August: Osage County

Finally The film is released in India; still, too bad it took that long for it to get released here and that too only in one theater, with one show a day!

Anyways, when a Movie of Julia Roberts is released I have to see it no matter what!

It was really sad to see strength of people attending the movie were not much. Though, sincere fans like me couldn't have miss it.

The movie start with low phase and continue doing so. It is not much of action happening around but a chaos going all the way from start to end. The theme is of a Family reunion that takes place because of a sad event. These people who haven't seen each other for a long time, not aware of problems the others are facing, when come together and discuss the problems one and other realizes they all are quite in deep S*#%.

As the movie progress lots of dark secrets comes out. Some, in hilarious way- "Eat the Fish, Eat The Fish, Eat The Fish...", and "Oh... are we breaking the plates now?", woooow I loved it. I enjoyed Julia and Meryl's performance a lot. Violet (Meryl) who was desperately waiting for Barbara (Julia), as she believes her eldest daughter is the only one who understands her better than anybody else, and it is clear that they both are very much alike. Hence, when Violet lose control because of her addiction Brabara takes control and tangles (Literary) with Violet in doing so. But in the end, Violet, when left alone by the same Barbara and calls out after Barbara leaves, made me cry, which I tried to conceal as hard as possible.

But when taken Barbara's point of view, what else she should have done? Hadn't she had enough already- a teenage daughter truing to be drug addict. A husband having affair with younger girl. A sister having a boyfriend hitting on her (Barbara's)
daughter. A complex relation of her sister with their first cousin. Ahhh! I would have wanted to escape from it way before Barbara did.

This is the movie, that I won't recommend as a must watch. Specially to those who seeks just entertainment from movies. People who should watch this one are those who thinks their life is in deep S*#%... Watch this movie and you will realize how better your life is.
 
Should it be called a Family Movie, no, I doubt that. It should be called a movie of family trying not to be a Family.  And it seems completely fine when we learn the circumstances.

Mermaid or Whale!

Someone shared this with me... I didn't write this. But...I absolutely love what this woman wrote. So well done! Please read; it's quite enjoyable and share.

A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"

The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way:

"Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness.
They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia.
They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on cds. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.

Mermaids do not exist.

But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish?
They would have no sex life and could not bear children.
Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad.
And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side?

Without a doubt, I'd rather be a whale.

At a time when the media tells us that only thin is beautiful, I prefer to eat ice cream with my kids, to have dinner with my husband, to eat and drink and have fun with my friends.

We women, we gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn't enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies.
We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated.
Every time I see my curves in the mirror, I tell myself: "How amazing am I ?! "

And the OSCAR goes to.....

It was one of that day when I, regardless being a late sleeper, wakes up early (@5am), finish up the morning ritual and seat in front of TV to witness one of the most awaited events of the year - "The Academy Awards"

The 86th Academy Awards -- Ahh! The sound of it is amazing...! 86 years of glory and this event keeps getting better and better. Ellen was, no doubt, the Best! She kept the audience (Live and Screen) rocking their chairs by throwing the hilarious punches! She reminded Poor Jen Law was reminded about her last year fall! Well No regrets for good laughs!

Her Tweet, (by the way I am still waiting it to get uploaded on Tweeter) was the amazing, I mean come on - Meryl, Julia, Jennifer, Channing, Bradley, Brad, Angelina, Lupita and Ellen herself, in one photo, can anything beat that? No I don't think so... 

When she asked if anyone was hungry I didn't think she will literally bring the Pizza and serve it. And how kind of Brad Pitt to hand on the plates for the Pizza! One word- Hilarious!

The performance by  Pharrell Williams "Happy" from Despicable Me 2 was my favorite of the night. And second was Bette Midler "Wind Beneath My Wings" from Beaches for the "In Memoriam". 

And now huge applause for the Winner!

It was tough to select one of the Best of all the categories of the movies out all the nominee. Hats off to the Academy’s active members, it couldn't have been easy to vote!

I jumped (Happily) when Frozen Won, not just for Animated Feature Film's category but also for the "Let it Go..."

I am so very Happy that Gravity has won 7 Golden Statutes- N I Salute for Alfonso Cuarón, he was undoubtedly the most deservant Director for 2013. I voted and devoted him to Win.

Matthew and Jared you guys deserved it too. You must watch Dallas Buyer Club (If you haven't watched it yet) to get proof for my theory.

I am sorry Juls, I am your huge fan but after watching 12 Years a Slave I did hope Lupita to win and cannot be more glad that she actually did.

My votes were for Amy Adams and that maybe because I didn't get chance to watch Blue Jasmine. Hope Woody will allow the movie to be telecast in India so that we can see the The Best Actress Oscar performance.

Kudos for12 Years a Slave, even though all the nominated pictures were the best, my favorite were 12 Years a Slave and Gravity. Now, when Alfonso won for Director, I was Happy to see 12 Years a Slave took the final and most important trophy (ies) home.

Overall, waking up early was totally worth for getting a chance to witness such an Awesome Event!

   

What can nature teach us about being happy? (Sharing from some Awesome mails received)

There is a Chinese proverb that says: “Whoever loves and understands a garden will find contentment within.” Now I often visit the zoo, which is set in beautiful gardens. While I’m there I can see that we can learn a lot about happiness from observing nature.

What are some tips we can learn? Here are my top 10. 

1. Find and value our niche
2. Follow the light
3. Be adaptable
4. Be patient
5. Aim for balance in our lives
6. Eat the way nature intended
7. Continue to grow
8. Make time to rest
9. Make time to enjoy ourselves
10. Accept that loss is part of life

1. Find and value our niche

The animals and plants in a forest all have a purpose – a niche. In a balanced ecosystem they work together in harmony. When the balance is lost the system falls apart. Food chains are destroyed, animals become extinct and land degradation sets in.

Like plants and animals, each of us has a purpose for being here. If we took away jobs from society, the balance would be lost. Observe in the media what happens when school teachers, bus drivers or any other profession goes on strike for a while. Chaos!

Years ago I did some training to become a salesperson in a fitness club. During the training the instructor mentioned how he once spoke to a person who said he was “just a cleaner” in a school. The instructor told the cleaner that he is not “just a cleaner”. The instructor then pointed out that by cleaning away the rubbish, the cleaner was preventing children in the school from getting ill, and possibly dying from diseases, so he had an important job to do. The instructor mentioned how no one should understate their jobs, as all jobs are worthwhile. Saying we are “just a…” devalues ourselves and the importance of our jobs.

Sadly society often values people on things like their job, class, looks or wealth, and overlooks people’s kindness, compassion, generosity and other positive traits.

Be proud of whatever talents, skills and positive attributes that you have, however humble you perceive them to be. We are all needed.

2. Follow the light

Plants follow the light; they grow towards the sun. Without sunlight they die.

In a spiritual sense we can think of “the light” as love, harmony, peace and other positive elements. They help us soar to our true potential. They give our lives meaning. They can give us extra happiness.

Hatred, bitterness, jealousy and other negative feelings, however, waste energy, destroy creativity and can hinder our health, happiness and success.

Seek more of “the light” in our lives.

… The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.”

- Anne Frank

3. Be adaptable

Nature is constantly changing. The seasons change. The climate changes. We change as we make the transition from children to adults.

Some people think that they are the way they are, so they don’t need to adapt to the changing environment and other inevitable changes in life. They might blame their relatives or childhood for how happy, healthy and successful they are, and use them as reasons not to change. “I’m always sad because my mother is always sad! It runs in the family.” This is not taking responsibility for our lives.

Accept that change is inevitable, so fighting it is pointless; it wastes vital energy and can lead to unhappiness. Rather than thinking of change as something to resent, view it with interest, and as a way to expand our lives and grow.

So what can we do to be adaptable? We might need to be retrained; perhaps overcome destructive old habits and replace them with new helpful ones; go on a stress management, cooking or parenting course. Whatever the changes are, being adaptable is vital for success, good health and extra happiness.

4. Be patient

When we plant seeds it takes time for them to grow shoots. Before the leaves start to show nothing seems to happen for a while, but things are going on beneath the surface of the soil. Like seeds, when we “sow” ideas and aim to be happier, it can take time to see results. Be patient. 

 

5. Aim for balance in our lives

Nature thrives when it’s in balance. Plants and animals need enough water, nutrients and sunlight to flourish. Too much or too little and they can get ill and die; same with our bodies.

For extra happiness we need to balance how much food we eat, our body weight, stress levels and so on. High blood pressure, cholesterol and blood fats are a few signs that our bodies are out of balance.

Striking balance in our lives can be a challenge in our chaotic world. Here are some tips to help find balance.

• Learn from those who are successful, happy and healthy. Ask them questions. Read their biographies or success stories. What philosophies do they have? What coping mechanisms do they use? What are they thinking, doing and believing that helps make them happy?
• Find an area of your life that you’d like to have more balance in. Identify one or more ways that you could make it more balanced. Choose at least one way and put it into practice. Later on assess how successful it was. If necessary, do this with your other ideas. 

  6. Eat the way nature intended

  I was listening to the news on the radio a few years ago when a vet came on air. He said that more and more dogs are becoming obese because their owners are feeding them junk food. He highlighted that junk food is not suitable for dogs and dog owners should not feed it to them.
  As I’ve studied nutrition, I was very glad to hear this segment. I then wished a dietitian would come on the radio and say a similar sort of thing to parents about feeding their children junk food. “Scandal, junk food not suitable for dogs, but parents feed it to children!” is a headline I’d love to hear.
  Our bodies are made to eat fruit, vegetables and other natural foods. Only in the last few decades have many societies started eating a lot of unhealthy and artificial foods.
  A happy mind needs the right fuel. A balance of B vitamins, certain minerals, essential fats and so on can help make us happier. Not having enough omega-3 fats, for example, can cause depression.
  UK nutritionist Patrick Holford discusses the link between food and mood in his book Optimum Nutrition for the Mind. He explains how healthy eating habits can raise IQ, enhance happiness, reduce aggression, and help treat and prevent mental health problems. Future articles on this website will cover happiness and nutrition in more detail.
  
  

  7. Continue to grow

  Life is abundant with growth. Plants grow. Animals grow. We grow – spiritually, mentally, physically… – to survive. Do not stagnate. Keep learning, growing and improving.
  We should aim to keep growing no matter what age we are. My late grandfather did a college course aged in his 70s. He died shortly afterwards, so he didn’t have much time to use it, but as he did something he wanted to do before he died, he was a happier man because of it.
  
  

  8. Make time to rest

  Some people I know are always doing something. They rarely take time-out to relax. They told me what they do; it was exhausting! Full-time work, after-hours study, taking their kids to and from sport miles away from home and more. I’m worried they could get burn-out if they don’t make an effort to relax more.
  We all need rest. Meditation, day dreaming and the like are vital to restore our energy levels. Add regular chill-out time to your day and watch your energy and happiness levels improve. A few fifteen minute breaks throughout the day might be all you need.
  Animals in the wild rest – they do not work full-on without a break while they are awake. Learn from them.
  … Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
  - Lao Tzu
  
  

  9. Make time to enjoy ourselves

  Many animals play and have fun; it adds extra happiness to their lives. Remember the importance of putting regular time aside to enjoy ourselves. Sport, recreation, laughter and happy times with friends and family add years to our life and life to our years.
  
  

  10. Accept that loss is part of life

  Loss is a normal part of life. After a loss, it’s important to look to the future and, in time, move on and make the most of our lives.
  When we lose something it can open-up the door to new opportunities. Look for the opportunities rather than focusing on what we have lost.
  … For happiness, one needs security, but joy can spring like a flower even from the cliffs of despair.”
  
  
  - Anne Morrow Lindbergh, American writer and aviation pioneer
  
  
  … There’s always hope as every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.”
  - Author Unknown
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Summary

  We can learn a variety of lessons from nature to help us be happier. Aim for balance in our lives while continually aiming to learn and improve. Make regular time to rest and to enjoy ourselves. Be adaptable to change, and be patient with getting results from our plans and ideas. Find and value whatever our purpose is. Strive for more love, harmony, peace and other positive elements. Accept that loss is part of life, and always be on the look-out for new opportunities. Have healthy eating habits.
  written by Nyomi Graef
  
  

 

 

 

Coffee On The Wall

I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring town of Venice, Italy, the city of lights and water.

 

As we enjoyed our coffee, a man entered and sat at an empty table beside us. He called the waiter and placed his order saying, “Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the wall.”

We heard this order with rather interest and observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two.

 

When he left, the waiter put a piece of paper on the wall saying “A Cup of Coffee”.

 

While we were still there, two other men entered and ordered three cups of coffee, two on the table and one on the wall. They had two cups of coffee but paid for three and left. This time also, the waiter did the same; he put a piece of paper on the wall saying, “A Cup of Coffee”.

 

It was something unique and perplexing for us. We finished our coffee, paid the bill and left.

 

After a few days, we had a chance to go to this coffee shop again. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man poorly dressed entered. As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, “One cup of coffee from the wall.”

 

The waiter served coffee to this man with the customary respect and dignity. The man had his coffee and left without paying.

 

We were amazed to watch all this, as the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the trash bin.

 

Now it was no surprise for us – the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants of this town made our eyes well up in tears.

Ponder upon the need of what this man wanted. He enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-esteem… he has no need to ask for a free cup of coffee… without asking or knowing about the one who is giving this cup of coffee to him… he only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left.

A truly beautiful thought. Probably the most beautiful wall you may ever see anywhere!

Genius...

There is a story about how Albert Einstein was traveling to universities, giving lectures on his famous theory of relativity. One day while on their way to a university,

The driver said:" Dr. Einstein, I've heard that lecture more than 30 times. I have learned it by heart and bet I could give it myself."

"Well, I'll give you the chance," said Einstein,

"They don't know me at the next school, so when we get there I'll put on your cap and you introduce yourself as me and give the lecture." Einstein continued.

At the hall, the driver gave Einstein's lecture so wonderfully that he didn't make any mistakes.

When he finished, he started to leave, but one of the professors stopped him and asked him a question which was very difficult. The aim of the question was not gaining knowledge but embarrassing Einstein.

The driver thought fast.

"The answer to that problem is so simple," he said,

"I'm surprised you have to ask me. In fact, to show you just how simple it is, I'm going to ask my driver to come up here and answer your question."!

Then Einstein stood up and gave an incredible answer to the question of that professor.

~ Moral of the story: No matter how genius you pretend to be, there is always someone who is more genius than you despite his position.