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What do you think the “m” here stands for? Am I talking about the “Millennial Geneation,” or “The Multi-tasking Generation,” or maybe it’s the “Mobile Generation.” If you guessed mobile, you think like me. 

Generations change and with every change, there comes an improvement, or at least that’s what we hope for. Let’s take a quick trip back to the future and see how we have changed. The Generation X, those of us born between the 1950’s and 1980’s, were the ones who as children played on the streets and relished street food without worrying about the level of bacteria in it.  Our teenage saw the birth of Pac Man and enjoyed the intelligent humor from Looney Tunes to Tom and Jerry. As adults we had memorized the phone numbers of all our friends and knew how to read a map and find our way around without any satellites guiding us.  We had no video games, or iphones or ipods and yet had a very full filling and enriching life. A life that taught us to survive with the bare minimums. Today those Gen Xers are parents to what I call the m-generation or the “Mobile Generation.” 

A 5 year old today may not know how to write the lower case letters or read fluently, but they know how to swipe a finger, enter a password, find the App store and download an app. An app, which in turn promises to teach them to read and make them smarter. If this blogpost was an Excel spreadsheet, it would give me an error message saying “circular reasoning.” 

I am not against the technology however I do have a problem with telling kids to master typing when they are still learning how to write cursive properly.  The logic in all this, “these kids are never going to write like the old times, by the time they grow up, it will all be voice activated.”  I agree, it will be voice activated, but to me that’s like telling a child, why learn how to ride a bike, when you’re going to be driving a car anyway.  

I know many of you will scoff at this ideology and that’s okay. We all are entitled to our opinions, and I continue to believe that basics cannot be replaced. It’s old school thinking, but holds merit. Learning to write or ride a bike is not only about learning the basics, but also about developing the fine motor skills. The human body adapts itself very quickly to the changing environment. Our brain cells learn to fire the signals differently, so as we get more technology enslaved, there will be a shift in how the neurons interact.  

Very often the proponents of technology tell us that we can shut down technology whenever we want to. True we can, but what they don’t know is that the use of technology also trains our brain to think differently.  The smart phones today have the power to enslave us. We don’t control technology, it control us.   If you disagree with this statement, you either don’t have a smart phone or are in denial. There are very few of us, who have the will power to shut it down and let it stay shut. 

The mobile generation today allows the cell phone to be the command central of their lives. The ratings on yelp decide the restaurants, the likes on Facebook make or break their day and the video on Khan academy is a more trusted source than the traditional math book.  This generation is also a generation of undisciplined thinking and one that needs instant gratification. With internet browsing getting faster and more efficient every day, the need for patience is diminishing and the desire to multi-task is increasing, with not much improvement in productivity. 

Do I have technology in my own home? You bet, I do.  However, I am the odd parent who still insists on penmanship with my kids. It’s a balance I think. One has to draw the line some where. 

 

We can today watch a movie, chat with friends, order our textbooks all at the same time and by a small 4-inch held device called a smart phone. How we use our smart phones today has become an extension of one’s personality.  

While researching on the topic recently, I came across an interesting article Mobile Revolution Killing British Manners. We all are familiar with the formal British manners, the art of greeting, meeting is now being replaced by the art of tweeting and texting. Though I don’t think its a problem unique to British. It’s happening everywhere. Only difference, cultural differences make it more acceptable in the USA. Britain on the other hand has always prided in its formal etiquettes so the incapability of the m-generation to do so draws attention.  

As I write this post, I say to myself, is the situation really that gloomy? Are mobiles really that bad? The answer is no, they are not. The mobile in itself is a very useful tool. The introduction of the iPhone has been nothing short of a revolution, the problem is us. We the people have chosen to let the mobile dominate? Why do we need to check our Facebook messages even before we get out of bed? Why does a like on Facebook bring a smile on our face?  Why do we have to watch that episode on YouTube, so what if you missed an episode or two of your favorite show.

The addiction is in us and not the phone. Yes, mobile addiction cases exist and have opened up a whole new field of specialization :). Internet withdrawal symptoms is a reality today. 

The smarter Gen X are recognizing the trend and joining the band wagon. They are today up to speed with technology, use it effectively at work and to monitor their kids too. Yes, you can do that. But you have to be a step ahead of the game like this parent was How I used Samsung phone spy software to track my teenager?  Would you do it?  Be honest! 

The mobile is here to stay. It’s not going anywhere. In fact with every passing year it will only get smarter and more capable of controlling us.  Don’t be afraid. Man made mobile, so it cannot be smarter than the human brain. All you have to do is, shut it down every once in a while.  

The warm summer winds are now making way for the cooler breeze. Days are getting shorter and the retail stores are stocking up on winter wear and high boots. They all remind us of the summer ending and making way for fall.  Two things happen when summer ends, first schools reopen and second our brain shifts gears and moves from first to fourth.  It’s interesting how a simple change in seasons allows us to relax or not relax.

Parents often look forward to routine and schedule that “back to school” brings.  With routine and back to school also comes the race to do more, and I am not talking about homework. I am talking about all that extra activities we need to do. Why? Well, that’s a good question and I am still looking for an answer. 

I see kinder students going for tuitions, and why not, after all it takes a lot of patience, time and perseverance to teach the little ones. Their attention span is little. They don’t like being taught in a serious tone. All teaching at that age has to be fun, and who has time for fun in this modern 21st century. 

We as parents (including myself) don’t have time. There I said it, and I apologize if I hurt anyone. Ever wonder, why is it so? Our parents also were doing exactly what we did. Our moms cooked, cleaned, washed dishes, ironed clothes, mopped the floors and yet they had time to sit with us in the evening and review our homework or just chat. Our dad’s also worked hard and earned a good living in addition to just kicking the ball in the front yard. What happened? Where did all that time go? The clock still gives us the same 24 hours a day, but these 24 hours just don’t seem enough anymore.  

Why? I wonder. 

Prioritize, Simplify life.

Well there are a couple of things happening at the same time here. First, we have way too many options to explore. We want our kids to try out the piano, learn computers, be a whiz at math, a skilled writer and learn self defense too. All my parents wanted me to do was go out and jump rope. How boring, right 😉 

If these choices were not enough, we then have the need to stay connected to the world every time. Our communications have been reduced to LOL and JK. Our emotions are slaves to the little emoji faces. We don’t write letters anymore, and to those who do, we say “Oh! you have way too much time.”  

And most importantly, as humans we have this pressing need to out do the other? It doesn’t matter what choices we make, we are all busy with our chosen roles. Then why do we add more to it?  It’s a catch 22 situation. Our obsession of being busy is so strong that those who are not, often feel guilty.

We have time to Tweet, but not write. We have time to Facebook, but not call. We have time to Pinterest, but not invite. Are we really a generation that is busy or are we a generation that is simply buzy?

Today, it is cool to be busy and often comes with bragging rights. This is moving on to the kids too. The kids often judge themselves based on what their class mates are doing.  We as a society are creating a circular maze for ourselves. A maze in which we keep running in an effort to play catch up. The end result is complete exhaustion. Kids are exhausted with the constant need to excel and the grown ups are tired of being busy.  We need to stop glorifying
being busy.

Time is money and scarce too, I agree.  It is however about time that we prioritized our hours, minutes and seconds.  

This sentiment, summarizes the spirit of volunteering. Volunteering traditionally considered more as a social service is no longer just that, it has moved on from the realms of social workers to corporate workers. Giving back to the community is the “in thing” today. 

It might come as a surprise to some, that we have all volunteered in our life and many of us continue to do so without even realizing it.  You may not remember, but I am sure in your life time, you have helped an old lady at the grocery store, or maybe helped a friend care for their children or even helped a neighbor during a difficult storm. These are all acts of volunteering, we can call them anything, but it is the selfless act of helping others for no particular benefit to self that is today called volunteering. 

Mankind has been volunteering since the days of cave man of maybe even before. When groups of humans moved together, helped each other and their neighbors gather food, find shelter and stay safe, they were in a sense volunteering for their own kind.  Then came the modernization, the world wars and we forgot about it all. After months and years of seeing the war, again emerged the Nightangels and the volunteering spirit returned. The “feel good” feeling is very powerful and viral too. The smile of a volunteer helps heal the pain of a broken leg or wipe the blood of a wounded knee. Such was the volunteering spirit in the yonder years. Fast forward to the modern world, social work and volunteering became synonymous. When in real world they are very different. 

Volunteering today is hard to see. In these busy times and a wold which is centered around me, myself and my, to get up and spend hours helping a cause for no monetary benefit takes extra effort. People volunteer for different reasons: maybe to build a resume, gain career experience, explore opportunities at a lower risk, build a network in their chosen career or maybe to climb the social ladder while helping the less fortunate. There are a handful of folks out there who volunteer because of the values instilled in them. Some of us have seen our parents give back to the community so volunteering comes naturally to us. 

My reason; very simple, I wanted to know more.  My domain of volunteering is restricted to the school my kids go to. Volunteering did not come naturally to me.  Honestly speaking it was an alien concept.  But then I took a step forward, because I wanted to see what happened in a kinder class room. And the rest is history. A few days in the classroom volunteering and following directions of the teacher, I was amazed to see how much effort goes into teaching the little ones. It was impressive to see the knowledge and skills that the kids grasped in a short period and it was even more mind boggling to see the behind the scenes effort that the teachers put in to teach the basics. Before I volunteered, all I saw was the few sheets of homework that came home.  

Volunteering is also infectious, if you are surrounded by people who are selfless volunteers, chances are you will be infected by the bug very quickly. I know I was. It has been 7 years now that I have volunteered at different events in the school and every time, the joy of knowing that I did my part takes all the tiredness away. The thrill of being a partner in my child’s education and not just a by-stander is motivation to come back and do it next year. Sure not all efforts are rewarded equally, there are always a few parents who complaint and find mistakes, but then I think of them as the entertainers, they keep the atmosphere alive and in a sense push us volunteers to do more.

If you have never volunteered before, your child’s school might be an excellent place to start.  The rewards and gratification are instant. You will be helping improve your own child’s learning experience in addition to hundreds of other kids too. The best part, your child will proudly acknowledge that his mom or dad made it happen. 

Many say volunteering does not pay. I disagree, it does. Volunteering has made me a better person.  

Volunteering takes up time, effort, lots of energy and sometimes even money. The resources available to a volunteer are limited, the glory is not there so why would one even go on these rarely travelled roads.  Well, its a personal thing.  If you wish to see the world a better place, you got to do your part. Sure there will be roadblocks, but that’s no reason to not try.

If you are thinking what’s in it for you, there are many reasons. For starters, you’ll make some amazing friends. Friends who you may not know as a family, but yet they will be friends for a lifetime.  You will see “the other” side of the picture and gain a better understanding of the cause and the situation. In addition to making a difference and gaining self confidence most importantly you will be building a community and leading by example. 

Few years ago she took me on a roller coaster ride. Even before the ride started I knew it’s going to be different, it was up and down for nine months and some very tiring moments. Moments that made me depressed, panic and left me feeling completely drained out. And then a friend living miles away said “Daughters always fuss take their own sweet time to get ready. This is nature’s way of training you for the future. Be happy you’re going to be blessed with a girl.” And lo and behold, out did come a girl 🙂  Seeing her was very different from my son. She was nothing like him. He came out energetic and stretched his vocal chords right away. She cried but not much. When the pricked for the first time, they were shocked, for she didn’t even whimp. The doctor’s thought that was weird. We enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of the hospital for a couple of extra days and then came home to our world.  

I was prepared for colicky nights again, but to my surprise, the adage “sleep like a baby” came true. She was a good sleeper.  Time kept moving and the baby is now a big little girl. In additon to blue and green, we now have pink and purple too. The home is now a beautiful rainbow of colors. 

At this young age, she is a strong headed girl, who knows the difference between magenta and shocking pink and will not settle for a sky blue dress when she wants an aqua blue dress. Her love for colors and the glow on her face when she twirls her dress reminds me of another girl I knew some 35 odd years ago. She insists on having long hair and I am reminded of a girl who did the same. It is true, “what a daughter does, the mother did.”  

It may sound strange, but my relationship with my daughter is nothing like my son.  My son is in a sense my anchor. He helps me stay grounded and focussed on what is important. My daughter to me is like a mirror. A mirror wherein I see my reflection. A reflection that I had forgotten existed.  Her love for colors has brought back colors in my wardrobe too. The shocking pinks and purples are back.  

I look at the mirror and I see a little girl who loves long hair and is trying very hard to grow it long. The mirror shows me a little girl who loves posing for the camera and is always asking her dad to take a picture.  The mirror does not lie, and shows me a dad who is stern and strong. He has a firm hand and yet the smallest tear drop makes him fall to his knees and he lifts her up in a warm fuzzy hug, for it is true daughter’s bring out the softer side of dads. 

I close my eyes and wish time would stop. 

I will always be your parent.  You can come to me when the world seems harsh and we will tread Snow White together and learn to believe again. As you continue your journey into this world, be determined like Aurora and brave like Mulan. Always believe in yourself like Belle and never lose hope like Cinderella. Be Wise like Pochahontas and while I wish you all the comforts, never forget the importance of following your dreams and working hard like Princess Tiana. 

You are loved more than you will ever know.
  

Four years ago, I read this quote during my random searches on the internet. Yes I am one of those who likes reading quotes and sometimes even collecting them. A trip to Yellowstone has been a dream in the making since then.  As a family we agreed to visit a National Park every year.  Since then, we have seen the magnificent Rockies at Colorado, the imperfectly perfect stone formations of Moab, Utah, the luscious green forests of the Smokies in Tennessee and of course the Redwoods of California.  

As you drive thro’ Nevada.

Miles to go….

Yellowstone National Park became a reality this year.  They say the journey is more important than the destination. We clung to this phrase during this adventure. Our journey started on a saturday. We were driving all the way to Island Park, ID; a 925 mile drive across the wild wild west state of Nevada and into Idaho.  Nevada is unlike any other state. Imagine an ocean of barren desert with an oasis of casino thrown in the middle and you have Nevada. It was amazing to see how much land lay wasted just a few hundred miles outside of California, and here we are scrambling for every inch of space. I asked myself Why?  The drive on I 80 is very doable, one sees civilization and there are pit stops along the way.  The wild west really showed up once the vehicle is off I 80 and onto state road 93 (some where around the town of Wells, Nevada.) This stretch of road is the hardest.

Driving on this road two things crossed my mind, the movie Dirty Harry and Wells Fargo wagons that transported all the gold during the gold rush period. I am not a history major, but since the past few years have had a great appreciation for the subject. As the SUV hummed its way along, I could not help but be impressed by the hardships man took to discover the west. The rugged mountains, the rough terrain, the extreme temperatures, and yet the lure of the west was so intense, they overcame all the hurdles.  

The drive on 93 is nothing but boring and every cloud has a silver lining. The kids freaked out on electronics which was fine with us. My husband and I; believe it or not, we talked.  We live in a time when every thing is in a hyper drive. It’s the era of multi-tasking and texting; so to have my husband behind the wheels, when he can’t text or play Dots was a blessing in disguise for me. I made the most of it and we discussed everything from the eco system of the Silicon Valley to the benefits of drinking green smoothies. 

Idaho; the land of Potatoes.

Idaho is another extreme state. After Nevada, to see the green fields was a treat for the eyes. But that’s all it is. Fields and fields of agricultural land.  The only sign of industry was the factory for Chobani Yogurt.  The stop signs, speed limits and the roads are all designed for minimal traffic and life pace that we City folks have forgotten. Life moves differently in these towns. Its slow and yet happy. The desire to multi-task is absent. It’s okay to take a nap in the afternoon and procastinate on the “to do list.”  Surprisingly I was enjoying this change of scene. My mind was slowing erasing the “chores list” that’s always dancing around and instead in my mind was the excitement of seeing the geysers and more.  

We took the exit for I-20; the longest main street in the US and on it lies Island Park. Island Park is a volcanic caldera in itself.  Approximately 500,000 years ago, Island Park was a volcano, that collapsed in itself creating the caldera. It is approximately 18 miles wide and 23 miles long, thus making it one of the largest caldera’s in the world. Its unique in the sense, that over time volcanic flow from surrounding area has filled it up to the rim, thus making it habitable.  Travelers and settlers cleared areas and started calling them parks. Once such park was an island surrounded by the rivers and creeks flowing then, thus the name Island Park.  The first humans to step foot here were the Shoeshone Indians. Different branches of the tribe lived here and to date, every once in a while shards of pottery and arrows dating back decades can be found in the area.  There are more amazing facts of this place including the fact that Teddy Roosevelt went hunting here.  

The cabin

As we turned into Arrow wood lane, we were greated by a moose. It was instant welcome to Yellowstone. Of course the animal was as startles as us and it ran off into the woods, while we continued to our cabin. Seeing the cabin was a breath of fresh air. It was beautiful.  If you ever decide to go, the location is beautiful and about 20 miles from the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park.  We had a humble dinner of the Indian staple food _ Maggi and called it a night. 

Next morning, after a scrumptious breakfast of eggs, we were on road again to begin the second phase of our adventure; Yellowstone National Park.  Just outside the west entrance lies the town of West Yellowstone. On reaching we found out that there was an accident and there was an hour wait for the entrance. Instead of waiting in the car, we took off to see the Grizzly Bear Center in West Yellowstone.  The kids enjoyed seeing the live bears in captivity and we were surprised to learn that not too long ago, the grey wolves found in Yellowstone were extinct. Being a predator, it was an important element to the food chain. So the animal was reintroduced as early as 1995. 14 wolves from different packs in Canada were captured and released into acclimation pens. Today its a success story and the animal thrives in the park.

As the traffic eased up, we started our drive to the entrance.  A fee of $25/ gets you a 7 day pass to both Yellowstone and Grand Tetons.  

Any idea how the Grand Tetons got their name? 😉 I’ll let u google this one.

We were now in Yellowstone; the father of all national parks. Yellowstone was established as the world’s first national park in 1872. As we enter the park and  drive our automobile through the single lane road, I remind my kids that during the parks initial years, the visitors came through on rough trails, on wagons and stagecoaches. It wasn’t until 1915 when the first automobile rolled in. And after that the wagons and stagecoaches vanished and today it’s cars, SUV’s, buses, RV’s, bikes and bicycles that tread the roads of Yellowstone.  At first it looks like any other park. Alpine forests, with camp grounds galore, but as you go into the park, the magic reveals itself.

Isn’t this surreal? Be honest.

We started our journey with the old faithful historical area. It is one of the most famous geysers not because it is the highest or widest geyser, but more so because it has been faithfully displaying its strength and maginifence in a predictable fashion for decades now. As we approached the geyser, we were a little disappointed to see how far the seating was. Almost 300 feet away from the geyser. But considering that the temperature of the water can be as high as 180F, it seems like the right thing to do.  Well, we kept our faith and took our spots on the boardwalk around it. We were ten minutes away from the predicted eruption time. As we sat there, the geyser started teasing us. It started to bubble and out came a spout, but wait the camera’s were not ready, so it went back into its nice and toasty home. Another bubble and another and so forth. Finally it was there. To picture the geyser, imagine water trapped under earth for centuries eager and desperate for a breath of fresh air.  That’s exactly what it was; desperate for fresh air. As soon as water erupts, it evaporates, leaving the land around the geyser parched and thirsty for more. The magnificent spectacle wows us all with all its grandeur. Behind us were Yellowstone veterans who were not as impressed, for them there are other geysers in the park that put up a more profound display, but they are not as predictable or faithful 🙂 But for us it was about 90 seconds of pure mesmerizing magic.

The dry and parched land around Old Faithful

Magic not because its an illusion, but magic because we had not seen anything like it before and were finding it hard to fathom the fact that we were sitting on an active volcano and watching one of its best displays.  Yes, Yellowstone is an active volcano. We often think of volcanoes as a cone shaped volcano forming in a mountain. But fundamentally, a volcano can be flat. It is the magma that defines the presence of a volcano and not the mountain. Yellowstone is a Super Volcano. To try and understand when the area was formed is meaningless, because the area is evolving everyday. With the many fault lines running below, minor earth quakes are constantly shaping the land.

We moved on to walk the board walk around Old Faithful and noticed a common factor, The Earth was alive there. To hear the hissing, rumbling and bubbling of water right below your feet was a surreal experience. The smallest hole in the ground and one would see the eruption of water or hot steam from the ground. Thermophiles thrive in the burning sulphuric ground reminding us again that life began with nothing but a small micro organism.

The Fountain Paint Pots

Midway Geyser Basin; another grandeur of the lower loop, and my favorite hike lies here. The hike to the Grand Prismatic Spring. If Old Faithful’s display was magnifence, then seeing The Grand Prismatic was celestial.  It is the largest hot spring in Yellowstone. Ideate a hot spring 370 feet in diameter, with hues of every shade of blue in the color wheel surrounded by yellows and oranges formed due to the presence of thermophiles.

The hike to Grand Prismatic.

The Grand Prismatic _ Celestial and Spiritual

Our day ended with the Grand Prismatic and all of us drove silently back.  The music of silence coupled with mystic transported me literally to the world of wonder and beyond. I continued to marvel at the beauty of Grand Prismatic. It was love at first sight. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Words cannot describe the experience or the feel.  

Once back to the cabin, the kids switched back to the modern world, while we pulled out books dating back to 1786 and tried to live the past. 

The second day was interesting, it started with a simple question from a  5 year old, “I thought Yellowstone is a park, but there are no slides or anything here. Daddy aren’t parks supposed to have play areas?” And we agreed, there should be a few play areas near the visitors center for the tiny ones. At this age, trees and mountains get boring very quickly. So we switched gears and decided to drive through the upper loop to see the falls and animals.  First stop, Canyon Village, Upper and Lower falls.

The lower falls

Seeing the upper falls is very easy, you drive, park and they are right there. The lower falls demand some effort. You can either walk down 328 steps or go the “Brink of Lower Falls” and take a 3/4 mile hikebut careful, there is a 600 foot drop. It’s a cardio coming up, but totally worth it. If you go, I recommend taking the walk rather than the steps. The walk takes u right at the falls. If the railings were any smaller, an adventurous soul could probably touch the water. The view at the brink of lower falls is breathtaking. The 308 foot drop creates a rumble that is both inviting and eerie. There are many other vantage points from where one can view the fall, it depends on how much you want to hike. I have been told by a fellow tourist, the view of the fall on a full moon night is godlike.

While at the Lower Falls, don’t forget to stretch out and absorb the grandeur of the canyon. The Canyon gets it color from the hot volcanic water flowing over the mountains. The debate on how Yellowstone got its name continues, however most agree that the name derives from the Yellowstone River that has its origin in modern day Wyoming. The Minneatree Indians called it the Mi-tse-a-da-zi. The french trappers later called it the “Roche Jaune,” a literal translation is Rock Yellow. It wasn’t until 1797 when the area officially came to be called Yellowstone and was further reinforced during the Lewis and Clark expedition.


Basking in the glory of the Canyon we moved on to see the Tower Falls, but the construction and delay forced us to detour to Lamar Valley, the valley of the animals. It had been 2 days in Yellowstone now and we hadn’t seen a single Bison. This was pretty disappointing, because every one who had been there told us we shall see so many of them that we will get bored.

The Canyon at Lower Falls

Bisons – It’s their right of way

We drove and drove and suddenly traffic slowed down. We wondered why, and lo and behold a herd was crossing the road. They are huge. From a distant they remind of a water buffalo, walk lazily, don’t give a hoot to the cars parked near by. But don’t let their bowed heads fool you, they are dangerous wild animals, living in their own wild surroundings. So while it is okay to awe their size and strength, it is also important to remember and respect their home and their privacy.

The Bears that guard the forest

I can go on and on about the multiple other geysers, fountain pots, mud holes, mammoth springs, and  the little town of West Yellowstone, but that would take me away from telling you about the drive back home. We said good bye to Yellowstone feeling thankful for being able to come and spend four wonderful days there.  Our journey back had one small stop, the Yellowstone Bear World. Since we did not see any bears in the park, we decided to treat the kids to this small and very enjoyable drive through safari. I would highly recommend this pit stop and if you plan ahead of time (which we did not) you can treat yourself to feeding some bear cubs too.

We left the bear world to drive via Utah  spend time with some family.  This time it was going to be I -80 all thew way.  No more state roads. A key difference, interstates have much better rest areas and more frequent gas stations. Rest areas were an absolute no on the interstate, and if you have a daughter, you can imagine how difficult that can be 🙂

The Wild West

Salt Racing

Fast forward to the drive back via Salt Lake City, Utah,  we saw salt, acres and acres of it, and in that salt we saw really really old cars salt racing. It was weird, there are miles of open acreage covered with a while substance, okay there maybe sand in it, but this picture proves there is quite a bit of salt too. See, I wasn’t joking, we truly saw the wild wild west.  The only person missing was Clint Eastwood 🙂 

Salty Drive through Utah

There was another key difference on the drive back home. We were talking less, and only because we were still enthralled in Yellowstone. I for one kept wondering on the how’s and why’s? My philosophical brain started drawing parallels between Yellowstone and life. And if by now you think I am absolutely in love with this park, you’re very close to truth. 

Life emerges after a forest fire. Fires area  necessary part of the Yellowstone eco-system. From the fire and fury emerges life.

Mother Nature in Yellowstone teaches us about life.  Life for anyone is continuously changing. Underneath all of us is a volcano of passion, passion that helps us achieve our goals and objectives. And when we don’t find an avenue to unleash the passion we explode, much like the hot bubbling water that has been trapped in its volcanic home until it finds the conduit to emerge as a towering geyser. Yellowstone tells us that it’s okay to let off some steam and then take our fiery anger and convert it into something beautiful. It tells us that life can find a way in the most adverse conditions.  This is the message I take away from my sojourn. 

19 hours and 1000 miles later we were glad to be home, with me secretly wishing to go back again someday.  If there is one national park you want to see in the USA, let it be Yellowstone National Park.

It is impossible to go to Yellowstone and not believe in Mother Nature. 

Be silent, you can actually hear it hiss and rumble.

Marvel at its majestic grandeur and respect its fury, Yellowstone will then speak to you. I know it did to me. 

The aroma of a fresh baked cookie triggers memories of childhood. Memories that bring back the warmth of the care free summers when we cooked.  Last week’s post of Mirror Mirror on the Wall also triggered some interesting conversations. One of them being that part of the problem in today’s society is celebrating lack of time to cook and depend on either processed foods or restaurant carry outs. 

Let us go to the basics; Mother Nature designed our world so man would be a wanderer, walk for miles, hunt for his own food and survive in the most dire situations. But then nature itself took over and the natural curiosity of man led him to explore, discover and invent.  With every invention the world became a more comfortable and smaller place. Inventions were not limited to a certain aspect of life, but affected every aspect, from the clothes we wore, the homes we built to the food we ate.  

Modification of food was called a necessity at a point. Increasing population numbers, lack of adequate harvest led the scientists to discover newer ways to increase the harvest from the same farm acreage, and  they did. They found “Genetically Modified Food.” We changed nature by making the anti-biotic resistant tobacco to the herbicide immune soya bean plants.  The curiosity of man did not stop there, we then found ways of adding more nutrition to the plants and fortified them.  There is something to be said about disturbing a natural balance. Just as we disturbed the atmospheric balance and are now debating on the pros and cons and finding ways to combat global warming. Some where in our quest for more food for the increasing population we happily took a bite of the forbidden fruit. 

The forbidden fruit was so enticing, not for its nutrition but for its appearance.  Anything that looks pretty triggers a happy signal in the brain. Again I am not a subject expert, but I am sure you have read articles of how a well presented plate makes the average meal taste good. It’s true, good food is all about presentation.  

Let’s face it, we all love good food. So the question is why don’t we make it ourselves? 

Cooking is hard and a chore; this is a modern life myth. It’s quite the contrary. Cooking is actually therapeutic, relaxing and a lot of fun. All it takes is an open mind and an effort. Human beings have thrived on their capability to create something out of nothing. That’s exactly what cooking is. To take nature in its most raw form and transforming it into a plate of delicacy is nothing short of an art form.  The thrill of combining colors and sometimes even contrasting them so the plate looks like an artist’s palette.  I am not exaggerating here, take a look at these pictures and you will agree, I hope. 

We have all heard, anything that tastes good cannot be healthy. I beg to disagree with that. Today, Man is reaching the end of the circle and we are starting all over again. We are discovering ancient grains, Dandelion is the new gourmet favorite and eat more greens is the mantra every where. That’s how nature meant it to be. We were not designed to eat processed foods. I agree today in some ways process foods are a necessity, but with a little effort we can change it. There are simple ways of replacing the unhealthy and it all starts at home.  

I am not a fan of fads. I love to cook, but keep the basics in tact when I cook. I love fusion food as long as it does not take away from the ethnic flavors of its origin. My family has varied taste buds. I have learnt to take one thing and transform it into four different meals to satisfy everyone. Lets take Red Kidney Beans. A simple bean filled with good carbs and protein. I make them the traditional Indian way, serve it with rice to one person. The second person likes it as a Chipotle Bowl and the third takes it as a soup.  I only made one thing, but was able to turn it into three unique meals. Okay, I accept.. I love cooking and it is never tiring for me. On the worst days, send me into the kitchen and I am like a child in a candy shop. I enjoy experimenting with flavors, trying out new herbs and spcies and blending them to discover new flavors. My favorite, on a spinach salad, try using a Thousand Island with spicy Indian Tomato Chutney, its a killer combination.  

There is another benefit to cooking, a sort of side benefit. When we cook something with tons of butter in it, we know its bad and you will be surprised, you won’t feel like eating it. Try it! Similarly when you make something healthy that tastes and looks good, the motivation to do more comes naturally. 

In our lives today, we have got so busy that we don’t have time for the basics and that is intrinsically wrong.  Why work so hard, when it leaves no time to sit down and enjoy a simple home cooked meal.  

Cooking maybe an art, but anyone can cook a meal that tastes better than frozen food.   Don’t worry about following recipes, and buying expensive utensils and spices. Just go for it. Open your refrigerator, look at what you have, take out one vegetable of every color and let them talk to you. The end result will be nothing short of magic. 

Remember, if the pot is cooking, the home will naturally be warm. 

Mirror Mirror on the Wall .. is a phrase that goes through every woman’s mind at some point with a stark difference though; the question is not to judge the fairest maiden in the kingdom, but a self assessment of her curves. 

See this movie, and you will never look at your dinner the same way again.

As a society the world is becoming obese. The countries, the so called third world countries which have high poverty rates are also now beginning to show signs of obesity related health issues in children and adult alike. The United States, unfortunately has been fighting this for a while and research has shown that US spends 147 Billion annually on obesity.  US as a country also has some of the best athletes in the world.  Its a paradox society that we live in.

Why and how is the world becoming so obese? 

I am no fitness expert. In fact, am miles away from it. My definition of fitness, like most other things is in moderation. While I would love to have a medically approved BMI, I focus my efforts on making sure there are no joints aching. As long as I can achieve that, its mission accomplished for me. 

Weight loss today a 20 Billion dollar industry with more than 100 million folks on diet.  What is a diet?  In the olden days, it was the food that the nutritionist told you to eat, today it is the food you cannot eat.   What has always amazed me is how different all of us are. Some of us can eat a brick of butter, not move a finger and not gain a pound.  Don’t you just hate those folks 🙂 Okay, I say that lightly for I do have friends who have been blessed with the perfect metabolism.  And then there are others who just need to smell butter, they gain two pounds, and they can exercise all they want but those darn pounds don’t come off.   

The more I read on exercise and obesity, I realize that we all know the simple formula, calories in < calories out. We need to eat less and burn more,  we all know this formula then why is it that obesity is still on the rise?

Could this be a society genetics? You know how the scientists have a theory for every race and what conditions they are pre disposed to. To some extent that could be true.  Weather and climate influence our food choices. Weather and climate also influence our metabolism.   

Here goes, US as a country is unique since most of us live in perfectly temperature controlled conditions. Irrespective of whether you stay in Florida or Seattle, chances are you are in a comfortable 70F most of the day. Now consider this, premature babies are kept in temperature controlled conditions too, they say it slows the metabolism and helps the babies gain weight, which in some cases is very important. I think that’s one of the main problems in the US.  Our metabolism slows down due to the temperature controlled conditions that we live in and to make it active, one has to sweat it out in the gym. 

If this argument is correct, then the Indian sub continent should be weight loss heaven. Unfortunately no. Countries such as India are seeing a wave of prosperity, with prosperity comes disposable income that the younger generation is spending on restaurants and bars.  People have more cars and are walking less, thus adding to their health issues. Gyms have sprung up in the most remote areas of India too.   Kids are busy taking tuitions and the like and have no time to just play outside.  All those problems that started in decades ago in the US, the Asian continent is experiencing today.

Brings me back to the eternal circular cycle of things. India today is experiencing what US experienced many years ago. The economic boom! When Henry Ford made the first car, no one in the United States thought that the same country that heralded cars will be celebrating bike to work days. 

The government tackles the situation by making it mandatory for restaurants to post calorie counts of every dish, so consumers can make more informed choices. Has this helped? Personally, yes it has. Until they posted, little did I know that one slice of pound cake in Starbucks has 490cal. Its true, unless they have changed their recipe. I do look at the calorie count when I order, but quite honestly that takes the fun out of eating.

Wouldn’t it have made more sense for the government to tell the restaurants to do potion control? Why is it that one entree’ in Cheesecake factory can feed minimum 2 adults, if not more?  Why is it that kids in school are still given canned and processed food? If fresh is better, then shouldn’t schools be the first place to start. The simple answer, fresh food is more expensive than processed food. Another paradox! For a family of four, it costs much more to buy fresh vegetables and fruits than getting four burgers from McDonalds.  This facet needs to change. 

Garcinia Cambogia _ The magical fruit that melts fat or not? Do you know its common English name?

Not to mention the health industry. Every so months we come across these fads for weight loss. Magic pills that just melt it away and give you a figure that Barbie and Ken would be jealous of. From the medicinal Aloe to Rasberries in a capsule and the most latest being the magical fruit Garcinia Cambogia.  It’s bewildering to see how intelligent minds fall to such gimmicks. Such is the lure of the perfectly toned image.

What really works is pure common sense. Eat in moderation and exercise daily, even 10 minutes every day helps. Courtesy Dr. Oz, here are some common sense tips to get you started; Dr Oz’s 100 weight loss tips

Maybe its late, but its better late than never. We have woken up from the slumber and the society globally is more health conscious. In the US, interestingly most soda ads are talking about obesity, companies are giving free membership to gyms, schools are increasing PE times, and last but not the least, Facebook is helping us loose weight too. Yes Facebook. Maybe its just me, but haven’t you noticed a sudden increase in those perfect pictures your friends have. With perfect pictures comes the need to have those well proportioned bodies.  They say “nothing succeeds like success,” the same is true for weight loss, when we see a success story, the motivation happens. And that’s where Facebook comes in, with its groups and graph search it allows us to connect to like minded people who motivate and make it happen for each other.  

As far as the maiden who stands in front of the mirror, I would like to tell her to celebrate herself. Barbie is a doll and not a human being, so please do not dream to be her. The mantra should be good health so you can shoot hoops with your older kids and sit criss cross apple sauce with your daughter and her dolls to enjoy the tea party. 

I read this recently on a friends wall on Facebook “To fall in love with yourself is the beginning of a life long romance.” So true.   

A thought, a simple innocent thought, think about it, where does it come from? Did you create it or did the world around you create it? Isn’t it amazing how we think all day and yet the very origin of thoughts remains a mystery.

What do you think? Chemical reactions or not?

What is a thought? This question came about in one of the recent conversations with my dad.  Some of you might say “let me think,”or “its an idea” and the english majors will say “its past tense of think.” I have even been told they are just random “hallucinations”that cross our mind.  And if you research it, you will be surprised to find that all of these definitions hold their merit. 

The word “thought” as we know it is typically an idea, a notion or maybe it is the process of reasoning and imagining. Either way, the question still remains and more importantly where do they come from?  

Quite a bit research has and will continue to be done on this topic. The human brain continues to mystify the most brilliant scientists. The more we discover, the more we realize its just the tip of the ice berg.  Its actually quite interesting, a scientist asks the question “what is a thought?” The same person creates an experiment to understand this process, as he does this, he gets another thought and another that generates more questions and experiments to answer them.

It’s almost as if the more stimuli the brain gets the smarter it gets and the more confused it leaves us.  

The advent of the simple telegraph in 1844 was a huge leap for humanity. The notion that messages could travel through a wire was an idea as new as a freshly minted coin.  Little did they know that this invention will trigger thoughts in the minds of scientists and create experiments to understand how the human brain processed stimuli. German scientist Hermann Von Helmholtz experimented on dead frogs to assess the speed at which the electric signal travelled. This led to more thoughts and more research and today the common theory that emerges is that thoughts are nothing but simple chemical reactions. 

Now put all this in perspective, we have a brain and billions of nerve cells. When you break these down it’s all organic material that is stimulated with the charged ions that float around it. Yes, its true the uniqueness of YOU, all that creativity, the brilliance you shine with is nothing but a series of chemical reactions that your brain processes swiftly and efficiently.

As I read more on this topic, It made sense. I can fathom the fact that thoughts are chemical reactions. But then how does one explain the more complex emotions of love, anger, jealousy and the like? How does one explain the the brilliance of Mozart or Picasso?  Why were they so different than the ordinary man?  And how would you explain sixth sense?

Sixth sense and thoughts is a rather interesting combination. If thoughts are chemical reactions and sixth sense is essentially predicting an event that is yet to happen, then does that mean that those who do have a strong sixth sense is their brain in over drive?  Trusted Google came to the rescue and I came across this very interesting series Through the Worm Hole that talks about the fact that thoughts can cross a room. And its true, thoughts can go across. A happy person makes others happy. A grumpy colleague can ruin the work atmosphere by just being there. Scientists believe that sixth sense works in a similar way. It is the collective assimilation of thoughts that goes across the globe and results in sixth sense for those of us who are more sensitive and emotional. Very rarely will you see an extremely logical and pragmatic person believing in sixth sense. It is usually those of us who are sensitive to the softer sides that experience sixth sense and deja vu. Takes me back to the fact that Juggling the Quotients is all so important.

To further confuse us, we have all heard the statement “you can control your thoughts, think positive” or something similar. Well if that is the case, then we can create thoughts too. Right? actually not quite. If it was so easy to create and control thoughts, we wouldn’t be struggling to learn the “art of meditation.” The premise of meditation is to teach us how to control and separate our conscious from the subconscious and thus control our thoughts.

It’s amazing, the more I read, the more I realize how little is in our control. 

Questions raised above and more continue to stay a mystery. I have complete confidence in the human race. Its collective brain is always thinking. We dreamt of flying, we did it. We wanted to reach the moon, we did that too. We wanted to clone ourselves, we cloned humans and more. We are successfully Erasing Death, so it should be no surprise that we will soon unravel the mysteries of the brain too.

Soon, we won’t have to move a finger.

Today we have games that challenge us to use our mind to control the ball, tomorrow we will use our thoughts to type, day after tomorrow we will be able to communicate with our thoughts. No need to talk anymore.  If years ago, they could predict teleporting in Star Trek, then today telepathy should be an easy feet.

It all sounds very exciting and yet there is a scary side. If communicating with thoughts does become a reality; I am afraid the world will become extremely quiet.

Coming back to the fundamental question, What are thoughts? I am going to accept the fact that they are chemical reactions, though quite honestly I would prefer saying that all the thought that went into writing this blog post was my creativity and hard work :).

Thinking is something we take for granted. I hope you will put more thought into it now. Thoughts are powerful and if the scientists are correct than your thought can and will span the globe, try and make it a good one.

Until we meet again… Ciao!

Camping; it’s a sport rediscovered by the modern man. Remember Lewis and Clark, they went camping too, and you can only imagine what an amazing camping trip that must have been.  

Today, camping is mostly recreational. An activity for the modern man to reconnect with nature and thyself.  The circle of life that I have often mentioned in my blogposts and otherwise. Its one of those circles. We, the descendants of Adam and Eve started as wanderers went to the moon and beyond and then we felt the need to come back to nature. 

The idea of camping was alien for me until last week.  Many things about camping were big question marks. For instance, sleeping with the bugs, why? Making reservations a year ahead of time so I can spend two nights and 3 days bonding with friends and family unplugged. Why can’t we do that sans camping too,? was my unpopular argument.  Last week all these questions were answered and here’s the first camping experience. 

There are as many camping styles as individuals. The spectrum ranges from those who like to camp out in a fancy air-conditioned RV to those who like to rough it out with one backpack and dehydrated food.  Most of us fall some where in between. We carry our tents, sleeping bags, camp lights, regular food to enjoy a few days away from the daily rut and hope to connect with nature like our ancestors did  many many years ago, only they didn’t have flush toilets and hot water showers.   Our initiation to camping is courtesy a friend. Her family camps every summer and  are seasoned campers.  She took the initiative to find a site that worked for beginners like us, which meant it had to be close to home and had restrooms and showers close by.  She  then made the bookings at Reserve America for the Glory Hole Camp Grounds and we were set. Then started the process of understanding what all was needed. She has a pretty exhaustive patented list, but basically its your tent, sleeping bags and or comforters, clothes, favorite blanky, flashlights, camp lanterns, first aid, tons of water and all the cooking stuff. 

Advise for first timers : Go in a group and if you have friends who have done it before so much better.  

The plan was to take the bikes for the kids, until my husband saw all the other stuff. He very calmly and patiently looked at me and said “you do realize we have a van and not a U haul.” I looked at him and said, “it has to go, there is nothing extra here.” Little did he know that in all this stuff, was my first camping invention.  The portable “Indian Spice Box.” 

Full brownie points to my hubby as he tried his best and kept his smile. First try, took the wheels out of the bikes, fit them at an angle, but it would not fit. Then we tried laying them down, the danger all the weight and the lack of balance won’t work. Finally, he very calmly again asked me “It’s going to be 108 F there, do you really think bikes are needed. Let’s just take their scooters for now.” He was right as always. Bikes were not needed.  We managed to put everything in the van and off we were on our first camping trip. Super excited kids, super excited dad, super excited me on the face and internally praying earnestly that the sun gods mellow down.  108 F, seriously! 

The closest city is Angels Camp as we passed its downtown, I made a note to self, next camping trip to Glory Hole,  no need to carry the corn and snacks from home. It can all be bought there. The camp also has a Glory Hole Center right outside the camp grounds, the basic supplies, ice, firewood is easily available there.  We made it to Glory Hole in good time, it was a great campsite. And I say this with all honesty and no sarcasm, I was pleasantly surprised. It was super clean, super big spacious sites and despite the scorching temperatures the staff was extremely friendly and helpful.  

Advise Corner: Tent, buy a tent that does not require the threading process. I don’t know what they are technically called, but there are tents that have this claw type of structure that fits from the outside and are so much easier to set up when compared to those that require the threading process. 

Our tent is super special too.. its what we have nicknamed  “The Punjabi Tent.” Its huge. Its a ten person tent. Too much for a family of four, not really… honestly in that humid hot weather, sleeping with some space around all of us was a blessing. Its a really nice tent from Costco that allowed us to open all the covered screen and allow the air to flow through the netting.  The only negative, it takes a little extra effort and time to set up. 

Chicken – taking its own sweet time

The day made way for evening and we started the cooking process and soon the third family joined in too. While they rushed to set up their tents before it got dark, we decided to get the fire crackling.  The fire wood got ignited and the kids looked forward to the grilled chicken and sausages. Speaking of chicken, I had the task of marinating it. Not sure which one, either the engineer in me or the hyper cautious mom in me was a little concerned about keeping the chicken cold in these super hot temperatures so it wouldn’t go bad. I thought really hard and said to myself,  well if I can marinate this chicken frozen, and considering how hot it is, the chicken will surely thaw out by dinner time in the 108F temperature, that way it will get to its destination without rotting in the heat. Logically correct, right?  I managed to cut frozen chicken, marinate it and it all looked good until I realized that the chicken that I took out of the freezer at 9.00am in the morning was still frozen at 8.00pm. How did that happen? It’s supposed to thaw in this scorching weather. Well, now I know that my cooler works really well. This is where experienced campers come to the rescue. My friend relentlessly got the fire burning and the chicken took its own sweet time to slow cook. As she fanned the fire, I looked at the pit and thought, that would make an amazing tandoor :). Took about an hour and the chicken was cooked. Was it yummy? I have no idea, for I am a vegetarian. I can only cook it. Eating it is my family’s task and they enjoyed it. I hope the other’s in the group too, thought it was worth the wait.  The kids ended the day with Smores and we ended the day with some cold drinks under the starry sky.

The largest Stalagmite in the West Coast

Yummy Breakfast

During the course of the day and the conversations under the stars, we all had decided secretly in our own minds that   tomorrow if the heat is unbearable, we either head back home or take the kids to the nearby Moaning Caverns and then take it by the hour. Interestingly convincing each other was very easy 😉 

Well, morning came early. The first ray of sun hit my eye at 5.00am. It was beautiful then, and then gradually the heat came and I decided to hit the showers early so the water was not boiling.  Had some scrumptious omelette’s and chai made by friends and yes we ended up going to Moaning Caverns. Then came lunch. 

Another lesson and note to self.. no matter how hot it is, even if you think there is an odor to the bread, do not put the bread near any kind of ice packs or ice. Regardless of how good the ziplocs are water will creep in.  Besides until there is no green stuff on the bread it’s okay to eat it. It’s camping after all a little green wouldn’t hurt either. Thank fully the heat had taken away some of the appetite and we barely managed to salvage lunch.

Then we took off to Murphy’s a tiny town in the middle of no where but the proud destination of Lila and Sage Cupcakes.. The Cupcake Wars Winner 2012. I am not a huge cupcake person, but had to agree with my friend, that how many times does one end up in a town which has a cupcake war winner. So we had to go there and I decided to taste the winning lavender and orange cream cupcake. I have to agree the combination of flavors was heavenly. Interestingly, the cream by itself or the cake by itself was okay, but when one bites it together, the flavors just combine beautifully.  By this time, we all agreed to go back home early.

The younger kids were red like tomatoes and the adults were guzzling water. It just didn’t make sense to sweat it out and take a risk of sun stroke or any other adventure.  

When we started the van, it read 128F. I wish I had taken a pic. But yes it was that hot and for my friends in Dubai and India, that’s 50C.  Came home, cranked up the air conditioning and took an ice cold shower.  We all sat down near the A/C vent to cool off.   And then were treated to an amazing dinner by the third family who had dinner chores. They were gracious enough to invite us all to their place and treat us in the comfort of their home. Veggie Burritos at their best. 

Question I was asked again and again, Will I go camping again? My answer, absolutely yes. 

Now that I think about it, the human race has been camping since the very early days. From the cavemen to the missionaries to the native Indians to Lewis and Clark and the 49ers, they all camped. Some where in between we discovered fire, the wheel and the modernization of the human race started.  The curious mind did not stop after that. Man dared to challenge and ask the why’s and what’s to make the world we live in today.   We made this world to give ourselves comfort and create the economic efficiencies successfully. So, why do we go camping?, when it was the luxuries we wanted in the first place.  

Camping I think is intrinsic to the human nature. It appeals to us because it’s at our core. A long forgotten core but the instinct is hidden some where in the human DNA.  For me it allowed me to test myself. I don’t like hot temperatures. I am a winter person. I am happy when it is snowing and cold. So for me to be in those temperatures and not loose my cool was a HUGE achievement.

Growing up, being outdoor was a daily affair. Today its a forced affair.  Childhood today is different. Nature does not exist much in it, camping fills this gap. It teaches kids to survive without wi-fi. Ours did. We did not take any ipads or Kindle.  They re-discovered the joy of water balloon fights and dumping buckets of water on each other. Thank fully all moms had brought many extra pairs of clothes. 

What makes a successful camping trip? Well realistically if you come back with no injuries thats successful. But while you are there, what really matters is you. You could be by yourself or with a group of friends. Either way, what really makes camping fun, is you, yourself and you alone.  I enjoyed this trip, because I chose to ignore the heat or at least not let it get the best of me. My husband and friends kept their patience and made up for my lack of experience. My kids listened to me and called their experience Epic.