All the bright places: Jennifer Niven (quotes)

1. "The world breaks everyone and afterwards, many are strong at the broken places" ~Ernest Hemmingway

2. Rules of geocaching: take something, leave something

3. Early in our lives, early in the new year. If you're counting, you'll notice the earlys outnumber the lates

4. Arrange whatever pieces come your way.

5. I am rooted but I flow

6. When we're in the act of wandering, we need to be present, not watching it through a lens

7. The ugliest place is beauitiful to someone...to the people who live there

8. You have to live your life like  you'll never be sorry

9. You can't count on things staying around or standing still, no matter how much you want them to

10. Growth itself contains the germ of happiness. Maybe a germ is enough. Maybe a germ is all you need.

11. Germ: origin of something, a thing that may serve as the basis of further growth or development

12. The problem with people is that they forget  that most of the time it's the small things that count. Everyones' so busy in the Waiting Place.

13. There's a built in ending to everything in the world, right?

14. There is only now and if now is only two days then two days is your life and everything will be in proportion.

15. Sometimes things feel true even if they aren't. 

16. But does forever have a built-in ending?

17. Words can be bullies.

Positives one go on the wall and negative ones on the floor. They don't need to hang around after you do.

18. Your mountain is waiting so get on your way!

19. The thing I realize is that it's not what you take, it's what you leave

All the bright (and dark!) places

When life has so many real happy and tragic stories, how is it that a book can you feel so sad, completely out of it.

I wished I hadn't peeked but I guess one knows such endings much earlier as one after the other event leads up to it.

It's the kind of book I hate and love. As a writer it makes me feel inadequate. It makes me wonder why I write when I can see such beautifully written words. What treasures do I have to offer at all?

As a reader it makes me feel so completely out of it. I hate it for making me feel like that. And yet I respect the power within in it to make me feel it.

I wonder at myself why made up stories induce real feelings.

It's not something I will read again though I might share it's quotes later.

Book list 2019

This is my reading list for 2019. I read 90 books and 42 new ones. A lot, even for me! This was a relatively tougher year and books helped. Somehow, at the right time, I found the right book relating so well to that situation. I at least completed my books related resolutions: at least 2 new ones per month.

Here's to another year of reading! At the end, there is a link for possible new books and accessment of those read. Maybe the next year will involve revisiting some classics...

1. Six geese a laying by Sophie Kinsella

2. Let it snow John Green and others

3. My morning routine by Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander

4. The rooster bar by John Grisham

5. Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

6.Neferet's curse by P C Cast

7. SVU: no rules

8. I've got your number by Sophie Kinsella

Feb

9. Can you keep a secret by Sophie Kinsella

10. Percy Jackson and the Sea of monsters by Rick Riordan

11. Percy Jackson and Titan's curse by Rick Riordan

12. Percy Jackson and Lightening Thief

13. Percy Jackson and the battle of the Labyrinth

14. Percy Jackson and the last Olympian

15. Heroes of Olympus: The lost hero

16. Heroes of Olympus: Son of Neptune

17. Heroes of Olympus: The mark of Athena

18. Heroes of Olympus: The House of Hades

19. New place, new face.

20. Heroes of Olympus: The blood of Olympus

March

21-23 Girl online series

24. Problems at Pollensa Bay by Agatha Christie

25. Tea for two and a piece of cake

26. Something Secret by Gwyneth Reese

27. Best Friends by Jacqueline Wilson

28-38. Sweet Valley University and High series (rereads)

39. Night of the Prom

40. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

41. I owe you one by Sophie Kinsella

42. The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simpon

43. Thus Spoke Chanakya by Radhakrishnan Pillai

44. The Present by Spenser Johnson

45. The Lemon Cafe by Cathy Bramley

46. The girl with nine wigs by Sophie van der Stap

47. The little Christmas Kitchen by Jenny Oliver

48. A cat among the pigeons by Agatha Christie

49. Mrs. McGinty's dead by Agatha Christie

50. The moving finger by Agatha Christie

51. Crooked House by Agatha Christie

52. Murder is easy by Agatha Christie

53. At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie

54. The babysitter's club by Ann M Martin

55. Stacey's truth by Ann M Martin

56. On a snowy night  by Debbie Macomber

57. Clean Break by Jacqueline Wilson

58. Living dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
59. Camp Club Girls by Shari Bari

60. The secret of Chimneys. Agatha Christie

61. Five little pigs by Agatha Christie.

62. The perfect holiday by Cathy Kelly

63. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

64. The silent patient by Alex

65-66. St Claires by Pamela Cox

67. Still me by Jojo Moyes

68. The right time by Danielle Steel

69. Close Encounters, Nancy Drew  by Carolyn Keene

70. Parker Pyne investigates by Agatha Chistie

71. Model Suspect, Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene

72. The girl in room 5 by Chetan Bhagat

73. Lucky T by Kate Brian

74. Famous Five by  Enid Blyton

75. Everyboday worth knowing by Lauren Weisberger

76. Scrambled legs ( stupus cupids) by Jahnna N Malcolm

77.Scrambled legs ( we hate ballet) by Jahnna N Malcolm

78. The wishlist by Jane Costello

79. Girls in Pressure by Jacqueline Wilson

80. Bucket list Traveloholic by Sarika Pandit

81. Ghost Stories, Nancy Drew

82. Koi Good News by Zarreen Khan

83. Demigods and Magicians by Rick Riordan

84. Nancy Drew

85. 13 little blue envelopes by Maureen.

86. What Alice forgot by Liane Moriarty

87. Sisterhood of travelling pants, second summer by Ann Brashares

88. Forever blue, sisterhood of travelling pants by Ann Brashares

89. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

90. The bucketlist to mend a broken heart by Anna Bell

https://brightside.me/article/200-superb-books-everyone-should-read-at-least-once-80205/

Wanderlust

I have never believed in bucketlists but sometimes life shows you a face that tells a different story. If there are things one would regret not doing, they need to be done sooner rather than later. That is NOW. 

And it is now that the wanderlust bug has bitten me badly. There is so much I want to see. Some as solo trips, some as family, some with kid, some with partner and some with friends. But most importantly, at least some of these trips, I NEED to experience.  It's scary to enlist this and get further caught with the flow but here it is.

My current list includes: 

England: London, High Tea, literary walk

Scotland: Edinburg

Ireland  (maybe)

Denmark

Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice

France: Paris, Nice,

Greece: Santorini, ...

Norway

Istanbul: Turkey

Dubai

Bali

Netherland

Japan

All states and union territories of India at least once

 Some others:

Any one Disneyland or maybe even 2.

A revisit to Vegas 

New York (Manhattan)

Hawai, Miami, Honollulu, Big Sur

Revisit to SA/Canada(maybe)

Germany(maybe)

England: Stay with an old English lady 

Take a short course somewhere

Order food in other languages ....

Maybe also Eastern side: Hungary/Budepast/Vienna/Prague

Egypt? (Less so)

Maybe...One of Mayasia/Maldives etc...near last choices

‐-----------

I hope to do substantial from this list in next 10/20 years. It may not be all or even close to all. I hope to take this lister as a pointer and initial point and then develop further based on experiences. It could be few or more or just a couple. There have been many others earlier for which I am grateful. I hope when I go it remains magical and is always more than a list. A city needs to be imbibed, not viewed. And we can each have a diffetent window to the same place and a see slightly different view.

Why do I need this? Because travel imparts knowledge and growth beyond measurable ways. Because it broadens your viewpoint. Because I want to. Because....well just because!

Epiphany: it's me

So many times in life, we come across situations which are like crisscrosses, where we don't know the right path. For the longest time, I used to hope to go to someone to just get those answers. At first it would be the wisest or the closest ones. They know you best and can advise clearly, logically. But with time, sometimes one may still not get convinced. Because there can be too many unexpressible questions or different opinions amongst them or even a non judgement/non-opinion. And what is right for one may be wrong for another. Maybe that is why people have "gurus". But then I doubt they discuss with them their day to day situations.

Recently, in one such situation, I was confused, overthinking and looking for a validation for an answer, to make sure it was the right decision. And it wasn't even a very big decision. That's when I had an epiphany. It's me. Noone besides myself can provide me with those answers to me or at least that final validation. Because it needs to be right to me,  for me first. Even if it seems right to everyone else, till my mind validates, it will not let me be convinced. And if it is right to me then I can go ahead with a clear conscience. And somtimes it's ok to " doubt ones doubts". Not over analyse a decision. Just let it happen.

It  may not seem momentous but was a big realization for me. After years and years of wondering, to finally know that the answer was within me.

An apex of pain

Recently I had a dental treatment. A treatment so severe that it gave a new meaning to pain. I always felt chidlbirth was the apex of pain so anything following it in life had be less severe. Well life lives to prove one wrong. This experience competed well for it's place in the pain category and tied right up there.

I think I finally understood "out of body" experience. I was incapacitated with pain. I was the pain and nothing else for a while. I could only survive it. Breathe through it and make myself believe that it would go away.  Sometime. Eventually.  In the meanwhile, I had to wait it out. Survive. I wasn't brave throughout. I was terrified, stunned and just holding on. But it did go away a few hours later. After painkillers reduced it to "just pain" which though also severe, was one through which I could see the world and feel that I was more than the pain. I could feel hope again. I held onto my dreams and rode them to rosier times. And finally, like a melody, it reduced to a whisper and I was myself again. I was not just functional but living my life again. Even in spurts in between the pain.

The treatment is not yet over. Hence nor is the pain for good. I know this is a pause. But I write this is in that pause to give hope to all others suffering from some catastrophical pain just one thing:

 "it will get over. Eventually"

Find your secret ingredients

Recently I was asked to write a motivating article for the office newsletter. This is a version of the same.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.” – Harold Whitman

It’s important to regularly analyze your skill-set and hone and nurture your talent.   I remember a story in which a class was enacting the play of Cinderella and kid was asked what his part was in it. 

He replied “ I am the pig. ” 

“ But,” the teacher said,  “there are no pigs in this story”.

“Well, there is one now” was his prompt reply. And so there was a pig who followed Cinderella throughout the play, enacted her unsaid thoughts and stole everyone’s hearts! The forest has many animals each with their own unique role. Be a cheetah, elephant, deer or ant but be the best that you can be.  Figure out your role in the larger story:

• Find out what is uniquely you and make the most of it. 

• Enhance and update your skills regularly. Read blogs/literature/ attend workshops/do online courses but constantly keep upgrading yourself in the direction of your skillset. 

• Consolidate this knowledge further by documentation and sharing. 

• Find out what part of your work you enjoy and find most satisfying. These are your unique strengths. 

• Think about how you can offer that role in the best possible way to the company.

• Give that little extra of yourself to that part of the role. If it is development, spare some time for small PoCs, if it is ideation, make sure you communicate your ideas where they can make a difference,if it is communication, get more involved in client communication. If it is documentation, code review, testing, start by taking up multiple such roles for your team. 

• Start small and slowly expand. You could start by aiming for adding value towards your chosen domain maybe 10% more than the rest of  your work and slowly evolve this.

• It’s also ok or actually necessary, to take a peek in other horizons.

• It’s ok to change your area of interest/skillset. Don’t worry if it seems different or too new. Sometimes, that’s how we grow.

• Lastly, never forget to take pride in who you are, what you do and what you stand for. Never underestimate any individual and that starts with self!

Postscript: book quotes

It's uncanny how one finds the right book at the right time. This book comes with food for thought at a time of introspection. Here are some interesting quotes and phrases from it:

1. We don't always remember how we met but we often remember how we parted

2. After digging, toiling in the darkness and dirt, we finally hit something concrete. I learned that rock bottom can actually be a springboard.

3....possessions that became objects as soon as they were dropped into the bag...

4. We all have something that unexpectedly derails us when we are motoring smoothly, blissfully, ardently.

5. Perhaps it is not death that angers or scares us, it's the fact that we have no control over it.

6. There is no end to the loss we can experience, but neither is there to the knowledge  and growth that arises because of it and in spite of it.

7. Just because I've had my share of problems, I cannot become a fixer

8. Love is a tenuous, rarefied thing. Something to be prized and cherished  displayed for all to see, not hidden away in a cupboard, or to feel ashamed of.

9. Life has roots and just like a tree in its quest for survival, those roots spread and stretch to find water, they possess the power to lift foundations , uproot anything in its path their reach is endless; their presence has an everlasting  effect on some form or  another. You can cut the tree down but you cannot kill what it started and all the life that sprung from it.

10. Death is a constant companion with us , watching us from the sidelines.

11. The more the world dislocates, the more we come together. 

Everything that breaks around us, glues us together even tighter, because no matter  how chaotic, everyone has to find their hiding place. Our hiding place is each other. 

12. Hating goodbyes is not a justification for staying.

13. And fearing goodbyes is not a justification for leaving first.

14. Death rips people apart but it also has a way of stitching together those left behind together.

15. There's always one more thing to say ( at the cover page)

Routine is underrated

Recently I yet again realized the value of routine. Sometimes it takes a shaking of the world around you to make you realize this.
There is a quote in a song...
"Khoke apne per hi toh usne tha udna seekha"
Translation: Only on losing its wings did it (the bird) learn to fly.

We so often lose sight of our blessings while striving ahead. There is so much restlessness in today's age to do more, strive more and greater perfection in everything. A holiday or occasion should be picture perfect and full of exotica. Meals should be well plattered. Kids should learn, no master tonnes of activities and get no less than 99.999%, hobbies should be monetizeable. If you are happy at home or at work, you are in "comfort zone". Go go go, do something extra. Do something more. And then share. First we amass goods and then we go into a declutter frenzy.
And keep moving in the race. The race to do more but feel less. The race that literally leads to a "dead" end while the present becomes a blurry frenzy. In some ways the ride in this rollcoaster is still fun. But why not open our eyes and see and enjoy the journey? Because there is no destination. The journey is all we really have.

The evening cup of tea with family, watching sillyreruns, holding hands, bingeing on fav food items, playing with kids as one of them, reading till 4am because you can't put the book down, long talks with friends, walking under the stars, the strong sunshine, a warm bubble bath, coloring in bliss, exploring  a new place (country state or even the cafe nearby), swinging freely. That's life. And it's beautiful. Complete as it is. Requires no more to make it "more".

Of course this definition varies for each one of us and even with each of us at different intervals of time. But what's important is to know what brings you peace and joy. And holding onto it in the midst of the race while we can. It's as important to pause or reduce the speed at times as it is to keep going. Take a stock of your journey and direction. Enjoy the mundane for it is one of the biggest blessings of life.

The gift of silence

I recently finally understood why I loved flights so much ( besides the amazing views). I love it for its inaccessibility. For a while, you are literally away (above) from the world. I mostly believe in solitary flights and window seats. So its just you and the endless clouds and some landscapes as you leave or reach them. I love the lift offs. Not so much the landings. I love the idea of being in the sky. Flying. I even love the much hated flight food. I cherish the silence, literal and in the mind that one experiences. It is the one public transport where people do not generally chatter. It is the one time noone can reach you. For a while one is away from everything. And there is no sense of guilt, responsibility or expectation. It's a unique freedom in today's fast paced world. So yes, my idea of every ideal holiday is with flights :)

Recently I experienced such silence on an away evening. The meetings were done for the day. I walked to my room, visiting a church, shopping a little, losing and finding my way about a few times. When I finally reached, I knew the evening was just mine. I felt no need for TV, music or even the phone. I kept them away. Silence was blissful. Time for some introspective writing. Reading a new book (that, I couldn't do without). Reviewing life. It's necessary I realized. Every few months, we should give ourselves the gift of silence. One day. Two days. Quality time with self.  What one does could vary from person to person but it should be just them. No media and no other people. Only the one person you can never escape though you may avoid many times every day.

This can even bring about some interesting ideas, solutions to places where we are stuck and in some cases, life changing ideas. It's not surprising that so many scientific discoveries were by scietists when in bath, about to sleep, wake up..the alone states.

So where do you find your peace?

Home

Recently we shifted residences and I realized there was a phobia associated with the new place or maybe it was resistance to change.

It took time for it to become "home". Home is not elegant sofas and high profile paintings with perfect teasets. Home is your favourite pajamas and slippers. Watching your favourite tv show with the people who will watch it with you because they love you. A place where you tie your hair loosely and ask for a cup of extra sweet tea on a tough day. Where you place your favourite trinklets all crooked but just as you like them. Home is where you like to  cook. Where you even like to be alone. Where you  stumble to the loo at night in the dark. Home is the best place in the world with the right people. Where you are accepted as such.  Where you fight and make up and fight again. And laugh about it later someday. Home is that familiar blanket and your kids chocolate kisses.  Home is much loved broken toys and paint splashes. Home is where you belong and look forward to coming not just on work days but even on vacations to different locations.

Home is where you are at peace and inspired to write.  :)

New lessons

Today I completed 2 years in a single place in the industry. Well, a lot has changed from that first post I wrote after completing 6 months.

This is the second chapter. The first chapter of the experience changed my perspective of the industry and the second one rechanged it again. Sometimes there are irrevocable changes which change the place or the way one views a place.

There could be a lot of discussion points here. Many I started and discontinued even in this post.They could come as individual posts later on in different ways.

With time there are also struggles in most cases. Sometimes those are struggles at a personal level, at a level of balancing different aspect of lives, the actual work , the stress at the edge which may or may not be directly to actual work or that of growth.

Maybe it's like life. There are different phases. What is most important is to have the basics right. To know which factor is most important and then strive to stabilize there and make sure to sustain it. They all offer chances of growth. The growth can happen in different directions. Sometimes the most important aspect of growth is how one handles the points of struggle or even how well one identifies those aspects.

Sometimes it's the simple stuff like taking time out to talk to friends or rest or destress. Sometimes it's about expressing oneself and clarifying areas of confusion. Sometimes it's just about belonging to a place. Sometimes it's about learning new stuff. Sometimes it's new stuff about the core work and knowing where and when to learn more.

Just like life, one learns different lessons through different kinds of phases and it's always possible to keep learning.

Before bidding adieu

Before the dusk draws near
And the sun sets in,
And day closes for me too,
Let's smile and then bid adieu

Today I am hale, jolly and hearty,
Before the health fades,
Freedom diminishes and dependencies grow in lieu,
Let's play once again before bidding adieu

Before life fades, the body shrinks,
And one gets exposed to weakness, pity and ridicule
Before smiles that I can bring become few,
Let's laugh and then bid adieu

I am but one phase,
While waiting for you are phases many and new
Before it's my cue,
Let's close this chapter and bid adieu

Before one needs,
Before has to,
But while one still wants to,
Let's talk and talk before bidding adieu

Let's enjoy life's brightness and hue,
Green grass and its dew,
Before dusk brings darkness,
Let us walk together and glimpse  at it once more before we bid adieu

The rat race ends,
And we come to the end of the queue,
Let us pause once before bidding adieu

The story of my life: the best is yet to come

Recently a blog competition wanted the writers to write about the story of their lives, give a title and also define the chapters.

It seemed so tempting and interesting and yet I realized I couldn't define it as yet. It's too early.  So much is left "undone" as yet...But as I set about thinking of some of titles, I had a few insights about the journey so far:

1. It's a good life: So many times our daily stress, the pace of the rat race and other minor setbacks get us down. There are less smiles and more frowns. Joys seem scarce. During a recent such phase,  I came across this blog title and upon reflection, it made me realize afresh how beautiful life is. The minor potholes are just scatters of background noise which can easily be removed and don't even affect the main picture. One just needs to remember this.

2. "The secret" is valid: Whatever the heart desires does happen. This is a proven fact in the story of my life. Be in personal or professional achievements or even minor goals. They can all be mapped to this. If they meant enough to me to truly want them, they finally worked out. No matter how far they initially seemed. Whether it was getting my first 100% marks in an exam, finding the right partner, doing PhD, health or hobby related ones or some very targetted, shorter, specific goals. The ones that didn't work out, well they didn't matter enough. I didn't keep thinking of them, they didn't rhythmically beat with my heartbeat. If they did, they did till they happened. No sour grapes here. Just wonder at how simple it really is to make things happen. Of course, they need to be goals, not just dreams. Not all dreams are goals. One needs to be the main doer in them. Not a spectator. If the main action is independent of you then it is not a goal, just a dream.

3. Have faith: Continuing from previous point, one just needs to have faith. One needs to bid time sometimes. I wish as a teenager I knew that things do work out finally. There would have been so much less stress! I wish there was a huge way to convey this at the largest possible scale somehow. It's so important. It's so important to know when one is lost that the ways still exist and one is bound to find them ultimately.

4. Keep making memories: Some of the most memorable times are also the times of maximum struggle. How we made it through previous tough times hold us good for the next ones to come. It could be some motivating motto, songs, books, some life mantras, practices or our support system in the form of people. What gets us through once gives us the strength for the times ahead and a feel good factor that it all worked out. And good times and good memories are created through it all, not after it all. Life keeps happening. It's important to keep living for those joyful moments and making memories along the way instead of waiting for things to get easier or better. These moments are what make things better.

5. Don't get stagnant: Keep dreaming: The end of one dream is often the beginning of another. Living means having something to look forward to. Something that makes us constantly feel alive. Sometimes we need to rest a while between goals. But one must find the next one soon enough before complacency sets in.

Because, the best is yet to come....

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’ 

This post won for the WoW post of the week award.

Mindfulness and the pause that sometimes happens

Sometimes one just needs to switch off and focus on just the immediate needs. Like a wound that takes all your attention. One needs to shut out the world to avoid all else which seems like background noise. That focus is mindfulness. It is at a similar level to meditation.

Recently while waiting at the hospital, I realized people somehow continue their activities there also at times. You visit someone and while there, you utilize that time for a few "urgent" calls, check new messages and drop a few mails. It's required to continue in the pace of life which we have created for ourselves. Otherwise we get left behind or fall off the pace. It's almost like a norm.

But this changes sometimes. Maybe when it affects you or family or someone close directly. Or it could be someother circumstances. Sometimes one just needs to get off the life's treadmill. Sometime's it's enough to just watch close ones sleep peacefully, just observe breathing, realizing nothing else matters as much.  I experienced this recently. There were gaps when I could have technically done stuff probably but the mind froze. The heart didn't want to. For a while I did not want those disturbances or distractions. No new sources of information from the outside world. No questions. No tasks. Nothing more than the daily life at that stage. A kind of inner withdrawl. Away from the outer frenzy. Multitasking has its limits. It's not always about time or physical energy but also about peace of mind. The mind's capacity at a particular time. Crisis takes it's toll and requires more from the mind to just process it and go on. One looks at the outside world for support but all else disolves away like a small island on its own.

This time my mind could handle no more than the daily tasks. And while waiting at the hospital, I just heard breathing and observed the colors of the painting. The shades, the details. Just living in those moments while the mind also stayed still. It found no need to wander towards anything else. It  worked towards recuperating itself. And that, I believe, is mindfulness. Sometimes it is sudden, sometimes forced but if added as a practice, it may prove to be beneficial. The pause can be good in the long run as the race continues.

Hyderabad trip: Green tea and bread (part 2)

Sometimes some parts of our daily activities get so ingrained into our routine that we hardly realize their significance until for some reason, we have to deviate from them.

This I realized at the recent trip to Hyderabad. The accomodation was fine except for one fine detail: it had no tea maker! The first evening soon after arriving, I ordered my first cup of tea and ploughed ahead thinking that there would be tea at the conference and they of course offer tea upon ordering. But what they didn't have in their menu was green/black tea/chamomile tea, in short any milkless flavoured tea!

Over the next few days, I realized another missing item, bread from breakfast! Whether it was at the conference or the accomodation, the multiple options of breakfast offered didn't include. The multiple tea options didn't include green tea. At one point, they even kept the elusive packets of all variety of teas. I reached eagerly and asked for my option, only to be told that there is no hot water currently!
Well my struggles with breakfast did have some memorable breaks in between where such options were made available or pursued.  I was slowly becoming the kind of person who should carry their own tea!

However, this experience surprised me. I never realized before this trip that these two items played such a vital role in my morning rountine. I was reading my morning routine earlier and tried to analyze my routine. It seemed rushed. Green tea as a part of healthy choice but also because it is a quicker choice. This was generally followed by  grabbing a quick sandwich for the way.  This hardly seemed like a routine. Kind of rushed with scope for lots of improvement. But with time, it became a part of my routine that gave me peace. Few minutes of peaceful green tea and the blandness of a simple sandwich.

The blandness, simplicity and flavorlessness is nice in the morning and forms an intrinsic part of my morning and hence daily life. It somehow calms the mind to concentrate on the day ahead without itself taking any energy. No oilyness, spice and hence no heaviness. It just supports. Just like certain people in life.  They just support. And they are such an intrinsic part of our lives that with time we start taking them for granted. They are supposed to just be there. Exactly as they are, everyday of our lives. Because they are the reason we function.  They are our staples. Our bread and green tea. They are our family.  And sometimes it's the deviations which make us rediscover their true value which we would see everyday without observing properly.

Invent A Gadget. What Would It Do?

‘This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’ 

The challenge here is the following:

Invent A Gadget. What Would It Do?‘. Think about a gadget that can help you complete one dreadful task or multiple tasks and write about all that it can do. How will that be useful and make your life simpler or well, maybe happier? Well, here it is....

The challenge in this case is to mention one favourite imagined invention. Well, I will mention my favourite childhood fantasy which in today's world is definitely sliding more towards reality. My fantasy is towards locomotion. Right now telepresence is possible but what would be great would be great would be teleporting. Or to be more precise, a kind of device which generates rays that allow the user to travel in air from one location to another without any vehicle. The rays would propel us as we  provide directions to steer according to our path. With that,  each way becomes 3 dimensional. For each path, we can travel at multiple heights. We travel freely, any time, any where and much faster than currently possible. The device would get charged by solar energy and thus also be a completely environment friendly device.

If I could extend this further, I would say this allows the user the comfort of travel by allowing options such as virtual standing or sitting or lying down. It further allows one to travel great distances at a glimpse. Imagine fulfilling all your travelling dreams when it fancies you. Or visiting that distant, close one at a blink instead video calling. Or even running errands without worrying about traffic!

Well, lets dream on! Maybe this becomes a reality in some form by 2100! 

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2018 Complete Reading list

2018 was a good year, reading wise. Actually, fortunately, most years are at least in this one respect.  I read 59 complete books including some nonfiction after a long time. Some Indian authors, some new authors, some serious, some light and some of slightly new genre also. 30 out of 59 were new reads. An almost 50% ratio of old vs new reads is perfect in most ways (bold ones are new).

Book 1: Best of Friends by Cathy Kelly

Book 2: The Wish List by Jane Costello

Book 3: The Scandal (Theodore Boone ) by John Grisham

Book 4: High School Musical: Poetry in motion by Alice Alfonsi

Book 5: Thinking of you by Jill Mansell

Book 6: Sleeping Arrangements
Sophie Kinsella as Madeline Wickam

Book 7: Chicken Soup for the Soul
(Reader's Choice) by Jack Canfield

Book 8: The railway children by E.

Book 9: The Dare Game ( A Tracy Beaker Story) by Jacqueline Wilson

Book 10:  One Suitable Girl by Chetan Bhagat

Book 11: The year I met you by Cecelia Ahern

Book 12: The girl on the train by Paula Hawkins

Book 13 Pollyanna by Eleanor H Porter

Book 14: Bone Magic by Yasmine Galenorn

Book 15:  Jessica's secret diary...Sweet Valley series...By Francine Pascal

Book 16: Elizabeth's secret diary...Sweet Valley series...By Francine Pascal

Book 17:  Secret at Mystic Lake
Nancy Drew diaries
By Carolyn Keene

Book 18:
Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie

Book 19:
The bomb girls by Daisy Steel

Book 20: The Perfect Holiday : by Cathy Kelly

Book 21:Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Book 22: The woman who went to bed for a year By Sue Townsend

Book 23: The short second life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Book 24: Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson

Book 25: The private lives of Pippa Lee
By Rebecca Miller

Book 26: Koi Good News by Zareen Khan

Book 27: The  Demigod Files( Heros of Olympus) Rick Riordan

Book 28: The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles) by Rick Riordan

Book 29: Nancy Drew series: (Green with Envy)

Book 30: Agatha Christie  ( at Bertram's Hotel)

Book 31: Granny Dan by Danielle Steel

Book 32: Who moved my cheese?
By Dr. Spencer Johnson

Book 33:  The murder of roger ackroyd Agatha Christie

Book 34: Medical Romance : A family Christmas by Josie Metcalfe

Book 35: How to fall in love
By Cecelia Ahern

Book 36: Divergent By Veronica Roth

Book 37: My not so perfect life By Sophie Kinsella

Book 38-39: Babysittersclub..number 81-82
By Ann M. Martin

Book  40: Insurgent By Veronica Roth

Book 41: Allegiant By Veronica Roth

Book 42: The Babysitters' Club ( 2 books in the series) By Ann M. Martin

Book 43: Nancy Drew books ( 5 books)
* The emerald eyed cat mystery
* En garde 
* Swami's Ring
* Ice cream soda
* Intruder
(Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene )

Book 44:  Here's to you Rachel Robinson by Judy Blume

Book 45: One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson

Book 46: Surprise me by Sophie Kinsella

Book 47: Malory towers (next gen series) by Enid Blyton.

Book 48: Blubber by Judy Blume

Book 49: Princess Diaries (Princess in love)

Book 50: Turtles all the way down by John Green

Book 51: I heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk

Book 52: Speedpost by Shobha De

Book 53: I heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelk

Book 54:
Rules for girls(moving day) by Meg Cabot

Book 55: Sabrina the teenage witch

Book 56: Scrambled legs...2 parts

Book 57: Loved by PC Cast

Book 58: After you by Jojo Moyes

Book 59: Homecoming Cathy Kelly

Hyderabad trip: finding my way (part 1)

This is in continuation to the post "escape". For a while I thought this would be the escape from stress, daily worries as they kept getting piled up. And in some ways, it was. Though in some ways it also exhausted while creating an entirely new journey.

Finding my way, literally

This journey started very differently from others. It was less organized. I packed light, too light it turned out! I got late for my flight and just made it in the nick of time. There was none of the usual time to hangout at the airport. Yes, I love planes and airports. I would stroll, windowshop and eat. And pick a good book. Well, this time I just entered and rushed to board. As a result I was also too late for the window seat, another almost norm for me. Well, I adapted, rushed and got into the plane, relieved just not to miss it. I peeked at the window, absorbing views, got out a packed book, ordered some snacks and got into my flight mode. There's something so blissful about eating while watching the clouds, even it is instant noodles and instant tea. Well, here's the weirdness, I actually enjoy instant meals and even instant tea even when options are available! And of course, a good book can accompany just about anything.

Upon landing, the struggle and observations started parallely. I had expected this to be a kind of normal trip...with a flight and a busy city. Compared to the previous conference in Mandi, this was expected to be a breeze. Except that it was breeze which I experienced! The first thing I realized was it was going to be much colder than I had anticipated or packed for. The next was rocks, everywhere, of all shapes, sizes and color.  All the way from the airport. It is what forms the picture of Hyderabad for me. The big rocks, almost cave like structures. With flowers surrounding them.  Water bodies coming and going. It all presented a quaint picture, as if from a different era.

The next was Paradise biryani, just as I gazed at it, the driver abruptly stopped and dropped me off at the wrong hotel, despite my protestations! Maybe I should have heeded when he asked to talk to over the phone for directions. At that time I had thought "who needs to ask directions in the time of google maps?"  Or maybe it all started when even locating the taxi stall took so much time.

Well then, it was a journey for my map and I. Seems there a lots of Oyo's everywhere, even on a single street. Luggage in one hand, google map in another, I walked the busy street of Gachibowli. And again. And resorted to asking people. Noone seemed to know the existence of this place! Finally I turned to a dark alley with misgivings, got more directions, turned another dark alley and ..lo and behond...it was there. What a welcoming sight from within!

I got into the room and ordered tea. Missed the kettle and its welcoming instant tea to my taste. Shivered. Closed the ac and fans which they seem to turn on just to show you that switches work. Realized I had in fact packed too lightly for this cold, struggled with a stubborn wifi and fell asleep with the thought that "this may not be easy as it seemed".

Well,  this was part 1. This series has more to follow given time, hopefully :)

November booklist

Book 48: Blubber by Judy Blume
Rating: 3
A light reread.

Book 49: Princess Diaries (Princess in love)
Rating 3.5
A light reread.

Book 50: Turtles all the way down by John Green
Rating 4.5

Not so much for the plot or story but for all the words. Such perfect and thought provoking sentences!

Book 51: I heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
Rating: 3.5
The story is interesting, light, the pace is right. But it doesn't do justice to the title. There is not enough about Paris. I heart Vegas caught the spirit of Vegas in a much better manner than this does for Paris.

Book 52: Speedpost by Shobha De
Rating: 4.5
An amazing book. Letters ftom Shobha De to her children. As a child, I enjoyed reading this book as a guide to understand the generation gap. And now, as a mother myself, it's come round an entire cycle now. It now gives a new perspective of the limited time we have as parents to actually enjoy and cherish our children's childhood and take care of them.

Book 53:
I heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelk
Rating: 4
A good reread.

Book 54:
Rules for girls(moving day) by Meg Cabot
Rating:3.5
A light, fun book.