Shackles of Terrorism

"You can't keep snakes in your backyard and expect them to bite only your neighbours"

-Hilary Clinton

Just last week Pakistani girl Malala Yousafzai became the world's youngest Nobel laureate to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.She was felicitated in front of a world audience and was lauded for her courage against the Taliban for promoting education which is being touted as the biggest tool in a terror ridden country.

Finally Pakistan had some hope in the midst of being a country which often shelters terrorism and the likes. But not for long...

The Army Public School was at the receiving end of the wrath of the Taliban on the 16th day of December,2014.More than 155 children were brutally murdered by militants in the guise of the Pakistani Army officers...

One of the reasons cited behind the attack was Malala. After being shot with a bullet in her head,she has gone on to become the most recognized face of Pakistan , penning a book "I am Malala" and has started working towards the promotion of education of children. Though she has not returned to her homeland due to security issues.And who can blame her? Even children are not spared the horror of being targets.

These children were being targetted as the Pakistani Army officials had thwarted their operations by killing a few of their militants. And this was their best bet for revenge.By shooting innocent,helpless children they have proved their bravery yet once again.They have showed that they should be feared because they can kill "ones who are weaker than them". They have once again proved that they are nothing but soul sucking creatures which feast on happy and innocent souls. These infiltrators claim to be fighting for their religion. I wonder which religion exists on the face of the earth which calls for the ruthless murder of Children who are yet to understand what the hatred is all about. If there is anything which needs to be murdered it is the radicalized thoughts which lead to such barbaric actions. Terrorism belongs to the religion of "hatred".It has to be eradicated before it leads to trails of blood in all nations.
  

The entire incident has left everyone shaken about the future of Pakistan.All nations especially its neighbour,India who has always been at the receiving end of terror attacks has strongly condemned the attacks. 

 For humanity, It was a BLACK DAY... 

  

My heart is filled with so much grief,with the pictures that are all over the news, that I don't wish to post anymore pictures on the incident.

Wish the little ones rest in peace and may the families be granted with all the strength in the world to bear with the huge void that their demise has brought in their homes...

Oppose Terrorism and Spread Love!!

Horror in Horror movies

Picture this : blood thirsty zombies bleeding in their faces,walking in a haphazardly,ghastly fashion making it pretty obvious that they are the GHOSTS in the movie and that you need to run away from them.Stealing the very element of "surprise and fear" that a Horror movie should be the depiction of ; it turns out to be a gore fest of a comic nature. Why should I fear pancaked persons with dark,large eyes? I already know that they are "ghosts". And they don't scare me. They make me laugh out.
Aloud....

No offence to the makers of such stories and characters. It is the repetition of these faces in movies over and over again without the backing of a script that makes me cringe.Lack of originality and the yearning for new cult characters that leaves me disappointed every single time I have walked out of the movie theater.

I have always loved Horror movies for their ability to convey fear over miles in distant places.The "world of supernatural" has always fascinated and amazed me in more than a way. And because of this passion for watching good horror movies I insist on watching them in movie halls for all the effects and then dissect them bit by bit.

The last movie which did spook me out was "The Conjuring". It's the benchmark for recently made movies with the supernatural element.Since then I've watched "Insidious: ChapterII","Occulus","Deliver Us From Evil",Annabelle,"Ouija" etc. only to be disappointed. "Annabelle" put me off beyond measure.(Sadly,no movie yet has come close to the ripples of horror it created a year back). "Occulus" was not that bad,but it was a psychological thriller,not actually anything to do with horror.(though the concept was beautiful the movie left you in want for more)

 One of the most underrated movies,it garnered a lot of praise for the lead roles. A far cry from bloodsucking zombies and gory scenes ,It made perfect use of the "element of surprise and fear" at the right time. I usually don't buy or download movies (especially horror) unless they are worth it. I tried to get a copy of this movie at a price suitable for me as I am not in a hurry of investing in a DVD of the aforementioned movie. Finally, thanks to the the "Thanksgiving shopping" and "Black Friday Fever" , I managed to grab a copy at a ridiculously low price.(My last one was a road trip and self discovery Bollywood movie in India)

The above picture is taken from one of my favorite scenes in the movie and believe me while writing this piece it did give me the chills! The clap and hide game !!

In conclusion I just wish that more directors make sensible and scary movies which may surpass this recent year's classic (or atleast come close to it)  and give me guaranteed goosebumps in the future.... ;)

Signing off as an ardent fan....

Struggles of a Vertically Challenged Girl

Standing at a height of 5'4" definitely doesn't mean that I am towering over the rest of the world but when you land in a country like the USA (read Western world) it does make you feel like a Lilliputian among Brobdingnagian population. Being a short girl I have my own set of quotes to make me feel good about myself.

Even though the above quotes ooze a lot of positivity and put me in the right frame of mind there is still a list of struggles that short girls have to face when out in the BIG BAD WORLD :

1. Cooking becomes a workout because you cannot reach for most of the items in your kitchen cabinet shelves and end up being on the counter tops rather than working on it. And it strangely reminds you of your childhood and then jolts you back to reality when you realize that you haven't grown since at all.                                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2. You are mistaken to be much younger than your actual age. There are many times that you are thought to still be in high school or college and people can't help thinking that way because most of the present day kids can easily stand taller to you.
   
3. You seldom find any sizes as tiny as you have especially in shoes and jeans. The pair of jeans fit you snugly at the waist but they make you float in them. You like a pair of shoes but the tiniest size will be slightly loose for you. At this point your only hope would be the children's corner.
   
   
4. The items on the shelves of a supermarket store are never within your reach.
   
5. You are tired of being continually kissed on the forehead.
   

Well........

It isn't that bad at all if you see the last one .. ;)

After all "Dynamite always comes in small packages"

So,embrace all yourself and always remember :

Keeping CHRIST in CHRISTMAS

.....And there finally my tree is up...

Its been a long while after Thanksgiving and I have been lazy to put up my decorations.Christmas is almost around the corner. I have been fretting over my shopping and baking my first cake for the festive season.(though I am a veteran at baking "brownies" and "muffins") I have not given a lot of thought to baking cakes earlier but this year I thought of giving it a personal touch. Armed with a foolproof recipe in hand, I tried my hand at "a sponge cake" .

It turned out to be "a black cake" , in the literal sense of the term. So I need to give it another shot or stick to making brownies as I do every year. There my sweets are almost ready!

My wall decorations will be up in no time. My "secret Santa" will be decided soon.(For those who don't know Secret Santa is picking up a name by lots and gifting the person at the end of Advent season before Christmas, as well as praying for that person.).

... And there lies the essence of the Christmas Season.. Which we all forget at one point or the other as we are immersed in shopping, decorating and purchasing all the trivial aspects of the merry season. Santa, Snowman and the Christmas Tree are not the persons because of whom we celebrate this season worldwide. Its the celebration of "the coming of Love and Hope into the world", brought by the "Son of God" also known as the Messiah.

Here's a list of things you can do to keep the purpose of Christmas alive :

• Donate something you don't use anymore (books,toys,clothes)
• Save a dollar per day and pool in the amount on the last day of Christmas to someone in need(It can be anyone including a colleague or a fellow student) After all a dollar saved is a dollar earned.
• Make Jesus the centre of your Christmas celebration by placing the scene of the nativity in your homes.
• Attend mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day with your family.(if possible)
• Speak to someone you haven't spoken in a long time
• Last but not the least - Wish everyone a "Merry Christmas" instead of "xmas". 

Don't X out the Christ from your Christmas.

Wishing All Readers A Merry Christmas!!

The window shopper

window shopper  (n.) - a person who visits a store or a mall to admire the goods rather than to purchase them

When we find ourselves in college with zero income and lots of free time the only thing that you end up doing is going window shopping. Of course its also the best way to escape hot summer days by taking refuge in the air conditioned showrooms of any huge multiplex or a shopping center. Buying a few cheap snacks to gallivant around the whole place was the perfect excuse to bunk a few hours of boring college lectures and gaze through the display windows of big department stores.

I vividly remember looking at the price tags of the clothes hung up in the store and putting them down solely for the reason that they were overpriced or maybe they did not fit into the monthly budget. Giving tuitions always did not bring in a whole lot of money to indulge in all pleasures. And even if there was enough cash to buy something, it was always offset by the desire to hoard all the amount and increase the cash balance.

Its been many years since the window shopping symptoms took root within me but it wasn't yesterday that I realised that it still hasn't left me. It still makes me happy to not have spent on something which may not have been very important to me. And saving up the amount so that I can get something sensible and useful at the end of the day. Prioritizing my needs still makes me put down a dress and invest the same amount in exchange for something much more useful to me in due course of time. I haven't been a very keen shopper (yes that is very rare for a girl) though I do have sporadic bouts of "shoe shopping" and the likes.

Though shopping is claimed as being a great form of therapy, the feeling of hanging out with friends and cracking the silliest of jokes beats that hands down any day. Where you continue trying out a huge slew of outfits which look horrendous on you,(according to you) but manage to attract a lot of laughter from your shopping buddies.And you actually do not need to buy anything to feel better again.

And I think I might as well want it to continue being this way....Because.....

How my niece changed me

Flashback :

Its 2012. I don't like little children. Don't get me wrong. Its not that I hate them,but I dislike the thought of having a small child cry in your arm till your ears ache and your head throbs with pain.It's almost like having your head hit by a wall and then getting hammered in. Its not that I don't find them cute; in fact I love watching AFV's edition of kids giggling and laughing in hilarious ways and it immediately cracks me up into peals of never ending laughter. Maybe it has had something to do with the profession of me being a teacher till a few years ago. Or maybe I dislike teaching because of the part that involved children. No No! I like children at a certain age , but just not at that age where they are pooping and pissing uncontrollably without any realization of ever having done that( not that I have never done it as a child) but still some how it gives me the creeps. Holding an infant the correct way,making goofy faces to make the kid laugh or simply putting up with the shenanigans just doesn't sit down well with me.

Fast forward to 2013 :

Its mid-September, and I receive the news that my sister has delivered a healthy baby girl. Reality sinks in that I am an aunt officially!(and even the part that I am getting older). Having lost the title of being the "youngest in the family", one look at my niece and I know that I have lost my heart to her. Being away from the family my conversations with her were limited to Skype and other social media. Though I did see her grow up, I wasn't there with her to witness it first hand. My first conversation which must have lasted about an hour with her was the most interesting one.My aunt had told me that the day old baby wiped her face by a slight tilt of her neck rubbing her mouth against the bib. Exaggeration!!! Was the first word that came to my mind. There is no chance that this could ever happen!! I waited for this moment to happen as I saw her and spoke to her.She had to be fed milk with a spoon and as is the case with most babies some of it spilled down her mouth onto her bib.I was waiting for the moment where my aunt could be proved wrong. And there it happened! But I was the one who was proved wrong and was in immediate awe of the little one.

Since then there have been many such moments where she has simply stumped me. In many ways she has taken after me and that is endearing. She is a bundle of high voltage energy which is infectious right from the moment you spend time with her.She is a natural at facing the camera with a charm that's only unique to her.

2014 : The general dislike that I have for children is surely vanished but I still am skeptical about holding a newborn baby or a baby who is yet to complete a couple of months for fear of holding it the wrong way. Watching a baby discover sounds and movements is magical but at the same time it makes me value human life in better ways than one. It suddenly transforms you into a responsible person with bursts of childlike innocence. Rings in the thought which we always need to maintain in order to grow as a person. "Be childlike and not childish".

"Because the creative person is the one who did not let the CHILD in him die."

Women's Empowerment

I bet you may have been hearing this term ridiculously way too often to have turned a blind eye to it.It started off as a trending topic ever since a certain young Gandhi made or rather ruined his first and seemingly last interview on a new channel.
If you haven't watched it then you can catch up below......

 What it actually means I don't think even the above mentioned scion knows! Which brings me back to the thought does any of us actually know what is the literal meaning of this term? Or is it just used as a hash tag to enhance the value of our words on social media debates ?

Read about unnecessary debates here .

Anything and everything said or posted these days is used as a weapon against men. We need to realize the importance of hating the crime committed by one person of a sex and stop incriminating the entire manhood for the atrocities on women. Not all men are rapists. Not all of them look at women with lecherous eyes. Not all men are involved in eve teasing and cat calling. Many people turn into bold beings when they come online to wage their virtual war against someone who may want to voice his/her opinion.

Coming to the topic of EMPOWERMENT what this word sounds like to me is "to make an individual powerful so that he/she is able to face any situation".
What makes a woman powerful? How can we define "an empowered woman"?
Does an empowered woman fight off goons or build huge muscles and lift heavy weights?
Does she have a popular standing in the society?
Is she someone who is famous or talks well?

Sorry. She doesn't necessarily have all the above mentioned attributes nor is she someone so popular that the entire country knows her.

She is someone who knows to put her foot down and say NO when all her peers join the bandwagon of "cool".
She is someone who embraces her weird awkwardness and isn't guilty for being who she is.
She is someone who works hard to keep her family going strong despite all the odds.
She is someone who stands against wrong even though everyone else is doing it.
She is someone who chooses to carve her own path without being bogged down with the burden of marriage.
She is someone who chooses her career over getting married.
She is someone who balances her professional life with her in-laws.
Someone who chooses to be herself in the presence of a crowd.

She doesn't need to be equipped with extraordinary super powers. She doesn't need a knight in shining armour. She doesn't need the latest technology .

An EMPOWERED woman is found in every nook and corner of the world. She doesn't need to be a Wonder woman with a power logo on her head. Nor does she need to harness thunder into her hands. There is no necessity for her to harp on the superiority of her sex.

If she has to be on par with the opposite sex,its time that she hated being called the weaker sex.Its time she donned the shining armour herself and became the knight herself. For HERSELF.

And never underestimate the power of a woman : If she can give you birth;she can do anything!

My successful experiment with the CHICKEN TIKKA

I never really found the need to cook anything other than the basic meal of dal and rice when I was India. Owing to my mother who cooked such fantastic non vegetarian delights I never even gave any thought to touching raw meat and fish before they turned into a scrumptious meal at home. Once you land seven seas away from home and you have to make the best of what comes your way you start to experiment with cooking as that's the only possible way to remain fit and healthy both physically and financially as well. Thus began the experiment of cooking chicken with generous help from YouTube-The master chef to every culinary amateur person. Believe it or not, what I wish to share ahead is an experiment which met with success in the first attempt, hence it is and will always be a special one. And so that others may also find the same success in their kitchen I wish to share it ...

So here goes....(the measures are according to taste and preference so don't be surprised if I may have not mentioned it in many places )

Ingredients :

• Boneless chicken (cut into bite sized chunks)
• Bamboo skewers(to be soaked around an hour before you start the grilling)
• Red chilli powder (Kashmiri variety works wonders)
• Turmeric
• Garam masala (Indian blend of spices readily available at Indian grocery stores)
• Ginger paste
• Garlic paste
• Lemon/lime juice (yes lemon and lime are different.. How??? Google it!)
• Yogurt/Curd
• Oil (any type can be used)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Pepper (only if you want to)

You need an oven or a microwave with convection mode for grilling the chicken. Stove top also works fine. But since I've decided on a healthy option let me stick to the oven.

METHOD :

1. Cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces and towel dry the pieces so that the marinade works its wonders on to them and the pieces aren't charred because of the water content ( Just trying to show off with my culinary skills ;) )
   
2. Add the one teaspoon each of the ingredients- red chilli powder,turmeric powder,garam masala,ginger and garlic paste.
3. Add a few drops of the lemon juice and a spoonful of yogurt along with a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper (if you wish). Mix in a tablespoon of oil so that the pieces remain soft after grilling.
4. MIX well, so that the lovely marinade covers each of the chicken chunks fully.
   
5. Make sure you rest the marinated chicken ideally overnight or the minimum time you can keep it is for around an hour. Try to cover it with a plastic film and leave it in the refrigerator.The way shown below.
   
6. Take the container out half an hour before you begin to grill it. Make sure your skewers are ready after their long soak in water. String the chunks into the skewers. And spray them with oil.(if you're on a diet you can skip this as you have already added oil in the marinade). Make sure you use a greased container or the chicken will stick to the bottom of the pan.
   
   
   
   
   
        
7. Preheat the oven to 420 Degree F and cook for 12 minutes . After that turn and cook for another 10 minutes.
   
   
   
   
8. And voila!! your chicken tikkas are ready!!
   

Have them as a snack or add it to rice for your own version of CHICKEN TIKKA BIRYANI...As I did...

If you happen to try out this easy version do let me know how it turned out and don't forget to add your own twist to this version and own the dish!!

Getting used to America

America is a strange land for people coming from the Eastern part of the world. Thanks to globalization,this strange feeling of being in a strange world has been diluted to a great extent. This doesn't make us Easterners feel like aliens out here in the land of Spider-man and Batman, but living here sure feels much different from home.

HOW AMERICA(ns) IS(are) DIFFERENT FROM INDIA(ns) :

Well basically people are pretty much similar all over the world. They love hanging out with family and friends, hate going to work on Mondays, are ecstatic when the weekend draws near, try to put in a lot of efforts into making marriages work(yes they do,as against all claims made by Hollywood rom-coms),love shopping (even bargain hunting and discount sales),have money crunches at the end of the month etc. But there are some pointers which set them apart from us Indians :

1. COURTESY                                                                                                                                     No matter which supermarket you happen to visit or the restaurant you frequent you are always greeted with a "hello, how are you doing?" which is awkward for an Indian as its very unusual for anyone to greet passers by or people walking on the road just because you happened to make eye contact with them.(whereas you were actually staring at them trying to figure out who he or she is)
   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
2. Obsession with APPLE products                                                                                                          Apple is considered as The Holy Grail of all mobile and electronic products. Everyone is a blind follower without considering the multi functionality of what Android has to offer. Though many of them may not even have a justification of why they use the same Apple seems like the national product of the USA.
   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
3. TANNING                                                                                                                                         It's difficult to find OTC fairness products at Walmart or any other pharmacy or supermarket for the basic reason that Americans are obsessed with getting a tan. Basically it is just Indian habits in the reverse. Indians are driven by their craze to look fair, which is their idea of beauty. "The grass is always greener on the other side" and its human tendency to want to possess what you don not have.Having a tan is as important as having a summer ready bikini bod.And if you are Indian you will get constantly complimented for the colour of your skin being exotic.
   
                                                                                                                          
4. CREDIT CARDS                                                                                                                             Americans love buying on credit because that is the way they build up their credit score. Read more about it here  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_score  .Any major asset such as a four wheeler or a house majorly affects the score in a positive manner if you pay the installments well on time. Most of the people here live for the day and make no qualms about having savings accounts. No wonder the country has a rising debt problem.
   
                                                                                                              
5. TIPPING in restaurants                                                                                                                  Yes!! whether you like it or not you have to tip the waiter/waitress for every meal you have at a restaurant. Sounds crazy? But the service which is provided mostly at restaurants compels you to do so. Mostly the tips are included in the bill and if not, there is provision for that in the bill. So you do end up paying at least a dollar or two(minimum) excluding your meal amount. And no you cant forget to do so because you will have the person waiting upon you rush after you at the restaurant demanding an explanation for not giving tips.( and no, acting like you have forgotten to pay doesn't work, Trust me, I did try that one).  
   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
6. TRADITIONAL DAYS                                                                                                                      Halloween and Thanksgiving along with the 4th of July are the most important festivals in the country which share a position of importance with Christmas. Though most of America is way ahead of more than half the world in terms of modernity it is still grounded with fierce patriotism and old school traditions which makes it endearing. Its refreshing to see the youth talk about the country with a sense of self belonging. The coming together of the family for the traditional dinner of stuffed turkey and mashed potatoes melts my heart every time.
   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
7. SPICY FOOD                                                                                                                                   The most amount of spice that an average American can take is the Buffalo sauce which tastes like smoked tomato ketchup. Tacos from Taco Bell can actually set their asses on fire. No matter how spicy you ask for a dish to be made in an American diner or restaurant it can't match the fire offered by Indian eateries.(works fine with me as I am not much of a spice lover but I do miss the yummy Indian fare) But definitely its the cheese in every dish that bothers me and I have developed a serious aversion for cheese after landing here.
   
                                                                                                                                
8. WEEKENDS                                                                                                                                    I haven't seen any person wait as eagerly for the weekend as the average American. The weekend is a mini vacation to go camping (spending money to live like a homeless person) or cross country driving or many other such activities. But the point is Americans love the outdoors as much as they love their comforts and seek adventure in living out in the woods or an RV all by themselves like primitive men fishing by the lake and cooking up a scrumptious meal by a fire (started from scratch using twigs or stones). No! I am not kidding or making up stories.  
   
                                                                                                                                                        
9. FOOTBALL, BASEBALL and BASKETBALL                                                                            Football in America means Rugby. Soccer is almost non-existent. The craze that India has for the ICC Cricket World Cup can be easily compared to America's love for the Super Bowl, so much so that you have top pop artistes and singers performing at the halftimes of these games.If you don't want to watch the games its alright, you can just watch the commercials at halftime they are just as entertaining as the real game.
                                                                     Moreover its only the USA that follows the NFL (National Football League).                                                                                             
   
                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
10. PETS                                                                                                                                                  Animals kept as pets are treated as a member of the family. They are pampered and looked after and cared for like a child.I have seen dogs and cats clothed in the winters in India as well but the picture below will prove to you that pets are treated as ROYALTY in America.     NOTE : Pets not just include cats and dogs but also pigs,rats,lizards,hamsters,birds,squirrels etc.
    
    

To round it all up America is much more than what a Hollywood movie will show you(that includes NYC being attacked by aliens or by any other evil superpower). People here are very optimistic and hard working at whatever they do.They have immense faith in the ability of the nation and are boisterously proud and vocal of their love for the country. They rise together when any calamity hits the nation and work towards it.

If you have anything to add feel free to do so in the comments section and please provide any feedback (negative or positive) to me!!(not to someone else) And do share and subscribe if you like it..

Growing older... Probably wiser..

"If you never did crazy things when you were young you will never have stories to tell when you grow old."

Change is inevitable. Change happens in people and places. In the same people over a long period of time. If there is something or someone who claims to have not changed then that person/thing has been deprived of much needed improvement. We have heard of old tales from our grandparents about their good old days and how they think that age was better than the new one. Probably they fail to understand that it is the New Age or generation that has kept them alive. As much as we would like to criticize youngsters over their choices we some how fail to perceive that we were standing in the same place a few years ago and we would react in the same way had we been in the current situation.
That is because we were young, stupid , crazy, reckless and impulsive in the same way. But should we look back and think if we should regret all those things that we did....  The answer is NO!

Had I not done any of the things I did I wouldn't have been even half of the person that I am today..

Here's a list of things that I learned in the past 25 years :

1. LOVE yourself first.                                                                                                                          Pamper yourself. Why? Because you are worth all that care. What you consume now will decide the fate of your health over the next 25 years. Make sure your body gets the right amount of nutrition along with your brain.Exercise,read and travel and keep an open approach.
   
                                                                                                                                                    
2. FORGIVE yourself for your mistakes.                                                                                              You wouldn't be the person you are without making the mistakes that you have. I have made countless ones.Often you learn a lot but its difficult to move on with all that guilt.I have often wished so badly for a time machine for these very moments where I could just disappear from the gaze of the world.Unless you make peace with yourself, it'll be difficult for you to move on with your life. No one in this world is perfect everyone is as broken as you are.                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                            
3. Do not base your DECISIONS based on the advice of those who don't have to face the results.                                                                                                                                         Each one turns into an expert when the problem is not theirs'. Remember that very few of them actually are genuinely concerned,the rest are just curious and are probably glad that you have them.
   
                                                                                                    
4. CAREER SWITCHES are fine.                                                                                                        It is absolutely fine to change from the career that you started with to a different one.I switched from Teaching to Management and it does make me feel better. As a teenager most are forced to pick a career based on what their parents think is best for them. The reasons could be myriad - ranging from economic problems,parental pressures to even peer pressures.Regret is the only feeling we will be clinging to if we are not bold enough to make decisions for ourselves and realize our full potential and pursue our dreams.
                                                                                                                                                                                               
5. FACEBOOK is virtual and not your real life.                                                                                 Everything you do and everywhere you go doesn't have to necessarily be a part of Facebook. It's even more ridiculous to post elaborate messages declaring your love for your spouse on your wall when its much more practical to just wish them in person which would take less time, energy and efforts.Most of the friends you have there are largely acquaintances and not people whom you know on a personal level. Had they known you there wouldn't be a furore every time you end up explaining "so-called controversial status".
                                                                                                                                                                                     
6. CHANGE is inevitable.                                                                                                                       There are different phases of your life. Childhood. Teenage. Adulthood. You have different interests at different stages of your life. As a teenager I would prefer listening to a lot of grunge, metal and hard rock bands. Guess it had a lot to do with the angst and rebellious attitude you have as a teenager. (though I still enjoy watching Duck Tales,and I am not embarrassed about it). You have to accept the fact that you will change and that's A-ok. You are not expected to be the same from birth till death. That same change will turn you from a measly little caterpillar to a beautiful full grown butterfly.
   
                                                                                                                     
7. Be CRAZY.Be YOU.                                                                                                                        You are irreplaceable. No one can do what you do and how you do. The day you realize this you wouldn't have to conform with any ideas of being perfect or normal. Because when you conform you lose yourself.And the moment you lose yourself in a crowd you cannot stand out.Be different. Embrace you awkwardness. As its said "what makes you different;makes you beautiful.
   
8. Your FAMILY will always understand you and vice versa.                                                              A tight close knit family is the fabric of existence. The only ones to stand up for you when the whole world goes against you is your family. The most misunderstood people in your teenage are your PARENTS. They are genuinely worried and concerned about your well being. As far as possible they try their best to shield you from the snares of the world. We only come to realize this as we cross into our 20s. Keep them close to you for the rest of their lives because what they did for you was probably the best they could.
                                                                                                 
9. Have a few but REAL FRIENDS.                                                                                                      Friends are an extension of our family outside our home. A friend is someone who has good things to say about you behind your back.Though you can appear to be friendly to the whole world its just a handful of people with whom we make a connection which can be carried all the way till we grow old. Friends are not made by basing it upon what they can do for you. Its not necessary to talk to them everyday or text them everyday. But they are the first people you celebrate your success with and the first ones when you need to vent out. If you have at least one such person in your life then consider yourself lucky.
   
                                                                                                              
10. APOLOGIZE and FORGIVE.                                                                                                          The one who apologizes is the bravest and the ones who forgives is the strongest. Harboring age old grudges over a period of years is immature and does no good to anyone. The quicker you are to forgive the more healthier is your relationship with that person. Everyone makes mistakes and "its human nature to make mistakes". Had we not been defaulting then everyone would be wearing halos on their heads.It is easy to judge people for their mistakes but difficult to recognize one's own.If you are at fault then it also makes sense to correct it to the best of your abilities.
    
    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
11. KEEPING EVERYONE HAPPY is not humanly possible.                                                             Everyone is bound to be offended by you at one point or the other. It is up to you to choose to make everyone happy. If they know you they will never question you because "dogs don't bark at people they know". Making people happy at the cost of your own should not be an option.
    
    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
12. You cannot CHANGE PEOPLE.                                                                                                     As you are unique so are each of the entire living human population on this planet. Even a set of twins has a different set of fingerprints. No two people are the same, What sets them apart from each other makes them irreplaceable in your life.If you hate a person because he drinks alcohol or smokes there are people who maybe hating you for the way you are. Just because a person isn't like you doesn't make him/her a bad person. It doesn't make sense to try to change and mould the person according to your needs. Love them for what they are.
    
    
                                                                                                                                                                                             
13. Live in the PRESENT.                                                                                                                    Benjamin Franklin said:"You can be certain of only two things : DEATH and TAXES." (one a more serious note)It isn't sensible to give up enjoying the present just to postpone it for the future. Many people save for a rainy day which is perfectly acceptable. But not being able to savor the present owing to future investments because "today is a gift and that's why they call it PRESENT".
    
    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
14. Being SINGLE is a choice. Not an option.                                                                                   Just because everyone else is committed or getting married and posting pictures of their wedding or honeymoon doesn't mean you have to do that as well. It is not a race. You don't have to jump on to the bandwagon just because it is in fashion. Being committed can be commitment to work or to yourself or to any hobby or passion which makes you really happy. It doesn't always mean that you are not fit to be in a relationship.It means that you are committed to make your life the way you have thought it out.
    
    
                                                                                                                               
15. Life is not FAIR.                                                                                                                                When you set out in the Big,Bad World no one is there to protect you and take care of you.You are out there fending for yourselves on your own. The world is like a jungle and runs on the eternal law "survival of the fittest". 
    
    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
16. You can't change what PEOPLE THINK OR SAY about you.                                                     If you start thinking what people think about you, then what will people do?? It isn't your job, to think what people might say about you. Because no matter what you do or say PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TALK. 
    
    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
17. Take RISKS.                                                                                                                                     Higher rate of risk = higher returns .Take risks , Take chances. If you succeed you will achieve your goal and if you fail you will have gained EXPERIENCE.
    
    
                                                                                               
18. Ask for HELP when you need it.                                                                                                       You cannot do anything on your own.If you are given a team then make use of it. Delegate your work. Organize it. Prepare a time table, if needed.And if you do not understand something ask for help and understand it so that you are not stressed over it.  
    
    
                                                                                                        
19. Find something to LAUGH about everyday.                                                                                     "If you laugh a lot when you are young then you will get your wrinkles in the right place when you are old."
    
    
                                                                                                                      
20. PRAY every day and THANK God for the life he has given you.   
    
                                                                                                                                                               After all,

    Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

- Maria Robinson               

These are just a few of the lessons I have learned. Hope you enjoyed reading. Maybe you can share a few more nuggets which you have learned ; as every journey is different from the other and just as interesting!