The Clock

 Viana (6yo) : Papa, what's the time?

Me: Must be around 9.45pm.



V : But the car clock says 9.55pm !

Me : Ya, but the car clock is some 12-13 mins ahead so actually the time is lesser than that.



V : But you always say the same thing when I ask the time when we are in the car... why is the car clock 12-13 mins ahead?

Me: Because when I am going somewhere it gives me a sense of urgency when I look at the clock and it often helps me reach ahead of time...



V : So when you know it's ahead and subtract it in your mind by that much to know the exact time everytime you look at it, how does it still help?

Me : Well...



Since time unknown the clock in my room is 5mins ahead and the clock in our living room in 7mins ahead... every time I change the batteries I ensure it stays that way... a habit that developed when I was a kid.. probably passed on from my parents or elder siblings...and it continues... not sure if it helps in anyways.. I somehow think that it does.. but I wonder how many people still use this approach as since the advent of mobile phones, everyone's phone now syncs the clock with the internet and is always accurate... I know of one friend who has kept his house clock ahead by 30mins for last 2 decades..

Do you do this? Does this help? It's a small thing but I wonder if it's a wide practice in households...

Link to original post: LinkedIn

“I felt like Cinderella at the signal”

 “I felt like Cinderella at the signal”

That’s how Shri Gauri Sawant narrated her feelings when she came to Mumbai after her dad banished her for being a transgender and the members of transgender community in Mumbai gave her footwear and some good clothes to wear..

One of her dreams she shared was that she admired Usha Uthup, the great singer, and wanted to be like her [she did narrate how she was elated when Usha Uthup met her on the sets of KBC when she was invited to participate in an episode]. While she may not have achieved that dream, she has still made great achievements in her stride to uplift the #LGBTQ & Sex Workers community in India.

It was an absolute pleasure to listen to Gauri in discussion on the webinar “Being Your Authentic Self With Pride “ hosted by MMC India as part of the PRIDE month initiatives.

Some of us may have seen her in the famous VICKS commercial few years back [here is the link to it in case you haven’t ] as well.

While she shared a lot of views, the simplest way I could summarize them is, be inclusive and accepting - be it Sexual Orientation, Differently Abled, Choice of dressing up, Choice to speak lesser/be less social, Choice to live in a preferred way or Choice of food (Vegan/Vegeterian/Eggetarian/Fisheterian/Non Vegeterian/Only curry but no meat pieces and probably 23 other such classifications), – what matters is how they perform (if you are employing them) and how they treat you. If they are not unkind to you, there is no reason to be unkind to them or dislike them and they deserve to be treated as you would like to be treated by others!

Was nice to see Shashi narrating the whole discussion in sign language.

We can have more Cinderellas around and it doesn’t even need you to act like a Prince [but we can definitely try not act like Cinderella's step mother]…. Just accept and be inclusive…

Link to original post :- LinkedIn

Father''s Day 2021

 Monday

Viana (my 6 yo): Papa, Sunday is Father's Day, but this time I won't be giving you anything (last year she made a beautiful card for me and made some gifts from her toys).
Me: 😔

Tuesday

V: What's your favorite food dish?
Me: Sizzlers.
V: But we will make Khichdi on Sunday.
Me: 😥

Thursday

(I spot her and her friend making some stuff trying to hide from me)

V: We are not making anything for Father's day, we are just playing.
Me: 🤔

Friday

(During her online school.. incidentally I had an office call at same time)

Teacher: OK Kids, what are you planning for Father's Day?
V : Papa, I am not going to do anything but I will tell Teacher a few things for sake of it... it's not true but...
Me : 🤨
V : Can you go to other room and take your calls I am getting disturbed.

I leave the room and then I guess she shared her plans with her Teacher.

Sunday (Today)

1. I get a beautiful card
2. A Brownie Cake
3. A Magic Show
4. A Quiz Show
5. And A Lip Smacking Home Made Sizzler (planning credits Viana, Execution credits Wifey Dearest Shruti Morzaria )

The day ended with our weekend movie routine and this time we saw The Walt Disney Company 's latest treat #Luca on Disney+ Hotstar

With due respect to all fathers of sons... I think the fathers of daughters are super blessed to experience the love and care that a daughter showers on them right from a very tender age... I sometimes ponder if 100 years down the line the Govt may have to come up with a campaign called "Ab Beta Bachao, Beta Padhao" coz the daughters are gonna rule the world! Well, most already are...

Wishing a Happy #FathersDay to everyone!

Link to original post: LinkedIn

Viana - 30 , Papa - 19

 #Uno Scorecard: Viana - 30 , Papa - 19 (Yep, seems i will never get past her!🙄). Yesterday we played 5 games and she won 2 and I won 3 (All baked in the overall score above) so she was upset..

Me: But you are 30 games to my 19, 11 games lead, so be happy!!

Viana: So what.. that was before today.. today you won more than me and when we started today I was 28 and now instead of 33 i am at 30!

After trying to explain her again to enjoy the game and look at long term, what she said had a learning for me.

Learning: - Don't look at past profit/progress as profit/progress. The profit/progress becomes new capital base/norm. So your last (L)earning is just the new base. If u look at it as profit/progress, you may get complacent by thinking pehle ka profit/progress hai so am still doing fine if i don't (L)earn for a while.

Be it wealth or experience, it has to be built upon continuously.

Link to original post: LinkedIn

UNO Chronicles

 ..to continue the #UnoChronicles .. So I, Viana (5yo) and her mom were playing another game of #Uno .

Me: Uno!

Viana (with a lot of determination) : Take that.. and that...and this ( she dropped a series of draw 4s and 2s in next few rounds and actually won first so it was me and her mom fighting out now)

(Next thing she does - comes next to me and cuddles up)

V: Let me help you beat Mom!

Me: What's the point now, when i was about to win you bombed me!

V: But that was because I was in the game and I had to do it to win... I gave you so many cards so now I'll help you get rid of those and win...


Learning 1 - When you gotta be professional you gotta be professional but its very important to switch your hats once the task/goal is accomplished.

Learning 2 - Don't judge your opponent/peer based on their actions while in the game (or at work)... Look at the hat they are wearing and judge the hat and not the individual.