Seasonal Relationships

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Remember the first time when you met that stranger and you had to gather up a lot of courage just to say 'hi'. You have come a long way since then. Haven't you? Those shared memories and laughter; the way they walked silently right next to you. Yes, it was tough to say 'hi', but it will be rather difficult to say 'goodbye'. And, if you are wondering if this is really necessary, the answer is, Yes!

In life, we build many relationships and somehow, we are affirmative that they will last. We create a perfect world in our head which is safe and secure as we believe that these relationships will fortify  it. Expecting this is fair because the way some people make you feel gives you hope, a hope for a better future; a hope of never being alone again; hope that you will always belong to each other. But, people change just like seasons and you have no control over it.

Every season brings with it something special, a quality of its own. You can't expect the flowers to grow in Autumn or catch the shades of cinnamon in Spring. No matter how much you like to feel the cool breeze of Winter, you can't expect the season to last forever. Similarly, the relationship that you once cherished now needs to go away with the season.

This is really hard to do, but one must understand that keeping up with a relationship that is bringing no happiness is fruitless for everyone. What you had was unique and rare, but it is not there anymore. Thank them for introducing a new perspective into your life as this will always matter. Let them be a happy memory. Just like a season, they have fulfilled their purpose in your life and just like a season, they cannot stay.

Move forward, be strong and make space for a new relationship. Learn and never settle for anything less than what you deserve.

So, don't get disheartened because they are leaving, be happy because they changed your life and you changed theirs. Seasons change, new people will come and change your life again. Gather up the courage to wish them luck and bid adieu and to welcome a new season. Every season is important as this is how the world grows and every seasonal relationship is important because this is how we grow.

" Some people are not meant to be with you for every season."

''The Thing!''

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Do this, do that... This is what they said. Don't do this, don't do that... This is what they said. You are what you do, this is what they said. You can do everyThing, this is what they said...

Our existence and our being depend upon the Things we do. These Things form the 'self'. If the Things we do are so important then, why can't we choose them?

A girl can not ride a bike and a boy does not drive a dolly car. A girl can not watch sports and a boy does not watch daily soaps. A woman can not wear pants in the house while a man does not have soft, pretty hands. Why? Because there is a difference between the Things a man can do and Things that a woman can do. And, then they say that you can do anything!

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It does not stop just here. In our blessed world, it is a colored man's Thing to be barbaric and rough while a white man's Thing is to walk around in a tailored suit. It is an oriental Thing to drink tea and a French Thing to have a taste for wine. A brunette's Thing is to read books while a blonde's Thing is to act like a bimbo and post all the pictures on Instagram!

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This list of 'Things' that can and cannot be done is endless. Who said a girl cannot change the flat tire of her car or climb to the rooftop to fix the dish. Who said that a man set a perfect dinner table while handling the kids? Nobody! But we still believe them to be true because these are the Things that you just cannot expect from someone who is not traditionally seen doing them...

This theory that confines us to the list of Things (which, by the way, is written in no constitution) stands parallel to the popular belief that nothing is impossible. Untill and unless we don't take a stand to do the Things that we want to do, things will remain impossible.

Come on people, there is no such thing like a girl thing or a boy thing or a white thing or simple 'the thing'. Don't let this stupid concept come into the way of your thing. And, yes don't use it as an excuse from running away from taking up a responsibility.

Feminism and Feminist

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Feminism... What is feminism? A word? A movement? A social cause? Something that puts women on a pedestal? Something that establishes men as inferior? Something that entitles women the ultimate power to do what they desire? Something that men should not become a part of? Or something that proves that women are better?

Feminism is something that the world is talking about and has various hypothesis attached to it. People are talking about it, some in favour and some against. But before you choose your side, you need to study the term deeply to understand what feminism really means and what a feminist really believes in.

“Feminism is a collection of movements and ideologies that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve equal political, economic, cultural, personal, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment.” (Wikipedia)

Therefore, equality and not superiority is what this advocates. Feminism is not a fight but a logical movement that aims towards establishing gender equality. Thus, as Gloria Steinmen states, a feminist is anyone who recognises the equality and full humanity of women and men.

Feminism calls for equal voting rights, not an additional vote for women. Women want to be treated equally in the workplace. They do not want to be seen as inferior, following their sex, when it comes to receiving a paycheck. They demand to be educated equally, given equal respect so that they too can reach their potential and work progressively in the development of the economy.

Moving towards the domestic domain, treating a son and a daughter as children, as a coequal, is feminism. Equal rights within marriage is a logical demand as the wife is your ‘better half’ and not your subordinate. She’s asking you to share the responsibilities equally, whether it is work or home. And accepting the fact that she might earn equal or more than you is feminism. She is not asking other than what she deserves. More would be when she orders you to take care of children yourself because she is the one who suffered while giving them birth when your only contribution was a sperm!

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Feminism aspires for the world where women have complete right on their body, where they are protected from rape, sexual harassment and domestic violence. Where they are comfortable under their own skin. Where they are considered as rational and logical and not treated as pretty little things. Where women are not afraid when they behave anything more than a doormat. And so much more!

Equality is a necessity, not a trend. Women weren’t created for the entertainment of men. For ages, men have claimed their superiority just because they are men. A feminist, on the other hand, just wants to be treated as an equal, irrespective of its gender. In the nutshell, feminism does not prove that one sex is greater than the other or give autonomous power to women or prove that men are inferior; it simply states that we are all equal.

So, if you believe in gender equality, you know the meaning of feminism. Congratulations, you are a feminist (and we wouldn't take our wishes back if you are a man as feminism is for everybody). Welcome aboard!

Why do we need a Krishna in every home?

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Before writing anything, let us make it clear that the 'Krishna' here in the question is not the idol worshiped in the temples. Instead, we are talking solely about the divine masculine power who saved Draupadi from the humiliation of Kauravas.

Well, this act of chivalry created a cliché, and since then, it was assumed that the feminine gender always need masculine gender to protect themselves from individuals of that group! The question arises, why does a female needs a 'protector' who is always a male? Why does the society stress on having a male companionship if the woman is to survive well in the world?

But alas, the tragedy is that there is no answer to this question.

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Recently, when India celebrated its Republic Day, this country gave all the women around the world a reason to hold their heads high as a female Wing Commander, Pooja Thakur, lead the parade that welcomed their guest of honor, Barack Obama, the President of the USA.

Just an opinion, every year on rakshabandhan when a sister ties rakhi on her brother's wrist (who might even be younger), appointing him as her protector, she must wonder about the credibility of this relationship. How and why should he protect her? His job is to be her brother and not her bodyguard.

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Cleopatra, Mother Lu, Zenobia, Baltazara Chuiza,  Rani Lakshmibai, Ani Pachen, Corazon Aquino,  Yulia Tymoshenko,  Asmaa Mahfouz ,  Aya Virginie Toure. Whether these ladies used the violent or the non - violent ways, they surely came and the surely conquered, without any male support.

Women are supposed to be protected by men from the cruel world, which is also made by men. Hypocrisy, don't you think? Depending on the opposite sex, physically or emotionally, is part of the symbiotic relationship, hence, should be applicable on both the sexes. We all need to accept the fact that a woman is like Zephyr, preserver and destroyer. If she is strong enough to bear all the pain to bring you into this world, if she is intense enough to fight for her country and run it on her own, then, she is highly equipped to take care of herself.

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So, please stop patronizing her, she doesn't deserve it. She doesn't need to be guarded. She is capable enough to manage all the worlds in her little life!

                                            Happy Women's Day to all

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It's a Mistake!

New day, New Year and new article. Want to do something amazing in this year, how about, “Let’s resolve to make a lot of mistakes?” Yeah… You heard us right. We are actually asking you to do this. You must be wondering “what is this? I made a heap of mess last time. I shouldn’t do that anymore. I want to achieve a lot. These people are just stupid!” Wait, hear us out first and then decide. And yes, we are stupid!

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We all yearn to do something idiosyncratic and be successful while operating within the periphery of societal virtues. The prospect of creating a balance between the two is slight. As a result, we forbid ourselves from trying something different and end up having regrets.

There are dreams, big dreams but we let them loose because working towards them would be a mistake. We theorize that doing something unconventional will inevitably turn into failure. So, what do we do? We accept this mentality, work customarily and then suddenly there rings a bell that says, “Lad, you did great but are you satisfied?” and your heart sighs and says “NO!”

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                                      "By seeking and blundering we learn"

                                                                                - Goethe

Making mistake is a privilege but we do not explore this right out of fear. We are afraid to walk the road less travelled as it is unknown and therefore, erroneous. Mary Kom made a mistake of choosing a male dominated sport to become five times world boxing champion. Lisa Kudrow made a mistake of giving up biology to give us Phoebe Buffay. Malala Yousafzai made a terrible mistake of going against strict Muslim rules to receive the Nobel price for Peace at the age of 17. Steve Jobs was stupid enough to make a mistake of developing personal computers. Galileo, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, well, these men were mistakes in themselves.

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We want a perfect life and it is possible when we are ready to make some serious mistakes. You will hurt a few; create a little mess, but its fine. Just make sure that you do not scar anyone and always remember to rise. Do not repeat same mistakes, invent some new ones. Be creative and a daring doer because you don’t do mainstream!

Now, go ahead make a lot of mistakes, learn from them, be a better person and…

                          "Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it."

                                                                           - Salvador Dali

Conclusion!

ISL's following beat Serie A's popularity! That's a reason to cheer...

India's first football journey has come to an end with Atletico de Kolkata as the 1st champion. Kolkata beat Kerala by a solitary goal that came from Mohammed Rafique, who came as a substitute for Mohammed Rafi. Pody set up the ball and Rafique headed it straight into the net. The goal surprisingly came in the added time, will go down in ISL's history. Kerala had more shots on target but Kolkata had slightly higher ball possession.

There was a huge roar nationwide. Irrespective of the teams they supported, all the football crazy fans were ecstatic and content as the season successfully concluded. There is a hope that ISL will raise football's bar in India and will recognize domestic players.

There was a long list of awards that were distributed in the post match ceremony. After due consideration, we have prepared our own set of awards.

• BEST TEAM - FC GOA. Zico's men had the worst start of the League. No one could have imagined that they will reach into the semi finals. Not only this, their team spirit was commendable. The way they held Kolkata in their last matches proved that they deserve this award.
• BEST PLAYER - ELANO BLUMER (CHENNAIYIN FC). The Brazilian is the highest goal scorer of the league, despite missing a few matches due to an injury. He won the golden boot award and gave away the price money for the development of football in India. 
• BEST COACH - MATERRAZI (CHENNAIYIN FC) and DAVID JAMES (KERALA BLASTERS): Both the bosses did an incredible job. Although both the managers had different approaches, one helped his team to maintain the top position while the other was able to take his team to the finals.
• BEST GOALKEEPER - SUBRATA PAUL ( MUMBAI FC). Although his team failed to create a mark, the Keeper was a delight to watch. At times, it was only because of him that the opponent failed to score. He was often seen exposed but with sharp reflexes, he managed pretty well.
• BEST CAPTAIN - LUIS GARCIA (ATLETICO DE KOLKATA). The Spaniard was always his manager's first choice. He was commanding on the field and steered them towards victory.
• MOST VERSATILE PLAYER - HANS MULDER ( DELHI DYNAMOS). The Dutch midfielder was Delhi's one of the most consistent player. He managed the mid field, guarded the Keeper and scored some goals. He was a team himself. 

Now for some not-so-good awards.

• MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM - NORTHEAST UNITED FC. This is the team that was supposed to make atleast to the semi finals. Northeast is famous for producing some of the best football players ever, including Baichung Bhutia. They had a good start but ended with a whimper.
• MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER - FIKRU ( ATLETICO DE KOLKATA). The Ethiopian player scored ISL's first scored but later on proved to be of no good. He was aggressive and faced a three match long ban. He was excluded from the team and the reason remained a secret.
• MOST DISAPPOINTING COACH - HARM VAN VELDHOVEN (DELHI DYNAMOS). This manager never chose appropriate starting eleven. He took too much of risk every time that it pushed his team into the dearth. He had Italian legend, Del Piero, in his team but due to some personal issues he did not use him well.
• MOST AGGRESSIVE TEAM - ATLETICO DE KOLKATA. This is the team that was the most controversial throughout the season. With players and Managers facing bans, yellow and red cards, this team surely didn't win our hearts.

This is what we think about the teams and the players. You can go to the official site for the official list. We have faith that the League will keep on getting better and the idea behind it, to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2022, will come true. Thank you for being a part of this journey.
Stay tuned for more myriad stuff!

FC Goa vs Atlectico de Kolkata!

Goa and Kolkata will lock horns in the second leg of the semi finals. It  is ISL's most talked about rivalry. The fans are all set to see their respective team win.

Courtesy:ISL

The first match of the second leg was hosted by Kolkata at the Salt Lake Stadium, where it all started. Fikru missed the game following his injury and Goan defender, Bruno was on suspension. The match started with Amiri's strong challenge on Borja. the home team had a good start but dominated the attack index marginally. It seemed like this time Borja was on target. After Amiri, it was Slepicka who troubled the Spaniard by kicking on  his leg and received a yellow card as a consequence. Pody's free kick was rightly directed by Borja. As soon as Nato stepped in to provide the final touch, Gregory blocked him. That looked like a penalty but the referee thought otherwise. The visitors led the attack index for the rest of the game but the meeting ended in a goalless draw. Garcia wasted many telling chances with his wide shots. The problem was similar with the visitors. Mandar cut past two defenders and passed the ball to unmarked Romeo who shot it just wide. Slepicka shot straight into the hands of Edel while Santos' shot lacked power. Both the teams now had an important match that would decide their fate. 

Courtesy:ISL

The second match was hosted by Goa and to everyone's surprise, Fikru was excluded from the team, reason being unclear. The fans awaited to see their teams break the dead lock as the earlier part of the semi final ended in a goalless draw. Every game the teams play, start with one or the other kind of foul. This time Pody was brought down by Gregory and Kolkata received a free kick. It was the home team that lead the first period of the attack index. Sanju came with a brilliant series of passes, defeating all the defenders but the final shot, taken by Pody, was off side. This time it were Kolkata who could have received a penalty as Arnab put in a sliding tackle and hit Santos on his leg. There was just a minute long added time at the conclusion of the the first half but plenty of extra time at the end of 90 minutes. The game was stretched to 120 minutes and only saw some substitutions, set pieces, sloppy work but no goal! It all came down to ISL's first penalty shoot out. Goa won the toss but lost the round. Santos and Amiri shot over the cross bar while Kolkata had all the successful shots. Goa highly dominated the attack index for the entire game but Kolkata made it to the finals on penalty.

Courtesy:ISL

Goa and Kolkata became rivals early in the season. Kolkata had a terrific start while Goa sat at the bottom of the table during the entire first round. As the League progressed, we saw Goa raising their game. Zico's men were fierce. In these matches we witnessed Goa's zeal and Kolkata's fear. Goa ruled the attack index for both the matches; Kolkata, however, made it to the finals on shoot out. Garcia will have to raise his game following Fikru's exclusion. It will be Kolkata vs Kerela in the finals.