Around mid-July Mumbai and Maharashtra faced severe riots when a major political party went on the rampage over the desecration of a statue.

This time several Dalit organizations went on a rampage against the vandalism of Dalit leader B R Ambedkar’s statue in Kanpur. (Report by IBNLive)

This is even stranger than the first incident because Kanpur isn’t even in Maharashtra!

I condemn any such vandalism but I really don’t understand what these mobs gained by going on the rampage.

As far as I can see it we have three dead persons and crores of rupees lost (read burnt) due to these riots.

The mobs have inconvenienced hundreds, if not thousands of innocent civilians. Roads were closed, buses and trains burnt.

And later, we will have these same people complaining that the buses are too crowded and trains don’t come on time. How can it, when you just burnt some of them down!

And now, Dalit organizations are calling for a bandh. First damage a good portion, then bring the city to a standstill. Result is even more losses for the “city that never sleeps”!

Maybe I am getting unnecessarily agitated. Or maybe I just wonder understand the sheer mass foolishness of the mob. Do you?

I don’t know if I have to wonder or laugh at many people in college who thought that writing a blog was stupid.

Many of these characters even used to spam the blog, without even realizing that every time they post a comment, they can be tracked!

And today as I look I see a lot of these so called persons turning to blogspot to write tiny little journals, making their entry into the blogging world.

So has blogging got them hooked? What do they think about others blogging?

I have always been way ahead of the pack, having started blogging two and a half years back.

I doubt anyone of them would ever see this post and realize that “hey, maybe we should learn, instead of criticize others”

Everything I need to know about Life, I learned from Noah’s Ark

1. Don’t miss the boat
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat
3. Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark
4. Stay fit. When you are 600yrs old, someone may ask you to do something really big!
5. Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done
6. Build your future on high ground
7. For safety’s sake, travel in pairs
8. Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs
9. When you’re stressed, float a while
10. Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
11. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting.

Also received a powerpoint point presentation of the same. Download and share it with your near and dear ones

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 unclutter 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 Bible 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)

My Valentine

He gave his heart to His valentine

“He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds”. (Psalm 147:3)

Levlyn was a very proud youth. He loved his heart and cherished over its goodness. Once Jesus appeared to Levlyn and asked him, “Levlyn will you give your heart to me?”

Levlyn very coolly replied, “I don’t want to give my heart to anyone”.

His friends visited him and asked, “Levlyn will you give a place to us in your heart. He said, “Sorry, I can not give any place to anyone in my heart”.

Then his teacher came. He asked Levlyn, “Will you give your heart to the music I teach, you will surely become a great musician”. Levlyn was unwilling. The teacher went away with a sad face.

A beautiful girl named Shiny happened to meet him. She asked him, ” Will you give me your heart?” Levlyn was fighting with his thoughts. Then atlast with a smiling face he said, “Shiny my heart is only for you. You own my heart.” Shiny was very happy. She played with his heart as she liked. She was so careless that the heart fell down and was broken to pieces. Levlyn was shattered. He was all alone in a pitiful state.

Jesus once again appeared to Levlyn and asked, “Levlyn, atleast now will you give your heart to me?” Levlyn could not control his tears. He felt unworthy. He said, “Lord my heart is broken, it is of no value now.” But Jesus Christ took the broken pieces and joined together and healed his heart. Levlyn surrendered his heart to the most lovable person , his Valentine Jesus.

Source: PRAYER TOWER ONLINE

With 2005 just completed, as usual I sit down and evaluate how the past year was for me.

Began 2005 on a rather bad note with the sad demise of U. Colin.

2nd of Jan marked a really important day of my life when I met up with my beloved Madam C and on 4th of Jan I attended my first prayer meeting at Mt. Carmel’s.

The rest of Jan was rather uneventful. So was Feb except for me being appointed as Admin @ CFH and the Prayer Group Picnic.

Early April I hit the WordPress scene with my first WordPress Hack.

On the religious front, April saw a new Pope and my first retreat.
Additionally had begun April on a good note by being appointed as Management Trainee.

May saw me visiting Lonavala once again for a training session. Ended up falling ill over there!
Ended May by having a great time at our choir picnic.
It also saw me releasing my first plugin for WordPress.

And I followed this up with my second plugin in mid-June.

June also saw the release of the now highly popular Connections Reloaded theme. As of today the theme has been downloaded over 1800 times!

Ended June by being the runner-up at Mesopia (now Netbunch) which ensured that my two years of hosting has been taken care off

Began July on a happy note with my confirmation.
End July also saw the first ever massive floods in Mumbai. Fortunately, I wasn’t very much affected by them.

Celebrated my birthday in August and got a lovely present from Melody.

Gifted myself yet another fabulous birthday present in the form of the sexy Nokia 6681.

September was yet another picnic when I went with Melody, Elvis and Delilah to Khandala.

Began October with a visit to Pune on official work. Well it was one hell of an experience!

And I also officially launched my all computer blog on WordPress.com

November was rather uneventful except for small celebrations of my Mother’s and brother’s birthdays. On the work front both October and November were highly hectic.

December was more laidback and I also spent a good deal of it partying with the Goan Association gettogether, the Christmas dance and the New year celebrations, besides a lot of outings, dinners and movies!

Overall I think this year was pretty good. Except for a few frustrating moments and times when things didn’t work out, I have done a lot.

Work has been tiring but I have learnt and established a good deal. On the personal front I know I have grown in many ways. I have made many more friends but lost a few .

On the social front I have been overactive! Have definitely improved my dancing skills as well.

W.r.t. my site work, I have really progressed a lot. Have gotten very famous, though unfortunately I end the year with a second rank on Google. However, the visitors of my site have increased and so has my traffic rankings (broken into the top 700000 websites).

Ok, and this post has gotten long enough. I’ve just tried to list down the main events, but then minutely going through my blog definitely tells a lot of stories

I have always believed in this and many a times preached this. And as usual at times I tend to stop practicing what I preach.

Have been telling my pals lately that my work life and personal life always work in antithesis. If my work is good my personal life is a mess and vice versa.

I have been rather irritated lately over trifles.
And at such times I have noticed that in rather unseen ways I am told to take a chill pill!

Yesterday on my way home in one of my boss’ car, he brought up the topic on Positive Thinking and how it really helps. In a course he attended, the speaker had given many examples on how positive thinking actually helped people recover from sicknesses.

He points out two methods. One is waking up every morning, looking at yourself in the mirror and saying that you are the best (I know I overdo this) and that your day is going to go great!

Another method is called visualization. Here you write out your goal and keep it in front of you always. With it staring at your face, you tend to talk about it and slowly but surely automatically work towards it.

Well, like I said, I know I tend to overdo the “I’m the best”. No wonder my dad calls me an “I” Specialist. And my friends get really really irritated. Well, sometimes I just don’t care because at the end of the day I owe a good deal of my success to the way I have thought and the grace of God. And I never brag about what I haven’t already done.

Coming back on topic. I believe it is very much true you determine your lifestyle. And a key point is the way you think.

Begin each day on a positive note. Don’t let trivial things ruin it for you. Welcome change positively and you will realize that even the road of thorns is a comfortable walk!

Just my words of wisdom as I begin this day!

There’s 15 days for Christmas and I am sure while many have already decided what they will do, there may be many others who are still deciding!

I’ve fallen perfectly into the latter. Have quite a few options, though I just am not sure which option to follow.

For the past four years I have been spending Christmas and New Year with my choir. It has usually be low key affairs with private parties held at someone’s house. I never had a date nor did I know how to dance hence the rule-out of popular places like Willingdon or Bandra Gym.

Times have changed and now I do know how to dance (a bit). And I thought I had a date, but I don’t think I will be able to spend the days with Madam C. (don’t anyone raise a finger at me!)

So now it will most probably be choir. Though, Melody made me a very tempting offer of Catholic Gym. Though, I am totally clueless of the days.

Another thing to worry about is that I can’t be so zonked that I can’t make it to work!

Anyway, moving away from me, what are you doing this Holiday Season? Do comment and let me know

Came home really frustrated from work today. Not frustrated with what I do but with how much I am supposed to do.

I don’t think I can call it frustration. I guess it is just plain exhaustion. Anyway, I’m blabbering…

As I reached home my eyes fell upon Words of Hope Daily Reflections booklet for April, May and June 2005. Simply flicked it open and read this for April 4

The reflection is the passage from Genesis 3:17-19.

This really has lightened my spirits. I’m still tensed however as Genesis 3:19 says,

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

And here is the prayer from the April 4th entry.

Prayer: Lord, give us the courage to work, even in the face of difficulty.

Had posted about C|Net’s article on why blogging is bad for your career.

Found this link, which tells you just the opposite.

Final judge, jury and executioner will have to be your company