Recognition and Dopamine

These guys in Gallup have done some interesting research on a topic called 'employee engagement'. One of the factors talks about an employee's need for recognition, and this recognition has to be periodic and timely, ideally once atleast in 7 days...

Whenever, you are recognised for doing some good work, a chemical called 'Dopamine' is released in your system. This makes you feel good about yourself. Many of us are not aware of the power of recognition. It's simple, it's cheap, and it's effective...

The other day, mamma gave me a dictation test, and the experience gave me mixed feelings...

Tests are always a little stressful... and you are always concerned about the feedback

Getting judged on your performance is never easy...

It's not a happy experience when someone else finds flaws in your efforts.

The difference between constructive feedback and a positive reinforcement is a fine line... Folks need to be careful about it. Afterall, we are talking about making a guy feel good or bad about himself/herself...

The circle of life

Pihu in the rocker as a small baby...

These days, Pihu has taken a fascination to photography and loves using the Canon. Looks like she has taken after her daddy...

Very recently, she clicked this picture of Dora in the rocker

Gave her parents a sense of deja vu...

Daddy proved wrong

A couple of posts back, daddy was not sure about the school uniform and found it a tad bit ordinary. However, he has been proven wrong (once again!!).

Now, daddy believes that it is the subject wearing the dress that makes the dress beautiful, and not vice-versa ...

Proof attached.

Alien sighted in Powai

Last week, an alien was sighted in Powai.
It seems that this intelligent creature with an irritated throat, landed on Earth for some relief.

Dr. Iyer was kind enough to provide some medical relief through a very complex process called nebulization!!

Latest un-published pics appended below (experts noted that this alien is quite interested in reading books):

Pihu teaches logical reasoning to Daddy

One fine evening, Pihu is cozily sitting with Daddy, watching her favourite TV show on CeeBeebies. She suddenly turns around to face daddy and asks...

Pihu: Daddy, what come after night?
Daddy (thinks for a while): I guess, day, right?

Pihu: Good job daddy. Then what comes after day?
Daddy (is now not so sure where this discussion is leading to....): I guess, night, right?

Pihu (has a smirk on her face now): No.
Daddy: Please explain, if that is not so.

Pihu: Day starts with morning, afternoon, evening, and then night.

Daddy is stumped, has to acknowledge this fact, and takes this as a learning experience not to take a 3 1/2 year old at face value.

Pihu's first school uniform: Daddy's version

Guess this is it.
The small baby I used to carry in my arms, is ready to fly.

While Pihu is away to her grandparents' for a brief vacation, I was handed over the onerous task of going to her school and collecting her books and uniform...

So, here I was, anxious to find out the batch timings/section. So much that I ended up at the school at 7 am in the morning, all sweaty after the morning workout. The guard there gave me a queer look, but I plodded on to check the noticeboard... reminded me of the good 'ol days when school results were put on the notice boards!

Found her name in the Junior KG/ Afternoon/ 'F" batch and was overjoyed to see Sia's name next to her. Sia Goodgirl (alias Sia Duggal- Pihu likes to call her by that name) is in the same batch!! Yippee!!

Another good news is that the hunk 'A' is not in the same batch. Yippee!!
Am I glad or am I glad!!!

Later in the day, I again pay a visit to the school and stroll up to the uniform counter, along with one of Pihu's frocks.

This is what she will wear to school. Sigh.

Then I go to the books counter, where I am given a set of books. Cute books but nothing compared to what she is reading nowadays, like basic concepts of addition, big/small/greater than >/ smaller than <

Pihu starts school on 10 June.

Please wish her luck.

A pink affair

I had recently been to a mall where an aerobics session was in progress.
Daddy asked if I was interested. I was non-committal, but decided to join in.
As they say in Hindi 'What goes my father's' :-)

I learnt a few steps of aerobics. It's quite simple. It consists of basic steps like

- Swaying


- Jumping

- Balancing

- Marching

These guys also taught me how to do push-ups


Did not take too much time to learn.
Guess daddy was impressed with my ability to do push-ups so comfortably. On that day, I could have put Salman Khan to shame!!

Enjoyed the adrenaline rush!!

Gudi Padva (The Maharashtrian New Year)

Before (Gudi)

After (Gudiya)

Expressions

Let me tell you a story. It's how daddy looks in the morning, at work and when he is back from work....

He is quite peppy and this is how he looks in the morning...

If someone asks him how his PMS initiative is going, he frowns :-((

You speak to him on employee engagement, he smiles :-))

This is how he looks, when he is back home from office...

Annual day @ Just Kiddin

We had been practising for weeks.
Whenever mamma daddy asked me what song was I was planning to groove on, I would act dumb and not respond at all.

Now, all the hard work was about to result into a grand show!!

This was the 'karmabhoomi'

I did my makeup at home itself, with some assistance from mamma

Got to use some real pink stuff on my face :-)

The lipstick is permitted only for special occasions! This was a special occasion!!

I was quite thrilled with the results!!

Before I left for the show, I was kind enough to pose for the shutterbugs :-)


The seats were almost full. Mamma daddy managed some decent seats



The show was hot!!

This is Akshar, the friend I keep talking about to mamma daddy. Daddy says that he has his eyes on this guy. Wonder why he says that!!

My main dance numbers was 'I like to move it move it' and I loved performing to the crowd.

Mamma was so thrilled that she could not stop smiling. Kept saying 'I am so proud of you'.

Parents, you know!!

Daddy will be posting the video soon on youtube. You will have to wait for that...