Ten tips to punch Depression in the face

Get rid of D-pression 

by

The CouchCoach

1. Get yourself a pair of gloves &  practice punching the D monster

2. Biff it when you so much as get to whiff it

3. Laugh joyfully in its face – D hates happy people & worse still if they pretend to be happy 🙂

4. Think happy thoughts – oh how D hates it!!!!

5. Count yer many blessings – it will amaze you what the Lord has done. D hates you focusing on blessings.

6. Look ahead brightly. Looking dejectedly at the past while  trying to walk ahead will only make you trip & fall. D loves such falls!

7. Don’t build on your life on regrets, on what could not be. Build your life on the promises of God Almighty!

8. Hang out with happy people. D is contagious & you don’t want to catch someone else’s or spread your own.

9. Happy music heals. D would rather you spent your time in a cave of silence, with boulders of regret for company.

10. D can slither in to your life by an open door when you least expect it – catch it by its slithery neck & stomp it.

 

All in Psycholojest

What does your Family think about your Blog?

Samples of conversations with family members after I started blogging. I will not delve  into those instances when I had to get them  to view my Blog at my insistence or at least read a  post completely (as in c-o-m-p-l-e-t-e-l-y, as in ensuring I don’t get the i-get-the-drift-but-too-much-to-read reaction).

As early entrant –

Me – Guess what, I got 200 views on my Blog so far, isn’t that cool?

Brother – You only must have clicked it so many times.

Me – Hahaha (albeit dryly as enthusiasm wanes)

As progressive blogger –

I discover my Mother has become hooked onto visiting a Blog regularly. Just that it’s not mine.

Me – It’s unfair. You only read Amitabh Bachchan’s Blog all the time – not mine.

Mother – I also read yours (albeit guiltily)

*     *      *     *     *     *   

Which makes me conclude that everyone can write about how to drive traffic to your Blog … but I’ll have you know that driving your own family to visit your Blog is pretty damn hard.

*     *      *     *     *     *  

Jesus said “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

I agreed & said – Amen.

Write like no one’s reading

 

Write like no one’s reading

         Read like no one’s blogging

Blog like no one’s following

         Follow like no one’s leading

This is my 75th post (whoa) since I started blogging in Jan this year.      

Thank you for visiting, liking, commenting, following Wingrish.

Much appreciated!

Blogging on the Bloggers of Blogdom

As with all things new, we stumble into something without much preparation & along the way discover facets never imagined, experiences we did not know would greet us…both positive & negative.

So welcome to the blogging world which is no different.  You started blogging because you thought you had something of value to contribute…a passion, a hobby or whatever.

And then you gradually get to experience the blogosphere effect.

And you start reeling under it.

In the process you might just about forget why you started blogging in the first place.

You thought blogging was a creative channel or a  break from the regular everyday world huh? But guess what…beneath the surface of all things wise & virtual, the psychology at work is still the same…appreciation, ego,  sensitivity (or the lack thereof), building bridges & a bit of …taking offence  

 

These are the unwritten laws or code of conduct in Blogdom. Call it what you will but  the fact of the matter is –

~ To each their  own – what it means here though is to each blogger, their  OWN blog is of supreme importance 

~ Playground behaviour is displayed at its best on this playing field

These are the expectations, adhere or perish –

—> I visited your blog, now you must visit my blog.

—> If you don’t come to my blog,  I won’t come to your blog.

—> I clicked  ‘like’ on your posts, you should click  ‘like’ on my posts.

—> I commented on your posts, you better reply to my comments. And when done, you better comment on my posts.

 —>I followed your blog. You should follow mine. 

 Or else what? 

—> I’ll stop liking your posts.

—> I’ll stop reading your posts.

—> I’ll stop following your blog.

 

“Be cast into outer darkness…

There shall be weeping & gnashing of teeth.” ~ Jesus

Sigh. 

Life was easier without blogging 🙂

Are you a Souveniristic Tourist? Take the test to find out.

                                                                 

Take this quick test to assess just how much of a  souvenir freak you are & if there is any hope left to become normal.

1. Do you collect  magnets of every hill & dale you visit in each country? Yes/No  

 2. Do you collect souvenir spoons as a keepsake of countries you visit?  Yes/No

 3. Do you buy postcards to send friends & family but…like it way too much & keep it for yourself ?  Yes/No

 4. Do you collect foreign coins & postage stamps from every place &  have a neat pile up you know not where to  keep?  Yes/No

 5. Do you bring back a slice of sunshine via a photograph, or a bottle of  sand, or collect shells & pebbles that have that amazzzzing shade you won’t find elsewhere?  Yes/No

 6. Have other people seen your ailment & started bringing back magnets & spoons as gifts for you from their travels?  Yes/No

7. As you flip through books do you discover old tram, train, subway, concert tickets from Godknowswhere that serve as bookmarks? Yes/No

8. Do you preserve museum flyers, local maps as a token of sentiment? Yes/No  

9. Do you have a pile up of mementos of every shape, colour & imagination? Yes/No         

             

10. Do you write blog posts about souvenirs? Yes/No                                                       

 

 

 

Score
Upto 3 Yes  –  You are a happily balanced tourist
Upto 6 Yes  –  You are a tourist tugging away from the rope of normalcy that is trying to detain you
Upto 8 Yes  –  You are a tourist who has broken free from the rope. In  other words you are on the border of souveniritis
All 10 Yes    –  You are a tourist with a case of extreme souveniritis-outta-balancia. Get well soon!

     

10 Advantages of NOT being Freshly Pressed [Saar Grepz]

 

This post is for all those bloggers who have been clearly misunderstood by WordPress. Those who hoped that one day soooooon their brilliant story, wonderful wit  or dazzling photography would  so stun the WP editors that they would just  be grabbed for the glorious WP wall of fame Freshly Pressed…but that has  not happened…yet.

Freshly Pressed does not happen despite our brilliantest posts (brilliant only in our own opinion). And the sour grapes syndrome slowly but surely sets in. With its message of hope.

Saar Grepz.

Now we suddenly start seeing a glimmer of light.

And we draw strength from it.

And find the reasons why it’s great after all. Not being selected for Freshly Pressed that is.

Here is what Saar Grepz has been murmuring to me. And guess what? All of a sudden, thanks to its counsel,  it looks like it’s a great world out there despite being ignored for Freshly Pressed.

You suddenly start humming ‘what a wonderful world…tra la la, la di da’

So here is something that will make you rejoice for not having made it to FP –

 1. Your blog hits remain abysmally low.  In fact it  gets worse by the day. You convince yourself that things of value don’t just lie around as common pieces of display. Like the precious pearl, it has to be really searched for in the depths of the blogcean.  Your blog is a priceless pearl that has to be searched for &  found by the discerning.

2. You start believing in the philosophy of peace & non-competitiveness more than ever. After all you never got into this to compete with other bloggers did you?

3. You realise your hands can remain healthy – no carpal tunnel syndrome to deal with. No repetitive strain injury. No aching hands having to reply to all those comments that will come in after being featured on Freshly Pressed. No medical bills after buying pain killers & balm to soothe the hands hammering away at the keyboard. After all, health is paramount not this damn blogging…what a wonderful world, tra la.

4. Your eye sight will improve. Who wants to spend hours blogging away…on hindsight, eyesight is far more important. No need to scan for stats, likes & comments. Strong eyesight is what we all need. Yessss!

5. You are focused on what you wish to convey. Getting side tracked by this demon which glorifies the grandeur of being Freshly Pressed is not all that great, really.

6. You reflect on why you started blogging in the first place. You were new to WordPress, you did not even know what the heck Freshly Pressed was. Until when…like Eve in the Garden of Eden was beguiled by that vile serpent who presented her the apple, you slowly started getting corrupted.  You wanted the apple…but, you got S-A-V-E-D in the nick of time. You realised Freshly Pressed is that sinful apple.  Away with you apple!

 7. You suddenly start believing anonymity is a virtue. You didn’t start blogging to get famous right? If fame was what you wanted you would have joined the films or become a politician.

8. You start believing that this is a lesson on the path of humility. You get super spiritual (humble thyself under the mighty Hand of God & one day He will feature your post on FP)…BUT…hang on…who even wants it anymore?

9. You are convinced that a slow & steady increase in the number of people who follow your   blog  is better than a sudden spike who may never return. You begin to joyously (read ‘feigned  joyously’ ) declare  “Who wants to be selected for Freshly Pressed anyway? It’s no big deal… because people who read your post  on FP may never return to read another.”

10. You believe in Maya even more. Everything is an illusion including this momentary flash in the pan in the blogging world called being featured on Freshly Pressed.

Saar Grepz, O wonderful fount of such pessimistic optimism, I thank ye…

What a wonderful world…la, di, dum

Jesus & the art of being non-judgemental

One of my favourite stories about the love of Jesus in the Bible is the following incident. What a mighty lesson on the art of being non-judgemental.

“Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, ⁴ they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. ⁵ Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” ⁶ This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

⁷ So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” ⁸ And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. ¹⁰ When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

 [John 8 : 3-11]

Below are some positively uplifting songs. Click on the song name for the  youtube link –

Amazing grace has rescued me
You paid the price, You set me free
I will sing Your praises forever
My Savior and King

~ From  Mi Corazon by Don Moen 

If I was a rainbow I’d show my colors for You
And if I was a songbird I’d sing my song for You
And if You take the sun and the moon
Take away the stars at night
Your faithful Word will always be my light…

~ From Rainbow Song by Lenny LeBlanc

Enjoy & pass on..

 

How to stay young forever?

Honest answer – not possible!

sorry to disappoint

but…

there is hOpe

this is a post of contradictions

sO?

the trUth is

it’s all in the miNd

you are as old as you thInk

think haPpy, be hapPy

imagine being 16 or 25 or…85 & you will start feeling it

“age is a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” said Satchel Paige

take note of the expression on yoUr face.

“the expression a woman wears on her face is far more important than the clothes she wears on her back.” ~ Dale Carnegie

applies to all

stOp worrying

which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  asked  Jesus Christ

enjoy your own company – someone said if you don’t enjoy your own company why inflict it on others ?

could it be because  misery Loves company?

a request – pesSimists stay away

stay opTimistic

have Faith

laugh moRe

crib Less

exercise

take time to breathe in the beauty of this world

to smell the roSes

to love animals

to enjoy music

to play with childrEn

to enjoy nAture

to worship your Creator

to develop your interests

write a blog

take it e-a-s-y

God is in conTrol

be thankFULL

stay pOsitive

imagine being 16

&

you will stay

forever younGish…

A New Age Menace Called Return ‘Great’ Gifts

Growing up, I don’t recall receiving very many return gifts after attending birthday parties of friends or kids in the neighbourhood. Even if there was the remote possibility of it having been there, it would have been something rather simple I’m sure…like pencils & erasers at the most. Sigh! Neither did we give those kids who attended our birthday parties any return gifts. Poor souls.

I remember one’s birthday was ‘the day’ waited for with great excitement – it was all about new clothes, the cake, balloons, friends & family who would drop in for the party & of course the rapturous vision of an awesome pile up of gifts. Looking back, it was also a lot less complicated then.

Today, I watch & hear about parents who go nuts as they try to organise ultra magical birthday parties for their kids, each trying to outbeat the parents of  other kids. I wonder who’s suffering from peer pressure…appears not just kids but parents too! With theme parties & event managers called in to make sure that 1 year old Meena’s birthday is grand & a riot (Meena incidentally would rather just go to sleep) – the parents are at their wit’s end trying to figure out how to make it different & what  the appropriate aka great return gifts should be. I would not be off the mark in saying that the motivation for many children to attend birthday parties is simply the excitement of collecting their  return gift! Kids will endure the party if they have to, knowing there is light at the end of the tunnel, knowing that it is well worth the wait. [Parents – it had better be well worth the wait…]

The next time you plan a birthday party for your kids you may want to consider some of these options instead of the Barbie, Ben 10, doll house or cricket set circuit.  These are some of   my best picks for return gifts, they are eco-friendly  too! So go ahead & give this a shot –

1. An earthen diya on which they paint their names

2. A handmade paper bookmark with the message “I love reading. No space for more toys”

3. After the birthday party, hand brats back to their Parents with  “Here’s our return gift to you – your child” added in smoothly.  

4. Or try giving kids a map of the locality so they return home safe.

5. A nice colourful poster for their room “This munchkin (or teenager) does not accept return gifts.”

Risk – kids who receive the above mentioned return gifts may return no more to your home forget your parties. In fact they may choose to ‘unfriend’ (another blasted new age word)  themselves with your kids! On second thoughts, maybe it’s not such a bad thing after all…

 

The Road Most Taken

Two roads diverged ahead of me, and I –
I took the one most  travelled by.
Well tread, stomped on,
Walked upon, driven on –
The  imprint of  travellers.
Scanty grass & leaves well trodden on,
Walkers, shoes, wheels, headlights,
Fellow wayfarers,
All clearly visible.
So it is that I am where I am,
That road made all the bledgy difference, damn!

 

P.S. With all due respect & apologies to Robert Frost whose poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ was the source of  ‘inspiration’ for this. And my writing is getting from bad to verse!