February, my love.

All the people who blog have talked about one favorite month that they have. Most often than not, it is the month that they have their birthdays in or the month in which they tied the knot. My favorite month is February. Which is not my birthday month. It would be nice to have a wedding in February though! God, knock knock. Are you listening? For some reason, having a November birthday is not very comforting. The festive season in India is just finishing up, and the wedding season just starting, and thus in the middle of both exhaustion's madness, it is tough to bring on the excitement for my own birthday. The weather also is in-between sorts - the fall is over (definitely!), and the winter has still not arrived. Which leaves a lot of room (aka confusion) to pickup a sure-shot out-of-the-world birthday outfit. Anyhow, that's all about Why my own birthday month is not my favorite month. Let us talk about February, my best month of the year. 

• It brings about my brother's birthday in the first week. Yeah, at this not-so-tender-age, I still wait for birthdays to dig into delicious cakes. 

• Love is in the air. All the movie channels are playing love classics all days long, sometimes, on -repeat! I am a romantic inside-out when it comes to music and movies.

• Flowers are blooming all around. The colors of Spring in Delhi are a welcome change to the fast life.

• Its the shortest month of the year. If you are working, you know what working for two less days feels like.

• In the calender, it is one of those insignificant months with no big festival, or national holiday when I am being double checked for security at any of the public places. If you stay in Delhi, you know what I mean?! Look at the security right before Republic Day/Independence Day celebrations, and how much it adds to traffic, and affects day-to-day activities.

• The Sale season is still On, in case you missed those flat knee length boots - you can buy them Now for the next season. :P  I am, but a woman!

Btw, the Shopping Ban begins today. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Will I make it successfully is one question I have playing on my mind, what do you think?

The Shopping Ban

I have joined Tanvii (its the same blog which inspired me to start one of my own) in the shopping ban. Read on to know more.

• What? No Shopping – No clothes, shoes, accessories, bags, cosmetics, books, gadgets, basics, linen. Exhaustive enough? I think so. Fingers crossed. Food, toiletries, medicines, fuel are the allowed items.

• Whys – Part 1? Every Saturday, more than an hour goes into organizing my stuff. Each time I do that, I realize I have too many options of everything. Many items are underutilized, and I really do not ‘need’ anything more. Of course, these voices silent themselves each time I walk into a store with a dazzling display. I want this conflict to stop.

• Whys – Part 2? An important personal goal for 2013 reads ‘Towards a Sustainable Lifestyle’, which in essence means to lessen my operating cost on an ongoing basis. A shopping ban may just be the first step towards achieving this goal by the end of this year.

• When?  I will do it for a month to start with. I have chosen the shortest month, i.e. Feb-0 1- 2013 to Feb-28-2013.

• How? Like all the anon-forums advertise, I will not make it a goal of 28 days. I will make no-shopping a one day goal that I need to meet for 28 consecutive days. Weekends would be the most troublesome, but I am confident I shall row through. Wish me luck.

• The Result - What I think it will lead to? My wardrobe will be better utilized. I will learn some self-restraint. Hopefully, I will have something more in my bank account. I might step upon some new things to do in the time that I end up saving.

Anyone who wishes to join the ban may tag themselves into it. Let us bring it on! 

Mobile Phone Etiquette

• Keep the volume acceptable – low is best, medium is acceptable, high a total No. And switch the phone silent at Concerts, Cinema, Dinner table, any other closed or personal space.

• When in middle of the conversation, do not automatically give your phone the First priority. Pick if you must, and tell them you are in middle of something, and that you would have to call them back.

• For office, set a formal tone. You don’t want to be identified as that person who has the latest dance number as his or her ringtone.

• Just as was the case with looking at your watch in the middle of a conversation, looking at your mobile phone or worse still, checking on your messages sends the same signal to the people you are keeping you company. That not only are you bored, you are getting rude as well.

• Call back on the same day, for any call you have to interrupt or cut short on.

• When texting someone you are not on regular texting terms with – be a little formal, and include your name at the end. It’s a little too much in this fast life to expect of someone that they will save your number across years. And anyways, a little formality never killed anyone. Right?

Dismiss the Greys

My day today did not really kick-start, and I took the complete morning to let the grey clouds to finally move past my mind. December always does this to me, makes me feel like I am not doing enough in life, not going at the right pace with it, and not acting to the best of my potential. I am not even sure if any of it really is true or is it just the fear of time slipping out and another year passing by.

What got me out of my trance is something good, though. A simple sentence, which just lifted my spirits. 

Something close to this -

Someone else - "Do you miss being with someone?"

My friend - "Oh yes, I do. Just like I miss taking exotic yearly vacations, not having a restaurant of my own, or even winning the Olympics in weight lifting category"

Well put, I must say. 

You cannot let life pass by, waiting for something wonderful to happen to you. Instead, you have to live it to the fullest despite all the deltas. May be everything in Life is not for you. Should that stop you from making the journey worthwhile? I guess not.

Coming to the post of the day, which I have not yet started. I am losing just a bit of motivation for writing for the lack of feedback on this blog. I mean, hardly anyone is commenting, liking or even criticizing this space or its contents. Come on people, I know you are visiting. (Thanks to Blogger stats). Won't it be kind to leave a comment, or say a Hi on Facebook. Rather than just coming in, staying for a minute and silently saying ta-da. I really would understand even if you have no kind things to say to my baby (AllThingsSixx), but please, please speak up.

Now, moving on to the Sixx things for the day, since this has been a largely personal post so far, I would disclose you some secrets about myself. On how I lift my spirits on days when God does not make me read any of the inspiring text like the one above. 

• Put on some perfume - yes, may be the most expensive one in your collection. No one deserves it more than you today. By the way, putting on red or fuchsia lip color has the same effect.
• Listen to your favorite music, may the one that can make you think of brighter things or days.
• Food is my savior on such days. Ditch the rules, and eat all the yummy things that you can manage until there is no room for more. If you are not into eating so much, then cooking is the next best thing. Cooking, as the wise say, is therapeutic.
• Call up anyone you do not feel close to and get them to talk - about the weather, about their domestic help, about the latest trends, about movies. Anything impersonal, basically.
• Watch reality television, just for the senselessness of it.
• Take on house chores. Get it in order, clean the hidden corners, DIY some art.

Better your Shopping Spree

We have talked of sale time blunders to watch out for earlier on AllThingsSixx. But of course, we all know that Sale is not what lasts all twelve months. It is Shopping that does. And that is one exercise, we all, at all points, think about optimizing. To make the most out of it, get everything we would like to while still staying in budget.

• Make a shopping budget. Depending on your shopping habits, break it up into weekly, fortnightly or monthly amount and stick to it. I usually use my phone to key down whatever I spend and reduce it from my budget for the fortnight.

• Rely on different places for different kinds of items you usually shop for. Within the same city, there is bound to be a mix of expensive and not-so-expensive outlets or markets. Try and mix them both by relying on different places for different kind of clothes. I usually buy my flats from all over the place, but stick to the shop whose make fits me the best for high heels. Get the idea?!

• Buy basic items like lingerie- tights- tanks etc. at Sale. More or less, there is nothing like trend in this area, and sooner or later, you would need these. So why not make the hay while sun shines, that is, shop for it when the sale is on.

• Mix both expensive and inexpensive buying in one trip, so that there is room for more in your next one. Mix expensive items like bag, with lesser expensive items like scarves, accessories etc.

• Look for deals on make-up products, which is almost always the case, even if it is not advertised. Try and haggle, (yes, even on  the most expensive product stores), and you would end up getting makeup brushes, kitties, nail paints, or foot creams for free.

• Be proactive and look around for options in advance specially for items you know you will wear only once or twice like wedding wear or that white business suit which you indeed would wear only once a year.

~.~.~Its a Happy, Happy, Birthday!~.~.~

Every since AllThingsSixx started, you have supported it by taking time out to read it, providing the most valuable feedback, and even contributing to it in the Sunday guest series (here, and here).

It is your birthday today, and AllThingsSixx wishes to you the best year ahead.

Happy Birthday, Dude! May God make your coming year the best one. :-)

Striking a Balance within the Mad Rush

This year has been a great year for me in sixx aspects.

• Great Show at work and climbing up the ladder kind of stuff.
• My first 21K.
• More quality Time with my family.
• Enjoying doing up my new home.
• Lucky enough to make a few quality relationships.
• And a perfect weekly routine coming together.

Boy, believe me that is a LOT of hard work, especially if you have a demanding job like mine and a growing son. But I have constantly believed that you can have the cake and eat it, as long as you learn to time-box the whole thing. :-) 

So without wasting much time.., presenting here are the sixx learning’s of my life about work-life balance.

• Time box every activity. 

Never do anything beyond one hour. Whether it’s cooking or doing a presentation for your boss or fixing a P1 issue at work. And most important, time-box Facebook - not more than 15 minutes in a day.

• Plan, Plan and Plan

Especially the cooking schedule. I love to cook for my family. Hence I put together an excel clearly stating what type of food we eat every day for a week. Once I had this template, it was easy for me to make sure every meal was healthy and well balanced. At work -Always have a weekly plan and weekly milestones, Never start work without a plan or a tangible target.

• Innovate,Problem Solve and Improve

Whatever you do, constantly innovate and problem solve and help others. The quality of our work goes a long way in making up for the fact that we as working mothers are available only for about 8-9 hours in a day. Always try and make a home at work. A woman can make a big difference when it comes to building great teams. Humility and a nice smile should be the ingredients to make our days brighter at work.

• Delegate and Outsource

Keep only the core with you and outsource the rest. Get a maid to completely take care of the house, and have a set routine for her. Focus only on key activites like cooking and planning.

• Fitness Routine both Mental and Physical

Running works the best for me. It clears my head and makes me more productive. Choose whatever suits you the best. But 45 minutes of physical activity in a day should be no-compromise area. Read 30 minutes a day and meditate fifteen minutes daily.

• Socializing

Limit it to 5 minutes a day at work. :-) Believe me it works.The lesser you talk, the more you work and the more people respect you. Look for quality relationships and not quantity.

Well, I am still not there yet. I still need to look at my perfect plan for the week. And I am hoping the list above will serve as a time tested tool for one and all, specially the many gorgeous women out there. So just go for it..!!

Today's guest post is brought to you by my friend Saambavi who I have known since September 2010. Extremely diligent with her work, she is one of the most productive working mom that I have (and probably will) ever met. She loves what she does, does it better than the rest, all with a smile, exceeding expectations on all fronts - personal, professional, social.

Every Sunday, the forum is open for you all to share your views to the rest of the world through this blog. The arena is unlimited, the theme similar - anything that touches you, and can help someone else, in six points should make up a post. 

I will look forward to your emails to keep the guest series going.

Get Happy High - Not Horrible High

Friday is the busiest day in its own way, for the world is making merry for the weekend that has almost arrived. Plans are being made in every bay at work and the possibilities of drinking joints are being argued. 

Inspired from some of the most unusual tales that I have heard in my circle of friends and colleagues that can happen only post an alcohol night, I thought its best to summarize all the lessons learnt to have a Happy High and not a Horrible High experience.

• Giving your credit card to someone else for paying. You may surely regret it later.

• Dialing your ex to let them know how much you miss them

• Telling your friends the nitty-gritty details of your love life.

• Puking right where you are (or worse, on the person closest to you). Now seriously people, get familiar with the way to the restroom before hand so that you may rush there if need be.

• Getting eccentric like constantly speaking about yourself. Trust me, no one cares. They too are almost as drunk as you are.

• And Driving, of course. Though DUI in India is not considered even close to as serious an offense as in most other countries, but that by no means, makes it acceptable. Respect others' and your own Life, and call a cab.

Shopoholic Signs

• Your destress idea is to shop without a budget.

• There does not exist a thing like the shopping list in your mind/phone/anywhere else.

• You end up picking up two same items when having to choose out of two great colors.

• You own more than one pair of red shoes, each of which, you hardly wear once a year.

• The day that you organize your closet and realize you really have enough for the next two years, you still go out and shop, only, this time for others.

• You cannot compromise between white and nude even for basics (such as tanks and stockings). After all, White is White and nude is nude.

Signs that He is ready

.. to be your +1, forever, and ever.

• is all ears – He listens and by that I mean he really listens. He hangs to every word you say, every thought or opinion you have. It is because he really wants to get to know you better. He wants to memorize the way you laugh even the way you snort while you laugh. He listens to you because he wants to become your best friend. He wants to become your tree. The tree you can run to for shade from the scorching sun, the tree that will give you shelter when there is an ugly storm out there, the tree that will hug you when you’ve had a squabble with your best girl. 

• Makes you laugh – He becomes an ape for you. Just to see you burst out with laughter. He loves to make you laugh and to making you happy has become has his agenda. 

• Has a calming effect on you -  You feel like you are in a bubble and that nothing can rattle you anymore as long as he is standing by your side.

• Makes you breakfast – He is pampering you and building up daily rituals with you. Its not just about the fancy dates anymore or the sex. He loves you just the way you are, without makeup or messed up hair. 

• Has left his toothbrush at your place – And a bunch of other stuff. It clearly means that he is here to stay. He is also giving you a clear signal that he wants you exclusively just for himself. 

• Starts fixing things around your apartment – He notices that creaking door or that leaky tap in your apartment and even before you know it, he is standing at your door with a toolbox in his hand. This is a clear sign that he is taking charge and that he really cares for you. He is ready to take responsibility for you and your problems. And when he can he will do everything to help you solve your problems.

Today's guest post is brought to you by Roma. This is not her first time on this blog - you have read her here before today.

Every Sunday, the forum is open for you all to share your views to the rest of the world through this blog. The arena is unlimited, the theme similar - anything that touches you, and can help someone else, in six points should make up a post. 

I will look forward to your emails to keep the guest series going.

Movies - Bollywood, Hollywood

Tollywood, Mollywood, and all other woods included, false paint Life in obnoxious proportions. Here are some of the things that I have noted across eras of Cinema.  

• Elders of the family have Zero grey-shade area. They are either all white (that is very nice) or all black (which is very bad).

• The break to showcase our passion comes easily, without much effort, and is recognized latest by the second attempt.

• Love brings in a happy-ever-after, like a one-free-with-one package.

• Being in College is all about dressing up and hanging out at the canteen. Being at Work is all about creativity, and chilling out at a pub later in the day. There are absolutely no mundane tasks such as the practicals in college or filling out excel sheets at work.

• You shall always have enough money to undertake trips, near and far, with friends and foes, for a reason or without, and something would always branch out of such trips.

• There is no everyday schedule such as driving, being stuck in traffic, cooking, or cleaning - the only motive of the day is to meet with friends and be in love.

Winter Care

Hands are drier, lips are chapped. The heels seem rough, and each time I am out in the open, a light cardigan is missed. Winter has officially begun. While the weather is perfect for eating al-fresco, or sipping on coffee, it is quite a task to tend to appearance in winters. Clothes need more care, and so does our body. Here are some tips to let you gear for winters.

Tend to your heels - Mix glycerine and rose water and apply on heels before sleeping at night. It is best to sleep with socks on to seal the moisture.

Protect Lips - Chapped lips are everyone's pain area. Keep a chap-stick or lip butter handy, and make it your best friend for next few months.

Cold Cream - Massage on face at night in upwards motion. Dry skin will soak in most of it. If not, wipe with a warm towel, for a glowing, supple face next morning.

Oil Hair - Washing hair with warm water can result in a flaky scalp. Use warm oil to fight any scalp dryness.

Spare the Nail Paint - Just like the rest of the body, our nails need to breathe too. If closed shoes is what you stick to, then sparing your toes of enamel can be a very good idea.

Sunscreen - Just because Sun seems less harsh does not mean it actually is. The UV rays, the tan, spots - everything every sun related problem remains the same despite the weather. So don't forget your Sunscreen.

Squeeze out more from your Time

More and more people (around me, including yours truly) complain how there is just no time that they have for themselves. Work takes away all of their week, and chores make up majority of the weekend. Here is my list of things which will let you manage your time better, and may be have some time for yourself.

• Separate tasks under Weekday and Weekend categories - tasks like visiting the dry cleaner, refilling the kitchen store, getting your vehicle pollution checked are best done over the weekend. Weekday should be reserved for indispensable tasks that need to be done daily.

• Few activities can be combined with television - such as chopping vegetables, catching up on social networks, sifting through the Page3

• Make use of internet for banking and bills - even now, many of us line up the bank or bill payment queues for simple tasks. Update yourself periodically with the services that your bank or service provider caters online (Yes, those guys too are getting better - what was not available online may be available now.) This can save you a lot of time and hassle.

• Overlap social phone calls when waiting on something - and here, I do not mean while on the road. That is a strict No.

• Group tasks in similar travel directions together. Both cost and time effective.

• Plan weekly things on Sunday evening - such as probable work wear for the rest of the week, your lunch menu, any important thing you may need during the week.

Handling a Breakup without breaking down your Life

Given that I am in my late 20s already, I do acknowledge that this post may be coming a late in the day. Most people know how to deal with such unexpected throws of life by their twenty fifth birthday. However, no one can deny that the wisest, the smartest, the coolest people (men, included!) transform into the worst of their avatars when it comes to dealing with a life post a breakup. After all, moving on is not an easy task, and actually takes a lot of effort.

• Rule number One is to disconnect from your ex  absolutely. Staying 'friends' seldom works and even if it does, comes with a lot of baggage. Cutting off in today's times can mean a lot of work. It is best to block them - from all social accounts, your email box, your phone list ( BBM, and What's App too). You will take twice as much time to move on in case you do not. Trust me, you will. 

• Rule number Two is to find yourself some new places to hang out with. Our thoughts have a strange way of weaving the net, and you will never really stop missing the person if you keep frequenting the same places you did as a couple. At least for a while, you need to strictly avoid the places that know you and the ex as one.

• A fresh hairdo (or a new adornment like a tattoo or a piercing) is Not over-rated, and can really work to make you concentrate on your self for the time being rather than your ex. 

• Physical activity can help bring in some positivity to the crumpled heart. Gym, Swim, Dance - whatever is your calling. You can end up making some new friends too.

• There are bound to activities (such as reading, playing games) which you would have left behind for the lack of time which a relationship demands - picking those up can be a good idea.

• Connect with friends and family - make actual effort to rebuild old associations and new friends.

There is a group on Facebook named "He's just not that into you" (yeah, after the movie). Its tremendous fan following by women of all age groups has been a strong motivation for me to write this post.

Pleasures of Life

Oscar Wilde knew it all when he said “I adore simple pleasures. They are the last refuge of the complex.”

• Travel: I would most certainly die if I stuck in one place all my life. A lot of people go by life without having set foot outside their city. They don’t have any idea what they have been missing out on. Seeing new places, getting to know exotic cultures, experiencing something breathtaking is what makes you appreciate your life even more. It broadens the horizons and opens up newer perspectives.

• Books: Each book is a door that opens a whole new world where one can escape all the problems and complexities of everyday life. One has a chance to also pick up wisdom and sometimes even answers that one is seeking to in books. Over the years, books have been good friends to me on planes, trains and every other odd place where I would otherwise have felt alone. Life they say, books are your best friends.

•  Music: Soothing music has many positive effects such as calming one down, bringing happy thoughts and memories to resurface. Fast track music with its hypnotic beats brings one into a frenzy where one release energy by just swinging to the rhythm.

• Food: If you have met me, you know that I am a foodaholic! And I definitely don’t recommend becoming one. But enjoying good food with good company or cooking food to entertain is therapeutic. One drifts away in the aroma, the tongues tingle and there is a direct connection from our taste buds to our heart. 

• Tea: A good tea can make you feel warm and cozy when the weather is grey, or the heart needs some soothing.

•  Sitcoms: After a long day of work, flipping channels on the television is simply too disturbing as I am then caught unaware by something that I wasn’t prepared to see or hear. It leaves me even more unsettled. A good sitcom, is a story that develops with characters that I have come to know closely. The relaxation that comes from laughing and crying with characters that you will then soon forget helps one’s emotions breathe. Some see it as mindless television, but it is a sure way to help you relax.

Combine travel with books and music, and sitcoms with tea and food, to make it a good life! I personally can forgo expensive clothes, makeup, even a good glass of wine to buy myself vacations or simply a good book. The point is not hoarding material things but taking pleasure in experiences that are going to stay inside for a long time. 

Today's Guest Post is brought to you by my childhood friend Roma. Roma believes in living life to the fullest, testing all its colors, and that is what she tells you all in her post too. She is a Journalist, and lives in Bonn, Germany.

Every Sunday, the forum is open for you all to share your views to the rest of the world through this blog. The arena is unlimited, the theme similar - anything that touches you, and can help someone else, in six points should make up a post. 

I will look forward to your emails to keep the guest series going.

Questions?! – Run, for your life.

Have you ever been bombarded with questions? Questions to which there are no correct answers? Questions which are repeated so often that they now make you sick in the stomach? Or better still, yawn? Questions that, answered or unanswered, will make no difference in anyone’s life? Questions such as these?

•  What’s new? Dear known, my life is no Sitcom. It is an average life - I work for a living, have a family and some friends, domestic chores to complete, social obligations to meet with, and some personal time in which I tend to my mind and body. In a day’s routine, nothing changes too often (Thanks God for that). And being stuck in a jam or watching a new movie does not make breaking news. Please ask me “how are you instead”. Sounds much more personal, mannered too.

• When is the good news? Now, getting a great job or buying a new car is not good enough news. It has to Always be “getting married” for poor single souls (like me) or pushing out a pooper in case it were a couple. People, get a life. No one exchanges the wedding wows, or bears a baby without the world knowing. You Will know when it happens. 

• Is your office nine to six? The voice in my head politely - Oh yes, it is. Did I mention about this Superman/Superwoman Cape I was born with? It lets me take off from my office terrace to land right at my house, in ten minutes straight. Traffic, what’s that?

• Do you drink? Time has taught me that this question is best left answered. 99 percent of the times, the person asking such a question has already decided whether you do or you don’t. And answering any which way will not make them change their opinion. Why bother to answer. 

 

• What’s the weekend plan? Playing maid, folks, playing maid. And if the maid is being kind for a change, playing driver. 

• Where did you buy this? Once upon a time, there was a simpleton (aka Me) who would tell the exact place, time and price of the buy. But then, comments followed. Oh, you go that far for just shopping. It is not rightly priced. It is not classy. Oh, it does not look so old (thereby calling me of liar). And thus, the simpleton in me died, and I moved on to “I don’t remember.” Never fails me. Finishes the topic there and then.

Make yourself a life beautiful

• Treat yourself to a large smile in the mirror, the first thing every morning. This will kick start your day positively, and make you feel fresh and energetic.

• Appreciate people around you – be it for their sense of dressing, their attitude or any other quality that they may be bestowed with, each one of us has something within. Boost their ego when they are having a low day, it can work wonders to them and the relationship that you share.

• Try and alleviate others' sufferings, specially the lesser blessed people around you. Lend your ears to them. Counsel and advise them if need be. Offer every help, which could be monetary or physical to them. This is sure to give you inner peace.

• Always feel blessed. The world is full of sufferings. Whenever you experience pain, emotional or physical, attribute it to bad karmas of the past.

• Always remember God. Count only your blessings, and remember to thank God for the good time. Spread happiness wherever you go.

• Daily give half an hour to your body – it could be walking, yoga, or any other activity. Relax by sitting at the floor level, on a rug or a carpet. Take conscious note of the food that you consume, and make sure it meets or is close to your daily nutrition requirements.

Today's guest post is brought to you by my best friend, and my favorite teacher, my Ma. She taught me to read, write, walk and finally drive. She taught me to think, wonder, appreciate and let go. She also taught me the impact of choice, the strength of forgiveness and importance of time. Ma, I love you.

Every day must do things

Life's lessons learnt from a Pup

My Yellow Labrador, who has been a friend in the most difficult times of my life taught me a few things by example.

• Never loose hope.
• Love unconditionally .
• Patience is an acquired habit
• Empathy is not limited to humans.
• Be persistent it always yields results.
• A lot can be expressed without uttering a word.

The ascending length for sentences in today's post totally epitomizes its writer, my friend Abhilasha, who too, like me, believes that to better and extend oneself is the only worthwhile way to exist.

Light up someone else's day

Having lived in India all along, its painful to see the common man struggling to make ends meet. Though we cannot change this state of being in one single day, we can take a moment to think about them - lessen their burden or ease their journey in some little way. 

• Tip the air fill guy with some penny even when the poster shouts NO TIPS. It would not hurt to sponsor his tea today.

• Smile at the person you see at the toll. He is at work - Yes. He is paid for it - Yes. But how frustrating could it be to see passing vehicles all day. Your smile may be a welcome change to his landscape.

• Return back wishes to your office security when they wish you a Good Day - didn't we learn so in school too. :-)

• Wash some cups before your domestic help arrives - know anyone who does not like surprises? She too, needs one.

• Donate a portion - a birthday or new year is a good time to sacrifice any one of your indulgences (I am so sure we all have so many of them!) and give that portion to charity. Choose a cause you feel strongly for.

• Buy balloons to the little children at construction sites. They too, are children, and in the most vulnerable phase of their life. 

This post is inspired from this bollywood song, the lyrics of which go like this -

ghar se masjid hai bahut dur chalo yu kar le
kisee rote huye bachche ko hansaaya jaaye

Though the emotion will be lost in translation, a rough idea is that God's home is inconvenient to go to everyday, I would rather do a good deed instead.

In essence, the song conveys that to serve Humanity is to serve God.