New year's Resolution

My new year's resolution is to come out clean; quit smoking and perhaps exercise more.

Smoking is bad, I know. Every time I smoke I get scared of cancer and dying young. Perhaps the disease has caught up with me even but I have no way of knowing since I haven't had health check-ups done in ages. One particular instance gives me shudder even now, last time my hair fell handful.

What started as a young girl's fancy has now become a woman's agony? I'm not a public smoker and a very few people know that I do. That's because I only smoke in the vicinity of my bathroom or the verandah, making my family the passive smokers. I hate doing it in public and I hate the smell when others do it and yet savor the smell when I smoke. Trust me; I'm not proud of it.

When it comes to smoking it's like, "I know I can quit smoking, I have done it hundred times before". In my case, I'd quit for a day and the very next day, before I know it I'd be standing by the pan shop. It's a sheer addiction and I curse that day in 2005 when I tried hard to learn from my seniors in RIM.

Come 2011 and I'd have to quit forcefully if not willingly. I'm glad the Tobacco Control Bill has been passed just in time. I can only hope for stern rules and reluctant shopkeepers, who wouldn't sell to me even if I begged on my knees.

Though I've always thought of myself as a good girl but smoking has marred my image, now I'm kind of disfigured and scarred for live and I've but long lost this decent girl image of mine. It's one bad habit that I've developed over the year and something I've come to regret a lot in the recent years.

The coming year I'm really hoping to come out clean even if it means for me to seek the help of rehabilitation centers (rehab), though my problem is not as dramatic but if it helps. In 2011, I hope the government can put total ban on the sale and use of Tobacco products, let them imprison the users. Let the rules be so strict that shopkeepers quit selling out of fear and the smoker quit smoking for the very same reason.

I'm really working towards achieving my resolution goal; I've been clean (of cigarettes) since yesterday morning. It's a small start but you have to begin somewhere right? That’s what I have done.

Thimphu ready for its first-ever Mayor

Mayor is the title used for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government. We have seen and heard of mayor(s) but in Hollywood movies.

Well the Dzongkha translation of the word ‘mayor’ is a ‘thrompon’ and of municipality is a ‘thromde’. It was decided during the last session of the parliament or a session before that, the towns of Thimphu, Phuntsholing, Gelephu and Samdrupjongkhar would be classified into class ‘A’ thromdes and each thromde is to have its own thrompon or the mayor.

Thromde election comes under LG (local government) elections and ECB (election commission of Bhutan) has already conducted many tests around the country. However, judging by the qualification of the Thrompon hopefuls that test may not be necessary. The candidates confirmed so far for the post of Thimphu’s first ever Thrompon are an architect, an engineer, a private company’s proprietor etc.

Those planning to contest for the post of Mayor are already identifying the city’s problems and making promises to resolve them at the earliest. People’s requirement of their mayor is one person who understands the town planning, land and housing issues, government policies and infrastructure and hence explains why the candidates are retired architect, semi-retired engineer etc.

On the eve of Bhutan’s first municipal elections, high hopes are vested in the Thrompon-hopefuls, expectations are varied and high. A mayor is the executive head of the city and a very powerful post. There are many wanting to be the one; however, just high qualifications and occupying the post are not good enough. We need action, we need changes for better, we need him/her to make a difference and we need it soon.

Identifying city’s problems, making false promises or giving long speeches are not enough to make a difference. There’s need of resources (human resources and others) and budget, to actually implement those plans. Perhaps it’d be wrong to blame our town planners and our would-be Thrompon even because we have to consider budget constraint before anything.

Reports say Thimphu has the current population of about 108,000 and only 6,486 registered voters. Which means only 6,486 people will decide what’s best for the rest of the people residing in Thimphu. It’s not fair not every citizen gets to vote, however, not many seems to care. This is how the modern mentality is like; we are all selfish. As long as it doesn’t affect us individually, we do not care much.

So someone from Thimphu valley, someone whose census is registered under Thimphu Dzongkhag (for at least last one year), someone in whom people have their faith gets to become Thimphu’s first-ever Thrompon. So far, three candidates have come forward to contest. I do not know anyone of them personally to give my judgment, nor does it count, so ‘may the best man win’.

Of Cycling and Fitness

They say cycling is a shortest road to fitness, not only it burns up your calories, tones your body and strengthen your heart but also help you stay in shape. Regular cycling gives you skinny upper body and shapely legs, or so they say.

Cycling is the best fitness exercise for obese people, since the weight of your body is supported by the cycle; it doesn’t exert much pressure on your joints. Couple of years ago, cycling wasn’t very common in the highland country like Bhutan. However, with the passage of time, cycle brand started producing cycles with gears as much as 25, which has perhaps convinced the Bhutanese small society to seek fitness out of harm work and gym.

I had a small cycle in Bangalore for 2 years, small enough to be for kids. Unfortunately my best buddy, Pema could never learn to balance her body on two wheelers or to ride for that matter. That’s why we could never enjoy a ride together but then I had my share of fun riding early mornings or on weekends. Those days we used to ride for hours for no apparent reason. Most of the times, it used to be my friend Mithun and I. Occasionally Tim used to join us for ride but then at times like this Pema was the cause of worry for us. Since none of us could take doubles, Pema had to walk, while we rode. For that reason, she hardly joined us.

Anyways that joy was short lived. When I graduated from Bangalore, I couldn’t bring my cycle on the train till NJP. That was the last I saw of my dear cycle and God knows I miss her very much. Well now that I’m in Bhutan, I can’t help falling for every geared and helmeted cycle on the streets here. So I thought of buying one myself and one day I asked opposition leader, Tshering Tobgay, the cost of cycles and Lyonpo was kind enough to answer my query.

To my disappointment, the cost of cycle freaked me out. For the life of me, I could never dream of owning one, the price was way above my budget and so I had to give up finally. Cycles are luxury items for the riches, not a necessity for middle-class people, like me.

However, we had this discussion in my office and to my surprise; many of my colleagues (males) are in awe of cycling and fitness. It was good to know, somebody shared my passion for riding. We had exclusive discussion on the topic and finally agreed that we all should take loan and buy one for each and maybe eventually go for long ride as a team. It was a sheer pleasure to talk about stuffs you like.

I’ve always admired Lyonpo Tshering Tobgay, for his passion for the sport. And it’d be a good way to start especially now that the world has become conscious of environment related issues like automobiles and pollution.

Someday, I’d hope to see the streets of Bhutan flooded with riders, not vehicles, accidents and traffic congestion.

The Blame Game

The recent fire incident in Bumthang that gutted 67 shops and houses rendered hundreds helpless and homeless was perhaps the worst fire incident Bumthang valley has experienced over that years, not to mention the lives lost to the fire. The whole nation is together in this; we grieve for the victims; dead and alive but even in tragic times like this some people are quite intended on blaming the disaster management, saying those people were not ready for disasters but always touring and training abroad.

The best thing we could do is to donate in cash or kind so that we can help the victims in our own small ways. The incident has already happened and there's not much use 'crying over the spilled milk' but prepare ourselves to prevent it from happening in the future.

It was a forth-night or two ago when I heard on BBS, the plan to shift Bumthang town to a new area called Dekiling in Bumthang. Though it was a good initiative but not all shopkeepers were happy about the new town plan. Apparently the MoWHS has only space for a hundred or so shops, rest 27 are to be in the Chamkhar town at least for few years. Perhaps due to that incident, people now are thinking, maybe there's a motive behind the fire. Though it was purely accidental but we can't stop people from having someone to put the blame on.

Some people were not even sure whether it was Chamkar forest or the town that caught the fire but still he blames it on women playing Khuru. This guy says women playing Khuru was a bad omen to begin with. The most recent controversial issue we had in Bhutan was women playing Khuru. Though not many are bold enough to voice it out but they are hell-bent on blaming those women for every bad thing that happened this year.

Where is the connection between the fire and the Khuru? How people can cook stories is amazing? Such superstition can really blind our good judgment. Although, I concede women playing Khuru is not a pretty sight to the onlookers but it definitely cannot be the cause of a fire incident happened miles away from the actual playground.

Perhaps the fire could have been averted if the town wasn't full of makeshift huts? Or if the town was relocated to Dekiling has planned? May be people didn’t build concrete buildings because of the relocation plan? Nobody knows for sure. But it's a shame for the Bhutanese small society that we hear of thieves and looters who come in the pretext of helping the fire victims but for their own good, in times like this.

The sad thing is that only few shops and makeshift wooden structures are insured with RICBL. If only such tragic incident was foreseen most residents could have insured their homes and the cost of rebuilding, RICBL would have to bear.

Disclaimer: I’ve heard of the fire incident on BBS for that matter the figures are not accurate. This article is not to offend any individual or organization. If I’ve done so please forgive me.

A Talk Show Host: To become or not to become?

As a kid we all wanted to become so many things but by choice or under compulsion many of us do not get to become what we wanted to become when we grow up. In a small country like Bhutan where population is less, opportunities are few.

A footballer in England has a celebrity status and earns millions of Dollars so does Sachin Tendulkar by cricket in India, earning crores of Rupees. The same cannot be said for Bhutanese people. In Bhutan, a footballer cannot choose football as his career because that’s not enough to earn his living. A Bhutanese footballer at the most can play at the national level, as soon as he goes out of the country, he loses the very first match to the opponent and returns home empty handed.

Although the Bhutanese small society has always been an advantage to its people but sometimes I can’t help but wish for a bigger country, more people and varied opportunities. The disadvantage of having small society is that there’s no audience and opportunities are restricted. Here in Bhutan people just prefer to stay in the ‘comfort zone’ by opting for the civil service because it’s safe and pays your bills at the end of the month either you work or don’t, leaving aside your hobbies and passion as past-time stuffs irrespective of your talent.

Every one of us wants to become famous and to crave our name in the society. I’d very much like to become a singer, but I have no good voice. Then I wanted to become an actor but I have neither looks nor the talent. So the other day I was thinking what would I have to do to make my existence known to others?

Finally I have figured out what I’d want to become in my life eventually; I could become a Talk Show Host. I was thinking it wouldn’t have to be as big as ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ neither as cheesy as ‘Coffee with Karan’ but it can have it own identity. With this thought in my mind, I logged in to my facebook account, created an application titled “The Ganzin Talk Show”, uploaded my logo but I couldn’t come up with a caption. I thought it should be something catchy so I thought would ‘Speak out your mind’ do? But that sounded like cliché, used often before. After debating arduously with myself I gave up and logged out of the facebook.

That night as I went to bed, I was thinking about that day and suddenly I was scared. Was I crazy to even think such thing? A Talk show host? For God’s sake, what’d I even talk about? Who could even come to my show? I’m not a famous face in town; nobody would even bother to watch. With hardly any audience, BBS would never consent to broadcast it. I was insane to even consider risking my career to give in to passion. I could never do this, at least not yet. With that emotional turmoil playing around in my mind, it was impossible to sleep. Then I rubbished away the thought and tried to think like a matured, wise woman. When I finally dozed off, towards the dawn, I’ve promised myself never to consider mixing my hobbies and passion with real stuffs.

I’ve kept that promise and never thought of it until I typed it here, at this moment…..

Dear God: who's God?

Dear Lord, with its all knowing, all seeing, all having ability,
is google God?
If google is only a software, what about its creators?
are Larry Page and Sergey Brin God?
If your argument is that they are human beings,
what about those 4 spiders that crawl over the world wide web?
are they God or only computer applications?

Well, my dear God, what about Mark Zuckerberg,
the inventor of facebook?
is this college kid a genius, for bringing together millions of strangers all around the world,
the person responsible for doing away with the boredom
and reduced productivity of employees in the office.
Perhaps, he's the messenger of God,
sent from heaven to help lonely people on earth?

But if facebook and google are god,
surely Bill Gates cannot be far behind,
for inventing the Microsoft, the world is indebted to this guy.
Without windows there's no question of technology


Just as people cannot do without food, so the entertainment,
Perhaps Angelina Jolie is Goddess?
with her beauty, talent and acting,
the world cannot do without her charms,
forget about providing homes to the homeless

But if we consider all those famous as God,
there surely would be unlimited Gods.
we'd want only one God, let that be you,
for in your hands, fall the responsibility of the world

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Love Tri-Angle

My love life has ended before it could begin because some old hag of a woman chose to haunt my life as a ghost from his past. I never did see this coming but even a man has more past than just meet-the-eye.

I met this guy about an year ago through chat and we had it going strong until recently. I thought this time it’s serious not like in the past but in the end all guys are same. Maybe God in heaven has already marked me as a confirmed spinster, maybe marriage was never meant for me but still sometimes it's sad to see none of my relationships working.

It's still a mystery whether the problem lies with me or the guys I've been seeing. I was about to fall in love when his past unfolds in front of me. My trust in him shattered when this middle aged woman emerged from his past, a woman seemingly had been financially supporting him for the past 6 years when he was still in college. Now that he's done with college she isn't willing to let go of him so easily. I have heard of female prostitutes but never a male whore.
I never thought a guy can sell sex for money neither did I think a time has come for women to opt for paid sex but then in our case it's understandable; a middle aged woman might have to pay if the guy is young enough to be her son.

Well in the end, I was but a mere pawn in the game played by an old woman and a manipulative young man. I was in rage but there was nothing I could do except let go of him. I didn't blame him for his past because I have no rights to but I'm insulted that he kept seeing her while he was with me. My only comfort is that I didn't do anything I might regret.

He did insist that he was done with her and that he wants a fresh start with me but if there was actually a ten months old baby involved then I didn't think we could start afresh. I might sound selfish but I never liked the concept of step mother or being one to a baby. I'd never be able to love someone's baby as my own when it's not, in fact I might even despise this baby because it reminds me of its mother.

After weighing all the pros and cons I had to back out of this love triangle. Even now I feel very sad, my pride is hurt most because a guy chose this old woman, mother of 3 teenage children to me but then all's well in the end. I could never be able to raise a husband, support him financially because my mindset is still conservative, and I believe a man is supposed to support his wife and family not the other way round.

All i did was remove him from my facebook friends' list, delete all his text messages and his mobile number from my cell and it's as if he never existed at all, that phase of my life is over and perhaps for good. The advantage of having a strong heart is it's easy to fall in love and easier yet to fall out of love. I didn't shed a drop of tear neither is my heart broken; it's still intact and inside the rib cage.

Voting System: Fair trial to judge the best?

In the recent years, almost everything in Bhutan has turned to the voting system, from parliamentary elections to reality shows and Miss Bhutan Pageant, voting through text messages and calls has become some sort of trend in Bhutan. It's very vague whether we credit this to Bhutan Telecom or the Democracy system of government in the country.

Well the motive initially was to select/choose the best by taking in the opinion of the public at large and awarding the best deserving candidate. However, due to the commercial interest of the organizers or the people involved, this motive was long lost. Still we cannot blame anybody in the system; not the organizers who seek to gain some financial benefits (nobody works for free), neither the supporters of the candidates those who want to see their candidate as the winner. Perhaps, Bill Gates is right in saying, "Life is not fair, get used to it!". We simply can't blame some people for having more money.

The rule of the game here is simple, 'if you don't like the heat, get out of the kitchen'. For middle class and poor people in Bhutan, unless one is exceptionally talented and blessed with beauty, it's better to stay out of the event instead of wasting one's time, energy and resources for nothing.

The big question here is, "Is voting a fair process to judge and choose the best one?" No, it isn't the best method, but then who cares to differ? who has the guts to go against the system and land up in controversies? Most people are just happy to follow the lead. And unless one is participating one self, one hardly bothers to indulge in the affairs so trifle.

I personally have nothing against the voting system, nor do I care who wins what, as long as I'm not in. However, it's but sad to see the deserving candidates go waste just because of financial issues and poor relatives. Maybe it's time we get used to the not-so-fair life.

Of Gangs, Cat fights and Weird sports

The Korean movies have glorified the gangsters so much that, youth in Bhutan have followed the trend. Who can blame the youngsters, the gangsters do look cute with suit, boots and stripped ties.

Every day the number of rowdy guys forming groups increase in number. The recent telecast of Bhutanese gangsters on BBS has perhaps made them look like celebrity. It's alarming to see so many of adolescent youth wasting their life away by forming groups and ending up behind the bars. May be it's time we analyze where the fault lies; whether it's the negligence of parents or unemployment or million other reasons.

Whatever may be the reason, it's one's own responsibility to take care of one's life. A person who can't think what's best for him/her is of no use to anyone. Perhaps the best way to reduce the number of rowdy guys is to impose strict punishment, rather than cleaning toilets and picking papers etc.

Well if young boys are difficult, girls are impossible. If women playing Khuru in Kira is not enough, there are girls fighting in night clubs. It was ridiculous to see Bhutanese housewives and middle aged woman in half kira playing Khura and cheering for themselves. Khuru, Bhutanese traditional game has been in the man's domain for centuries until recently. God knows what those groups of women were trying to prove by invading the male domain, playing the masculine game.

However, that wasn't as outrageous as the cat fight that happened over a fortnight ago. We did hear of women gangsters but couldn't comprehend whether women really were capable of actually implementing it. With aggressive and frustrated boys and girls around, Thimphu in particular, has become unsafe for Bhutanese citizens to be out in the streets at night. What's the world coming to? Whom do we blame, who's responsible for untamed youngster? So many questions but hardly any answers.

My Controversial Nature

Year 2003: 7 years ago, I was in Class 12. ISC Exams were approaching and the school authority refused to grant us two days study leave. As a result, we (class 12 students) decided to boycott the classes unless we were given the study leave. This action has enraged the teachers and principal so much that they threatened to send us all to jail. I’ve no remembrance of what had happened afterwards but our Physics teacher has refused to teach us the practicals that I nearly failed in the practical exam which eventually deteriorated my performance on the whole. Even to these days my mother blames the school councilor of that year for rebelling against the teachers and superiors. As a leader, she thought, the councilor was responsible.

Two years later I saw myself in RIM. That year our class made three-day trip to Phojoding, without the consent of management. When we returned punishment awaited us in RIM so when everybody was celebrating His Majesty’s birthday (K4) on November 11, 12 and 13, we were busy cleaning the drains without break. When I look back to those days, I can’t really say I regret it. All that matters is we had a great time.

In between, there were so many instances when I had to face people from all walks of life. Heated arguments, controversies, debate happened so many times that I now got used to it. I remember an incident in school, where we had a tea party in the broad daylight and nearly got choked out of school for indecent behavior although nothing of that sort was possible in class of 30 plus students.

The latest controversy I was involved in was the biggest E-mail scam. Though the intention was nothing malicious it has created enough fuss. However it’s a long story and I’d not elaborate it now. All I can say is, I do not regret what I’ve done. Everybody is entitled to their own perspectives and opinion; it’s only a difference of interpreting it. I did what I thought was right and I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks of me, as long as my conscience is clear, I’m on my part.

A Holy Matrimony or Modern Mockery??

I can’t help but be very cynical when it comes to marriages, love affairs and Live-in-sin relationships. Although ours is easiest sort in the world, with no ‘I do’ part’, no church and bridal gown, no Sadhu and mangalsutra, to bind you to a person in matrimony by a holy ceremony.

For Bhutanese people, marriage in fact is the simplest of all affairs. Two people, irrespective of sexes (today), sleep together one night and considered married the next morning (in most cases). There’s but a little distinction between Bhutanese matrimony and the western live-in relationships. People today have made a mockery of once holy matrimony, by often changing their life partners.

Modern men and women are very practical, that marriage has now become a business, where both parties seek to gain some benefits and advantages. Love and fondness is but an old fashioned, thing of the past. Today, rich marry riches, handsome marry beauties and yet we do have cases where rich oldies get to marry the pretty-young ones. The wrinkled oldies are sugar-daddy for the young and the young in turn become the possessions of the oldies, just as the oldie’s precious porcelain or his vast art collections, kept as a showcase.

In our forefathers’ time, marriages were for life time. Divorces were unheard of, shunned by the society if it happened at all. The social stigma that could attach along with is almost unbearable. Today, however, people rather take pride in changing their spouses like their attire. Somebody has rightly pointed out, “till death do us part? Not when we can divorce”, a perfect theme for today’s marriages. It’s easy to marry and easier to divorce.

In the past, our parents have tolerated each other for decades, despite all their differences. That’s how we are happy today but if we keep following the western trend of devastating divorces, for even a silly little stuff, we are bound to ruin the future of our children and destroy their lives before they could begin, for no fault of their own.
I’ve seen my share of ugly marriages and miserable couples, to know better than to believe in it. For god’s sake, where’s the initial love and insanity gone? Where’s the missing and I-can’t-live-without-you part? Are all those gone astray?

The basic problem with Bhutanese couples, is once bound by the marriage certificate or children, they tend to take things for granted. The search of Mr. /Mrs. Right is over, and then they lay back and relax. A married man starts receding hairline and bulging waistline. The case is no better for the women counterpart, after giving birth, a woman’s backside starts widening and her sagging bosoms, is a total turn-off for every onlooker. Gone were those fresh youthful looks. One can only understand why married couples tend to get repulsive by the mere sight of each other, since the eye fetching sight is no longer in place.

So far so good, no married couple has been a role model for those single ones on outlook for potential suitors, because every marriage has its own dirty ugly story. Adultery, love affairs and greedy relatives are some of the many reasons why couples fight, marriages break down and children suffer. I have many divorcee friends; single mothers and fathers, those who have tried their hands at marriage, for what is worth, their only regret is why they didn’t think twice before taking the huge leap. Can’t marriage be like software, with the testing part? That way, if all test cases are right, one can proceed to the next stage i.e. conceiving part so that no innocent children have to suffer.

In courts, high and district, divorce scenes are horrible and monstrous, with couples flying at each other’s neck and murderous gleam in their eyes shows not a tint of love they had for each other in the past. Couples blaming each other, the case of “pot calling the kettle black”. Eventually it’s the children, those who bear the consequences of some petty deed of their parents. Children, whose life is compromised by the circumstances and consequences of divorces, without being asked what they want, for their decision doesn’t count here.

Shocking: Revised taxes on vehicles..

The DPT government's decision to impose 50% tax on import of vehicles is simply ridiculous. I’ve only heard of sales tax and custom tax other taxes when the subject was discussed in the National Assembly, when the OL called for the Finance Minister’s resignation. Shocking as that may be, but it was nothing compared to hearing for the first time, there’s going to be whole 50% tax on vehicles, just when I was going to purchase one myself.
Like it or not the target victims are always the poorer section of the society because the rich ones can afford to buy even if the tax is 100% and high post holders can buy because they are entitled to quotas and high salary.
Why the government is always dividing the people; letting the poor remain poor and rich grow richer. If the government intends to put in place a fair system, it should do away with the pool vehicles and remove the quota system for the high-graders; otherwise it's as usual the middle and the lower class people that are suffering.
Bhutan does not manufacture a single car. It has neither the ability nor the raw materials so the only option left is to import cars. If we can manufacture cars within Bhutan then imposing high tax is reasonable since it can discourage people importing from outside. But traffic congestion and environmental issues are not reason enough to deprive people of buying cars.
Bhutan does not even have timely and good public bus services, so unless it's considering going back in time to the isolation age, there's no need to reduce vehicles on the road
My reasons for hating the taxes are shamelessly selfish. Though I do care about my fellow citizens of Bhutan but I’m not a MP, not a ruler, so I can’t do anything but wished what has happened should not have happened. The sales and customs tax (others if there are more), has come into implementation just when I was thinking of buying a car myself. Those taxes have discouraged me so much that I had to opt for a second hand car. I don’t care for environment friendly society when I have never done anything to harm it in the first place. I don’t wish to be push aside before trying my hands at the wheels.
I know my lone voice can do nothing against the revised taxes so we are all kind of helpless when it comes to the decisions already made by those in the house. All we can do is gossip in the kuensel online forum and talk in groups, and let the decision makers do whatever they feel like doing, even if when it comes to discussing their own pay hike or heavy taxes on the poor citizens.

My Father & His Potatoes

My father is a passionate farmer. I haven’t seen a man so hard working and so dedicated for a cause. Growing potato is no man’s ‘cup of tea’. You need to first till the soil, for countless times, put manure, spread the seeds and then make endless beds. After plantation is done, he had to sleep in the fields, for the whole season of the crop, safeguarding the crop from wild animals such as boars. During those sleep-over, our family dog, Blackie, is his sole companion. Every night, right after dinner, he’d leave for the fields, with Blackie tagging along, like an obedient servant.
On the sloppy land, behind our house, the potato fields stretch for acres. In between those vast fields, he had built himself a small hut with a space just enough for a bed. Besides the hut is another tiny hut with only a roof above, for Blackie. The duo remains alert most nights, pricking their ears to any tiny sound of boars and other animals, fearing his hard labor might go down the drain.
At harvesting time, I was present myself for a day. My father literally glowed with pleasure and pride, never failing to compliment his big and red potatoes, odd shaped potatoes and others. The man seemed so energetic uprooting potatoes, encouraging others and talking of the big money he could fetch with his crop like last year and contemplating what all things he’d buy with the money.
A week later he was in Phuentsholing auctioning his potatoes, in the FCB yard. The potato prices plummeted there due to the good yield from the Indian state of West Bengal or so they said. He could fetch only Nu. 830 per sack or 50 Kilos. For god’s sake, he bought the seeds, 3 months ago, at Nu. 1000 per sack , hoping for better yields. It was all to less for his hard labor, missing the warmth of his home at night, the wages he had paid to so many laborers he had hired etc.
Later that day, he was on the phone with me from Phuentsholing. Though he didn’t mention his hopelessness, I could hear tears in his voice. I felt truly sorry for my poor, deflated father then. The man seemed pissed and disappointed with the end result.
In the beginning of the season, we’d always discourage him against planting so many acres of potatoes but no amount of persuasion works with him when his mind is made up. He was adamant on having his way, hoping to make big money. However, the unfavorable potato prices have achieved the unachievable; it made my father realize it was all not worth the sweat.
In the end, I still feel sorry for my father and all potato planters in general, for the losses it has incurred. If this trend continues in the future, I’m sure no farmer would want to plant potatoes. This incident/event is very discouraging for our hardworking Bhutanese farmers. All we can do now is to keep our fingers crossed, and pray for better yields and favorable prices the next seson for what’s happened has already happened.

Smart Guy Vs the Dumb One

Loving an arrogant but smart guy seems like a toughest thing in the world; when he’s hurt he doesn’t show it, when he errs he makes it look like you are to be blamed. He remembers every word you uttered over a year ago and yet he denies feeling anything for you.
At times like this, you prefer a dumb guy, who seems to have no smart bone in his body but still he appreciates everything you ever do. He hangs on to your every word and look at you with eyes full of admiration for you. And yet when you are stuck with this guy for a long time, you feel like creeping into a hole and never come back again, if only to escape him.
The arrogant guy, on the other hand, is full of himself, with an ego size of his spread. He never lacks a snide remark, never forgets to compliment your looks and never forgets anything you said. He quite diplomatic when, he never forgets your birthday, and never remembers your age. But this guy becomes quite intolerable when he becomes so critical of things you do, he always makes you feel so small that you become awkward in his presence. ‘Discomfort’ is the word that describes your feelings when you are with this guy.
But this simple, stupid, dumb guy? You tend to take him for guaranteed. You only receive his call at leisure and hardly return them. You turn to him either when you are bored or when you are in need of comfort, and tend to ignore him totally when this smart guy is around to shower you with his false charm.
However, in the long run, if you expect permanence or some sort of commitment from a guy, better stick with this dumb guy, for you’ll be appreciated and cared for, all your life, though there isn’t much excitement. And if you are in for a fling or short-term affair, go after this smart guy like ‘dog on a leash’ , because you are bound to lose yourself respect, confidence and courage, with his cynical remarks and criticism, if you had a lifetime ahead of yourself.

Driving: My Passion, My Dream

 
If I were a boy, I’d become a driver because driving seems like the best profession in the whole wide world. I’ve always envied a driver more than a doctor but for the life of mine I could never afford to buy a car for myself neither had I the privilege to learn.
Knowing to drive must be loads of fun; seriously I fail to understand why some people hate driving or why big shots need drivers to drive them around the city or to work. If only I knew driving, I’d drive, drive and drive. If I had money I’d rather invest in cars than in real estate properties.
At this stage of my life, I deceive myself by thinking I’ve achieved the very basic necessities of life except maybe a car to complete the cycle. If I were to die in a couple of months, the first thing on my bucket list will be driving.  To me driving is like craziness, I totally adore it and it’s going to be stuck with me for a long time to come.
Now that I come to think of it, car loan is the sole reason why I joined a bank instead of the civil service, in the first place, since bank employees can avail car loan at 5 %. If only I could own a car by myself I wouldn’t have to rely on others to learn driving. As it is people are quite reluctant to lend their car for learning purpose because many believe new hands are not good for their car. As much as I love driving I’ve this wheel phobia equally (whatever the technical term for this is), but it’s not going to stop me from pursuing my dream, come may hell or high-water.
While walking to office in the morning, I envy every driver on the street that sweeps by me, that I’d so consumed by greed by the time I reached my office. For me, the greatest possession of any man, is a car (s), although almost every Bhutanese buy car (s) on car loan provided by the banks.
I just can’t wait for my probation period to get over so that I can avail the car loan too. Doesn’t matter how big or small, which brand, as long as it has 4 wheels, mobile and can take me to places?
Having learned absolutely no driving till date, I’m little skeptical of this car craziness; whether I’d ever learn or if I could afford, of accidents, of license etc etc…but come on, let me think of all these things in future. For now, I need to reassure myself that I can do it if million others can….

My Current Affairs

Waking up in the morning seems like a toughest thing, at least in the morning. You head feels like hundred kilos and you wish you could sleep for couple of hours more but can’t really do so because there’s always an office to go to and work to be accomplished. Though weary of the mere thought, you drag your heavy drugged body out of the bed and head for the bathroom. As soon as you splash a handful of cold water on your face you are jostled by reality so hard that it comes in full swing to you, then comes the problems associated with it. That’s when you begin to think of the day ahead; work pressure and domestic and personal problems and then you wish you could collapse on the bathroom floor and die in peace there.

Office work can be compared to household chores, how much ever you do today; same amount of workload can come up the next day as well. There are always so many issues to resolve, last minute problems that need your immediate attention. You get so engrossed in your work that it’d be lunchtime before you realize the time, yet you can’t exactly skip your lunch because your empty stomach hollers for it. Lunch is always a hurried procedure since there is personal work to be attended to because you can’t bunk your office for personal needs.

With the lunch break over you resume your work and mull over it for hours before you realize it’s dark outside and time for you to leave. As soon as you reach home you’d feel like stretching your cramped muscles, rest your tired exhausted body or even take a nap but where’s the time? Dinner is awaiting your arrival, all set to be prepared. Now who says cooking is a pleasure, that you’d enjoy doing it? You only cook because nobody else is going to do it for you. There are dishes to be washed, curries to be prepared, floor to be swept and other basic necessities to be done. You’d be so tired after doing all that it’d be after midnight when you eventually retire to bed then there’s always a romantic novel to keep you awake all night. At the end of the day you realize that you wasted away all day doing nothing significant, one precious day of your life is wasted just like that and yet you couldn’t have hoped to do more because you have only 24 hours in a day just like the guy next to you. Likewise everyday is spent, doing the same old things, learning nothing new and leaving you vaguely dissatisfied and regretful.

Yet your financial problems are never far from your mind. The salary you get at the end of the month may seem like a huge amount to someone but you could finish that in the in no time and there’s no extra source of income. You have few expectant faces relying on you, so many ways to spend money, so many people to spend on but all you could ever do is to wish and to dream, yet you are scared to dream for the fear that dream may not materialize. And so and so the problem list is endless that makes you wish if you could escape to a very far away land.

Sometimes you become so engrossed in your problems and thoughts that you forget to call up friends, socialize that you lose your touch with the world outside. Yet all your week days are spent with trifle things and kept you so busy that you’d be looking forward to a quite Sunday, all day in bed but when the day dawns, you are awakened by the shrill ringing of your cell phone because you forgot to switched it off the night before, people needing your favors, help etc that takes away the much awaited sleep. The day is over before you know and your plan to sleep off the day has failed to surface yet again.

The next morning you are in office before time just like any other day except, this morning you have Monday-morning feeling hanging in the air around you. That’s when you know how futile and vain this recycle of life is.

Being an Egg Dealer

My sister has 24 hens back at home in Paro. A small poultry farm, if I dare say so. The hens are beautifully red and big and the poultry is immaculately kept, spacious and cozy.

In our locality, there are so many farmers raising hens since the bird flu spread over southern Bhutan and egg prices rose like hell, that eggs won’t fetch much amount now. So one day my sister asked me if could find buyers in Thimphu. That was about a month ago, since then I’ve sold more than 50 dozen eggs at Nu. 100 per dozen. Being an egg dealer is my first business venture. Although I get absolutely no profit or no commission from selling eggs, somehow it feels good to be doing something for my sister. I haven’t been able to help my sister financially because my monthly salary is hardly sufficient for myself and my livelihood but this egg business gives me an immense pleasure to be helping my sister and also to make myself useful.

Couple of years ago I’d be ashamed of selling eggs but now, trust me, I feel proud to have something to sell. I guess I can only credit this feeling to maturity. Adulthood is great; it acknowledges the truth of reality. Well before I divert from the mainstream, I’d once again I am a full fledged business woman now (this may sound little exaggerated, sorry).

At my place here, my brother-in-law, brother and nephew are always mad at me because I won’t let them have even one egg without paying. Though I am fond of eggs myself, I always let my brother-in-law buy eggs from me, for our own use. So they’d be kind of happy when occasionally some eggs are broken on the way from Paro, because then I couldn’t sell but forced to have them for ourselves.
I call up my relatives, friends and acquaintances if they want to buy and always make it a point to collect the payments on time. From all these experiences, I now believe I’m a ruthless business woman and loving it

Well, my next business venture; I’m thinking of buying few shares of Druk PNB but nothing is confirmed yet. Though I believe investment is the best business, I can’t help but be little skeptical about it. That’s all I can say for now.

Books (Novels) I've read

Books Read List

Sleepless in Thimphu...

Since the last day of Paro Tsechu I haven’t had much of sleep. The night before I could go to bed at 11 pm and wake up at 2 30 am. It was more than an hour’s drive to Paro. Along with thousands other devotees I had the blessing from the holly Paro Tsechu Thongdrel. When we returned to Thimphu, it was already past 9 am so I had to report directly to office.

That was 4 days ago. Since then I didn’t get enough sleep to rest my exhausted body. Day time in office and night time there’s always some problem with the system so I had to stay up all night. Today’s my fourth night of sleeplessness.

Sometimes I wish I could really lash out at somebody, or even cry to let out my frustration but when I think about it there’s nothing much I can do but resign to my fate. This is a life I have made for myself and can’t really blame anyone, like it or not. I can’t really call it a life because I haven’t been living for a long time now mostly due to that fact that I have been doing nothing a normal person does. Where I reside, there’s no clear distinction between a personal life and the professional one for I have jumbled up everything like a thick vegetable soup.

Friends are accusing me of not responding to their chat, not calling them and not keeping in touch but I have always excused myself, thinking “next time I’ll, as soon as I get time to” although that time has never come so far.

At this juncture of my life, I have neither friends nor foes because I have lost all my good friends and I never got time to make foes. At times I wonder if I am really living for I have become more of a robot oscillating between home and office and yet when I have the leisure I can’t rest because I feel restless, a void in me seeming like something is missing and I feel like a school girl having bunked the classes and scared of being caught by the teacher.

If only I could redo everything, bring my life to the normal track I have been traveling before, things would be so much simpler. …

12 Angry Men – A movie review

12 Angry Men would remain my favorite for all times for the theme and the storyline and cast everything. Set up against the post war period of 1957 America, the movie was made in B&W.
An 18 years old boy, brought up in slums, mother died when he was only 9 was tired in the court for murdering his father.
It was a first degree murder, two witnesses, an old man and a middle aged woman have claimed that they saw him stabbing his own father in the chest and insisted that there’s no denying the facts.
Those days in the American judiciary system (I’m not sure if this custom is still in practice), a jury, comprising of 12 stranger men from different states, of varied background and profession, of whose identity nobody knows, were summoned by the court to decide the fate of the defendant.
Well these 12 men are first briefed on the case, they were made to watch the court proceedings for 3 consecutive days then they were locked up in the jury room to decide the fate of this boy in question.
However, the verdict is to be unanimous. The vote should be twelve-to-zero, either in the favor of guilty or not-guilty. With that, these 12 men are locked up in the jury room, with no contact with the outside world. Anything they require, they just need to knock the door and the man guarding the door hands the things in.
The men then sits down to talk despite the souring heat of the room since the old fan the room possessed has long ceased to function. At first, the pleminary vote was called out. 11 men voted guilty. Had it not been for this one man, they could have made the decision then but there’s 1 man who voted not-guilty. He’s the protagonist of the movie, Henry Fonda (one of my fav. Hollywood actors), when the other 11 men argue with him that the boy is plainly guilty, he says they are sending this boy to an electric chair, that they cannot decide somebody’s life in just 5 minutes. They could talk for an hour supposing they are all wrong.
And talk they did. Throughout the movie we see heated argument of the jury men. Personal prejudice, carelessness, frustration, impatience were some of the feelings the men had to endure for the hours they were locked up in that room. The lone man who voted not-guilty initially has this guilty conscience what if they are sending this innocent boy to an electric chair just because the men are not willing to talk it out.
Well this protagonist, with his thoughtfulness, tactics reason with others, argue and slowly gain the confidence of other men that there’s a room for a doubt in this case. With his detective-like brain, we now see more votes turning in favor of not-guilty. Some because they genuinely believed in the reasons, some because they are impatient go their ways, get home not bothered with what happens to the boy.
In these 12 men we see very varied characters. Each man is different from the next as it’s in reality. Some are sensitive, some with cool business-like attitude, some are nasty and loudmouth, some bother less but towards at the end of the movie, we see all the men turning their votes in favor to not-guilty because of the specific details and the possible mistakes that might have gone unnoticed by the defendant lawyer, as explained by the protagonist. Even the nasty, excitable man had to change his vote to not-guilty because he couldn’t prove the defendant otherwise. We see this man acting like he has some personal grudge towards this boy he has never seen before in life except in the court few days ago. But at last we see the protagonist forgiving this man because he had differences with his own son and this hatred to his own blood has blinded his judgment and developed prejudices to all sons. This man has taken the case personally and wanted the defendant hanged.
Well with the unanimous verdict of “not guilty” the men all exits the room to go their ways, to their old life, but changed and learned.
What happens to the defendant, an 18 years old boy, is obvious. Though not shown in the movie, we assume he’s a free bird since the jury found him innocent of the murder of his father. If not him, who was it that murdered this boy’s father 3 months ago? Nobody knows…

My collection of Phrases & quotes

Following are the phrases and quotes i have collected over the years from the Novels I read and movies I watched. Many may sound like cliques, for that I beg your pardon

Competition brings out the best in all of us.
May the best man win.
Spare me the jokes.
Isn't everyone entitled to an impartial judgment
Stirring a muddy pool
Injured silence
Run errands
Even prisoners on death eat turkey on the thanksgiving
What's an age? a sign that i've been here before you?
Doing nothing will wear you out
You are young once
'I like woman with past and a man with future' - Oscar Wilde
'The day's when women's sole aim in life is to secure a husband are long gone' - Penny Jordan
When in Rome do as the Romans do
A simple Yes or NO will suffice
Keeping head over water
stay loose
if you don't like the heat, get out of the kitchen
mend fences
Pigs will fly
it's better to be called Mr. Late than late Mr.
What's death? When could they remove the organs of a man deceased to use them as replacements
for defective parts of man diseased?
Husband/wife material
Even Mona Lisa's smile would get on your nerves
Marriage: the truimph of hope over experience
Lost cool
Sugar coat
Holier than thou
Ratio of cow to bull
Play god
there's more to life than having men around all the time
i didn't mean to pry
he thinks in Black & White but me in a shade of Gray
chalk and cheese
Taking toll
then we are even
hush-hush business
monday morning feeling
two advisers: Sally success & Fred failure
Millions saw the APPLE fall but Newton was the one who asked why
the grass is always greener on the other side
If he can - i can
the sixth sense
see the oak tree not a corn
i don't think Noah has copyrighted his name yet. He's probably tried though
overlooking facts
Food for thought
Round of applause
History repeats itself
crying over spilt milk
Putting cart before the horse
take the bull by the horns
Leave no stone unturned
pull yourself together
Put words in one's mouth
time of one's life
stubborn as a mule
strong as an ox
aching void
acknowledge defeat
goes without saying
spill the beans
where angels fear to tread
cocooned life
i-told-you-so looks
ignorance is bliss
as we speak
mood swing
beggars cannot be choosers
old habits die hard
devil-may-care attitude
one thing lead to another
buy it
Not in so many words
who am i trying to fool
a leopard doesnot change his spot
a son can't be a man until his father dies
spare the rod and spoil the child
victorain attitude
much water has passed under the bridge
where ambition runs thicker than blood, where relations change every friday
reel romance turning real
wallow in self-pity
inner voice/divine mind/intuition
amen to that
love is a game of power, manipulation of emotions
a piece of stock has no future; you have to know when to cut losses and when to sell
green signal - permission/approval
survival of the fittest
barricading the heart against hurt
it rains on the just and unjust
cloud nine
picture of health
news to send champagne cork flying
commitment phobe
social niceties
playing hard-to-get
breathing down my neck
even god rested on seventh day
jokes apart
revenge is a meal best served cold
every Tom, Dick and Harry
'However' is a fancy 'But'
'enough is enough' looks
a moment on the lips, forever on the hips
rats deserting a sinking ship
well behaved women rarely make history
Politically right/ technically right
genteel poverty
sex: do not condemn it; condom it
in cash or kind
Blessing in disguise
wishful thinking
Miss High and Mighty
caught off-gaurd
the ball is in your court
too good to be true
in business, one man's loss is another man's gain
when dinosaurs roamed the earth
plauged mankind for centuries
affairs around the globe
cat that ate the cream
oldest trick in the book
there are good fish in the sea as they came out
stand behind, stand firm
women: can't live without them, can't live with them
you can't hurt me. you don't matter enough to hurt me
Novelty: bejewelled, breathing fossils of feudalism
His jaw quivers and his saliva runs
don't put all your eggs in one basket
which way the wind is going to blow
i'll reason with him
if you played your cards right
Proper channel
Parts & parcel
Long Face
illicit activity
Pea green with envy
Your secret is safe with me. i'll take it to my grave
the battle maybe lost but the war is far from over
the pot's calling the kettle black

Twitter Updates on your Blog

I know twitter is some sort of short blogging system. I also know that you can twit from your mobile to your blog, a way to keep your friend and readers updated on what’s going on with you. In fact I have reserved a space on the right-side bar on my blog for my twitter updates but I wasn’t sure if our mobiles could support this.  I knew twitter is a hot stuff in the western world but in the third world countries, I couldn’t be sure.
So I was shocked to see twitter on OL Tshering Tobgay’s blog. Frankly speaking, I must have conceived this idea long before he did but things doesn’t work so easily for us so he got it on his blog before I could.  I do admire him for keeping in touch with his readers with twitter updates, twitting his daily and hourly activity on his blog.
I just can’t comprehend how the guy’s done that. Don’t even know whether it’s some mobile application or internets, whether it’s free or charged. Can anybody tell me how it’s done here in Bhutan? But I’m guessing you have no idea too since nobody has it on his/her blog except for the OL.

A Letter

Dear blog
i know i haven't been in touch with you for a long time now but trust me i have been really busy with life. These past weeks have been crazy times of my life not that i blame time but I was starting a new phase so can't really blame anyone.
well basically life's been oscillating between home and office. working, running here and there, doing favors for friends and acquaintances and long hours in office makes my day but in the end what matters is how much you learned that day, how useful that day has been to you, isn't it?
on the whole I'm happy with the end result of my "Day Planner". All my "to do" lists were ticked and I'm glad for that. Life's busy but quite fulfilling

Watching Druk Star on saturday afternoons, having dinner in office, waking up at mid-day on sundays were some on my outrageous weekend activities. Besides those i look forward to sundays all week because that's the only day I get to sleep late.
Well well well I don't have time to write more. Gotta work on that new blog i am designing in wordpress with xampp database but I got to tell you this; it's going to be different from the previous one. This new one mainly focuses on IT stuff, something I should have done before only. Just wait and watch. deal?
Yours Payday

Agony of Valentine’s Day

For the last 3 consecutive years, in Bangalore, I have received the same message (sms) on the eve on the Valentine’s Day:

“For those who are single on the Valentine’s Day, happy independence day”

This constant reminder of my single status really got on my nerves so last Valentine I vowed not to remain single on the next. One year has passed without my notice and here I am as single as before. Couple of years ago I used to think there’s more to life than having men around all the time but this childish perception of mine had to change with changing times. Today you’d be considered a gay if people do not find you dating an opposite sex frequently.

Girls my age have kids going to school and I am still deceiving myself with the idea that I am too young to settle down in life. I didn’t get time to hunt for Mr. Right and can’t compromise with Mr. Wrongs, which left me where I was 5 years ago, a single woman and probably a confirmed spinster all my life. Perhaps I am being too skeptical of those guys I have met till now or maybe I haven’t met the guy I like to spend the rest of my life with.
But then I never had any problem with my marital status, not on any other day except the Valentine’s. This day reminds me of the romantic love that I lack and makes me want to creep into a hole. More over living in the heart of the city is like rubbing salt to a wound because you get to hear all the lovers’ conversation from outside, when you are trying to shut off the couple’s talk and sleep off that day so that you can wake up to a normal day.

This year I changed my tactics though, I have decided to visit a temple instead of being lonely on the fateful day. Fortunately the day coincides with Losar (Bhutanese New Year or Tibetan is it?), so I get to run away from the buzzing city. After all what could be a better hide out than my quite village and who could be a better company than the almighty himself?

So this plan of mine, if it gets executed sounds like a perfect one. It may seem pretty weird but then it’s better to spend a day with god instead of a bunch of girls locked up in hostel like the previous years.
I just wish this day comes once in 100 years so that I won’t be here on the earth to witness this stupid day at all.

All in One

• I always fight with my kid brother and ends up in tears. Somehow we are worse-than-enemy siblings; can’t stand the sight of each other but I still miss him when he’s not with me and still love him as any other sister could.

• A newly recruited employee of my office was killed in an accident on her way to her actual placement. All of her 15 plus years of studying and 1 month of job training is wasted. What a terrible loss?

• There are so many unemployed graduates in the country as there are job vacancies but all those vacancies are for “in-service” candidates. Now, how’d government reduce unemployment problem in the country by offering jobs to those people who already have one and let the unemployed youths vegetate? What a crap!

• Traffic police supposed to be patrolling the streets at night are teasing girls walking alone at night instead of controlling the rowdy guys. If the law men act like that, what can we expect of others? Is justice gone astray? 

• Facebook is a big distraction for every office goers (including me). If the company/organization/government wants some productivity from their employees, they’d better ban it or block the site during office hours. I have noticed the first thing people do in the office is to open their facebook page.

• Why do we always remember god in times of need and forget him afterwards? I was praying like hell, visiting temples before my interview and RCSC exams but I don’t do it anymore. Somehow I can’t bring myself to do anything superstitious now.

The Call

I take my cell in my hand and ask myself, “should I call now?” no, I cannot call, not now at least. I dare not. My hand would automatically grab my mobile and punch in his number. Somehow this has become something like naturally initiated stimulus and I had to literally drag my hand away. The left hand has assumed the role of controlling the right because it’s always the right hand that goes in search of my cell.

Suddenly I am scared of the mere thought of calling. What if he chose to ignore it? Worse still, if he decides to cut it. How humiliating for me then? Would I be able to live with that insult?

Love or infatuation, whatever you call it, is a crazy thing. It makes you go nuts and do crazy stuffs. Then again, my right hand gradually snatches the phone for the hundredth time and I take a moment to reconsider.
“Should I call now or should I wait for his call?” but what if he never calls? Can’t I not forget my pride just this time and initiate. Maybe it’s no big deal at all. Maybe I am being indecisive and overly sensitive. I am calling now. Whatever happens afterwards let me deal with the consequences. I punch in the number again and decide to press the green button.
“Oh nooooo..” the bombshell dropped. I can’t do this. Those unanswered questions popped up in my head yet again.
The spacious room suddenly seems so small. I feel breathless now and my whole body is shaking. I feel like a school girl in the principal’s office ready to be penalized for some mischievous offense.

For every incoming call my ears would prick like that of a dog’s to the sound of bones only to end up disappointed when the caller id reveals it’s not him.

No I can’t do this today. I don’t have the guts to call now. Perhaps next time? Or the next-next time….if there’s one for us.

Generous with beggars

Are Bhutanese people by nature compassionate? Or do we credit this compassion to Buddhism in us?

Last Sunday, I was waiting in my cousin’s taxi at the Centenary Farmer’s Market while he went to fetch few more passengers to Paro. There was one beggar on the steps of the wooden bridge over Wangchhu. As people climbed up and down the steps, I noticed many people stopping by the beggar and giving the poor man his day’s earning.

First a group of youth came down the steps. All of them handed him Nu. 5 note. After seeing them do so, a little girl handed him Nu. 5 note as well.
Afterwards, two nuns reached his side, looked at him with a mixture of sympathy and helplessness in their eyes and opened their purse and gave him Nu. 10 and Nu. 5 note respectively.

Unlike people coming down the steps, those climbing up were not so generous with their cash. Are they waiting for their return from the other side or is this got something to do with our belief that, poor are poor because of their generous nature? Usually we find rich people are more stingy and difficult to part with their money.

After a while a man in black gho climbed down the steps leisurely, paused at the beggar’s side. I thought he was having second thoughts whether to give or not to give. Finally he’s given in to the temptation and offered the poor man Nu. 10 note.

That was the last I saw of the transaction taking place since my cousin came with the required passengers and we started out with the journey to Paro.
I wanted to see the beggar so much but was lazy to get out of the taxi. I couldn’t see the face of the beggar because he was sitting behind the wall which barred my sight of him. But for the life of me I’d never understand why people there were so attracted to this beggar in particular.
Never had I seen people giving Nu. 10 note to any beggar. So what was the attraction? Was he (it could have been she) in such pathetic condition? Or is it because people in that particular region are more generous? I didn’t stay long enough to find out.

My Space

My office on the whole is a jumble of wires and systems lying all over the place and there’s hardly place for you to move around in the huge room. But there in the corner I have maintained a place for myself. Something I can call my own.

Well I have a computer and a desk that spans two adjacent walls in the corner of the room. Everything is immaculately in place. That’s very typical of me now. The walls are clean with calendar and few pictures of Guru Rinpoche and His Majesty. I have not overdone the walls like that of pan-dokan (pardon my spelling) because I wanted to give a professional look to it.
The two drawers are spotless except for few types of stationery like rough papers, cello tape, stapler,few spiral notes and a photo frame. On the partition wall, is few stick notes supposed to remind me of the things to do? At my feet lies the heater, which of course won’t be necessary in the summer.

With the above said things and a comfortable rotating chair completes the picture. This is how I always wanted things to be. I am glad that I wake up in the morning and have a place to go everyday. I always look forward to coming and being here all day long. I think I have found what I have been looking for all my life.

Now all I need to do is to be professional and work and my life is complete. I believe I have found all my missing pieces now.

Love and live life!!

p.s. I will upload a picture (of my office) to justify my article

Make Money by writing Online

They say the internet is full of opportunities. Thanks to the modern technology, today we can go to the day-job and still earn side income by writing something you’d enjoy especially if you are an aspiring writer. There are hundreds of websites which employ freelance writers.

We have our own share of Bhutanese writers. There are people writing in Nopkin.com, Kuzuzangpo, Kuensel forums etc. I have no idea if our Bhutanese writers and bloggers are contributing to the revenue generating websites but if you haven’t yet, maybe it’s time you did.

I am not talking from experience but have learned through the reviews of millions of freelance writers around the globe. I don’t know how it might work with us but we do have good writers in Bhutan too. Well I believe it’s worthwhile to gain extra revenue while pursuing your own hobby (that being writing).

If you already have a blog to your name, do add google’s adsense to the free space on your blog. They say every click by your readers would fetch you little money. Earning few bucks while doing what you love is motivating and added bonus.

There’s a thirst for some good materials to read especially when magazines mainly focus on celebrity gossips and newspapers on the current affairs and facts.

Just write some quality articles on the popular subjects and contribute to any website that accepts your writing.
Following are few recommended sites I have collected for the past couple of days based on people’s review.

• Suite101.com
• eHow.com
• associatedcontent.com
• helium.com
• reviewstream.com

And there are thousands more. Log on to any of these sites and submit your articles. Based on their rules and company policy, you will be paid. See it for yourself for details.

Once again, I repeat, I have not done any contributing but I might in future. I’m not even sure if they accept Bhutanese writers because some sites are solely for Americans and restrict others but then you can check that before you proceed.

Good luck with your writing. Start today and be a freelance writer and earn!