Live independent: Bane or Boon

In today’s world, young adults prefer to live independently..They are more interested in learning to live and lead an independent life..They feel that when they live with their parents, their parents restrict them from doing things which they want to do and from behaving the way the young want to behave..So they start living independently as they want their own privacy..Some live independently as not to be a burden to their parents and to explore and to know the world on their own..To earn their living and to handle money from their own hands not depending on their parents..

There are also a few instances when the young have to live independently i.e. when they get their admission in another college which is in another place or far away from their house so they take an apt nearby to their college to save time from travelling to great distances..But living independently has a few disadvantages as it may lead to irresponsible behaviour like coming to their room late after having a party or something even though they did not complete their homework for college next day..There is no one to restrict to tell them who is allowed to come and go into their apartment..They will have a sense of freedom to do things that they should not do like drinking, smoking, drugs, etc as there are no parents to restrict them..

But in the past even a few young adults in the present generation, young adults lived with their parents from a longer time..Even after marriage they live with their parents as a combined family and share their earnings with their whole family..A few young adults who live with their parents become irresponsible as they feel that their parents are supporting them and fulfil all their needs so they no need to work..They are a few who feel that their dreams are suppressed when they live with their parents as their parents have some expectations from their children, so the adult suppress his/her dream in order to fulfil their parents dream..But suppressing their dreams will lead to conflicts which in turn will lead to disintegration of their family thereby the young adults start to live independently..

In the present generation young adults prefer to live independently..They are more interested in learning to live and lead an independent life..They feel that when they live with their parents, their parents restrict them from doing things which they want to do and from behaving the way the young want to behave..So they start to live independently as they want their own privacy some live independently as not to be a burden to their parents and to explore and to know the world on their own to earn their living and to handle money from their own hands not depending on their parents..

There are also a few instances when the young have to live independently i.e. when they get their admission in another college which is in another place or farther from their house so they take an apartment nearby to their college to save time from travelling to great distances..But living independently has a few disadvantages as it may lead to irresponsible behaviour like coming to their room late after having a party or something even though they did not complete their homework or college next day..There is no one to restrict or to tell them who is allowed to come and go into their apt..They will have a sense of freedom to do things that they shouldn’t do like drinking, smoking, drugs, etc as they are no parents to restrict them..

But in the past even a few young adults in the present generation, young adults lived with their parents for a longer time..Even after marriage they lived with their parents as a combined family and shared their earnings with their whole family..A few young adults who live with their parents become irresponsible as they feel that their parents are supporting them and fulfil all their needs so they have no need to work..There are a few who feel that their dreams are suppressed when they live with their parents as their parents have some expectations from their children, so the adult suppresses his/her dream in order to fulfil their parents dream..But suppressing their dreams will lead to conflicts which in turn will lead to disintegration of their family thereby the young adults start to live independently..

I have always aspired to live independent and lead a personal life..Dint get much of a chance in my early life but in college I finally got my space..Staying away from home managing on the limited resources and managing my time, it’s a great feeling that I’m having..Moreover I am doing things that I never could do when I was at home..I learnt swimming, something that is a strict NO-NO at my house..I’ve joined a dance troop which I was never able to do at home as my dancing was always made fun of and given that ‘Boys can’t dance’ look by everyone in my family..I dint tell my family members about these college out spurts and hope to keep them a secret unless and until they read my blog someday..

Therefore, I opine that there are both advantages as well as disadvantages of living independently as well as living with their parents. In my opinion I think that the young adult can live independently when he/she reaches a certain age and is mature enough to understand and to be on his/her own and wants privacy, then only can he/she can start to live independently..

Jaishree Ram,

Prats..

Know the Human Body..

Following are some facts about the human body..Found them interesting enough to be posted up here..!!

-Approximately 75% of human poop is made of water.

-Your eyes are always the same size from birth but your nose and ears never stop growing.

-It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.

-The average human dream lasts 2-3 seconds.

-Your brain is more active during the night than the day.

-One human hair can support 3kg.

-Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.

-The tooth is the only part of the human body that can't repair itself.

-An average human loses about 200 head hairs per day.

-It is impossible to lick your elbow.

-Your body requires 1000-1500 calories per day just to simply survive (breathing, sleeping, eating).

-Every day an adult body produces 300 billion new cells.

-Scientists say the higher your I.Q. the more you dream.

-You use 200 muscles to take one step.

-Muscle cells live as long as you do while skin cells live less than 24 hours.

-A full bladder is roughly the size of a soft ball.

-Your brain operates on the same amount of power that would light a 10-watt light bulb.

-There are 5 million hair follicles on an average adult.

-The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razorblades.

-The human brain cell can hold 5 times the information of an Encyclopaedia Britannica.

-The white part of your fingernail is called the Lunula.

-There is enough iron in a human being to make one small nail.

-A shank is the part of the sole between the heel and the ball of the foot.

-The talus is the second largest bone in the foot.

-The attachment of human muscles to skin is what causes dimples.

-A 13 year old child found a tooth growing out of his foot in 1977.

-Your thumb is the same length of your nose.

-A woman's heart beats faster than a man's.

-Dogs and Humans are the only animals with prostates.

-It only takes 7lbs of pressure to rip off your ears.

Jaishree Ram,

Prats..

A Newlywed Bride!!

The following are the excerpts from the diary of a newlywed bride. A young wife..!!

Monday:
Now home from honeymoon and settled in our new home.
It's fun to cook for Tim. Today I made an angel food cake and the recipe said, "Beat 12 eggs separately." Well, I didn't have enough bowls to do that, so I had to borrow 12 bowls to beat the eggs in; the cake turned out fine though.

Tuesday:
We wanted a fruit salad for supper. The recipe said, "Serve without dressing." So I didn't dress. But Tim happened to bring a friend home for supper that night. They both looked so startled when I served them; I think it was the salad. 

Wednesday:
I decided to serve rice and found a recipe which said, "wash thoroughly before steaming the rice." So I heated some water and took a bath before steaming the rice. It sounded kinda silly in the middle of the day; I can't say it improved the rice anyhow.

Thursday:
Today Tim asked for salad again. I tried a new recipe.
It said, “Prepare ingredients, and then toss on a bed of lettuce one hour before serving." I hunted all over the place for a garden and when I got one, I tossed my salad into the bed of lettuce and stood over there for over one hour so the dog would not take it. Tim came over and asked if I felt all right. I wonder why? He must be stressed at work; I'll try to be supportive.

Friday:
Today I found an easy recipe for cookies. It said, "Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat it." I did beat it, to my mum's place. There must have been something wrong with the recipe, because when I came back home again; it looked the same as when I left it.

Saturday:
Tim went shopping today and brought home a chicken. He asked me to dress it for Sunday. I'm sure I don't know how hens dress for Sunday. I never noticed back on the farm, but I found an old doll dress and its little cute shoes. I thought the hen looked really cute. When Tim saw it, he started counting to ten. Either he was really stressed because of his work, or he wanted the chicken to dance. When I asked him what was wrong he started crying and shouting out "Why me? Why me?"; Hmmm...It must be his job.

Jaishree Ram,

Prats..

3 Decades Ahead........

My School!!

I stepped out from the yellow Ferrari GXcT second edition, recalling, when was the last time I landed my feet on my beloved hometown!!Everything had changed..After three decades being isolated on an island for a government top secret project, I am finally at liberty..It is 2040..The first place that I wish to visit after being secluded is my high school..So, off I go trying to locate the school based on the information on my car’s databank screen..Before my eye is a 30-storey building..As my car neared the main steel-like-made gate, a security guard, dressed in black coat with black spectacles approached and stopped my car..On his left hand hung an electron rifle, which from my observation, is the latest..He asked for my identification card..My renewed silver tiny mini ID is now slid through his Tagucci watch..Green light blinked..Carefully, I made my steps to the lift..It was terrific!!

The lift was gigantic, just about the size of my classroom 30 years ago..Within seconds, I was already at the principal’s room..I went in..Not a soul! ‘Maybe he has to attend a meeting’, I thought..I sat on a bluish chair..There was a red button, on it was stamped the principal’s name, Mr. Ranjit Chowdhury.. He was the principal from the time I was in the 3^rd grade..I laid my finger on the button, applying just a little bit pressure expecting the bell to ring or alarm to rise, but to my amazement, the wall in front of me suddenly moved!!‘Oh my God, what did I do??’As I was about to leave, an old man, appeared from the opening..I introduced myself as he might have probably forgotten me, you know, it has been 30 years since I left.. Even Albert Einstein cannot remember much what happened 30 years ago what else Mr. Chowdhury, an ordinary principal from R.K.M High School..He checked my profile using his hand phone-like notebook and confirmed himself of my being his ex-student..Well, I couldn’t spend my life there, could I??

The shopping mall

After some history talks, I bid him goodbye!!What a technology!!Nobody to send me out, just a device installed to guide visitors safely out..As I was heading my way to the gate, I passed by a few classes..I can see no teachers at all!!That’s something I never thought could happen 30 years back..Life in school without teachers is so much fun I guess..Every student is equipped with the Microsoft Vs 8.9*KTXC, a palm-sized hi-tech invention to replace the old textbooks and revision books..Incredible!!

The next destination was to a shopping mall..I thought it wouldn’t have changed much but I guessed I was wrong..Definitely wrong!!C’mon, 30 years had passed; we cannot expect everything to be the same again..Neither do the things wanted to be the same..I entered the mall with curiosity..The first thing I notice is, there aren’t any goods displayed..All I could see was computer screens everywhere with the touch-pads..I moved onto the site..Unbelievable!!I just needed to place my order and confirm my purchase on the screen..Then, the robots will do all the remaining; they will collect the items I selected and send it to my house!!Wow!!

The theme park

After all the shocking advancements, I decided to go to the theme park, which I think will undergo less development..It was just a mile away..I stopped to collect my parking ticket at the main entrance, keyed in the ticket into my parking screen detector, and automatically, the steering will itself turn and move according to the direction given in the parking ticket..Something caught my attention..I was like, “WTF!!I need to wear the provided shoes just for the walking purposes?”..I was dumbfounded..There’s also a notice board stating those who step onto a prohibited area will be fined 350 Indian rupees..Therefore the authority has provided the shoes..The provided shoes will alarm the visitors if they are a meter away from the prohibited area..This is really something!!

Villain Territory #5

After hours of strolling at the park, I went straight back home..My house, addressed Villain Territory #5 needs a bullet-train lift’s help to get me there..After verifying all the data needed, my entry is authorized..I felt so exhausted..I headed towards the balcony; all that viewable is just a cluster of clouds, nothing else!!Before I forget, I’m staying on the 99th floor of the Villain Territory #5..Not bad actually..I just regret why I never choose the highest floor in the block which is on the 150th..The cool winds brushing through my hair felt just nice!!Looking back, my room is empty..Tell you what, everything is hidden!!Nothing is seen on the forefront..

The view from the 99^th floor

Time to go to bed..I reached for a remote control and pressed the ‘sleep time’ button..Abrupt mechanically, a couch with its accessories appeared arranged accordingly all set for its owner to enjoy..I rest my head on a massager-installed pillow..The stereo earphone is plugged in and the song ‘As Long As You Love Me’ by Back Street Boys is now on air..Slowly, I let my mind waft freely in the fantasy..

As soon as I started enjoying the massage and was about to fall into the arms of Morpheus, a tight slap woke me up from my dream and said, “Uth jaa saale, exam dene nahin jaana hai?? (Wake up dude; don’t you wanna go write the exams??)”

Crazy dreams you know, but what the heck I wish life will be like this dream in the next 30 years..!!

Jaishree Ram,

Prats..

Why only Sur??Why not Bagchi as well??

Before you start making any guesses I would want to clear it out that Bagchi was my mom’s surname prior to marriage..But after she got married to my dad, her surname got changed to Sur!!Thus my name came out to be Prateek Sur..This happened way back in 1988, but we’ve grown into the 21^st century, don’t you think it’s time enough for us to start acknowledging the surname of the maternal side of the family too..I think so..When I see Indians like Konkona Sen Sharma who wantonly keep their surnames from both sides of the family, it seems that we are coming forward..But is it enough??How far have we come??I still think hers may be one exception..Don’t you think it’s time now to start coming forward and giving the maternal side of the family their due respect??

Blame it on the British..When India names its children, the mother’s side of the family is all but forgotten..The children are given the father’s surname..It seems like an antiquated practise today, when inter-caste, inter-regional or inter-religious marriages are on the rise and women sometimes find themselves cast as single mothers, raising children all by themselves..

But why blame the British??Till their advent, most people dint find their surnames in their caste..When the British colonial administration began documenting land ownership and birth records, it followed the British custom of giving children their father’s surname..This remains common practise in most of the English speaking world..

In the US, notably, only a few traditional families use their mother’s maiden name as the child’s middle name..That’s how Franklin Delano Roosevelt, America’s 32^nd president, got his middle name..

In Europe and America, few women change their names after they marry, so it makes profound legal sense for children to have two surnames..In India motherhood may be celebrated but appears to have little value when it comes to legal and government records..Isn’t it time we changed??Yes, Mr M.Varaprasad, Andhra Pradesh’s education minister indicated this week when he denounced “our old system (of insisting the) father’s name be included in the certificates..Why not mother??This is very unfortunate..This is very discriminatory..”His comments are significant in the very week that the southern state started to offer the option of mentioning either parent’s name on the child’s school admission form..

As campaigners for women’s rights pick a fight with India’s naming system, it might be useful to look at Europe and America..In Spain and Spanish speaking countries in the Americas, children have two surnames—the first from the father and the second from the mother..Painter Pablo Ruiz Picasso used his maternal surname, Picasso, as his signature..

Isn’t it time we stopped the practise of using the surname of just one parent??How about hyphenated surnames, consisting of the last names of both mother and father, in whatever order..It would legalize Indian motherhood..

So what’s in a name??A lot, if it’s your mother’s..Isn’t it??

Jaishree Ram,

Prats..