Dear Friend, face-to-face, please !!

Recently, I attended an event organised by BeHiver, a group that says "Let's start talking again. Conversations. Meaningful conversations".....What a beautiful concept to say "humanising conversations".... (and hey, like BeHiver on facebook)..... The beauty of the event was that it had just the right number of people. In fact, just right to get to know each other and bond.  Funny story or should I say "happy story"... while I was waiting for the event to start, sitting there chatting about movies and sundry with the BeHiver team, a young boy on the next table just happily joined in our conversation. Not necessary to say that our conversation became livelier, and we shared so much and hey, I made a new friend right there.... and at the event, too. That is the magic of talking face-to-face, and that got me thinking!!!

Life has indeed become a pillar to post run that never seems to end. Everyone seems to be talking about not having the time to do things they love and putting things on the back burner. There is no time  to meet people to connect face-to-face but then thank God for the mobile and the social media, they say !!   I really wonder if that is enough. I am, however, just a big believer in face-to-face meetings that lead to friendships forever. One day I had this wild thought of writing on my face book wall "Hi, we've met here on the FB wall often, but I would like to actually see you, meet you personally. I am going to be at (place) on (date) at (time). Drop in and lets connect over tea"... Of course, a friend flew off the handle and cautioned me, calling me nuts for sending out an open invitation to not just friends but maybe other nuts out there. I wonder, if maybe I had sent that note out, then today some of my friends would have stepped out of the FB page to meet me in person.  I might have just made my connects much stronger. Besides, honestly I am one of those who can't really put a face to the voice and I think most will agree.  That voice on the phone can throw me off cause my imagination definitely runs wild and voices don't match their appearances at all. They never do!!! I have been told this about my voice too...... a number of times.... so it is better that you meet me soon, in person, and be prepared to be shocked !!!

Then it is not absolutely true that people don't meet. Walk down to any of the coffee shops and you will see all ages bonding. With long working hours, the constraints to meet are definitely there. Exhaustion after work with no inclination to dress up to go out, all one craves for is to curl up on the bed and use social media to stay connected. I've realised that it is not just about making friends or meeting people these days. The whole world is on remote, whether marketing, socialising, connecting or even friendship. You don't need to "be there" but then you are "there" too. You call someone and it may take you just five seconds to put them on "whose listening" mode.  It happens to all of us, right. That mobile in the hand, someone at the other end and hey, there you go... zoning out and doing something else.

Remote communication has become the norm today. Conversations on phone are much like marketing calls. I don't need to know what you are doing at that moment or what is going on inside that head of yours. That voice on the phone steers you, owns you and takes you sometimes to a place of no return. If that same someone had been sitting in front of you, you might have had more questions to ask...more time to look into those eyes.... maybe... just maybe you could have escaped the power of being pushed in the corner to do or concede to something you never wanted to!! Face-to-face conversations give you that power.  You don't need to wait for other person to finish before you talk. You can jump right in to debate, argue, disagree, share thoughts, stories and discuss everything that makes you want to sit around more.

My retirement days too are on remote with facebook, twitter, etc. but I make it a point to get out more than most do, attending workshops, meeting friends, etc. In fact too much but then that's just crazy me, who loves to meet and greet.  Why do you think today the gardens are blooming with happy seniors walking, talking, interacting and sitting on benches enjoying life. Everyone needs someone to talk with, to vent frustrations, to interact, to get opinions. Don't you just yearn for that see-you-again hug... I definitely do... Social media, the saviour today but tomorrow people at the other end may just not be around. Friends and family too and though some may not realise it today meeting up is as important as a meal each day. All you need is one happy face, one smile, one conversation....that warm hug goodbye and you've made a memory too with no regrets in future to say "I wish I had met him/her but it is too late now".

So, call on me....let's meet face-to-face, laugh, share, argue, disagree and crib together too....... I'm waiting !!!

=========================

Oh no, not again she said , God! Mom

Another lecture, are you never done.

Lecture I must, Mom said, cause life is scary

Unpredictable, Tensions are many

Life for you is from pillar to post

When did you last float paper boats

Dance in the rain or take a walk

Sat by the sea with friends to talk

Watch the sunset, see birds fly

Look up and marvel at the starry sky

You've no time to hear birds sing

Life is just a big boxing ring

Facebook, Instagram, 140 characters tweets

Don't you miss your friend's voices, so sweet

Stop breathe, take a walk, sing

Say hello to nature, see what joy it brings

For when like me, you're old and grey

You'll wish you went out to play

Fairy Tales! More or no more??

Fairy Tales! More or no more??

In a whatsapp group a debate got me thinking. How relevant are the fairy tales today and the thoughts expressed got me worried. 'Life is not always good over evil' said one, 'Nothing magical exists, so why fool the kids' said another, while still another proclaimed 'there is no Santa Claus, so why not tell stories as they should be told'. I object, my lord, for I firmly believe that the kids today are much smarter and are able to differentiate between the real and the magical. Kids are not stupid as they have the world available to them at the click of a button. From a very early age, they are exposed to the world of games, stories and much more than we ever were. They know where to draw the line much to our dismay and amazement and from a very small age too.

Unlike us when we were kids, who believed that seeds thrown in the ground grew a beanstalk to the sky above. Let's not kid ourselves cause we did bury those seeds in the ground and water it with the hope to climb up there and meet the Giant. Who can forget Hansel and Gretel being left behind in the forest - but not to forget how smartly they found their way home by leaving a trail behind. So what if the second time the trail of bread was eaten by the birds and they landed at the witches house. The kids did escape with the riches, did they not.  Just goes to show that every fairy tale has shown how resourceful and intelligent the kids were.  So what's not right or scary about sharing these stories today.  The story about the Golden Goose that laid the golden egg taught me not to be greedy....The 3 Little Pigs building houses of straw, sticks and bricks taught me not to just take whatever I find to build my life, or choose the easy way out, but to explore what would be better. Not to forget my favourite one The Ugly Duckling that became a swan, and you may ask why? As a kid, like many other girls, I never thought I was beautiful but today when I look back, I realise it helped me realise my potential slowly and surely to achieve a lot more important things in life.

As kids, we all  loved a fairy tale with a happily ever after, so did I. I am sure the kids today too enjoy the good conquering over the evil with magic even if it is not the wicked witch but Harry Potter. Imagination and the magical world is not a thing of our times.  Everyone has imagination in varying degrees. Some kids imagine the worst to fight like flying dragons while other kids just like fighting the animals in the forest. Worrying whether the story is too scary or what is the take away or that it is not true to life is just in our heads only. What  matters is that most kids today are able to understand it better and they are much more creative and fearless than we were as kids. They never accept anything at face value and question everything.  Visuals in the stories may have changed to flying dragons, swords to depict those mythological or magical stories about cultures around the world but the essence is the same. When we were kids, the stories were told with pictures in the book and today the same stories are repackaged cinematically for the kids today. Fairy tale children movies, television shows or comics still tell the story of Snow White surprisingly for the kids in a suitable format, while for the adults it is recreated as "Snow White and the Huntsmen".  It just proves that there is a merit to the fairy tales and besides this just makes it that much easier for us to read to our kids, does it not? They say the world is round and what is new today is old tomorrow, so let's not dismiss off all of those stories that we grew up with. They taught us about friendship, life and hope. Today kids are sceptical of everything and they never stop questioning 'why'? so it is up to us to how spin off the moral of the tale. Take it a step forward and ask them to invent their own endings and be prepared to be surprised. Kids don't scare easily these days and unlike us don't turn our heads away when a head is cut off with a sword. They revel in the sword fights, the fire breathing dragons and ghostly figures in the corridors and it is not just the boys, but the girls too. In this virtual world of stories, computer games, it is still a good idea to let the kids dream the unbelievable, create their own worlds of fantasy and fly the fantastic world of magical where goodness still conquers the evil. As for us who grew up with fairy tales when life was simple, use these as a way to share your childhood stories to the kids. 

Just 3 words !! straight to the point that says it all!

For a lark I strung together just 3 words !! ....and it read like a story too....



I love you

Against all odds

Can't stop now

Look at me

Nobody is perfect

You and I

Let's get together

I hate you

Go to hell

I'm not kidding

Get a grip

Let it be...

Find someone else

Listen to us

No point crying

Join the club

Hearts can mend

Never look back

Live your life

Maybe you're right

But, I can't

I'm not strong

I'd rather die

Let me be

===========

Accept the criticism

Don't give up

Believe in Yourself

Change is good

Learn from yesterday

Time heals everything

Said and done

Done and dusted

Nothing is impossible

Focus, focus, focus

Make it happen

Try something new

Dreams come true

Yes, you can

Live the moment

Yesterday is gone

Dare to dream

Rise and shine

Go for it

Keep on going

Prove them wrong

===============

Listen to me

Everything is temporary

You are enough

Just be yourself

Free your mind

Believe you can

Make it happen

Seize the day

Remember to live

It's your life!!

Live king size

A Poem - If life were to give me another chance

 If life were to give me another chance

I'd say, give me back my feet to dance

The melodies of life have worn out my soles

My mind is weary, my heart has holes

I have lost my will to live in this hateful world

Drowning in sorrows, paining at words thrown

If life were to give me another chance again

I would never love you so much that it pains

The pains of parenthood, I wonder why?

Alone and sad, I am but a lonely sigh

Four walls of the room close in so often

Winters are cold and there is no autumn

If life were to give me another chance to choose

There would be so many things I'd refuse

Old age for one, in these ungrateful days

Your hateful thoughts, your devious ways

Your selfish demands when she came to stay

I knew that day, you wished I'd go away

If life were to give me another chance to cry

Lost moments, dreams, hopes to touch the sky

Suicide thoughts that have crossed my mind

That right person, the right day, I left behind

Quitting and cribbing when it was time to fly

Opportunities, challenges, now just a sigh

If life were to give me chance once more

I would not be lying alone in the morgue

An unknown soul, dead to the world

A story untold with no rhymes, no words

I'd ask for life to relive again

Without worries, without pain

If life were to give me another chance once more

Everything I said before, would go out of the door

I'd be who I am, say what I feel and do as I please

Climb mountains, fly the skies and cross the seas

Maybe I'd be on a crazy roller coaster ride

And life would be screaming, I'm by your side

If only life were to give me another chance once more......

Me, mad about the movies? Really!!

Fond memories are what they say stay with you, while the rest of the memories just wither away with time. Most people remember memorable holidays, achievements, happy moments with family etc. etc. but me?  Surrounded by over 15 cinema halls in the area where I lived what else could it be but - films and films and films...

Every weekend it was a fight to the finish with my dad for a film vs a film.  Let me explain. It was those days when "A" certificates were given to most English movies, even our 007 and if dad wanted a date with mom on a Saturday evening to the movies then he better agree to a date with his three daughters on Sunday. Otherwise there would be one foot raised across the jamb of the main door to our house not allowing them to leave...and yes, that was me. The terror who got dad to actually tear the tickets once.  Dad's favourite (sis Ruby, you know it is true) I got my way all the time.  Each and every cinema hall has a memory connected with some film or the other so let me share my tryst with the movies at some of them.

My childhood was spent in Khetwadi and within 10 minutes of walking was surrounded by Super, Shalimar, Dreamland, Novelty, Apsara, Imperial, Swastik, Naaz, Minerva, Opera House, Roxy, Alankar, Ganga Jamuna, Majestic, Central and the very quirky Diana. Oh yes, there were also those three-four not for family audience type theatres too like the Taj and Edward. 

Let me start with my pet peeve. Dad and his loosing tickets... and believe it or not, it was always those of Dev Anand films. He lost Johnny Mera Naam tickets, Tere Mere Sapne tickets and then he even lost Jewel Thief tickets at the gym. I remember the day we stood inside Alankar theatre near the door and watched Jewel Thief till Dev Anand sang "Yeh dil na hota", while Dad went searching the dark with the manager to see if anyone was sitting on our seats (oh yes, he remembered the seat numbers for sure). Sadly, someone was occupying the seats...... so well, we returned next day to see it. Surprisingly though, we would always ended up seeing his movies twice and even thrice.

Here is where I need to mention the most amazing theatre of all called Diana. Diana stood at the foot of the bridge on the corner of Tardeo and when all the movies had run their silver or golden jubilee course or otherwise, they would return to light up the Diana screen. Yes, those were the days when movies ran to silver and golden jubilees and there were many weekends, when there were no more movies left to see. That's when  Diana came to our rescue and it did not matter if we had already seen the movie earlier.  A second round of the same movie within a few weeks never hurt us, the Dudhmul family.  It was my job to run up the stairs to the balcony, lie down on its wooden seats and spread myself across five seats, cause there were no seat numbers.  Here is where Dev Anand entertained us many a times making up for lost tickets.

Naaz, the cute theatre that stood in the lane between Imperial and Swastik, has a birthday memory and an angry memory. In 1970, Mastana was released. It was one of those days when Dad said it was houseful and I argued till he challenged me to book tickets for my birthday. Off I go to the theatre and stand in the line and ask for tickets, but it is really house full.  Believe me when I say that 15 year old me stood there at the ticket window begging "Uncle, it is my birthday and I want to see the movie". Voila, it worked because those were the days when the theatre would keep two rows for whatever reason for themselves. Triumphant I walked home with the tickets and shoved them under dad's nose. On the other hand, mom threatened  to punish me for what I don't remember by not taking me to see Ganga Ki Lehrein one afternoon, but of course, mom being mom forgave me. Here I must fast forward to say sorry Mom  for not getting her to see 'Prem Bandhan' of her darling Rajesh Khanna. You see, I hated Rajesh Khanna (sorry!!) and after all I was pregnant and having lost my first child, Mom was trying hard to keep my mind off by taking me to the movies.  All films done and it was down to Inspector Eagle and Prem Bandhan..Inspector Eagle won.... but next when it was time for Prem Bandhan, it was not to be because just as we were leaving, I took her to the delivery room instead of the theatre.

Dreamland and its Bluff Master, 1963.  Rainy season time and there is Pran pulling Saira Banu with a whip around her waist in a song and suddenly out of the blue in the dark, a shoe goes flying at the screen. My poor dad died a thousand deaths looking for the shoe that I had flung at Pran.

The most glorious memory of them all is the "Mera Naam Joker" premiere at Novelty. Mom used to work at the bank on the first floor of the theatre building and Novelty had a huge footpath outside the theatre which we could overlook.  The day of the premiere the entire bank staff, including me, stood watching the unbelievable galaxy of stars walking into the theatre name it they were there, waving out to us each time we screamed their name.  Of all the stars that shone that night, I can still see in my mind's eye the most beautiful Helen in a golden saree with her golden hair in a high hairdo standing next to Dharmendra and Dara Singh for a very long time waiting for someone...I ran down to the foyer much later and saw Randhir Kapoor standing at the ticket window and shoved my autograph book in his hand. While this remained a fond memory, there was one very embarrassing one too at the same theatre.  I had started working, in fact my first job, and a friend and I got passes to the premier of "Majboor". In all my glory, I was there in a beautiful purple floral saree and then the movie ends...I rush to get a closer look at the Amitabh Bachchan walking out and then it happens, just as he is within arm's reach...the saree pleats come off as my foot gets entangled in them...need I say more!!!  

Opera House is where musical programmes also happened in the mornings and my dear Pesi Kaka always took me and I have autographs of Mukesh, Manna Dey, Juthika Roy, Chandru Atma, Geeta Dutt. Chitra Dutt...so it is no big surprise that I am still at it till today with selfies...(by the way I also have autographs of the likes of Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Shatughan Sinha, Jeetendre, Nitin Mukesh, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor, Asha Parekh, Jaoften ya Bahaduri, Yash Chopra, B.R. Chopra to the stalwarts like Mukhri, Nana Palsikar, Agha, Paintal, Ramesh Deo, etc. etc.... and surprises of surprises a forgotten autograph of Kalpana Iyer, who I met just recently (amazing)....okay, I am going to stop gushing now... but now you know now for sure why I am the way I am...

Opera House too has one embarrassing memory. The movie "Khamoshi" which mom took me to see along with her office friends. I had decided not going to cry and why should I, after all they are just acting and "they must have had a coca cola after the shoot" (my exact words to mom), but damn, the flood broke at the end when Waheeda Rehman turns mad and Rajesh Khanna beats the door to say he will wait for her. National Anthem begins (yes, it used to be played at the end of the movies then), the lights come on and there I am standing sobbing my heart out only to be dragged out to be admonished by my mom.

Many many more memories are coming flooding back as I am writing this....such as my little sister slipping on mud at the corner of the lane just as its time to reach the theatre to watch "Spy in Rome" at Imperial, or taking villain Ramesh Deo's autograph on the back of the ticket coming out of Majestic theatre after watching "Shart" , or watching "Do Dooni Chaar" at Swastik or pushing dad to take us to see "Jawani Diwani" at Ganga Jamuna in our dirtiest clothes straight from a picnic to Juhu Beach (oh yes, Juhu Beach was a distant far out picnic spot for us and today I live close by). I even remember once dad bought tickets by mistake for "Sinbad, Alibaba, Alladin" and "Raja aur Rank" for the same day-same show and we stood near Super Cinema deciding which one to see and thereafter dad went and sold the other tickets and bought it for another day......Not to forget those Indo-Pakistan war,1971 days when our windows were fitted with black paper and sirens stopped us from venturing out and forced us to switch out lights....we were at "Naya Zamana" in Roxy when the siren rang and I remember being scared as the screen blacked out till the siren rang again.. Marathi films were not my dad's cup of tea so I must thank my Pesi Kaka for taking me to see all the Marathi movies of those stalwarts right from Dada Kondke, Jayshree Gadkar, Nilu Phule, Ashok Saraf, Arun Sarnaik, Raja Gosavi  and more...

The film industry has always mesmerised me especially the hard work that goes on behind the scenes on the sets. I love to watch how it happens.  I have been on many sets and my craze started way back from 1969 on the sets of "Piya Ka Ghar" at Raj Kamal Studio on 19th June 1971 to be precise (I have the entire cast's autographs and even Dilip Kumar, B.R. Chopra, Yash Chopra who were shooting Dastaan there too). I recall Anil Dhawan had just one line to say and that too he fumbled many a times, by which time I knew the dialogue and the action required of sitting down at that precise dialogue. I remember thinking to myself that I could have done the shot as required by the director.  No wonder I prayed to become a film actor at the Haji Ali dargah that year but for God's own reasons it never got fulfilled (ahem, a few short films done recently though...so maybe there is hope still)... Oh yes, that being said, it is very clear that from that day till date, I am not shy of walking up to any of the stars..... after all what worst, they can only refuse!!!

The craze has continued even after marriage where with my equally film crazy in-laws family I would be at the Ambar-Oscar-Minor theatres every Friday night without fail watching the latest movie.  Of course, my craze continues till today and even more so thanks to my best friend YouTube...I am done with most old movies of 1950s to 1970s with not much left to devour now but the search is on way back to the times of Raja Harishchandra, the first known feature film made in India and I will go on and on and on because I am just one mad filmy keeda with a voracious stomach for meeting the stars and revelling in entertainment industry from days gone by to eternity..... and living in hope to be up there on screen some day... even if as I joke, just to open the door to say "saheb, aap ko koi milne aaya hai"

Dementia, Alzheimer's and my tryst at film making!!!

"Dementia, a condition that frightens many enough to shove it under the carpet and when it affects a loved one...even more...." are the opening lines that I wrote for my film titled "Selfless Soldier - Sailesh Mishra" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aETnPu2FFXk). For a long time, I had been enamoured with the thought of making a film on Sailesh Mishra's  passion but it just did not seem to materialise.

Then one fine day, YESiAmTheChange happened. I decided that this year, come what may, I was going to participate in the Yes Foundation's YIAC 101-Hour Social Filmmaking Challenge, 3-minute short films on social causes. I entered myself for the NGO category and hoped that the topic would be just what I wanted it to be. I had the thoughts, the director's vision (ahem!) and the storyboard ideas ready in my mind to tweak based on the topic, but I knew I would need someone to capture my vision and put it on screen. I decide to take the plunge by writing a small note on all my whatsapp groups asking for production assistance at minimal cost. I get a call from Drishti, who listens patiently to me saying, "I have this awesome friend Sailesh and I want to make a film on the work he does as part of a contest. I want to showcase his dedication for Dementia and Alzheimer's", to a response, "Hiraji, I think you did not recognise me. I am Drishti, Sailesh's daughter"... and I wished the earth had opened up and swallow me.  That indeed was an unbelievable intervention by God himself for me and the beginning of a wonderful relationship with Drishti, her friend Amritraj Esakkiappan and their newly founded company called "The Photomist" (https://www.facebook.com/photomist/) that started the morning, the topic dropped into my mail box wee hours on 9th September. The topics were "Responsible Citizenship" or "Specially Abled"... and I chose "Responsible Citizenship" and we were ready to get going.

My long standing friendship with Sailesh had already created an awareness and interest into doing my bit for the cause for long now, so when I went to A1 Snehanjali at Nalasopara and Rajodi to record scenes I had in mind for my film, I sort of knew what to look for and what to expect. I knew that Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and what are the problems that come with it, but then I met Mary Aunty who kept holding my hand to ask "what will they do to me" and my heart cried.  Everyone knows that the person affected by the disease retreats into a world of his own and the world she/he creates that has no place for reality or the present.  Most of the times, the memories that remain are those that are long past gone but seem like today. Mary Aunty obviously had been hurt enough sometime, somewhere in her life and that bit of memory has remained with her, which is never going away.  At first she refused to touch the casio, but then suddenly got up and played the 'happy birthday' song for us on the casio. Sadly, it caught us by surprise and we could not capture that moment on film. On the other hand, there was ever smiling Kusum Aaji (as she is fondly called) who remembered only the happy days at her home and kept inviting me home. My most favourite Hussaini Uncle, held on to a doll and kept telling me "he is a good boy most times" as I sat there talking to him.....and not to forget Bhaskar Uncle, Peter Uncle, Hariprasad Uncle, Meera Aunty and others there who stole my heart.

The environment there was calming, beautiful and green and the peace that came over me being there is unexplainable. It was no wonder therefore that the elders there are happy living in their own little world amongst nature in the loving care of the caregivers. As the day progressed and the more time I spent there, I realised that just reading up about the disease was so academic and clinical. Watching them trying to communicate with us made me realise human contact, a hug, holding the hand is so necessary that since that day at A1 Snehanjali, I have been hugging my daughter more each day. 

Not to forget first and foremost, the fear of Dementia which scares us and I admit that I am one of those who is frightened too. Everyone according to me should visit once and I promise that you will come home with a lot more patience and understanding for elders. I can't explain what went through my mind, as I watched the elders and the caregivers at the assisted living elder care home that day. There was not much that I could do but to hold their hands and talk to them hoping that they were understanding me. That being key, it made me wonder how a family remains sane dealing with this unfamiliar, dark and unknown world of their loved ones, especially the children in the family. When it is not easy for the adults, I cannot even imagine what the children must be going through. 

At the end of it all, when the film was edited (a big thanks to Drishti and Amritraj) and uploaded, I knew that I had fulfilled a promise made to myself long ago. Whether I win or lose the contest, it just does not matter anymore. I just revel in the thought that there will be a panel of eminent people on the jury and others at the YES Foundation, who will see my film. Maybe, just maybe the film will touch a heart and there will be someone out there who will reach out to Sailesh, as there is so much that needs to be done, so much more to be brought to the forefront and addressed. My friend and lone unsung soldier, Sailesh who is doing just that, on his own steam, needs to be recognised and supported. He truly understands the challenges and emotional needs of these elders and their families enough to continue to pursue his passion and dream of an elder friendly world. I, on my part, will continue to support him in my own little way and that goes without saying. His mantra "the silver-haired are not retired but rewired today and deserve to enjoy their second childhood”, is actually my mantra of life today. 

I am a mobile addict

Can I give up my mobile for a day? I wonder. I can't even imagine my life without a mobile today, even though there are many who may not agree. I know that there are strong and disciplined people out there who detox occasionally from mobile but I am not ready to admit I need that. Staying connected to people is life itself for me. I can't imagine a day without my fingers not tapping, swiping or watching flickering pictures and staying connected. I know the world is not going to end if I put that mobile away nor are my friends going to go away either.

I am great at multitasking and creative thinking so what if I cut paste a wrong message to someone it was not meant for sometimes. So what if I hit auto text turning "dear" into "dead"...or "yoga" into "yoda"..and the one worst that I fear "peace" and not "pieces" (you know, the rest in peace one..I check this a 100% times over). In the morning, along with that cup of tea it's the newspaper and the mobile for me. Reading through whatsapp, facebook and the newspaper to check what happened before I woke up (well, it is another fact that I get up very late these days..retired you see!!!).  So what if the very next thing I do is to clear the chat of all those annoying good mornings, picture notifications and that one same message that pops up in each and every group like a tsunami on a particular day.... Okay, I do know it is a nice way to start a morning by wishing each other and I do appreciate your love, but no one needs a beep beep 365 days a year especially me, at unearthly hours. You are awake my friend, but my morning has not yet begun so then don't blame me for putting you on silent mode. Silent mode, indeed!!! ........ there I go checking whether you have wished me that morning. I don't want it to beep, I want it to beep, totally confused me.

You know what's funny. Let me tell you what makes me feel more sane than most mobile addicts. I don't text my family sitting in the same room or in the next room even if we are on the same group. Now that's what I call real crazy. So what if I use a missed call to my daughter, as a signal to come to my room. Now, that I think is an intelligent use of the mobile instead of shouting, is it not?

You may wonder what is it that I am missing out on by using my mobile consistently. You must also be thinking that I definitely need to be doing something else instead? That is never an issue with me. I work from home but get around a lot too doing crazy and fun stuff, in fact quite a lot than most people.....and when I am out the internet package is off because funny as it may sound, I just never seem to need it when I am with friends or out. I simply inform those I need to stay connected to during that day via sms that I am off whatsapp, etc. Simple but effective way to break away from face book and whatsapp because I become a photographer and need my mobile to stay alive through the day as I go click click. It's another story that once I am home, there I go posting all  those photos on social media. As corny as it sounds, I want to be able to watch a show without feeling the need to share a photo but then I am a pro at doing just that without looking at the screen. I know I will have that one picture of the many I went click click click looking over the mobile. Yes, I am a notorious shutterbug strong desire to capture every moment and  memory.

I love my sleep too, so switching off the internet connection the moment it is bedtime and that means the internet package of my mobile too is a done deal. Of course not the mobile calls, after all who knows who might need to call you. 

Besides I am also not one of those who think the theatre hall is the personal hall of my home. Yes, I do get up and tick off those using the mobiles in the theatre.  Silent mode indeed, but what about that annoying light that flickers in the darkness. Not to mention my counterparts who discuss menus with their cooks mid-movie or those who love to text or talk especially during a song sequence...Hello, I want to watch that song you know and I don't need additional disco lights from your mobile to enjoy it more!!!

I'm a good girl and don't text or talk when I drive even though you know, I am quite a pro and can do just that. I won't profess not to have done that before...but with a near disaster once, texting and driving is a definite no, no and even answering the phone today. My mobile definitely lies now in my purse hanging behind the driver seat completely inaccessible and away from temptation. Besides, I am just too much in love with life for that.

I just love mindlessly opening up applications, scrolling through and connecting with friends. Internet advises setting realistic limits for oneself of using the applications of not more than an hour or so in a day (not going to happen!!!) or for not longer than 15 minutes at a time (hmmmm!!).... Leave my mobile at home, switch off while on holiday. How stupid would that be in this crazy world where anything happens at anytime. 

Maybe I need to break up with my mobile..... even though I think I am doing fine.... 

My mobile is now my best friend, my love connection to my family and even more so with friends who I don't meet for months. Just maybe, just maybe, I am a mobile addict.......Maybe I do need to detoxify... May be I need to unplug from the unreal world to the world around me.. 

...........but then on second thoughts, I am already enjoying the best of both worlds... content to be on-line or off-line as I please.