Facebook - A boon or a bane?

FACEBOOK - Breaking the family relationship as it strengthens the friendship network!

Social networking, it claims itself to be... Facebook to a maximum extent has stopped networking among the family members. Oh! This is not a blog against facebooking. but sure, this is going to feature it's clutching of people's time, mind and thoughts.

Little did I know that facebooking will eat all my time. First I felt the idea of writing on the wall, poking etc., stupid. but slowly I got used to it (stupidity?!!?? lol :)). Got so happy when I got a lot of friends, many new. I could hunt for my old school friends and got them too, I started spending more time in FB. FB has played its part in my life, i have missed a few good friends too, coz of misunderstanding (who has understood wrong is still a mystery).

oohhh! I realized that I spend less time around with my family, when I noted that every now and then, I check for FB updates in my iphone. And I did that even when I wake up in between my sleep to use the Loo at night times. Thats when I thought...this FB has gained control over me!

Its for friends that I opened an account. But my husband started feeling that I am into FB lots, many of my friends started commenting that I am an extensive FB user, I started seeing my comments on the FB walls so often and I logged on to FB more than 10 times a day.. My status messages getting up to a maximum of 100 likes and many comments, people started envying me too.. hahahaha!

But I deactivated my account just a week back. Initially I was tempted lots to sign in again and get it activated. With 1200 plus friends, it looked so warranted that I activate it again so that I can get in touch with them. But my mind and heart said, "first look around and be friends with your family members. When you feel that they are comfortable then spend time for your friends whom you have seen and whom you have not seen". So, let me follow what my heart says!

Yesterday, I asked my parents voluntarily for an outing.. just for a shopping, got 2 salwars (lol), got some veggies and some snacks. Three hours time well spent.. I could see my mom happy that I spent time with her. Waiting for my hubby to come back to Salem within a couple of days, just to know what he feels about my account deactivation :) I feel quite happy not knowing whats being shared, the comments, the pics posted etc.

Let me extend this deactivation to the most possible date to which I can, and then activate my account, if need be! Hoping that this penance period will surely change me to use FB prudently without causing much damage to my family and friends! So, even if I come back, it wont be the same as it was! I hope I will never get addicted to FB.

Suji

கண்ணாடிப் பூக்கள்

வசு.... மனதை நெகிழ வைத்த ஓர் கதாபாத்திரம். தலை வாரி விட அம்மா, பள்ளிக்கு செல்ல தேவையான அனைத்தும் எடுத்து வைக்க அம்மா... பள்ளியிலிருந்து திரும்பியதும் முதலில் பார்க்கத்துடிப்பதும் அம்மா.... தன்னுடைய பெஸ்ட் friend அம்மா ... தன் பள்ளியில் நடந்ததை பகிர்ந்துகொள்ள அம்மா... தான் வெற்றிபெற்றதைக் கொண்டாட அம்மா... அம்மா.. அம்மா.. அம்மா.. அம்மா... வசுவின் ஒவ்வொரு மூச்சிலும் பேச்சிலும் அம்மா...

இப்படி அன்பை பொழியும் ஒரு மகனை நெஞ்சிலும், தோளிலும், தாங்கும் அன்பான அம்மாவாய் காவேரி. தன் மூத்தாளின் மகன் என்று எவ்விதத்திலும் மாற்றம் காட்டாது, தன் அன்பையும், பாசத்தையும் கலந்து ஊட்டி, வசு வசு வசு என வசுவின் அன்பிற்கு தன் அன்பு எவ்விதத்திலும் குறைந்தது அல்ல என நிரூபிக்கும் மற்றொரு கதாபாத்திரம்.

ஆர்பாட்டமான வார்த்தை ஜாலம் ஏதும் இன்றி, நக்கலாய் பேசாது, அமைதியான அன்பான அப்பாவாய் பார்த்திபன்.

திரைப்படம் பார்க்கிறோம் என்ற உணர்வே இன்றி, நம் வீட்டில் நடக்கும் சம்பவங்களைக் கண்முன் காண்பது போன்ற உணர்வு. "இப்படித்தான் நடக்கும்" என நம் எண்ண ஓட்டங்களைத் தடுத்து நாம் நினைக்காதபடி கதை அமைத்து, கனத்த மனத்துடன் கதையுடன் நம்மைப் பயணிக்கச் செய்து, பாராட்டினைப் பெறுகிறார் இயக்குனர் ஷாஜஹான்.

வயிற்றிலிருந்து ஓர் உருண்டை தொண்டை அடைத்து, விழிகளில் அருவியாய் நீர் சொரிய, படம் முழுக்க காவேரியும், வசுவும் நம்மை ஆட்க்கொள்ளுகின்றனர். தான் பெற்றெடுத்த குழந்தையின் மரணத்திற்கு தான் பாசம் காட்டி வளர்த்த வசு தான் காரணம் என்று அறிந்த பின்னும், வசுவின் அன்பைப் புரிந்து கொண்டு, "தெரியாம செஞ்சிட்டேன் மா" என பயத்தில் அழும் மகனின் வாய்ப் பொத்தி, கட்டி அழும் தாயாக வாழ்ந்திருக்கிறார் காவேரி.

குழந்தைகள் செய்யும் தவறு ஒரு வயது வரை, அவரவர் பெற்றோர் செய்யும் தவறுகளினால் நடப்பவையே என்பதை அழகாக உணர்த்தும் குழந்தை மனோதத்துவ டாக்டராக வரும் சரத்பாபு, ஜுவினைல் கோர்ட்டில் அப்பா கோபத்தில் அடித்தது, அம்மா தன்னை பெஸ்ட் friend இல்லை என நிராகரித்தது, அடுத்து வந்த குழந்தை எல்லோருடைய நேரத்தையும், attention எடுத்துக் கொள்ள, தான் வேண்டாதவன் என்ற உணர்வினால் கோபம் கொண்டு, தான் பெயர் வைத்த தன் தம்பி அப்புவின் முகத்தில் தானே பூச்சி மருந்து அடித்தது, அச்செயல் தன் தம்பிக்கு காய்ச்சலை ஏற்படுத்தும் என்று அப்பாவியாய் அழுது, சாரி சார் , சாரி சார், சாரி அம்மா, சாரி அப்பா என அனைவரிடமும் கை கூப்பி மன்னிப்பு கேட்டு அழும்போது, நம் கண்களில் இருந்தும் ஊற்றாய் நீர்.

கண்ணாடிப் பூக்கள்! வசு, காவேரியின் பாசம்... கண்ணாடி போன்று எந்நேரத்திலும் விரிசல் ஏற்படக் கூடியது, ஆனாலும், கண்ணாடி பூவாய் மலரச் செய்து, அது உடையாது பார்த்து கதை நகர்த்தியிருப்பது பாராட்டிற்குரியது.

Heavy subject.. இப்படி அம்மாவின் மேல் கரைகாணா பாசம் செலுத்தும் ஒரு மகன் கிடைக்க அந்த தாய் கொடுத்து வைத்தவளா? அல்லது சிற்றன்னை என்ற எண்ணம் துளியும் இல்லாது, பெற்ற மகனை இழக்கக் காரணமாய் இருந்தவன் என்று கோபம் கொள்ளாது, வருத்தத்தை மனதில் புதைத்து, கணவனிடம், என் பழைய வசு எனககு வேணும் என்று கதறி அழும் தாயைப் பெற்ற வசு கொடுத்து வைத்தவனா?

மரத்தைச் சுற்றி சுற்றி பாட்டு, காதல், அந்த காதலுக்காக தாய் தந்தையரை எதிர்த்துப் பேசும் hero, heroine, அயல்நாட்டில் டூயட், பழியே உருவமாய் வில்லன் என பார்த்து பார்த்து சலித்த மனதிற்கு, இப்படம் ஓர் விதிவிலக்கு. பெற்ற பிள்ளையிடம் மட்டுமே இவ்வாறு பாசம் காண்பிக்க முடியும் என்ற எண்ணம் கொண்ட அனைவரும் பார்க்க வேண்டிய படம். பெறாவிட்டாலும் பிள்ளை பிள்ளை தான் என்று உணர்த்தும் படம்.

http://www.bharatmovies.com/tamil/watch/kannadi-pookal-movie-online.htm

திரைப்படம் பார்த்து முடித்தும், அதன் தாக்கத்திலிருந்து இன்னும் வெளி வரவில்லை நான், கண்களிலிருந்து வழியும் கண்ணீர் என் புடவையை இன்னும் நனைத்துக் கொண்டு இருக்கிறது. நனையட்டும்!

"ஹலோ friend... உனக்கு ஒரு மேட்டர் தெரியுமா?

என்ன?

இந்த வேர்ல்ட்லயே எனக்கு ரொம்ப பிடிச்சது உன்ன மட்டும் தான்...."

இன்னும் செவிகளில் ரீங்காரமிட்டு கொண்டிருக்கிறது...

Sujatha

TEDxSalem - Jan 29, 2011

The Conception:

When Raghavan conceived the idea of conducting a tedx event, I was dumbstruck. He spoke to me about the famous Tamil writer Late Sujatha Rangarajan, who in his biography, had mentioned TED as "One good website for Life". He explained me how we can make it ‘happen’. Till then I had thought organizing tedx events are something “out-of-our-capability” type of programmes. Intrigued and interested, first set of discussion started in the month of October 2010. When Raghavan and Suganthi threw light on this, I started following Ted.com. Rules and regulations were thoroughly discussed and slowly it sunk in me that materializing our event, TEDxSalem, is possible and is within our reach.

The Preparation:

This followed a lot of further discussions amongst us and it was time to start putting the plan into action. Reshma, Deepika, Latha and myself, making a small group initiated this action plan.Our first step was to finalize the venue. One fine evening in the first week of November, with lots of jitters and expectations, we went to Sona College of Technology. This was the venue unanimously voiced out by our team members. I know we did not make much of an impression on the Secretary whom we met and spoke to, in order to get the permission to use the venue for our mammoth task. With little apprehension and not to discourage us, the secretary of the college gave us his consent to use the premises. We came out of his office exuberant, that our first task was a success. Rain drops were trying to connect the evening sky to the earth, and my heart started singing "there shall be showers of blessings....". Yes! It was indeed a promise made by God to us, to be with us all through this event.

One after another, string of events started taking place, all pieces of jigsaw falling in place to form the perfect picture. Applying for license, checking out for potential sponsors, reaching out for perspective audience, printing of posters, etc etc were made possible fostering teamwork. We had to educate our community people about TED and TEDx events and we had an overwhelming response from them. We could see in their eyes that here are a bunch of people who are trying to do something good to the society and their co-operation was outstanding.
It was exciting to see a lot of students eager to be a part of the team. Everyone had realized that none of us is as good as all of us :) Amazed at the outstanding ideas presented by the team members, and with increased motivation, I could see our event taking shape, members working round the clock. We got our license approved. Raghavan and Suganthi spent sleepless nights constructing our website and Bala Murali, Vidhya, KTR contributed their part for it. Works on designing the posters for display, printing the tickets, selling them, went in parallel with the hunt for our speakers. We used graffiti as our new marketing tool.


All these made Raghavan book his flight ticket from Texas to India. He wanted to witness the delivery of his brain-child. Having put his heart, mind and soul to this event, it was warranted that he be with us on the grand day, in spite of his financial stress. And finally he was here by the second week of January 2011 to take charge of the arrangements along with Suganthi. Deepika and Naresh, with an enthusiastic team of students, made sure time and again that our event was finding its way to the grand day Jan 29, 2011. Bala took charge of the striking stage decoration. Simple yet creative decorative works by Surya and group found their apt places in the auditorium. Our PC Sriram, Shakthi Arun captured every moment of the hard work done in preparing for the event, in his precious camera. Raghavan, Shakthi, Bob and Vigneswaran spent early hours shooting the walls painted by the quotes of MMM corner Pasupathy. Reshma helped in communicating with the educational institutions who were our primary sponsors.

THE Day:

Though we had to introduce TED and TEDx to our speakers, upon explanation, great thinkers like Gnani and Madhan, accepted to share their ideas of innovation to the audience immediately. They were to speak on any idea, that is worth spreading! The D-Day arrived.

Our first speaker was Aparna Ramesh - who spoke on exploration of the soul through dance and music. Next came Gnani, a famous journalist and a theatre person, who made us dive into the thoughts on ethics, and how inseparable it is to our lives! Vernacular architecture marvels by Durga, five ideas on better life by Bret Adams, Professor.T S Subbaraman's Classical tamil venpA on Physics Light & Sound, which is definitely an idea worth spreading, Cartoons which is possible only by creative thinking - an inspiring talk by Madhan, creating millions of smiles through holistic education-a silent revolution being created by Aarti C Rajaratnam to the Salem community, a graffiti artist who writes inspiring quotes on the walls of the Salem city in Tamilnadu, MMM Corner Pasupathy! Creativity in its best - talk by theatre person Kalieaswari... Oh! I should say we really had a wide variety of speakers, who had touched many lives in one way or other through their creative ideas.

Our interval sessions were filled with talks and discussions with the speakers. Salem special “Thattu vadai set”, a hygienic, healthy snack containing fresh vegetables was served to all the people with tea/coffee. Vidhya and team did a marvelous job of blogging and tweeting. Karthik was sending messages about the number of hits of our web cast link, making us feel all excited. Not less to mention the work of Cheythanya and his team, who made paper bags to give an eco-friendly thanks to all the audience with a medicinal plant in it. Raghavan and Suganthi shared the entire story of formation of the team, our plans, its execution etc. The crowd cheered as every member of the team was introduced and brought on stage. There was a mixed feeling of laughter and fun, pride and humility, comfort and dismay, anxiety and reassurance, expectations and disappointments in the air, but it ended up with many proud moments.

At the end of the day, Secretary of Sona college, appreciated that he never expected such a successful event, and that we had proved our mettle. His parting dialog was that he was indeed happy and proud to have given permission for such an event to take place in his college premises. Every speaker congratulated and appreciated our story of formation of the team. The event's success was reinstated, by the number of mails and calls that we had received from the audience, many volunteering to join our team.

The Learning:

Completion of the event was one big responsibility off our shoulders. Our hearts were brimming with satisfaction. We learnt the flaws we had made in conducting the event, but could do nothing to put it straight at that point of time. It is natural to see great team work among friends in school, colleges or in work place. But team spirit in an event like this, where members come from different streams of life all meeting one another just for the event is simply outstanding! Truly every team member added value to the event. I can proudly vouch that every one of us had thoroughly realized the meaning of the team work, "alone we could do so little, but together we could do so much"!

TEDxSalem may be considered just an event by many. But for us, the team members, it had been a platform to realize our potential, to discover our hidden talents, to venture new strategies, to reach out to new people, to learn new software, to work as a team with unknown people, to raise up to the occasion, to adjust with difference of opinions, to expand our comfort zone.... and more than all, TEDxSalem has helped every one of us rediscover ourselves!