Fiddling with Sugar

The sugar bowl when left exposed on the kitchen table only invites more ants and flies. Both being individually despicable (ants & flies) as a species, why blame the sugar? One hardworking the other an opportunist but Sugar as usual laidback and melting itself for attention from some do-gooder.

Cuba of the Antilles

Speaking of sugar, only one country comes to mind –Cuba- the sugar bowl of the world. Won’t you spare a thought  for its erstwhile President, who ruled the country for nearly half a century (1959 to 2006) ? Fidel Castro?

The country  is also known for its cigars which lured many distinct personalities. They let the cigars ‘waltz’ on their lips till the smoke blurred images and thoughts got clearer. Tobacco may block the lungs but clears the brain so people say, no personal experience. Cigars also adorned the silver screen for heroes and villains. Alas! Two big villains still waltz on the largest island of the Antilles even today.

Russia in the past installed Nuke missiles on the Cuban west coast presumably to attack the US.

The US another hostile big brother wagged a threatening finger too often to warn Cuba. Then basking in the sunshine of so much attention was its irreplaceable leader Fidel Castro. An awesome and handsome personality is Mr Fidel Castro who even in delirium continues to awe many.

When in reign he was a thorn for many American Presidents but a historical ‘somersault’ put Cuba on the World map again . President Obama dared to open a US Consulate in Cuba. Credit goes to Mr. Raul Castro too, to have accepted this friendship.

Fidel Castro owes his looks to sugar and cigars as both have contributed to an overall commendable appearance. I remember my elders calling him ‘striking’ personality which means a mix of brawn and brain. Sugar is after all healthy but I can’t vouch for tobacco.

Bar or ban the kick

The new generation has been warned enough and more about the ill-effects of tobacco. Healthy men and women equate it with chronic ailments like cough, lung ailments and also cancer. Not to forget the stink of tobacco that exudes from the mouth of tobacco users so to camouflage the stink, users cling to mouth fresheners and ‘Paan’ masala ( a polished kin of betel nuts). We have to keep our dentists busy too. Sometimes I wonder if dentists manufacture Paan Masala, I mean they have a stake in it. Doctors and cardiologists trail along depending upon the vicissitudes of the wallet conditions- plastic or paper money.Do doctors invest in tobacco shares? Both are game. A mutually balanced environment, must say the good and the bad, so sugar and tobacco do support a lot of professions so why not indulge.

Sweet meat craze dips

During the recent festival of lights---Diwali people(?) sidetracked sweets despite unwelcome temptations in colours and shapes. As if that wasn’t enough, the sellers give sweets a  metallic shine , a coating to glitter up the sweets which is called ’warak’. If I could spare a few words on how warak is made , whatever little desire you have to taste sweets will vanish.

Glossy wrappers are ok but glossy ‘coats’- a big NO.
 At home my devious hospitality to limit the number of visitors (consuming sweets) I lay a glossy tray adorned with glossy sweet without 'warak'  (only 500 grams) and a big box of dryfruits in four cubicled compartments becomes the game changer , so that guests will avoid sweets and pick dry fruits. Guests smile and mutter with joined hands ‘Happy Diwali’ We too nod A warm greeting, implying ‘good you avoided the sweets’, feigned good Samaritans. Stay away from sweets.

 Gifting and sifting do not fit our portfolio except for those who tie the Knot in our tribe who need a gentle push to start life anew. Whew !  what an escape to  the garden of Eden.I mean the 'gifting ' trend.

Reverting to Cuba and a forgotten leader, do pause to bestow some credit on him.
A corner of my heart weeps for Fidel Castro. Sugar is taboo these days but I love your face. Long Live Fidel Castro.

Physiognomy- a passing hobby

Talking about physiognomy a recently acquired art by me helps me predict attributes observing facial features , of course that doesn’t mean other features of the body do not help, they do in a big way coupled with the day and date (time as well) of birth.

What! What?

Is that possible in the 21^st century with our ‘hybrid’ culture or ‘high-breed’ culture sprouting in all corners of the world, especially the urban families? Anthropologists will do the talking.

My amateur hobby helped me study some prominent features that top my list :

** Fleshy small eyes – self-loving and some will possess murderous instincts. (these days all eat, drink and sleep heavily so the eyes look puffy).Even otherwise the eyes are narrowly placed so a wider approach to life is always welcome

**Flat nose with flaring nostrils  and thick brows are usually highly strung people, The ‘Brezhnev’ types.

**Face garnished with pimples and acne (new & old) are those with an assorted palate, from eating to chatting to arguing to hand fights to verbal fights to sex. This means they have a devil’s hand at everything they say or do

Do not complain, bear them, may be spouses, siblings or parents. If distantly related avoid them at all costs.

** Open mouthed people--- stupid  &  greedy.

**Closed mouthed people— stupid &  intelligent at times  &  curious.

**The cutest are half-open mouthed people—Leave them alone , they are still trying to decipher why they were (are) born.

Happy? You fit in Somewhere? Let me Know.