A Day That Taught

Our school Millennium National School celebrated the teacher's day on Thursday, 5th September in the memory of Dr. Radhakrishna.

We, the students of class tenth got the opportunity to become all sorts of teachers to teach children from classes 1st to 9th.

Our school authorities had asked us to come to school dressed as teachers at 10.30 AM. Everyone was looking totally different. The change was dramatic. Some friends of mine appearing as students on notmasl occasions were now Sirs and Madams dressed in Formal shirts and striped pants and even sarees.

It was extremely difficult to make out the difference between students teachers and the real teachers. We had totally mingled into the system that day. Lenses were flaring throughout our corridors. Portraits and group pictures were being captured almost every second.

We were served lunch and then our roles as teachers began from 12.30 PM. There were several classes to teach but the classes were to be shared by both the division teachers. My friend, Shantanu Payal, was the coordinator and he did a splendid job, though it was a pain in the neck. No student had classes till the very end. We were coordinating amongst ourselves to decide the subjects.

My class was scheduled at 2.00 PM and I was to teach the students of class 1st EVS and eventually I grabbed a friend, Shiwani Samel and did! It was great fun! I was to teach them spellings and even then I got an insight of the future of the school and I was pleased to see some brilliance and immense confidence at an early age.

Some of my friends were teaching classes like ninth and it was a tough job indeed. The students were busy teasing each other. They were disrespecting my friends. They were very casual and all this was disheartening. It was then that I realized the challenge before a teacher.

It totally changed my outlook towards the familiar women who walked into our naughty classes daily to teach us, to make us better humans.

It also inspired me to take up teaching as a career later on after I  achieved grand success in life.

5t September, 2013

Reviewing My Telco Products

We all cannot live without certain technologies nowadays. Internet and mobiles have now become an important part of life. Here is what we used in the past and our current solutions are.

1) BSNL Landline And Broadband

BSNL, which is state run is a popular provider of voice and Internet solutions throughout India. We too used to have a BSNL phone line with broadband.

The phone line had too many problems. Sometimes, there was a noisy calling issue while at times, calling was not possible at all. The broadband was relatively fast but not promising as a 4mbps connection have 1.4 Mbps average download speed. The broadband had frequent down times with a higher frequency during rains. However, the broadband was relatively cheap. 4mbps at 950 INR was a steal but with a few compromises. 

2) Tata Docomo Walky And Wireline Broadband

We were shifting our residence and it would have been a hectic affair to request a relocation. So, we decided to search for a new alternative. Then, I came across the Tata Docomo website and saw their wireline broadband plans.

The promos were interesting and appealing. So, we requested a feasibility check and soon a connection was carried out. We took a plan offering 1mbps speed with 15gb free data and a speed of 512 Kbps after the limit,  worth Rs. 1100. This was a low speed plan as compared with other providers but we just wanted to try it first. The high speed plans were just damn expensive in reality. 3 Mbps 3000+ but the 1 Mbps plan was just okay to try.

So, we tried it and were pleased to gain a speed of actual 1 Mbps while browsing the Internet. The broadband has a good latency of 39 -90 ms and it is reflected by the fast transmission of text messages. The download speeds were touching 100 Kbps constantly which is almost as promised. The speeds are unchanged even today. Upload speeds are 90 Kbps which is great too. Video steaming was fast and smooth thanks to the fast latency offered. Overall, we were happy to be offered what we were paying for.

Next, we needed a landline like connection. And once again, we found a solution from Tata Docomo. It was a CDMA TATA WALKY. A landline device working on the Tata Docomo CDMA NETWORK. There were several plans on offer. However, a salesman I knew came to our door to offer a connection. He told us about a a 899 plan offering free Tata to Tata calls and 3000 local calls and 1500 std calls. 

Since we use the landline a lot, we agreed and the forms were filled by us.

The salesman told that he would be back with the landline unit called the Huawei FWT. In two days, he called us to ask us for the number we preferred and to our surprise, he directly offered a great number almost for free. The number was eight digited like a landline. 020 65 ABB ABB. The Walky device can provide Internet access and can also send SMSes and this was thrilling. The best part was the freedom to carry the device anywhere we desired. The signal was strong and the CDMA network is awesome. No dropped calls with a clear voice quality. This device was like a magic thing to happen for our family.

My grandma enjoying calling on the Tata Docomo Walky.

I don't know why people still prefer sticking to BSNL landlines even though such amazing solutions are available. BSNL is known for a bad customer service and constant downtime and horrid voice quality. So, awareness of such amazing devices should be spread to increase convenience.

A Wonderful Month To Come

It was a good June and July with a lot of rain. It's now time for August. Today, I wish to share a few of my picture with you.

Found this bug on a leaf in my garden. It was microscopic in true sense. It was sheer luck that I spotted it.

A bird I captured in Kenya. No names as of now.

The water drops on a lotus plant. Try this image as a wallpaper on your mobile devices like the iPad. It looks great!

A great pattern on the Alibag Beach. 

Thats all for today. More posts are yet to come. It's August after all! 😄

Time, The Best Healer Or Covering Agent?

Often, I get puzzled when I think of disturbing incidents over time. We all hear the saying, 'Time is the best healer. So, let time soothe your mind and soul over time'

However, I do not understand this fully at times.

Our lives are not always uniform. It is like a roller coaster with ups and downs. In times of joy, we are always happy and smiling, however, in the sad periods, we may cry or be extremely upset. 

This experience is a recent one actually. I lost a dear friend of mine recently. Everyone was mourning due to his loss the very next day and tears were out of bounds. However, the next week, everything was back to normal. It was a good thing too as my friend would never have wanted us to be sad throughout anyways. Our smiles will continue to be his power. 

Slowly, unknowingly, a month went by and things were looking very lively everywhere. Just yesterday, we were distributed our monthly newsletter and the front page was filled by an article in his memory with a nice smily picture of his. To be honest, everyone was busy in the class activities. Discussing sums, asking doubts and speaking with friends. 

Some students saw his article and felt sad instantly. I read his article and tears got collected in my eyes and my heart sank and eventually tears rolled down my cheeks. However, some kids glanced through the article as though it were a normal one and just threw the newsletter around carelessly. 

Some read it and were laughing a lot thereafter on other things. I didn't mind all this personally. As my feelings are my own. And others feelings are fully theirs. Some friends who cried a lot during the demise were laughing and giggling like no tomorrow.I was happy for those who had moved on and those who weren't showing any signs of easiness. However, I had a question in my mind.

Does time have the magic to fully fill the depression created a sad event?

OR

Does time give individuals the strength and ability to hide emotions at the back of their minds?

Both of these events were witnessed by me in the class. I noticed some trying to hide emotions and some not experiencing emotions. It truly is magic. With time, the tide surely had turned.

However, I noticed after deep thought that time had done no effect on me at all. I still haven't forgotten that event nor have I the strength to hide my tears.

That's strange as I am no alien!

Speechless For No Good Reason

Today, I don't feel like sharing anything. Instead, I would like to show you a few pictures of me and hopefully, they'll say something to you. 

As the old saying goes. ; A picture speaks a thousand words!

    A lemon butterfly drinking nectar.

   

    A beautiful herd of elephants. 

For the shutterbugs, I use Panasonic fz150 pro zoom camera. And yeah, those pictures just reminded me to share something else too ; A picture is appreciated if captured using mind and soul. Not a super awesome camera as photography is an art and not apart!

Well, that's all for today. Have a nice day.

Sometimes, Tomorrow Never Really Comes

Procrastination is the thief of time is a proverb that even a 2nd grader knows nowadays. However, due to our busy schedules, we procrastinate all the time. We keep pushing things ahead and ahead until we forget they are to be done.

Some procrastinations are minor and are forgotten easily. However, some left a deep mark on my feelings.

1) My sister was in the first batch of tenth standard of Millennium National School in Pune and due to her hardworking and efficient training by the school teachers and the founders Dr. Sudheer and and Vaidehi Phatak, she performed very well indeed. 

My parents wished to invite them home for dinner once to celebrate the joint success but we never found the time somehow. Once, occasionally Phatak Sir and Madam were passing through our society  to decide the bus transport route when they stopped by to greet my father. My father invited them for a cup of tea but they didn't have the time and so they promised to meet up for dinner some time later.

Days passed. Maybe even months passed after that. Until I was stunned by the passing away of my beloved founders in a car crash. This incident had a deep impact on me. I then realised one thing remaining that we had left for tomorrow. It was inviting the two along with their happy merry family for dinner. But it was not planned in fate. My mom had no words to say when I reminded her of what was left.

2) Me and my friend Dishant were both interested in computers and software. We often worked together on a variety of projects. Dishant loved to study almost anything other than biology. Once, I told him about a computer Olympiad and the books I bought for the same and he was thrilled. I saw the child within him trying to come out as I told him the details.

He begged me to get the books for him to see so we could study together and I began delaying it because of my laziness and lack of priority giving. So, from Monday I forgot it till Friday and then again on Monday and Tuesday the next week. On Wednesday, 19th June 2013, I the morning, he asked me and I shamelessly replied ill get it tomorrow mate. He smiled and replied "No problem." Then, we went for sports and I went for table tennis with a few others while the class was at basketball.

What happened was a bolt from the blue and I was not there to witness it. Dishant crashed on the floor and passed away all of a sudden. It happened all too quickly and I wasn't even there. 

Even today, as I remember him, tears collect in my eyes as I try to recall our conversations of me procrastinating a simple deed of bringing a computer book.

The sad part is there is no tomorrow no more with Dishant, my old friend.

So, we must never Procrastinate as nobody knows what's in stock for us and others ahead. 

Cutting Loose

In our lives, we often experience strangulation of various kinds all the time. Sometimes, we are bothered by our studies, work or even our families at times. To recover from these stresses, we try to take it easy and it works out great as a stress buster.

Though I am in 10th grade and am 14 years old as of now, I am still eligible to be called a child as I still need to become strong and mature to handle issues like adults. Despite this fact, I consider myself very responsible and calm.

However, the child out of me does come out sometimes and this is an incident of when it did. It was a tiring week till Thursday in the last week of June. I was waiting with my pals near our school buses and it was drizzling peacefully after  a heavy downpour throughout the day.

The waiting area where I was had several craters where water had accumulated and had become muddy indeed. Everything was peaceful. The weather was cool and the atmosphere was lively between all of us friends.

Suddenly, I stamped into a puddle full of muddy water and what a sight it was. The water squirted everywhere around my foot and landed on my friends. My friends were agitated and so in retaliation, they began doing the same.

Soon, everyone began playing in the rain and the humble puddles. A lot of teachers too were seated either in the buses or were standing outside enjoying the water. After a while, everyone had bountiful smiles on their faces including me and yet the puddle wars weren't over yet.

Then, somebody splashed some water on my bag and it was my turn to counterattack. I leaped into a puddle nearly thrice big to accommodate my waist size and naturally a great deal of water was thrown round.

Then, an attendant of our canteen cried in Marathi, "Is this the way to behave in school? You all are in 10th grade. Behaving like some stupid small kids." and I was furious in the back of my mind.

Shamefully, everyone left home and the buses left too. The children hidden within adults are seen sometimes too. When a gadget loving man is shown a new gadget, his eyes have a spark like that of a newborn. That is the passion from the heart in an adult.

Then, what was wrong in me, a child to behave like a child? If anyone can explain me this, Ill be extremely obliged indeed friends.

Is such the state if a child decides to enjoy the fullest by cutting loose from the chains of tension and pressure?

Apples Or Oranges

In our lives, not all things take place the way we wish. However, the causes of some of these events is phenomenally complicated.

The other day, I was called for being tested about my badminton skills by a renowned badminton player. I was to be selected for coaching after a satisfactory skill levelled performance. However, the entire incident left me topsy turvy.

I went to the selection. Warmed up. And played decent strokes. Played calmly yet accurately. However, during a match I was asked to play, I struggled to get my footwork working. I was unable to cover all the areas of the court. According to me, this debacle took place due to lack of consistent practice.

I naturally lost the game and was asked to pack up. Then, the coach said that I played well and that I had some good skills. He also said that the batch was already full and that adding me would be tough and inconvenient for everybody.

However, he also said that my game was not matching the game of the other players, who were way bigger than me. However, he said I was not competent to play there indirectly and I didn't really mind.

After all, the coach I was going to was the number one player in the district for some consecutive years. So, I left. While going, his words began echoing in my head.

I wondered : -
a) Am I A Bad Player
OR
b) Am I Not Good Enough?

Such was the dilemma I was facing.

Potters Of The World, Rulers Of The World

Today, on Earth, we know a lot of people who have made it large in their fields.
Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Steve Jobs, Roger Federer are some of the people to name a few friends.

Did God make these people to prosper throughout the world? Or did they work hard to achieve what they wanted? According to me, the answer includes both of these.

However, there are a lot of circumstances involved according to me.

We all have respect and love in our hearts for Mother Teressa for the valuable services she rendered from the bottom of her heart to people of my world. She is a role model for those seeking to spread the light of happiness in this relatively dim planet.

Would she have been famous today if her mother stopped her in her own country at the age of 20??
Would Sachin Tendulkar have been a great cricketer if his parents would have forced him to learn chess instead?

NO! I think the reasons behind the successes of the all time greats and respectable people is a complex mixture of Luck, Hard Work, Determination And Support.

And yeah, not all become great by just these factors. There has to be a spark inside the heart, that sparkles throughout the sole. Such sparks exist in everybody maybe.

Even in a boy in a hut barely noticeable or in a tiger hiding in the savannas. The sparks exist in everyone of a different kind. However, one must have the right dynamite to put up a firework show, for the world to see!

Cheers!

Hello World

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my blog!

I, am a school student highly interested in science and technology.
Do read my blogs where I shall be sharing my life experiences, as they come at me.

Cheers!

- Sujoy (aka Pseujoi)