In these fast times, it is difficult to get a family together, no matter how much you want. Wouldn’t you like to have those nice dinners that you enjoyed so much as a child? Where are those cousins today, and those aunts and uncles? Sometimes it may be far off from your place, or maybe just a phone call away. But that phone call is never made and each of you end up having a quiet dinner alone. Take the initiative. Make use of the omnipresent internet. Create an online presence of your family. Every family member should have access to it, so that when you want to have a family get together, make a post on your family webpage and each one knows about it.

For your immediate family, you can set certain rules for the family members to encourage interaction among them. No phone calls or TV or any other distractions during dinner time and pre and post dinner conversations. This time is exclusively for the family, who make up the most important part of your life. Your family will stand by you when that person you are talking to on the phone at dinner time moves on to greener pastures. So your loved ones deserve all the time you can possible give. Conduct family games that you can play together to encourage bonhomie and camaraderie. Try these and you’ll soon have a lovely family life to fall back on, in times of crisis. What do you think?

This is bizarre! Some balloons, which floated in from nowhere, got entangled in the power lines and plunged Please Touch Museum into darkness. The blackout lasted for about an hour. Reports say that there were about 2000 people inside the museum at that time. The authorities have decided to honor these tickets at a later date as well. The patrons cannot demand a refund on the spot, they can call up later and ask for a refund or visit again, which in this case, can be done with the same ticket. The point is, you don’t lose out on money.

But, what about the trauma? These children who were inside the Please Touch Museum at that point of time, will remember the blackout each time they visit. Some may be too scared to visit at all. When we have an experience like this, it seems to stay with us. It could be as a fond memory, or as a traumatic experience. Kids who had fun being in the dark, will expect the power to go off every time! When I was a child, I fell off a see-saw once. I could never perch myself on a see-saw again! Have you had similar incidences in your life? You can share with us!

A sequel is not something that is planned as an afterthought. Nowadays soaps and movies, even books have their sequels planned well in advance. As a result, they like to keep an open ending, so that viewers and readers get the hook. This hook pulls them back when the sequel is out. A sequel also rides piggyback on the success of the first venture, and the marketing strategies are based on the success of the last version. There’s another show which ended on a teaser, leaving ample room for the storyline to be taken forward in the next season. It’s Jon and Kate Plus 8.

The current season of Jon and Kate Plus 8 ended without making a definite point about the relationship status of Jon and Kate. Are they going to get divorced? This is the hook that I’m talking about. To find out if they are actually divorced, people will flock to watch it the next time it’s on air. There are many other questions that lie in a heap of loose threads. No one seems to know if the Jon and Kate show will be back for the fifth season. The finale episode did nothing to let the cat out of the bag. So as it is, we’re not sure if Jon and Kate will stay together. Do you watch the show? What do you think?