Back on WP after a Week

Two social events and a lot of office work kept me at bay. The little free time in hand was happily spent in reading.

As I have mentioned in earlier posts I don’t use any of the special photography softwares as I do not have administrator rights for my pc. I use the basic editor available on machine to straighten the image or cropping etc. Here are some examples showing “before & after” images for lens artists photo challenge.

Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.~Marcus Aurelius

Think of the life you have lived until now as over and, as a dead man, see what’s left as a bonus and live it according to Nature. Love the hand that fate deals you and play it as your own, for what could be more fitting? ~Marcus Aurelius

Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look.~Marcus Aurelius

Every living organism is fulfilled when it follows the right path for its own nature.~Marcus Aurelius

Reading log continues

In Norway, women have the right to decide for themselves whether they wish to have an abortion during the first twelve weeks of their pregnancy. All women resident in Norway are entitled to have an abortion, either as an elective abortion or following consideration by a committee. After this 12-week time limit, a request must be submitted to a special medical assessment board that will determine whether an abortion will be granted. An excellent book, based on true stories/histories from over 200 women in Norway.

Our Lady of the Nile is set in a boarding school which offers Christian education to young girls from elite families in Rwanda.

It was a blind date with a book. I liked it. The Book begins with “In my childhood, I was known as the boy whose mother had run off with an Englishman“. I must confess it’s not a simple read but I liked the book.

I saw trailor of a movie with the same name. It was quite hilarious but didn’t get to see the movie. I saw the book (in Norwegian) in our local library and decided to read it. “Growing up brown in Norway is no picnic”. Mahmoud is a boy with buoyancy. Born in Norway, of Pakistani parents, and with a language that we rarely see expressed in Norwegian novels.

It is summer vacation and fifteen-year-old Mahmoud wants a relaxing summer when Uncle Ji comes to visit from Pakistan. He has to be responsible for being his Oslo guide, and little brother Ali has a secret that turns his whole life upside down. A very interesting read.

Am I on the right track

These are my pick to show how (my) ideal winter day from dawn till dusk will look like. I am late in responding for Sofia’s theme for Lens artists photo challenge

Instead of being happy in our choices we keep doubting ourselves. If one lives like a flower, I think half of our self imposed health issues will be solved. A flower blooms for its own joy. Our urge to impress others is killing our originality. The social media attention grabbing all our me time and controlling us.

*****

January reading log

Naguib Mahfouz was an Egyptian writer who won the 1988 Nobel Prize in Literature. The quarter consists of 18 sketches which are translated by Roger Allen. The book also includes the speech Naguib Mahfouz gave when he was awarded the Nobel prize in literature. The Short stories or sketches were little difficult for me to understand but I thoroughly enjoyed the foreword by Alif Shafak.

Actually I read about the book by Alif shafak on Rumi’s life, “The forty rules of love: Anovel of Rumi” but then were introduced to Naguib Mahafouz. I like reading about how Rumi was transformed from a great scholar to one of the greatest poets of love.

And lastly I found Respected Sir a master piece though it’s a story of a man and his ambitions. I see it as a metaphor. There is nothing static in the universe and happiness is never permanent.

A great way to start 2024 😊

Random reading and fun!

The likes and dislikes of one are part of their personality and somewhere deep down lies the reasons for such choices either good or bad. The outer appearance of a person might be totally different than the person.

Think about a situation where two neighbours staying together for decades hating each other. If a murder was free who knows they might have tried hard. Their lives flow independent of each other but at a right moment the curves of their lives not only crossed each other but they got tangled.

For a certain reason they stick together and tried to help each other despite their differences but yes at the end they donot become friends. Still life goes on.

A couple of weeks ago I had to pick a book with not much time in hand. I chose a book by Yemande Omotoso, “The woman next door“.  At the end I felt like it was not a bad bet after all.

Then soon after it, I started with Roberta Gately’s “Lipstick in Afganistan“. Roberta has served as a nurse and humanitarian aid worker in the third world war zones including Afganistan. We donot see the real suffering of the people but still was a good read.  A new angle.

In the mean time Brenda of  “a mediative journey”, in her post “a fatherless child” introduced me to Frances Hodgson Burnett and her book, “A little princess” . Though it is a children book,  I enjoyed it thinking if only all the stories have happy endings the millions of children suffering around the world would have had some hope. A hope for better tomorrow.

Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live ~ Gustave Flaubert

 

 

Winter – day14

Just as one spoils the stomach by overfeeding and thereby impairs the whole body, so can one overload and choke the mind by giving it too much nourishment. For the more one reads the fewer are the traces left of what one has read; the mind is like a tablet that has been written over and over. Hence it is impossible to reflect; and it is only by reflection that one can assimilate what one has read. If one reads straight ahead without pondering over it later, what has been read does not take root, but is for the most part lost ~ Arthur Schopenhauer

For Nurturing Thursday

The Old Man and the Sea!

I am not a reviewer and reviewing Ernest Hemingway is not my business. A lot has already been written about the author and the book and probably future generations will have their share in coming times.

There are more than 300 million links discussing quotes, characters and analyzing various events of the book.

So what I want to say about the book. Instead of writing the text here, I took photo of the page and am giving it here.

I was surprised and impressed after reading this. Such an excellent way to keep healthy. Moreover it was available to all fishermen. Such an important and unique piece of information about the fishing community. I have never heard of such community service. The book was published in 1952 which mean the story happened in Cuba around 1950’s.

India has 8,129 kilometres (5,051 mi) of marine coastline, 3,827 fishing villages and 1,914 traditional fish landing centers. A general story I heard about poor fishermen in India is they would spend the money  they have earned in drinking cheap alcohol. This is so devastating.

Has anyone know about such service in other countries in recent times or history?

While looking for some information, I found information on history of cod liver oil.

“Vikings would get livers from the cod and every house would have a drum full of fermented livers and the oil that rose to the top was used for everything from heat, to cooking oil, to a condiment, to using the oil as fuel for a wick.  They would take spoonful upon leaving their homes.”

Reference: http://www.mcjazz.f2s.com/CodLiverOil.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday walk to “the Norwegian book town”

For Jo’s  Monday walk this week let us have a short walk to the Norwegian book town (den norske bokbyen) which is situated in Mundal, the centre of Fjærland.

MILES OF SECONDHAND BOOKS IN QUAINT BOOKSHOPS:

The Norwegian Book Town is an experience out of the ordinary, situated in a bewitchingly beautiful spot between fjord and glacier in Western Norway. Between May and September, various bookshops are open every day 10am-6pm, some of them are combined with a café, art gallery and souvenir shop and even hotel. Numerous events are arranged all season.

How is it possible having thousands of second-hand books in a small 280-inhabitant rural town?

The Norwegian Book Town in Fjærland started out very modestly in 1995, and now stocks about 2.5 miles of shelving, filled with books, in a variety of abandoned buildings – from ferry waiting rooms, stables and local banks to post office and grocery shop. Besides taking care of books, the idea here was also to preserve the old buildings, this makes some of the shops rather exceptional and characteristic.

 

Three large shops are selling only second-hand books: Straumsvågs Antikvariat and Den norske bokbyen A/S. Solstice bookfairs are arranged every year in May/ June.

Requests by e-mail, post, fax or telephone are served all through the year, and the book town enjoys a lively postal order business. During winter, the office hours are 9am-2pm every weekday.

During my short visit on weekend I was able to get two books by Ernest Hemmingway but of course I shall visit this place again.

Resource: https://bokbyen.no/en/

 

Relieved for now!

I would like to contribute to Becca’s Nurturing Thursday theme (on Monday due to valid reason) with one of my favourite quotes:

Wherever you go, go with all your heart ~ Confucius

With all busyness during my vacation in Decembe I managed to buy a few books. One of them was “Parv” (Epoch/age) written by Dr. S.L.Bhyrappa based on epic “Mahabharat”. It was originally written in Kannada. I got it’s marathi translation by Uma Kulkarni.

For last two weeks apart from doing obligatory chores at home and at office, I spent my time in reading this 700+ pages novel.

Right from my chidlhood days I had read/heard stories related to Mahabharat. Almost 2 decades ago after reading/spending time on “Yugant” by Dr. Iravati Karve and “Vyasparv” by Durgabai Deshmukh I got real interest in various characters of the great epic.

After hearing about “Parv” by Bhyrappa I had but one aim to get it and to read it. Parva is unique in terms of the complete absence of any episode that has the element of divine intervention found in the original. This is what I like most. It seems more real than the version I had read/heard before.

The book has been translated in many languages including in English  with title “Parva: A tale of War, Peace, Death, Love, God and Man ” by Tr. K. Raghavendra Rao.

I would love to hear about your experience with this book or in general on Mahabharat!

Happy reading!

Inspirational Quote: cont. from yesterday

There is another wonderful message by Wayne Dyer which goes perfect with yesterday’s Nurturing Thursday theme.

Give yourself more opportunities for privacy, when you are not bombarded with duties and obligations. Privacy is not a rejection of those you love; it is your deserved respite for recharging your batteries.

After celebrating festival with family and friends now its time to relax and recharge your batteries. Get yourself a cup of tea/coffee/hot chocolate and a book, and relax in your cosy corner. Take a deep breath.

Library/ ग्रंथालय/ वाचनालय!

येथे आल्यापासून आणि वेगवेगळ्या गावांतील public library बघून बरेच दिवस यावर काही लिहावे असे मनात होते पण जमत नव्हते.   २३ डिसेंबर २०१३ ला  ”सकाळ ” मध्ये “झोपडपट्टीतील मुलांसाठी फिरते ग्रंथालय” हा लेख वाचला आणि मग सगळे सुचत गेले. वाचनाचा छंद असलेल्या गरीब मुलांना तो जोपासता यावा म्हणून एका महाविद्यालयातील मुले हा अभिनव उपक्रम येत्या वर्षा पासून सुरु करीत आहेत. उत्तम कल्पना आहे. मुलांना मिळणारा आनंद आणि त्याचे फायदे मोजण्या पलीकडील आहेत.  हा उपक्रम एका विशिष्ट वर्गातील मुलांसाठी आहे. ठीक. आता मुद्दा आहे इतर वर्गातील मुलांचा.

पूर्वी उन्हाळी सुट्टीत, दोन महिने मुलांना मस्त वेळ असायचा. फार तर आजोळी जाणे  पण कुठे ही असले तरी, वाचनालयाचे सभासद होणे आणि मन मुराद गोष्टीची पुस्तके वाचणे असे प्रघात असायचे. मग या पुस्तकांची अदलाबदल होणे हे ओघाने आलेच. पुस्तके विकत घेणे किंवा भेट मिळणे याला एक मर्यादा होती. आणि हो एकत्र कुटुंब पद्धती मध्ये कुठल्या तरी मोठ्याला वाचनाची आवड असायची आणि मग बच्चे कंपनी खूष. परत हि मोठी व्यक्ती घरात नाही तर शेजारी-पाजारी असायची. थोडक्यात जवळपासच्या सर्व मुलांचे कल्याण.

आता चित्र खूप वेगळे आहे, उन्हाळी सुट्टी म्हणजे सहली आणि त्याहून वेळ मिळाला तर शिबिरे किंवा छंद वर्ग. पुस्तके विकत घेणाऱ्यांची संख्या आता वाढली आहे. मुद्दा असा कि आपण किती ही पुस्तके विकत घेतली तरी घरीच वाचनालय होवू शकते का? दुसरे आता बऱ्याच ठिकाणी विभक्त कुटुंब पद्धत, मुलांना वेळ कोण देणार आणि वाचनाचे संस्कार कोण करणार. ढिगाने पुस्तके आणून दिली तरी ती वाचली जाणार याची खात्री काय? ती नुस्तीच शोभेसाठी किंवा status symbol साठी नाही हे कसे समजणार?

दोन उदाहरणे,

शाळेत कोणा एका इयत्तेत  असताना वर्ग शिक्षिका असणाऱ्या बाईंनी सांगितले  की डायरी म्हणजेच रोजनिशी लिहा. खूप फायदे ही सांगितले मग काय जो तो डायरी लिहू लागला.  बरे आठवड्या नंतर त्याच बाईंनी सर्वांना आपली रोजनिशी आणावयास सांगितली. झाले मग काय, ज्यांनी लिहिली नव्हती त्यांनी एका दिवसांत ती पूर्ण केली. मागे कोण राहणार.  गंमत म्हणजे सर्वांची रोजनिशी तशी सारखीच होती, साचेबद्ध (routine) आयुष्य असल्या मुळे त्यात नवीन असणार तरी काय होते. त्यात काही प्रमाणात वाक्ये ही सारखीच होती.

तशीच दुसरी एक आठवण शाळेत शिक्षिका असलेल्या मैत्रिणीने सांगितलेली. शाळेतील मुलांचे निबंध साधारण पण  सारखेच असतात. असे कसे? उत्तर सोपे आहे,  शाळा एकच आणि शाळे नंतर क्लास पण सारखेच.  बरे क्लास सारखे नसले तरी शिक्षक वापरणार ती पुस्तके सारखीच. अगदी निबंधाचे पुस्तक पण. परीक्षेची तयारी म्हणजे निबंध पाठ करणे, ते ही म्हणी सकट. मग तर झाले.

आपण स्वतःला एक प्रश्न विचारू,  आपण शेवटचे ग्रंथालयात कधी गेलो होतो? आपल्याकडे आई – वडील  मुलां सोबत लायब्ररीत जातात का? आई – वडील मुलांसाठी bedtime stories वाचतात का किंवा इतर वेळेस तरी ते एकत्र पुस्तके वाचतात का? मुलांवर अश्या प्रकारे संस्कार होतात का? वाचनामुळे मुलांची कल्पनाशक्ती प्रगल्भ होते,  याची पालकांना जाणीव असते का?  एका प्रसंगाला पुस्तक भेट दिले की झाले, एवढ्यावर थांबणे बरोबर आहे का?

Albert Einstein चे एक छान वाक्य आहे,

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

मुले जेंव्हा टिव्ही किंवा सिनेमा बघतात तेंव्हा सर्व काही घडत असते. त्याच्या उलट पुस्तक वाचताना मुले शब्द – वाक्य वाचून कथेचे विश्व रंगवतात. ते कथानकात गुंततात, त्यातील भाग होतात. टिव्ही – सिनेमातील नाटकीपण तेथे नसते. उलट त्यांची भाषा आणि विचारशक्ती समृद्ध होते. मुले बुद्धिमान होण्यासाठी सर्वात सोपी पद्धत म्हणजे त्यांना वेगवेगळ्या विषयांची पुस्तके वाचायची गोडी लावणे आणि ती आवड जोपासण्यास मदत करणे.