Life is Beautiful

Experience-based Tips

Table of Contents: Frauds and Scams | Recipe for Rubbery or Tough Chicken Parts | Cutting Cucumber and Onion for Salad and Burgers | Clean Tile and Floors | Pragmatic Parenting

Travel Tips

The contents presented here are based on my good and bad experiences in road, rail and air travels. Whether you travel alone or with kids or in groups of friends - there are likelyhood of unwanted occurrences during the course of a journey. Such incidences can only be minimized and may not be eliminated completely. The following summary of advices shall help you be prepared for most of the circumstances.

• Keeps the number of luggages less say 2 ~ 3. For air travel, use a bigger bag to check-in most of the items which you do not need to carry in cabin. Even in rail travel or air travel - managing many smaller items are a bit combersome and likely to be misplaced.

  

• यदि आप यात्रा समूह में या किसी सदस्य को उल्टी की प्रवृत्ति विकसित करते हैं: टॉफी रखें जो थोड़ा खट्टा और हल्का मीठा स्वाद का होता है। यह लक्षण में देरी करने में मदद करेगा लेकिन इसे समाप्त नहीं कर सकता है। If you develop vomiting tendencies or any of the members in travel group: keep toffees that taste a bit sour and mild sweetness. This will help delay the symptom but may not eliminate it. Note that this symptom is not a disease and cannot be avoided or treated medically. It is better to keep an opaque plastic bag in you packet for use when needed. This is especially helpful in cases where your co-passenger has this symptom and he was not prepared for it - Air Sickness Bag might be missing from the seat pockets. You may help her/him to help yourself.

  

• Items to carry which can pass security checks: wooden forks and spoons, paper cups, napkins, spare bag, black polythene bags, small hand towel...
• कई व्यक्तियों और बच्चों को उच्च ऊंचाई पर कानों में भनभनाहट महसूस होती है। कॉटन या ईयर प्लग को अपने केबिन बैगेज या पॉकेट में रखें। Many persons and kids feel ear buzz at high altitudes. Keep cotton or ear plug in your cabin baggage or in the pockets. Have a tofee or chewing gum or fruit juice while aircraft descent.

  

• If your travel is long and do not have power bank, option to charge your mobile phone - turn OFF mobile data when not needed. It reduces power consumption significantly.
• हवाई अड्डों पर पहचान प्रमाण अनिवार्य हैं। यदि आप बच्चों के साथ यात्रा कर रहे हैं, तो उपयुक्त कार्ड या बैज धारक का उपयोग उन्हें गले में डालने के लिए करें ताकि सुरक्षा कर्मचारी उचित रूप से जांच कर सकें। Identity proofs are mandatary at airports. If you are traveling with kids, use appropriate card or badge holder to put them around the neck so that security staff can check as appropriate.

  

• Keep a light polyster bag as back-up for excess baggage - there are many bags available in market which occupies space equivalnt to a book and can accomodate large volume of material.
• While you are away: When you keep your home closed (locked) for many days, the RO-water system has to be turned off and no vegetable or fruits can be kept in freeze. Buy 2 liters of mineral water before you start your journey. Optionally, fill 2 bottles of water on the airport. If you planned or happen to reach home late due to delay in flights, get some snacks (samosa, break pakoda...) packed at the airport or before entering into the airport. You may like to keep some fruits with longer shelf life in freeze. Chips packets occupy too much space: one option is to store the content in a air-tight plastic bottle.
• Always keep some space in travel bag(s) before leaving from home, some loose items may need to be packed inside. You may br required to store additional items or reshuffle due to breakages. While traveling alone, it is better to keep only one cabin bag including the laptp bag.

यदि दोपहिया या चारपहिया वाहन 2 मिनट तक निष्क्रिय नहीं रह सकता तो उसमें ड्राइव के लिए न जाएं! यदि आपको इंजन को निष्क्रिय बनाए रखने के लिए गति बढ़ाना की आवश्यकता पड़ती है तो इंजन में कुछ गंभीर गड़बड़ी है और कुछ कारणों से बंद होने के बाद यह शुरू नहीं हो सकेगा। Do not go for a drive in a two-wheeler or a four-wheel if it cannot idle for 2 minutes! If you need to rev-up the engine to keep it idling, something is grossly wrong with the engine and it may not start once it stops for some reasons.

Cutting Cucumber and Onion for Salad and Burgers

Pragmatic Parenting: आप अपने बच्चों में अच्छी आदतें कैसे नियंत्रित और प्रदान करते हैं? अपने बच्चों को न धमकायें या अपने आप को धमकाने दें। उन्हें सिखाएं कि वे कक्षाओं या खेल के मैदान में बदमाशों से न डरें। उन्हें चेतावनी दें कि वे अनजान के साथ भोजन न करें या यात्रा न करें, भले ही वे कितना भी विश्वसनीय क्यों न लगें। उन्हें कीड़ों और जानवरों जैसे छिपकली, मधुमक्खी, कुत्ते, मुर्गी, गाय, बैल, तिलचट्टे ... का सामना करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित करें। How do you control and impart good habits in your kids? Do not bully or do not get bullied by your kids. Teach them not to be afraid of bullies in class or playground. Warn them not to eat or travel with strangers however plausible they may sound. Encourage them to face insects and animals like lizards, honey-bee, dogs, hens, cows, bulls, cockroaches... Share them the methods to control nerve before examinations, travel, watching match for their favourite teams, stage performance. Encourage them to participate in social functions which will help remove shyness.

Do not repeatedly keep telling them about fear of falling, fear of getting sick or hurt... Tell them to respect people from lower rung of society such as garbage collector, house-maid, drivers, e-commerce deliver personnel...

Clean Tiled Floors: Many tiles are intentionally roughened to prevent it being slippery. Though it may collect dirt in small crevices and look discolured and tarnished. At the same time the grouts between two tiles may get stained and look dark coloured. Sometimes a green coloured fungus can grow that shall make it look spotted and stained. Vinegar which contains acetic acid can be used in diluted with hot water condition to remove such stains. The vinegar whould be diluated approximate 1:16 to 1:12 by volume ratio. कई टाइलों को फिसलन से बचाने के लिए जानबूझकर खुरदरा किया जाता है। हालाँकि यह छोटी-छोटी दरारों में गंदगी जमा कर सकता है और बदरंग और धूमिल दिख सकता है। साथ ही दो टाइलों के बीच की ग्राउट पर दाग लग सकता है और गहरे रंग का दिख सकता है। कभी-कभी हरे रंग का फंगस उग सकता है जिससे वह धब्बेदार और दागदार दिखने लगेगा। ऐसे दागों को हटाने के लिए सिरका जिसमें एसिटिक एसिड होता है उसे गर्म पानी में मिलाकर उपयोग किया जा सकता है। सिरका को आयतन अनुपात के अनुसार लगभग 1:16 से 1:12 तक पतला किया जाना चाहिए। Acetic acid dissolves mineral deposits such as limescale and fatty or waxy deposits. Limescale buildup via calcium and magnesium deposits is most likely cause for green or brown stains.

Hard Water Stains: Hard water has higher level of dissolved minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron — which coat the surface of toilet bowl with stains. The kitchen ingredient vinegar solution or baking soda paste can clean the tiles reasonably well. Fill the solution in a spray bottle and spray it on the bathroom tiles. For mild stains, pprinkle kitchen salt on the bathroom tiles and leave it for about 30 minutes. Scrub off the salt using a sponge or brush.

Warning: Even when properly diluted, vinegar should never be used on granite, marble and similar stones - ठीक से पतला होने पर भी, ग्रेनाइट, संगमरमर और इसी तरह के पत्थरों पर कभी भी सिरके का उपयोग नहीं किया जाना चाहिए.

Bleaching Powder: It is a great cleaning agent to get rid of different kinds of stains and dirt. Though avoid contact with bleach and water solution on body parts, you may get severe irritation for long time. It seems it can be used on ceramic tiles too: mix 15 ml of bleaching power with 4 liter of water (1 tablespoon with 1 gallon). For tough stains, increase the amount of bleaching powder or add a tablespoon of detergent to it.

Body Parts and Illness

Recipe for Rubbery or Tough Chicken Parts

Internet is full of advices such as slow cooking, braising, stewing, steaming, simmering, grilling, pan searing or roasting which can soften tough fibers in the chicken. None of these worked for me, something was grossly missing in our attempt to make these parts of a chicken less chewy. We always wonder what makes the chicken served in KFC so soft! Though we were not able to solve the puzzle, a recipe workd out and it solved the issue - we confirm it worked because my sons who used to chew and throw them away, are eating the same pieces regularly and without any complains about chewy nature of the prepared dish. Following are the steps and images of the dish. Our intermediate conclusion is that deep frying the chicken pieces with a layer of paste consisting of corn and egg worked.

Frauds and Scams

1. TRAI Phone Scam: Fraudsters claim to be from TRAI, stating your mobile number is linked to illegal activities, and services will be suspended. -Reality: TRAI doesn't suspend services; telecom companies do.
2. Parcel Stuck at Customs: Scammers claim a parcel with contraband has been intercepted and demand payment. - Action: Disconnect and report the number.
3. Digital Arrest: Fake police officers threaten digital arrest or online interrogation. Reality: Police don't conduct digital arrests or online interrogations.
4. Family Member Arrested: Scammers claim a relative is arrested and under CBI custody and demand payment. I got Whtsapp call once each from numbers originating from Bangladesh, Netherlands and Pakistan. Action: Verify with family members before taking action.
5. Get Rich Quick Trading: Social media ads promise high returns on stock investments. Reality: High-return schemes are more likely be scams than genuine investment advisoris.
6. Easy Tasks for Big Rewards: Scammers offer high sums for simple tasks, then ask for investment. Reality: Easy money schemes are scams. There are no free lunches.
7. Credit Card Issued in Your Name: Fake executives confirm large transactions on bogus credit cards. Action: Check with your bank. Credit card cannot be issued without your consent (writen or phone call).
8. Mistaken Money Transfer: Scammers claim incorrect transactions and ask for refunds. Action: Verify transactions with your bank.
9. KYC Expired: Scammers ask for KYC updates via links. Reality: Banks require in-person KYC updates.
10. Generous Tax Refund: Fraudsters pose as tax officials, asking for bank details. Reality: Tax departments already have bank details and communicate directly.
11. Lost kids with slip containing their home address: you may find kids posing as if lost and address of their home in a slip inside his/her pocket. Action: Enquire how he reached that spot, call the contact number first if found. Enquire if he recollects any phone number. Inform police or drop him to nearest police station and not to the address in his pocket. You may get kidnapped reaching the destination.
12. Punctured tire or partly open rear door: the attacker may encourage to come out of the vehicle to check for issues with your vehicle.
13. Egg thrown on your windshield: do not use wipers to clean the egg. It will make the windshield fully opaque - you cannot drive.
14. Password getting expired: e-mails claiming the expiry of passwords for your back accounts. Action: block the sender, report as spam and delete the e-mail. Banks never send such reminders. Webpages related to the bank shall make you change the passwords when you try to login after password is expired.
15. Update your resume through the link only: e-mail prohibiting to update your profile through the link provided in the e-mail. Action: block the sender, report as spam and delete the e-mail.
16. Overseas placements: block the sender, report as spam and delete the e-mail
17. A rich person died without a heir or a will: the scammer would lure you to share the booty! Action: better ignore them as it may be someone from your nearby city.

To write a banner such as Jai Siya Ram or Shubh Diwali using diyas or candles, use flower petals or powders to write the letters first. Once is the written in good handwriting style, put the diyas or candles at appopriate manner.