Death : Rest In Peace (Purgatory or Paradise)

Death is simple but the process is compound  and the reasons complex. We don't leave the dead to rest in peace and so feelings like pity, anger, avenge, revenge, injustice, sadness, depression, etc. take root.

Some people have forgotten the difference between remembering the dead and blaming someone for it. 

They take pride or pleasure or whatever it is in blaming someone every year for decades and centuries.

They fuel the rage and microwave the frozen feelings. 

Some people focus way too much on why rather than who and what-to-do to make a change so that it doesn't happen again in future. 

Who died in 2 world wars, situations prior to it and countless other wars and terrorist attacks after, suicides, emergencies, massacres, genocides, homicides, assassinations and all forms of destruction of lives of forests and other living beings? What are we doing next? 

- Roseann Doris Viegas

FAITH

My friend once told me that if she would have a daughter, she would name her 'Faith'. She further explained to me why she would choose it and one obvious reason was because it sounded beautiful to her.  It was a phone conversation, so she probably just heard my reactions and response; although I barely remember what I thought or said at the time, I hope that whatever I spoke to her was good.

As you practice counting your blessings, you will find that your faith is being suddenly revitalized. – Robert Schuller

As my general thought, "faith" is an Abstract Noun and it means belief, trust, confidence or loyalty. "Faith can move mountains" is a famous phrase and quote from the Holy Bible. Although "faith" is a quality available for free, it is difficult to possess in abundance (unless you're innocent as a child or too naive); more difficult to earn and the most difficult attribute to preserve. It is invisible yet it is to be made visible and it functions as a verb through our thoughts, words and deeds. Faith is like an intangible adjective of quality yet it brings us closer to the omnipresent Almighty, to tangible people as well as to ourselves.

During a retreat, a priest told me to reflect on, "Mark 11:24" which states that,

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

According to me, there are 4 parts in this statement. Each part is important and its linked to each other like a food chain.

i) Therefore I tell you - The "I" over here according to the Bible is Jesus Christ. He speaks to you /me.

ii) Whatever you ask in prayer - you can ask for anything, whether it is good or bad, necessary or unnecessary, for yourself or for someone else, but you have to ask with reverence to the Almighty.

iii) Believe that you have received it - It is to have faith that you already have it with you right now; whoever you asked it in prayer  for that they actually possess it at this moment.

iv) And it will be yours - You will receive.

If you miss any part of the link, the process is futile.

To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. – Saint Thomas Aquinas

Faith is a good fruit-bearing plant, whereas doubt and fear are the weeds. If you nurture this plant with an open mind, strong ethics, dedicated spirit and positive vision, your faith will grow well. 

Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time. – Oswald Chambers

As I've mentioned above, faith is most difficult to preserve, especially in despairing moments. To lose faith instantaneously is to invite the Devil. Sometimes it happens spontaneously due to low self-esteem, over-dependence on others, poor self-confidence, etc. At other times you are forced or provoked to do so when you're in the presence of thieves, liars, cheaters, addicts etc. At such times, we must accept the feeling of despair and learn from it and move on in life. 

Faith is what makes life bearable, with all its tragedies and ambiguities and sudden, startling joys. – Madeleine L’Engle

GENDER BLENDER

There are a few questions which have been bothering me since I attended a Women's Commission meeting in our Church community. The commission focusses on giving equal status to women with men not only amongst catholics but in society as a whole. It also helps women to learn to live with dignity rather than face life long pain and neglect due to the atrocities done to them by our PATRIARCHAL society.

There was a topic discussion brought forward on spiritual aspect that God is not necessarily our Father but our Mother as well and instead in our prayers we should use terms like Almighty One, Heavenly One, O Divine and Powerful God etc. instead of using Father or Abba etc. They did say that wherever possible just make changes in the prayers or hymns else leave it as it is. God has motherly feelings. But we venerate Mother Mary and usually turn to her to intercede for us. God has been basically father figure. Is it necessary to go deeper in that aspect of making changes in mindset of people towards prayers and hymns? Should we focus on gender equality on a spiritual aspect ? I think this is prevalent in other religions as well in some form or the other so you can answer as per what you think in your terms.

When we think of washing clothes, stitching, child care, nurse, secretary, the first thing that comes to mind is a woman but when we say Dhobi, tailor, doctor, PR, it is a man. But there is less dignity shown to a woman in her work when its basically the same work and she is probably multi- tasking as well.

Children should be educated since a very young age that tasks should not be segregated; for example kho-kho for girls, basketball for a boys, cooking for girls or playing video games for boys. Everyone should know and do each other's house chores in rotation and it should be inculcated in them that there is no shame in doing it.

What is your say about all this? Other related questions or views are also accepted as comments here. Please forgive me if I have crossed a line I dont know about. Id appreciate it if you would make me aware.

TIME TO CHANGE

If you’ve ever looked in the trash can or recycling bins at many offices and industries, you’ll probably find a ton of paper. Paper is the most common waste products at most places, and thus the biggest sustainable opportunities many small scale industries may have.

The concept of an office without paper is somewhat of a hypothetical, but what most organizations could do is reduce their paper wastage by automating transactional business processes that rely on paper. Digitizing and automating document exchange can allow companies to become more efficient, while helping the environment simultaneously. Cutting down on paper waste isn’t easy because paper itself is relatively cheap, so business owners may feel less economical to reduce it. Moreover, it’s hard to change perception that paper use has little environmental impact. But recycling one ton of paper saves 20 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 30 kgs of air pollutants, and saves enough energy to power the middle class home for many months? If every office and shopping malls replaced just one roll of paper towel with recycled paper towel, we would save more than 5,00,000 trees. Reducing our dependence on paper saves valuable natural resources, reduces air and water pollution and saves energy.

Online fax is eco-friendly and as an environmental protection is a big priority for organizations today. Internet fax helps companies be more environmentally conscious and save money too. They also transfer their older stored documents into a digital format by scanning. Those institutes that do not have electronic systems should be encouraged to scan their documents into an electronic format so that the data is secure and accessible and this also frees up storage space reducing rentals, rates, insurance and retrieval charges. Once the documents have been scanned they can be recycled which will save trees and resources while ultimately benefitting the environment. Offer incentives for people to scan their documents as opposed to storing them. Use printers and xerox machine that allow for double-sided printing and copy. You can reduce the amount of paper used by printing documents on both sides of paper. Some laser printers offer double-sided or “duplex” printing as a standard feature so you can easily set it up through your computer’s printer option features as the default mode.

Cut down on junk mail. Junk mail accounts for a huge amount of unnecessary paper waste. More businesses that traditionally rely on lots of paper for transactional purposes should find ways to reduce it. Mortgage lenders should put loan documents on jump drives and allow electronic signatures to avoid printing out dozens of pages or make PDFs of documents they want to save electronically rather than printing them out. While buying paper products for your business, look for paper with a high post-consumer recycled content, such as 60% or even 100 %. This greatly reduces the number of trees cut down, quantity of water used and amount of carbon dioxide emitted to make that paper. The issue is not just restricted to office paper. To print a weekly edition of the Sunday Times consumes an estimated 37,500 trees. Reduce the amount of paper coming into your home or office by signing up for electronic statements and bills. Read newspapers and work documents online. In addition, reuse the paper you currently have by creating a scrap drawer. Reuse newspaper for wrapping paper and packing material. Ideally, any paper that you want to discard should be recycled, or if you have a compost bin, shred it and add it there.

In the work environment, if your boss has not yet conducted a recycling program, inquire and offer to help organize one. Place a paper bin next to every trash can, and make sure the bins are emptied regularly to avoid overflow and discouraging co-workers from using it. Use tissue paper products that are produced out of recycled paper waste, wood , bamboo etc. that are eco-friendly. Reduce prepackaged condiment waste and napkins at fast food restaurants by not taking more than you need.

Many times read books and magazines made by traditional methods that are kept for long time in libraries and bookstalls that go waste. Sometimes books and magazines are produced but remain unsold also go to waste. Printing was a wasteful process as traditional high volume printing methods meant that more paper, ink and energy was used than necessary. Now a days, specialist digital printers use highly efficient printing presses to minimize waste and help protect the environment. Also paper recycling machine can be used to process waste books, waste newspapers, waste cartons and kinds of other type papers. It can produce tissue paper, corrugated paper, culture paper, egg tray etc. Paper has an effect on the environment where raw materials are mined and processed and also on waste disposal. In addition to trees being lost, the conversion from pulp to paper involves the extraction of raw materials such as water, oil, gas and coal. Recycling paper involves water and power but not in the same quantities as for the conversion from wood pulp to paper.

Support the recycling process by buying recycled paper products. If everyone who recycles also buys recycled products, then the sustainability of recycling is guaranteed. Next time look for alternatives made from recycled paper. This includes common items such as paper for your computer printer, cards and even paper towels and toilet paper. Reducing the amount of paper in garbage sites can be done by reducing the amount of paper you use, as well as reusing that paper. Ultimately you'll need to discard paper and when that time comes, choose to recycle it for the good of the environment. Packaging materials received in mills like plastics, cardboard or wood should be sorted and recycled and sludge from deinking process should be reused to make building products like cement, stones and building panels, or reused as raw material to develop roads or as a fertilizer to specific crops fields.

We might see paper as disposable but our attitudes will have to change. Paper production has serious effects on the environment, with CO2 emissions increasing, resources connected to energy becoming depleted, and tonnes of waste being driven into landfill. It is important for us to change our behavior and start recycling, reducing, and reusing the paper we use.

FAMILY TIES

Family is what grounds you. -Angelina Jolie, interview,June 13, 2001.

When you fall in love with someone, it is a choice you’ve made. His or her parents come as part of the package. And since you can't choose your in-laws, it is healthy to reach a common ground rather than endure a lifetime of conflict and suffering. Back in the good old days, a family consisted of grandparents, parents and children and even great-grand children. Now various entertainment sources are trying to bring back this traditional family life with a touch of modernity. In a big family, children learn to accept differences and to work with a variety of temperaments and personalities. They are often challenged in a wide variety of stimulating conversation, and they learn to present their thoughts, debate and back up their opinions with facts. There is always someone else to play with, to argue with and to be there when needed. Children with more siblings have better social skills than those from smaller families because they are more experienced with interaction. Toys must be shared, and some children may have to wear hand-me-downs. Children in large families don't need as many toys to stay occupied because they have each other, which often leads to more creativity during play. When children have to wear clothes passed down from older siblings, they learn to accept them the way they are, or they can express creativity and personal taste by wearing them differently or accessorizing to make them their own.

The days when most mothers planned on staying home and being housewives and raising children full-time are long gone. In today’s world many mothers now work to help support their families. To blend working and raising a family requires a great deal of discipline, patience and strength; but most women have little choice but to prioritize within the constraints of their working lives and to basically do all of them. It allows mothers to have friends and co-workers to interact with and builds a level of self-confidence and a sense of fulfillment that only comes from working with one's peers. A working mom also gives children and spouses a chance to become more responsible. When a mother is working, even if it is within the home, the father and the children need to do their share to maintain a smooth running family. Since the mother is working to provide the second income, the father doesn't have to work two jobs and can spend more time with his family. This shift of balance provides an excellent role model for children on how to balance a family and work.

The trouble with the family is that children grow out of childhood, but parents never grow out of parenthood. - Evan Esar, The Comic Encyclopedia

In-laws, especially mothers-in-law are found to have an important influence on family decisions pertaining to activities within the household down-the-ages. They are also likely to influence the number of sons their daughters-in-law had. Some individuals seek out a therapist to help them with their in-law issues. They report that their in-laws are truly overbearing and controlling and that they can't seem to keep their views to themselves. While this can be very frustrating, your in-laws may not intend to be that way; they may have issues of their own. In addition, it is difficult for some parents to let go of the parental role they have had for so long. Sometimes it is necessary to look at these deeper issues to get a better sense of why they are behaving in such a way. It may not make their behavior less annoying, but with understanding comes compassion. Even if you don't feel affectionate towards them it can be very upsetting to your partner if you show them disrespect. You can't always control your emotions, but you can control your actions. It is said, "No one can hurt you without your consent." It is good to begin setting healthy boundaries with people who treat you poorly - even if it is your in-laws. At the same time, respect their place in your family for a happy relationship with your spouse as well.

There is an interconnectedness among members that bonds the family, much like mountain climbers who rope themselves together when climbing a mountain, so that if someone should slip or need support, he's held up by the others until he regains his footing. -Phil McGraw, Family First.

The most difficult step is looking deep within yourself, admitting to your own negative behaviors and acknowledging your own role in the problem. If you feel yourself becoming easily upset when your in-laws bite, you may need to toughen up. If you constantly find yourself venting about them, accept the fact that this only fuels the flames rather than quieting them. A quarrel about money or property leads the whole family to depression and anger. If a man gets fired, his family’s expenses will be considerably cut down. In big families, whenever a member gets into trouble, he or she can talk with other members and may get a lot of useful advices from people of all generations. Besides, being in a large family makes you get used to co-operating with others.

Big families rely on everyone pitching in. If someone doesn't fulfill her responsibility to the family, others will suffer. Children are exposed to the concept of living within a budget and the importance of planning. Instead of spending money by going out to expensive meals and movies, larger families are more likely to find opportunities that are maybe inexpensive. They learn the differences between needs and wants. If the family budget doesn't provide for things they want, they either wait or find a way to earn it, teaching them to be self-reliant and industrious.

One way to learn a lot about your family while having fun is to have a family game night. Let everyone choose their favourite games, set out snacks for dinner and play for a few hours. Find games suitable for all ages. Get everybody up off of the couch and try a rousing game of charades or Pictionary. Let children work on making their own games or trivia question one week, then play those games the next week. This can be great fun, provided that no one gets too frustrated and that everyone continues to talk while playing. If you cannot commit to a weekly family night, consider a bi-weekly or monthly night to set aside for enjoying family time. To make sure everyone has a good time together, focus on having fun rather than winning.

Children may not be as familiar with the layout of the grocery store, so split up with both parents or with one parent and an older sibling and make it a scavenger hunt for the weekly grocery shopping. Divide up the grocery list, and have a contest to see who can find and collect all the items on their list first. Make a contest out of guessing the weights of produce as you bag them. Cooking as a family promotes team work, communication and creativity among children. It gives families a chance to spend time together and interact in a new and perhaps unusual way. Don't expect too much out your kids in the kitchen; you're not trying to raise the next master chef here. Only parents should handle the sharp knives and operate the stove or oven, to prevent cuts, burns or other injuries. Children can also have the opportunity to prepare sandwiches or any easy food item for their parents and siblings by taking orders and putting them together based on those requests. Parents should help their kids decide which combinations of toppings would taste good together and show them how to spread mayonnaise or peanut butter and jelly. This gives kids a chance to learn and prepare a simple recipe that they can serve to other family members.

Weekends and/ or summer vaccation are great times to schedule some family reunions. Call the grandparents, aunts and uncles to join you, and make it a time of family togetherness. Hold a family Olympics, where various members team up and compete in silly games, such as outdoor bowling or lemon-and-spoon relay races. Have a trivia contest, where grandparents compete against school-aged cousins. Participate and take pictures. If you have a long break available, print up the photos and work together on the last day to create special family scrapbooks.

The family is both the fundamental unit of society as well as the root of culture. It ... is a perpetual source of encouragement, advocacy, assurance, and emotional refueling that empowers a child to venture with confidence into the greater world and to become all that he can be. -Marianne E. Neifert, Dr. Mom's Parenting Guide.

BASIC STEPS TO A CAREER IN PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology is a field that demands a lot of care, love, patience and understanding of individuals. It is a career that requires a strong inclination for asking the right questions and ability to make patients look deep within them to find the right answers. Psychologists sometimes can make or break lives. In order to compete in today's market, it pays to carefully consider your career options and select a field that is in high demand. A psychologist is a friend, confidante and a secret diary for her patients all at the same time.

Many career paths are available to professionals in the psychology field. The amount of education you receive will depend on which direction you want to take your career. You can earn a bachelor's degree, master's degree, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), but before you start your education, you need to take time to research your options and choose the educational path that's best suited for your future career.

1. Enroll in a bachelor's degree program in psychology. Try to choose a college that offers a few options for students studying psychology, such as a traditional psychology degree, a degree in applied psychology and internship programs that include field work, ofcourse!

2. Add a minor to your bachelor's degree program if you plan to find employment in the psychology field once you graduate. Your minor should relate to the field you plan to enter, such as nonprofits, marketing, business or public relations. Also, consider completing an internship in one of these fields. Many industries will be open to hiring you because a degree in psychology helps develop your interpersonal skills, ability to handle conflict, and understanding of how people think and interact with one another. Adding a minor to your degree and completing an internship will make you even more attractive to prospective employers.

An internship will also make you more attractive to graduate programs if you plan to receive a higher degree. You can find psychology internships by visiting your college's Career Center or by talking with your psychology professors. The Career Center will know of companies and organizations that are looking for student interns. Professors may have research of their own that student interns are able to assist them with. Some psychology degree programs include an internship as a requirement for graduation. If this is the case, check with your academic adviser about when to complete your internship and where you should go to find one that's appropriate for your career path.

3. Apply to the college of education at your university if you want to teach psychology at the high school level. You will need to have a concentration in education, or you may be required to double major in education and psychology. Be prepared to complete student teaching during your last semester of college. Student teaching is very demanding. You'll be working full-time observing and teaching a psychology high school class under the guidance of its current teacher. You'll be required to plan lessons, give and/ or take tests, grade assignments and lecture the class. At the same time, you may be working part-time or completing college coursework.

4. Plan to receive a master's degree in psychology if you want to teach at a vocational school or community college. You can also teach part-time at most universities; however, you'll mostly likely only teach introductory college coursework. For applying to graduate school programs in psychology, you need to take the Graduate Record Exam, or GRE. This test should be taken during the second semester of your junior year of undergraduate study. Your academic adviser can help you find study materials and make arrangements to take the exam.

5. Prepare to earn a doctorate degree if you want to teach psychology at a four-year college or university. You will need to earn a Ph.D., an Ed.D. or a Psy.D., before you are qualified to teach at the college level. Your academic adviser can help you determine if your scores are too low to be competitive. In this case, you may need to retake one or more of the exams. The score you need may vary depending on the graduate program you're applying for.

6. Add pre-med courses to your curriculum if you plan to attend medical school and become a psychiatrist. Most colleges no longer offer a major in pre-medical studies because so many students are never accepted by medical schools. However, you can minor or receive a concentration in pre-medical studies, or your adviser can tell you which courses are required for medical school and when you should take them. Psychology majors often do very well in medical school because they receive so much training in the humanities while earning their undergraduate degree.

7. Talk with your academic and career counselor about your career options if you plan to work as a clinical or counseling psychologist. These types of psychologists work directly with patients, evaluating, counseling and treating emotional, cognitive and behavioral problems. Your options include receiving a MSW (masters of social work) degree, in clinical or psychiatric social work, a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in clinical psychology, or a Ph.D., Ed.D or Psy.D. in counseling psychology. A master's degree in clinical or counseling psychology may also be appropriate for your career. Different states have different regulations for the type of degree you need to perform counseling, treat disorders or prescribe medication. Talk with your academic and career advisers before making any final decisions.

8. Gain more experience in the field. The type of experience you choose will depend on the specific aspect of psychology you plan to devote your career to. If you plan to enter research psychology, you should gain relevant experience by assisting a professor with research or by interning at a research lab. If you plan to work in clinical or counseling psychology, you should complete volunteer work or an internship in this field. You can usually find excellent experience through nonprofit organizations that are dedicated to disadvantaged populations, such as the homeless, the mentally ill, or those with addictions to drugs or alcohol. If you plan to enter medical school, you'll need to have experience in the medical field. Complete an internship at a local hospital. Volunteer at a rescue mission or health center, and join clubs on campus that are devoted to the health field.

9. Apply to graduate degree programs that fit with the psychology field you plan to enter. Scientific and research psychologists, who are known as experimental psychologists, typically receive a Ph.D. in a specific area, such as development, cognition, learning or motivation. Educational psychologists work in school systems typically with the population of students who have developmental or learning disabilities. If this career field interests you, plan to earn a Ed.D. or a Ph.D. in educational psychology. A Psy.D. can also be earned if you plan to work directly with the students who have learning disabilities. Industrial and organizational psychologists work in the field of applied psychology. If you want to enter this field, you'll need to earn a Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology.

The various diploma courses that are available are:

§ Diploma in Applied Psychology

§ PG Diploma in Psychotherapy

§ Diploma in child psychology

§ Diploma in clinical Psychology

§ PG Diploma course in Applied Psychology

§ PG Diploma course in Criminal Psychology

§ PG Diploma course in Intellectual (learning) Disability Management

§ PG Diploma course in Sports Psychology

§ PG Diploma course in Counselling Psychology

§ Diploma in Special Education or Mental Retardation

§ Diploma in Psychosocial Care and Support in Disaster Management

§ Psychological Counselling Course

§ Post Graduate Diploma in Psychological Counselling

Famous Indian Institutes that offer Diploma courses in psychology:

§ Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP)

§ National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS)

§ Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS)

§ Jamia Millia Islamia

§ National Council of Educational Research and Training

§ Amity Institute of Psychology and Allied Sciences

§ Institute for Psychotherapy and Management Sciences

§ Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS

Hobbies provides us the oasis like experience in the deserts of our life as well as nourishing facts of knowledge along with an escape from a mundane and monotonous life. A lot of people have many different hobbies and interests, sometimes you get time and are able to fulfill your wishes and dreams to complete or take part in your favourite hobbies and interests. Sometimes life comes up with things and your unable to do any of the hobbies or interests you like. The increasing competition in every sphere of life has further fuelled the elements of stress and anxiety. People are finding it hard to indulge in their favourite hobbies. But all of us have a breaking point. At that point, we need to stop for a while and think what is causing stress and how to make life a wonderful experience all over again. Hobbies come into picture at this crucial juncture. Hobbies allow us to relax and pursue our long lost passions. Hobby is an essentially activity that someone likes to indulge in during their spare time. It all depends upon particular likes and interests of a person. Hobbies bring mental satisfaction and a sense of rejuvenation. It allows individual to break free from their reality. They can stop worrying about daily chores, office work, family responsibilities etc and just please themselves by doing something that gives them immense satisfaction. Time well spent on pursuing your hobby will lead to a fresh mind and consequently increased focus back on the work.

Worldwide, experts are emphasising on including hobby in stress management techniques. Stressed people are encouraged to pursue their favourite activities. There are plenty of such activities that one can choose from depending upon their features, interests, characteristics and personality. Someone would like to go for indoor activities or some others are more excited about outdoor ventures. Those with artistic bend of mind can always go for painting, sculpting or writing. Those who seek adrenaline rush can opt for scuba diving, sky diving, bungee jumping etc. Similarly, some people can have several hobbies depending upon their moods. But the crucial aspect is to have a hobby that can play a significant role in removing stress. No matter, what hobby you pursue, the end result is same, i.e. gaining great pleasure and satisfaction. A favourable thing about practising a hobby is that, it has no deadlines, no rules and no pressure to perform. Spend as much time as you want. No one is going to talk about the end result. All you have to do is to please yourself.

One can develop new skills and discover unknown talents. Individuals can expand their horizons, make new contacts, develop relationships etc and get the most out of life. Hobbies depend on factors like age, sex, region, family background, education and on personality as well. A choleric person could never take up a hobby like making models, as he or she would not have the necessary patience. Life would be very boring without hobbies; we would appear like robots, without feelings, like color blind creatures, like aliens on our own planet. Hobbies give sense to our existence. Since early childhood we have a daily routine, since our first nursery school day. Therefore, in order to keep a balance between busy moments and free time we take up hobbies.

When we are children, our hobbies may be playing computer games (there are kids who don’t go to the kitchen for eating, they ask for their food to be taken in front of the computer, and they are terribly angry if somebody disturbs them when they play a game). A lot of kids watch cartoons so that they learn their replicas by heart. Now-a-days may people opt for fields like animation and toy making industries due to their childhood interests. Children fond of sports take different sports: football, handball, basketball, gymnastics, volleyball. Playing a musical instrument like piano, guitar, violin, drum kit, etc may lead to creating an orchestra! Looking after a pet: cat, dog, hamster, fish, parrot, bird watching, which means getting ready with binoculars and lots of patience and climbing mountains in order to watch eagles, horse riding are signs of children interested in animals.

Hobby ideas include collecting things: stamps, badges, postcards, pens, body painting, underwater photography, rice sculpture, exploring extra sensorial capacities, through different methods like hypnosis, aerobics in the water, animal communication, making stunts, cooking unusual recipies, making robots, stars watching, taming wild animals, exploring volcanoes and underwater caves, hobbies related to the religions of the world, traveling and exploring exotic countries. An unusual hobby is to make garden decorations from stone and cement, with glass patterns. They are easy to be made and they are not very expensive, as when we take up a hobby, we must also take into account whether it is expensive or affordable. There can be different shapes, which can be found in shops, or you may use food containers. You can create models from glass, ceramics, metal or any other material which may look good in your garden.

Bungee jumping, hang gliding, parachuting, windsurfing, hot air ballooning, river rafting and other such action- adventure related sports are taken up by extreme sport lovers. If you live in a mountain area, you may have hobbies like mountain climbing or bouldering, you may be interested in different species of plants, animals, birds or insects which have the habitat in your area, or you may have as hobby painting landscapes, or taking photos. If you have a nice voice, you may start singing and even making a band.

According to sex, women are interested in fashion, cosmetics, astrology, yoga, cooking, child care, diets, natural remedies, knitting, sewing, modeling, dancing, jewels. While men enjoy different sports, driving cars, riding motorbikes, mountain climbing, photography – there is much more than just clicking. There are various types like still photography, digital photography and various techniques like adjusting range, light and shadow, printing techniques, playing cards (which may even lead to gambling and addiction), hunting, fishing, especially in the case of extremely calm people, playing chess or backgammon.

Family background is also important in taking up a hobby. For example, in a family where one of the members is an artist, it is very likely that their children or sportsperson have the same hobbies or interests. Some hobbies can be taken up by both men and women. Music, dancing, disco (they have usually a model in life from the showbiz and they collect everything about them), sport, even extreme sports (indoor sports and out door sports), fitness, especially those girls or women who are afraid of putting on weight, cars and scooters – not just the driving but gaining detailed knowledge about their parts, different specifications of different models, their functions etc. computers, not necessarily games : they are interested in chatting with friends, sometimes with friends from other countries made on the internet as well as movies, actors and actresses.

If you have a passion to give something to the society a good hobby can be seen in social work. Social work is also a good time to connect, spread cheer and yet earn something rewarding in return. The reward here is appreciation and expresses your concern in spreading awareness or participating in educating others. Actually, life is great and you can make a hobby out of the most insignificant thing, with a little imagination, and it will help you have a positive thinking, and you even might consider youself as a happy and content person, even if from philosophical point of view, happiness can be reached very rarely and only by a few people.

KORLAI

Korlai is basically divided in 2 parts -the Christians (and few Hindus) living in Top village and the Hindus (Kolis) and Muslims living in the down village. The community locations are separated by a small village road. Beyond the village is the Arabian Sea and over here lies the Korlai Fort and a Light House on a hillock. The Christians speak Portuguese and can understand Marathi.

The top village has the Mount Carmel Church and school. Sometimes the priest (just 1) provides stay for visitors. The main graveyard is in the church compound but due to lack of space they have a recent one on top of the hill close by near the bus stand. Around that place the sisters of St. Mary (blue saari sisters) run a children's orphanage and higher than that they have erected a BIG CROSS (from where you can get the entire view of Korlai). There are 2 other age-old nun congregations (known as dress wali sisters-who look after school matters and the saari wali sisters who run the local dispensary [this place is also worth visiting]). They belong to the order of the Poor Sisters of Our Lady (PSOL). There is a guest house and restaurant the spot where you get down at Korlai.

The top village has 3 main Crosses (now 4 due to population growth ) installed in 3 different areas where they have daily Rosary at 7pm and in church too at the Grotto. There is also the naka (meeting point of 3 or more roads) where Kolis from down village come to sell fish. Its the main centre for NEWS of the village (s).

3rd May-Holy Cross feast. 5th may-Mai de Deus (Mother of God) feast. 16 July is feast of Mount Carmel (Parish feast). 18th August-feast of St. Rock (celebrated by women of the village) & many more feasts.

The latest news is that they are re-building the St. Matthew's Church at the Korlai Fort. There is a good track made for climbing the fort easily. I suppose the work has been carried out by an NGO. (I guess it is done!)

The orphanage known as Sr. Isabel's Orphanage is there for the street girl kids who have no one to care for. It is run by the order of Sisters of Peace or Shanti Bhagini (In Marathi).

As for now, the beach is a mess. Some authorities need to look into the matter soon.

Reaching Korlai:

You can catch a State Transport or Delux bus from Bombay Central/ Borivali/ Thane/ Kalyan/ Pune,etc. to Murud For Bombay/ Borivali/ Thane/ Kalyan buses.

The first halt is Panvel (which is about 1 and 1/2 hour away from Bombay Central) by bus. Next halt is Pen(which is 45 mins from Panvel), then Alibaug (1hr from Pen) & Last is Revdanda (45 mins from Alibaug). Its 20 mins away from Revdanda on the way to Murud/ Kashid Beach. The neighbouring villages are Borli-Mandla, Revdanda and Saalav.

From Goa : Wadkhal is a place between Alibaug and Pen.. The bus turns right to Bombay and left to Murud (or Korlai) when it comes.

MOTIVATION

An open mind, open heart, open soul. 

What better way to go through life than to encompass all three of these things. Open the door to opportunity, to possibility, to change, to love. Open yourself to the ability to experience things ecstatically.

In order to get what you want in life, you often have to go beyond what you thought you were capable of. That's how we grow. 

Achieving goals isn't just about getting what you're going after. It's also about forcing yourself to become better, wiser, and stronger so that you can take on even bigger goals.

Determination is one of the keys to success. Often times, people know exactly what they need to do in order to achieve the life that they want but still aren't able to make it happen. 

One big reason is that they give up too early. No one ever said reaching your dreams is going to be easy. In fact, it's hard and that's why most people fail to live the life that they want. Most people don't experience the life of their dreams simply because they quit way too easily. Not giving up on your dreams also means to be smart however. You can try all you want but if you're taking the wrong set of actions, you're not going to get very far. 

Obstacles can either defeat us or cause us to fight even harder. Whether you achieve your desired outcome or not will depend on how you react when things don't go your way. Will you just give up or will you keep trying until you succeed?

Life is going to find way to test you. At times, you may feel that life is unfair. The urge to quit during these times are the highest but don't give in. Whatever your dream is, if it's important to you, then fight for it. Just remember that there is more than one way to achieve your dreams. If one way doesn't work, just change your strategy. 

Never giving up doesn't mean you keep doing the wrong things over and over, it means to be smart and figure out the correct actions to take and then taking them until you achieve your dreams.

Stay strong and focused on your dreams. It's about not letting challenges stop you from living the life you want. Who you are now, or what you've demonstrated up until now, does not define who you will become. What you choose to do today, at this moment, will. Past mistakes, failures, wasted time and opportunities mean nothing. They are merely lessons to be quickly acknowledged and learned, nothing more. What counts is what you will do right now to become the person you were meant to be.

Hope is that feeling that the things we want will be achieved or certain events will turn out for the best. We tend to hope when things aren't going so well. You may hope to get into your first choice college or to land that job or to meet your soul mate. For many people, hope is all they have. Is hoping a good thing? In some aspects it is. It at least gives you strength or a reason to keep moving forward. If you didn't at least think that there is some light at the end of the tunnel, you may decide to stop walking.

On the other hand, hoping alone might not get you very far. You can hope for a better life but until you roll up your sleeves and get to work on creating a better future, chances are, it's not going to just magically happen.

Keep in mind that happiness is just a feeling that you yourself can create from within. If you are feeling unhappy right now, then chances are, you have set up some rules that might be a bit too unreasonable. If you make it easy to be happy, you will experience this feeling a lot more frequently. You don't need loads of money or trophies to be happy. You can be happy just to be able to wake up in the morning. The choice is really yours. It's easier to do what we feel like at any given moment but in order to get what you want, you will have to be able to get yourself to do the things that you know you should be doing even when you don't feel like it. It can be a daily struggle but when you reach your goals despite as a result of doing what you needed to do even when you didn't feel like it, you will know it was all worth it.

We all get hit and knocked down in life. It's just part of the experience but it's really not about avoiding these hits; it's about being able to get back up every time you are knocked down. 

It's not always easy to want to get back up. Often times, it's a lot easier to just stay down but whether you stay down or get back up, life will still go on so you might as well fight.

You must have faith in yourself. Faith is having belief in something even if there is no proof or evidence. Many people correlate faith and religion although it can relate to many other things. When you get into a relationship, having faith that things will work out will help. Some might think that believing blindly in something is foolish. Perhaps it is on some level but without some faith, taking risks in order to succeed can be scary enough to stop you from taking action. 

I hope this helps you realize that you have what it takes to live the life you truly desire. All you have to do is go out there and claim it.

Life is crazy short ; so you want to make the best out of it while you still can.

NOISE and STRESS

Human infants are all ears. Yes! they are very conscious of sound and focus on every word that they hear, hence they can learn to speak. Loud noises trigger a "startle response" – large movements of the baby's limbs and torso – even while in the womb. Until 16- 20 months old, infants react strongly to distress sounds from other infants. Children in noisier neighborhoods experience higher overnight levels of the stress hormone “cortisol”, marginally higher resting systolic blood pressure, and greater heart rate reactivity to a stress test. These are all signs of modestly elevated physiological stress.

Compared to kids from quieter neighborhoods, children living near airports or busy highways tend to have lower reading scores and develop language skills more slowly. Psychiatric hospitalizations are higher in noisy communities. Bad moods, lack of concentration, fatigue, and poor work performance can result from continual exposure to unpleasant noise. It elevates psycho-physiological factors and triggers more symptoms of anxiety and nervousness. Therefore, chronic exposure to nearby sounds from roads and train lines are a concern.

Chronic low-level noise also negatively influences the brain and behavior. Whether from the road or in the office, low-intensity noise has a subtle yet insidious effect on our health and well-being. Noise at home or school can affect children's ability to learn. Over 10 million people have hearing loss because of "toxic noise" in the workplace. Although preventable, toxic noise is the most common occupational disease and the second most self-reported occupational injury.

A disorder in the electrical system of the heart, known as the Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), is a life threatening disorder that can be triggered by a loud noise. In people with LQTS, the electrical recovery of their heart takes longer than normal after each heart beat. Acoustic stress such as awakening because of a loud noise can trigger an episode. Symptoms usually occur during physical exertion or emotional excitement like anger, fear, or startle. Common examples of startle events include sudden noise, like sirens, the telephone, and the alarm clock.

Stress can even aggravate a number of psychiatric disorders, many of which are associated with the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the area of the brain unique to humans. Chronic over-secretion of stress hormones adversely affects brain function, especially memory. Too much cortisol can prevent the brain from laying down a new memory, or from accessing already existing memories. Sustained stress can damage the hippocampus, the part of the limbic brain which is central to learning and memory.

Cortisol also interferes with the function of neurotransmitters, the chemicals that brain cells use to communicate with each other. Excessive cortisol can make it difficult to think or retrieve long-term memories. That is why people get perplexed and confused in a severe crisis. Their mind goes blank because the neurotransmitters are numbed. For example, a person can’t remember where the fire exit is in case of a bomb explosion and the chaotic environment developed in a building.

Even sounds you can't hear can have a powerful affect on your nervous system. One example is the "infrasound" in the roar of a tiger. A tiger's intimidating roar has the power to paralyze animals. Even experienced human trainers are stunned. Humans can hear frequencies from 20 hertz to 20,000 hertz, but whales, elephants, rhinos, and tigers can produce sounds below 20 hertz. The shocking power of a tiger's roar is one example of how humans react to a sound they cannot detect with their ears. But what about all the noise generated by our modern world – including the multitude of ultrasounds whose frequencies are above 20,000 hertz and beyond our hearing range?