Luck isn’t predictable, but it tends to come in packs.
Does luck come by chance or it is the end result of persevering efforts in one direction. Is it a payback time at last?

Lucky people appear to have a life journey like a cake walk, effortless. They seem to succeed in everything they do like the fictitious character with the Midas touch. But does the vicious circle of this blessing take them in too. Luck without effort is like wine without alcohol. It appears to be glamorous at first but gets boring with fading charm every day till looses luster and becomes like a black and white canvas.

Seth Godin, the marketing guru says, “Effort takes many forms. Showing up, certainly. Knowing stuff (being smart might be luck of the draw, but knowing stuff is the result of effort). Being kind when it’s more fun not to. Paying forward when there’s no hope of tangible reward. Doing the right thing. You’ve heard these things a hundred times before, of course, but I guess it’s easier to bet on luck.

And that’s the key to the paradox of effort: While luck may be more appealing than effort, you don’t get to choose luck. Effort, on the other hand, is totally available, all the time.”

However luck complemented with hard work is intoxicating, alluring and a habit that grows and grows on you. It helps you to climb the ladder of success; the challenge must only arise from enjoying the journey as well as the end. Once you know how to create your own luck success become a habit as you have cracked the code required to be successful. It is a formula that you need to know.

Winning or Losing is simply a function of our Self-Talk!

Marilyn in Banff

Rare photos of Marilyn Monroe show her relaxed in Banff, posing with grizzly bear, riding a ski-lift, snuggling with Joe Di Maggio. Monroe travelled to the Canadian Rockies in August 1953, to film and, while shooting a scene in the river, she injured her ankle and retired to the Banff Springs Hotel to recuperate.

In the summer of 1953, life was looking up for Marilyn Monroe.
Her iconic star-turn in Gentlemen prefer Blondes, released that July, garnered great reviews and string ticket sales. Legendary baseball player Joe Maggio who had nine World Series wins was courting her.

Cast in River of No Return, an Otto Preminger-helmed Western, she travelled to Canadian Rockies to film. That August, while shooting a scene in the river, Ms Monroe injured her ankle and retired to Banff Springs Hotel to recuperate.

John Vachon, a Look magazine photographer sent to shoot the set, took about 200 photos of the 27-year old actress as she recovered at the hotel and toured the town, gaining unusual access to the star.

We see her pictures of waving to the camera from an open, one-seat chairlift, suspended high over the evergreen-covered valley; in another, she poses with a stuffed grizzly bear in what is believed to be Banff’s Indian Trading Post store; in others, she snuggles with Mr. DiMaggio, whom she would marry the following year, in front of the window looking out onto a mountain vista.

If you are conscious about the health aspect of your food, but do not want to compromise on the taste, you may find this place an ideal spot to spend a cozy afternoon. It is – literally – a small corner of heaven – the Ginger Restaruant. Strategically placed at the Parliament & Carlton intersection, with a very friendly staff and a wide variety of dishes, Ginger will make your mouth water every time you remember it – one visit is enough to get you addicted. My favourite dinner: tofu coconut mushroom soup (I even added the photo below), lemongrass tofu with pad thai and jasmine tea to aid digestion. The flavours combine into utter perfection, the atmosphere is homely and the prices are amazing (read: “amazingly affordable”). On the downside though, some may find it less than sparkly clean; however, I have experienced the reality that this particular feature does not interfere with the quality of the product…. to conclude, the upsides are: friendly staff, affordable prices, healthy and tasty food, very fast service; the only downside found so far: the cleanliness of the tables. Your decision…. give it a try; it’s worth it.

HG Wells opined I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.

That is exactly how I felt when I started enjoying Tulsi (Holy Basil) planted in my backyard. I tried my Tulsi tea, the flavor was so refreshing that it became my morning ritual. I became accustomed to respect Tulsi by bowing my head to its natural bounty and then tending it daily. The herb enriched my life and this is explained in a dreamy sequin below:

I was laying in my backyard with a warm mug of tea beside me, my ideal start to a day. Glancing around the backyard greens, a diamond shaped herb caught my eye, stopping over to smell it, I knew that it was familiar. Confirming from my better half, it was holy Basil or Tulsi. I just dropped a couple of washed leaves in my warm tea and the experience changed. The ordinary cup of tea seemed filled with sweet, fresh nature. I felt swept by glowing sun rays, humming fire flies similar to the types in the movie, Avatar. The cup seemed brewing the scents of the best in nature and it seemed to bring a warm embrace to my heart, giving a great start to my day.

Researching its health properties, my heartful emotional appreciation met with a rational checkmate. The ‘tulsi’ plant or Indian basil is an important symbol in the Hindu religious tradition. The name ‘tulsi‘ connotes “the incomparable one”. Tulsi is a venerated plant and Hindus worship it in the morning and evening. The tulsi plant is even known to purify or de-pollute the atmosphere and also works as a repellent to mosquitoes, flies and other harmful insects. Tulsi used to be a universal remedy in cases of malarial fever.

Here’re top fifteen medicinal uses of tulsi:
1. Healing Power: The tulsi plant has many medicinal properties. The leaves are a nerve tonic and also sharpen memory. They promote the removal of the catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tube. The leaves strengthen the stomach and induce copious perspiration. The seed of the plant are mucilaginous.
2. Fever & Common Cold: The leaves of basil are specific for many fevers. During the rainy season, when malaria and dengue fever are widely prevalent, tender leaves, boiled with tea, act as preventive against theses diseases. In case of acute fevers, a decoction of the leaves boiled with powdered cardamom in half a liter of water and mixed with sugar and milk brings down the temperature. The juice of tulsi leaves can be used to bring down fever. Extract of tulsi leaves in fresh water should be given every 2 to 3 hours. In between one can keep giving sips of cold water. In children, it is every effective in bringing down the temperature.
3. Coughs: Tulsi is an important constituent of many Ayurvedic cough syrups and expectorants. It helps to mobilize mucus in bronchitis and asthma. Chewing tulsi leaves relieves cold and flu.
4. Sore Throat: Water boiled with basil leaves can be taken as drink in case of sore throat. This water can also be used as a gargle.
5. Respiratory Disorder: The herb is useful in the treatment of respiratory system disorder. A decoction of the leaves, with honey and ginger is an effective remedy for bronchitis, asthma, influenza, cough and cold. A decoction of the leaves, cloves and common salt also gives immediate relief in case of influenza. They should be boiled in half a litre of water till only half the water is left and add then taken.
6. Kidney Stone: Basil has strengthening effect on the kidney. In case of renal stone the juice of basil leaves and honey, if taken regularly for 6 months it will expel them via the urinary tract.
7. Heart Disorder: Basil has a beneficial effect in cardiac disease and the weakness resulting from them. It reduces the level of blood cholesterol.
8. Children’s Ailments: Common pediatric problems like cough cold, fever, diarrhea and vomiting respond favorably to the juice of basil leaves. If pustules of chicken pox delay their appearance, basil leaves taken with saffron will hasten them.
9. Stress: Basil leaves are regarded as an ‘adaptogen’ or anti-stress agent. Recent studies have shown that the leaves afford significant protection against stress. Even healthy persons can chew 12 leaves of basil, twice a day, to prevent stress. It purifies blood and helps prevent several common elements.
10. Mouth Infections: The leaves are quit effective for the ulcer and infections in the mouth. A few leaves chewed will cure these conditions.
11. Insect Bites: The herb is a prophylactic or preventive and curative for insect stings or bites. A teaspoonful of the juice of the leaves is taken and is repeated after a few hours. Fresh juice must also be applied to the affected parts. A paste of fresh roots is also effective in case of bites of insects and leeches.
12. Skin Disorders: Applied locally, basil juice is beneficial in the treatment of ringworm and other skin diseases. It has also been tried successfully by some naturopaths in the treatment of leucoderma.
13. Teeth Disorder: The herb is useful in teeth disorders. Its leaves, dried in the sun and powdered, can be used for brushing teeth. It can also be mixed with mustered oil to make a paste and used as toothpaste. This is very good for maintaining dental health, counteracting bad breath and for massaging the gums. It is also useful in pyorrhea and other teeth disorders.
14. Headaches: Basil makes a good medicine for headache. A decoction of the leaves can be given for this disorder. Pounded leaves mixed with sandalwood paste can also be applied on the forehead for getting relief from heat, headache, and for providing coolness in general.
15. Eye Disorders: Basil juice is an effective remedy for sore eyes and night-blindness, which is generally caused by deficiency of vitamin A. Two drops of black basil juice are put into the eyes daily at bedtime.

Planting Tulsi Seeds in the Ground
• Step 1
Dig a ¼-inch-deep furrow in your garden soil with the edge of a garden hoe. The tulsi plants should be 12 inches apart when they’re mature, so the length of the furrow will depend on how many plants you plan to grow.
• Step 2
Drop two seeds per inch into the furrow. Cover with garden soil. Keep the furrow moist, watering at least twice daily, until sprouting occurs.
• Step 3
Thin the plants after they sprout so that there’s 12 inches between each one. Cut the seedlings off at ground level—do not disturb the soil by pulling them out.

I like the idea by Tennessee Williams : The goal of life is living in agreement with nature. as there is so much we get from nature, the interdependence is obvious. So it makes absolute sense that we spend time connecting with it and then caring for it with heart and mind.

How do you view money? Balance of greed and god, a good question for CEOs . The first principle they teach in business school is that purpose of business is to improve shareholder value, that is where we are wrong. We owe to society to make this planet a better place. First thing the consumers need to know is not to use their unearned money to spend on things they don’t need to impress the people they don’t like.

The basis of faith is giving, I pray to God and money will start flowing in that is not faith that is greed. It is a hard time for a lot of people and we must have compassion, Wall Street is paying its karmic hell. We call ourselves consumers, we are a conference of compassions, so focus on giving and love will flow in enriching our lives.

People who run Churches, people are beaten down and we need to help them so that they don’t get discouraged and not get sucked in to damage their prospects. The word prosper is to give a good life, good job, good relations, God has put gifts and talents in everyone to architect their lives. The love of money is the root of evil, where are your motives,to pay your unpaid bills, the belief that God is going to help you to reach there. What should our values be in regards to money, It is not to live in debt, live at the top of barrel. Be practical but hopeful. Don’t live to please everyone and be slave to money instead let money work for you.

The Xmas time is here again and the shopping fever is sure to creep up on most of us. Here are some green ideas for making your gift giving list greener to save the planet and your pocket.

For Kids

• Gifting travel coffee mugs instead of open coffee mugs for Teachers gifts for your kids
• Board games made out of recyclable paper
• A solar-powered backpack for kids,
• Recycled stationery
• An eco-friendly snowboard or skateboard

For Friends

• Organic candles for friends,
• Homemade cookies and bakeries for family and friends in beautiful containers
• Eco-friendly jewellry for girl friends
• Holiday cards made out of recyclable paper,
• Even use of postcard instead of a regular card to save the paper
• Send  e cards for seasons’ greetings
• Eco-friendly handbags made from juice packaging, candy wrappers, labels, etc which would otherwise end up in landfills.
• Clothing made from recycles materials
• Vintage and antique jewelry found in ebay, and other online retail stores
• Gardening tools
• Books that advocate green living

So the saying that life looks greener on the other side of the fence should not be true when we integrate green into our lifestyles which helps us to make the most of our resources. As a result, we bring more attention and apprecaition in all our tasks by looking different and thoughtful. Green and Simple Living is about much more than recycling and conserving energy. It will do us tons of good if we focus ourselves to have healthy living, simplifying family life, reducing our carbon footprint, and tips to teach the next generation about sustainability and green living.

Acknoledgement to: Flicker.com : http://farm1.static.flickr.com/107/279583606_01243e2d4f.jpg

There are  several thoughts that come to mind when we think of Free.
FREE is a marketing word to attract attention, a gimmick to lure customers to buy the products.
It holds value for the conservative lot who find value for money as the primary reason to buy.
While the wealthy, traditionally rich find it a needless technique to devalue a  otherwise great product. They find it worthwhile to buy if its price is high rather than dirt cheap.

The views are several but majority still feel that good value for money, a free deal or buy one get one free are the marketing vibes that they find irresistible. Do you remember a time when you received a free favor from someone just because you were so charming. I remember a free bus ride, some free coffee, a preferential treatment - and I didn’t even have to use my charms just a smile was enough. There is some level of satisfaction derived from such an emotion such as you are worth it. Your first impressions are great and resonate well enough to get you the best from the circumstances.

As is commonly heard that nothing in life is free but there is also a converse opinion that best things in life are for free. As we go through the events of life we remember that things that we really value come for free. Some examples to illustrate this viewpoint are as follows:

the parents you are born to or
the husband you are destined to spend your life with,
the friends and close connections you make,
the memories of rolling in the sand in childhood or
the memories of that beautiful trip you made along with your cousins in the valleys of Ladhak or Pahalgam in the lap of Kashmir.
So in that sense it seems likely that the best things of life are for free. Also the things that are well earned get you some of those free thrills as an outcome. Remember that expensive but sexy dress that got you so much attention for free. Or several hours hands of time clock that gave you the well earned success and got you appreciation and made you an inspirational icon in several hundred eyes for free. So in the end we conclude that the word free is a other side of the coin for well earned. The things that are well earned get you some more valuable outcomes for free. The thing to remember however is that those you count pennies never make millions….

Fluency in nonverbal communication can be as powerful a tool as masterful negotiating techniques or expert salesmanship. The starting point, he says, is what he calls “personal curbside appeal.” Project yourself as a confident, welcoming person, and your clients, colleagues and bosses will be attracted to you, keen on doing business with you and on promoting you within your organization.

Curbside appeal has several components, starting with looks. Tidy, neat, conservative clothes are preferable, Navarro says. A good rule of thumb: mirror, don’t shock. “Observe how upper management dresses, and follow their lead,” he advises. “Casualness can kill credibility.” Unless, that is, you work in a place where the top brass wear jeans and polo shirts, like, say, CBS Studios in Hollywood, where you may be the only person in a suit.

Gestures go a long way in conveying your personal message. One of the most appealing: Stand with your head slightly tilted and your hands clasped, and with a smile and a gaze that meets the other person’s. The head tilt exposes the neck and says, “I am listening, I am comfortable, I am receptive,”. By contrast, if you touch your neck or cover the dimple at the base of it, you’re saying you are uncomfortable, insecure or concerned.

Click here for the full article….

November is a month that falls between October ( a month of many festivals like Thanksgiving, Halloween, Diwali, etc) and December (the Christmas month). So what then makes November special?

There are in my view many reasons to love November also  fondly called Movember. Men choose this month to grow their moustaches to celebrate their masculinity. It is called month of moustache. Reasons for growing moustache may vary from charity to making a fashion statement. Whatever the reason some corporate offices use this tradition for promoting charity and make it a fun event for little or no price.

It also marks the end of fall so the trips to see beautiful fall colors happen with a feverish last minute urgency. November is also the month when we start our Christmas decorations and marks the beginning of Christmas excitement. Deck the halls with rolls of holly la la la la la la la la.

The joyous feeling of  holidays coming up fast, American Thanksgiving coming up in a couple weeks there’s tons to celebrate in November. It by default becomes one of my favorite times of the year, from fall through Christmas I really enjoy all the decorating, baking, and crispness in the air this time of year.

It engages us in lovely plans for the holidays, and everything that goes with it. The month kick starts everything up with things you can celebrate in November. The following are some of wonderful reasons to rejoice this month:

• November 10th Sesame Street celebrates their 40th anniversary
• November 11th is Remembrance Day, celebrate the veterans in your life.
• November 17th is World Peace Day
• November 18th is Mickey Mouses Birthday
• November 21st is the official day the Pilgrims landed in 1620
• November 22nd is National Adoption Day
• November 26th is Thanksgiving Day in the USA

What do you have to celebrate during the month of November? One hint is to spend the month gearing up for Thanksgiving, then Christmas and New Years. There are several things to do ahead of time to prepare, so to get  things out of the way so one can coast through the holidays.

Cheers for November and all the good beginnings of the holiday cheer it brings with it.

November is a month when we prepare ourselves for the chilly winters.  We can continue into the coldest season of the year unprepared at our own risk.

Some tips on how to keep safe on the road and stay alive if the going gets tough.
VISIBILITY
To have visibility during winter weather conditions, it is important to have right necessities available. Keep a snow brush and ice scrapper in your vehicle at all times during winter months. If you car is parked outdoors often, invest in a winter windshield cover to keep snow, frost and ice off of your windshield.

Always keep an extra wind shield fluid in the trunk and top it up for extreme temperatures.

CHECK-UP
Prior to the start of any season, make an appointment to have your vehicle fully serviced, especially prior to winter when weather elements can affect many performance elements of the vehicle. Have your battery and charging system checked to ensure it will have enough power to start the car on cold mornings. Check wiper blades for signs of wear and cracking and replace if necessary. Better yet, change to heavy -duty winter blades like teflon wiper blades. Also extreme cold is hard on engine oil. An oil change and new filter are good ideas for teh change in season.

PACK A VEHICLE EMERGENCY KIT
Keep the following on hand in your car, in the event you are stuck or stranded.
Cellphone with handsfree option.
Emergency car starter.
Gloves and hat
Shovel
Flashlight
Jumper cables
OR you could join a association such as Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) who help you anytime anywhere by giving your car a booster charge, or a battery change or tow your car to a desired location for further check up. It can be a real friend in the time of dire need for it is not easy or practical to do things when the weather conditions are so adverse.

Warming up
Canadian winters can be bitterly cold, so warming up your car is essential. Depending on where you live 60 seconds is all you need. According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), warming up your car for more than 60 seconds can be expensive, insufficient and harmful waste of fuel.
NRcan has more driving tips at vehicles.nrcan.gc.ca

S o lets gets ready for a safe winter. Wishing you all a safe and prosperous winter.