Communication is important.
It is the key to everything, especially in today's world......
On one hand it is the fun of getting connected to school friends after so many years, on the other, it is the disconnect with a person standing next to you.
One one hand it is the excitement of 'sharing' your vacation photos with people around the world instantly, on the other, it is missing the sunrise with your own eyes!
On one hand it is being more productive doing round-the-clock Skype meetings across the world, on the other, it is missing lunchtime with your favourite colleague!
On one hand it is playing a thrilling game with an unknown online friend, on the other, it is missing the thrill of breaking the neighbour's window in street cricket!
On one hand it is sending emoticons with all possible different expressions, on the other it is missing that one smile which no emoticon can express!
On one hand it is communicating 25 times a day, on the other, it is missing her handwritten 'love you' at the end of the letter.
It is the key to everything, especially in today's world......
Whether you are complimenting your 4-yr old son on his clean dinner plate, or explaining the 'rules' to your teenage daughter, or giving a 'push back' to your boss at work or asking your mother for her best recipe over phone, or calling customer service to complain about the broken microwave or wishing a belated birthday to your best friend or thanking the husband for the solitaire(??) or...whatever...
Everything is about communication.
Did the message land correctly?
Of late, I have started to think a lot on this topic.
Are we communicating?
Did the message land correctly?
Of late, I have started to think a lot on this topic.
No, nothing to do with age or grey hair or reflections!
;-)
The question we need to ask:;-)
Are we communicating?
I know, I know....what an absurd question!
In today's world who is NOT COMMUNICATING?
Everyone is connected! 24/7 !!
But does being technically connected all the time ensure proper communication?
I doubt.
In today's world who is NOT COMMUNICATING?
Everyone is connected! 24/7 !!
But does being technically connected all the time ensure proper communication?
I doubt.
Over the years, the mode of communication has changed a lot.
With the advent of technology, we have become faster in communication.
The small device which has become our extended hand (and an integral part of our lives) has made the world a smaller place.
It is 'smart' and allows us to communicate all the time and with the whole world.
My personal feel is that the smartphone has made communication 'easier and faster' but not necessarily 'better'!
With the advent of technology, we have become faster in communication.
The small device which has become our extended hand (and an integral part of our lives) has made the world a smaller place.
It is 'smart' and allows us to communicate all the time and with the whole world.
My personal feel is that the smartphone has made communication 'easier and faster' but not necessarily 'better'!
(Totally my personal opinion)
On one hand it is the fun of getting connected to school friends after so many years, on the other, it is the disconnect with a person standing next to you.
One one hand it is the excitement of 'sharing' your vacation photos with people around the world instantly, on the other, it is missing the sunrise with your own eyes!
On one hand it is being more productive doing round-the-clock Skype meetings across the world, on the other, it is missing lunchtime with your favourite colleague!
On one hand it is playing a thrilling game with an unknown online friend, on the other, it is missing the thrill of breaking the neighbour's window in street cricket!
On one hand it is sending emoticons with all possible different expressions, on the other it is missing that one smile which no emoticon can express!
On one hand it is communicating 25 times a day, on the other, it is missing her handwritten 'love you' at the end of the letter.
I am not against any of these technologies. I am an avid user of these technologies myself and I struggle too with the balance.
I feel concerned about their "over use"! or even "ab-use"!
I feel concerned about their "over use"! or even "ab-use"!
One scary effect I see nowadays is that we have become a lot more indifferent to our surroundings.
On many occasions, I even feel that we do not care anymore.
How can we care about our surroundings?
We never look up anymore!! (No pun intended)
On many occasions, I even feel that we do not care anymore.
How can we care about our surroundings?
We never look up anymore!! (No pun intended)
Whether it is at the airport or the dentist's waiting room or a lovely beach......we all have our heads bent over our phones.
We are apparently communicating!
I watch my 12-yr old son play with his friend. Both boys end up spending the entire time on their tablets playing online, sitting "side by side" in the same room without uttering a word to each other directly.
We are apparently communicating!
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Keeping the young ones away from these 'smart' devices is also a struggle for the parents.
A mere 'NO' does not work.
It has become very important to do something "together"!
... the art of communicating 'smartly' without using 'smart' devices....
;-)
Time for some food now. Lets cook together.
Quiche Lorraine
A-junior loves to cook. He wanted to buy a cookbook (yet another!)last week.
....we never say 'NO' to books.
Hence the book was bought and put to use immediately.
The plan (at this moment) is to cook atleast one recipe from the book every week.
Yesterday we made Quiche.
I loved the Quiche.
I could 'smartly communicate' some Broccoli florets into the original recipe and it kept the boy happily away from his 'smart' devices for 2 hours.
;-)
Although quiche is now a classic dish of French cuisine, quiche actually originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, under German rule, and which the French later renamed Lorraine. The word ‘quiche’ is from the German ‘Kuchen’, meaning cake. The original ‘quiche Lorraine’ was an open pie with a filling consisting of an egg and cream custard with smoked bacon. It was only later that cheese was added to the quiche Lorraine. [from the net]
For the dough:
Ready steady cook:
Mix the flour and the butter with both your hands (to make it crumbly)
Apparently this step was really enjoyable according to A-junior...
Use cold water to make it into a tight dough. Preheat the over to 200 degC .
Roll out the dough into a large round shape and carefully place it on a ovenproof dish in such a way that it covers the sides as well. Press gently into the corners and cut off excess dough over the sides. Set it in the refrigerator till you use it.
Make it smile too.........
In a frying pan, heat the butter and add the onions. Cook for 2 mins.
Add the bacon and saute for a while till they are crisp and golden brown. Add the broccoli florets (keep saying how beautiful the green looks and what a fantastic idea it was to add them to the original recipe).
Add black pepper and salt. Careful with the salt, bacon has a lot of salt already.
First bake the Quiche form in the oven for 10 mins till it turns a very light brown.
Take it out from the oven, pour in the filling and spread it evenly.
Add the grated cheese, the whipped eggs and the cream.
Bake it again at 190 degC for 20-25 mins, till it is golden brown.
Enjoy !!
A mere 'NO' does not work.
It has become very important to do something "together"!
... the art of communicating 'smartly' without using 'smart' devices....
;-)
Time for some food now. Lets cook together.
Quiche Lorraine
A-junior loves to cook. He wanted to buy a cookbook (yet another!)last week.
....we never say 'NO' to books.
Hence the book was bought and put to use immediately.
The plan (at this moment) is to cook atleast one recipe from the book every week.
Yesterday we made Quiche.
I loved the Quiche.
I could 'smartly communicate' some Broccoli florets into the original recipe and it kept the boy happily away from his 'smart' devices for 2 hours.
;-)
Although quiche is now a classic dish of French cuisine, quiche actually originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen, under German rule, and which the French later renamed Lorraine. The word ‘quiche’ is from the German ‘Kuchen’, meaning cake. The original ‘quiche Lorraine’ was an open pie with a filling consisting of an egg and cream custard with smoked bacon. It was only later that cheese was added to the quiche Lorraine. [from the net]
For the dough:
- All purpose flour: 200 gms
- Salted butter: 100 gms
- cold water
- Butter: 15 gms
- Onion : 1 (finely chopped)
- Bacon cubes : 100 gms
- Broccoli: small florets ( the mother's addition)
- Cheese : 60 gms (grated)
- Eggs : 2
- Cooking cream : 200 ml
- Salt, black pepper : to taste
Ready steady cook:
Mix the flour and the butter with both your hands (to make it crumbly)
Apparently this step was really enjoyable according to A-junior...
Use cold water to make it into a tight dough. Preheat the over to 200 degC .
Roll out the dough into a large round shape and carefully place it on a ovenproof dish in such a way that it covers the sides as well. Press gently into the corners and cut off excess dough over the sides. Set it in the refrigerator till you use it.
Make it smile too.........
In a frying pan, heat the butter and add the onions. Cook for 2 mins.
Add the bacon and saute for a while till they are crisp and golden brown. Add the broccoli florets (keep saying how beautiful the green looks and what a fantastic idea it was to add them to the original recipe).
Add black pepper and salt. Careful with the salt, bacon has a lot of salt already.
Take it out from the oven, pour in the filling and spread it evenly.
Add the grated cheese, the whipped eggs and the cream.
Bake it again at 190 degC for 20-25 mins, till it is golden brown.
Enjoy !!
