"Balled" out

India defeated Pakistan in the 20-20 World Cup game and entered the Super eight! And how did they win? They won 3-0! Yup - I am talking about a cricket match here, not hockey.

Yesterday's match has a lot of firsts to its credit and I am sure more than anyone else Dhoni is going to remember it for his life - his first match as a Captain, first 20-20 World Cup, and first ever Ball Out in the history of cricket. And to top it all, a match between India and Pakistan. Indians couldn't have asked for more. The bow that Robin took after his direct hit said it all.

Finding time..Making time

Making time for things other than work - that is one thing I want to work towards. I have a couple of good friends here, but I have not met them in the last so many months now. We chat once in a while and tell each other "lets meet soon" and that "soon" never seems to come.

What are we doing? Why are we doing things that we are doing? Why do we start running in the rat race without even realizing we are in one? Shouldn't this stop at some point of time?

It should, it has to. And the most important thing is that we are not even doing as much as we should. Your manager tells you, you need to be better, and you actually agree! Which means, you have to work not just better, but "smarter". And what is "smarter"? Working smarter means understanding what is important and what is not, what is urgent and what is not, what can be delegated and what cannot be, and understanding "how to delegate" and how much to do yourself. In the end, it is all about being "smart"!

I am not sure right now how I am going to go about doing all this, but I have to reach that place, soon enough and fast enough.

Every woman should...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move outand rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
one friend who always makes her laugh...
and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder...
and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but its over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust, whom she can't and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day...a month...and a year...

Basics of Eye care

1. Use a good under eye gel - particularly for people who suffer from the problem of dark circles
2. Use sunscreen every day, one with SPF above or equal to 15 - I used to think that someone who sits in A/C rooms all day does not even have to care about sunscreens, but as my doctor said - applying a sunscreen will help even if you are sitting in front of the computer for a long period of time (Computer screen also gives out small amount of UV radiation, especially the CRT type of displays)
3. Get enough sleep and a sound sleep - well, ok - this depends a lot on your lifestyle, your job etc. etc.
4. Drink enough water - How much is enough? My doctor said about 2 litres of water!! (that definitely means I have to start using a bigger water bottle)
5. Cut down on caffeine and sodium - that means my dear coffee :( - The reason behind this is that caffeine and sodium promote water retention, causing puffy eyes
6. Take multi-vitamins and increase the intake of fruits and vegetables in your every day diet - preferrably one fruit every day
7. If your eyes feel very tired, apply tea bags, or cucumber slices, or cotton soaked in rose water, twice or thrice a week, for about 10 mins.

Some exercises for eyes:

1. If you have been starting at the monitor for a long time, don't close your eyes immediately (we tend to so many times). Look in infinity or at some distant object for some time and then close the eyes.
2. Move your eyes in all directions - up, down, right and left - and do this for 10 minutes, at least twice a day (find a place where people cannot see you :-))

These exercises help tighten the eye muscles, reducing the retention of toxins around your eyes.

p.s.: Tips - courtesy Kaya Skin Clinic

Back with... a Bi-cycle

I am back to cycling after a gap of almost 11 years. And I must say I am feeling good about it. Thanks to my brother, I am a proud owner of a brand new black cycle! Most importantly I have been using it for the last 2 weeks for a ride, either in the morning or in the evening, at least once in a day. Being an inherently lazy person when it comes to exercises of any form, I am finding cycling a lot better, enjoyable, faster and cheaper as compared to walking or jogging or aerobics or the boring gymming.

Yes, losing weight, keeping fit, saving petrol and reducing my contribution towards pollution are no doubt some of the expectations at the end of it all. But even before I see those results, I am already seeing one side effect - Thanks to my cycle rides, I know the slopes and potholes on the roads in my area far better today that what I knew a few days back. And yes, one more thing - I have learnt that the shock absorber is a very important piece of the machinery in your vehicles - appreciate its presence :)

Serendipitous find :)

http://www.sudhirsclasses.com/HTML/XII_MeritList.htm

- Search for "Rahalkar" or check out the 1996-1997 section :)