Thursday, December 28, 2017

Weekly Vegetable Shanty in my neighborhood

Weekly Vegetable Shanty in my neighborhood
Almost one complete street which is nearly a sort of dead end but with many leading side streets forms the location for a weekly vegetable market on Thursdays. Once in a way if that Thursday happens to be a New Moon Day, there won’t be any market. While I like the weekly shopping opportunity to get fresh vegetables at a reasonably cheaper price, carrying the purchased items is the part that I detest. Much worse is my state of mind when I have to sort them out to push them into the fridge.  Nothing in the world is totally acceptable giving blissful unalloyed pleasure all the time.

In the market you can meet familiar faces of vendors, friends and others. There’s a vendor woman who beckons you with remarkable voice based marketing skills. Another who always thinks you can be cheated while giving change. Another who won’t encourage any bargaining of any sort – FIXED PRICE, he says. You can easily guess what is aplenty so that you can postpone buying till you have exhausted seeing all shops.

The market is giving livelihood not only for the sellers of veggies but also others like: those who sell polythene bags, hirers of stand-alone LED lamps, lenders of ready to use foldable metal tables, boys selling tea to vendors and you won’t believe – even local dadha’s representatives collecting ‘mamool’. What do these dadhas offer to vendors in return? Protection from police harassment, getting the place cleaned up next day by tipping Municipality guys, maintaining harmony between sellers and colony residents of that street etc.

Buyers are a wonderful lot. Some come with wheel attached travel bags for buying vegetables. Some “dorasani ammaas” are accompanied by servant maids walking along with them to carry the merchandise bought. Some come with just two large plastic bags thinking of buying the entire produce displayed. Some ladies make their husbands wait with the scooter / bike / car at the entrance to the market and  beckon them mobile phone to come and carry the luggage, after purchases are done.  Others come to the market with spoilt brats who create a lot of nuisance, running everywhere, even through your legs if you are not careful. Some occupy space at a vendor so long that you have to move away to other shops. Seen a few young ladies wearing T shirts with funny statements but won’t stay at the same spot long enough to help you read what is printed. Some ladies would sit and select vegetables without realizing that their butt cleavage is visible. Some oldies put up a pathetic picture of doing an arduous job. Overhearing conversations – mostly gossip – is very interesting. You are at an advantage if you are a polyglot.


I wish I could illustrate what I see like the cartoonist Gopulu of my younger days.

Monday, December 25, 2017

ULTIMATE TRUTH




Ultimate Truth

When
you walk in the street
and  see so many people
some strangers, some friends,
does the thought:
All these persons
will be no more
one day
or
the other?
That is the ultimate truth!
If you remember this all the time
You will be better off.
Help Someone,
even a stranger;
Memory of your
your good deed will live on
even after you leave
this earth.
Be.
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Saturday, December 23, 2017

AWB Global Virtual Summit on Caregiving Jan 2018 - FREE - Details



I am giving below the url for attending the one week summit in jan 2018.

It is for one week 20th to 26th Jan 2018. This summit will benefit anyone interested in caregiving - care givers, trainers, organisations hiring out caregivers, hospitals, nursing homes, old age homes, assisted living centers, retirement communities etc. There are about 60 video sessions ranging from 20 to 40 minutes each and these are made available -- some 8-10 per day of the summit neatly categorised into sub-themes. Participation is free. Get your daily pass for the days you are interested. You need to register at the site for getting free pass.

About each session you get to know the speaker and a lot about him if you are interested, a video and references for further reading or follow up. If you want to have permanent access to the material you pay - Look up the site for details. There is some early bird offer as well. You can interact with the author  and other participants via comments.

​Incidentally I am one of the two speakers from India. Dr Radha Murthy of NMT is 
of NMT is another.
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Friday, December 22, 2017

Some cases of Rare Act of Kindness (RAOK)

Some cases of Rare Act of Kindness (RAOK)

I read about RAOK from www.caregiving.com run by Denise.

RAOK stands for Random Act of Kindness and December 20th is supposed to be the Day for practicing it.​ Let me share an experience, as a recipient of RAOK. When I mooted this topic in sss-global many friends responded with their own experiences. All are acts of kindness received by senior citizens, showing many are grateful for such experiences 

They are enumerated below:

This evening around 7:00 pm I was walking to a neighborhood shop to buy something.
While I was about to walk through a narrow culvert I waited patiently till from traffic from behind and coming in front to clear. There was a loaded stationary truck  in front and overtaking it might be hazardous. As I waited for quite some time a woman approached me and asked: "Is everything ok? Why are you standing still?" I just explained that I can't cope with dazzling light of vehicles approaching, so I waited; nothing wrong with me. Some unexpected kindness and concern from unknown quarters. That was RAOK in action, I suppose.

PVM

Another instance, today (21st Dec 2017)

I was going to local shopping this evening.

A woman waved and said: Sabji mandi (Weekly Shanti vegetable market on Thursdays near our colony) has been shifted to next parallel lane. I do not know her but she seems to know me. Another RAOK

PVM


22/dec/ 2017
Long back I had written a blog on similar experience. In short at the post office, I was stuck with want of change. The lady at the counter had to return me Rs. 6 and I offered 10 . I had no change to return the required 4. I asked the lady to forget it and stamp the paper. She would not do that. The person near me took out that elusive Rs 4 and handed it over to me. I gave it to the lady and took that 10 with papers and looked for the gentleman. He was simply not there. So these RAOK guys live among us. 

Hari Lakhera 


22/12/2017
Yesterday I purchased Vijay Geyer from CMR Mall (4thfloor) and requested them to arrange for keeping it in Uber Cab waiting at main road of their entrance gate. They sent a boy who put it in the cab. Of course without paying any tips, just I conveyed thanks to the boy and got into the cab. 



During 15 minutes of my trip, the young driver explained several things about our youths; kids & parents behaviour (I generally attend several meetings of professors; senior citizens meetings, but within that short period he covered most of our culture; philosophers etc.) He explained about how youngsters are addressing them in singular words, since I address him in plural i.e., Telugu meeru / Hindi aapp . Of course the above matter is introduction or irrelevant to RaoK :

When he dropped me at home, I requested him to put the Geyser (from the cab) at first floor of my residence, he gladly carried it and left very politely. When I offered him Rs.50/- as tip, he said that helping to elders like you is an opportunity for me and didn’t accept the amount. Hope this is RaoK

Ramakrishnarao SAVARAM


Years ago my father was visiting BPCL colony in Chembur where my sister was staying.  BPCL Trombay Club also sells provisions etc and my father was carrying the bag.

Incidentally one film shooting was taking place where Ajay Devgan was a lead actor. He came out of shooting and helped my father to carry the provision bag all the way to 6th floor apartment of my sister. 

This is a human touch even from celebrities.

INDRAJIT GHOSE 


I went to a photo frame shop to get hooks fixed to a couple of pictures / drawings framed. I had to wait for some 30 minutes for the job to be done. Framing was got done there only earlier and it was a sort of minor re-work for him. During the course of my waiting the shop keeper learnt how troublesome it was for me to bring the pieces in large plastic bags and walk the distance minding traffic, narrow footpath, uneven road etc. After the work was over, he offered to drop me home sending the attendant in his motor bike. That was a welcome relief and RAOK once again.

PVM


Now I would like share my experience. Recently I have visited Vishkapatnam and on return I have reached platform one where usually Godawari express starts' There I came to know that train is on platform 10. So I have to climb steps to reach that platform. While I am climbing steps with my luggage slowly with difficulty, Some one came from behind and took my luggage and kept on top step. I could do nothing except thank him and thank GOD.

Chepuri Shankar Rao



Saturday, December 16, 2017

Book Review - Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test. FSSAI.

Book Review - Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test
Here is an authoritative compilation of 41 simple quick tests to detect adulteration in food items of daily use. Published by Food Safety Standards Authority of India, Delhi. Date Unknown.
The booklet available in pdf format is embedded below. It has six sections. Milk and Milk Products - 4 tests; Oils & Fats - one test; Sugars and Confectionary - 2 tests; Food Grains and its products - 9 tests; Spices and condiments - 12 Tests; Miscellaneous - 13 tests.  Under the last category peas, coffee powder, tea leaves, supari, pulses. sweet potato, wax polished apple, mustard, turmeric powder etc are covered.
The booklet will be more useful if a complete list of 41 tests are indexed. The feedback form in pdf can not be filled and returned. Special efforts are needed by users to send feedbak. So not much feedback can be expected.
This is a very valuable booklet for the common man. You will also get to know how many different ways merchants and traders can cheat you!

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Book Review: Remember Me - You Me and Dementia: By Sailesh Mishra

Remember Me: You Me and Dementia: By Sailesh Mishra Published by Silver Innings, Mumbai Oct 2017 pp xii + 253 Price Rs 450/ - Available through Amazon
(Book Review by Dr P Vyasamoorthy)

This book by Sailesh Mishra, who has over a decade of experience in elder care, is a timely addition to  Indian literature on the topic. It has about 50 chapters. Three chapters (ch 1-3) explain basics of dementia and two more (Ch 8 &9) deal with differentiating dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Specific issues / problems like: memory loss, incontinence, hallucinations, depression, delusions, aggressive behaviour, wandering away, bed sores are dealt with in separate chapters.

Care giving activities like Washing, bathing, giving food, dressing, dental care, keeping patients occupied with hobbies, pastimes or games have again been dealt with chapters in their own right.

As many as seven poems are included indicating that poetic expression lends itself to cathartic emotiveness. Just giving one example, Sarala’s poem  “Dementia, the Demon” typifies an AD patient and depicts the frustrations of a caregiver.

Advice to caregivers on avoiding care giver stress is provided.  Role of community in care provision take up two chapters (Ch 47 & 49).  Chapters 44 & 25 answer the most frequently asked question: “I am becoming forgetful; am I slipping into AD?”

Chapter 26 “What if I have dementia?” will surely be comforting to many seniors
who are likely to be diagnosed for AD as it gives practical tips. “Living Alone” also falls into this category.

End Matter contains endorsements, acknowledgements, resources, and references. References lean heavily on the sub theme of non-pharma approach to dealing with   dementia.  Afterword by Prof Siva Raju adds credibility to the author.

One small advice when the book goes for revision: In the Table of Contents, some chapter headings are in bold and others are in normal font giving an incorrect impression that the chapters are grouped according to some sub topics.  If chapters are really grouped into sub themes it will be very useful.


On the whole the book is neatly produced, cover design is attractive and the pricing is just right for Indian market. It will be useful to students and teachers of gerontology and geriatrics, doctors, Managers of Care giving centers, Caregivers and trainers and to any library in Senior Citizens   Associations.   

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