Quotidian Tales

Please Explain Vaccines to Me Because I HATE SHOTS! is the perfect book to read to your child, engage her thoughts, and prepare her for one of the most fundamental tasks in her life. I ndeed vaccines and shots are an indispensable part of every individual growing up. To address such a fundamental yet binding concern in such a remarkable way is possible only by someone who has firsthand experience and expertise. Our author, Dr. Laurie Zelinger , is a seasoned child psychologist. She is commendable in her presentation of this general medical procedure. The facts related to it, the fears associated with it, and the means of manipulating it to ease a child's interaction with needles, be it shots, blood tests, or vaccines. Now, by the year-end of 2021, we can, with one accord, acknowledge how vaccines have become a strong shield for the human community. We now understand that Epidemics and Pandemics can prevail and mutilate a large portion of society within months, let alone...

I must admit here that when we were "on the threshold of being no more," we succeeded in being more…..Unwittingly, the 'eye' preceded the 'I' and for the first time, we realized what it means to not take this life for granted. I t seemed to be over. The doctor had pronounced her dead. A surreptitious surgery beset by infections and indolence, further beefed up by outrageous alterations in her tenderly tactile anatomy. That was a vicious verdict on a not-so-vindictive day. Our senses were getting slaughtered as both of us held on to each other, flickering, yet firm to combat cancer that had reared its serpentine head to seize our mother. The next two weeks were a blur of medical jargon, interminable investigations, cursory calls, and feverish faith. It was decided or perhaps destined. 'Mamoni', as we lovingly called her, would need to be airborne to another city that proposed a prospect that was propitious and prevailing. The surgery took...

There have been so many years of living through it that it doesn't seem newfangled for another year of late worship and festivals to set in! O ver decades immigrants like us have traveled and settled on foreign land and subsequently rested their religion and beliefs. New places of worship sprouted everywhere around the world, and along with that, changed the ways and terms of prayers and reverence. Some people improvised rituals to their convenience and availability when others fumbled through the internet and phone calls for precise arrangements. Another group stuck to excuses of residing on foreign land. Nevertheless, the Hindu religion flourished and spread with newfound beliefs. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world. It is considered a ''way of life" rather than a cohesive, single belief that will guide. There's no one founder and no single set of doctrine or faith. Tweaks over centuries have given rise to numerous groups of people who em...

Travelling makes us fall in love with life. As we travel, we are born again, and it gives us new purposes and motives. We begin to appreciate life. W hen the confines of our homes make life monotonous and dull, travel provides the adventure and thrill we need. It excites us. It's the saying 'What gives value to travel is FEAR' by the great writer Albert Camus. Yes, it's the fear of the unknown, uncertainty, getting lost. Everything becomes unpredictable when you hit the road, and you don't know what's next awaiting you. It enriches our knowledge of ourselves while we explore the recesses of our minds and understand our moods. It makes us overcome fear and show us our capability! It is not only about the fancy attire or a colourful photograph posted on the social platform. But, it's also about making memories, gathering stories, appreciating the beauty of a place and finally to become a storyteller for the rest of your life, cherishing t...

Sometimes that means stepping away from it all and spending some time on your own. B eing alone is when you stop absorbing other people's ideas for a time. We often don't realise how much other people influence us. By spending some time alone, we get to hear what the heart says and how the brain reacts to it, get to know the true side of ourselves. Spending time alone is not just for introverts. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, work from home or office, have a family or not, we all benefit from having some time for ourselves. In our society, we value the hyperactive person, the one who has too much to do and does not have enough time. We even call people who spend a lot of time by themselves 'weird' or self-centric, which is not appropriate. In a world where we are taught to want more and acquire more, sometimes it feels overwhelming. We start feeling anxious or end up with too many thoughts in our minds. One of the best things to do i...

Ever wondered about the attribute of an Alphabet Book when you instinctively give it to your little one? A conscious observation will reveal that among the first few things that a child, more often than not, engages with is an Alphabet Book. Though languages become a part of her life, the moment she starts picking up sounds, it is only through an ABC book that a child, yes unknowingly, is made to step into the world of literacy and wholesome education. In fact, the book initiates in a tender mind the interesting yet intriguing process of associating visuals with sounds and then attaching a name (a noun) to it, just before it is linked or made to represent an object or a concept in the real world. So somehow an Alphabet Book unlocks a new space for the child, that into which she would very soon belong and make sense of. Apparently, an Alphabet Book introduces a beginner to the letters of the alphabet, its capitals and lower case forms and eventually proceeds to the m...

Looking for a summer camp to keep your kids learning? J oin a special one-week online summer camp with award-winning magician Nathaniel Segal! Learn super fun and easy magic with everyday objects. Register at: virtualcamp.eventbrite.com ONE WEEK ONLY! June 21st - 25th from 2:00 - 4:00 PM (PT) In this special one-week magic camp, you will learn incredible magic with everyday objects! Each class teaches simple and fun tricks that you can actually do! The $125 registration includes the classes and a special mailed package of materials! Register now! The class is limited to just 30 participants. Use code QT10 for an additional $10 off Here are some of the exciting things you will get to experience in each class: Learn incredible magic that can be done easily, and each trick we will go more in-depth and discuss some of the ways that you can make the performances even better with basic theater and magic theory See some of the most inc...

The room is the space where you can be yourself and do that which you want to…...to prioritise yourself and nurture the most infallible bond of your life... I t has been a while since I was talking, even to myself. The pandemic, I suppose, had jeopardised not only our bodies but also our minds. The forceful finite, almost abruptly, took away from us the boundless permutations of the infinite. And I, a little human like the multitude around, cowered in fear of the devastating design that was unfolding before my eyes. Quite recently, however, a semblance of the quotidian life has been emerging. While I still feel like “the (foolish) martlet” that builds its nest “on the outward wall” (Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare), I’m ready to embrace the uncertainty and venture ‘out’ even if it means to be on “the road of casualty.” Though it is the outside, which at the moment, is the most inviting, it is the need of an ‘inside,’ “a room of one’s own” that I became most acutely...