tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90049691739298963152024-03-05T13:43:49.034+05:30SANGuine EyesVivacious. Passionate. Bold. Confident. Optimistic. Carefree. Hopeful. Sociable. Equanimous. Impulsive.
Day Dreamer. Shameless. Forgetful. Moody. Chronically Late.
- I am a Sanguine with an affluence of Blood & Life. Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-81736384353424345282015-10-28T23:28:00.000+05:302015-10-28T23:31:04.355+05:30Stayzilla App Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since the time I quit my job and converted into a full time traveller, I am often in search of budget accommodations when I am travelling across India - places that are hardly listed in sites like <a href="http://www.makemytrip.com/">www.makemytrip.com</a> and <a href="http://www.yatra.com/">www.yatra.com</a>. Few weeks back when I came across some Stayzilla ads, I thought, “Let me give it a try.” And so it happened that I installed the Stayzilla app on my Android phone, only to be surprised by its pros. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pros:</span></b></b></div>
<b>
</b>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">1. Budget Range</b><b> - </b>Stayzilla lists rooms as low as Rs. 300 per day. This is heavenly for travellers like me. Earlier it was hardly possible to find these places online. For that range, the best bet was to land up at a place and bargain hard on spot. But as I surfed through the App, I was quite surprised to find such rooms too.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">2. Search Process</b><b> - </b>The search process is very user friendly. Once you enter the city or the location of the city around where you need the accommodation, your options are listed, which are more or less in and around that area. </span></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">3. Sorting</b><b> – </b>The accommodations listed can be sorted as per distance, price (low to high & high to low) and popularity. Now that’s an absolute necessity while browsing for hotels. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">4. Filters </b><b>– </b>Once your results are sorted as per your need, you can further zero in on suitable options by using the filters. The most useful of the filters is of course the ‘Price Range’ one. Then there is the ‘Amenities’ filter which has many options, but the most useful ones are Wi-Fi, 24 hour check-in and Breakfast. The third filter, ‘Type of Stay’, lets you select the kind of accommodation you prefer out of hotels, resorts, homestays, guest houses and serviced apartments.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">5. Guest or Host </b><b>– </b>Since Stayzilla has partnered with homestays, it goes without saying that if you have space in your home, you can easily list yourself as hosts too. And it’s not like just anyone will land up at your home. The Stayzilla App has a ‘Tribe’ feature, which lets you can find like-minded people based on common interests.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cons :</span></b></b></div>
<b>
</b>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">1. Live Chat</b><b> – </b>The App has a ‘Live Chat’ option where you can shoot your queries at the Stayzilla representatives. Somehow my queries never got answered through the live chat.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;">2. Bugs</b><b> – </b>The App has some bugs that need to be fixed. Apart from hanging a couple of time, I couldn’t find a way to change my profile type. You are given 3 options when you login to the App for the first time – Guest, Host or Both. Looks like whatever you select is irreversible, as there is no profile change option in the App, which makes this a little tricky if you had initially selected ‘Guest’ and wanted to change it to ‘Both’, if later on you decide to host too. <span id="goog_248038301"></span><span id="goog_248038302"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If Stayzilla sorts these issues out, I’m sure it will be a nice ‘Go to’ website/App for booking budget accommodations in India.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">**************************************************************************************</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><i>Disclaimer </i></b><b>: </b>This is an App review and not a complete review by booking and staying through Stayzilla.</span></div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-72356080768917410972015-06-12T02:14:00.001+05:302015-06-12T12:26:19.318+05:30T T Turmeric, Na Na Cosmetic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xv5l8CyluHDU7EIMXCdr9Yp6vlP2tIoxdFdHKYnkagzCjkOU7Ozza9UvoBn2hvu9PSYlUiu1aUTVhFiv48myikE8GypuwkuWU9B84LHvviZFdCW9eLO4f8VuwjapjQ43fY2Exy8SSvY/s1600/raavan-lallan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xv5l8CyluHDU7EIMXCdr9Yp6vlP2tIoxdFdHKYnkagzCjkOU7Ozza9UvoBn2hvu9PSYlUiu1aUTVhFiv48myikE8GypuwkuWU9B84LHvviZFdCW9eLO4f8VuwjapjQ43fY2Exy8SSvY/s640/raavan-lallan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://oneknightstands.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/raavan-lallan.jpg" target="_blank">Source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yesterday was one of
those rare occasions that I arrived at the movie theater in time. Mostly you would
find me rushing in when a movie has already started or if I am lucky,
when the National Anthem is on. So there I was, quiet proud of myself,
as I sat down in my seat to watch Dil Dhadakne Do, with my usual mix of cheese
and caramel popcorn. The Ads were being played and there it was, the age old
"</span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Vicco Turmeric, Nahi Cosmetic</b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">" Ad. It made me nostalgic. For time
immemorial, </span><a href="http://www.viccolabs.com/product-turmeric-cream-with-foam-base.php" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;" target="_blank">Vicco Turmeric Cream</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> ads have been playing during movie screenings at
multiplex theaters across the country. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">So is it only about a
catchy jingle? May be not. From
toothpaste to cream, whatever Vicco sells is Ayurvedic, instead of products
that are chemically synthesized. As the health conscious generation has moved from aerated drinks to fresh fruit juices and from gyms to yoga classes, so has it moved from cosmetics to herbal products, be it for skin care, hair care or tooth care. Ayurveda is a kind of medicine that has tons
of benefits derived from a range of medicinal herbs. And that is what makes
Vicco stand out as one of the top herbal brands in India.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">But we as aam aadmi or “mango
people”, do not have the abilities to conjure up such Ayurvedic medicines. What
we do have though, are those age old Grandma’s ‘nuska’s’. Those home remedies
passed down by that generation somehow never fails. Here are three of those
tricks or tips that would definitely work better than any of those cosmetic creams
out there in the market – <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Honey and Milk </span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">– Some say this was the secret behind Cleopatra’s beauty.
Now that’s something very difficult to prove, but the honey-milk mixture is
indeed an age old formula for radiant skin. Honey has anti-bacterial properties
and also acts as a moisturizer and milk contains Vitamin C, calcium and
protein. The combination makes it a definite hit.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Tomato juice</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> – Once after a Goa trip, my cousin went to the nearby vegetable
vendor and told him she wants to buy one tomato. Her demand for a single tomato
shocked me as much as it shocked the sabzi guy. It was later that she told me tomatoes are
great for removing tan. And that’s when I finally understood the link between
Goa and that single tomato :P. Tomatoes contain anti-oxidant and it is further
effective if you add in a dash of lemon juice and then apply it to your face.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Turmeric + Sandalwood powder + Milk</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> – Turmeric is an excellent antiseptic that
works wonder for the skin (which also explains the Haldi ceremonies at the Hindu weddings). Sandalwood is an anti-biotic that is known to
clear pimples and blemishes. And you already know why milk is great for the skin. When the combination of these three lands on your face and is left there for 5 minutes, it makes your skin appear fresh and bright. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">And this again brings me back to the jingle of the original cream of Vicco, which kept telling us over the years that '<i>Haldi Chandan ke gun isme samaye</i>'. Bingo!</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Long live '<i>Vicco Turmeric, Nahi Cosmetic</i>' in our multiplexes. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8bSd88MNWz8" width="560"></iframe></div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-201213033017574832015-03-27T14:17:00.000+05:302015-03-27T14:17:38.853+05:30Together, with Matterhorn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was a chilly day in Zermatt. I
and Pritha were at the ticket window of the Gornergrat Bahn, waiting for
the fellow at the window to hand us our ticket to the mountain railway. One
minute to the departure time, we found ourselves rushing through the small
platform towards the red train, the GGB. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Gornergrat Bahn or GGB is the
highest open air railway of Europe. From Zermatt GGB terminal, it climbs almost 10
kilometers ascending up to the Gornergrat railway station which is at a height
of 3090 meters above sea level.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inside the train it felt warm, a
respite from the harsh cold outside. It was the last train of the day leaving from
Zermatt to Gornergrat, with only the two of us and another Korean group
onboard. As the train ascended steeply on its tracks, it traversed tunnels, forests
and gorges, providing spectacular views of Zermatt and then of the majestic
mountains around. Since the climb was steep, the transition in the scenery was
fast - from green meadows to rocky ridges to snow all around. And then within a
blink of the eye, we entered the clouds. It made us realize how high up we
were. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once we stirred clear of the
clouds, we couldn’t help but shout out loud. On our right hand side, stood The
Matterhorn – tall, proud and formidable. This Swiss icon is one of the most
famous mountains on earth, a fascination of most climbers and mountaineers and one
of the last alpine mountains to be conquered. </span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oaQ1iNYjVtOpoCRoz5K7IrC7OpZzW492CMRACCZMv_wQeDUAYEucvLlkMK-vFY-7vsNxdq45du3-xiNLdTiDuhgj_vwePkmhzzgMOESvkEEg8uBLjwdcOtAkcns9mI1BjfjhFmx4BSQ/s1600/IMG_2333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oaQ1iNYjVtOpoCRoz5K7IrC7OpZzW492CMRACCZMv_wQeDUAYEucvLlkMK-vFY-7vsNxdq45du3-xiNLdTiDuhgj_vwePkmhzzgMOESvkEEg8uBLjwdcOtAkcns9mI1BjfjhFmx4BSQ/s1600/IMG_2333.JPG" height="212" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As we stepped onto the snow at
Gornergrat, we walked close to the mountain’s edge. That was as close as we
could get to Matterhorn. We were no climbers. We were just two simple girls
from a faraway land who have always listened to their hearts. And the heart
said, go explore the world. Awestruck, we admired its snowy peak as it slowly
started to glow orange under the setting sun. It was a sight to behold, a sight that can never be forgotten. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7oaQ1iNYjVtOpoCRoz5K7IrC7OpZzW492CMRACCZMv_wQeDUAYEucvLlkMK-vFY-7vsNxdq45du3-xiNLdTiDuhgj_vwePkmhzzgMOESvkEEg8uBLjwdcOtAkcns9mI1BjfjhFmx4BSQ/s1600/IMG_2333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Standing there together, we
looked at each other and smiled. Four years back we had met in Chennai while
pursuing MBA and became good friends. Four months back she had told me that she
will be in Switzerland during this time, on an onsite assignment. And four days
back I was on a plane from Mumbai to Zurich, thinking how time flies faster.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As per a local saying, those who
see the Matterhorn become successful and wealthy one day. We are definitely en route
to our individual definition of success, but what mattered most that day was that
we were witnessing this grand sight #<a href="https://housing.com/" target="_blank">together</a>. It filled us up with optimism for the future, a
strength to face every obstacle with courage and to look up and set goals as high as Matterhorn. It was the power of being together.</span></div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-51735485783920809862015-03-16T21:52:00.001+05:302015-03-16T22:17:53.260+05:30Start A New Life – Quit Smoking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He taught me how to smoke. And then he left. But smoking didn't. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had had my first cigarette in college with friends. It was once in a blue moon that we would head to a roof top restaurant close to our college and smoke Black. During those days, I never considered myself a smoker, as I probably had a single cigarette once in two months. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some years down the line, I resorted to smoking regularly after a heartbreak. I smoked when I was in pain. I smoked when I was angry. I smoked when I felt hopeless. So I went from having a puff for fun to smoking daily to relieve stress - a cruel illusion every smoker goes through owing to the mood altering drug called nicotine. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But then I moved on. My heart healed, but I am not sure if I could say the same for my lungs, for I could not let go off smoking. By then smoking had become a habit. I needed to smoke when I blogged because I felt it helped me ‘think’. I needed to smoke when I traveled because I felt it increased the sense of ecstasy. And of course, I continued smoking every time I felt stress. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I realized two things after two back-to-back incidents last July - firstly, that smoking definitely was not doing me any good, and secondly that my head was being controlled by nicotine. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was a sunny morning in Ladakh, when I attempted the walk up to Castle Tsemo. The lungs that had stayed faithful during half a dozen marathons and numerous treks, gave up. I was panting halfway through the climb. My other two companions were kind enough to wait for me every time I stopped to catch my breath. It was then that I finally realized what I had got myself into. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once I returned to Mumbai I decided to reduce smoking from 10 to 6 to 2 cigarettes per day. But the first night I abstained myself from smoking I was hit by the worst of nicotine withdrawal symptoms. First it was just a mere restlessness, which over the night developed into depression, a blood pressure drop and the worst of insomnia that I had ever experienced. I couldn't sleep that entire night and the first thing I did the next morning was take a puff. Months flew by. Every morning I decided to quit smoking and every night I found myself walking back to the cigarette shop. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Year 2015 brought in some very positive changes and optimism in my life that helped me look up and believe that I can <a href="https://housing.com/">#StartANewLife</a> or improve the one I am living. For either, there were some hindrance on the way and one of them was smoking. But with so much positive thoughts and determination (and not to mention my superb ego), I gained an upper hand over nicotine this time. How could I, who controls and takes charge of everything in her life, be controlled by a mere chemical?</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I am the master of my own mind. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was no way it could beat me. There was no way it could control me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s been two weeks since I took the bold step of quitting smoking. I don’t feel the daily urge any more. I know this might sound strange considering the withdrawal symptoms I had faced the first time. But who cares? I brought about a good change in my life. I have moved forward to live a better healthy life. When is your turn?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1FXdCjk505w" width="560"></iframe></div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-85904963426711046322015-02-19T11:49:00.000+05:302015-04-19T11:46:16.903+05:30Night Night Baby<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunAFQtrBZHRPNiMw-TqH6u9XTgO0riMug1qM-KSf3FnLmaxV2Z8dwq74eCoObPFzCJndcyqN0BOkl-oMnxcmkv5ubnhrrmQAnIVF80yMCVbiAXdz5t5qlKLV9zcHr6XfRKzi3BWCjsec/s1600/10915315_10206251704439856_4786342738856904903_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunAFQtrBZHRPNiMw-TqH6u9XTgO0riMug1qM-KSf3FnLmaxV2Z8dwq74eCoObPFzCJndcyqN0BOkl-oMnxcmkv5ubnhrrmQAnIVF80yMCVbiAXdz5t5qlKLV9zcHr6XfRKzi3BWCjsec/s1600/10915315_10206251704439856_4786342738856904903_n.jpg" height="400" width="333" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had no experience with a baby until very recently when I spent few hours with this cute baby boy of a friend of mine who is a single father. It is easier to lull a calm baby to sleep. But Arsh is not just super adorable, he is also extremely naughty. So how do you put such baby to sleep at the end of the day? Not an easier task than rocket science! </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here are few things that we tried that day to put the hyper active baby to sleep – </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PLAY A GAME – A quiet game before the bedtime is a fun way to spend some time with the baby before he hits the bed. You have to ensure that it doesn’t over excite him. I played building blocks with the baby as his dad cooked khichdi for his dinner. He soon started screaming happily and toddling all around the living room, just because he loved his new friend. The next thing I knew was that he was throwing all the colorful play balls in every direction so that I would go and fetch them. This can be a risky venture if the baby is hyper active, but still worked out as we followed it up with something calmer. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">BED TIME STORIES – For all I remember, this is all I got when I was a baby myself. I used to love stories, especially when told dramatically by my grandmother. No, she never read from any book and I am still amazed by the number of stories she had told me during bed time. I used to listen to her very attentively and slowly fall asleep during the course of the story. We did not exactly tell stories to my friend’s baby. We used flash cards to make him learn and recognize new words by looking at the pictures. It is not only fun for the baby to guess the words from the pictures; it is also productive as it improves the baby’s language skills and intelligence.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">FEEDING OR A BOTTLE OF FORMULA – It is important the baby’s stomach is filled till the morning. I fed him the khichdi when we were still guessing words using the flash cards. It also avoids the baby from waking up multiple times at night due to hunger pangs. And of course, the “brush your teeth” ritual followed immediately after that.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A RELAXING BATH OR MASSAGE – Now that is something everyone loves, be it a baby or an adult. It was a soothing experience for the baby to sit in the warm water and having a baby lotion rubbed into his back after he was patted dry. But this shouldn't include hyper splashing of water or tickles to make the baby go on a laugh riot (that is for you dads).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A LULLABY OR SOOTHING MUSIC – Isn't that time tested? From ‘<i>Twinkle Twinkle Little Star</i>’ to ‘<i>Ba Ba Black Sheep</i>’ to our very own ‘<i>Lakdi ki kathi</i>’, it just never fails. A lullaby in a soft voice works the best, but if you cannot pull it off even a tape of lullabies in very low volume can lull the baby to sleep.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CUDDLES AND KISSES – It is always best and sweet to end the ritual with a reminder to the baby that you love him dearly and will always be there for him. I got a lot of kisses in return too as he slowly drifted to sleep after being <a href="http://www.rewardme.in/tag/Pampers">pampered</a> throughout the whole evening. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am eagerly waiting for the next time with my new friend who is a whopping 27 years younger to me. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">**************************************************************************************</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This post has been written for the Happy Hour Campaign by Indiblogger in association with <a href="http://www.rewardme.in/tag/Pampers">Pampers</a>. Enjoy the commercial.</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HTlVOdovIZ8" width="420"></iframe></div>
</div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-21617081747521475062015-02-17T20:40:00.000+05:302015-02-17T20:52:42.922+05:30Wish List of an Umar Bhar Befikar <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many a times, we dream
of things we want to do in life, but cannot attain them because of situations
we call as constraints. Be it a job or money or health problems or any relationship,
we never run short of these constraints. Often some dreams remain unfulfilled
because people do not have the courage to fight the constraints and make those
dreams come true. And to think of that constraints do not exist, how heavenly
that would be? You can do anything you ever wanted to do!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here are the top 5
things I would do if I am <a href="http://bit.ly/BefikarUmarBhar" target="_blank">Befikar Umar Bhar</a> – </span><br />
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></b>
<br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-stretch: normal;">1) </span></span></b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ll quit my job and travel</span></b></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“<i>If you
don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to help them build theirs</i>”,
truly said Dhirubhai Ambani. If I do not have any constraints, I would quit my
job tomorrow to travel and follow my dream. I’ll sleep in the wee hours of the
morning and wake up at midday and let no clock govern my body or life. If I do
not have any constraints, I’ll seek my freedom as the first thing in this
world.</span><br />
<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">2) I’ll visit my parents
often</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Many of us who stay far from our families,
hardly get a chance to visit their homes more than once in a year. What kind of
life is that, where you do not hold your freedom to visit that place where you
grew up in your own hands? Instead you need to take permission to visit those
loved ones. If I do not have any constraints, I’ll visit my parents as often as
I want and I’ll also visit my sister and even my close friends. What is life
without the company of those loved ones?</span><br />
<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>3) An Abode in Ladakh</b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If I don’t have any constraint, I’ll build a
small house in Ladakh where I can go atleast once in a year to find peace and
to be mesmerized by Ladakh’s ruthless beauty. Of course if I don’t have a
constraint I’ll probably have a house in Mumbai too, but that won’t pull me as
much as the one in Ladakh would. I’ll spend a month there every year, till Ladakh
ceases to surprise me, something I don’t think will ever happen.</span><br />
<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>4) I’ll climb Mt. Everest</b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When I don’t have any constraints, I’ll travel
far and beyond - up the mountains and inside the seething volcano. I’ll swim in
the sea and sleep under the stars. And I’ll climb the Mount Everest and see the
world from its top most point. Yes, and you would see my name besides the likes
of those courageous men and women who had achieved that dangerous feat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; text-align: left;"><b>5)</b> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%; text-align: left;">I’ll travel to Antarctica</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Since I do not have any constraints, by now I
have already been to all the continents, all except Antarctica. I would set
voyage to Antarctica and as I set foot on the distant land, I would tick off
the last continent that many never get to see in their entire life. I would
play with the penguins, roll over on the snow and ice, I would do whatever I
want to do. For screaming out loud! I am in Antarctica!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To tell you the truth, some constraints should
be there in our lives. Creativity and ideas are born out of these constraints.
They teach us how to stand up for ourselves and fight for our dreams. Without
them life would be life a bed of roses and we would never feel like waking up.
And remember, roses have thorns!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Enjoy the IDBI Federal Lifesurance commercial of #BefikarUmarBhar.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iCwysxW0-QI" width="560"></iframe></div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-74764233814773902642015-01-31T21:11:00.000+05:302015-01-31T21:11:42.913+05:30The Pimple Poem<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Let me tell you story of a time.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
A day when I woke up at dawn,</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
When it was still dark, and yet,</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4Wlhs5vNVm7V37_lv0UPFamlnDgVzPiEEIax4SPFtNdRaDYyw2Qvk6bncyXJyBi2JlS2VtltR3JYhcTmiR2cxg5pWwkcwJHGopH9ZVOylHgbzsvkR9D3dgRBWw-8SoIrs55Z21a7oHw/s1600/Teja-Garnier-socialsamosa-com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I walked out of bed with a yawn.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was the day of my 16th Birthday, </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Just guess how much was I excited.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
There was a birthday bash at dusk.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Long for this day had I not awaited.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Smiling, I squeezed the toothpaste tube. </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
In one hand, the toothbrush clasped.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was then I looked into the mirror,</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
And when I saw it, I loudly gasped!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4Wlhs5vNVm7V37_lv0UPFamlnDgVzPiEEIax4SPFtNdRaDYyw2Qvk6bncyXJyBi2JlS2VtltR3JYhcTmiR2cxg5pWwkcwJHGopH9ZVOylHgbzsvkR9D3dgRBWw-8SoIrs55Z21a7oHw/s1600/Teja-Garnier-socialsamosa-com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sitting on my chubby high cheek,</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Was a ginormous and ugly pimple.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
It was so so visible and red, And</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
God! It was right above my dimple.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
On another day, I wouldn't panic</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
But the day of my birthday party!</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
I had invited so many friends…</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Flaunty friends, as many as thirty.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
I asked “Mirror mirror on the wall,</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Who is the prettiest of them all?”</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
It said, “Even with an ugly pimple,</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
It is you my dearest birthday girl!” </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Alas! I felt I was in a nightmare,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For I did not have a magic mirror,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Who would answer this question,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
N' save me from this untimely horror. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I realized even with my great dress,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As pretty and of the color green,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I wouldn't look beautiful enough</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
If I didn't have a clean n’ clear skin.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Just breathe”, I tried to tell myself.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And called Sanya, my best friend, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Just use a concealer on the pimple”, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
She said, “That would make it blend.”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But it was a pimple, not just a spot,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I knew the concealer would not work.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I felt terrified, I was panicking,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I could imagine my guests smirk.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
With tears in eyes, I woke up Mom.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
She looked at me, and patted my head,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Chastising on my unhealthy food habit,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
She gave me something, and she said - </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Wash your face child, it will clear the oil, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But do it with <a href="http://www.nopimplesnomarks.com/" target="_blank">Garnier Pure Active Neem</a>,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For I have never seen a facewash better,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That can even beat a good pimple cream”.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I washed my face, like she said,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hoping the pimple would go away. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
With so less time, that’s all I could do,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
All except to just fervently pray.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You wouldn't believe if I told you,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
That Mom’s tip worked like magic.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
By evening my skin was glowing,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The poor pimple died a death tragic.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And finally when the evening came,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I looked so pretty in that green dress.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Along came my friends with many gifts.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As I cut the cake, all said “God Bless!”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They asked me to open the presents,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And tell, whom the best gift was from? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
With a wink I said, ”They are all good,”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“But the best was from my dear Mom.”<br />
<br />
Pimple affects more than just our skin.<br />
It affects the confidence and self-esteem.<br />
It can make one anxious and reclusive.<br />
And it affects the relationships of a teen.<br />
<br />
Some may avoid just eye contact.<br />
Some avoid all kind of social situation.<br />
That's the power a pimple can wield.<br />
Wearing heavy make-up ain't the solution.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I had the greatest 16th birthday bash,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Thanks to Garnier Pure Active Neem,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
They said, I looked prettiest of them all,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Thanks to you, I lived this awesome dream.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
******************************************************************************</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This post is written for the <a href="https://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=138" target="_blank">Indiblogger contest</a> by Garnier Pure Active Neem Face Wash. It is a work of imagination and I do not endorse the product as a one-day cure for pimple. However, I regularly use either Garnier Pure Active Neem or Garnier Orange Fruit Water facewash and they work wonderfully for my skin. You can check more about the product <a href="http://www.garnier.in/face-care/beauty/garnier/pure-active/neem-face-wash" target="_blank">here</a>. <span style="text-align: center;">But before you leave, enjoy this super hilarious filmy creatives by Garnier. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
(All image courtesy : <a href="http://www.nopimplesnomarks.com/">http://www.nopimplesnomarks.com/</a>).</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4Wlhs5vNVm7V37_lv0UPFamlnDgVzPiEEIax4SPFtNdRaDYyw2Qvk6bncyXJyBi2JlS2VtltR3JYhcTmiR2cxg5pWwkcwJHGopH9ZVOylHgbzsvkR9D3dgRBWw-8SoIrs55Z21a7oHw/s1600/Teja-Garnier-socialsamosa-com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ4Wlhs5vNVm7V37_lv0UPFamlnDgVzPiEEIax4SPFtNdRaDYyw2Qvk6bncyXJyBi2JlS2VtltR3JYhcTmiR2cxg5pWwkcwJHGopH9ZVOylHgbzsvkR9D3dgRBWw-8SoIrs55Z21a7oHw/s1600/Teja-Garnier-socialsamosa-com.jpg" height="304" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiymokvS60eiaDNkMK6Lt7YLHt1IGjIS8U0k0zlrbWApR4AR4j32hCDDRbMQ7a5DVsnIXDAGntixFgFh8GvjZgEYyGcHpMN-ZcZ_FzyMA5HI157IiJFysphSZL_njdNw4m_Vv5kPByjbg/s1600/nopimplesnomarks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiymokvS60eiaDNkMK6Lt7YLHt1IGjIS8U0k0zlrbWApR4AR4j32hCDDRbMQ7a5DVsnIXDAGntixFgFh8GvjZgEYyGcHpMN-ZcZ_FzyMA5HI157IiJFysphSZL_njdNw4m_Vv5kPByjbg/s1600/nopimplesnomarks.jpg" height="304" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5l2FLMw8JZ9nQEzUvNI-eoEG3cbK3GXROuJnh8FxtLZ5NxTnXkpGaLQ9huduVjroZiANMW3ONECle15X_oiJosbn3RgqvDD50IQ8tWABGbFaPivOwzvLg9Yga2o3ss2AB6tJiTXaMxw/s1600/Garnier-pure-active-dabang2-creative-lighthouseinsight-in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5l2FLMw8JZ9nQEzUvNI-eoEG3cbK3GXROuJnh8FxtLZ5NxTnXkpGaLQ9huduVjroZiANMW3ONECle15X_oiJosbn3RgqvDD50IQ8tWABGbFaPivOwzvLg9Yga2o3ss2AB6tJiTXaMxw/s1600/Garnier-pure-active-dabang2-creative-lighthouseinsight-in.jpg" height="306" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiathojhaHF6vn_gVkiao6yhM-O9vF_gQcPfU5xtasUBTMLifJusTGhm9uZ7mg5qh-nLoW0FVqCIiegm8aCvfqrlQU8n8C7M3emUjxUh-k0jHTI3J30PjYI6PXUXLKj3Y2DPlvlR466VI/s1600/nopimplesnomarks2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiathojhaHF6vn_gVkiao6yhM-O9vF_gQcPfU5xtasUBTMLifJusTGhm9uZ7mg5qh-nLoW0FVqCIiegm8aCvfqrlQU8n8C7M3emUjxUh-k0jHTI3J30PjYI6PXUXLKj3Y2DPlvlR466VI/s1600/nopimplesnomarks2.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoREEEXdS2uhqq2_Qmok85UgUjGpyxCDNm5Ska0p0ugImXqVRnIsbzZ2xT0hdp9WzR3M7ybwcK1kyls86StaIevNTnijiP8VAis12mdqq16FizsDnuI7auH-A_SxiXqzxxh5jjZ1cDWAs/s1600/Garnier-pure-active-dabang-creative-socialsamosa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoREEEXdS2uhqq2_Qmok85UgUjGpyxCDNm5Ska0p0ugImXqVRnIsbzZ2xT0hdp9WzR3M7ybwcK1kyls86StaIevNTnijiP8VAis12mdqq16FizsDnuI7auH-A_SxiXqzxxh5jjZ1cDWAs/s1600/Garnier-pure-active-dabang-creative-socialsamosa.jpg" height="306" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK97J6fkzkGd2lYF1LJFd5c0NF5GZMC8ZCjzN8bLtgoRXKoCdqZbhsTvqf4Qx5Lg-9XGONmKOhaMHYJag5eQ5gQHK8N4G-n_xH5QQo6kDCBq_zi4g2tbonMmgrgjh_3t-IOJGme6wK-AQ/s1600/nopimplesnomarks1-com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK97J6fkzkGd2lYF1LJFd5c0NF5GZMC8ZCjzN8bLtgoRXKoCdqZbhsTvqf4Qx5Lg-9XGONmKOhaMHYJag5eQ5gQHK8N4G-n_xH5QQo6kDCBq_zi4g2tbonMmgrgjh_3t-IOJGme6wK-AQ/s1600/nopimplesnomarks1-com.jpg" height="406" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8U9hpv5u43iWgecA98__xaIBf-2mnV7BMCZr6dlEsib5GrNAzh6A_RckdbyjK9PW2aKF06YX7TiLZeKP6AZS6x6zpDLfWpUvg59DSV_G-QCvl6v2yP9IqjuDT1_UXxu-16qP5CZzdRE/s1600/nopimplesnomarks3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8U9hpv5u43iWgecA98__xaIBf-2mnV7BMCZr6dlEsib5GrNAzh6A_RckdbyjK9PW2aKF06YX7TiLZeKP6AZS6x6zpDLfWpUvg59DSV_G-QCvl6v2yP9IqjuDT1_UXxu-16qP5CZzdRE/s1600/nopimplesnomarks3.jpg" height="406" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-48252578165199359912015-01-31T20:14:00.001+05:302015-01-31T20:14:16.136+05:30No Fikar, Chat Quikr<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKY-iUMh0VGAY4CYENhX5YT-zxkYm3chtW8OrA9cr7MbT4M7lhRDypfFzgfhah-0mbeRNwPHs7OE2UQvqWoyIaeIAa-Y7GnVZUc9jQtSE7jv46J_re4kCif2s1MvBN12N6kCnckut6X-s/s1600/brandcover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKY-iUMh0VGAY4CYENhX5YT-zxkYm3chtW8OrA9cr7MbT4M7lhRDypfFzgfhah-0mbeRNwPHs7OE2UQvqWoyIaeIAa-Y7GnVZUc9jQtSE7jv46J_re4kCif2s1MvBN12N6kCnckut6X-s/s1600/brandcover.png" height="278" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Courtesy : www.indiblogger.in</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Almost a fortnight back <a href="http://www.quikr.com/" target="_blank">Quikr</a> launched its newest product innovation - Quikr Nxt, an instant messaging service which is being called as the world’s first instant messenger in the online classifieds space and that has potential to take India’s online classifieds market a notch higher. Before this, a user had to list their numbers on the site in order to receive calls from buyers and negotiate and complete the transaction over phone calls, thus facing a lot of inconvenience in the process. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here are 3 reasons why I would prefer a buyer-seller chat over a phone call - </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>1. Privacy –</b> Privacy matters the most. A seller often faces fake buyer calls because of their number being listed on the online classified sites. Imagine a situation when you receive a prank call from a person who makes you believe that he is going to buy your phone, only to deceive you, get your hopes up and then disappointing you by never turning up. With Quickr Nxt, one can choose to make their listing private, thus hiding their email id and phone numbers on the site and their only point of reference is their Quikr ID. It ensures that there is no misuse of the private information provided on the site.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>2. Convenience – </b>Next advantage is convenience. Imagine missing a buyer call while you are in a meeting or heading to the loo. There is no way that you can tell a buyer what time is convenient calling time for you and what is inconvenient. Since you cannot predict a day’s event in advance, mentioning your inconvenient hours in your Ad is also not possible. That was about missed calls, what if you are getting bombarded with buyer calls while you are on a date or with a business client. Neither your date nor your client will be impressed with the number of interruptions that’s happening. Quikr Nxt lets its users chat as per their convenience and instantly. It does not hamper your schedule or makes you miss a potential buyer, nor does it make you lose a client or get you angry stares from your boss or result in break-up with your girlfriend. Convenient, isn’t it?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>3. Tracking –</b> Whether you are a buyer or seller, when you are negotiating a transaction over a call, it is difficult to keep track of the conversation and the price quoted, especially if you are selling and have been talking to a lot of buyers. When you do this over a call, you end up writing the details somewhere, but may lose it or even forget where you wrote it (happens with people like me). And when next time the guy calls up, you end up wondering what the negotiation that has happened previously was? With Quikr Nxt the negotiation is happening real time and you can keep track of multiple buyer-seller conversations with the saved chat histories.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With the launch of Quikr Nxt, the entire gamut of buyer-seller transaction have changed. And the tagline says it all - 'No Fikar, Chat Quikr'!</div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-54572946281636924302015-01-31T14:28:00.001+05:302015-01-31T14:28:43.423+05:30Cupid Games 2015 - The Aphrodisiac Proposal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>#CupidGames 2015 - The Foody Fiesta</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/UQIhIS5K4-g/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="399" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UQIhIS5K4-g?feature=player_embedded" width="480"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Using aphrodisiac food to send my crush a yummy Valentine’s Day proposal - A #Closeup Cupid Game challenge in association with #Indiblogger. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: center;">(Music Courtesy - Into the open air (Julie Fowlis) - Brave Soundtrack)</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-43619462300140542632015-01-24T12:58:00.001+05:302015-01-24T12:58:53.161+05:30The Proposal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I guess I am one of those few women who can proudly say that they have taken the first step at least once in life. Well, I have taken it twice. Umm, may be thrice. Or was it four times? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Though it is another story whether those proposal were ever accepted or not, but confessing your feelings always gives a feel good effect. Because life is too short to live in regret. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My current crush lives in Goa (Damn! Did I just tell you that?). It's a great state to travel to, and greater if you have a proposal in mind. Romantically, yes, but more so because your knees won't hurt on the sand! </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Valentine's Day - 14th February 2015 - Midnight</b></div>
<br />
Now, imagine this setting - Full moon night (Imagine I said!), moonlight reflecting on the sea and making it shimmer with a silver glow, a beach shack pub at Palolem beach, young people partying, some flying sky lanterns and a dozen sky lanterns in the night sky.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUHIPqSH4D_nftFHRrvz0KIA7czlePykEbbvZCY3B6qZbJrPN5jyO0QCuwJP51FBylEwYpO4LvaGS139FGOYzBtny16ZiGHdUYSH1_A8-P70o0EmUzDmoOMzY6woyCBECh2O-qX4ZpA0/s1600/Upload1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUHIPqSH4D_nftFHRrvz0KIA7czlePykEbbvZCY3B6qZbJrPN5jyO0QCuwJP51FBylEwYpO4LvaGS139FGOYzBtny16ZiGHdUYSH1_A8-P70o0EmUzDmoOMzY6woyCBECh2O-qX4ZpA0/s1600/Upload1.jpg" height="334" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Pictures from my last trip to Goa)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is always something about Goa. 50% of your work is already done with this kind of a setting. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As the night rolls by, the moon starts to dip towards the sea. If you have ever spent an entire night on the beach and witnessed this, you know what I am talking about and how romantic it feels then. Somewhere close to the horizon, the moon disappears as the light of dawn starts to spread. It's that hour between night and day, when it is neither night nor day. That's my cue card!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"<i>Let's go kayaking!</i>", I said, batting my eyelids flirtatiously.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A man would ideally never say '<i>No</i>' to a cute woman trying to pull him away from the crowd. And getting hold of a kayak boat on a Goa beach is no big deal, whatever time of the day it is. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So we fit into a kayak and row into the sea. We row in silence, listening to the sound of the waves, as we move further and further into the sea. At one point, I suggest rowing into the cove towards Butterfly Island. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As we take the complete turn into the cove, he is suddenly surprised to see a yacht anchored there. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"<i>That's weird</i>", He says, "<i>Was a private party going over here all night?</i>"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"<i>Or may be a party is just about to begin!</i>" I said with a wink.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What follows is popping of a champagne bottle on the yacht as the sun rises and a proposal that he would never forget in his life. And of course, I assume he would say yes, as it is hard to say no to such a lovely proposal, in such a romantic setting, to such an amazing girl. ;-)</div>
<br />**********************************************************************************************************<br />This post has been written for Indiblogger Happy Hour Campaign <a href="http://cupidgames.closeup.in/" target="_blank">Closeup Cupid Games 2015</a>. <div>
P.S. I do have a crush on Goa, but not on a Goan. (FYI Mom & Dad) :D</div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-22985545821573441692015-01-24T12:49:00.001+05:302015-01-24T15:23:52.700+05:30On-The-Go Sleek<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4zt4QTFM-Cdmq_69xmQWIII2xSZQ6JF66ZeeQfzQrUq9_az5nZL9TdrPqnT3XiuHlfpRLdSCJtdqWAd1X1HEa7EPYxZfjwk8gfsyPGscbfpzDv-dZlK9cWDzJhbpd6OjOdJ0as-8FJM/s1600/cover-r.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4zt4QTFM-Cdmq_69xmQWIII2xSZQ6JF66ZeeQfzQrUq9_az5nZL9TdrPqnT3XiuHlfpRLdSCJtdqWAd1X1HEa7EPYxZfjwk8gfsyPGscbfpzDv-dZlK9cWDzJhbpd6OjOdJ0as-8FJM/s1600/cover-r.png" height="249" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ASUS EeeBook X205TA (Image Courtesy :<a href="http://www.asus.com/in/" target="_blank"> www.asus.com</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWDKduiLpU3vpF4J6X3DSzZi-HK2s6JoK0nkBGrCUB3PARRb8pocNvOS4ms1eqYCSmIxZHyxKTYVs5ST-q8SXe0if6xSQy0LtGF4CvuewEFMRF9qXMQrEGS8bnXTz8QkxO7owqhelo6o/s1600/performance.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWDKduiLpU3vpF4J6X3DSzZi-HK2s6JoK0nkBGrCUB3PARRb8pocNvOS4ms1eqYCSmIxZHyxKTYVs5ST-q8SXe0if6xSQy0LtGF4CvuewEFMRF9qXMQrEGS8bnXTz8QkxO7owqhelo6o/s1600/performance.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ASUS All In One PC ET2040 (Image Courtesy :<a href="http://www.asus.com/in/" target="_blank"> www.asus.com</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To start with, it's funny because just yesterday I was checking out the <a href="http://www.flipkart.com/asus-eeebook?otracker=ch_vn_laptop_promowidget_banner_tab_1&__view=desktop">ASUS EeeBook X205TA</a> on Flipkart and today I am writing a feature on it. So before we venture into which one I would prefer between the sleek and powerful <a href="http://www.flipkart.com/asus-eeebook?otracker=ch_vn_laptop_promowidget_banner_tab_1&__view=desktop">ASUS EeeBook X205TA</a> or the ultra-portable and perpetually connected <a href="http://www.amazon.in/b?ie=UTF8&node=5731179031">ASUS All In One PC ET2040</a>, let's take a look on their features -</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; text-align: justify;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b>Specifications<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://www.flipkart.com/asus-eeebook?otracker=ch_vn_laptop_promowidget_banner_tab_1&__view=desktop">ASUS
EeeBook X205TA</a><o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.in/b?ie=UTF8&node=5731179031">ASUS All
In One PC ET2040</a><o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Processor<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Quad-core 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z3735F<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Intel® Pentium® J2900 Processor<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
RAM<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
2GB<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
2 GB Up to 4 GB<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Size (Dimensions)<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
286x193.3x17.5mm<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
489.4 x 307.15 x 14<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Weight<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
980g<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
3.4 kg<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Screen Size<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
11.6"<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
19.5"<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Graphics adaptor<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Integrated Intel HD Graphics<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
NVIDIA® GeForce 820M 1GB<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Total Storage<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
32 GB eMMC<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
500GB Up to 1TB Hard Drive<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
OS<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Windows 8.1 with Bing<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Windows 8.1<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 131.4pt;" valign="top" width="175"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Camera<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 187.8pt;" valign="top" width="250"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
VGA Web Camera<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid black 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid black 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 159.6pt;" valign="top" width="213"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
1 M<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the first glance, you would always feel ASUS ET2040 is the better and more powerful choice. If somebody wants a Windows desktop PC, ET2040 would probably be the best choice as it is the perfect family computer - slim, stylish and space saving, with a maximum of 4GB RAM and hard drive up to 1 TB. It is more apt for gamers and designers or anybody who is more likely to sit at home and work, or play, or watch a movie in HD with family.<br />
<br />
But with the change of lifestyles, desktops have gone out of many people's life, including mine. There is this new generation who prefer the wireless mobility. But in addition to that, the traveler in me will also prefer something compact which -</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. I can easily pack into my bag or backpack and carry along.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. Does not add much weight to my luggage.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. Does not eat up much space. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And ASUS EeeBook X205TA is exactly that - It is compact and with a space saving design, as it is ultra thin. It is also light weight, weighing less than a kg. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here are some more features that help me choose the former - </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1.<b> Price </b>- It is priced at Rs. 14,999 on Flipkart. Not just sleek in style, but even sleek in price! It is the perfect portable option that fits my budget. And from the perspective of blogging, it is any day better than Tabs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2.<b> Battery Life -</b> It allows me to surf the net for up to 12 hrs on full battery. This feature is important for a travel blogger as it is not always possible for us to find a charging point while updating those travel stories and pictures on social networking sites.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. <b>Microsoft Office 365 included!!! </b>- Could I have asked for more? I am excited about it because Microsoft Office is not always included and if it is not, we purchase it, as many of us need it for everyday work. So no extra money spent in this case!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The 32 GB space is not much of an issue for me as I always carry my 1 TB hard drive with me wherever I go. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So with all these above features, you know why the ASUS EeeBook X205TA suites my lifestyle and needs as a traveler. And I am sure, most travel bloggers would say 'Ay!'</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
**********************************************************************************</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This post has been written for the Indiblogger Happy Hour campaign "<a href="https://www.indiblogger.in/happyhours/asus-go-sleek-bangalore/#submission_requirements" target="_blank">Go Sleek</a>", in association with Asus. </div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-12042308575106034712014-12-27T01:39:00.000+05:302014-12-27T21:58:34.119+05:30How I ruined my cousin's date<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To Err is Human. And sometimes to hide this errr... we lie. Because the truth can get us into trouble.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But "<i>There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.</i>" Very rightly said by Martin Luther King Jr. Our conscience is the voice of our soul and very few have the courage to listen to this voice and do as it says.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I live with a chatterbox of a conscience. I left home in 2003 and like any other Indian parents, my parents worry every minute for me. But they know they can always trust me, because I (mostly) never lie about my plans or whereabouts or late night parties or the company I'm out with. But the incident I'm going to narrate is not about them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Back in 2007, when I was in my Engineering final year in Chennai, a cousin had joined the same college as mine. Let's call her Rhika (Name changed for privacy). I was like an elder sister to her in that new city that she had just moved to. And being from a small town, she wanted to experience a discotheque.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The problem was that the closest good disc allowed only couples. I had a friend to go with, but she didn't. It was semester break time for college and only very few final year students were in the city who were doing their internship in Chennai. In the end, we requested a batchmate of ours to accompany the three of us, in spite of knowing that the guy holds the reputation of a playboy. We never gave it much thought as the plan was only for few hours. And of course, we warned Rhika about him. What harm could have come of it?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So we entered the disc without any hassle as two couples, spent good time there, had a few drinks, danced and left as planned. There was no Whatsapp in those days. So the mishap happened over text messages during the next 24 hours. To cut the long story short, Mr. Playboy proposed to Rhika before sun rose the next day. She had probably fallen for his charms and was naive enough to accept it. And then he told her, he would like to take her to Pondicherry next weekend. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tell me if I am wrong, but I do not believe that love happens overnight. What happens that fast is lust. And when a love-lorn Rhika told me about this getaway plan, I freaked out - out of care for her. So I gave a call to an elder cousin of ours and narrated her the incident of the past 24 hours, hoping she would talk Rhika out of it. Instead, she went hyper and told everything to Rhika's family. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Result was that we both got verbal bashings over the phone - from her family and our dear broadcaster cousin. Yes, I got it too, as I was blamed for taking her out to party and introducing her to that guy. Rhika was angry on me for outing her. It was like hell breaking loose. In the end to avoid further shit, I vouched to her family that she broke up (even before they had started). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Surprisingly, my parents weren't angry on me even after knowing about the incident. The habit of 'not hiding' had saved me, as they knew I was partying that night with friends and was taking Rhika along. And the trust factor that had grown between me and my parents, made them believe me when I told them that I was not at fault here.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That affair went on for 3 months in a hushed up way, until the day the boy left Rhika for another girl!!! A heartbroken Rhika often says, "I wish I had listened to you and not wasted those 3 months!"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
May be things could have turned out better for them, proving me wrong and making her live happily ever after with him. But back then, my conscience told me that telling the truth was the right thing to do, though I had to later lie to everyone to save my relationship with her.<br />
<br />
Till date I have not asked her whether she went to Pondicherry or not :D. I keep the 'telling the truth' practice restricted to my life. Others can decide what is right or wrong for them by themselves. If they make a mistake, they'll learn from it. We all do.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
********************************************************************************<br />
<br />
This post has been written for <a href="http://www.coca-colaindia.com/products/kinley_water.html" target="_blank">Kinley</a>, in association with Indiblogger. Watch this video and you'll thank me for the happy tear you might shed.</div>
<div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RvGOTeJsZb8" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-75262266370116539902014-11-24T14:58:00.001+05:302014-11-24T22:45:34.625+05:30Review of Lucky 6 - A game by Fat Cat Gaming<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-C5TJrI4bMORwqax2J1UDwlyGX-fEg5nbsbXusZqLrPHw_K-PC1NWb4oG2d7jogJCiYbnKUXNJXEfkKEJN-qSukoL-fEMY1Luke8B4uCq9otlC1N_X8spteWmeuO5U2-0CNKq0B0DK2g/s1600/brandcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-C5TJrI4bMORwqax2J1UDwlyGX-fEg5nbsbXusZqLrPHw_K-PC1NWb4oG2d7jogJCiYbnKUXNJXEfkKEJN-qSukoL-fEMY1Luke8B4uCq9otlC1N_X8spteWmeuO5U2-0CNKq0B0DK2g/s1600/brandcover.jpg" height="208" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Image Courtesy :<a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/" target="_blank"> www.indiblogger.in</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Lottery without a lottery ticket! I thought, "Seriously?"<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDni_B9fHIjyMRjPOyCuIiScM5K0xRRwhOP5I34OCJxgVS6Bz1BZOWNdBDodv24LBP9bA9AA5DSX6EXlDHqfup_fxvxwuNA3MHu_LMUME5JH7KU_qMhelncDS9rslt4BM__3QdY7gbzf0/s1600/462x290xlogo.png.pagespeed.ic.2q6oXKzdxT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDni_B9fHIjyMRjPOyCuIiScM5K0xRRwhOP5I34OCJxgVS6Bz1BZOWNdBDodv24LBP9bA9AA5DSX6EXlDHqfup_fxvxwuNA3MHu_LMUME5JH7KU_qMhelncDS9rslt4BM__3QdY7gbzf0/s1600/462x290xlogo.png.pagespeed.ic.2q6oXKzdxT.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Logo of Fat Cat (Image Courtesy : <a href="http://fatcatgaming.com/">http://fatcatgaming.com/</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So there is this brand new mobile app called Lucky 6, launched by <a href="http://fatcatgaming.com/">Fat Cat Gaming</a> , a British crowdfunded campaign by SHM Entertainment Ltd., which is an innovative lottery style game app. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b style="text-align: justify;"></b></div>
<div style="display: inline !important;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">How to download Lucky 6?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
The game is not available on Google Play or App Store. Here is how to download it -<br />
<br />
1. Go to <a href="http://www.fatcatgaming.com/">www.fatcatgaming.com</a>. You'll see this screen -<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Gk5qbuw9S41klCPkqiNoRAAXvSs6WKvqRIhu88sh6AJFw9gtCMQEhY_sSA0eaZNts-fmXndfvXr-dXd7D-jk3pgpOsTOATylKOoRQgIIb_iSiXVo182g26ezjybvUcgpePq4gPKJk34/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Gk5qbuw9S41klCPkqiNoRAAXvSs6WKvqRIhu88sh6AJFw9gtCMQEhY_sSA0eaZNts-fmXndfvXr-dXd7D-jk3pgpOsTOATylKOoRQgIIb_iSiXVo182g26ezjybvUcgpePq4gPKJk34/s1600/2.jpg" height="315" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Image Courtesy : <a href="http://www.fatcatgaming.com/">www.fatcatgaming.com</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
2. Depending on whether you have an iOS or Android, download the .apk file.<br />
3. Run the .apk file to complete installation.<br />
4. In case, you get a notification saying only Google Play apps are permitted, go to Security settings and check the "Unknown sources" box and press Ok. Then run the .apk file to download the game.<br />
<br />
(Alternatively, you can download the .apk file to your PC and then transfer it to your phone, like I did.)<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">How to play Lucky 6?</span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once the Lucky 6 app is downloaded and you have registered, all you need to do is select 6 brands from the list. When you select 6 brands and confirm, a ticket for that entry is created. If the brands you selected match the top 6 brands on the <i>Game day</i>, you win. How they decide which the top 6 brands are? <b><i>Stock market gains of course</i></b>!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Prizes - </span></b><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The prize is a <i>jackpot </i>of Rs.25 Lakh for the winner.<br />
If there is more than one winner, the jackpot will be shared.<br />
If there is no winner, the top scorer gets an all expense paid holiday trip (for two) to an exotic location.<br />
If a player you introduced wins the jackpot, you get a bonus of Rs.6.25 Lakh.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Review of Lucky 6 game - </span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Cons</span> (</b>Let’s start with areas of improvement…<b>) - </b></div>
<div>
<br />
1.<b> Platform issues </b>- It is only for iOS and Android users – what about Windows and Blackberry users?<br />
<br />
2. <b>Download issues</b> - It is not available on Google Play and that makes the download process a little confusing.<br />
<br />
3. Betting on Brands - For those not aware about stock market movements, it can get a little tricky.<br />
<br />
4. Some brands listed are actually sub-brands belonging to a parent brand, e.g. Chevrolet of GM, Goldflake of ITC, Kitkat of Nestle, etc.<br />
<br />
5. <b>Bug issues</b> - The game logs me out every time my screen gets locked.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Pros </span>– </b><br />
<br />
1. <b>Fast download!</b> You’ll say - just now I said it’s confusing to download. Well partly yes, because Google Play doesn’t allow reward based games. But once you have figured out that all you have to do is download the .apk file through your browser and install it, it’s a pretty fast process.<br />
<br />
2. It is free to play. Yes you heard it right – <b>Free!!!</b><br />
<br />
3. It is a simple and <b>user-friendly</b> game.<br />
<br />
4. <b>Fast winner declaration</b> – Announced within 2 hours of the end of contest on Game Day.<br />
<br />
5. You win cash! Not coupons! Not vouchers! <b>Hard Cash</b> it is!<br />
<br />
6. <b>Sharing is Caring</b> – You can share your score with your friends on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc. and challenge them to compete.<br />
<br />
7. <b>Luck hierarchy</b> – If the friend you shared with get’s lucky, you get double lucky and win bonus cash. <i>So if you read about 'Lucky 6' on my blog, please mention referrer name as 'Sanghita'. </i><br />
<br />
8. Last but not the least – this is <b>E-lottery</b>. Gone are the days of buying lottery tickets. All you need to do is download and play and get Lucky.<br />
<br />
As it is obvious, that the Pros beat the Cons, this game has potential to create a storm in India. If it’s shared well through social media among gamers, it will capture the market like no other game has ever done before. I can already imagine people ‘brand betting’ throughout the day. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Now this is what I would call as intelligent gaming. Nothing ever came out of crushing candies right?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">******************************************************</span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I'm saying it again in case you missed it, please mention referrer name as 'Sanghita' if you read about 'Lucky 6' by Fat Cat Gaming on this blog :) Thank you!</span></b></div>
</div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-28466415635516129762014-10-20T01:19:00.003+05:302014-10-20T22:43:26.997+05:30Sweet my child, I live for thee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Home they brought her warrior dead:</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">She nor swoon'd nor utter'd cry:</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All her maidens, watching, said,</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"She must weep or she will die."</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><strong></strong><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Then they praised him, soft and low,</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Call'd him worthy to be loved,</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Truest friend and noblest foe;</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Yet she neither spoke nor moved.</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><strong></strong><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stole a maiden from her place,</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Lightly to the warrior stepped,</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Took the face-cloth from the face;</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Yet she neither moved nor wept.</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><strong></strong><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Rose a nurse of ninety years,</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Set his child upon her knee—</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Like summer tempest came her tears—</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Sweet my child, I live for thee."</span></strong></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">- Alfred Lord Tennyson</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">************************************************************</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A child has a special way of adding joy to a family. The same child also instills a healthy fear in the parents - a fear born out of realizing that the new life is fragile. Even when the parents hold their baby for the first time, they do so with trembling hands, scared that they might hurt the baby if they are not careful enough. Though this healthy fear never dies out throughout the years, it is at its most when the child is young.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"A healthy child makes a happy home". Everything seems to be perfect till the day that child falls sick. That's when all hell breaks loose. Caring for a sick child doesn't only cause physical stress to both the parents, it also affects their mental health. This mental stress is not only due to their nagging fear about their child's condition, it is also because when a child falls sick, it disrupts the family's regular routine. They are more likely to miss their work. They are less likely to sleep at night. They are likely to even skip their meals during the day. The child's deteriorating health in turn affects the parents' normal functioning and lifestyle. I have seen similar effects in my own family when me or my sister had fallen sick. It had caused turmoils in my parents life.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
<b></b></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><b>All said and done, what I said above is the most obvious inference that we can draw from the one liner "A healthy child makes a happy home". But when I had a conversation with a cousin last night regarding this, she made me look at it from a different angle. Here you go -</b></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>
</b><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One fine day a girl child is born and over the years she matures into a woman. But that woman is reborn as a mother only when a baby is born to her. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is said that a woman-turned-mother loves her child more than she loves her better half. Once she becomes a mother, she lives more for her child than for her husband (No offence meant men!). It's the glow on her child's face, that makes her happy and proud. A child has the power to instigate myriads of emotion in the mother, like in the poem at the beginning of the blog where the woman is able to cry over the dead body of her husband, only when her child is placed on her lap. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A healthy child is a happy child. A happy child means a happy mother. But if her child is sick, under no circumstance would she be able stay happy. A woman - wife or mother - holds the family together. She is like the pillar of the family. If the woman of the family is not happy, it would have a devastating affect on the entire family. In such a situation, how do we expect the entire family to be happy or healthy? It's like a vicious cycle.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But when the child is hale and hearty, the mother can put all such worries on the back burner. The family life runs smooth, without any hitches.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I though personally don't know what being a mother feels like, but I totally believe any woman who says it was her happiest day in life when she held her child in her arms for the first time and said '<i>Sweet my child, I live for thee</i>.'</div>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">*************************************************************</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><strong>This post is written </strong><b>for Dabur India for '<i>A HEALTHY CHILD MAKES A HAPPY HOME</i>' campaign, in association with IndiBlogger. </b>Click here to know more - <a href="https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/">https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/</a></span></div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-43239373070491876412013-11-26T15:21:00.001+05:302013-11-26T18:16:58.858+05:30The Sweet Sixteen Misadventure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=95" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Silly crimes</span></a><span style="color: magenta;"> you say?? Eh... </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta;">Well, out of all the silly crimes committed, this one dumb act has a special place in my heart. So dumb, that I just </span></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;">can't </span></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;">forget it... Gawd!!! Where is the confession box?? </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: magenta;">Introducing the two partners in crime (and </span></b></span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">keeping my fingers crossed that our parents don't end up reading this post</span></b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">) -</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span>
</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjN5xYARapoyvO7a_6tMOLskX1a2IEpGVZ-fCFvW4Z3_eFmB3KglF5DBfEyZxSSwlkgZeeSrY2jfqD5ZD5ivO-dOIbPKGsUu5kCO8jl7TWDqkJDy2IQ4di9fcWwmtn7B0CNjx8KWcZUPk/s1600/PhotoFunia-340e9c8_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjN5xYARapoyvO7a_6tMOLskX1a2IEpGVZ-fCFvW4Z3_eFmB3KglF5DBfEyZxSSwlkgZeeSrY2jfqD5ZD5ivO-dOIbPKGsUu5kCO8jl7TWDqkJDy2IQ4di9fcWwmtn7B0CNjx8KWcZUPk/s640/PhotoFunia-340e9c8_o.jpg" width="640" /></b></span></a></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">Keeping the font color as fuchsia to get you into the school-girly mood, l</span><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">et's rewind to January 9th, 2002.</span><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large; text-align: justify;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">It was Arpita's 16th birthday. </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Sweet Sixteen</i><span style="font-size: large;"> they call it... And like most girls, Arpita wanted to do something </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">SPECIAL </span><span style="font-size: large;">on this day. </span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Arpita and Jas were staying away from their parents in my hometown <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silchar" target="_blank"><span style="color: magenta;">Silchar</span></a>, where they were attending high school with me. So, they didn't have a supervising authority and I mostly took the advantage of the trust that my parents had on them <img alt="winking" src="http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/3.gif" />.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Silchar, 12 years back, hardly had any form of entertainment like big cities. The only form of entertainment was a cinema hall called Devdoot, which occasionally played some good movies. And it didn't play several shows like multiplex theaters do. There were just 3 shows - Morning, Matinee and Evening. So, on her birthday we decided to go for a movie show, followed by lunch at a good restaurant. See... Innocent enough?? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta;">But it was a Wednesday and there was no way my parents would have allowed me to bunk school. So we hatched a plan and according to that, the previous day I smuggled some casual wear and passed it to Arpita in school.</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgEFt9qxyQ4tZYs_aiSF8V2BburFpNdZUocom5qmajYJuL-_wuJK7KsR_zZ4Vp4ehlTHsFI18gMxId3uDg75ULKDxqMRmKzwK2FsYBoaDTlvafRqANOPYGrk2_wkprD8vWYaIn3wY9oo/s1600/1458527_10201914819925820_178901575_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><img border="0" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgEFt9qxyQ4tZYs_aiSF8V2BburFpNdZUocom5qmajYJuL-_wuJK7KsR_zZ4Vp4ehlTHsFI18gMxId3uDg75ULKDxqMRmKzwK2FsYBoaDTlvafRqANOPYGrk2_wkprD8vWYaIn3wY9oo/s640/1458527_10201914819925820_178901575_n.jpg" width="640" /></b></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>On THE day, we boarded the school bus, but soon got off after 2-3 stops. It was our senior year and no one questioned us when we did so. We took a rickshaw to Jas and Arpita's apartment and changed into casuals for our Girls Day Out... </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>We were on 16th heaven!!!</i> </b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Both the matinee and evening shows were out of scope, </span></b><b style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">since </b><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>the school bus dropped us back home at 4:00 p.m. everyday. So the most feasible plan was - </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ol>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Morning show of Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum (or whichever movie was playing) at Devdoot. </b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Followed by some junk food lunch.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Back to Arpita-Jas's place for changing back to school uniform.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Back home from school by 4 p.m. like the good girl I am. <img alt="winking" src="http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/3.gif" /></b></span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>We reached Devdoot by 9 a.m. When it came to booking movie tickets, all three of us were novices. From the banner, we could guess that it was indeed K3G that was playing. So we went ahead and told the man at the counter that we wanted to buy 3 tickets for the '<i>morning show</i>'. He gave us a dirty look while giving us the tickets. We didn't pay much attention to his reaction. We were extremely proud of our escapade and nothing could deter our enthusiasm at that moment.</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>There was still an hour to go before the show, so we passed time around the theater having fuchka (Pani Puri) and checking out fashion accessories at a nearby market. We were back at the theater entrance 10 minutes before the show. </b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Here we again started getting glances from other men who had come for the show; so much that it was making us feel uncomfortable standing there. Yes, it was unlikely for young girls of that small town to come for movies in a theater </b></span><b style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">without parents</span></b><b style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">. But we were three and we thought, </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">there was nothing wrong in watching a movie,</span></b><b style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> c'mon!!!</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-size: large;">When we were almost about to enter the hall, a man came forward and asked us if we were waiting for the 'morning show', to which we said 'Yes'. Then he asked - "Do you know which movie is playing??" </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Nonchalantly and in unison, we replied - 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum'. And t</span></span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">hat's when he dropped the Bomb! </span><span style="font-size: large;">He said - "They only play adult movies during the morning show. You can come back at Matinee for the movie you wanted to watch..."</span></span></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I can't explain the expression that was on our faces when he said that to us. But that did explain the expression on the faces of all the men who had come for an adult movie and found three young girls there as accompaniment.</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: magenta;">We left the theater in a very calm and composed manner - as if nothing had happened. As soon as we were out of their sight, we burst out laughing </span></span><img alt="rolling on the floor" src="http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/24.gif" /><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">. </span><i style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Kabhi Khushi, Kabhi Ghum</i><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"> indeed... </span><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">It would have been the best 'Coming of Age' surprise for Arpita had that man not revealed the secret.</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqQM3ztmzNxk0LfSPvzf0Z2Ho0guefT_lnbJD4RA4_fRqCPhfhl1jGH0JBZsLNdyK_1WvAaywcNK1Wu4rR9Am_qa0x_U32Ceo7Ec7UiAlBLz9S5rWt37FWWd1wtR3UyJtkc84_bGf71U/s1600/1476218_10201914881207352_37021980_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><img border="0" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqQM3ztmzNxk0LfSPvzf0Z2Ho0guefT_lnbJD4RA4_fRqCPhfhl1jGH0JBZsLNdyK_1WvAaywcNK1Wu4rR9Am_qa0x_U32Ceo7Ec7UiAlBLz9S5rWt37FWWd1wtR3UyJtkc84_bGf71U/s640/1476218_10201914881207352_37021980_n.jpg" width="640" /></b></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b>We spent the time buying nail polishes and lipsticks. <a href="http://www.dove.in/en/Products/Bar-Body-Wash/default.aspx" target="_blank">Dove</a> had recently launched a new deodorant line and the Dove Nutrium soap. But at that age, that was luxurious buy</b></span><span style="color: magenta;"> <b>and we could only sigh</b></span></span><img alt="day dreaming" src="http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/105.gif" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" /><span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>..</b></span><b style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Then, we had pizza at one of the junk food joint, followed by ice creams. By 2 p.m. we were back at their apartment - still laughing on our misadventure. We made the birthday girl cut the birthday cake, smeared her with the icing and wished we had a camera to capture the moment. By 4 p.m., I was back home, innocently dressed up in my school uniform. For an entire week, my parents kept wondering about my occasional feats of laughter</b></span><b style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">.</b><b style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><img alt="day dreaming" src="http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/105.gif" style="text-align: left;" /></b></div>
<div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's almost 12 years since that day.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I </span></b></span><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;"><b>don't use fuchsia font color any more. </b></span><span style="color: #cccccc;"><b>School uniforms have changed to corporate formals.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Nail polish, lipsticks, soaps and <a href="http://www.dove.in/en/" target="_blank">Dove</a> deodorants are more necessities than luxuries.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> We give a 100 calorie-conscious-thoughts before having a pizza or an ice cream. </span>I do own a big camera now. <span style="font-size: x-large;">And to speak about my parents - </span><span style="font-size: large;">these days they wonder more about when I'm going to get married...</span></b></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">But even today, we thank that good man from the bottom of our still-innocent-hearts. If not for him,</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> we would have witnessed a real 'Dirty Picture' even before Vidya Balan acted in one </span></b></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img alt="tongue" src="http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/10.gif" /></span><b style="color: magenta; font-size: xx-large;">. </b></span></div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-49153537471148868832013-06-09T15:40:00.001+05:302013-06-09T18:09:19.473+05:30The LinkedIn Proposal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>On Friday June 7, 2013 I suddenly decided to pay a visit to my LinkedIn
account after almost one and a half year. I'm a really lazy person. So when I got
into a comfort zone (read Job), I decided to stick there (so far). Then one
day, out of sheer instinct and boredom, I decided to update my profile and
accept the 200+ connection requests that had been lying pending. Let me
describe what followed via a timeline. So here goes - <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">8:28 AM:</span> I boarded my usual Thane starting local onward to CST and
started accepting the connection requests. Most were from people from reputed
organization – some known, some unknown. But as it was LinkedIn where the
purpose is to make professional connection, I never gave a ‘careful’ thought as
we give before accepting friend requests on other social networking sites. </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>(In a
way, it’s a lot like <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/" target="_blank">Indiblogger </a>where you hardly know anyone personally, still
there is a mutual trust based on professionalism and the common passion for
writing.)</b></span></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">8:58 AM:</span> The train reached Dadar and by that time I had finished accepting
all the connections.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">9:06 AM:</span> Right after passing Byculla, I got this mail from a guy from a reputed IT firm of Pune (Since I have nothing against the Company, I prefer not to reveal its name) – <o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxUds9l3yESBWIMdia_bMlRmDcicAdVJAhG2ae3bcf5Lpa5WLFkJAYlAmBEMtNiwklVyseDvT6yORdvwS7dSjmcChd9qDgZOh76j1bx6LIsfWFcbDAc9nGqI47k52UYYn5OxAhPqtIHQ/s1600/LinkedIn+Proposal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxUds9l3yESBWIMdia_bMlRmDcicAdVJAhG2ae3bcf5Lpa5WLFkJAYlAmBEMtNiwklVyseDvT6yORdvwS7dSjmcChd9qDgZOh76j1bx6LIsfWFcbDAc9nGqI47k52UYYn5OxAhPqtIHQ/s400/LinkedIn+Proposal.jpg" width="252" /></b></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>My eyebrows started rising as I passed from the 2<sup>nd</sup> to the 3<sup>rd</sup>
line, and by the time I had finished reading the small yet insolent proposal, I was
fuming. Had it been on Facebook or the once-upon-a-time Orkut, I would have
just ignored it. On LinkedIn – I just couldn’t. It had been just 8-10 minutes
since I had accepted his connection and there he was proposing to me, quite
probably because we shared the same surname.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">9:12 AM:</span> I reached CST with a determination to get back at this unwanted
and unprofessional <i>Ashiq</i>. How dare he
misuse a professional network??!!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><b>My attention span to
my regular work at office was highly disrupted that day. As Facebook-worms we are, the screenshot of
the mail was uploaded on FB before midday. Friends reacted - some found
this hilariously ‘<i>epic</i>’, whereas others felt outraged.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">5:00 PM:</span> I finally replied to him. Again, since it was LinkedIn, I tried to be as much polite to him as possible. This is a screenshot of the FB post -</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMiI5cKrifAmwlKZwh72986vbjTn_FGbD2Ctp6xZ_hQh6a7DUGkimGIY9WlLhik6clrK9JldPIbziVR90HX2C3SCYZduaFjRxwq5IwA5NNRwOOlQGclyvbnYk425piFn4pnDIbcIzubQ/s1600/LinkedIn+Rejection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMiI5cKrifAmwlKZwh72986vbjTn_FGbD2Ctp6xZ_hQh6a7DUGkimGIY9WlLhik6clrK9JldPIbziVR90HX2C3SCYZduaFjRxwq5IwA5NNRwOOlQGclyvbnYk425piFn4pnDIbcIzubQ/s640/LinkedIn+Rejection.jpg" width="640" /></b></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">10:00 PM:</span> I got a reply from this guy saying "Expression can be done anywhere if felt from heart". Ignoring his poor usage of English, I thought of asking him if his <i>heartfelt expressions </i>are automatically generated by just seeing a girl's profile pic; or by knowing that the girl has the same surname. If that be the case, you can easily assume how many Bengali/Nandi girls he would have tried his luck on, before me. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Man! He is an insult to my Nandi clan and I feel so damn ashamed of him.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br />
But this time I decided to ignore the message as I wasn't interested in a conversation with him; or rather I was afraid I will lose my sarcastic demeanor and start abusing him. So I removed him from my connection and decided to forget the issue.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /><span style="font-size: large;">
Sunday, June 9, 2013, Post Midnight:</span> The comments were flooding by now and some friends even shared the post, determined to find this guy.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /><span style="font-size: large;">
2:00 AM:</span> I was contacted by a friend of mine saying he found this guy on FB. Bingo! My friend had messaged this guy on FB asking if he had proposed someone on LinkedIn </b></span><b style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(Ouch! Wrong Move)</b><b style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. And he told him - If that was him, he wouldn't be surprised if the rejection to his proposal lands up on his wall within few days. Now, I don't know if there was anything more in their conversation, but shortly afterwards, <i>Mr. Now-Infamous-Nandi </i>deleted/deactivated his FB profile. Quite simultaneously he sent me another mail on LinkedIn saying "<i>It was mistake to add u in my friend list. Try to give value to person</i>".</b><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>First and foremost it reminded me of a good old saying - "<i>Ulta Chor Kotwal ko daatein</i>"...Who does not have the basic values - was it me or him?</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>No one gets such 'Free ka Publicity' for such an Ill-English-Proposal. Show some gratitude Dude! :P</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>LinkedIn - <i>as I have been repeating throughout</i> - is a professional network. It does not have 'friend list'. If anyone thinks they are making 'friends' by adding LinkedIn connections, they are hugely mistaken. And even if you consider them 'friends', do maintain the professionalism.</b></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Well, sometimes we got to tell such coward guys - "<i><span style="font-size: large;">Wrong Girl this time...</span></i>"</b></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br />
<i>P.S. No, I haven't abused him back yet. </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-893501746622801392011-05-25T10:52:00.014+05:302011-05-26T23:16:07.371+05:30The Real Beauty - A Beautiful Life...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">Two days back, I was just back from <a href="http://fromatravellersdiary.blogspot.com/2011/05/8-hours-through-meghalaya.html">a road trip across Meghalaya</a> when I saw the mail from <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/">IndiBlogger</a> asking 'What does real beauty mean to you?' - <a href="http://realbeauty.yahoo.com/">The Yahoo Dove Real Beauty Contest</a>. After such a trip what instantly came to my mind is the pristine beauty of the nature that has kept me in a dazed and enchanted state even 48 hours after it was over.<br />
<br />
But on second thoughts, I think beauty can be found in many things. Beauty can be a red rose on the snow <b>or</b> a baby's giggly laughter <b>or</b> the bond of love between a dog and its master <b>or</b> in the tears of a woman bidding her lover goodbye <b>or</b> some dried flowers on a dear one's grave <b>or</b> praying to a god whose existence has no certain proof <b>or</b>.... If I go on, I can enlist many such beauties, but I'm going to write about what my heart thinks are the real beauties in this world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">When a mother sees her baby for the first time, after waiting for months, she wants to hold her baby. She does so with her trembling hands, scared that she might hurt the baby if she is not careful. She looks at her baby and smiles, while a single drop of happy tear runs down her cheek - <b><i>That is real beauty to me...</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not only the mother teaches the child about life, but also the child teaches the woman to be a 'mother'. When the toddler takes the first step or says 'maa' or 'paa' for the first time, the happiness and excitement on the parents' faces - <b><i>That is real beauty to me...</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The mother, in her soothing voice, tells the child bedtime stories that mostly start with 'Once upon a time' and always have happy endings or comforts the child when he or she is scared at the middle of the night from the imaginary <i>bogeyman </i>or the monster in the closet - <b><i>That is real beauty to me...</i></b><br />
<br />
The child grows up, passing through adolescence and experiencing hundreds of new emotions and changes. The surprise of puberty, the change of feelings for a childhood friend, the first love, the first romance or the first kiss to the person we love - <b><i>That is real beauty to me...</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Slowly, we enter adulthood and choose our field of study and then one day, our profession too. Whenever we achieve something, small or big, or the day we get our first salary, we can see the pride clearly visible on our parents' faces - <b><i>That is real beauty to me...</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some years later, finally the day comes when we have to sacrifice everything we love to start a new life with a person who is supposedly going to be our life-partner. The bride walking down the aisle holding her father's hand, who had once taught her how to walk - <b><i>That is real beauty to me...</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The vows a couple takes on the alter while promising to love, comfort and honor each other as long as they both will live; or a Hindu bride taking the <i>Saat Phere</i> with trembling feet, apprehensive of the new life that awaits her; or the shyness of the Muslim bride as her lips tremble while she utters <i>'Qubul hai' - </i><b><i>That is real beauty to me...</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The happiness of an expectant mother, the glow on her face, the way she takes care of herself like she has done never before and when one day, she suddenly exclaims to her husband - "Oh! The baby just kicked!!' and the husband tries to hear his baby's heartbeats putting his ears on his wife's belly - <b><i>That is real beauty to me...</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back to the beginning, when after nine gruelling months, the mother gets to see, hold, kiss and feed her new born and we can see the maternal love in her eyes as she caresses the baby... <b><i>That again, is</i></b> <b><i>a real beauty to me...</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the end, one day her beloved leaves her. Broken-hearted, she mourns at his grave. The sadness and tears, partially seen through her black veil as she lights a candle and puts flowers on the grave, is too <b><i>painfully beautiful to me... </i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<b><i>Real Beauty is our own Cycle of Life.</i></b> I am a real beauty and so are you! We are the most beautiful creation of God and with a beautiful heart, we can turn our lives into a real beauty till it lasts. <br />
******************************************************************************************************************************************<br />
Click on the badge to visit the Yahoo Dove Real Beauty webpage -<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://realbeauty.yahoo.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ox_Gw8DydoUB80QGl5GF0ha8dJ9wKlIE8kd_0aNWwxAC-uIUYeIdQZco2mEcHAhGADMdrzUizIoRX30KXA3575rPEZAvSiqL2T1_gBFlz0I8qoXth26nVB3O36auuVt-wNU9GfKaO3Q/s1600/bigsquare_realbeauty.png" /></a></div><br />
<br />
If you like my post, please vote for it by visiting this link - <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/indipost.php?post=59623">http://www.indiblogger.in/indipost.php?post=59623</a> and click on the 'FB like' button provided on the page.<br />
<br />
If you are an IndiBlogger, please help me in promoting my post.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div></div>Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-2611544564409516942011-04-30T12:22:00.006+05:302011-05-14T12:50:29.392+05:30The Burning Woman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_BS3EQKPjsuxanbg2EZ8ZqDIN-W5VwkpuNnX4q0sG6WomvKLxG0OfNSn95I3Oj1LGoVLVcSgqmUmmaADPWfD4ot0MjcNX234sQRbBgS4A49rXYr5bAxAsJNc4PnSbrO6rYS7YI2M7oI/s1600/Burning-Eye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_BS3EQKPjsuxanbg2EZ8ZqDIN-W5VwkpuNnX4q0sG6WomvKLxG0OfNSn95I3Oj1LGoVLVcSgqmUmmaADPWfD4ot0MjcNX234sQRbBgS4A49rXYr5bAxAsJNc4PnSbrO6rYS7YI2M7oI/s320/Burning-Eye.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Image Courtesy : Google)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Once upon a time, on a dark night,<br />
I found myself standing all alone,<br />
Scared, as always from the darkness,<br />
That beckons towards the unknown....<br />
<br />
My only companion - The open sky,<br />
Jet black, with no clouds in sight,<br />
I can hear voices inside my head,<br />
Voices that whimper, cry and fight.<br />
<br />
Familiar looks the deserted street,<br />
As if I have been here before,<br />
And then suddenly, to add to my woes,<br />
It thunders and rain starts to pour.<br />
<br />
In the distance, I see a lone house,<br />
Lights glowing through its window,<br />
Alone in the dark, I move towards it,<br />
Alas, deserted even by my shadow...<br />
<br />
Closer I get, flickery seems the light,<br />
Blazing, as if something inside was burning,<br />
I felt fright, an urge to turn back, yet,<br />
To see what's inside, my heart was yearning...<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I cross the picket fence, I cross the lawns,</div>I reach the rusty door, which was open...<br />
With trembling hands I push the door,<br />
Along comes the smell of char, and then...<br />
<br />
The sight that meets my terrified eyes,<br />
I would never forget in my life throughout,<br />
I see a burning woman in the flames,<br />
Burning! Burning with her arms spread out...<br />
<br />
Petrified, I realize I'm looking into a mirror,<br />
The burning woman is none but me,<br />
I feel a fear that I have never felt before,<br />
For it is hard to believe what I see...<br />
<br />
I see my soul burning, but I can't help,<br />
Finally realizing it is hell where I stand,<br />
I touch the mirror, trying to reach out,<br />
As she does the same with her hand...<br />
<br />
Her tormented eyes meet mine,<br />
And in her last moment, we both scream,<br />
It's at this moment that I wake up,<br />
Realizing that it was just a scary dream! <br />
<br />
*******************************************<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Outside, a gust of wind joins the torrential rain,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Howling and wailing, as if in terrible pain,</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In the darkest corner of my heart, I know that</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I'll be seeing the woman tomorrow night again...</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><i>- Sanghita, 12/05/2011 </i></div>Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-48522746067703519442011-02-20T16:41:00.003+05:302011-02-20T22:23:02.798+05:30Meri Chahat (My first attempt at poetry)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>चाहने को तो बहुत कुछ चाहती हूँ...</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">आसमान में उढ़ना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">फिर से खुलके हँसना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">बचपन वापिस जीना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>चाहने को तो बहुत कुछ चाहती हूँ...</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">चैन की नींद सोना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">बेफिक्र अंगराई लेना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">एक नयी शुरुआत करना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>चाहने को तो बहुत कुछ चाहती हूँ...</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">जब दिल किया गाना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">जब मन चाहा नाचना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">जैसी हूँ वैसी ही रहना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>चाहने को तो बहुत कुछ चाहती हूँ...</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">हर दर्द भूलाना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">हर दोस्ती निभाना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">मैं फिर से प्यार करना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>चाहने को तो बहुत कुछ चाहती हूँ...</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">बारिश में भीगना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">हर बूँद महसूस करना चाहती हूँ, </div><div style="text-align: left;">मैं बादलों को छूना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>चाहने को तो बहुत कुछ चाहती हूँ...</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">आसमान में उढ़ना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">ज़िन्दगी वापिस जीना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;">हजारों ख्वाहिशें पूरी करना चाहती हूँ,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>चाहने को तो बहोत कुछ चाहती हूँ...</i></div></div>Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-23985843441274927992011-02-15T22:38:00.000+05:302011-02-17T09:01:42.751+05:30Life @ LIBA... Lanes of memories<div style="text-align: justify;">Few days back I had to fill up a section of the Yearbook - "<i>What will I miss about LIBA?</i>" Such a simple question, but it took me few hours to decide what to write there. But even after that, something kept bothering me because I felt that was not all. I had not done justice to that question. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So now as I close my eyes and think, scene by scene the Life @ LIBA flashes before my eyes. So let me take you on a journey through my memories once again...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">Scene 1:</span></b> Its 7.50am... As usual I'm running late for the morning class... Keeping my fingers crossed I run down the stairs to the streets, wishing I'll get an auto and reach the college in time... Like everyday, I blame myself - "<i>Kabhi nahi sudhregi!!!</i>" After waiting for few minutes an auto passes by... I stop it and ask - "<i>Anna, Loyola college back gate, ulle pona, ewlo</i>??"... The guy quotes Rs. 30... I say - "<i>Anna, daily poro... Rs. 20 correct rate anna...</i>" After a little persuasion he agrees... Phew!!! I reach college starp at 8am and run to the class. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">I'll miss this!!!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">Scene 2:</span> </b>I am inside the class. The faculty is scribbling something on the board, oblivious of what's happening behind him. I start dozing off, head flopping over to one side. He turns around and the whole class suddenly becomes very attentive. Someone elbows me and I wake up startled, pretending I have not even blinked. Well what we assume as micro-sleeps lasting only seconds, are actually around 15 minutes long each. And by that time, everyone in the class has seen you, has had a good laugh and some have even taken some photos of you. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">I'll miss this!!!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">Scene 3:</span> </b>I'm in the canteen. On a table where only four can sit, atleast four more have squeezed in. It's like an <i>adda</i>. We are all here for 2 'F's - Food & Friends. I am gorging on some junk food from <i>Give Life cafe</i> and of course, a bottle of Pepsi. I can hear giggles and laughters all around, people pulling each other's legs, all kinds of <i>masti-mazaaks, </i>gossip sessions, people desperately trying to pass their food coupons and shout their orders to the guy behind the counter... "<i>Anna, masala dosa</i>", "<i>Coffee Anna, less sugar</i>", etc. Someone once told me that a college is incomplete without a canteen, like Tom is incomplete without Jerry. So true... It's where friendship emerges. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">I'll miss this!!!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">Scene 4:</span> </b>It's someone's birthday...(Let's assume it's a guy... that way it's more fun)! He is gonna cut the cake in the canteen... Half the class turns up for the celebration... Most of the people are more interested in the cake than in his birthday and half of them are more interested in giving the guy some birthday bumps, than in either the cake or his birthday... As soon as the cake is cut, the torture starts... All you can hear are <i>Ooh</i>, <i>Aah</i> and <i>Ouchs </i>and many more @#$%^&*s (censored swearing). <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">I'll miss this!!!</span> }:></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">Scene 5:</span> </b>Festival Time!!! Whether it's the Festival of Lights or Mahabali's homecoming or any other festival, LIBA celebrates all with equal grandeur. Everyone turns up dressed in their best attires on the day, some for fun, some for friends and some for the good food (called the <i>Theory of 3 Fs</i>). In LIBA, dates really doesn't matter. We may end up celebrating Janmashtami during Onam and Onam during Navratri, but its the spirit of celebration that matters.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;"> <b>I'll miss this!!!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">Scene 6:</span> </b>It's a conference day... 3 buses are waiting in the parking lot to take the students to the venue... Everyone turns up earlier than usual, suited up... The consolation prize of attending these 'Attendance compulsory' conferences are that - you get to have yummy food and yummier dessert.<span class="Apple-style-span"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">I'll miss this!!!</span> <span class="Apple-style-span">:-</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span">P</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;"><b>Scene 7:</b> </span>It's either Freshers Party (when people are dressed as weirdly as possible) or Libarated (when we tune our vocal chords, walk the ramp and burn the floor) or Chrysalis (when we are at our intellectual best) and as usual, there is a flurry of activity all around. You can feel the energy and enthusiasm in the air. And then comes the DJ night with people dancing on the beats of "<i>Munni Badnaam</i>"s and "<i>Sheila ki Jawani</i>"s. In the end, they were all <i>good good nights</i>. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color : #357EC7;">I'll miss all these!!!</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">On a more personal note, I'll miss walking out of college with <i>Pritha</i>, I'll miss pulling <i>Munna</i>'s coogly woogly cheeks :P, I'll miss going to Nescafe with <i>Chaitik</i> and <i>Navisha</i>, I'll miss the trips I have taken with some good friends, I'll miss reading <i>Chaitik</i>'s hilarious posts on <i>Pandora's box</i> and if I keep writing, I'll miss even the CRM exam that I have tomorrow...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><span class="Apple-style-span">I have been through myriads of emotions in the last 20 months... I have met so many people, some of whom I'll remember throughout my life... I have learnt so many valuable lessons, some through the people and some through the vibrant life we spent here. <span class="Apple-style-span">I can proudly say <i>no matter what</i>, those were the best days of my life and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span">I believe this lively culture will keep throbbing in the heart of LIBA even after many many years.</span></div></div>Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-86845822185175154112011-02-13T22:12:00.001+05:302020-05-11T23:31:32.658+05:30Steven Johnson Syndrome - A Survivor's Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Have you ever looked death into the eyes? Ever felt the life slip out of your hands? Ever heard your loved ones weeping all around you as if it was your funeral? I have been through all this 13 years back. </b><b>If you are reading this post, I would first insist you to go to <a href="http://images.google.com/">Google images</a> and search 'Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis' and Steven Johnson Syndrome', see how it looks like and then read further. Also, it's a long story, so please bear with me...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span">(<b>Disclaimer</b>: This article is about my ordeal with TEN/SJS. It may lack medical technicalities.)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was the <b>summer of 1998,</b> and I was just back from my first visit to Chennai after undergoing a nerve-related treatment at the Apollo Hospitals. The doctor who was treating me prescribed me a medicine, known as <b>Tegretol (manufactured by Novartis)</b>. We returned to Silchar (Assam) on March 28th. I lazed around for 3 days, as the classes were about to start from the 1st of April. On the night of 30th March, the first symptoms showed up. It looked like measles to me, and I complained to my parents that I was getting weird eruptions on the skin and that it itches. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I was so close to the end of my existence. My Dad consulted with our family physician (<b>Dr. Ajit Bhattacharjee</b>), who is a Dermatologist and upon his suggestion that it might be a drug reaction, he called up the doctor at Apollo to consult with him. Instead of asking me to stop the medication, he denied that the reaction had anything to do with <i>Tegretol</i> and asked me to continue taking the medicine. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>31st March morning</b>, I started to lose some sensations as if I was going numb. By afternoon the eruptions looked like those of chicken pox. I got ulcers in the mouth and also, started dripping saliva from the mouth (like you do after being on anaesthesia on a dentist's chair), which was pretty numb by then. When my dad came home from office and saw my condition he decided to take me to another doctor - <b>Dr. Manabendra Deb</b>, who had treated a similar case before. The doctor checked me and asked him to get me admitted in the hospital immediately. My first reaction was - why the hell am I being admitted to a hospital with such utmost urgency because of skin rashes?!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was then when the Doctor explained to me that I have symptoms of <b>TEN (Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis)</b>, a severe form of<b> SJS (Steven Johnson Syndrome)</b>, which is a life-threatening condition affecting the skin and subsequently the eyes, blood vessels and multiple organs. If not death, outcomes such as organ damage and/or blindness is common in this case. I was immediately put on saline and protein drip. Blood and all other possible samples were taken. And then came the life saving steroids. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>1st April</b> : I know how lame this sounds but initially I very excited as family and friends were dropping in to see me.I was just a child and the worst was yet to come.<br />
<br />
It was only towards the end of the day when someone switched on the lights and I shrieked, that everyone realized - I have developed photophobia. My windows were then covered with green curtains and only one dim light was allowed to be lit in the room. My condition started to worsen during the night, with more life saving drug being pushed in through the saline syringe at regular intervals. For some strange reason, I was not letting anyone come near me, except for one particular nurse and my father; not even my Mom.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>2nd April 1998</b>: It is the worst day of my life till date. Around 2am while everyone was sound asleep, I suddenly sprang up on the bed from a sleeping to a sitting position instinctively and started vomiting blood. There was blood everywhere, on my hands (as I cupped them in front of my mouth to stop it), then on the bedsheets and on the floor. It was like I was living in a nightmare! Till date, I remember that moment vividly as if it was just yesterday. The resident doctor was called immediately. It was at that moment when the doctor announced, there was only 0.1% chance that they could save me.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
From the next day onwards, I was prohibited from looking into any mirror. With blood red eyes and lesions on the skin, I would have easily got a role in the 'then very famous' Zee Horror Show. In fact, I even overheard a family friend of mine comment that I looked like one of those ghosts.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was in the hospital for two entire weeks and it was only one particular day when a drop of tear rolled out of my eyes when my uncle and aunt came to pay me a visit before shifting to Delhi. We were a joint family until then and he had just got his transfer orders during those days. At that moment I felt I was hearing their voice for the last time. Even seeing them was out of question as I had bandages over my eyes. I could only hear their sobs and then I cried - for the first and the last time during those days.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Over the next few days, people kept pouring over. I heard them weep, as if all hopes were lost. My then best friend Puja couldn't even enter the hospital chamber. Someone told me she was standing at the entrance of the room and crying. Even the Principal of my school paid me a visit one of those days. I learnt something about human nature in those days - people give up on hope way too fast and I don't blame them - I looked like the definition of lost cause!<br />
<br />
Over time, my lips got sealed and I couldn't even speak. If I needed something, I used my fingers to spell it on someone's hands. I had syringe punctures all over me. An otherwise tolerant patient through all these, I protested vehemently only once - through gestures - when the doctors were instructing the nurse to push the drip syringe through my legs, as both my hands had swollen up. Thankfully they respected that one wish, and continued using my hands interchangeably.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was being treated by Dr. Prabhati Dhar Purkayastha (ENT), Dr. Sandeep Dhar (Ophthalmology) and Dr. Bhaskar Gupta (Dermatologist), along with Dr. Manabendra Deb. I also remember that two doctors from Apollo Hospitals (Chennai) had come down to Silchar to pay me a 'visit', probably in an attempt to do some damage (read reputation) control.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don't remember few days in between as I passed in and out of consciousness.<br />
<br />
After 7-10 days my conditions started to improve a bit. Slowly I got rid off the photophobic condition. I felt I was gifted with new eyes. Everything was so colorful all around. The world (or rather the hospital room) was beautiful!<br />
<br />
Then slowly I was able to speak <i>again</i>. I blabbered so much like I was speaking after decades. <br />
<br />
One fine day (after almost 10 days of being admitted), the nurse asked me to step down from my bed and take a walk. I was super excited, but as soon as I tried to take the first step, I stumbled. My legs had gone totally numb. The nurse caught me and slowly taught me to walk - <i>again</i>. With each step, the numbness disappeared.<br />
<br />
I felt like I was <strike>in heaven</strike> back on earth. I even shed nails and new nails grew in their place.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was discharged on <b>15th April</b>. I was going home finally! My nurse came along with me and stayed with us for almost another month.<br />
<br />
The first thing I did after stepping inside my home was to run to the nearest mirror. I still looked pale and horrible, and could only imagine how I would have looked during the first one week. I was prohibited from much exposure to sunlight for almost an entire year.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My parents celebrated my birthday with much grandeur that year, as if it was the first birthday of a new born. They told me it was my second life.<br />
<br />
<br />
Till today I regard all my doctors as Gods - the ones you can see with your eyes. I owe my life to them, after all. Like some miracle, few minor health problems I had till then got cured after that, as if it was actually a new life, a blessing in disguise.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I did learn a few lessons from that incident-</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ol>
<li>First and foremost, one should never lose hope. The reason I never feel disheartened whatever the situation is because I feel there is always some hope left.</li>
<li>Face every situation bravely and fight till the end. Death is peaceful and inevitable for all that is born, but life is way too beautiful to let go without a swashbuckling fight :)</li>
<li>There is a Supreme Being/Energy in this world, that creates miracles. I don't believe in traditional forms of "God" per se. This formless thing I am talking about is present all around us and at the same time, quite ironically, can come to us in different forms. For me, it came to me as my Doctors and saved my life. To some extent, I could feel it in my parents too, who never gave up and fought alongside.</li>
<li>Last but not the least, there is an information leaflet provided with every medicine. ALWAYS read it CAREFULLY, before taking the medicine, especially the side-effects section.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For more information on Steven Johnson Syndrome, refer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevens%E2%80%93Johnson_syndrome">here</a> (Wikipedia).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-2687913526893432922011-02-03T22:20:00.001+05:302013-12-05T15:15:31.187+05:30In Search of Sophie : A Trip I wish I could forget<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><u><br /></u></span></div>
<div>
<div>
I have always loved to write. I get my inspirations from all that is in and around me. This is a short story I wrote almost a year back for the creative writing competition at IIT Saarang 2010. I dedicate this story to my parents and thank all those people who inspired the characters in my story. Also, thanks to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/01120323076979742949">Venkat</a> who inspired me to finally publish the writing.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Do leave your comments. I am looking forward to some honest criticism.<br />
<br />
<b>Just one request: Read it alone... With the lights turned out... </b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Title </b>: In Search of Sophie : <span class="Apple-style-span"><i>A Trip I wish I could forget</i></span></div>
<b>Genre</b>: Horror, Thriller.</div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtjwW2Kc4Yui5Gxo0RxR_S1koItRDtFA-3MdxCrWjSI0dem8GfoQFbwCZWdvLvztFOwM1IWeCiIJb6qA0MaYVyzUclzAMarEPa9OqOvZdPKuDj4pLxTRr5upj0lOKBWRne2-O6H-Hfms/s1600/dark-forest-night-image-31002.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570486868861367362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtjwW2Kc4Yui5Gxo0RxR_S1koItRDtFA-3MdxCrWjSI0dem8GfoQFbwCZWdvLvztFOwM1IWeCiIJb6qA0MaYVyzUclzAMarEPa9OqOvZdPKuDj4pLxTRr5upj0lOKBWRne2-O6H-Hfms/s400/dark-forest-night-image-31002.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/48102269/In-Search-of-Sophie" style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto; text-decoration: underline;" title="View In Search of Sophie on Scribd">In Search of Sophie</a> <object data="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf" height="600" id="doc_804697021361332" name="doc_804697021361332" style="outline: none;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf"> <param name="wmode" value="opaque"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <param name="FlashVars" value="document_id=48102269&access_key=key-w2c4jqpas1raz06mf2z&page=1&viewMode=list"> <embed id="doc_804697021361332" name="doc_804697021361332" src="http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=48102269&access_key=key-w2c4jqpas1raz06mf2z&page=1&viewMode=list" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="600" width="100%" wmode="opaque" bgcolor="#ffffff"></embed> </object><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span">(Picture Courtesy : Google images)</span></div>
</div>
Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-63582958620206340602011-01-15T14:13:00.000+05:302011-02-19T20:28:51.256+05:30Makar Sankranti... A time of the year when I miss being at home the (2nd) most<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; "><p style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><b><i></i></b></p><p style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; "><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><br /></span></span></i></b></p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; ">There has always been two occasions during a year, when I miss being at home the most... First being </span><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Durga Puja</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "> and second during </span><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Makar Sankranti</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "> or </span><em style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; ">'Magh </span><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; ">Bihu'</span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "> in Assam...</span></i></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><b><i><br /></i></b></p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><b><i>Bihu</i></b> is the most celebrated festival of Assam. It is celebrated during different periods of the year as it marks the three stages of cultivation, i.e. beginning of the agricultural season, completion of transplantation and end of the harvesting season.</p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><br /></p><p style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "> </p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; ">There are three forms of Bihu that are celebrated in Assam:</p><ol style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 25px; "><li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Bohag Bihu</i>, celebrated in the middle of April which marks the New Year at the advent of seeding time; </li><li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Kati Bihu</i>, celebrated in the middle of October which marks the completion of sowing and transplanting of paddies;</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Magh Bihu</i>, celebrated in the middle of January which marks the end of the harvesting period.</li></ol></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrBmk6T7mShcF5k_qcCwKFhClBDWnZkJFFhPzmjcgJHVwE8F1Nc_DxHsO7hwJMvBXU5gwNw4MQ386_cRbxs-7orRt0AAq0bSpevHuLOtOh7rEOKwZIze4dZkmwMofMdkH7YBa0OZTh10/s1600/33793_10150126416051757_731551756_7667321_1573491_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrBmk6T7mShcF5k_qcCwKFhClBDWnZkJFFhPzmjcgJHVwE8F1Nc_DxHsO7hwJMvBXU5gwNw4MQ386_cRbxs-7orRt0AAq0bSpevHuLOtOh7rEOKwZIze4dZkmwMofMdkH7YBa0OZTh10/s320/33793_10150126416051757_731551756_7667321_1573491_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562331364208081682" /></a><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; "><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; ">Out of the three bihus, Magh Bihu, which is celebrated during <em>Makar Sankranti</em>, has always been my favorite. Magh Bihu is also known as Bhogali Bihu, which originates from the word 'Bhog' and signifies eating and enjoyment. </p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><br /></p><p style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "> </p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; ">The festival is marked by feasts and bonfires. On the eve of the Bihu, called '<em>Uruka</em>', young people build makeshift huts, known as <em>Meiji </em>or more popularly known as <em>Merameri </em> in Cachar, from bamboo, leaves and thatch, in which they eat the food prepared for the feast (purely non-vegetarian). The entire night is spent in and around the Meiji with people singing or playing Bihu songs (Bollywood songs in more recent times), beating 'Dhol', or playing games. </p><p style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><br /></p></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93SNrBe-mYVmAZh7NsTzecl0chgD4aFN3MFvLb9fHPU1bxI1snRqtikLL8b2X_j9T_wsykEyQFTjzb4IIf7bKdi0fMuONcspUMzHt1Agx96lys0DmKel7EYRTfB2iro2-TQb6efreWJ0/s1600/DSC00342.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93SNrBe-mYVmAZh7NsTzecl0chgD4aFN3MFvLb9fHPU1bxI1snRqtikLL8b2X_j9T_wsykEyQFTjzb4IIf7bKdi0fMuONcspUMzHt1Agx96lys0DmKel7EYRTfB2iro2-TQb6efreWJ0/s320/DSC00342.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562331229065559378" /></a><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; "><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; ">The next day, on Magh Bihu, people get up very early in the morning, take bath and burn the 'Meiji'. People gather around the burning 'Meiji' and throw 'Pithas' (rice cakes) and betel nuts into the fire, as offering to the <em>God of Fire</em>. They offer their prayers and thus, mark the end of the harvesting year. The whole day is followed with community celebrations all across with Pithas being distributed to all. Some Pithas commonly made are Puli Pitha, Chandro Puli, Doodh Puli, Paati Shapta, Malpoa, etc.</p><p style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><br /></p></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzk1P8lYpG9mp4Cnx5PU2OslEpfyaNSML8Cpn_xGmJL9W76ny-igcJI-x5VXhGU34gWdNu3rCOsFiewi9b7_H9j-GY9rdfprPUUXbeKJAz-1RjWneGUsBf1tN6PYbUJX8m3uZSB_qt9M/s1600/DSC00340.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzk1P8lYpG9mp4Cnx5PU2OslEpfyaNSML8Cpn_xGmJL9W76ny-igcJI-x5VXhGU34gWdNu3rCOsFiewi9b7_H9j-GY9rdfprPUUXbeKJAz-1RjWneGUsBf1tN6PYbUJX8m3uZSB_qt9M/s320/DSC00340.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562331137977776738" /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; ">The last time I celebrated this festival was almost a decade ago. I miss the picnic like feast with family and friends, the roof top parties at my home during those times, the bonfires, the 'getting up at 5am on a wintry morning' (the worst part), the comforting heat from the burning Meiji and mostly, the Mom-made Pithas that I get to have once the ritual is over... I miss them all, so much that I would rather opt for a Makar Sankranti holiday, instead of Christmas and New Year break... </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqTEhhE2rScpWWoLTVc-yS3g1c9AKxz7T9B4zPdgoexlZx5qziFcFR9siwe3rZIM8o9fWeWByncdjnfXrC7UTPxKBaGjMS1GyAVjswu6eSUGQC43QXm8p1lPehJJ8OZNyinDAd3t3uNw/s1600/DSC00349.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqTEhhE2rScpWWoLTVc-yS3g1c9AKxz7T9B4zPdgoexlZx5qziFcFR9siwe3rZIM8o9fWeWByncdjnfXrC7UTPxKBaGjMS1GyAVjswu6eSUGQC43QXm8p1lPehJJ8OZNyinDAd3t3uNw/s320/DSC00349.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562331015398881474" /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><div style="text-align: center; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i>Happy Bihu / Makar Sankranti / Lohri / Pongal to all... :)</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">(Picture Courtesy : Google images)</span></i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">(Facts Courtesy : Wikipedia, <a href="http:///www.festivalsofindia.in">www.festivalsofindia.in</a></span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; "><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">)</span></i></b></span></div></span></div>Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-14286843292234570052010-08-15T14:53:00.000+05:302011-02-19T20:20:40.133+05:30Some Introspections on this day of Independence<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHw4vljKFVvQE9FZMHAul2L9cayUIYQcn4L-tezYJPzP_JVKU-pH_BFeJVwACednqjt8w7OaIS1mtZJJiIqxRv7ZBp2XP-HIhHRqo4U5dCO6_q1arvM0NOKosNNtwktyfa5rPkI3omAKQ/s1600/IDay.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHw4vljKFVvQE9FZMHAul2L9cayUIYQcn4L-tezYJPzP_JVKU-pH_BFeJVwACednqjt8w7OaIS1mtZJJiIqxRv7ZBp2XP-HIhHRqo4U5dCO6_q1arvM0NOKosNNtwktyfa5rPkI3omAKQ/s400/IDay.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505564988093716706" border="0" /></a><br />To start with, I got up at 10 a.m. today. Sounds wierd?? May be it would 'coz it was not "Just another Sunday"... Was supposed to attend the Independence Day celebrations at college at 7 a.m., which I didn't...</div><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I didn't understand the significance of Independence Day till I started going to school. I remember there was a time when I used to get up early in the morning and rush to school, just to see the Flag being hoisted by <em>Princi</em> (short for our Principal Sirji)... The <span style="font-style: italic;">Scouts </span>& the <span style="font-style: italic;">NCC </span>Saluting it... Singing of the <span style="font-style: italic;">National Anthem</span>... and some more patriotic songs, like <span style="font-style: italic;">Vande Mataram</span>... Listening to a variety of patriotic speeches in either English or Hindi (or rather waiting for it to get over)... The drills and the march-past... The cultural activities where one can see a sudden burst of Saffron, White and Green, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Indian Tri-color</span>... The distribution of sweets and snacks... Then rushing back home and catching on the last few minutes of the National celebration on DD1, though it was nothing compared to what we got to see on Republic Day...</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Even if it was for those "<span style="font-style: italic;">Mithai ka Dabbas</span>", the point is that we attended the celebrations... Once college started, it was up to us whether to attend or not, and the choice was pretty clear! This brings up few questions in my mind...</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Does that mean Independence Day doesn't mean anything to us anymore just 'coz times have changed?</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Has Independence Day degenerated into just another holiday?</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Do we really understand the relevance of Independence Day today?</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Is it just because we have not experienced life pre-independence, that we can't really understand the true value of it?</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Or has there been a reduction in our cultural and ethical values?</em></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I thought of writing this post 'coz someone said to me - "Pity that it's a Sunday and we did not even get a day off!!"</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I would rather say pity that the 'holiday' part of this Day is what seems to be most important to most of us...</p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">(Picture Courtesy : Google images)</span></div>Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004969173929896315.post-49379842487860891212010-07-21T12:45:00.000+05:302010-08-30T02:39:47.466+05:30Once upon a Time...<div>"<span style="font-style: italic;">Once upon a time</span>..." is the popular line that every Fairytale story starts with... And I would have loved to start my story with that line too... But this is no Fairytale and I am no Princess...</div><br /><br /><div>My story ended even before it could begin. </div><br /><div>The only sign is the bleeding heart, crushed to pieces. </div><br /><div>May be someday there will be a story to tell... </div><br /><div>A story of a lifetime, that would make the world fall in love once again...</div><br /><div></div><div>A story that will begin with "<span style="font-style: italic;">Once upon a time</span>..." and will end with<br /><br />"... <span style="font-style: italic;">and they lived happily ever after....</span>"</div>Sanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00647696929228961941noreply@blogger.com0