Sin

The simple reason it is nigh impossible to even try to be good at my office.

To Do is To Be

I meet them every once in a while. People who, for instance, are professors at a prestigious university, doing cutting-edge research, and are also are champion cross-country cyclists and are also very keen (and darned good) wildlife photographers, and so on. It never ceases to amaze me how persons like these fit so much into their lives, and I can't help wondering how I consider keeping a full-time job and maintaining a modicum of order in my home a huge achievement. Thinking back, when, at social gatherings, people ask me "what do you do?", I assume they're asking me about my profession, and they probably are. Unfortunately, in all honesty, I don't "do" very much outside of work.

Escaping the rat race in Mumbai was a huge incentive for me to move to England. I longed to break the endless cycle of going to work early and coming home late, working for most of the weekend, and trying hard to find time for friends and family, and where the only recreational activity was eating/drinking out or shopping.

Funnily enough, I find I did lots more when I was in India. The main out-of-work activity for me was singing. It was my passion and I did a lot of it. I helped out at my local church and in the community, teaching Sunday School and doing youth work. I wrote the odd article. I made the effort to catch up with my friends, snatching conversations on the way to work, meeting up for a quick drink after, going shopping together and the like.

Now, though I have way more time to myself, because of my regular work day, and beautiful, healthy environs to spend it in, I find myself thinking "why bother?" I tried a spot of singing, but gave that up. I am a lazy blogger and an even lazier photographer. I don't exercise regularly, I don't garden as much as I could, I just couldn't be bothered.

When I meet passionate people, who live every day using all the faculties and facilities available to them, I am reminded of the abundance of capabilities I have which I refuse to use. After all, passion feeds itself and most passions are rewarding. You blog, readers comment, you blog more. You exercise, you get fitter, you begin to enjoy it. You get involved in local issues, you make friends, you become a part of the community. You get my drift.

Though I don't make New Year resolutions, I have resolved to get off my backside and do more. Wish me luck.

It's that time of year again

The clear roads. The smiling and tolerant, even polite, drivers. The superquick record-breaking bus journey times. Traffic moving so beautifully, you could well be watching a ballet recital. One week of sheer bliss to look forward to when you can get to work on time and have a cuss-free journey in.

I LOVE HALF-TERM.

Homeschool them all I say.

Baby Cute, Baby Beautiful

I've had a few e-mail requests lately from very enthusiastic parents requesting me to vote for their babies in some random online contest or other called "Cutest Baby" or "Most Beautiful Baby" or something like that. I, of scathing-email-in-response-to-spam-forwards fame, haven't replied telling them what I really think of their request.

Here's where I stand. I know you think your baby is cute (such an abused word!) and beautiful and cuddly, and you are most probably right and I will most probably agree with you. Trouble is, so does everybody else entering their babies in the competition. So, the way I see it, when I vote for your baby, I'm saying I think the other babies are less cute (God, I hate that word!), which is not true.

Honestly, to persons other than family, babies looks like babies. Nice and soft and little and amusing. Not one cuter (kill me now!) than the other. Some of you might say I hold this view because I haven't yet met an ugly baby and you may be right; but I really don't think pitting the little persons against each other in a contest of appearance really proves anything or is even entertaining in any way. So the next time you enter your baby into a contest, leave me out of the vote petition list please. I'd rather not have an opinion in the matter.

Under the Over

I (foolishly) thought that I was the only one in the Universe who had given much thought to the subject of the appropriate way to hang a roll of toilet tissue, but as it turns out, there have been many before me (Treehugger) and it looks like there will be several after! They even get quite judgmental about it going as far as calling one method Good and the other Bad. Who would've thought?! In my book, I agree with the Treehugger people, and it does bother my soul when Dot puts the roll on the Bad way. Naughty Dot.

So, which way do you roll?

Over or Under?
	Over
	Under
	Don't really give a s#%t
pollcode.com free polls

(Image courtesy: Treehugger)

Back in Business

I've been M.I.A. because of a combination of being busy and being out of sorts. Not an excuse at all, but a reason nevertheless. Normal programming resumes now.