Saturday, March 19, 2011

Enrich your life


An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'


1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health. 
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and un-clutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12 Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13.. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a spiritually enlightening book with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life..
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Jesus.'
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can.)
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.
'If God is for us, who can be against us?'
(Romans  8:31)

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Bloody Triangle - A short suspense thriller


Dear Friends, I have written many stories in Tamil.  But for the first time I have written a Short Story "Bloody Triangle" - a suspense thriller for E-Magazine "Mind Tree" - March 2011 edition.  Editor of this Magazine is Shri Vijayan Balakrishnan.  You can have a copy of Mind Tree by writing to email ID : vijayanbee@gmail.com which is free and you will love it.
Now over to

Bloody triangle

I could not believe my own eyes when I saw him after many years. He looked weary and had a beard which may be few months old. His eyes looked pale and his face resembled a dead man’s……… expressionless.

Observing him closely, I sat in my chair still wondering what made him look like this.

He looked at me as if he has never seen me in the past.

I started the conversation  “How are you ?!!!”

Without answering my question, he handed me an envelope. His face was still expressionless.

I took the envelope and opened it to find “a two page letter”…. no…  “a complaint”  or …. “a self confession ?!!!”.

Even after more than ten years of service in Police department, my hands were trembling while reading the letter.  A chill went through my spine.

I could scarcely believe that he has cold bloodedly murdered his Wife.


 *****



Dolly was in a jubilant mood. She was waiting for Johny, her husband.  It was her birthday and he had promised her  a big surprise. 

She looked through the window.  It was raining heavily outside.  She cursed the rain. Though she knew her birthday falls in August, and hence, generally there will be rain during the whole month. 

She could not guess what surprise he was going to unveil. She had known her husband very well - a very hard man to predict.  He always does what others will not even think and imagine.  Different.  Always different.  Hence, she dropped the idea of guessing what he was going to do.

Suddenly a thunder exploded in the sky.  She felt a shiver.  She, then, decided to call him and ask him where he was.  She went near the telephone.  The moment she touched the phone, it started ringing. She jerked again and took back her hand from the telephone and looked at it again doubtfully.  She thought it must be her husband.

She took the telephone

“Hullo”

………………………..

She could not believe what was told to her.

“Are you sure ?”

……………………..

Her voice trembled, she felt dropping down.  She held the receiver tightly. At last she screamed,

“Noooooooooooooooooooooo…..”

Her scream surpassed even the loud thunder exploded in the sky again.

*****

It was the first day of the New year.

“Will you marry me ? ” he  asked her looking into her eyes.

She definitely did not expect that. Her expression told it all.

“I…. I…., ”  she was searching for words.  

He said,  “Don’t bother.  Take your own time.  I will wait”

She heaved a sigh of  relief .

“That’s fine,”  she said.

They talked for about ten minutes.  If you possibly ask them what they were taking those ten minutes, well, they really might not know.

*****

She took her dairy and started scribbling.

“The 30 days we spent together were awesome”  It is bit a long honeymoon she thought. 

She prayed looking towards the sky as if the happiness she experienced in those thirty days should never end. 

She turned the first page of her honey moon episode.  She read it again…. and again….  Her face became red.  She thought… “It is too elaborate”.

*****

He did not understand what to do.  It was a horrible shock of his life.  He did not expect this to happen in his life. He could not tolerate what was seen by him. 

“No…. I will not accept this….. I won’t tolerate this.  I will take revenge…. Definitely I will take  revenge….” he said to himself.

“What to do….. what to do…..” he was scratching his head.  “Some thing needs to be done…..”

A horribly terrible idea came into his mind. He thought,  “That would be befitting”.

He smiled cruelly.

*****

It was difficult for him to hide his delight.  He had known that she loved him.  He was expecting positive news from her.

“Thank you very much….” he said.

“No. I should thank you,” she said. “I too was  in love with you, but I was hesitant to tell you”

“Whatever….,”  he said… “Let us celebrate this day”.


*****

He was very glad to receive the Invitation Card from him.  He said  “at last you are marrying buddy”.

He said “Yes”

He said “she must be the luckiest girl in the world… because marrying a man like you with clean habits..”

“Thanks, ” he said shook his hands and went out of his cabin.

When he opened and looked into the Invitation Card he felt a shock of his life.

*****

When he entered the surroundings of the house it was mid night. The liquor he had an hour before gave him an unusual sense of strength.  He carefully went behind the house and observed everything. 

“Cool” he thought.  He heard a faint barking sound of a dog in the distance.  

He climbed the window  and reached the terrace with the precision of a thief.  He had a small bag behind his back.

It took only few minutes to unlock the door.  Without making even a small sound he entered in to the room.

He fished something out of that bag again which …. he thought should be sufficient…. more than sufficient…..

He looked at the bed where she was sleeping peacefully.

He slowly went near her.

He heard the faint barking sound of a dog again.  But she did not wake up

*****

She thought about the past two years.  She thought that the first year was good which she enjoyed every moment of it.  She even thought she will not be able to live without him.  Soon after she noticed few changes in him  which made her to think a lot.  She could not believe whether he can be like that ?  He made lot of money.  He lied a lot.  When she asked about it, he simply ignored her.

“Is he a good or a bad person ?”  she thought. She could not come to a conclusion.  She thought, it is difficult to predict him.  Sometimes he is so good. Some times he behaves just opposite.  At times she thought he is the cruelest man she has ever met.  The incidents which she heard about him made her think so.

She thought…. “It is his profession…..but…. not…..this much cruelty”.

After much thinking she came to that conclusion… which …..she at that time did not know will cost her life.

*****
When she got up in the morning she felt the shock of her life.  She felt still there was some heaviness in her head.  Her body pained like hell. She could not understand what happened to her.  She tried hard to remember what happened last night.  All she could gather was his smell all over her.  She experienced this smell for at least two years in her life. 

At last she thought… “He is the cruelest man she ever met”.

She started crying….and she hated him….she thought she would never meet him in her life again.

*****

Please do not read my Diary”  This was the phrase written in the first page of her dairy which made him  read the whole dairy.

No sooner he finished reading than he became violent. 

He could not believe that his wife could do this to him.  “She should have told me”.  he thought. 

He could not hide his anger.  “She loved his friend and made romance with him for two years and cheated him and married me”  he was restless.

*****

When she returned home she was shocked to see him reading her dairy.  She felt a shiver.  She wondered as to how he had got it ?...

Looking at his anger, she knew this would be the time to disclose everything to him.

She went near him but did not notice the heavy iron rod he had in his hand.

*****
Visibly shocked, I looked at his face which was expressionless. 

I told him “No buddy.  That wasn’t my fault.  Whatever you have written in the letter is not true.  Your wife misguided you or you have mistaken”

He gave me an old Diary.

I took the dairy.  I tried my level best to hide my shivering.. but failed.  I opened the dairy…. looked into it.  I could recognize her beautiful handwriting. Her face came before me.  After going through few sentences.. I could understand… she has written everything…. even a small thing….. crap….what a bad habit…”

For the first time, he opened his mouth,

“Johny… you should not have done this to my wife.  She loved you very much but you cheated her.  She took the right decision of not marrying you.  You are the cruelest man.  You had many encounters in your life, you killed many….you did not bother to find out weather they are good or bad. You did all for money…. Even last week there was a Lockup death in your station.  This may be a part of your profession.  But you should not have done this to her….my wife….”

“No… listen…. listen…she only cheated me.  I too loved her but she refused marry me after two years”

“Sorry…. You have to pay for this…you are a liability for this earth.  If I leave you now…you will repeat the same things you were doing…..”
  
Having said this he got up slowly took out a sharp knife, before I could act or  my Police Constable who was watching us curiously could act …. he inserted the knife into my heart. That dagger knew exactly where my heart was.  I felt…..the pain…..anger…..anguish…..felt losing consciousness….my wife came to my mind….. today….her birthday….I promised …..her…. something…..different…..  but….

I…. I…… looked at him…….for the last time…… his face was still expressionless.

The end.


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Bananaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!


After Reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!
 

Bananas Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
 

Depression:
 
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS:
 
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia:
 
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:
 
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
 
200 students at a Twickenham school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
 
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
 
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
 
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
 
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
 
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.


Nerves:
 
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.


Overweight and at work?
 
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.


Ulcers:
 
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
 
Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.


Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
 
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking:
 
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
 
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
 
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"
 

Friday, February 18, 2011

ENTHIRAN : BOX OFFICE COLLECTION (Courtesy: Wikipedia)


THE FINAL BOX OFFICE COLLECTION OF ENTHIRAN IS GIVEN BELOW:

Enthiran grossed Indian Rupee ₹62 crore from all versions in the first weekend,[78][79] and Indian Rupee ₹117 crore in the first week, thus becoming the first Indian film to cross this mark in a week.[80][80] The film netted Indian Rupee ₹60 crore in Tamil NaduIndian Rupee ₹30 crore in Andhra PradeshIndian Rupee ₹8 crore in Kerala[81] and Indian Rupee ₹4 crore inKarnataka.[80] In Chennai alone, Enthiran grossed a record Indian Rupee ₹6.3 crore in ten days.[82][83] During the first week, the film's Tamil and Telugu versions fared exceptionally well, while the business of the Hindi version (Robot) remained ordinary,[84] and did not make much impact as Enthiran with around Indian Rupee ₹11.3 crore nett business in the first week[85] and Indian Rupee ₹5.9 crore in the second week.[86] The film did a bit better at select single screens in Maharashtra but overall poor, especially in the regions of Delhi and Punjab.[87][88] In the first week, Robot netted Indian Rupee ₹2.4 crore in Mumbai and Thanefrom 107 screens, Indian Rupee ₹96 lakh in Delhi from 27 screens, and Indian Rupee ₹56 lakh in Ahmedabad from 28 screens. In the second weekend, Robot netted Indian Rupee ₹3.2 crore.[89] The Telugu version Robo grossed Indian Rupee ₹3.7 crore as share in Nizam in three days[90][91][92]
In MalaysiaEnthiran grossed $1 million in the first weekend from 80 screens[93][94] and $2.9 million in two weeks.[95] In the United Arab EmiratesEnthiran grossed $301,000 in the first weekend while Robot grossed $86,000.[96] In the United KingdomEnthiran was released by Ayngaran International while Robot was released by B4U Network.[97] In the first weekend, Endhiran opened at 11th position in the UK collecting £295,148 from 30 screens whileRobot opened at 21st position collecting £62,134 from 41 screens.[98] Enthiran had accumulated $785,837 by the second weekend from 34 screens in the UK.[99] Enthiran opened at 12th position in the US in its opening weekend collecting $1,520,108 from 64 screens, while Robodebuted at 17th position in its opening weekend collecting $481,680 from 36 screens and Robot at 34th position in its opening weekend collecting $164,390 from 39 screens.[100][101][102] In Sri Lanka, the film lost its sheen at the box office as the audience found it "outlandish".[103][104] According to Eros InternationalEnthiran had grossed Indian Rupee ₹61 crore overseas—including Indian Rupee ₹20 crore in the United States, Indian Rupee ₹8 crore across Europe, Indian Rupee ₹7 crore in the Middle East, and Indian Rupee ₹21 crore in South East Asia.[105] The film is likely to be amongst the top five grossing Indian films in overseas markets.[106] In Singapore, the film grossed S$2.5 million from 22 screens.[107] In february first week Sun Pictures said that the budget of the movie was Rs.132 Crore but its worldwide gross amount was Rs.375 Crore and it has beaten 3 Idiots record of Rs.339.48 Crore. Endhiran is now the bigest hit in Indian cinema.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

An ideal manager


This is a powerful message in our modern society. We seemed to have lost our bearing & our sense of direction.  One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.  He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth’s academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score. The director asked, “Did you obtain any scholarships in school?” the youth answered “none”.

The director asked, ” Was it your father who paid for your school fees?” The youth answered, “My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees. The director asked, ” Where did your mother work?” The youth answered, “My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect. The director asked, ” Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?” The youth answered, “Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me. The director said, “I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother’s hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.*

The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his mother’s hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother’s hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water. This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother’s hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director’s office. The Director noticed the tears in the youth’s eyes, asked: ” Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?” The youth answered, ” I cleaned my mother’s hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes’ The Director asked, ” please tell me your feelings.”
  
The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.

The director said, ” This is what I am looking for to be my manager.
I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company’s performance improved tremendously.

A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop “entitlement mentality” and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent’s efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?*

You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.

Monday, January 24, 2011

GREAT THOUGHTS/PHILOSOPHIZES BY YOGIRAJ VETHATHIRI MAHARISHI


Yogiraj Vethathiri Maharishi needs no introduction.  However, if he is new for you, you can visit the following sites for knowledge.


Here in this section, I have given certain thoughts of the Maharishi which are great.  Certain points you have to go through again and again till you understand.  Enjoy.


" When you do meditation, you get God consciousness and undisturbed peace in you. That will be added as a plus point to your material benefits also "

“Man has to understand the value of himself, the purpose of birth and has to develop his consciousness to fulfill the purpose "

“Consciousness is the radical universal principle "

“Gnana Yoga (SKY) is the process of throwing light on the souls to guide them in reaching their goal quickly without unnecessary delay. This is possible by attaining the full understanding of Truth, Universe, Life and Knowledge

“The benefits of Nature are all over the Universe but the secrets of Nature are only within your own Mind. Go in and in to get more and more

“Desires of experiencing God through senses will never be successful. By developing your Consciousness you have to become God yourself

“The art of tolerating the needs, regulating the habits and making better use of the environments for the harmony of self and others is Morality” 

“When man realize himself, he realizes the value of everybody. So to respect the needs and ambitions of others and to restrict and moralize one's own activities become possible” 

“There is no problem in the Nature, only the problem is in the Mind. The principal goals of introspection are examining yourself and finding out "What You are?"

“The one and only valid test for a person's wisdom is the peace and harmony prevailing in his family "

“The three main ways in which man wastes his energy are Greed, Anger and Worry 

“Man's needs and achievements must be compatible to and in accordance with the purpose of his birth” 

“To speak or act in a manner which will wound the feelings of one's life-partner is really a curse that will leave an indelible on the human mind

“Revelation of the realities of Nature or enlightenment of Consciousness is not by any effort. Effort means conditioning

“Awareness is a higher stage of knowledge in its evolutionary progress towards wisdom


“We are not separate in the World; We are linked by the universal force which is called Universal Consciousness

‘Yoga’ is leading one’s life in tune with Nature, respecting the Law of Nature, without disturbing the rhythm of Nature.

“No success overcomes on its own. Behind every success there are untold stories of trials, failures, losses, humiliations and miseries.

“Understand this: “Whatever action you do, the result is the manifestation of God.” 

“Being harsh to children is only a symptom of your spiritual immaturity

“One’s life partner, one’s child, one’s friend and one’s master – all are the outcome of one’s Karmas, both inherited and added after birth.

“A proper spiritual approach for changing the behaviour of man and establishing World Peace is Karma Yoga” 

“You cannot see the Absolute with your eyes or touch it with your hands. But you can see its functioning.

“Using violence against violence carefully in inevitable circumstance is non-violence” 

“No one can take away from you what Providence has allotted for you” 

“The husband-wife relationship is divine; no other can equal it in its depth and intensity, because only in this relationship the union of souls occur

“Vegetarianism is the only way of life based on the observance of non-violence. Non-violence is a method of living without hurting, torturing or killing any living being for one's own enjoyment

“Do not comment on the activities of others, even if it be your life-partner or children. Guiding them is one thing, but criticizing them would have a negative effect

“When you do meditation, you get God consciousness and undisturbed peace in you. That will be added as a plus point to your material benefits also

“Giving up and giving up whatever is not wanted whether it is men, material, action or enjoyment is the method of purification and enlightenment”