Bed sheets

Photo credit: Shafeen

In Bangladesh, now a day cotton thread’s cost became very high. It’s big impact fall on bed sheets. The price of bed sheet became too high that low income people fall in trouble. My maid once asked if I have any old bed sheet, then I can give it to her. She doesn’t afford to buy a new one.

I like “Dhaka dying” bed sheet. I felt they have good quality and comfort. I bought one from their show room, after returning home I found different company’s tag on the bed sheet. Now where should I go to buy a good one?

Dieting to reduce weight is really difficult

I am an over weighted woman. And yes off course like all human I like to be normal (not skinny) again. I don’t want to show my bones… and also not the fat. Anyway I tried many ways to make my health condition better. I stopped taking food at breakfast and dinner. In a day I took food only once. But this didn't work. As far as I understood, I took food from a restaurant, not homemade food. That may be the cause of my over weight health.

Then I went to a gym. This reduced my weight 5 kg in a month… then stopped. But couldn't continue over there because it wasn't matching with my office time…

Then at home I stopped taking all meat (both chicken and red meat). It didn't change much.

My latest routine is I stopped taking rice at night (really tough for a Bangladeshi). I don’t take extra food. It stopped getting higher my weight but not reducing. To make this plan effective I am giving myself a hard life. I woke up at 5:20 am and go for sleep at 11 pm. In between this time, I only do work and work. If I faces headache, I take a 10 minutes sharp nap. Though not possible all time because my son don’t want to see my laying.  But I can’t do more. I am facing tiredness, low pressure etc. Every moment I feel I am hungry. I just want a day to eat as much as I want… NO actually I don’t want that. I just want to get rid of this hungry feeling.

এদেশে কি মেধার অভাব হয়েছে যে এ্যাডের গান তৈরি করতে পারবে না? (Can't we make songs for our AD?)

আমরা অনেকেই (হয়তো সকলই) হিন্দী ছবি দেখেছি। অনেক হিন্দী গান ভালোও লেগেছে। এই ভাল কিছুকে ভাল লাগায় দেশ প্রেমের ঘাটতি হয় বলে মনে হয়নি। অনেক হিন্দী এ্যাড বাংলায় ডাব করে এদেশে দেখানো হয়। তাতেও দোষের কিছু দেখিনা। যাদের প্রোডাক্ট তারা তাদের দেশের মডেল আর দেখাতেই পারে। আমাদের দেশের প্রোডাক্ট যদি অন্য দেশে যায় তো আমি চাই সেখানেও এদেশের মডেল আর গান যাক।

যাই হোক, কিন্তু আমি কখনই ভাবতে পারিনা, এদেশের তৈরি জিনিস, এদেশের তৈরি এ্যাডে ভিনদেশি, বিশেষ করে হিন্দী জনপ্রিয় গান ব্যবহার করা হবে। যেমন, "পাপা ক্যাহতেহে ব্যরা নাম কারে গা..." কি কেকের বিজ্ঞাপনে, "লুংগি ড্যান্স লুংগি ড্যান্স"... এখানে শুধু গান নয়, নাচও কপি করা হয়েছে ইত্যাদি।

এদেশে কি মেধার অভাব হয়েছে যে এ্যাডের গান তৈরি করতে পারবে না? যদি অন্যের গান এতই পছন্দ হয় তবে অবশ্যই যথাযথ ভাবে অনুমতি নিয়েই বা মুল্য পরিশোধ করেই কেনা উচিত। এরকম চুরি (আমার ধারনা) উচিত নয়।

Many of us (may be all) have seen Hindi movie. We like many songs. Nothing wrong with it, if there anything good, anybody can like it. It doesn’t mean we don’t have enough patriotism. We have seen many foreign products AD in our country with their own countries model and song, nothing wrong with that too. If our country’s products go outside, we will expect they will show our model and songs.

Anyway, but I can’t think that people will use other countries hit songs in our product. Like “papa kehte hein bara naam karega” in a kid’s cake AD, “Lungi dance Lungi dance” here they didn’t took the song only but also copied the dance.

I feel shame. Don’t we have enough brain (merit/skill) to make good (popular) songs? If the company likes to use other countries song, they should take permission from that company or pay them for the song. Without notifying you can’t use others song, it’s stilling. 

Kid’s photography

Photo credit: Shafeen

Kid’s photography is one of the toughest jobs in this world. My son use to cry loudly in photo studio during taking passport size picture till he became 4 years old. Still I feel difficulty while taking his picture. He moves a lot, so picture doesn’t come well. I salute to those baby photographers who can manage kids and take good pictures.

A song for peace

I was a student of “Bangladesh Shishu Academy”. I learned many good songs from our singing class. One I like to share today. (I already forget many parts, may write wrong in some places of this song):

We want a world of peace

We want a world of bless

Teach us, how to build

But not ruination

Ooo mankind

We want a world of peace (2).

Food, health, education

Peace is our right

Then why the wars ruin us

Again and again

We are the blessings of God

Let us live

(আমরা শান্তির পৃথিবী চাই

আমরা সুখের পৃথিবী চাই

ধ্বংসের নয়

গড়বার শিক্ষা চাই

পৃথিবী শোনো

আমরা শান্তির পৃথিবী চাই

পৃথিবী চাই।।

খাদ্য, স্বাস্থ্য, শিক্ষা

শান্তি আমাদের অধিকার

তবে কেন যুদ্ধ ধ্বংস করে

আমাদের বার বার।

আমরা আল্লাহর আমানত

আমরা বাঁচতে চাই (২)।।

)

We use to sing this song on International Children’s day every year. Don’t know why for few days its running inside my mind.

এবারের উপহার অনলাইন মুহূর্ত (Online moments, this year birthday gift to myself)

টাকা পয়সা ছাড়া কাউকে কোন উপহার দেয়াটা খুব মুশকিল। নিজেকে তো বটেই। তাই এবার জন্মদিনে নিজেকে উপহার দিচ্ছি, "অনলাইন মুহূর্ত"। মানে সব সময়ই অল্প সময়ের জন্য অনলাইনে আসার সুযোগ হয়। তাই আজ নিজেকে দিলাম, সাড়াদিন মন ভরে অনলাইনে থাকার সুযোগ...। খুবই ভাল লাগছে (এতে যদি অনলাইন থেকে মন খানিকটা উঠে যায় তো মন্দ কি :) )।

It’s difficult to give someone a gift, especially for you. So, this time I gave my birthday gift “online moment” to myself. Generally I come online for limited time. Today I can stay online for whole day without any tension or other works. Really feeling good (I wish, in this way my online addiction will became little less)

Some fear with toys

Shafeen, didn't agree to ride on the game behind him.

Shafeen is a brave boy. He never gets afraid of jumping from high, climbing up in tough place, hitting cockroaches or other insects etc. But, don’t know why, he afraid of things which moves by itself. That’s why he doesn’t afraid to ride on a real horse, but the toys which moves by itself. He doesn’t have problem to play with big toy horses. But never let me put coin to move it. I hope it’s not a big issue.

Optional language class

The world is becoming a place of mixed race people. From different country, different culture’s people are changing the permanent residence for a better life. When their kid born, I mean the new generation, lives in different culture and grow with it. They see some cultural activity maintained by their parents, not the society. Like language. Their parents use to say one language at home and other at work place. Kids first learn from mom, and then in school, they met with other kids, who may talk other languages. Parents try hard to give lesson to the kid about their origin culture and language. Some people succeed to teach some not. My suggestion is schools may have optional class on different language, where they can learn about the culture and language of their origin country. It will help to rich any cultural activity at any country. And parents will love to send their kid to that school.

নিজেই নিজেকে ভুল থেকে ফেরাই (I correct myself always)

আত্মসুদ্ধি, নিজেকে পরিবর্তন, যাই বলুন না কেন, নিজের ঠিক করার এই কাজ আমি সব সময়ই করি। যখনই মনে হয়, আমি কোন ভুল করছি, তখনই চিন্তা করে বের করি, কি করলে এই ভুল করা বন্ধ হবে। আমার মধ্যে কি পরিবর্তন আনতে হবে। এরপর চেস্টা করতে থাকি, যেন সেই ভুল যেন আর না করি। অধিকাংশ ক্ষেত্রে সফলও হচ্ছি। নিজের উপর আমি খুব কঠোর হতে পারি। একবার যা খাব না ঠিক করি খাই না। যা করবো না ঠিক করি, তা আর করি না। যতই মন চাইতে থাকুক, মনকে এতটুকু প্রশ্রয় দেই না। কারন আমি জানি, আমি এতটুকু ছাড় দিলেই মন আমাকে টেনে অনেক দুর নিয়ে যাবে, সেখান থেকে হয়তো আমি আর ফেরার পথ পাব না।

I always try to learn from my life, and take lessons from it. Then try to change myself. In most cases I succeed. Whenever I do anything for what I had to regret, I try to take it as a lesson and try to remember and not to do that anymore. I can be very strict on my mind. If once I decided that I won’t eat any food, I don’t touch it. When I decide I won’t do anything anymore, I don’t do that. No matter how hard it is for my mind. Because I know, if I let myself go, it will take me far away that I won’t find the path to return.

A lift with a bike

Shafeen (my son)

I like bike. I don’t know (still) how to run it but I like to ride with it. My father has got a motorcycle from his office. He uses to give me lift whenever he could manage time, till my university study time. My friends use to ask, who this guy with you in the bike is. I proudly said, my dad.

Yesterday my son wanted to take lift with bike on the road. I had to make him understand, we don’t know these guys. We can’t ask for a lift. If I found any known person with bike I will ask him to give you a ride for some moments. I wish someday he will fulfill his wish or have to wait, till he grows up and buy his own bike.

Where is the reward for good work?

I have seen in movies (never in real life) that when a person does well, they finally get the reward. I had read, “Good work is never wasted; somehow, it makes its marks.” But I don’t know why I couldn't find it in real life. I have seen many people who did many good things… but where is there a reward? Maybe they got it, but I couldn't realize it. Then what about my life? I never wished anything wrong for others. I always say good things about others (unless this hiding made a bad impact). I made a good impression on many people and organizations. What result did I get back from them? If they didn't give anything good, that would have been acceptable… but what about when they make a bad impression on me? This is the final result I get for my good work… Fine!

ভালবাসা দিবসের ভালবাসা (Love of Valentine’s Day)

মাথা ব্যাথা করলে, যার বুকে মাথা রাখলেই (মনে মনে)মাথা ব্যাথা ভাল হয়ে যেত, ভালবাসা দিবসের শুভেচ্ছা তাকেই ...

Whenever I had headache, I put my head on one’s chest (in my mind) and I felt my headache had gone. Sending greetings of love of Valentine’sDay to that person…

Finally mom wins on the sunglass

Shafeen likes to take and do whatever he saw that his mates are doing in the school. For few days he was saying he has to take his sun glass to school. I said, OK, you can take your sun glass to wear on the road to school, but inside school. He didn't agree with it. He wants to wear it even in the class. Anyway as we couldn't come to one point, Shafeen couldn't take his sun glass to school.

Day before yesterday one of his class mate Kyaan took her sun glass to school. After the class they were playing in front of the school. And somehow one of her class mate broke it. She was very disheartened and starts crying loudly. Shafeen saw this. Now I got a big point. I asked him, do you still like to take your sunglasses to school. He replied, NO (he had seen enough).

All have to live well, if you want to live well.

On this earth, both constructive and destructive works is going on at the same time. Few people working hard to make good and some are giving full attention to make good only for them (hurting others). Some people are looking for another home on other planet. These works are very expensive. If any how they can build a new home for earth people that will be too expensive too. Only those people who have money and power might take this opportunity. So, what might happen? If they decide, only they will survive and others have to be destroyed then they can destroy this earth and escape to new planet. But you know everywhere you will need people to grow food, to construct town, make dresses and other things. Actually people can’t live alone. You can’t live well by only making good things for you. We are all in same eco system. We all have to live well, if we really want to live well.

ভুল করে গিয়েও দেখা হলো না নতুন এই যমুনা ফিউচার পার্ক (Even by mistake couldn't see Jamuna Future Park)

শুনেছিলাম, "কখনও কখনও ভুল ট্রেনও সঠিক রাস্তায় নিয়ে যায়"।
আজ কথাটা সত্যি হতে হতেও হলোনা। পুরো ঘটনাটা বলি...

আগেই ঠিক করা ছিল, শাফিনকে (আমার ছেলে) স্কুল থেকে নিয়ে সরাসরি বসুন্ধরা সিটি শপিং সেন্টার এ যাব। ওর জন্য জুতা আর জ্যাকেট কেনার জন্য। সি এন জি আমি ওঠার আগেই ঠিক করা হয়েছিল। যখন এটা খিলগাও ফ্লাই ওভার পার হয়ে কাকরাইলের দিকে না গিয়ে মালিবাগ রেলগেটের দিকে যাচ্ছিল, তখন বলে উঠলাম ওদিকে কেন যাচ্ছে? তখনই জানলাম ভুল করে সি এন জি টা "যমুনা ফিউচার পার্কে"   ঠিক করা হয়েছে। আমাকে জিগ্যেস করা হলো এখন সি এন জি অটো ঘুরাবে কি না। আমি ভাবলাম, দেখি যমুনা ফিউচার পার্কে কি আছে, কখনও যাওয়া হয়নি। হয়তো ভুল করেই আজ দেখা হয়ে যাবে। গিয়ে দেখলাম, ইহা আজ (শনিবার) দুপুর ২টা পর্যন্ত বন্ধ। সুতরাং আবার আগের ঠিক করা গন্তব্যে যেতে হলো। বনানীর জ্যামে বসে থাকতে থাকতে মনে হলো, ভুল ট্রেনে সঠিক জায়গায় যাওয়াটা আমার জন্য না।

I have heard, “Sometimes people get the right way after catching the wrong train”. I thought today it will become a truth in my life too. But it didn't. Let me tell you the story in details…

It was decided; today we will go to the Bashundhora city shopping mall to buy a jacket and shoes for my son Shafeen. Before I get on the CNG auto rickshaw it I didn't where the CNG auto rickshaw taking me. When it passed the Khilgaon flyover without taking the path to go to Kakrail, I asked where it is going. Then I got to know it is going to Jomuna Future Park. Well, though it wasn't on my plan but I thought I have never been there, so let’s see how it is. But no, my luck didn't favor me that much which I expected. This shopping mall was closed. So, again I had to go to the Bashundhora shopping mall. When I was stuck in the Bonani, near Mohakhali flyover, I thought wrong train and right path may not for me.

My gardening

Shafeen working on mom’s garden, he was 3 years and 10 months old

When I was a kid, we had to write what is our hobby or what we do in our leisure time. On those days I didn’t know what I actually like to do in my free times (I use to do many things). Even I didn’t know what my hobby (I like to do uncountable things, if possible) is. After thinking a lot I found I can say, I like gardening and. I spend time in garden in my leisure. But truth is I didn’t work on garden much. At least I can’t say it’s my hobby, though I like gardening and plants.

My mother use to do her gardening on roof. It was on 5^th floor. Every afternoon I had to go there and give water to the plants. Then one day she gave me a wild flower plant in a pot and said, it’s your plant, you will take care of it. I did a very good care of that and it still alive in my mom’s garden, though I don’t look after it after my married. It was given when I was in school.

Now I am thinking I will grow some coriander leaf, green chili etc  in pots beside my kitchen window. It will bring me fresh flavor in my cooking J

You can enjoy your time with a kid

You will feel a great fantasy when you see a kid grow up. I am not telling you to take responsibility of the kid. Just watch and enjoy. It could be your neighbor’s kid. When you observe a kid, you will see how they tasted everything on this earth. They try to taste everything first. When they grow up a little, they will like to touch first to understand. After grown up, first they will like to see. They way the learn about every details of this earth, you will see, they are working like a scientists.

For you they will bring freshness of life. If any how your mind became off, try to spend time with kids without thinking about anything else. Trust me you will feel better and will learn many things from them. 

বানিজ্য মেলায় আবার (Again went to the trade fair)

প্রথমবার বানিজ্য মেলায় গিয়ে পার্স হারিয়ে ফেললাম। নিজের উপর প্রচন্ড রাগ হলো। সামান্য একটা পার্স সামলাতে পারিনা। তাই অনেকটা জিদ করে আজ আবার গেলাম। যতদূর সম্ভব সাবধানে ছিলাম, ছেলে, মোবাইল আর পার্স সামলানো নিয়ে। আর মালপত্র (কেনাকাটার ফল) তো আছেই। মনে শান্তি হলো। নাহ সব ঠিক মতো সামলিয়েছি। :)। তারপরও আবার যদি কেউ বলে, চলো বানিজ্য মেলায়। হয়তো সাথে সাথে রাজি হয়ে যাবো ;)

When I first went to the Dhaka International trade fair, I had lost my purse. It made me angry, why that happened with me? Why I couldn't take good care of everything? So, that anger made me go to the fair once again. This time took very good care (as much as possible) of my son, money, cell phone and other things (which I bought from the fair). Now I am happy. J Still if someone asked me to go to the trade fair, I might have said YES immediately ;)