Famous Last Words: Weirdest Week

This week was just the weirdest week I've had this semester. Some really strange things happened that didn't make sense.

One of those weird events was that one of my bosses had some kind of allergic reaction to her eyedrops and her eyes were swollen and puffy, and I had to cover for her a couple of days at work, so that left me with less time to work on homework. I don't know if I'll more time to work on homework this week either. I may have to fill in for her on Monday, and I am also going to the career fair in the Union on Wednesday. But I do know that I have less homework in week 5 than in week 4, so the less time should not be an issue.

Another weird thing was that we got calls about stuff that we are trying to sell at work that we really don't need. That's a project in pending on Monday and has to be complete as soon as possible and with me around, it'll get done quite fast.

I'll just end by saying that I look forward to this upcoming week tomorrow.

"The whole week was weird." Really? Tell me about it!

Source: (Google Images)

Review: Writing About Something New

A few days ago, after submitting an assignment, I got an email from our professor to keep in mind about not writing about something I've already written about. That's kind of hard, but when I start writing about a certain topic, it automatically strikes me about whether or not I've written about it before.

One thing that I really like about this class is that it helps to know myself so much better. It helps me to dig deeper and deeper into myself and to push myself to do better and know that I can.

Something on the class announcements that really resonated with me was the Growth Mindset cat: "Let another's success inspire you". That is a really powerful statement to me. I have always been inspired by another's success. It can really be a catalyst to helping one reach their dreams!

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try." Without trying, you will never succeed. And those who try never fail.

Source: (Google Images)

Wikipedia Trail: From Nooran Sisters to Pawan Kumar

I'm in a mood for singing this week, and there was a picture of Inayat Khan on the class announcements page, so I took this opportunity to read about a singing duo is a really good at what they do: the Nooran sisters.

The Nooran sisters are Jyoti and Sultana Nooran. They always sing together. They sang together in a movie, called Dangal, recently.

Dangal is about the first female wrestler to win a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games, Geeta Phogat, and her sister, Babita Phogat.

In reality, there are four daughters of Mahavir Singh Phogat, who wanted to wrestle for the country but couldn't for some reason: Geeta, Babita, Rita, and Sangita. All four of them wrestle.

Geeta recently got married to another wrestler, Pawan Kumar. He has won bronze in the 2014 Commonwealth Games. My Wikipedia trail ended there.

The Phogat sisters and their father. From left to right: Sangita, Babita, Geeta, and Rita. Sitting is their father, Mahavir Singh Phogat.

Source: (Google Images)

Learning Challenge: Health & Exercise

A week (or two) ago, I wrote about how I am having difficulty with taking care of myself and how I had wanted to go the gym.

After I wrote about it, I made a resolution to go to the gym after getting off work. I have been succeeding and I now go to the gym Monday through Friday, for about 45 minutes each day. I feel so much better about myself. And I am getting closer to reaching my fitness goals.

I used to make excuses, but not anymore. I now make improvements, and I'm proud of myself for it.

Source: (Google Images)

Growth Mindset: Learning About Business Hands-On

Recently, I have been learning about business hands-on, and I have really been enjoying it. It gives me the opportunity to grow and learn so much about what I want to do later in life.

My workplace is truly the best place I can be, and I am extremely grateful and thankful for all that I have learned there.

What I eventually want to do in life: run a hotel. Not necessarily a La Quinta, but it visually describes what I want to do and where my passion lies.

Source: (Google Images)

Tech Tip: Editing a Pinterest Pin

Let's say you have a pin on Pinterest and you want to change what board you want it in. Changing it is really easy.

All you do is click on the pin to expand it, and click Edit (it has a pencil on it). Under board, there is a dropdown menu that you use to change the board.

It's as easy as pie.

What Pinterest looks like when you open pinterest.com. Whoever created Pinterest was truly a genius and deserves a Nobel Prize for such a great creation.

Source: (Google Images)

Reading Notes: Pattanaik's Seven Secrets of Vishnu: Mohini

Mohini was the form of Lord Vishnu during the churning of the ocean. During the churning of the ocean, amrita, or divine nectar, had come out. In order to stop the asuras from consuming this nectar and becoming immortal, Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Mohini, took the nectar from the ocean, and gave it to the devas.

The churning of the ocean is one of my favorite stories.

Click here for a reading guide to Devdutt Pattanaik's Seven Secrets of Vishnu.

Lord Vishnu as Mohini. One of my favorite stories of that time period.

Source: (Google Images)

Week 4 Story: Khushi Gets Justice

Upon her birth, Khushi's mother had to leave Khushi in a temple because her husband and in-laws were against having a daughter and they wanted a son.

Dayabhabhi finds her in the temple and brings her home. Dayabhabhi asks Jethabhai to get all the members gathered at their house. As soon as all the members get there, Dayabhabhi tells them about how she found her and that they need to find out who her mother is and get her back to her mother.

After many tries and going to many places, they find her mother, but her mother, Surbhiben, tells the Gokuldham Society members that she can't take her back and that she was left at the temple because of a helplessness.

To find out her helplessness, Bhidebhai and Madhavibhabhi, in disguise, go to her house and are unable to find out, but they do find out that Surbhiben has an older daughter whose name is Suhani. They call Jethabhai and Dayabhabhi on their way back and tell them so. Dayabhabhi says that they are going to have to call Surbhiben to their house somehow in order to find out. They are told to come back to the society. Dayabhabhi gets an idea and asks Tapu and Sonu to make a card from Khushi's perspective and asks her mother to come to the society.

A few hours later, when Surbhiben comes to Dayabhabhi's house, she is asked what her helplessness is to have to leave her precious daughter at the temple. Surbhiben tells everyone that her in-laws and husband wanted a son because they think daughters are useless and are burdens; that's why she had to leave her daughter in the temple. The members are disgusted with their mindset and vow to change their thought and mindset and tells Surbhiben not to worry because they will surely succeed and give justice to both of her daughters.

After coming up with a plan, Babita, Anjalibhabhi, Popatbhai, and Sodhibhai to go Surbhiben's and tell her family that she lied to them, and that she gave birth to a son, not daughter. Upon hearing this, they get mad at Surbhiben and come to GS with them. Surbhiben brings Khushi down to compound a few minutes after they arrive, but she tells her husband that he has to leave his parents if he wants his "son". Her husband makes up his mind and says that he will leave his parents in order to get his "son". Suhani asks her dad, "who will take care of dada-dadi and give them their meds if we leave them?"

In the meanwhile, the Gokuldham Society members tell Shekhar (Surbhiben's husband) that his "son" is in fact a daughter.

Surbhiben's in-laws were in shock and instantly realized their mistake. They realize that they were wrong about daughters and they say that in order to correct their mistake of giving the wrong mindset about daughters to Shekhar, they will live happily with Surbhiben and her daughters and give them the love and respect that they deserve.

Shekhar and his parents apologize to Surbhiben and all the GS members for their wrong thinking, take Surbhiben and her daughters, and go home.

So in this way, the Gokuldham Society members gave justice to Surbhiben, Suhani, and Khushi.

***Author's Note: This story came from the idea of looking for Sita after she was abducted by Ravana. This story also involves the "beti bachao, beti padhao" (save daughters, let them study) campaign set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few years ago. Daughters have just as much right to live and study as sons do. They are also capable of accomplishing anything in the world. It was initiated to decrease, reduce, and diminish female foeticide.***

Click here for a reading guide to Sister Nivedita's Ramayana

Here's Khushi with Dayabhabhi, Jethabhai, and Bapuji. Isn't she just adorable?

Source: (Google Images)

Reading Notes: Sister Nivedita's Ramayana, Part B

The second part of the book was about Hanuman burning Lanka down, the war between Rama and Ravana, Sita's agnipariksha, and their "happily-ever-after".

Upon finding out that Hanuman was in Lanka, Ravana ordered his tail be set to fire. Using his tail, Hanuman burned all of Lanka down and returned to Lord Rama.

Slowly but surely, everyone reached Lanka and from there on, the war ensued between Lord Rama and Ravana. One by one, Ravana sent many warriors down to fight, but they all lost and ended up losing their lives. At the very end, Ravana came to fight with Rama, but his arrogance and pride brought him down as well.

Afterwards, Lord Rama brought Sita back, but because of Ayodhya's people's gossip, she had to go through an agnipariksha to prove her purity. She successfully completed her agniparika, and the people stopped gossiping about her being with Ravana for so long.

Then Sita gave birth to two sons, Lava and Kusha, and they lived happily ever after with Lord Rama being the king.

Click here for a reading guide for Sister Nivedita's Ramayana

Lava and Kush with their mother, Sita

Source: (Google Images)

Reading Notes: Sister Nivedita's Ramayana, Part A

For this week, I read Sister Nivedita's Ramayana online. I really wished that I could've had the physical copy, but I couldn't get it in time, so I just read it online.

The first half of this book is about when Queen Kaikeyi asked for her two wishes to be fulfilled. With heavy heart, King Dashratha sent Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana for exile for fourteen years.

While the three of the were in exile in the forest, King Dashratha dies and Bharata becomes king.

Sita is abducted and the search for Sita begins. Rama and Lakshmana meet the monkey clan of Kishkinda, and they all start to look for Sita. Hanuman is sent to Lanka with a ring of Lord Rama to show Mother Sita proof that he has been with Lord Rama. Hanuman meets Sita and tells her that Lord Rama will soon come and take her away from the evil and cruel Ravana.

I would write about Khushi and her story and about the members of Gokuldham Society sent her back home with her parents and gave her justice.

Click here for a reading guide to Sister Nivedita's Ramayana.

There's little Khushi in Dayabhabhi's arms.

Source: (Google Images)