09 September 2010

My King and I- The Best Moment of my Life.

My Short visit to Heaven

I graduated in 2006 December, employed in 2007 January, got paid in 2007 July onwards, and was called for convocation only in 2009 October. All my friends were coming and they called me up to come, which is the only reason why I had to agree on going back after three long years. It was too late for them to tell us that we have graduated. Some friends had passed away in those three years.

Upon reaching there I thanked god that I came, because His majesty the King graced the occasion. To add to the glory his majesty posed for photograph with each one of us. I was about 700 teachers behind and yet shivering with excitement. As my turn neared I was almost flying and fading. When I finally gave the closest bow to my king, received the scroll and stood next to him I couldn’t feel myself anymore until I felt the royal pat on my shoulder. If I had a little weaker heart I would have fainted. That was the moment I felt totally enlightened. When I recomposed myself I forgave the convocation and thanked it for giving me the life’s best moment.

I even forgive Kuensel for letting me come there over and over for the last one year and a half for the Picture.  And I forgive the person there for not giving me the softcopy of the picture. 

08 September 2010

My Daughter is a Reckless Driver

My daughter had an accident in her walker this morning; she got a bad bruise on her forehead which soon subsided after her mother ice-sponged it. After some investigation we found out that the driver, our daughter, didn’t have license for the six-wheeler she toppled in. The lone eyewitness, her mother, says the reckless driver was seen over speeding across the rooms before it toppled over the foot mat which blocked the way into the kitchen. It is further reported that the driver cried a lot. No action has been taken against her since she is the boss of the house.

Thank you god for keeping my child safe and giving me reasons to smile every day. 
Reckless Driver in her first six-wheeler

07 September 2010

A Change that made sense- Fishing License

By reading "Kuchu and Kumbu" story in our primary school we were supposed to learn a lesson but as always many things we were taught in school were for the sake of occupying the teaching time and should not be taken seriously. A tank in Phuntsholing is over populated with fishes and "authorities are finding ways to relocate them". Why waste money in something that should be bringing profit instead? Simple solution to the problem is to harvest the fishes but unfortunately those fishes are not meant for killing. They are for decoration? If we are really concerned about killing, why are we importing fishes from India? All in all it is another Potato and Chips story!

For that matter our rivers are so full of fishes but only flood can kill them. Million of new fishes are born each year to die their natural death. It's just matter of common sense, which we have least. After all we are buying fishes for outside, what is sense in forbidding fishing? 

I salute the minister of agriculture for being wise enough to grant fishing license to the villagers of a remote corner in Wangdue (from BBS TV). Throughout history the village lived on fishing but so far they were crippled by the law forbidding their livelihood. Minister educated the farmers (lets call them fishermen) on sustainable fishing, which made more sense. This day will go down in history as the "day Bhutanese made sense"!

Read Detailed report on the project in Business Bhutan

04 September 2010

An Old Book Can't Decide my Daughter's Destiny

After becoming father I was surprised to find myself turning into an orthodox man; I would touch fire or water before I see my daughter when I come at night, I would put a black mark on her face when taking her out in dark, and we would take her to a temple if we had a bad dream…

But one thing I could not agree on is writing her destiny- keytshe. People say it is crucial for us to ask an astrologer to see what destiny has in store for our daughter and get it written down. I am told that we have to give astrologer the date and time of birth and he will go through his book and find out the details of our daughter’s life; as in how long will she live? How would she live her life? What would she become? How would she die? What are her bad or good days and years?

My question is who wrote that damn book? And when was that book, which could tell everybody’s fate, written? I know God didn’t write that book, and I am sure it must be written hundreds of years ago during the times when people still thought earth was flat. And tell me how possibly could such book dare talk about a life of person living in the age of computers and rockets?

I want to bring up my daughter with the belief that her life is what she makes of it and not decided by her birth. I want her to know that she has options in life and each option has its own consequences. I want her to have dreams of her own and work hard towards them. She should grow up to know which pen she chooses to write her own book of destiny.

Sonam's Birthday on calendar
Date of her birth is important to us because it was then our daughter came among us with bundle of happiness, and therefore I have cut November month of 2009 calendar and laminated it to be presented to my daughter when she is grown up. As of myself, though born in modern times don’t even known my actual birthday and don’t have a picture of my childhood.

01 September 2010

Two things I want to own before I die

Otherwise I am a simple man with very limited demands and desire; I am ok with one pair of shoes in a year, black and white mobile phone, second hand car... but there are two things I wish for despite all my limitations. I don't want to die without a big canon Camera and an iPad. With a Bhutanese salary I know I can never buy any of these but I will work hard or may be I will have to finally agree on going for Masters if at all it should give me enough money to buy these two gadgets.

iPad, something I wanna walk with!
Camera of my Dream

29 August 2010

My Daughter Becomes Nine Month Old

Sonam N Tshomo near Chimmi Lhakhang
9:09 PM this evening my daughter became nine months old. Thank you, God, for the nine months of extreme happiness and thank you more for leading us through the heart breaking moments. Being a parent is the most serious business I have known for the last nine precious months; business where all our love is invested without a slightest expectation of return. All you ever want back is an innocent smile, which my daughter, Sonam N Tshomo has lots to give.

List of SNT’s Activities for the Record
  • tore two pairs of shoes
  • broken a Walker
  • speaks a lot (her own Language)
  • shoots from room to room at supersonic speed
  • shits only when put in walker
  • doesn’t even have her first tooth
  • uses her left hand most of the time
  • hates playing with toys- she likes real things
  • dances to Dzongkha songs
  • farts like a big fat lady
  • uneasy with new people
  • sweats heavily
  • can clap, wave, and dance when asked to
  • can say apa, mama, angay, … and hundred others sounds
  • hates sleeping in Cradle

All good things come to an end

Dechen in the Center (in White) during her office Picnic

Dechen is one rare species of humankind; fat body with the fattest heart. Her life is boring without a single enemy. She makes sure everyone gets a seat in the hall and there is chicken on everybody’s plate. She has become a part of my family; she is our driver, second mummy to my kids, second husband to my wife, and second wife to me (joking). She is the best human we know in Wangdue, but Wangdue ran out of its luck this morning or may be we were unlucky; Dechen packed her home and left for Thimphu.

We were so lucky to have crossed path with Dechen who left golden footprints in our lives. Tonight the sky over Wangdue seems darker. Goodbye Dechen you can’t leave us, we will follow thee.