The Lunch Box

           'Tara', said Navin, 'I want lunch box from tomorrow. The canteen fellow has changed and the food at the factory is totally unpalatable, with rumblings in my stomach as a side effect......'. He went on for a couple of minutes more about the apathy, the management had towards the employees. 'Goodness gracious ! he doesn't like his clothes being washed in the washing machine and now this...two tiffins already in the morning plus one more !!!', a voice shrieked deep inside Tara. Navin didn't like the mammoth device which just spinned the clothes making loud noise. The maid was much better washing the clothes, but nowadays the maids refused to 'do' the clothes too. Tara had tried washing his clothes but gave up soon as the housework and managing her two kids was more than enough. So Navin did it himself, but food in the morning...no no, that was Tara's department.
                    'Navin-the kids have to leave for school by 6.40 am. I have to prepare breakfast for all of us plus pack their four tiffins (short break and long break). Can't you do something about the canteen fellow ?' Navin was furious, 'Tara, your lot should be called woe-men. Why do you make cooking look like a mountanous task ? Just remember your mother while you were growing up'. 'Please Navin, not again, we have had discussions on this for quite a number of times.' 'Well then Tara, look at Ritu. She's like you, but she packs her son two tiffins and her husband lunch box plus makes breakfast for the entire family which includes her in-laws. Well as far as I know her, she didn't know cooking before marriage as it didn't interest her at all, as she was focussed on her career. At least that's what Ryan told me. In fact it was she who insisted Ryan take home made food as the canteen food couldn't be monitored especially the oil part, even though it was for executives'. Hmm ! lucky Ryan, sighed Navin. 'O sir jee, badee achchee lagney lagee padosan...(..the neighbour's wife is suddenly all the more interesting !) teased Tara. 'She has one son that's all, that means only two...'Stop it Tara', shouted Navin and stormed out of the house that day without breakfast or lunch box'. Tara felt miserable the whole day. Why did she behave in such a fashion ? She had asked herself this question many times but there was no answer. She was simply not interested in the morning hassles in the kitchen. She loved to wake up late and go to the gym, have a word or two with the gals there and do some shopping....I mean who wants to come back to a house full of work. Why can't the house be managed by an angel (like chachi 420?) and you could come home to a loving husband who was well all set to take you out. She was ready to take up a job too. She dozed off sitting on the sofa with these and much more of course pleasant thoughts. 'Om bhoor bhuvaswaha... rang the door bell and she woke up startled. Opening the door she found Ritu standing and smiling...'Oh ! the husband's perfect example of a wife, quipped her inner voice'. 'Hi Ritu ! come inside I just want to tell you what happened. They were great neighbours if not fast friends but basically they clicked. Had to, similar background..working husbands who didn't want their wives to work, kids at home, aging parents and parents-in-laws, house work, maid...and where were they ? They found themselves when they were together or with their lot. Ritu also shared her own experience if not a similar one and asked Tara to accept the fact that she is responsible for her husband's health who earns for the family. Tara felt light. What she like about Ritu was her wisdom inspite of her too independent nature. Ritu had unconventional ideas about life too. Anyway coming back to present, she vowed she would surprise Navin the next day with hot breakfast and home made lunch ready before he leaves.

The Lunch Box

           'Tara', said Navin, 'I want lunch box from tomorrow. The canteen fellow has changed and the food at the factory is totally unpalatable, with rumblings in my stomach as a side effect......'. He went on for a couple of minutes more about the apathy, the management had towards the employees. 'Goodness gracious ! he doesn't like his clothes being washed in the washing machine and now this...two tiffins already in the morning plus one more !!!', a voice shrieked deep inside Tara. Navin didn't like the mammoth device which just spinned the clothes making loud noise. The maid was much better washing the clothes, but nowadays the maids refused to 'do' the clothes too. Tara had tried washing his clothes but gave up soon as the housework and managing her two kids was more than enough. So Navin did it himself, but food in the morning...no no, that was Tara's department.
                    'Navin-the kids have to leave for school by 6.40 am. I have to prepare breakfast for all of us plus pack their four tiffins (short break and long break). Can't you do something about the canteen fellow ?' Navin was furious, 'Tara, your lot should be called woe-men. Why do you make cooking look like a mountanous task ? Just remember your mother while you were growing up'. 'Please Navin, not again, we have had discussions on this for quite a number of times.' 'Well then Tara, look at Ritu. She's like you, but she packs her son two tiffins and her husband lunch box plus makes breakfast for the entire family which includes her in-laws. Well as far as I know her, she didn't know cooking before marriage as it didn't interest her at all, as she was focussed on her career. At least that's what Ryan told me. In fact it was she who insisted Ryan take home made food as the canteen food couldn't be monitored especially the oil part, even though it was for executives'. Hmm ! lucky Ryan, sighed Navin. 'O sir jee, badee achchee lagney lagee padosan...(..the neighbour's wife is suddenly all the more interesting !) teased Tara. 'She has one son that's all, that means only two...'Stop it Tara', shouted Navin and stormed out of the house that day without breakfast or lunch box'. Tara felt miserable the whole day. Why did she behave in such a fashion ? She had asked herself this question many times but there was no answer. She was simply not interested in the morning hassles in the kitchen. She loved to wake up late and go to the gym, have a word or two with the gals there and do some shopping....I mean who wants to come back to a house full of work. Why can't the house be managed by an angel (like chachi 420?) and you could come home to a loving husband who was well all set to take you out. She was ready to take up a job too. She dozed off sitting on the sofa with these and much more of course pleasant thoughts. 'Om bhoor bhuvaswaha... rang the door bell and she woke up startled. Opening the door she found Ritu standing and smiling...'Oh ! the husband's perfect example of a wife, quipped her inner voice'. 'Hi Ritu ! come inside I just want to tell you what happened. They were great neighbours if not fast friends but basically they clicked. Had to, similar background..working husbands who didn't want their wives to work, kids at home, aging parents and parents-in-laws, house work, maid...and where were they ? They found themselves when they were together or with their lot. Ritu also shared her own experience if not a similar one and asked Tara to accept the fact that she is responsible for her husband's health who earns for the family. Tara felt light. What she like about Ritu was her wisdom inspite of her too independent nature. Ritu had unconventional ideas about life too. Anyway coming back to present, she vowed she would surprise Navin the next day with hot breakfast and home made lunch ready before he leaves.

Optimal Health

            Not again, you would say...as if the newspapers, magazines, the TV etc. is not enough. However since I made a promise with myself to stick to Optimal Health, thought, would take you, the reader along. After all what matters is what a regular guy does to his own body (read brain) that he carries till he bids goodbye. When one can tolerate irate customers and many such kinds in job or business just because he knows the outcome-Money, why can't he afford to get uncomfortable with certain healthy practices ( try exercising regularly or control those mean helping of ice-cream that you are so used to).
                So what is Optimal Health ? It is the best health you are capable of, given your past and your genetic heritage (Dr. Duke Johnson, MD). It could also be defined as striking a right balance between physical, emotional and spiritual health. And it starts with (on a daily basis)
1. Right food ( complete with macro and micro nutrients) at right time.
2. Exercise.
3. 6-8 hours of adequate rest (sleep)
4. Supplements (Natural)
5. Positive Mental Attitude.
          With every aricle that one reads, screaming about Indians being pre-disposed to heart ailments thanks to the genes we carry, its high time we really take care of ourselves. We were 'Diabetes Capital' last year and we are heading towards becoming  'The Heart Attack Capital' by 2020. Will keep you posted on these issues..as I've got to rush. 

Optimal Health

            Not again, you would say...as if the newspapers, magazines, the TV etc. is not enough. However since I made a promise with myself to stick to Optimal Health, thought, would take you, the reader along. After all what matters is what a regular guy does to his own body (read brain) that he carries till he bids goodbye. When one can tolerate irate customers and many such kinds in job or business just because he knows the outcome-Money, why can't he afford to get uncomfortable with certain healthy practices ( try exercising regularly or control those mean helping of ice-cream that you are so used to).
                So what is Optimal Health ? It is the best health you are capable of, given your past and your genetic heritage (Dr. Duke Johnson, MD). It could also be defined as striking a right balance between physical, emotional and spiritual health. And it starts with (on a daily basis)
1. Right food ( complete with macro and micro nutrients) at right time.
2. Exercise.
3. 6-8 hours of adequate rest (sleep)
4. Supplements (Natural)
5. Positive Mental Attitude.
          With every aricle that one reads, screaming about Indians being pre-disposed to heart ailments thanks to the genes we carry, its high time we really take care of ourselves. We were 'Diabetes Capital' last year and we are heading towards becoming  'The Heart Attack Capital' by 2020. Will keep you posted on these issues..as I've got to rush. 

Cerebration

                   She had ordered a cuppa tea and was toying with the pen, tapping the table, often making imaginary designs. Her hand bag on one side of the table, palm holding the back of her head, elbow on the glass top, she rested with her legs stretched out. Had quietened the silly cell phone and was totally focussed on the clueless patterns she drew on the tissue. She often frequented 'The Siesta', her favourite joint. The mood there was just right...be it the mornings, noons or the evenings.

          Something pleasant blue was approaching the table in front of her. She looked up to see a man in formal blue attire, a bit bald at the back of his head, rest of it sprinkled with the dyed black hair, dark sunglasses, one of those expensive gadgets (an i pad or its avatar. she couldn't make out) in one hand, he casually deposited the car keys on the table. How quickly the mind takes it all, she mused. He caught her staring and she continued doing so for sometime before looking elsewhere. He appeared amused, perhaps hadn't attracted glances for quite a while, she thought. Just then half a dozen formally attired beings like him joined and the conversation drifted towards some business deal.

           She lost interest and thought about Sujit. He occupied her mind for the next 15 minutes or so. She had met him in one of the Military technical training institutes. She hardly had met anybody from the Army except the chance encounter with an Army officer while returning from Kolkotta. She usually kept to herself, preferring not to open up to strangers. But this guy had gotten her to talk somehow. She had become engrossed in the various missions/combats he narrated while posted at J and K borders. So fascinated was she by his narrative that when he told her about how he felt when he shot a terrorist at point blank range for the first time, she was completely thrown off ! How could he-a young, good looking, courteous man kill a person ? She tried imagining him with a revolver but that image got to the point of making him look macho, just that. She could not think beyond and before her thought process started towards 'what makes a man kill?', a whole platoon of soldiers joined the young man and her thoughts got subdued under their thundrous laughter.
               Here she was interviewing soldiers now. Sujit narrated his story. Kargil. Her knowledge about the place existed as a newspaper memory . A convoy of vehicles carrying heavy ammunition proceeded with Sujit driving the second vehicle. Suddenly the terrorists blew the first vehicle. Splinters flew and pierced Sujit's leg, rendering him limp for the rest of his life. He was shifted from one Military hospital to the other before he made it here finally. While these brave spirits live a physically hard life, their families struggle all alone back home. Sujit was in his late twenties, had a wife and kid. She wondered what motivated them to join the Army. As one of them quoted , he was infatuated with the uniform after his high school. Many join after highschool out of sheer infatuation and still others join for all the facilities they get lifelong...Medical, groceries, travel, education...subsidies everywhere. But this lot was unhappy inspite of all these because they couldn't be promoted in the Army, owing to their disability. How much torture-some the injury should be to them ? The base on which they had been recruited was bravery..courage..which they still had now in ample..but they were rendered unfit for the army. The invisible mental bruise was far more debilitating than the physical ones which was visible. She couldn't bare the feeling of inadequacy she saw way beyond their eyes. She promised herself she would do her best to get them back to the civilian life in the best productive manner and an equally challenging one. They had lived in extremes, now they had to fit in routine. Army promotion was a huge motivation..What reason did they have to move on in daily life ? She didn't have the answer but she would work with them to help find one.
              Her tea arrived and she took the first sip. It felt heavenly.

Cerebration

                   She had ordered a cuppa tea and was toying with the pen, tapping the table, often making imaginary designs. Her hand bag on one side of the table, palm holding the back of her head, elbow on the glass top, she rested with her legs stretched out. Had quietened the silly cell phone and was totally focussed on the clueless patterns she drew on the tissue. She often frequented 'The Siesta', her favourite joint. The mood there was just right...be it the mornings, noons or the evenings.

          Something pleasant blue was approaching the table in front of her. She looked up to see a man in formal blue attire, a bit bald at the back of his head, rest of it sprinkled with the dyed black hair, dark sunglasses, one of those expensive gadgets (an i pad or its avatar. she couldn't make out) in one hand, he casually deposited the car keys on the table. How quickly the mind takes it all, she mused. He caught her staring and she continued doing so for sometime before looking elsewhere. He appeared amused, perhaps hadn't attracted glances for quite a while, she thought. Just then half a dozen formally attired beings like him joined and the conversation drifted towards some business deal.

           She lost interest and thought about Sujit. He occupied her mind for the next 15 minutes or so. She had met him in one of the Military technical training institutes. She hardly had met anybody from the Army except the chance encounter with an Army officer while returning from Kolkotta. She usually kept to herself, preferring not to open up to strangers. But this guy had gotten her to talk somehow. She had become engrossed in the various missions/combats he narrated while posted at J and K borders. So fascinated was she by his narrative that when he told her about how he felt when he shot a terrorist at point blank range for the first time, she was completely thrown off ! How could he-a young, good looking, courteous man kill a person ? She tried imagining him with a revolver but that image got to the point of making him look macho, just that. She could not think beyond and before her thought process started towards 'what makes a man kill?', a whole platoon of soldiers joined the young man and her thoughts got subdued under their thundrous laughter.
               Here she was interviewing soldiers now. Sujit narrated his story. Kargil. Her knowledge about the place existed as a newspaper memory . A convoy of vehicles carrying heavy ammunition proceeded with Sujit driving the second vehicle. Suddenly the terrorists blew the first vehicle. Splinters flew and pierced Sujit's leg, rendering him limp for the rest of his life. He was shifted from one Military hospital to the other before he made it here finally. While these brave spirits live a physically hard life, their families struggle all alone back home. Sujit was in his late twenties, had a wife and kid. She wondered what motivated them to join the Army. As one of them quoted , he was infatuated with the uniform after his high school. Many join after highschool out of sheer infatuation and still others join for all the facilities they get lifelong...Medical, groceries, travel, education...subsidies everywhere. But this lot was unhappy inspite of all these because they couldn't be promoted in the Army, owing to their disability. How much torture-some the injury should be to them ? The base on which they had been recruited was bravery..courage..which they still had now in ample..but they were rendered unfit for the army. The invisible mental bruise was far more debilitating than the physical ones which was visible. She couldn't bare the feeling of inadequacy she saw way beyond their eyes. She promised herself she would do her best to get them back to the civilian life in the best productive manner and an equally challenging one. They had lived in extremes, now they had to fit in routine. Army promotion was a huge motivation..What reason did they have to move on in daily life ? She didn't have the answer but she would work with them to help find one.
              Her tea arrived and she took the first sip. It felt heavenly.