LIFE AS IT IS

In the West, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year,” because the holiday season is knocking on the door. Here in the continental U.S., where I live, from Thanksgiving until the New Year, the entire country dons a festive look. People shop, travel, donate, watch holiday movies, bake chocolate chip cookies, drink hot cocoa with marshmallows, get together with families and in the colder states, play in the snow.  The Daily Star link There are so many reasons for me to love this season!  Holiday decorations and lightings As the holiday season nears, families get into the holiday spirit, adding glitz to homes, making them merry, bright and beautiful inside and out. Like many others, we drive around cities and neighbourhoods just to marvel at Christmas decorations that make everything so bright and beautiful.  The holiday fever also touches our family  — we bring out our holiday table runner, snowman-themed mugs, bowls, dishes and pillow cases, and light up our Crimson Que

To those who reside in the US, summertime is synonymous to beach vacation, and a beach getaway is something Americans look forward to every summer. This year, we explored the historic Cape May, New Jersey, which has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Cape May’s beaches are consistently ranked as some of the best in America, and even the world. They are not only family-friendly, but also clean, quiet, safe, and have easy access to restrooms and restaurants. But visitors have to buy beach tags to lounge on the soft, white sand. I understood that the revenue from the beach tag sales goes toward safeguarding, maintaining, and improving these beautiful beaches. The Daily Star link Cape May, which is a peninsula, is the southernmost point of New Jersey, a Mid-Atlantic US state. Besides its beaches, the place is also known as a birder’s paradise. Forests, wetlands, and marshes make it a top destination for migratory hawks, songbirds, and seabirds. We set up our be

By the time a young gamer reaches his fifteenth birthday, he has already killed thousands of his so-called enemies. Even though he kills all of them virtually, he still feels the adrenaline flowing through his blood every time he makes a kill. His young brain derives pleasure from wiping people off the face of the earth, on a digital screen. When he fires his AK-47 or Colt CM901, his pupils dilate; his heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure increase every time he slays. And even though he slays people day after day, he is never punished for the brutality he commits. In fact, he is rewarded with points. He also moves to the next level of the game! The Daily Star link Video gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry. According to Newzoo, a global leader in games, e-sports and mobile intelligence. The worldwide revenue of the gaming industry is expected to reach $107 billion in 2017.  However, children's access to violent video games is a debatable subject. While some

Morning view from living room window - fall leaves falling like rain. 

The sign outside the gym door says that children are not allowed inside. But I pretend I cannot read English when I hit my proximity card key fob on the gym door to allow me in. Why? Because I have no other choice but to ignore this particular sign.  When my husband is at work, there is no one at home I can leave my toddler with. But does that mean I cannot workout out every day or at least a few times a week. Won't that be unfair to a full-time mum  who wishes to stay fit and healthy? Well, I certainly think it will be.  Photo: Google Images I have never noticed if there are hidden close circuit TV cameras inside the gym, but even if there are, the property managers either do not monitor them regularly, or pretend to ignore the presence of a two-year-old visitor inside their gym. Kindhearted people, I must admit.  The Daily Star My toddler, however, is not nearly as kindhearted as the property managers. She does not care to show compassion to my poor nerves.

You may find it hard to believe but a plastic bottle takes anywhere between 100 and 1000 plus years to degrade, with an average degradation time of 450 years!  Does this piece of information motivate you to opt for more of  environment-friendly su bstitutes? If yes, then you are treading the  right path, because it is never late to start to do our bit for the  environment.  TAKE YOUR OWN BAG When you go shopping, be it for books, shoes, clothes or groceries, carry your own sturdy, reusable bag, preferably something made from cotton or jute.  CARRY YOUR WATER BOTTLE Instead of purchasing a bottle of water when you are thirsty, carry your own water in a bottle or flask made of glass or stainless steel when you leave home.  DITCH THE STRAW When you order your drink at a restaurant, learn to say, “No straw, please”. Straws are made of plastic and therefore when thrown away are detrimental to environment.  Source: Google Images REUSABLE LUNCH BOX Instead of packing lunch in