Distance Education is a boon to the working adults who are keen to learn and grow professionally. The only disadvantage is that it eats up our weekends – classes, exams, assignments, workshops…… the list is never-ending. The most coveted weekend goes for a toss. But it is worth the sacrifice.

The rain brought an unusual visitor home – a skink. I had never once seen such a visitor before. Thanks to the rain gods! It took a while for us to know what it was. We thought it was a huge lizard with a tail. But the movement and the way it lay curled under the table, under the bed, behind the cupboard led us to understand that it belonged to the reptilian family. Two days of battle, one sleepless night, and finally, the maid nailed it down -she crushed it and threw it out of the balcony. The poor skink met its end.

When we are still angry with someone with regard to some event in the past, it shows that we have not healed from inside. We stick to the past as that is convenient for us. We find a sadistic pleasure in that past event.

news these days are not facts and figures – it is about placing the facts and figures in the way it generates interest. A half- truth placed as headlines – followed by question …. piques the readers interest. comment by leader/celebrities are placed next to the headlines …… to garner the readers attention.

The content – below the headlines – repetitive and biased. This happens …. increase in supply of newspaper, e-newspapers – lower the quality – the real news gets diluted.

You would have read about the PTM experiences of parents.How have you ever wondered – how difficult is it for the teachers? Being on the other side of the table during PTM is not easy. Issuing a report card and talking the same content to the parents in an elaborate manner; making parents accept the reality of their ward – is a tight walk.

Parent come with all kinds of expectations towards us and towards their wards, with their disappointment towards us and towards their wards – not an easy situation to handle. Deciphering their mood swings,guiding conversations, putting them at ease, trying to negotiate unexpectable demands, building optimism about their child’s capabilities – are not easy – definitely not easy. Do we get appreciated for this act, not once every term.

Korean drama trend quite often in streaming app. Why are they getting popular? There are fan clubs for Korean dramas in Chennai. Why do so many of us follow these pages in Facebook?

There are a lot of things these dramas can be admired for.

• The genre : The drama is clearly categorized historical fiction, romance, comedy, thriller, melodrama, romance thriller, romance comedy. They don’t deviate after first few episodes which we generally see in Indian soap-operas.
• Excellent actors – starting from the main lead down to actors doing menial roles – do really work hard for their characters/ role and this is evident to us an audience.
• Cinematography – whether it is time- travel like Tunnel, Life on Mars,Legend of the Blue, Vincenzo – each location are beautifully captured.
• OST – original ! truly Original Sound Track, love them – the OST of Healer or Sky castle keeps ringing in our ears – not days, not months…. but years after watching them. It’s time our Indian teleserial makers learn lessons from the K-drama makers.

Come Navaratri, each part of India lits up ! Bengal – Durga Ma Pandals; South India with Kolus, Sundals. The beauty of India lies in its distinct flavors and vibrant colors.

That leads me to think about how there is a similarity between the sequential climatic conditions in India that match our dress colors and food colors. A change of season brings festivity in India :

Jan – Harvest Festivals

Sept- Ganesh Festivals

Oct-Nov – Navaratri ;

and festivity brings changes in food, changes in outfit and changes in colors. Unlike few others countries in the world, where festivities are limited, food options are limited. Their dining table never looks delicious, color and aromatic like ours – and their dress – definitely similar – few shades of dark colors like their sky, perhaps!

I love my cream biscuits in my 40s just as I loved it in my childhood. Crunchy biscuits held together by a dollop of cream – is fascinating now, even as it was fascinating them. They joy of splitting the crunchy-munchy biscuits, licking the cream and handing over the empty biscuits put together to my mother and making her frown was a favorite past time of mine when I was young. Nibling the corners of the biscuit and eating the center as it shrunk in size was another.

It’s these little joys and the memories associated with it that makes our lives interesting.