to expect results in the blink of an eye or in the snap of a couple of fingers. 

Though she has been mature enough to understand that it takes the effort, determination and perseverance of days, months and even years at an edge to sprout from a seed into a full-grown tree, she has grown impatient to a certain extent upon the arrival of the 2K millennium, over the years. 

~~~  

Not neglecting the fact that I have seen more bruised knees, sharp scratches, wounded ankles, injured arms from her than any other kid of her age, during her childhood, and that she has learnt to stumble and fall and yet put a brave face through it all and improve her balance, but if I were to be given a chance, I would like my daughter to experience how it felt like to not be pampered all the time, being bashed up for being stubborn more often. 

That is HOW I LEARNT to remain grounded and be thankful for all that  had been provided with, by my parents, which was more than abundant in my humble opinion. 

My brother and I learned the hard way, that life does not work on our terms, rather it is the other way round. 

We took risks, dealt with failure and disappointment, went over the moon and back on tasting the ripened fruit of success, and came out more responsible as an individual. 

Had it been possible, I would want to provide my daughter with a more realistic expression of how I grew up, tolerant of situations and circumstances and grateful for all that I had.

~~~ 

Childhood is made fun, 

When there's exploration. 

Throw in some curiosity, 

Some innocence in capacity. 

Kids learn on their own, in a sticky situation, 

Paving their own way out, is a skillful satisfaction. 

Honing their cognitive skills, their undiscovered abilities, 

Sharpening their know-it-all, all-purpose utilities. 

#BachpanWithFlintoBox ensures that your child learns the right way, 

While there is your Little Scientist to brighten your day. 

~~~ 

I am participating in the #BachpanWithFlinto Blogging Contest, organized by Women's Web. 

Flintobox creates award-winning discovery boxes filled with fun exploratory activities and games for children in the age group of 3-7. If you wish to gift Flintobox to your child, niece/nephew, or friend’s child, use the exclusive coupon code WELCOME to avail Rs. 250/- off.

P.S.: All photos are attributed to the blog's copyright except for the two comic illustrations which have been taken from Pinterest. 

~~~ 

The One Corner Of My House, That Lets Me #CelebrateLife...

There is one corner of my house that makes me want to be there, every time I have a problem to solve or if I am feeling lonely. I often end up posing a question to my inner self - What is so special about that corner? What makes me so energetic and brings me back on the track the moment I feel low or lose sight of my aim? Is it some hidden secret that I will never come to know or is it something that is there in the back of my mind that I have never been able to recollect?

I remember my childhood days when on rare occasions I had a not-so-good time in school. Being a topper in all subjects throughout and an excellent badminton player, I was always an apple of my teachers' eye. I was not only admired as the best sports person of my school but was also applauded among the brilliant and intelligent lot of the school. Besides academics and sports, I also used to actively participate in dramatics, orations and other such co-curricular activities.

That was the reason for 'bad day at school' being a rare instance, but I'm not negating the fact that there used to be times when I was not able to reply to a question directed to me by my teacher in front of the class, or when I had not been able to solve a question. That was the time when I used to feel very bad about it and during the rest of the time in school, I used to crave to reach out to that corner in my house.

That craving stayed with me all along, during my journey through school days, college days and even during the initial phase of my career. I remember, there used to be times when the whole family would be excited to go to an outing together, but for me, it was always more exciting a time to spend few minutes every day in that corner of my house in solitude, in introspection.

My Mother, after realizing that it was the most soothing and peaceful moments which I spent in that corner, kept the most auspicious holy books of all religions in that corner and also placed some beautiful pictures of various Gods and Goddesses there. That corner always was, has always been and will always be the best corner of my world where I experience happiness, and bliss, along with the motivation to #CelebrateLife every time I go there.

Probably that is the reason why even after so many years I have not forgotten that corner of my house.

~~~ 

#CelebrateLifeAtIvy by owning a dream home at Ivy Estate, an 85-acre estate with 34 acres of greenery and open spaces. Join the 1600 happy families already living here. Check out this walkthrough video and decide for yourself.

I Believe In Magic...

~~~

I believe in Magic.

Yes, I do.

Furthermore, you could take me to be a Magician.

Yes, I'm proclaiming myself...

To be a Magician who believes in Magic...

Surprised?

Well, Don't Be.

~~~

For it's not the conventional Magician and those customary magic tricks, I'm talking about.

~~~

I'm a Magician in this wide-spread Literary World over the World Wide Web. The one which we bloggers, refer to as the Blog-o-sphere.

I'd started weaving my words into a Beginner's Level magic on April 20, 2013.

The day I refer to, as my Blog-versary. :)

It had been a good eight months till the end of 2013.

I'd welcomed the new year 2014 with open arms into my space, too.

That New Year brought along with itself - a golden opportunity.

Project 365.

A 'Project' with an aim, conveyed precisely by its motto...

We Write Daily...

A Post A Day...

~~~

It was through a dear friend and blogger - Mrs. Sakshi Nanda, that I got to know of it. She, along with three other bloggers, was taking up this interesting opportunity.

When I first saw this on social media or read about it on Project 365's blog, it left me thinking - they are brave-hearts.
The entire year - four of them - blogging based on prompts.

Well, when I had done the Photo A Day Experiment, back in July 2013, for an entire Month, during my school's summer break, it left me at my wit's end...

And, these four brave - hearts, were taking up a similar, more challenging task for an entire YEAR.

In the back of my mind, I was sure, that I wouldn't be able to even take up such a Herculean task, let alone completing it successfully, ever.

I was applauding them, deep in my heart. :)

~~~

I visited their page on Facebook on the second day of January 2014.

I liked the page, there and then, to see how this collaboration develops, and to add interesting posts to my reading list.

~~~

Something interesting, it seemed.

It piqued my curiosity.

~~~

The next day...

Bang!

Post by Project 365 - A post a day.

Just to go through what had been planned for their audience, I visited the link, which has now expired.

If I remember clearly, it asked for a few basic credentials, three preferred months to Guest Author, top to bottom priority, and the REASON to join in...

I do not know what intuition pushed me to take the plunge, but I did.

I ended up expressing my interest to join in as a Guest Author to P365!

So, I had filled in June, July, December, all three of them being my summer/winter break months, and the reason to join, came in the flow, of typing, of course.

My thought process was to take up a Project, a team work, being a teacher (usually my students did Projects, for a change, I would), for the entire experience to enrich my blogging journey, and to work in collaboration with some friends, known, unknown, expanding my social circle, and above all, exploring my horizon, to weave words, Magically.

I went through the monthly prompts, after filling in the form, rather than before it, would you believe? :o

January 10, the submissions closed, yes! :D

And, there was a welcome change.

The 'About' Page on their blog.

And, a change in the header too...

~~~

The same day, I found an acknowledgment in my mail.

~~~

January 16, the Facebook Profile Links were gathered, to form a 'Secret' Group...

January 19, I sent something to the Core Team...

"Dear Core Team - Jairam, Rekha, Sakshi & Sid,

Going by the 'About Us' page on the blog, here's what I'd like my 'About' to look like..."

What is now, the 'Get To Know Me Closely' page on the blog.

~~~

Republic Day 2014, was when this greeted me, formally.

Post by Project 365 - A post a day.

We'd also got this awesome Author's Badge to display on our respective blogs...

I was pleasantly surprised when the font of the badge's "I'm A Proud" was Magically, same as my blog's default font! :D

January 2014 was entirely Core Team's. All of Guest Authors were to start with our respective months, from February onward.

~~~

In due course of time, we were presented with such aesthetic headers, and an Yearbook imagery too...

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Magical Nostalgia! :)

And, what was even more magical, was a wish...

On my Birthday...

~~~

Now, when I look back, on all those pleasant memories, it brings a smile on my face.

Magically.

From ear to ear. ^_^

~~~

What's the most magical aspect been for me, in our dear Project?

That with the flow on ink in the virtual pen, or the with the tapping of keys on this keyboard of mine...

I have penned a total of Twenty Five Posts for Project 365...

A fact even I'm marveling at!

This was the First...

February 7, 2014.

Do You Care To Transform With Healthcare Reforms?

And, this, which is being penned now, is the Twenty Fifth...

December 30, 2014.

I Believe In Magic...

~~~

I begun authoring my Month, December...

Yes, December.

P365 has been a roller-coaster ride too.

There had been a few fall-outs, from other team mates, from the Project, some ignorance towards the later Open Prompts from my side, some - MANY - adjustments in schedules, all taken in stride, and finally Yours Truly, who was at first, to guest author for November, authored for December instead, at the end of it all.

~~~

Amid all these experiences, I've had the most special milestones of my Blog to owe to Project Three Six Five...

1.  I've submitted Twenty Posts out of Twenty Five, to IndiBlogger, till date.
   All Twenty Have Been IndiStars...
2. Until Then It's Happily Ever After! - My Second Post for this endeavor - weaved Magic - MAGIC with my Readers.
   It is the ONLY post from Yours Truly to have gathered 103 hearts on IB and the only one to have touched that sweet three digit figure.
3. Standing 'Against' It When I Wanted To Stand 'For' It! - My Fifth Post - went on to be the FIRST post to be featured by India Opines.
4. Entrapped By The Chakravyuh and Because, Charity Begins At Home had been two consecutive WOW posts for BlogAdda, to acquire the badge, in April 2014.
5. I've become fluent with penning Acrostics (expanding each letter of a word in prose), thanks to this wonderful opportunity...
6. I've penned the post closest to my heart till date - My Third Post for Project 365 - Not There, For Heaven's Sake - for my Mother.
7. I've penned the most humorous and the cutest post, from my Personal Life, in my opinion, for Project 365.
   The Perfect Comeback - My Eighteenth Post...
8. Stepping Into _ _ _ _ _ _'s Feet... - My pet ended up making a guest appearance, all for Project 365.
   My Fourth Post.
9. I ended up trying a new form of Poetry, for P365.
   I was Going Limerick-y! in my Fourteenth Post.
10. I even re-did an old post - a Fiction written in December 2013 - to suit an Open Prompt at Three Six Five.
    The Mysterious Look - Not A Mystery Anymore! was my Eighth Post.
11. The New School - My Twenty Fourth post, was a collaborative post, with three other team - mates, as it presented me with a task of a magnanimous scale...

~~~

I've penned five posts as a Guest Author to P365, formally.

Twenty posts have been responses to Open Prompts...

These five, make the total count, a Silver Jubilee... ^_^

Tis' The Time To Holiday...

Of Qualities, To Like Or To Dislike...

I Was Here...

The New School...

I Believe In Magic...

~~~

While I wind up this post, and my Magical association with Project 365, I'd like to leave you with...

The Wall of Champs which greeted me this morn, and the Core Team, wonderfully forms a magically strong foundation for it... :)

Yes, of course, it has been a festive time, for all of us at Project 365...

Of Christmas, joy and bliss...

We've made amends, among ourselves and to Project 365 at large.

At least I have, by making up for missing those Open Prompts...

We've tied the loose ends, by successfully achieving what we set out to...

Project365 stands accomplished, Team! :D

We've together finished off, what we together begun...

Project 365 has been completed, and done with.

The association, the friendship, and a better Writer, within our respective selves, remain.

As I bid adieu to Project 365, I would like to hope and pray for a Healthy, Joyous and Blissful New Year 2015, for all...

For all my Team Mates and Co-Authors, at P365, as well for all my Readers... :)

~~~

As far as the Prompt for the day goes...

I have been transformed into a mystical being, who is now an Excellent Magician with her words, thanks to this Project.

My new abilities?

I've explored the extent of how far my writing prowess can expand itself...

I've turned out an enriched person, with all those experiences, and memories, to make me a better Blogger, on the outlook...

How will I use my new skills?

Well, you never know...

Project 365, Season 2, maybe?

What Say, Core Team? ^_^

Because, I Believe In... 

Memories And Associations, New Found...

Ample Opportunities Which All Surround...

Grateful For Each One To Come My Way...

Instilling A Certain Fulfillment, Everyday...

Calling For Project 365 Two Again Are We?

~~~

This post is a part of the WordPress Daily Prompts : 365 Writing Prompts program where the aim is to post at least one post a day based on the day's prompt.

December is the month when I officially Guest Author for Project 365, in partnership with Jaibala and Vinay, for our respective Guest Authoring Prompts, chosen beforehand.

The Prompt is, I Believe In Magic - 'You have been transformed into a mystical being who has  the ability to do magic. Share your new abilities in detail. How will you use your new skills?'

This is my Twenty Fifth Post as a guest author to Project 365 : We Post Daily!

Of Vacations And Teddy...

I have one Daughter.
But, I have two Kids.

Say what?!

Yes, you heard that right.

The two kids at my place, are my Husband and my Daughter.

Why do I say, that my Husband is a kid?

Not just a kid, my Husband is even more kiddish than my Daughter.

And that kiddish behavior magnifies in its existence, the time we decide to go, for a Vacation...

More than annoying me, both my Kids' kiddish behavior, leads us to discovering something new, not just once, but many times over, during a single trip.

This post is going to list some such instances of somewhat kiddish behavior, which have made my vacations, more memorable than I had expected them to be, in the first place...

Such instances have added dollops of 'Magic' to my Travelogues.

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My daughter's curiosity, coupled with my husband's fetish to click pictures, has given my Vacations a certain 'magical' touch.

Take, for instance...

These snaps from our Vacation to the Andamans...

We had befriended a Mollusk who was busy catching hold of its intruder...

While it attempted to catch hold of Mister's hand, in vain, I sure caught hold of a picture - a unique Black shell and its inhabitant, intact! :D

This one is from our Cottage at the Sea Shell Resort. The property there, had a private beach.

Hubby and Daughter went off, for a quick morning walk.

The canine friend, they brought back, tagging along, was a pleasant surprise! :)

He refused to leave the Sitting Area outside the cottage, as we found him, sitting outside still, even in the evening!

The next morning, it had made its way back to the beach...

This one, again, is from our Cottage.

Mister had decided to re-launch the revamped Chipko Movement.

Seen here, he is 'hugging' the palm right outside the cottage...

See the expression?

I Am NOT Going To Leave This Palm, At Any Cost!

Kiddish, yet memorable...

This is the most unique picture, we've managed to acquire, over ALL our vacations.
Can you guess, what it is?

These are White Crab's Dens.
These are  dug up places, or should I say geometric patterns?
White Crabs live in the white sand, spread across the Radhanagar Beach on the Havelock Island.
This was the Daughter's discovery, the Husband's click, and my joy!

~~~

On a serious note, I concur with the following ideology...

"The more that you Read, the more things you will Know.
The more that you Learn, the more places you'll Go."

~~~

I still remember our vacation to Kanyakumari, clearly.
The daughter was nine, at that time.

The way she'd jumped with joy, on witnessing the 'meeting point' of the three bodies of water in India, is indescribable.

It was the first time when she'd visited a 'place of significance', that is, according to her Geography book.

They'd been repeatedly asked as a routine 'Fill In The Blank' question...

_______ is the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent, also the meeting point of the three water bodies in India.

A similar expression was captured in my lens, when we'd visited the caves of Ajanta and Ellora, and she'd been cross-checking what all she had learnt in her History course, at that time.

Countless have been such knowledge-imparting experiences.

~~~

From then on, we've covered almost the entire country, summarized in numerous travelogues, over the years, and the 'Magic' in our Vacations has been that point in time, when my Daughter learnt something new,

It has been magical to bring back home, some learning experiences from our 'Teddy Travelogues', every time.

The Teddy being my Daughter, of course. :)

~~~

As far as the question - 'How do I ensure that my Daughter has the best of times during her Vacation?' - is concerned, I have been abiding by the following ideology so far, and will even continue to do so.

Do NOT force your kids to tag along, to ALL the places you've listed in your itinerary.

If they don't feel like going along to a certain place, just let them be.

I still remember our trip to Goa.
The daughter was seven, at that time.

We had been staying at Cidade De Goa.
She'd refused to go along, to three beaches, all in a day.
The plan was for the third day of our trip.

Then, we discovered Cidade's 'Kiddies Room'.
And, that was her gateway to Paradise.

On the second day of our five-day long stay, we visited the 'Kiddies Room' in the evening.
The caretaker there, was a college-going girl in her early twenties.

She played for two hours with my daughter, telling her stories, role-playing 'Teacher-Student', and solving some jigsaws.

The Kiddies Room became my daughter's favorite place, thereafter!
She longs to go back and visit the Kiddies Room, again! :)

Meanwhile, we decided to tweak our itinerary to visit one Church, and two beaches instead, and the plan for the next day was made.

The third beach was shifted to the last day, instead.
Everyone was happy! :)

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Waiting to hear from you too, about some of your kid's 'Teddy Travelogues'...
Feel free to express yourself in the Comments Section. :)

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This post has been written as a part of Indi Happy Hours' #TravelWithKids in association with Club Mahindra and IndiBlogger.