Awww, Do you love them too????

I am very delighted to be able to share the things I love the most with you. I hope that you would love them too!

1. Lonely benches

I don't really know why I love them, but I love them so much.

2. Sun rays chanting out of the clouds

3. Autumn leaves+ sunset

4. Gardens with wooden benches and bridges

5. Brothers holding hands (sense of protection)

6. Trees

I love both trees without leaves and trees with leaves. I also love looking at their barks at times.

This is my unfinished sketch of a tree in my university..

7. Fresh and green grass

8. Water droplets on car windows after it rains.....

9. Moon on a night full of stars

10. Libraries filled with books....

I also love book shops and gift shops. In a nutshell, I love books.

So, do you love any of these things??? If you do do tell me.

"Which One Do You Feel Comfortable to Communicate With, Speaking Or Writing?"

This question was originally asked by my English teacher during one of our classes.  At first, I got confused because I wasn't asked ever before to choose between speaking and writing, but then I made my choice and replied, "Writing, of course."

Well, I can say that she was quite surprised when many of us answered that they feel comfortable with writing. She, herself, as I could see by the look on her face, prefered speaking over writing.

She told us that speaking is easier and better because of many reasons. I am listing only a few of them.

1. Speaking requires gestures only and you don't have to waste a lot of words to explain you emotions.
2. You can shape your words by adjusting them to the mood of your listeners. You can even change your way of speaking to be more convincing. You can defend yourself, whenever required.
3. No Punctuation is required.
4. You can communicate in two way manner. You can observe the response of the audience to what you are communicating.
5. Speech has its own grammar. So, you can be easy at grammar usage. For example, you don't have to use complete sentences at times.

I said that I feel comfortable with writing. Maybe it's because I love writing. I am very shy in formal settings, while I am very confident in informal ones. So in formal setting I can communicate better in writing. I mean I love to express myself through colorful adjectives. I also feel that through writing I can communicate my ideas more effectively, and more confidently.

The best thing about writing is that you don't have to see the faces of your listeners. You can communicate without caring for the response you'll get. Writing makes you more brave. I love that writing has a structure and organization. You may not think before speaking, but you think before writing, so there are fewer mistakes. 

It's also easy to settle disputes and say you're sorry through writing. You can say sorry to a friend who doesn't even agrees to talk to you in school by texting her a long and elaborate apology with a lot of plzzzzzz..... Trust me, I have done this before and it is effective. 

Writing provides evidence. You can keep copies and do not have to worry about getting trouble for something that you didn't do or say.

But,I do love speaking too. I love speaking in informal setting, such as in friends, class fellows and family. I love making new friends and I usually don't have any trouble doing that. I am also trying to love speaking in formal settings. To express my ideas more confidently and fully.

Although I am a very talkative person, I feel uncomfortable with speaking in formal settings, such as in front of guests, in presentations, etc.

So, till the time that I become confident, I definitely love writing. Although I am good in public speaking, I would like to get better at it.

"Get up, couch potato."

Have you heard this before?? Well, I have been called a couch potato until I got 11 (approximately). I had this habit of lying on the couch after school and watching T.V, while craving salt (will discuss later on). I guess we all, or the Libras :-D, become couch potatoes at some point of our life. I won't ask you to agree on this one :-p

Couch Potato

Now let's look at the dictionary meaning of a couch potato.

A person who takes little or no exercise and watches a lot of television.

Fits the situation, doesn't it? I have observed that couch potatoes eat chips, drink soft drinks, soda, etc. while they watch T.V. Now, here is where my situation had been different from others. I did not use to crave food and sodas, I use to eat salt while watching T.V.  Yes, Salt!!! Odd habit, right?? Well, I later on started eating ice cube too. I would first add the ice cube in my mouth and then eat salt over it. Umm Yummy!!

Well, eating salt has been a very re-known habit of mine. Still, when the salt get's missing, my father looks at me and says,"Where's the salt? You must know":-D. Well, to be honest eating salt can never and is never a healthy activity. 

Even when I was visiting Khewra mines (salt mines) with my family. I was told, "Hey, look there is salt everywhere. What are you waiting for?" I felt so ashamed.

At that time, I wasn't fat at all. So, being a couch potato didn't result in any weight gain at that time. Maybe because I used to go out and play with my friends too.

Well, here are a few tips for couch potatoes.

1. Keep the remote away and get up to change the channels.
2. Walk up and down the stairs, or around the room, during commercials
3. Get an equipment, so that you can exercise while you watch T.V
4. Stand up and iron your clothes while you watch T.V.

Honesty, Loyalty, and Sincerity Cannot Be Achieved Through Security Cameras, But Through You

Throughout the whole period in which my professor taught us what corruption is, my unchangeable and obstinate stance has been this: " You cannot achieve a Nation that is free from corruption solely by using force. Even if the goal is achieved, it will be only for a short term. Long term loyalty and sincerity is not enforced, but infused. This infusion is done at best when a mother herself teaches her kid these values and tells her kid to be proud of keeping these values. One may not listen to his/her teacher, but as a mother is the first teacher, she can give her children these values. When a Nation is corrupt, then  corruption can be observed at all levels.  From extremely rich people to extremely poor people.People are dishonest. not sincere, disloyal and corrupt even to the lowest level. Corrupt nations have deep roots of corruption and these roots cannot be removed by force."

I say no.

For starters, Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Corruption hinders progress and development of any country. It hinders foreign investments and aids. Corruption is an evil. It hinders success.

We observe corruption everyday. We see people lying, cheating, working without sincerity, breaking queues, bribing others, etc. So, don't we witness corruption all the time? Yes, we do. Do you think of these acts as corruption? I do. These are the seed that grow into the plant of corruption. These are the roots, the basics, and they are not to be accepted.

Do you think that we can achieve or rather imitate these values by enforcing laws, strict punishment, and accountability? All of these measures are important and they must be used, but along with measures for behavioral change. Now-a-days, many countries are working with behavioral change as an anti corruption strategy. Anti corruption slogan are displayed on bills, in News, Boards, etc., to make people aware of the evils of corruption.

I think that the following changes are required:

1. End to discrimination. There should be no discrimination among rich and poor, black and white, and between people of different religions, races and ethnic background.

2. People must be given there own rights, so that they may be satisfied from there own conditions. Officials that take care of taxes, police department, judges, etc., should be paid more, so they dont involve themselves in corruption.

3. Children should be brought up in such a manner that when they grow up they not only follow these values,but also respect those who follow them.

4. Religious training and teaching should be given to children, so that they can learn the moral values.

5. For behavioral change, such courses should be designed for the students that explain the evils of corruption to the students.

6. Patriotism should be infused into children.

You can save yourself and others from corruption. You, as an individual, have the power to change yourself. as well as others. You are the step takers. So, take a step and get freedom from corruption.

Not Expected From a Hero............

" So, you want him to fight and make his way out with a knee that has been shot?????" my mother said when I complained to her that the hero of "Legend", Day, is not at all heroic. I told her,"You know, he was like fainting and June (heroine) had to drag him along by placing his arm on her shoulder. She had only a few seconds to escape and he was not of any help at all. What kind of hero does that?"

My mother was right. He may be a hero, but that doesn't means that he is not a human. A human feels pain. We can't deny that. The truth is by watching all those movies, one unintentionally thinks like that. We always see in Bollywood movies that the hero gets up even after receiving three bullets (so stupid. Isn't it?). 

In Day I find all the qualities that may not suite the idea of a hero. Such as, despite having muscular built he looses a fight. The way the writer describes it makes it look alright. She brings the human factor. First, he is only fifteen. Secondly, he has not been properly trained. He has a great mind, but even a great mind needs tutoring and he didn't go to school after 10 years of age. Justified, isn't it?

Another thing we hate in a hero is that he is driven by his emotions, not logic. Day and Four are the two people that I have witnessed with this fault. I mean in the first two novels of "Divergent" series , you find Four being brave and powerful, but the third one, you find him weak. Day's behavior is justified again as he is only 15. Practically a kid.

Well, if you ask for an invincible hero. Jace Herondale is that hero. However, after reading about Will Herondale (The Infernal Devices), I started disliking Jace because he is way too perfect. May be I am not happy in any case.

Well there are many things that we like about heroes. For example, I like that in the end of Spider man movies, the villain asks forgiveness from spider man and spider man forgives him. In a nutshell, these ideas are completely my own. You may know heroes better than I do,  and you may not like my judgement. So, this is what I think of heroes. 

Goodbye My Fear of Presentations

I nearly never had problem in delivering a presentation, making eye contact, etc. My problem was that as soon as I would reach the rostrum, my heart beat would start pounding my ear, and then my voice would start to quiver. This shivering voice was my biggest problem. Once a friend of mine commented my presentation as a "Musical Presentation" :-D. The highest marks were 9 out of ten and mine were 8. So, you can imagine that where my presentation stood. 

I never had problems, such as looking at the audience, the teacher, reading from slides, etc. I usually don't memorize presentations. I just understand them and then make bullet point on a small paper that fits the size of my palm (this was taught to me by my first semester's English teacher. So, thanks ma'am). 

I'd like to add that I don't feel shy, unconfident, or nervous, when I am speaking from my own seat, but  if someone asks me repeat the same by standing in front of the class, I start trembling. I sometimes think that I don't like to be the center of attention.

Someone once told me that I will stop getting nervous during my presentations when I'll reach fourth semester. I was like, “Yeah, it may be so for girls who do not take much stress. But in my case I can't be sure this will happen." Now, when I have reached fourth semester, I find her being 100% correct.

But, I don't give all the credit to the passage of time, and my continuous exposure to these situations. This was done, above all, with the help of God, and a little due to my own effort. I searched for exercise that can instantly reduce stress. I have learned from experience that there is no easier way to calm yourself and slow down your heart beat than this:

Deep breathing is the quickest and the easiest way to lower down your heart beat. It does so in only a few seconds.

I also found a book on how to improve my presentation skills. I found many things.

1. The first was that you should first look at your audience and smile, so that they know you are confident. I didn’t exactly do this, but, as I am usually the one who changes the slides when my group members are presenting, I keep smiling to the audience and I look at them over and over again so that I can stop being nervous.
2. I also found out that while one you are being questioned do not draw your head back because this will give an impression that you do not want to answer or do not know the answers. So, keep your head bet towards your audience.
3. This one was learned from my own experience. If you have full grasp on your topic, then you won’t get confused or nervous.

 In a nut shell, this semester nearly all my presentations went well. Although I was surprised when a friend of mine told me that she liked my Geology’s presentation (which was to the worst presentation in that semester). So, may be its all in your head, but trying to improve is not wrong. So, keep on trying….

I Find it Hilarious Because This Happens in Every Class......

....Especially when the presenter is continously reading from paper or slides, or the presentation is too boring ,or the presenter is taking up over time....:-D

Young Adult Dystopian Novels........How Do I Analyze them??

Who doesn't love dystopian novels?? At least, I know that I do. These novels are full of action and are so addictive. They benefit us in ways that we can't imagine. They give us the sense that every individual has power and has the tendency to bring change in their system. Dystopian novels inspire people to question their authorities and not to follow any system blindly. Systems are to be followed, if and only if  they follow certain standards of morality and ethics. Too much good talk, eh? Now lets see "the faults in our novels" :-D

First and foremost, do children or young adults have to be the ones to read these novels? I mean there is so much bloodshed, use of weapons (Guns, Knives, Bows, etc.), and rebellious behavior. Its very natural that young people are at an very delicate age. These books give us a sense of being continuously at war (take Divergent Trilogy for example. There is  war in each of its novels). When we don't have any thing to rebel against, its our parents that have to face our rude behavior. We think our rights are being denied and we rebel against things that are good or beneficial for us. 

Even I, who am quite a dependent girl, like this rebelliousness. I was so amazed by my own behavior when I read Delirium trilogy. In the first book the main heroine was shy, delicate, stressed, worried, and dependent and I was like, "I don't like her. She is just like me!!", and " What's the fun in that?". In the second novel, however, she turned rebellious. She knew how to use guns, open locks, etc. Then, I liked her and on some of her dialogues I would say, "This is incredible." So do you get my point??? 

I was once asked that what do you learn from reading novels. I replied that for shooting for a long distance you exhale and for shooting at a nearer target you exhale (I don't know if either of these statements is correct because I don't clearly remember my answer).

Secondly, I see that in such novels, and many other young adult novels, the writer's build up characters do not act as people do in that age. I mean you know four right. Can you imagine in the movie an 18 year old four??? I can't. I know that his situation molded him into this but the skills that he had and his seriousness, I don't think any 18 year old can do it. However, the ages of characters of The Hunger Games were agreeable. 

Lastly, sometimes reading so much destruction and bloodshed makes makes the reader  irritable and rude. Mostly I seek company in novels, but sometimes they give me a severe headache.

Don't you think that we need novels that are a bit lighter. I mean why should children be shown a destructed world. Why be pessimistic, rather than optimistic about our species? We can show a world without violence and this may give good moral lessons to young people. Novels like Jane Eyre. I have moved on from this genre of novel. I feel that these stories are foolish. There is always a 15, 16, 17 or 18 years old hero and heroine saving the whole world. To me, these novels should be read, but at an age such as above 16. Early teenager shouldn't be given these novel. Do you agree with me?

Hey, What is Water Footprinting????

Water footpriting?? You may not know what water footprinting is. It is a relatively new terminology. Water footprint measures the amount of water used to produce each of the goods and services we use. According to waterfootprint.org,

The water footprint is a measure of humanity’s appropriation of fresh water in volumes of water consumed and/or polluted.

The water footprint looks at both direct and indirect water use of a process, product, company or sector and includes water consumption and pollution throughout the full production cycle from the supply chain to the end-user. For example, water footprint of dairy products can be calculated. This water footprint would also include the water that the cow or any other animal uses, the water footprint of the food that it eats, etc.

Water footprints are of three type:

Green water footprint is water from precipitation that is stored in the root zone of soil and evaporated, transpired or incorporated by plants. It is particularly relevant for agricultural, horticultural and forestry products.

Blue water footprint is water that has been sourced from surface or groundwater resources and is either evaporated, incorporated into a product or taken from one body of water and returned to another, or returned at a different time. Irrigated agriculture, industry and domestic water use can each have a blue water footprint.

Grey water footprint is the amount of fresh water required to assimilate pollutants.The grey water footprint considers point-sources of pollution, or other diffuse sources.

We consume alot of products and services daily. For example, we use water, eat rice, cereals, we buy new clothes, etc. These all products have their own water footprint. So,it is our duty to recognize and leave such products that have large water footprint. For example, coffee and meat have very high water footprints. So, we should avoid coffee and meat when we can.

Following is contribution of various products and services to the global water footprint.

You can calculate your water footprints can be calculated through this interactive quiz.

You can also check you nations water footprint, water availability, etc., through this interactive explorer.

Other than water footprints, there are many other types of footprints. Major footprints are,

1. Ecological Footprint: Measures the use of bio-productive space.
2. Carbon Footprint: Measures the emission of gases that contribute to global warming.
3. Water Footprint: Measures the consumption and contamination of freshwater resources.
4. Nitrogen Footprint: Measures the amount of nitrogen released into the environment in relation to consumption.

     If you like this post or want more information about this (although I am not any expert but I worked on this as a project), please do comment.