Judgmental opinions

The family tree is ready. I contact some people sharing my surname on orkut, names that aren't already on the tree. I expect - a. no replies, b. enthusiastic reply, c. replies, but with suspicion, not giving full details of self and family. What I don't expect, and get are calls from some of them. They call up Dad at home and speak like long lost friends and invite themselves to Goa for a few days! So much for a family. Makes me wonder, is my family made of opportunists wanting to unload themselves on others ?

On friends (again): I speak to people around me whose catorie of friends appear larger than mine. I chose three people to speak to, on first meet first speak basis. Q: Make a list of twenty people whom you consider friends on orkut-like classification - good, very good and best friend. People no. 1 - List of twenty include ten who are working at the same place that he does. Six are family and four are people whom he knew some time back, but has not been in contact for some time. People no. 2 - List of twenty include hundred percent related to present working place - colleagues, subordinates, seniors. People no. 3 - List of twenty includes twelve connected with work - customers mainly, three relatives and five old college mates but presently working in the same business. I compare the list with my friend list - friends whom I meet or talk to so rarely, yet I do meet or talk to them. At least three are my childhood friends from Ribandar, at least two are my classmates from Ponda, at leas...

I was called for a high profile three day camp to make a presentation to students of the tenth standard. It was more of a workshop with students from all over the state selected for participation. My session was the first - after the inauguration. The topic - Protection and Preservation of Wildlife in Goa. When I reached there, the keynote address by a prominent conservationist was on. He was stressing on the need for children to "intermingle" with nature, visit all the wildlife sanctuaries in the state. My session finally began. I was to speak for one hour with one hour for questions and answers. My audience were teachers from various schools and around sixty students - equal no. of boys and girls. There was no OHP or LCD projector or Slide projector, so I had a white board with marker to help me. Casually, I asked the students to name any of the wild animals of the state. As there was a puzzled look, I rephrased my question - name any ten wild animals of the state of Goa wh...