Hello Temptation ;-)

A 24-year-old who loves to listen to hip hop music on his iPod and plays war video games to soothe his nerves. This is the revered Karmapa Lama, Trinley Dorje - a Buddhist monk who can be true to his beliefs, and yet enjoy the perks of the 21st century.

We often think of salvation as giving up of worldly desires. A trip to the mountains, where lies no temptation. There was a very interesting question asked years ago at a Miss India beauty pageant. The question was, “Adam and Eve were warned with dire consequences against eating the apple. Yet the snake in the park was persuasive, he tempted them into eating the forbidden apple. Now you are the police; whom would you arrest for this act?”

The ladies were clear, “Of course, the snake. He tempted them, and he knew it was wrong. God had forbidden it.”

You know what they missed? Adam and Eve. Temptations are presented to you in life to test your courage, ethics and faith. You trip, and you fail! You cannot banish all the snakes (temptations), but you must learn to control your desires. Simple example, you are on a diet and your friend sends you a box of Belgian pralines. What do you do? Live with it! Let your family enjoy it, but don’t break your diet because, hey, this is Belgian pralines duh…!

I think living in the real world, with your desires is far more difficult then retiring away in the hills with basic necessities. A holiday is welcome, but a lifetime…hmm, too early to decide!

Annals of the Ladies Washroom

We have common rooms, cafeterias, malls, lounge areas, but yet I have seen scores of ladies chattering happily inside the washroom. Bedroom stories are swapped, new fashion trends and make tips are freely exchanged, plus a lot of not-so-nice things are spoken about some colleagues, bosses and even the neighbour’s wife. I have seen a maid once sitting in the corner of a large washroom at a mall, and painting!

Tell me is such banter restricted to us, or does the men’s washroom pretty much follow the same routine?

In fact, to think of it, some people take enormous pleasure in locking themselves in their ‘glamour rooms’ at home and preening themselves. SRK is supposed to have got a lot work done on his laptop, check mails etc during his alone time in the washroom. My husband, and I think a thousand others, like reading the morning newspaper inside the toilet!

Why?!

The toilet industry is a billion dollar one. People spend millions purchasing the perfect Jacuzzi, showers, basins, mirror etc. Supposedly half your life is spent on the pot! Makes sense then to spend, right? (Check this for how much thought some people have given to turn a bathroom, into a work of art: http://adelto.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/luxury_contemporary_modern_bathroom_bath_agape_bonatti_ponsi_scoop_minimal.jpg)

There is a home near London that supposedly devotes 1000 sq ft of space just to the bathing area (that’s the size of a 2 bed apartment, in most places!). Italian marble and precious stones find their way here; and so do interior decorators.

In fact, have you heard of the toilet rolls that can be customized for your needs – colour, fragrances, paper quality, all of them to suit your bum’s delicate needs. Of course, for a pretty hefty price. And yes the all gold toilet seat is a reality; a jeweler’s glamorous idea obviously.


See, now you can work on a new business model. A commercial toilet with gold leaves and diamonds with a sign – shit, but for a fee. I am kidding; or am I ;-)