Happy Holi

Holi, the festival of colors, is another seasonal festival associated with Hinduism. At this time, everybody splashes colored water or powder all over each other. It is wonderful because it reflects exactly what is occurring in nature at that time – when all the beautiful flowers of different colors are blossoming. By celebrating this event we feel a greater oneness with nature. This splashing of colors was also a famous ‘lila’ in Shri Krishna’s life.
Holi is not only about colors and sweets. It reminds of the divine and eternal love of Krishna and Radha. It also reminds one of Narashima, Prahlada and Hiranyakashyapa and thus the fact that ‘Truth and Humanity are invincible forces in the Universe’.
From the lanes of Mathura and Vridavana, the colors of Holi have spread all over the country. These colors also carry the message of love, brotherhood, and truth. So whenever you splash Holi colors on somebody, you give him a promise of being truthful towards him always, maintain brotherhood with him lifelong and shower him with all the possible love throughout your life.
Happy Holi to all.

Tendulkar's glory untouched by fame

Sachin Tendulkar sugar-coated the recent reality of India and gave its people something to cheer about. It is not easy to possess the mandate to lift the spirits of such a large nation, but he has done that consistently. The comparison with Sir Donald Bradman is not restricted to his batting alone. Like the great man who brought cheer to post-war Australia, Tendulkar allowed India to momentarily forget fires and bombs and inflation and terrorist threats. It was like that with the century he made after England so graciously agreed to tour after the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. It has been like that for a long time. For better or worse cricket is more than a sport in India; Tendulkar is more than just a cricketer. Where our elected representatives callously fritter away the mandate people give them, Tendulkar has stayed true to it.

And he has never forgotten why he started playing the game in the first place. The best have lofty ambitions when they begin but soon commerce, like a tenacious worm, gnaws into them. Fame surrounds them and prevents the fresh air of reason from breaking through. They acquire sycophants, that great curse of success. Playing the game becomes a means to a seemingly superior, but in reality hollower, end. Tendulkar has kept those demons at bay. He has made more money than anyone else in the game, acquired greater fame than is imaginable, but you could never guess that from the way he plays his cricket. He remains the servant, pursues the game with purity. Through the last decade India have been well-served by like-minded giants.

And he works as hard as anybody has. Lance Armstrong once said that he wins the Tour de France not when he is cycling down the Champs Elysees but when he is out in the mountains facing icy winds while others are cosying in their blankets for an extra hour. Two years ago Tendulkar realised that his future lay in the way his body coped; that eventually his body rather than a bowler would get him. During the first IPL, as he struggled with a groin injury, he admitted that he found continuous rehab very difficult to live with. Once fit, he was like the child again, able to do what he wanted without worrying about whether his body was accomplice or traitor. And so he trained harder and rested well. You could see the effect as he scampered between wickets. Tendulkar's delightful second wind is the result of what you and I have not seen: hours in the gym and in training.

As a result, Tendulkar's endgame is nowhere in sight. He is peeling off centuries like he did in his prime. The old air of predictability is still around; he is grinding his way through when needed, clobbering the ball when required. In this extraordinary long-distance race he is running, this looks like a mid-race burst rather than the finishing kick his age suggests it should be.

So why has no one else scored a double-century in limited-overs cricket so far? Well, because it is very difficult for a start. Assuming 300 balls, you should expect to get no more than 150, which means you need to bat at a strike-rate of 133. You need to be mentally alert, because one casual shot, one moment of disrespect, could be your undoing. But, let's admit, the combination of pitches, outfields and boundary ropes has rarely tilted the balance so much in the batsman's favour. In Gwalior the groundsman told one half of the class they were not wanted. The bowlers were the extras in a movie, seeking, at best, a talking part. The stage had been prepared for Tendulkar but he still had to deliver an unforgettable performance.

Inevitably the question will be asked: what next? I know there is only one thing he genuinely covets, and that is not in his hands. In 12 months Tendulkar hopes to play his sixth and last World Cup. So far his relationship with the World Cup has been like that of a child who scurries to the rossogulla shop only to find it shut every time. If he was a golfer seeking a Masters win or a tennis player hoping to win another Grand Slam, he could plan for it but he doesn't hold the key to a win in a team sport. It must happen, he cannot make it happen. But what else? Frankly, I don't care.

Tendulkar's journey is about joy and purity and a landmark is merely a comfort stop.

Harsha Bhogle is a commentator, television presenter and writer

A Box Full of Kisses

The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy."
The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty. He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy."
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.
Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses... from our children, family members, friends, and God. There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this.

Terrorism, Wars and Matters of Internal Policy

In the course of wars or matters of internal policy involving destruction of people and property there are inevitable innocent victims. But established governments, while regretting this fact, justify it on the grounds of military or political necessity. These justifications are asserted by the governments themselves, and, up to now, there were no independent, impartial and objective super-national courts, where such justifications could be put to test of factual validity, logical consistency, and conformity to the fundamental principle of justice – equality under the law.
As the only difference between terrorism and war is the fact of the perpetrator being or not being an established government, it is possible for terrorists to become established governments.
If the terrorists’ objective is to establish a national state or to expel a foreign (colonial or similar) power occupying their country, and they succeed, they become not terrorists, but an established government.
The last century saw numerous examples of this phenomenon. Terrorists of the former British colonies became members of established governments of independent countries of Africa and Asia.
Indeed there are few established governments in the world today, which at some time in history were not established by acts of destruction of people and property aimed at the then established governments. The American Civil War, the French Revolution, the Communist Revolution in Russia, the Chinese Revolution all began as acts of violence and destruction of people and property on a massive scale (including innocent victims) with the objective of overthrowing the then established governments.
While established governments see terrorist activity as terrorism, terrorists themselves see it as war - war against an enemy, an oppressor, war for freedom, justice, etc. Indeed, they see themselves as rightful governments fighting for their lawful rights. And, as established governments, they pursue their wars by destroying people and property.
The means of destruction in the hands of terrorists are, however, much less powerful and versatile than those in the hands of established governments. And this dictates the targets, which terrorists choose to hit.
Terrorists bomb offices and shopping centers, not because they want to kill innocent people, but because they want to hit enemy targets. The fact that shops and offices contain people who have nothing to do with whatever cause the terrorists might be fighting is overshadowed by the triumph of inflicting damage upon the enemy. This triumph is not different from the triumph of the British and American people, when they heard that the Allied Forces started bombing Berlin at the end of the Second World War – they did not think at the time of the deaths of innocent German women and children dying in burning ruins – they thought of the victory over the enemy.

If War, Not Peace??

Why do we all fight?
do we not all hit the same light?
Yes, but at what time?
You could be dead and I could be walking
but yet, we could both be talking
...to eachother OR
I could be dead and you in bed
sleeping or waking
...now whose life are we taking?
Gods!
let us save our souls from the wrath we provide ourselves
look at all the gifts on God's shelves
He has helpers
He has patients
He has bosses
He has crosses
...all to redeem
in the eyes
in the lies
in the skies
in the rise
water or wave
just stay out of the grave..

Leave Me Alone

I heard the voice of a little girl say my name. The only woman in the house was my mother. So, I got up and looked for the source of the voice. It was never found.
Two days after that, after I got back from seeing Twilight, I went to my cousin's house to stay the night.
When we got there, my cousin Sana, disappeared, so I went to look her. I walked into her room, she wasn't there, so I turned around and went back.
Now, to the left of the hallway to her room is a mirror. When I walked back down the hallway towards the living room, I saw a girl in the place of myself. She was four or so feet tall, she had brown, golden hair, and she was wearing a school uniform from the mid 1800s.
When I did a double take, she was gone and I was there again. That stunned me a bit.
Later, I was looking for Fizza, my other cousin, I walked into her room and she wasn't there. When I turned around, I saw the little girl again she was standing the doorway. It wasn't scary except for the fact that she really wasn't there. But she standing there, like she was waiting for me to come play with her. Just waiting.
Now, I see her in mirrors, like in Sana's, and in any surface that can you see a reflection. There's nothing scary about, but it kind of getting annoying jumping every time I look in a mirror.

Flower In The Desert

There was a young flower in the desert where all was dry and sad looking...It was growing by itself...enjoying every day...and saying to the sun "When shall I be grown up"? And the sun would say "Be patient"---Each time I touch you,you grow a little"...And she was so pleased.Because she would have a chance to bring beauty to this corner of sand...And this is all she wanted to do---bring a little bit of beauty to this world.
One day the hunter came by---and stepped on her.---She was going to die---and she felt so sad.Not because she was dying ---but because she would not have a chance to bring a little bit of beauty to this corner of the desert.
The great spirit saw her, and was listening.---Indeed,he said ...She should be living...And he reached down and touched her---and gave her life.
And she grew up to be a beautiful flower...and this corner of the desert became so beautiful because of her.

Positive Attitude

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, 'Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut way all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man.'

"I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breathe and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them. 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

The Talk

Boy: I need someone to talk to.
Girl: I'm always here for you.
Boy: I know.
Girl: What's wrong?
Boy: I like her so much.
Girl: Talk to her.
Boy: I don't know. She won't ever like me.
Girl: Don't say that...you're amazing.
Boy: I just want her to know how I feel.
Girl: Then tell her.
Boy: She won't like me.
Girl: How do you know that?
Boy: I can just tell her...
Girl: Well just tell her.
Boy: What should I say?
Girl: Tell her how much you like her.
Boy: I tell her daily.
Girl: What do you mean?
Boy: I'm always with her...I love her.
Girl: I know how you feel. I have the same problem...but he'll never like me.
Boy: Wait. Who do you like?
Girl: Oh, some boy.
Boy: Oh, she won't like me either.
Girl: She does.
Boy: How do you know?
Girl: Because who wouldn't like you?
Boy: You.
Girl: You're wrong. I love you.
Boy: I love you too.
Girl: So are you going to talk to her?
Boy: I just did.

Do You Believe In Destiny

Stella was a pretty girl, she is very sheltered since she is the youngest in the family. She has so many admirer but she felt she does not have the freedom to date because her parents is very strict, she came from a very traditional and conservative family. Even her parent are very strict she still managed to date a few selected suitors, but none of this became really serious because she is quite choosy, she want to meet a man where her family will approve also.

Until after a few years, internet became popular ,so as internet chatting. She met a few guys while chatting, and met 2 men in person, where she had a not so serious relationship.

After she broke up with this man she met online, she started chatting online again and met this guy from the USA, when they started to chat, Stella was not interested on him, because he is not in the financial status Stella wants, and she said his looks doesn't appeal her also. But one thing that made her interested in chatting with him is his, knowledge in financial market, where Stella is very interested to learn.

After 2 months of on/off chatting online, she is still not interested on him. She became busy with work and whenever she will chat ,she will always change her nickname on a chatroom. She forgot about about James, then a few months they get to see each other again online(with different nicknames), but again its shortlived since Stella is still not interested on him.

Third time after more than a year they saw each other online again, this time Stella is more interested to learn the financial markets, so she paid more attention on their chats, and later they were already talking about personal stuff, they are trying to get to know each other more, needless to say Stella is getting interested on James now.

James taught everything he knows to Stella, he even send Stella books to read, and they became closer each day, little by little they are both falling for each other. Until one day, they decided to meet. They talk of meeting in another country. A country that is foreign to both of them. Stella was amazed how she felt, she is usually scared but this time she is willing to risk to meet a man in another country, a man she never met in person before. She prayed hard for man. She is scared her mother and siblings will not allow her. Stella kept this things inside her for a couple of months while they are still planning it. Until the time came that Stella and James are both 100% sure that they really want to meet and maybe start a life together in another country.

Stella talked with her sister first and she didn't have negative comment on this since she knows that Stella knew James of a few years already. So after a month she talk to her mother and surprisingly her mother did not say anything negative and she seems excited. Stella considered her mother's approval as her go signal, that its really her fate to meet this man.

Finally they met, Stella arrived first in that country ,she will meet James in the hotel since James will come 4hours later. In the hotel room Stella is so nervous, but more excited to meet James in person. When James finally arrive they are both casual with each other, since both of them are shy they never became romantic, its just like friends meeting. James was a real gentleman, they slept in a different bed, nothing happened to them until after a couple of days.

Then after something happened to them ,they decided to stay in that country for one year and live and work there together.

After a year Stella went back to her country, James became lonely and bored, he went out with a lot of girls there, Stella's friends told her everything James was doing there, she felt so hurt she decided to break up with him... after 8months of being not together.... James realized he can't live without Stella, he did everything to win her back, and Stella after all the heartache, was still inlove with James, she decided to give their relationship another chance. James send Stella a plane ticket and they meet again to a new county and there James finally married Stella.....WOW ISN'T IT ROMANTIC!

Believe In Yourself

There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren't the way you had hoped they would be.
That's when you have to tell yourself that things will get better. There are times when people disappoint you and let you down.
But those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself.
There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them.
Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are.
So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be.
Because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.
Keep Believing in Yourself

LESSONS OF LIFE . . .
I feared being alone until I learned to like myself.
I feared failure until I realized that I only fail when I don't try.
I feared success until I realized that I had to try in order to be happy with myself.
I feared people's opinions until I learned that people would have opinions about me anyway.
I feared rejection until I learned to have faith in myself.
I feared pain until I learned that it's necessary for growth.
I feared the truth until I saw the ugliness in lies.
I feared life until I experienced its beauty.
I feared death until I realized that it's not an end, but a beginning.
I feared my destiny, until I realized that I had the power to change my life.
I feared hate until I saw that it was nothing more than ignorance.
I feared love until it touched my heart, making the darkness fade into endless sunny days
I feared ridicule until I learned how to laugh at myself.
I feared growing old until I realized that I gained wisdom every day.
I feared the future until I realized that life just kept getting better.
I feared the past until I realized that it could no longer hurt me.

I feared the dark until I saw the beauty of the starlight.
I feared the light until I learned that the truth would give me strength.
I feared change, until I saw that even the most beautiful butterfly had to undergo a metamorphosis before it could fly.
And ..... AFTER A WHILE.....
....you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaving that company doesn't mean security.
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises;
And you begin to accept your defeats with your head held up and you eyes opened. with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child
And you learn to build your roads on today because tomorrows ground is too uncertain for plans
After awhile, you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much;
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers;
And you learn that you really can endure... that you really are strong and you have worth.

Foundation

he's got the dress on already, and is padding around the bedroom in stockinged feet. There is a card table set up in the corner of the room, a towel spread neatly on it, covered by a collection of makeup that Frannie would envy. There's a mirror, too, with lights around the frame, the kind that Maria uses to put her contacts in. Trust Benny to have the right tools for the job.
He sits in front of the table on one of the folding chairs from the kitchen and switches on the lights around the mirror. He starts with some sort of cream in a jar, scooping it out with a little spoon and rubbing it onto his face with his ring fingers. It's a good thing Fraser doesn't have a heavy beard, Ray thinks; he imagines there's only so much makeup can do when faced with five-o'clock shadow.
He picks up two little tubes and squirts some of each into a saucer, then mixes them together with the tip of his finger. He dabs at the result with a sponge and smears some on the back of his hand, then nods to himself and starts wiping it over his face.
When Ray watched his sisters put on makeup, they always did it quickly, powder grains flying. Ray wonders if it's inexperience that makes Benny so careful, or if it's just his crazy personality.
Probably the personality.
Benny's moved on, now, and is putting on blush, applying it to his cheeks with even strokes. He tilts his head, examining himself in the mirror; he probably wants to make sure it's even. Apparently satisfied, he takes a large brush from a jar on the table and uses it to sweep powder over his face.
He puts the brush down and picks something else up from the table-- Ray isn't sure what it's supposed to do, but it looks vaguely familiar; he thinks that Frannie might have one. It looks like the unholy love child of tweezers and a socket wrench.
Fraser holds the thing up to his eye, and squeezes for a moment. Oh. That's right. Eyelash curler.
God, he's glad he's not a woman.
Fraser does his other eye and stands blinking for a moment, as though trying not to tear up. He picks up another compact, then, and another brush from the jar, and starts putting eyeshadow on.
Ray hadn't thought that Benny was wearing that much makeup when he'd come to the station yesterday, but it seems to be a hell of a lot more complicated than he'd always assumed. Fraser's using about four different colors of eyeshadow, putting them on in some kind of pattern. When he's done with that, he picks up a pencil and lines his eyes, first the bottom, then the top, and then picks up a tube of mascara. Ray wonders if he'll make the face when he puts it on; Frannie and Maria and Angie all do.
He makes the face. It's a memory that Ray will treasure always.
Benny picks up another pencil, a pink one this time, and outlines his lips, then takes another brush from the jar (there have to be thirty brushes in that jar; Ray has no idea how he knows which one he wants) and fills in the outlines with color from another compact. Ray didn't realize lipstick came any other way than in tubes. It must be a pain to put it on this way, with such a little brush, in tiny, precise strokes.
Fraser puts the brush down and tilts his head, clipping on his earrings as he studies his face in the mirror. His eyes look different, bigger or something, and his mouth... you notice it, now. You don't notice guy's mouths. It makes Ray feel funny to look at him.
The wig is sitting to one side of the table, on a little styrofoam head. Creepy. Benny picks it up and puts it on, sliding bobby pins in around the edges to hold it on. Ray remembers when Frannie went to prom with Jerry Delaney in eleventh grade; Ma had used about a million of the things to keep her hair in place. With his real hair covered up, Benny looks a lot less... freaky. More like a woman, less like a man in a dress.
He sits on the edge of the bed and slips the shoes on, fastening the little buttons on the straps with a neat twist of his fingers. He stands, and turns toward the door, starting a little when he notices Ray.
"You done making yourself beautiful, Benny?" Ray holds out the floral scarf he picked up off the kitchen counter, and Benny wraps it around his neck with a little flourish.
"I'm not sure I'd put it quite that way," Benny says, "but I'm certainly ready to go. I apologize for keeping you waiting; I didn't realize you'd arrived."
Ray shrugs. "I don't care. Kind of interesting to watch you put the face on. Unravel the mystery."
"This case is certainly providing many opportunities for enlightenment." Benny looks at Dief, who's curled under the kitchen table, gnawing on the bagel Ray dropped in his bowl on the way in. "We're ready to go," Benny says firmly, and Dief gulps down the rest of his breakfast and gets up, licking cream cheese off his nose.
"You shouldn't encourage him," Benny says. "He'll spoil his digestion, eating all those rich foods."
"Hasn't seemed to hurt him so far." Ray opens the door for Benny and has to fight the urge to usher him out with a hand in the small of his back.
He'll be glad when things get back to normal

A Gud Morning Cheer U Up

once upon a time there was a boy named Ray. (His real name was Stanley, but only his mum called him that.) Ray, unlike most heroes of these sorts of stories, was not a prince. Normally, this would not have caused him any trouble; after all, most people are not princes, and live their lives in happiness. But Ray had fallen in love with a princess named Stella.
Ray thought that Stella was the most beautiful princess in the whole wide world. After he saw her for the first time, he hadborrowed his mum's library card and gotten on his bicycle and ridden to the library, and looked up her name; he had learned that it meant "star," and that seemed right and good, because in his eyes she shone, bright and lovely. His own name, he knew, meant "mighty protector," and he vowed that he would protect Stella until the day he drew his final breath.
Time passed, and Ray grew into a man, and still he loved his star-princess. And somehow, through what good fortune he knew not, she had grown to love him, too. They married, in due time, with the pomp and circumstance due to a princess, and he took her to live with him in his little house.
Now, in the normal course of things, this would be the time to speak of how happy Ray was with his princess-- for he was-- or of how they lived happily ever after. But not even princesses always have happy endings, let alone ordinary men; and after a time Stella grew unhappy. She had hoped that marrying Ray would let her live a different life than that usually granted to a princess; but he wanted always to protect and shelter her, never thinking that perhaps she had grown tired of being protected. Their problems grew and worsened until one morning Ray awoke to discover that his star-princess had slipped away from him, and he was alone in his little house, and his heart grew sore within him.
With no princess to come home to, Ray found his only solace in his work, for he was a protector of the kingdom, true-hearted and valiant. Still, he ached; for every time he was able to rescue a woman or a child, he saw the princess he'd been unable to keep, and the children she had never borne him. And so, when it came to pass that his commander was looking for a volunteer to do a difficult and lonely job, he offered himself; for surely, he thought, anything was better than endless days of helping other men's families, and nights of sitting alone and sad in the little house he had bought for his Stella.
His task was to take the place of another protector, one who was away on a mission himself, to spy on the enemies of the king. Ray learned that the man he was to replace was also named Ray, Ray Vecchio; it seemed to him a good omen. Perhaps, he thought, he could find in his new life the peace that had eluded him since his princess had gone.
Alas, this was not to be; for the dearest friend of the man whose life he was to live was a prince, as fair and pure, it seemed, as the unbroken snows of his homeland, far to the north. The prince was a man noble and valiant, although at times foolhardy; and though at first he was grieved to find his friend replaced with a stranger, he was willing to find friendship with the new Ray as he had with the old.
Ray's heart was glad for the friendship of the prince, and as time passed, he began to wonder if, perhaps, he should have sought his mate in the snow, rather than the stars. He did his best not to reveal his secret thoughts, but within himself, he began to love the prince; he longed to see an answering heat in his eyes, to kiss his mouth, to be allowed to touch his skin, so pale and fair. But Ray was afraid of losing the prince as he had lost his princess, and so spoke nothing of what was in his heart, instead seeking to aid his prince on his many quests for justice, and to protect him from evil men; and if he was not fully happy, he was at least content.
And it came to pass that one day, the man whose life Ray was living completed his mission, and returned home a hero to resume living as he had been before. The prince was delighted to welcome his friend home, and for a time the two Rays and the prince went questing together.
But in time, the prince's desire for the snows of his homeland grew too great to be borne, and he returned to the north. It seemed to Ray then that all the light was gone from the sky, and his heart burned with pain both for the princess he had lost and the prince he had never gained. But the commander of his post asked him to stay and work with the Ray he had at one time replaced; and, seeing no other option but returning to his empty little house, Ray agreed.
Ray and Ray were not very much alike, it seemed at first. Ray had hair the color of straw, that stuck up untidily on the top of his head; his clothes were rough, and his speech unrefined. The Ray that he had replaced, Ray Vecchio, was sleek and smooth, with dark hair and golden skin, and his eyes were as green as the jade necklace Ray had bought for his princess, long ago. They fought, at first, over many things; but in time, they grew to become friends.
But Ray's heart still ached within him, for he had an emptiness inside; he had filled it, for a while, with his princess, and then had tried to fill it with his dreams of the prince; but now they both had gone, leaving only vacancy behind.
Now as they worked together, the heart of Ray Vecchio had turned toward Ray, and he had come to wish that Ray might love him. But Ray Vecchio knew that Ray had loved a princess, bright and lovely as a star, and then a prince, pure and fair as northern snow; and he grew sad, for he thought that surely Ray would never look upon him with favor, a man of hot temper and little beauty, roughened and scarred by the dangers of his life. So he continued without speaking to Ray of love, seeking only to enjoy the solace of his friendship.
One day, as they were going about their duties as protectors of the kingdom, an evil man, fleeing justice, pulled out his bow and arrow, and made as if to shoot Ray; but Ray Vecchio, seeing the danger, threw himself into the arrow's path, knocking Ray aside and taking the wound in his own shoulder.
Ray seized his own bow, and shot the evil man; and while other guards ran to capture him, Ray turned to his partner, angry and afraid. Ray Vecchio lay in the street, red blood staining the fine clothes he wore; but the first words he spoke were to assure himself that Ray was unhurt.
Ray stopped, and stared at him in wonder; for in the green eyes of his friend he saw love; and when he thought, he realized that it had been there for a long time. And his heart, bruised and sore, began to stir within him.
He bound his partner's wound, and took him to a surgeon, and while they worked to remove the arrow he thought of Ray Vecchio: of his bravery, and his kindness, and the love in his eyes. And he thought of Stella, his star-princess, and of his northern prince, and of the way he had always had to reach for them, only to have them slip out of his grasp; and the way he had always tried to protect them, although they didn't want protecting.
And he remembered the way his partner had taken into his body the arrow meant to pierce Ray's own heart, and he thought that maybe it would be better to be protected sometimes than to always be the protector.
And then the surgeon came to him, and told him that he had removed the arrow, and that Ray Vecchio had asked to see him; and so he went into the room where Ray Vecchio lay, pale and bandaged, but alive. And when his partner saw him, he smiled, a smile of warmth and sweetness that seemed to creep into the empty space in his heart and make a home there.
And he took his partner home, to his little house, and he spoke to him, fearfully, of love, and his heart was filled with joy; for Ray Vecchio held him close to his body with the arm that was not wounded, and whispered tender words to him, soothing and healing as aloe to a burn. And as, at night, they lay down to sleep together, close and warm, Ray felt his partner's lips upon his skin; and he thought that truly, he was happier in this man's embrace than he had ever been when he was reaching for the stars.

The Power Of Thoughts

One day, a yogi and his disciple arrived to the big city. They had no money with them, but they needed food and a place to stay. The disciple was sure that they were going to beg for their food, and sleep in the park at night.
"There is a big park not far from here. We can sleep there at night", said the disciple.
"In the open air?" Asked the yogi.
"Yes", responded the student.
The yogi smiled and said: "No, tonight we are going to sleep in a hotel and eat there too".
The student was amazed. "How?"
"Come and sit down", said the yogi.
They both sat down on the ground and the yogi said:
"When you focus your mind intently on any subject, it comes to pass."
The yogi closed his eyes and started to meditate with full concentration. After about ten minutes he got up and started to walk, with his disciple following him. They walked through several streets and alleys, until they arrived to a hotel.
"Come, let's enter inside", the yogi said to his disciple.
They just set foot in the entrance, when a well-dressed man approached them.
"I am the manager of this hotel. You look like traveling swamis and I believe you have no money. Would you like to work in the kitchen, and in return I'll give you food and a place to stay?"
"Fine", responded the yogi.
The disciple was perplexed and asked the yogi: "Did you use any magic? How did you do that?"
The yogi smiled and said, "I wanted to show you how the power of thoughts works. When you think with full and strong concentration about something that you want to happen, and your mind does not resist the subject of your thought, your thought materializes."
"The secret is concentrating, visualizing, seeing details, having faith and projecting mental and emotional energy into the mental scene. These are the general prerequisites. When your mind is empty from thoughts, and only one single thought is allowed to enter, it gains a very great power. One should be very careful with what he thinks. A concentrated thought is powerful, and exerts a very strong influence."
The disciple looked at his teacher and said: "I see that I have to sharpen my concentration in order to be able to use this power."
"Yes, this is the first step", responded the yogi.

The Power Of Giving

It was a really hot summer’s day many years ago. I was on my way to pick up two items at the grocery store. In those days, I was a frequent visitor to the supermarket because there never seemed to be enough money for a whole week’s food-shopping at once.

You see, my young wife, after a tragic battle with cancer, had died just a few months earlier. There was no insurance — just many expenses and a mountain of bills. I held a part-time job, which barely generated enough money to feed my two young children.

Things were bad — really bad.

And so it was that day, with a heavy heart and four dollars in my pocket, I was on my way to the supermarket to purchase a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread. The children were hungry and I had to get them something to eat. As I came to a red traffic light, I noticed on my right a young man, a young woman and a child on the grass next to the road. The blistering noonday sun beat down on them without mercy.

The man held up a cardboard sign which read, “Will Work for Food.” The woman stood next to him. She just stared at the cars stopped at the red light. The child, probably about two years old, sat on the grass holding a one-armed doll. I noticed all this in the thirty seconds it took for the traffic light to change to green.

I wanted so desperately to give them a few dollars, but if I did that, there wouldn’t be enough left to buy the milk and bread. Four dollars will only go so far. As the light changed, I took one last glance at the three of them and sped off feeling both guilty (for not helping them) and sad (because I didn’t have enough money to share with them).

As I kept driving, I couldn’t get the picture of the three of them out of my mind. The sad, haunting eyes of the young man and his family stayed with me for about a mile. I could take it no longer. I felt their pain and had to do something about it. I turned around and drove back to where I had last seen them.

I pulled up close to them and handed the man two of my four dollars. There were tears in his eyes as he thanked me. I smiled and drove on to the supermarket. Perhaps both milk and bread would be on sale, I thought. And what if I only got milk alone, or just the bread? Well, it would have to do.

I pulled into the parking lot, still thinking about the whole incident, yet feeling good about what I had done. As I stepped out of the car, my foot slid on something on the pavement. There by my feet was a twenty-dollar bill. I just couldn’t believe it. I looked all around, picked it up with awe, went into the store and purchased not only bread and milk, but several other items I desperately needed.

I never forgot that incident. It reminded me that the universe was strange and mysterious. It confirmed my belief that you could never out give the universe. I gave away two dollars and got twenty in return. On my way back from the supermarket, I drove by the hungry family and shared five additional dollars with them.

This incident is only one of many that have to occurred in my life. It seems that the more we give, the more we get. It is, perhaps, one of those universal laws that say, “If you want to receive, you must first give.”

Maths teacher writes love letter

My Dear SweetHeart,

Yesterday, I was passing by your rectangular house in trigonometric lane.

There I saw you with our cute circular face,conical nose and spherical eyes,standing in your triangular garden.

Before seeing you my heart was a null set, but when a vector of magnitude (likeness) from your eyes at a deviation of theta radians made a tangent to my heart, it differentiated.

My love for you is a quadratic equation with real roots, which only you can solve by making good binary relation with me.

The cosine of my love for you extends to infinity.

I promise that I should not resolve you into partial functions but if I do so, you can integrate me by applying the limits from zero to infinity.

You are as essential to me as an element to a set.

The geometry of my life revolves around your acute personality.

My love, if you do not meet me at parabola restaurant on date 10 at sunset, when the sun is making an angle of 160 degrees, my heart would be like a solved polynomial of degree 10.

With love from your higher order derivatives of maxima and minima, of an unknown function.

Grandfather's Letter

One day, a young man was cleaning out his late grandfather’s belongings when he came across a bright red envelope. Written on the front were the words, “To my grandson.” Recognizing his grandfather’s handwriting, the boy opened the envelope. A letter inside read:

Dear Ronny,

Years ago you came to me for help. You said, “Grandpa, how is it that you’ve accomplished so much in your life? You’re still full of energy, and I’m already tired of struggling. How can I get that same enthusiasm that you’ve got?”

I didn’t know what to say to you then. But knowing my days are numbered, I figure that I owe you an answer. So here is what I believe.

I think a lot of it has to do with how a person looks at things. I call it ‘keeping your eyes wide open.’

First, realize that life is filled with surprises, but many are good ones. If you don’t keep watching for them, you’ll miss half the excitement. Expect to be thrilled once in a while, and you will be.

When you meet up with challenges, welcome them. They’ll leave you wiser, stronger, and more capable than you were the day before. When you make a mistake, be grateful for the things it taught you. Resolve to use that lesson to help you reach your goals.

And always follow the rules. Even the little ones. When you follow the rules, life works. If you think you ever really get by with breaking the rules, you’re only fooling yourself.

It’s also important to decide exactly what you want. Then keep your mind focused on it, and be prepared to receive it.

But be ready to end up in some new places too. As you grow with the years, you’ll be given bigger shoes to fill. So be ready for endings as well as challenging beginnings.

Sometimes we have to be brave enough to move from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Life isn’t just reaching peaks. Part of it is moving from one peak to the next. If you rest too long in between, you might be tempted to quit. Leave the past in the past. Climb the next mountain and enjoy the view.

Dump things that weigh you down emotionally and spiritually. When an old resentment, belief, or attitude becomes heavy, lighten your load. Shed those hurtful attitudes that slow you down and drain your energy.

Remember that your choices will create your successes and your failures. So consider all the pathways ahead, and decide which ones to follow. Then believe in yourself, get up, and get going.

And be sure to take breaks once in a while. They’ll give you a renewed commitment to your dreams and a cheerful, healthy perception of the things that matter the most to you.

Most important of all, never give up on yourself. The person that ends up a winner is the one who resolves to win. Give life everything you’ve got, and life will give its best back to you.

Love always,
Grandpa

Try To Solve This...

There is a bus with 7 girls
Each girl has 7 bags.
In each bag, there are 7 big cats.
Each big cat has 7 little cats.
Each cat has 4 legs .
Question: How many legs are present in the bus?????

Secret Of Happiness

The old man shuffled slowly into the restaurant. With head tilted, and shoulders bent forward, he leaned on his trusty cane with each unhurried step.

His tattered cloth jacket, patched trousers, worn out shoes, and warm personality made him stand out from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd. Unforgettable were his pale blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds, large rosy cheeks, and thin lips held in a tight, steady smile.

He stopped, turned with his whole body, and winked at a little girl seated by the door. She flashed a big grin right back at him. A young waitress named Anu watched him shuffle toward a table by the window.

Anu ran over to him, and said, “Here, Sir. Let me give you a hand with that chair.”

Without saying a word, he smiled and nodded a thank you. She pulled the chair away from the table. Steadying him with one arm, she helped him move in front of the chair, and get comfortably seated. Then she scooted the table up close to him, and leaned his cane against the table where he could reach it.

In a soft, clear voice he said, “Thank you, Miss. And bless you for your kind gestures.”

“You’re welcome, Sir.” She replied. “And my name is Anu. I’ll be back in a moment, and if you need anything at all in the mean time, just wave at me!”

After he had finished a hearty meal of pancakes, bacon, and hot lemon tea, Mary brought him the change from his ticket. He left it lay. She helped him up from his chair, and out from behind the table. She handed him his cane, and walked with him to the front door.

Holding the door open for him, she said, “Come back and see us, Sir!”

He turned with his whole body, winked a smile, and nodded a thank you. “You are very kind.” he said softly.

When Anu went to clean his table, she almost fainted. Under his plate she found a business card and a note scribbled on a napkin. Under the napkin was a one hundred dollar bill.

The note on the napkin read…

“Dear Anu, I respect you very much, and you respect yourself too. It shows by the way you treat others. You have found the secret of happiness. Your kind gestures will shine through those who meet you.”

The man she had waited on was the owner of the restaurant where she worked. This was the first time that she, or any of his employees had ever seen him in person.

Ramp walk Tips..

Get inspired by Watching Recorded a fashion show of professional models
 Minimum height for female catwalk models is 5′9
 Minimum height for males it‘s 5′11
 Your body should meet any type of out fits which are typically made a size 2 or even a size 0
Watch focused straight ahead of you
 Balance yourself when you are wearing a pencil heeled footwear
Your shoulders and arms let them swing but not much
 Your hands should be in relaxed state and no curled fingers, rememeber, as this shows that your not well prepared
 Keep your upper arm in close and attached tight to your body. This technique will help you to that only the bottom half swings
 Do not lift the knees too much. As it will change the format of the walk

Catwalk Tips

1. 1) Make yourself comfortable. If you are not used to walking in high heels than start small and work your way up to them. If the shoes you are using are brand new than scratch the bottom or put masking tape on the heels to prevent slipping.
2. 2)Learn to stand. Practice good posture. Throw your shoulders back and push your pelvis forward. This will make you look as if you are leaning rather than hunching.
3. 3)Practice putting the ball of your foot down first when making a stride. Almost as if you were walking on tip-toes. This may feel weird but it will make your strides look more graceful. Place one foot literally in front of the other. Pretend you are walking in a straight line. When doing this fast it gives your body that sexy swing.
4. 4)Keep your head up. Focus on something in front of you and keep your head still while the rest of you is moving. When you turn your body your head should be the last thing to turn.
5. 5)Develop your own signature move. This is easier said then done. But being able to let your personality show through will make you stand out more. Experiment with different moves, ways to move your arms and so forth. Use feedback to see what is good and what looks silly.

Modeling Posing Tips

It’s a common misconception that naturally beautiful models take naturally beautiful photographs. The truth is—without modeling poses and modeling tips, perfect photographs are harder than you think.

If you are a professional model, a photographer will most likely guide you through a variety of model poses throughout the photo shoot. But if you are an inspiring model and are still working your way up to the top—you may have to control your poses to ensure great headshots and sample modeling photographs.

Live show models, promo models, photographic models, and runway models all rely on professional model poses to succeed. Whether you aspire to appear in print magazines or fashion shows and Hollywood movies; if you want to be a model, pay special attention to this insider guide to modeling poses.

Breathe
Although sometimes concentration enhances a good photograph, obvious concentration can distract and often ruin a good photograph as well. Do not hold your breath for a modeling pose; always remember to breathe and appear at ease.

Posture
Bad posture is an unrecognized flaw in many people. However, for models, posture is a harmful flaw. Always remember to keep your back straight and your shoulders up. Slouching affects the mood of the photograph and enlarges the appearances of your stomach. In addition to your back and shoulders, always remember to flex your stomach muscles. Despite your weight or state of shape, your abdomen will appear more toned if you flex.   

Limbs
Symmetry is officially out in the modeling world. When posing, make sure to differentiate your arms and legs with asymmetrical poses. If you have one arm long and straight by your side, make sure the other arm is bent. Whether a big or small angle, the bend will make the modeling pose look more real, less artificial. Continue the asymmetry to your legs. If one leg is locked straight, give the other leg a casual bend.

Camera
Although the camera is the ultimate focal point of a modeling photo shoot, great models do not look directly into the camera. To enhance the quality of your photo shoot, look away from the camera with a mix of head and eye poses. Looking off to the right or left side, or tiling your neck to either side can help you avoid direct eye contact with the camera. In many cases, your head and neck can remain stationary in your modeling pose—and your eyes can do all the work. Head and eye positions, coupled with personable facial expressions make for great model poses.

Sitting Poses
If you are sitting down during your photo shoot—don’t think it’s ok to slack off. In fact, sitting photo shoots require a lot of extra work. If you are sitting down or reclining, it’s important to put your eight on the back of one thigh, rather than distributing your weight equally on both thighs. If you roll one hip up from the ground or surface, shifting your weight will be simple. This pose results in a slimming effect that you don’t want to miss out on. 

Cleavage
To make sure your best assets shine, there are a few basic guidelines to follow. Based on two distinct poses, a forward lean and a backward lean, any model with any breast size can maximize cleavage. When leaning forward, either bring your arms together at your waist, keep your arms straight at the elbows and clasp your hands together below your waist, or simply cross your arms. When leaning backward, raise your arms about your shoulders and head, keep your arms apart, and always slouch for the best cleavage results.

Smile
If you have a naturally beautiful smile—show your pearly whites with pride, just not every time. If you smile in each modeling pose, modeling agents will notice your lack of versatility, not your smile. To add variety to your modeling poses, try switching up your smile with a cute frown, a bratty bout, a friendly laugh, or even an edgy scowl. Your facial expressions can make or break your modeling poses. Let your smile show, but make sure to show what else you can do.

In addition to these personalized tips for modeling poses, every model should be aware of the basics of posing. There are 4 main types of model poses: lifestyle pose, movement pose, portrait pose, and body pose.

Lifestyle
The lifestyle pose evokes a sense of everyday living with common body movements and facial expressions. Throughout the day, moments of happiness, love, anger, and hope arise. To succeed at the lifestyle pose, each model must be able to recreate these everyday emotions.

Movement
The movement pose captures a specific action, such as running or jumping. Because this pose is most often used for a marketing photo shoot—the model is used to promote a product. Each model must be able to smile and laugh when using the products in the photo shoot.

Portrait
This modeling pose emphasizes the face of the model—and relies purely on facial features. The model will be in modest makeup and relaxed hair and should pose with a casual, genuine smile. Many portrait photographs are close up and emphasize details of the model’s face. If you are scheduled for a portrait photo shoot, make sure to pay extra attention to your skin and drink at least 8-12 glasses of water a day.

Body
Full-length photographs require body poses. Models are encouraged to shift weight between hips and make arms and lengths into asymmetrical stances. Although many body poses do not require specific facial expressions, putting your entire body into character during full-length poses helps your body find a natural balance.

Keep these insider model posing tips in mind during your next professional model photo shoot to ensure you blow the photographer away. Whether you’re a trained expert or an ambitious beginner, all models have the ability to excel in photo shoots. Focus on your posture, attitude, and facial expressions to succeed beyond your wildest expectations.

Biography-Padamshree Ali Jawad Zaidi(Grand Father)

Ali Jawad Zaidi (born March 10, 1916) is a much feted Urdu poet, scholar and author of over 80 books in many languages. He was also a freedom fighter, lawyer & later bureaucrat, however he is primarily known as one of the most prominent figures in Urdu Literature.

Internationally renowned as a poet-scholar-critic of repute, an authority on Marsiyago of Uttar Pradesh, Mir Anis & Mirza Ghalib, and has written on as diverse subjects as poetry to plain prose, from research works to analytical works.

He has received many awards for his contributions to Literature and other diverse fields. He was married to Shahnaz (earlier Safdari) Zaidi and they raised seven well educated & accomplished children.

Syed Ali Jawad Zaidi was born in village Karhan, in the then Azamgarh district (now Mau) of eastern Uttar Pradesh on 10th March 1916, the eldest of six children. Hailing from a prominent zamindar family of Mohammadabad-Gohna, Azamgarh, Ali Jawad Zaidi was born at his maternal grandfather's home in Karhan. Belonging to a Saiyid family and being the eldest son in his family, he was sent to the local Arabic Madarsa to gain education and proficiency in Islamic Theology and religious matters and had it not been for one of his uncles who took him under his wings, the world of Urdu and society in general would have been deprived of his genius and knowledge.

Ali Jawad's father died young and at the time, Ali Jawad was only 11 years old. His early formal education took place in Mahmudabad, the princely state. He then proceeded to Lucknow for his pre-university, graduation (Jubilee College, Lucknow) and Post-Graduation in law, (LLb. from Lucknow University). It was in Lucknow that Ali Jawad grew and blossomed. Although his genius was noticed in his early years as a child in his hometown itself, it was in Lucknow that Ali Jawad came into his own as an orator, poet, student leader and organize

During his graduation and later while doing his LLB, he came into contact with leaders of the national freedom movement and his conscience saw him take a plunge into the freedom movement in the late 1930's. His poems inspired the revolutionaries of the time and he himself led the student's movement along with other able student leaders such as Shankar Dayal Sharma who later went on to become the President of India. His talent, charisma and dynamism saw his stirring poetry draw praise from Sarojini Naidu and him being elected as the Secretary-General of the All India Student's Federation. He was the Secretary-General of the All India Student's Federation, during those hectic and stormy days of the Quit India Movement (1942) launched by Gandhi.

His poems got proscribed by the British Government for inciting rebellion against the British Raj. The British government got so frustrated by his political activities that they issued an arrest warrant in order to stop him from organizing student rallies and mobilizing the student power against the Raj. But he was not one to give in easily and went underground. He continued with his work of organizing and inspiring students throughout the length and breath of India. He was finally arrested in Nagpur. He was sentenced to jail for anti-British activity and sent to serve his term at the Nagpur Central Prison and later transferred to the Banares Central Jail.

With India's independence, Ali Jawad bid goodbye to active politics, although he could have encashed on his popularity and contribution to the freedom struggle, his view was that he fought the British to free India from the yoke of the British Raj and now that India had gained its independence, it was time for him to move onto other things. He joined the Information Department of the Uttar Pradesh Government and was a Deputy Director there when he was inducted into the Information Service of the Central Government and posted to Srinagar.

Although he had taken up Government Service for a full-time job and chosen that as a career, he was never away from the Arts and Cultural activities, which were his calling from the heart. He soon found himself getting involved in the Arts and Cultural activities in Jammu & Kashmir and found himself being thrust with the responsibility of organizing and conducting the Kashmir festival during the summer months on an annual basis. He was appointed as the Secretary General of the Society of Arts and Culture, Government of Jammu & Kashmir.

In the early sixties, he was transferred to Delhi and posted with the Press Information Bureau. His postings with the Press Information Bureau saw him in Mumbai and then back in Delhi. His final posting was in Tehran and he retired from active Government service as Jt. Director, News Services, AIR in August, 1978.

Being a secularist and nationalist to the core, religion had always taken a back seat in his life although he was religious is his own way. For him, religion was a personal matter and the nation, its culture and heritage had always been more important. He was a member of the Inder Kumar Gujral Committee on National Integration.

He had been a regular contributor to magazines and newspapers. Thousands of his articles have found place in the print media over the years. He had also worked as the Editor of 'Naya Daur', an Udru monthly digest and 'Al-Ilm', a monthly published from Mumbai. In the recent past, Naya Daur ran a series on his memoirs on a monthly basis. Naya Daur also took a special Number dedicated to the memory of Ali Jawad Zaidi (Nov/Dec issue, 2004) after his death. He had also done some translation work (into English) for the Sahitya Akademi (Gandhi).

The nature of his job took him around the world and he has traveled extensively in India. He has brushed shoulders with Heads of State, Prime Ministers, Governors, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers, Ministers in State Governments, and other high ranking officials on the world stage, yet he was a man with his feet firmly set to the ground, humble and simple. Some of the relationships he forged stood the test of time, for example his friendship with Sant Darshan Singh of the Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission.

During all his years with the government, he did not stop writing. More than half a dozen of his books have won State Government Awards. The Government of India conferred on him the Padmashri (1988), in recognition of his contribution to Urdu literature. Amongst the various awards and honours that have been conferred on him are, the Tamra Patra for his role in the freedom movement, the Ghalib award and the Mir Anis award. He has authored over 80 books in Urdu, English, Hindi and Persian. Many of his works are now reference material for research students. He has been the subject of research scholars and Doctor of Philosophy Degree's have been awarded to four students for research done on his life and works.

He has served as the President of the Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy, Lucknow and as the President of the Zainabbiya Institute of Islamic Studies, Mumbai, apart from stints on the Board of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi and the Sangeet & Natya Akademi, New Delhi and many other social, literary and cultural organizations. He has also served as an Advisor to the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

His Book can be found in libraries around the world such as the U. S. Library of Congress and Columbia University Libraries.

Being a man of letters, despite failing sight, he continued to write till his very end. Confined to his home in Lucknow during his last years, as time and age took their toll on him, he wrote employing a person who transcribed all that was dictated. Ali Jawad could hardly see, but the spirit was still very much alive with so much in that head on those fragile shoulders. His deteriorating health had added urgency to his approach towards his works. He used to say that there was so much more he had to give to the world, yet time was running out for him.

Amongst his various works are Naath Nigaran-e-Uttar Pradesh (in 2 Volumes), Uttar Pradesh ke Marsiyago (in 2 Volumes) & Do Adabi School, which have been published in Urdu-speaking neighbour Pakistan as well. These books along with his History of Urdu Literature (English),Mirza Ghalib , Ek Parichay (Hindi), Mir Anis, are unique in their approaches to their subjects.

Dress For Success & Your New Job

I know we all heard the old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover," but dressing the part can go a long way. You want to make a good impression don't you? You wish to be respected at your new or existing job? Then make that extra effort. Come on now, how hard can it be?

You don't need to run out and rob a bank. Look for great bargains. They're almost everywhere, especially at this time of the year. Find the best sales in your local shopping flyers and go online as well to find discount coupons. Sometimes by registering with a store or mall website, you can receive extra bonus discounts. You can also get great savings coupons.

Now don't over do the dressing either. You want to look professional and well-dressed, but remember that you also want to fit in with this new job. Make sure your shoes are polished or at least clean. Your hair too should be neat. No need to have a swanky stylish hairdo, but have it at least placed and not looking like you just rolled out of bed, or like a fan just blew through it.

If you want to be a manager, dress classy like a manager. Dressing up in a classy way can convey authority and confidence, and can also go a long way for a promotion or even a search for new higher paying jobs. Don't try to make a loud statement with your clothes. Go for a more conservative business look, and always appear to be clean and ready to work.

Make sure you cover up and hide your tattoos unless you're planning to work at a tattoo parlor. A new employer may not share your taste in body art.

Go easy on the perfume or after-shave, or better yet, don't wear any at all. Many offices now have a scent-free environment. Several people have allergies to perfume. Just have that extra clean look and smell. Be sure to take a shower, and yes, don't forget to brush your teeth.

If you're a woman, try not to wear too much makeup. Always have your nails clean and well manicured. A little goes a long way! No shirt skirts or dresses either, or see-through tops. And please be sure to cut off any stickers or tags that are sticking out or hanging on your new clothes.

For you guys, like I mentioned earlier, easy on the aftershave and cologne, and please no faded pants or belly sticking out of your slacks. Long sleeves are always more professional than short. And try to always wear a belt. Put away your sneakers, and maybe take out your dress shoes.

Your attire will say something specific about you, so make sure that it's well thought out. Always look presentable and professional. When you're not sure about what to wear, stay away from something bright and flashy.

If you want your employer to take you seriously, then pay attention to details, and look your very best. You don't need to look like a model, but you do need to look like someone that they could trust.

Fresh smelling breath is also very crucial. Never mind about taking that one last cigarette before you go out the door. Your clothes will wreak the smell of smoke. It certainly won't do much for your breath either.

As far as jewelry goes, girls keep the big fashion earrings for at home and your night out. And guys, just a watch is best. Forget the new piercings that you may want to show off.

Just think, would you want someone to work for you who looks clean and business-like, or downright dirty?