To School, With Love: Thank You for the Best Memories

Whenever anyone asks me what was the best and the worst moments in your life….The answer always zeroes down to the same place….Yes,the best moments in my life were spent in my School….the worst moment in my life was when I had grown up so old…that I could no longer go to school….I know normally kids hate school…They get all sorts of ailments and aches only on Monday’s when they have to go back to school after weekend holiday….But I was bit abnormal….I just hated holidays…. and could not wait to go back to school….School was like my first home…..my teachers and friends my family!!!!

It has been almost 8 years since I left the safe confines of my school to enter this competitive world….where everyone was in hurry….I felt dizzy on stepping into this world….More than the peer pressure it was the sudden change in my world that made me feel very uncomfortable!!!…..Yes,I just could not comprehend the fact that from a place where School Teachers went to great extents to make sure that we were comfortable in our own space….I was suddenly pushed into a (OUTER) space where Professors were least bothered about our existence….So,the friendly approach was amiss and I wished I could just ran back HOME ( read School :( )….I don’t know how many of you really miss your school days….But I do miss them alot…and so Today’s post is about all those lovely moments I spent in my School!!!

I still remember the first day in school….It’s usual tradition that kids cry alot on getting separated from their parents….But my class was bit different….I really don’t remember anyone of us crying….Because there was little slide in the corner of our L.K.G class…..So on entering the classroom,instead of crying we all get busy with taking turns on the slide….Those were some careless days….No worries…Learning alphabets and numbers was no big deal….Although the best part was shouting our lungs out while telling the poetry rhymes,to volumes all tuned up ;) (So that we could offend the teacher so much that for the rest of day she would just leave us in peace)….Personally my favorite time was always spent in little sand garden that we had opposite to our canteen….The garden had slides,merry-go-round and other play stuffs….Everyday after-school time was allotted to this garden….The most funny part was to push the person siting in front of you from the slide….So that they would land head on straight into the sands (No offense meant….We were kids right ;) )….

Wish I could become kid again...play on slides and merry-go-around like before!!!

We just didn’t realize how soon time flew past and two years down the line we all were in Primary Section….Promoted….To our next level of Mischief :)….I still remember that day very vividly….We were in 2nd standard and our Class Teacher was absent…..So two of our seniors had been called in to keep our class in control….Honestly they did try their best….But I told you that we were from a different breed….We seldom listened to teachers (so listening to seniors was out of question)….So in final attempt both of them scared us by telling us stories of our next year’s Class teacher Mrs.Parekh….We had already heard alot about her….But whatever our seniors told us….seriously scared us all the more….One more year passed on….and we were face to face with the ghost of our life-Mrs.Parekh (No,I’m not calling her a Ghost because of the amount of make-up that she applied ;))….Although we were scared of her for a month or so….We could not keep quite for long…..within three months time….We drove her up the wall….By the time our first semester ended….She was so harassed trying to keep our class under control….that either daily she had to take pain killers for headache or she would actually take half day leave and run off home ;) (But still we were kids right ;) )…..

Seriously we were the naughtiest batch in the entire school….and we were actually proud of it!!!….I still remember all that fun….Sneaking around the corridors….playing in the rains and watching our play ground turn into swimming pool and stealing mangoes from the Mango Tree in our school garden….We did it all….One more incident that I can never forget is what i call “The Rat’s Day Out”….Our Science Teacher Mrs.Kamath was taking our class(I know this may sound rude….but we were all sleeping as always)

Backbench was my favorite place....Best place to sleep!!!!

When suddenly someone from the corner of the class screamed “Eekkkksss….There a rat here “…..So we all jumped on our bench-tops….more shouting and screaming followed….Somehow Kamath Miss convinced us all and made us sit st our places so that she could take her class……But we were not in mood to listen….So we all put our great minds to use and in perfect co-ordination….started the RAT hoopla again….Every 5 minutes someone would shout that there is rat here…and there….Finally Kamath Miss got all pissed off….and called the peon…The class was vacated and the peons went on RAT HUNT (Like treasure hunt)….Finally after 15 minutes,the peon caught the rat and threw it out of the window….Kamath Miss heaved a sigh of relief….But the moment we stepped inside the class the bell rang….WE ALL HEAVED A SIGH OF RELIEF ;)….

Well….when you fool around with Teachers it’s understandable….But when you do the same with the School principal…You have guts….Ya,sure guts we had!!!!….We were in 10th Standard,when our Principal out of respect for Class teacher(and actually our Class Teacher was the only person in whole school whom we were afraid of) decided to take History Classes for us (Normally Principal never took classes)….So there we were…The naughtiest class in school siting in the classroom and trying hard to act decent in front of the Principal of the School….Actually for week we did succeed in doing that….But then we got bored acting so nice….More than we were frustrated by the way,our Principal taught….She had peculiar style of teaching….Everyday she would revise whatever she taught the day before and then start afresh…So ultimately what happened was that even after a week…We just stuck with the 1857 revolution which had started a week back…Then one day we observed that when one of our classmates was coughing….Madam would stop until He stopped coughing….There,our devil brains started working again…So from the next day began our daily ritual of COUGHING our heart’s way out ;) After-all we were kids !!!….Our Principal tried to adjust for week with our persistent sneezing…But ultimately she complained to our Class teacher (Imagine a School Principal complaining to the Teacher that Students don’t let her teach ;) )….So the next day,Our Teacher got us Halls tablets and distributed it in the whole class….Warned us all that we should not catch Cold ;)

I met my life friends in my school....The best feeling in the world!!!

There are so many memories that bring back smiles and tears that this one post would not suffix…So there are definitely  many more post to follow where I’ll share all those funny but the best moments of my Life….spent at my most favorite place in this world…MY SCHOOL…..I don’t know about my future….But wherever I go….However far away…..No one can steal these moments from me :) !!!

Even today when I look out of the window during the rains....All I wish for is my School Days!!!!

20 Clever Brainteasers to Stretch Your Brain

Are you ready to give your brain a hearty workout? These clever brain teasers & witty riddles will require mental acuity, lateral thinking, and… a generous sense of humor! ;)

We've compiled twenty brainy puzzles of varying levels of difficulty - some are mathematical in nature, some will test your verbal cunning, and some are just plain silly. If you can't get one, don't fret, just move on to the next!

Now, there ARE answers at the bottom of the page, but... no peeking! You want to keep building those brain muscles - that IS why you're here, right? When you're finished,

Good luck and have fun getting smarter!

The Questions:

1) Q: What 5-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

2) Q: Find a number less than 100 that is increased by one-fifth of its value when its digits are reversed.

3) Q: A farmer is trying to cross a river with a bag of corn, a hen, and a fox. The farmer's boat is only big enough to take himself and one other item per trip. The hen cannot be left alone with the corn or she will eat it. Likewise the fox cannot be left with the hen, or the hen will be eaten. How does the farmer get all three items across the river?

4) Q: A bat and a ball cost $1.10. The bat costs one dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

5) Q: What letter comes next in the following sequence? D R M F S L T_

6) Q: Johnny's Mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May. What was the third child’s name?

7) Q: A clerk at a butcher shop stands five feet ten inches tall and wears size 13 sneakers. What does he weigh?

8) Q: If you were running a race and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in now?

9) Q: How many times can you subtract the number two from the number fifty?

10) Q: It's a stormy night and a plane takes off from JFK airport in New York. The storm worsens, and the plane crashes - half lands in the United States, the other half lands in Canada. In which country do you bury the survivors?

11) Q: In British Columbia you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not?

12) Q: What word in the English language is always spelled incorrectly?

13) Q: Given these equations, what does 4500 equal?

8898=7

4566=2

1203=1

2313=0

4566=2

5464=1

7774=0

1003=2

9856=4

9955=2

1886=5

1231=0

8764=3

4500=

14) Q: What's full of holes but can still hold water?

15) Q: Can you think of a common word that contains double C, double S and double L? Can you think of a second one?

16) Q: What number comes next in the following sequence? 2 4 8 10 20 _

17) Q: Without it, I'm dead. If I'm not, then then I'm behind. What am I?

18) Q: If you wrote all of the numbers from 300 to 400 on a piece of paper, how many times would you have written the number 3?

19) Q: You are in a place called Jack's World and there is only one law. There is a mirror, but no reflection. There is pizza with cheese, but not sausage. There is pepper, but no salt. There is a door, yet no entrance or exit. What is the law?

20) Q: I come in different shapes and sizes. Parts of me are curved, other parts are straight. You can put me anywhere you like, but there is only one right place for me. What am I?

Ready for the answers?

The Answers:

1) A: Short

2) A: 45 (1/5 of 45 = 9, 9 + 45 = 54)

3) A: The farmer takes the hen across first, and leaves her on the other bank. Next, he comes back, loads the fox onto his boat, and takes him back across the river. He drops off the fox on the opposite bank, picks up the hen, and brings her back to the original bank. He swaps the hen for the corn, and returns to the far bank with the corn - leaving it with the fox. Then, he returns once more to the original bank to get the hen. Once he brings her across, all four are happy to be on the other side!

4) A: The ball costs 5 cents. One dollar more than 5c is $1.05. The sum of which is $1.10.

5) A: D - each letter represents one note in the diatonic musical scale: Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do

6) A: Johnny

7) A: Meat

8) A: 2nd Place

9) A: Once. After that, you'd be subtracting from 48.

10) A: You don't bury survivors!

11) A: You can't take a picture with a wooden leg; you need a camera.

12) A: Incorrectly

13) A: 2 - Each answer given equals the number of circles present in the numbers. So, 5699 would equal 3 and 4444 = 0

14) A: A sponge

15) A: Successfully. Unsuccessfully.

16) A: 22 (the sequence alternates +2, x2)

17) A: Ahead.

18) A: 120 (100 threes in the hundreds place + 10 threes in the tens place + 10 threes in the ones place)

19) A: Everything (each word) in Jack's World must contain double letters.

20) A: A jigsaw puzzle piece (how appropriate!)

Thought of the day

You can’t change the whole world, and you certainly can’t change other people, but you do have the ability to change yourself. You can have a positive impact in your job, the people with whom you work, and the entire organization…the choice is up to you.
 –Cherie CarterScott 

15 Money Tips To Make You Rich In 2015

"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

– Henry Ford

To make 2015 your most lucrative year yet, you may have to do some things differently than what you've done in the past.

Here are 15 action items that can put you ahead regardless of what happens with the economy in the coming year and beyond:

1. Become your own CFO.

You can't fix what you don't know, so the first step is becoming completely aware of your finances and where your money is going.

As soon as you start to understand your current situation in detail, you will be able to identify leaks and simple solutions that will help get you on your way. 

Nobody cares more about your finances than you do (not even a financial adviser), so it is on you to take control of your financial future and direct it to where you want to go.

2. Go on a diet.

I'm not talking about what you eat. Identify one expense that isn't helping you achieve your goals, and cut it out for 30 days.

A simple expense to choose is cable television. The average American watches more than five hours of TV every day. That is thousands of dollars and thousands of hours often wasted each year!

Try a TV (or other guilty pleasure) diet for 30 days, and use that time and money on something more beneficial. I'm sure you'll survive without it just fine. 

3. Be selfish.

When you get on an airplane, what do they tell you during the safety instructions? "Put your own mask on first, and then help the person beside you."

It should be the same way with our time and our finances. Be selfish and take care of yourself first, and then you can have more flexibility to take care of others. The problem is that so many of us put others first and then aren't able to help ourselves. 

4. Be selfless.

Although you want to be selfish with your time and money at first, you also want to be selfless with your attitude. The wealthiest entrepreneurs I know give, give, give, and focus on helping others. By doing so, more money shows up in return.

Focus on impact and income will result.

Be willing to help others when you can.

5. Improve your credit score.

Credit is boring and I hate to talk about it, but it does make a difference. Think about it: Most of life's biggest expenses are purchased on credit. It's important to start to take care of it now because there is going to be a situation in the future where you'll wish you had.

The way to improve your credit score again starts with awareness. Get your free report each year from AnnualCreditReport.com and find out if there are any items that are directly hurting your score (which you can get for free at Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, or Credit.com). Address those now and you'll save yourself many thousands in the future.

6. Define what true wealth means for you.

In the dictionary, wealth is defined as "a large amount of money and possessions." However, when you ask someone who is truly wealthy, you get a completely different answer. 

As I show in "Make Money, Live Wealthy," the 75 entrepreneurs I interviewed most often shared words like freedom, purpose, family, health, experiences and other things that mean much more than just money.

Money is an important tool that makes all of these other things much easier, but it shouldn't necessarily be the goal in and of itself. Realize this and you will ultimately create your dream life much sooner. 

7. Automate your money.

The key with your finances is to make it as easy as possible on yourself. The best way to do this is to automate your finances as much as possible. What this means is that as soon as money comes in, it is dispersed to your other accounts automatically. 

For instance, you can set up your finances so that money is taken straight from your paycheck into a retirement investment account, or from your checking account to pay off fixed bills like your internet and cable. The less you can worry about moving your money around and the more you can focus on optimizing it, the better off you'll be.

The key reason why this works is not only to free up time, but it helps prevent us from wasting money. If we see extra money in our account, we'll find a way to spend it and then won't be left with much if any money to invest in ourselves and our future. Automation helps keep our priorities in line and takes the emotions out of it.

Figure out how to earn more through alternate income streams.

8. Add another income stream.

One thing that I learned over and over again from the wealthy this year is that they never rely on one income stream. They have numerous sources, which protect them from changes in the economy and also add up to the greatest numbers. 

If you want to make 2015 your most lucrative year yet, your best bet is likely to add another source of income.

9. Focus on passive and residual income.

There is only so much time in the day, so it's hard to build wealth quickly when you're trading your time for money. Instead, the wealthy focus on building income streams where they can get paid over and over again for their work by putting their business or money to work for them. 

Examples of this include the investing, owning real estate, running an online business, and writing a book. If you're going to do the work, you might as well get paid over and over again for your efforts. Work hard, but also work smart, and you'll much sooner find the freedom you dream of.

10. Get a library card.

The wealthiest and smartest people in the world have something in common: They're avid readers. 

For very cheap or even free, you can get access to the most brilliant and inspiring people of all-time. Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make, and by reading, you are doing exactly that.

Whether it be audio or in print, books have helped change my life and bank account and can do the same for you. 

Library cards aren't just for kids.

11. Make your investments boring.

Back in 2010 when I started investing heavily, it was exciting. I had multiple monitors continually streaming charts, CNBC, and countless stock prices. This is what I believed that successful investing looked and felt like.

The thing was, I wasn't making any money.

Finally, I started to learn what works and began to take the emotions out of it. When I did, the excitement dropped dramatically (along with my stress) while my results started to shoot upwards. 

"Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and go to Las Vegas."
– Paul Samuelson

12. Track your progress.

It doesn't matter how much money you make. It doesn't even matter how much you spend. What does matter is how much you keep. 

Every month, track your net worth (I use Mint.com to do this). This makes you think about the entire picture from income to expenses to investments to taxes. With this focus, you can ultimately make the greatest impact on your finances. 

13. Cut out 10%.

Even the most frugal people can find 10% of their expenses to cut. If you then take that 10% and invest it in yourself and in your future via training, paying off debt, or putting it towards vehicles that make you money like investing or starting a business, you'll be much better off. 

Try it. Go through your expenses line by line and see what you can cancel or reduce. I do this practice at least twice per year to keep things in line, and I find hundreds in savings each time. 

Your network is your net worth.

14. Hang out with rich people.

Your network is your net worth. Seriously.

As Jim Rohn said, "You become the average of the five people you spend the most time with." It doesn't matter if we're talking about happiness, health, confidence or your income, the people you hang out with are strongly reflected in your own life.

So, if you have one thing on your 2015 to-do list, it should be to raise the quality of your peer group. This will have a domino effect on every other area of your life.

15. Reduce your goals.

Most people don't even create goals, but those that do often go to the extreme and create too many goals. The ultra-successful, however, are great at simplifying their mission and creating a single challenge in front of them at any given time. 

As Gary Keller talks about in the great book, "The ONE Thing," the way to get more is to focus on less. Less distractions, less stress, and fewer goals lead to more income and a better lifestyle.

That's it; 15 small steps that can add up to enormous changes. Remember, new and better actions will lead to new and better results.

Cheers to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2015.

Get the tissues! Sad but touching story

Letter from an airline pilot: He writes:

My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H.R. On this flight." (H.R. Stands for human remains.) "Are they military?" I asked.

'Yes', she said.

'Is there an escort?' I asked.

'Yes, I've already assigned him a seat'.

'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him early," I said..

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ,' he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.

I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our pre-flight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia .

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a Secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I Saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:

'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans.. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.' I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told That all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the co-pilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane.

They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these USA, Canada, Australia New Zealand, England.

Foot note:

I know everyone who has served their country who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including me.

Please send this on after a short prayer for our service men and women.

They die for me and mine and you and yours and deserve our honor and respect.

'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us..bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need.. In Jesus Name, Amen.'

Just send this to people in your address book. Do not let it stop with you. Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & others deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one.

GOD BLESS YOU!!! Bring the rest home safe and sound. We need to be there for them now more than ever.

Truth of this is "Undetermined" according to Snopes