Author Archives: Anitaelise

Men-Oh-Pause

Men-Oh-Pause, give your wives a break,

Don’t get up and leave them to wash up the plates.

They’re on their feet before every meal,

Cooking and washing and keeping the home clean.

They won’t cook once daily ‘cos you want your meals fresh,

And I think that you know that they really need some rest.

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Women-Oh-Pause, just stop and think.

Is your busy lifestyle driving you to the brink?

Long working hours, then a fancy vacation,

When you need to work less, and have a nice lazy stay-cation.

Men, do some housework. It will keep you fit,

And your blood sugar levels might even come down a bit.

Women slow down before you get older,

Set routines that help family have time together.

People make time, slow down the pace,

So you have memories that will put a smile on your face.

Being so busy that there’s no time for family is starting to be the norm in many homes today. It’s even starting to be a thing to be proud of – kind of an achievement with some.

We’ve lost or ‘village’ – the social support system of neighbours, relatives and friends who would help young mothers with babysitting. Or keep an eye on the elderly now and then, to give care-givers a break.

Traditional gender roles in some Indian communities can sometimes leave women (it’s mostly women who look after children and the elderly here  in India), without any support system for when they need a weekly off.

I hope this poem speaks to those that need it.

Will I vote?

Should I vote for you or should I vote for your brother,

The one who will guide you when darkness takes over.

Or, should I vote for the winner, support the fair weather friend,

Who will swing different ways, depending upon who wins.

 

Will I examine my values when I press that button,

Think of the enemy outside, as well as the one within.

The hatred and anger that’s eroding our values,

The funds we spend on renaming roads, and on statues.

 

Do you think I’m against you because I ask questions,

This is how we live at home, making demands from concern, and from caring.

 

Will I want a leader that I can admire,

Who’s anointed with light, who will lead by example.

Will I vote for you or will I vote for another?

Will I be able to vote? Now that’s my real question!

 

‘Cos the voters list is such a mess!

Names omitted, entered wrong, or mistakes in the address.

Why is there no accountability for the voters database?

Why do forms not take details of EVERY permanent residing place?

 

I may not be able to vote, but I have a voice,

And I will use it to ask others to make a careful choice.

Stand for the one who strengthens our institutions,

Who can act quickly, and respect the role of the opposition.

 

Will they vote for you, or vote for your brother,

The one who encourages wrong when the blackness takes over.

 

Or will they vote for another, for a different set of values,

Thinking change is the way that will take us forward.

 

Will they be able to vote? Now, that’s the first question.

 

 

The local bus

Have any of you travelled by the NNMT buses here in Navi Mumbai? They’re surprisingly reliable, and have very comfortable benches, unlike the air-conditioned buses which have the most uncomfortable chairs. And all that noise and rattling can be pretty relaxing!

Here’s a poem for those of you who have stopped travelling by bus. Hope it brings back good memories. Continue reading →

The temple inside

We take it with us wherever we go,

That temple inside that helps us connect with our soul.
We don’t really need fancy buildings to worship,
Or an outwardly show of this private relationship.

We just need some quiet, a place we can find,

Even on days that are noisy, to clear the clutter from our minds.
We need a pace of life that helps us grow,
With time to reflect, feel the light, let it flow.

So, we can take the light with us wherever we go.

‘Cos it’s the temple inside us, that helps keep us whole.

There are so many different ways of reaching the same goal. What’s the right way for each person is different. Because ones ideas, thoughts, attitudes and beliefs can give a deeper meaning and a truth to a way that is meaningless to another person.

I decided to write about this way, because it’s a way that often doesn’t get heard. A way that some follow, but few talk about.

Routines

It’s so important to have routines, familiar paths to tread.

Time together and time alone,

Time to visit our parents and keep in touch on the phone.

 

Time to work and time to relax,

Time to move forward and time to step back.

A way to help everyone be together,

Yet still have the space that helps love stay forever.

 

It’s so important to have routines, familiar paths to tread.

To keep us on track when things get harder,

And give us a goal on the days that we flounder.

Help us stay focused till we’re back on track,

And sail over the bumps that could have held us back.

 

It’s so important to have routines,

Familiar places to go.

For every age, for every family member,

‘Cos routines bring comfort and help us to deal with pressure.

They help us relax on that crazy ride,

On the roller coaster that we call life.

 

It’s so important to have routines, familiar paths to tread.

To helps us make hay when the sun shines bright,

And fall asleep quick, when we switch off the lights.

The busy of today often makes us forget the importance of family routines and making space in ones daily schedule so every activity can be done in a relaxed manner. I hope this poem is a reminder.

The importance of books in piano class

How many books does a piano student really need?

And why should students need more than one book? Student families often hesitate to invest in piano books. Some question the need to purchase anything other than the lesson book or the examination book. And some even think that the examination book is the lesson book! 

This post answers common questions new piano students have about the need for many books when learning the language of music. Continue reading →

The taste of freedom with our Milagrow Floor Cleaning Robot

Making a decision to buy a new floor cleaning robot

The Milagrow AguaBot

Our old Eureka Forbes floor cleaning robot started to fall apart, and couldn’t be repaired. We invested in it years ago, but it took us a while to reorganise our home for it. So, we only started to really use it 6 months before  it died.

At that time, Eureka Forbes did not have another model on sale and we had to choose between the Roomba and Milagrow.

Both had models in a range of budgets, with wet and dry options. We chose to buy the Milagrow for two reasons.

One, it had a budget friendly model which seemed to be good enough for our needs.

And two, it had a service centre in Mumbai, unlike the Roomba, where the nearest service centre at that time, was in Bangalore.

We purchased our Milagrow Aguabot 7.0 Cashmere for about Rs25000/- under an Independence Day discount offer in August 2018 and it set us free from the routine of daily cleaning. Continue reading →

Is poor piano posture holding you back?

Are you a piano or keyboard student who struggles with stiff fingers, that won’t move fast? Do you have difficulty joining notes? Do you experience either hand, arm, shoulders or back pain when playing? If you do, then this post will help you.

Good piano posture from the beginning helps students progress quicker, as their fingers move better. So they later play challenging pieces with ease.

Pencil Drawing of poor piano posture

Continue reading →

Kharghar is burning

I wrote the following poem many years ago, when I had 2 years of laryngitis due to the burning of garbage on the roads outside our earlier residence. It was common, so an ENT specialist had her clinic details posted on the society notice board!

Diwali, a festival of new beginnings, is the time I don’t walk down the streets. Firecrackers used to start well in advance of the festival, but this year seems better, and I’m grateful for it.

Still, roads don’t usually get cleaned immediately after Diwali here in Kharghar, and the remains of firecrackers and the strong smell is a health hazard for many. This year seems a little different and people are starting to realise that we need to change and find new, non-polluting ways to enjoy the festival. I hope this trend continues.

 

Kharghar is burning and nobody cares.

There’s often a strong smell of smoke in the air.

Garbage collection is not a routine,

And waste segregation still is a pipe dream. Continue reading →

Piano Technique Concerns with Beginner Students

Many beginner level piano students struggle to learn. They find easy playing difficult, because they play the piano with poor technique.

Beginner level piano students need to have some basic understanding of the purpose of good piano technique. This helps them understand when it’s time to take their difficulties to their piano teacher.

Here’s a post that, I hope, explains all of this, in brief. Continue reading →

5 Thoughts to help you find the Piano Teacher that’s best for YOU

Families new to piano lessons can find the search for a new piano teacher quite confusing. I write this post to help these parents and students who have difficulty assessing which piano teacher or lesson format is the best for them.

Your child’s first piano teacher will set the foundations of his/her musical growth. The quality of learning at beginner level is important, as it determines whether the student will stay motivated enough to continue learning more. Continue reading →