Preeti Shenoy's Blog, page 3

Sunday Stealing--On whether I prefer digital books or paperbacks and more fun stuff.

 

 It's Sunday again which means it is time for Sunday Stealing.  For Leo (one of my cats) every day is Sunday and that's how she sleeps, curling up next to me.
Many of you told me that you really enjoy these casual fun questions, which tell us a lot about ourselves. So here goes: 

*Have you tried anything new this year?
Yes, I tried baking bread for the first time and it came out really well! I also hit a personal record in weight training in my gym. I did deadlifts (3 sets of 6 each) with 40 kgs.


*What would you do if you don’t have wifi for a week?
I would be very uncomfortable on the first two days. Then I'd probably get used to it. I'd read and paint.

*Do you like summer, why or why not?
Not when I am in India. Indian summers are scorching. I used to enjoy summers when I was living in UK.

*What’s one restaurant that you like in your city? what food do they sell?
I am not a restaurant person at all. I feel restaurants don't bother about the health aspect of food, as they are optimising for taste and to make money. Most restaurant food just makes me feel stuffed. That being said I do occasionally enjoy going to a restaurant. I don't much care for fancy five star dining. I liked the ambience at Sly Granny in Bangalore. I also like my local Udupi park and Rameshwaram Cafe.

*Do you prefer digital book or real paper book?
Both have their advantages and disadvantages. The biggest positive I see in my kindle is that I can read it in the dark, I can enlarge the font, I can search inside the book using X-ray, I can mail and mark quotes from the book and while travelling I can take an entire library with me. For a long time I did not read digital books. Then the CEO of a publishing house (a voracious reader himself)  told me how convenient it is, and how he was reluctant initially, and how  he loves it. On his advice I tried digital books and I was hooked. If you are used to reading on a phone, you quickly get used to reading a digital book.

*What’s one thing that you are interested to buy, but it’s a bit expensive, so you haven’t bought yet?I am at that point in my life, where I don't look at price tags anymore. I am grateful to be at this point, as I have worked really hard for my money!

*What tea brands do you like?
Kanan Devan Gold for regular tea, and Organic India for herbal teas.

*What’s one food that you can binge eating a lot?
Puttu and Kadala! (my all time favourite) Also Potato chips.

*Write one random thing that happened to you this month.
The awful great switcheroo which I wrote about! In case you missed it click here.

*How many long-term penpals do you have right now? (people who pen pal with you for more than 3 years)
One from Scotland. (but he is a friend as I have met him in real life)

*If you own a small food trailer, what food do you want to sell?
Idlis! Healthy, fresh, delicious with a fiery chutney.


*What’s one handmade gift that you received and really liked ?
Someone from Sao Paulo read my book and was so moved that she knitted and hat and scarf for me. Her son had given the book to her. This person is an elderly lady and the scarf and hat are so beautiful and it's made from the  softest wool. I cherish it forever. Also an artist friend from UK, gifted me a painting which tool him 140 hours to make. It hangs on my desk and only two people in the world have an original painting by him and I am one of them. I also absolutely cherish the large charts and cards my daughter made for me on my birthdays when she was younger.

*What’s your ideal Saturday like?
Binge watching a lovely TV series, some wine and pop-corn,  a cat in my lap and good  (cold) weather outside.

*What things do you like to buy on Etsy?
I don't shop on Etsy.

*What kind asian food do you like?South Indian--always.

For those of you reading this post, I'd love it if you pick 2/3 questions from the above ans answer it in my comment box.
Tomorrow--a new post.
Till then take care!
Love
Preeti

Never Have I Ever--baked bread before!

  
Today I baked bread. There's something deeply primal and satisfying about the act of baking bread and the aroma wafting through the entire home. I am new to bread baking and I am pleased about how soft it turned out. Also the home made one is so much better than the store bought one--both in terms of taste as well as the ingredients that go into it. I shared some with my neighbour and house-help as well, and they loved it too. (They're both always bringing stuff that they cooked for me. So it was nice to be able to return the favour)

After that I binged watched the latest season of  Never Have I Ever. I absolutely loved it. It's brillianty written, well-shot with the right amount of drama and emotions. Totally won me over (like milllions of other people) and left me with a happy-warm feeling much like the bread I baked.

That was my Saturday in a nutshell.
How was yours?
Tell me in comments 👇🏽

Come back for a post tomorrow, where I will pick a few questions that people have asked on my Instagram stories, and I will blog about it. If you have any questions you want me to answer, you can either head over to my insta or ask me here in my comment box. I will answer as many as I can.

Till tomorrow, focus on all the good things you have going for you.
Love
Preeti

 

Five question friday! (My hero, my biggest fear and more!)

 

                                                      Photo of Norwich Street  by Leo on Unsplash

 Today's friday--and for today's post I though we could have some  friday fun. Here are five questions for the five question friday.

Who is your hero?If you could live anywhere, where would it be?What is your biggest fear?What is your favorite family vacation?What would you change about yourself if you could ?

I would love it if you answer these in my comment box, and I'd love to get to know you!

I am sharing my answers too!

 

1. Who is your hero?

Ans: Undoubtedly my father. He was truly one of the coolest people I jhave known. I owe a lot of my traits to him. I have written about him a lot in my book Love A Little Stronger. You can also read this post to know what he was like.

2. If you could live anywhere where would it be?

Ans: If you had asked me this question in my thirties, my answer would have been Norwich,UK (as I used to live there)  .But now my answer is in Bangalore, in my current home. We are truly living in our dream home now, and I am absolutely in love with my current house, and I feel blessed to own it.

3. What is your biggest fear?

And: After having researched and written Life is What you Make it, I'd say it is terrifying to have a mental illness, My biggest fear is to be trapped in one's own mind.

 

4. What is your favourite family vacation?

It was Maldives,Switzerland and Bhutan. It's hard to choose.
Here's a pic from Maldives which is one of my favourite pictures from the vacation.

5. What would you change about yourself if you could?

My biggest vulnerability  (I am an empath) is also my greatest strength. I feel very deeply and easily absorb energies. But over the years I have learnt to shield myself from absorbing other's negative energies.So right now I wouldn't change anything about myself, because being who I am enables me to write the kind of books that I do.

Your turn now. Go! (Head over to my blog if you are reading this in your inbox)

If you are answering these on your blog, do link back to this post.

Come back tomorrow for a new post.
Love
Preeti

The Great Switcheroo !

 

 

Hello there
How are you doing? Are you happy that the weekend is almost here? Or do you love your job so much that you detest weekends?

Today, I had a fabulous workout at the gym.  I had discovered weight training just before the lock-down began and started training intensely. It was hard at first, but now I am quite proud of what I've managed to achieve in the gym. The benefits of pumping iron are immense, especially as you age. (I will be 52 this year). Your muscle mass declines each year, and the only antidote is strength training.

I usually never do cardio at the gym, instead I walk outside. But today after an exhilarating workout session, I decided to add a dash of cardio as my morning walk had been short. Of the five treadmills available, three were occupied. In a stroke of ironic (or perhaps I should say moronic) luck, I had to choose the one next to a guy who was walking with a great deal of intensity, lost in his music, his headphones firmly in place. No worries, I thought, as I approached my chosen treadmill.

But then I remembered that this gym had a peculiar system. The power switches for the treadmills were inconveniently placed behind the machines on the wall at floor level. Moreover, the switches were probably fitted by am electrician who was drunk or high on weed, or both.  The person who'd fixed it  had managed to flip the switches in such a way that the off-position was, in fact, the on-position, and vice versa.But that was not the case for all switches. It was a Russian roulette.  You never know what you were getting. There was also  a chaotic labyrinth of wires back there each one leading to a different treadmill.

Undeterred by this electrifying challenge, I stood behind the treadmills, adopting the guise of an astute detective. I scrutinized the tangled mess of wires, determined to unravel its secrets. Minutes ticked by as I carefully traced each wire, playing a suspenseful game of connect-the-dots. Finally, with the confidence of a mastermind, I identified the correct wire for my treadmill.

With bated breath, I  flicked the  switch,  anticipating the triumphant hum of my treadmill springing to life. Instead, what followed was a jolting moment of panic and dismay. The treadmill of the poor gentleman who had been diligently walking came to an abrupt halt, as if taunting my overzealous efforts. It took me as well as the man on the treadmill a few seconds to recover. Horror washed over me, blending with embarrassment and I drowned in the cocktail of awkwardness.

Summoning every ounce of remorse, I launched into a frantic chorus of apologies. I begged for forgiveness as if my gym life depended on it. The guy, bless his soul, graciously stepped off the treadmill and kindly rectified my blunder by switching on the correct power switch.

'Sorry--I am so sorry...sorry,' I said.

'It's okay,' he smiled sweetly.

I wished I could disappear. It could have been so dangerous had he fallen off. I apologised once again. Though I wanted to run away, I got on to my treadmill and continued my walk of shame, both literally and metaphorically.

I persisted and  completed my cardio, trying to be inconspicuous amidst the echoes of my failed electrical expertise. Perhaps, in this tale of unintentional mischief, lies a valuable lesson: that even in the midst of embarrassing mishaps, we can find the courage to keep walking, both figuratively and literally, towards the next great adventure life brings us!

More tomorrow.
Come back, and also leave me a comment in my comment box if you enjoyed reading this unintended escapade.

Love
Preeti

ps: The great switcheroo is one of my favourite stories by Roald Dahl (whose work I greatly admire)

pps: If you enjoyed the above do buy my book Love a Little Stronger which are all true incidents like this one from life. 

Wordless Wednesday .A recent event .

 

Today is wordless wednesday. (click on the link to know more)

I've been doing Wordless Wednesdays  for many years now. And for today's post, I thought I'd share pics from last public event, which I absolutely loved.
I feel blessed to be living my dream life. (But I have worked  and struggled for it)
Shhhhh..I have spoken too much already. This is supposed to be wordless!

Come back tomorrow for a new post (and lots of words!)
Love
Preeti

Meet my tribe. Meet my babies.

It's raining heavily outside as I type this. Water is pouring down like silver spears, pelting the earth with fury like Daenerys's Unsullied troops. (Apologies if you aren't a Game of Thrones Fan. I highly recommend you watch the series if you haven't.)

My three cats are safe inside. They are semi-outdoor cats and one of my concerns when it pours like this is whether they are safe.  

Leo is on my chair grooming herself, Harvey is walking around trying to figure out what mischief she can get upto next and Kasper is patrolling around trying to smack Harvey. All three cats are girls--but they have boys names because I didn't know they were girls when I was naming them!

Kasper is mute. She can't mew properly. But she is fierce and fast. She is also extremely affectionate once you win her over. When the AC is switched on and she wants to come inside, she knows how to knock on my window till I hear her, and let her in! One of her favourite activities is chasing Harvey around.

 Here's Kasper with my daughter  Purvi. (This  pic was clicked when when she was in India). Kasper is easily Purvi's favourite. Kasper dislikes strangers and will run away if there's any new person in the house.

 

Leo is a very affectionate ginger cat. Female ginger cats are very rare because of genetics. Only 20% of the Ginger cats are female as they need a specific chromosome in a particular order for their colouring. Leo is easily my favourite. Leo is also very wary of strangers. She however loves to cuddle up to me. When I watch TV, she jumps on to my lap and rests there. There are millions of pictures of Leo and me :)

But I am sharing with you, two of my favourite pics of Leo.

Then there's Harvey who is a calico.   (Calico cats are considered to being luck to their owners) She is an extremely good looking cat and she has a dot on her nose! She was abandoned on my door step when she was a baby. I tried to get her adopted but I wasn't sure she would get a good home, and then we all fell in love with her. She is extremely naughty and one of the things she does is push books off the book shelves and then pretend she hasn't done anything. Harvey is my son's favorite cat. Harvey is very friendly and she will gladly welcome strangers and play with them. She is also unpredictable as she can suddenly scratch you  or bite your toes when she gets annoyed.
(Leo and Kasper won't ever scratch you or bite you)

Here's a pic of Harvey at her favourite spot (Righton top of my book shelf)

Apart from. these three, I also have  rotating visitor cats. I feed them all.  (i love animals and will do anything for them)

I was never a cat-lover. I was always a dog person. My dog (Lostris, named after a Wilbur Smith Character) was my third child. She was inseparable from me. She lived a long and a happy life, and she passed two years back. (I was so heartbroken I couldn't speak for months)

 

She is mentioned in the acknowledgement pages of many of my books. 

The day she passed (two years ago) a pregnant cat came home.Leo and Kasper are her babies. I truly feel my Lossie had so much love left to give me that she had to reincarnate as two cats. Her love couldn't be contained in just one.  Kasper and Leo come with me everywhere, just like Lossie used to,

The circle of love, like life  goes on.

Come back tomorrow for a new post. And don't forget to leave me a comment if you're enjoying my posts.
___________________________

ps: If you enjoyed this post you will love my book Love A Little Stronger which are all true incidents from my life.

Endurance--a quality we must cutlivate.

 

Today was a very sad day for me.  I lost my bird. (which was a rescue and which had been with me for over four years. Those who follow me on my instagram know that she would fly to my hands and eat from my hand. She was a fully flighted bird and she was left free inside my room). She went peacefully in her sleep.

Life is fragile. We have to make the most of the present moment. Also we need to have certain non-negotiable personal  rituals so that we can cope with the shocks that life will give us ever so often. For me it is my gym work-outs, meditation and writing in my diary every single day before I go to bed. These things have been scientifically proven to strengthen the mind immensely.

I am grieving for what I lost--but I know I will get over it. I also feel grateful for the love I received from the bird, and how much she trusted me.

Anyway, I diverge. The blog marathon must go on.

For today's post, I thought I'd do the One word sixty second challenge. It's a great exercise to get your  creative juices flowing. Check it out by clicking on the link.
You have one minute to write on a word that it gives.

I got this word 👇👇

ENDURANCE
Here's what I came up with in one minute:


'Endurance is the name of the game,' the gym instructor told his client who had just joined the gym.
That was the last thing she wanted to hear.
'Endurance my foot. To give me cliches like this is not what I hired you for,' She glared at him  as she struggled to walk on the treadmill.  

Do you think I should continue the story? Let me know in comments below. (If you are reading this in your inbox, do head over to my blog and leave me a comment.)

Also if you take part in the challenge, I'd love to know what  word you got, and what you came up with. Copy paste what you came up with in my comment box. Also tell me the word you got.

A new day tomorrow--a new post tomorrow.
Take care of yourself and do not forget to be grateful for all that went well today.

Love

Preeti

____________________

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

Sunday Stealing--Hello June!

 Hi again!

Hope you're enjoying my posts for this blog-marathon. If you are, do leave me a comment :) It's a bit boring to keep talking here to myself 😅

Today being a Sunday, I thought I'd do a Sunday Stealing Post. (click on the link to know more about Sunday Stealing)

Here goes:

1. What are your plans for June?
To complete this blog marathon, to read  4 books and to get at least 8 more workouts in.

2. Your mid year resolutions or goals.The whole of this year, I have travelled every single month. So that resolution remains!
Here's a pic from my recent trip to Switzerland.






3. Are you good at taking care of plants?
Yes, I am excellent at it. Check out my stories on my instagram to see my plants!


4. What makes you feel nourished?
I need lot of alone time. I need to be in  an atmosphere which is noise-free and serene. I need time to sketch and draw. I am inspired by nature and visiting new places. All of this makes me feel nourished.



5. Which animals do you see most in your area?I see Eagles, kites, mynahs, sparrows, drongos , butterflies,sheep, goat, dogs, cats and cows and snakes. I also saw a monkey!


6. Books on your summer reading list.Oh --i have a long list. I review almost all the books I've read on my Instagram highlights. Do check out the highlights where I've been reviewing books for the past many years. There are easily over 200 books there!
   7. Projects you want to tackle this summer.  Major de-cluttering of all my spaces. I am a huge fan of Marie Kondo.
 8. Do you have weddings, graduations, summer celebrations?
Yes! My daughter graduated her masters with a distinction and I will be attending it.

9. Which summer snacks are you excited to enjoy again?I just made a huge jar of avakkai pickle with green mango that were homegrown!


10. How much time do you like to take for vacations?
Not more than 15 days.

11. How much has changed since last summer?
I've definitely become fitter, and hopefully wiser!

12. Something that would be out of character for you
To be cruel. I just can't be.

13. What do you miss about winter?Of course the weather! In India, its scorching hot right now. I'm waiting for the monsoon to start.


14. Your favorite free / cost effective ways to have fun
Play with my cats!



             15. Who do you trust most to house & pet sit
My daughter!


















 Come back tomorrow for a new post.
Till then, stay cheerful Love
Preeti

The Intruder --a true story

                                                                                   Photo by Isai Ramos on Unsplash

Hey there,

So this happened last evening, and I am reporting verbatim as the events unfolded.

The sun was blazing outside. Sweltering Indian summer with scorching temperatures that make you believe you can fry an egg on the sidewalk. The heat was the kind that makes you want to indulge in a hearty meal (rice, dal and mango pickle, yum!)  and then curl up in bed with the air conditioner on. 

But how could I sleep? I had started this blog marathon and wanted a swanky new header. I was  engrossed in  designing it (did you notice it?) trying various  layout and fonts to get a visually pleasing one.
As I sat diligently working, from the corner of my eye, I sensed a movement on my balcony. My balcony overlooks a field of flowers and is framed by dense green foliage. The tree branches sway in the breeze which is something I am familiar with and used to. However, the movement that I sensed wasn't the branches. I looked up from my laptop towards the balcony, Then I froze. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There was someone on the balcony and he was staring right into my eyes.

He possessed an aura of intrigue and enigma, his movements fluid and calculated, as if he had mastered the art of silent grace. Cloaked in a fully  brownish khaki attire, he blended effortlessly into the shadows that the trees cast, his eyes gleaming with an intellect that seemed beyond the realm of ordinary beings. He didn't move at all. He stood still looking at me. I felt like his presence had put me in a trance and I stared back at him, immobile.

I could sense that his demeanor exuded an air of untamed independence, as if he were a lone wolf, venturing into uncharted territories. The flicker of curiosity danced in his gaze, hinting at a mind brimming with secrets and tales untold. His eyes were unblinking. His presence was both captivating and unsettling.

From the depths of my mind, a feeble voice warned me that he was an intruder. He could be dangerous. It urged me to act. If he was audacious enough to appear on my balcony in broad daylight, nothing prevented him from breaking the glass door that was separating him from me. My brain sensing my reluctance to act, conjured up visions of Jeffrey Dahmer. It was terrifying. Instincts of self preservation kicked in and then I screamed.

I shouted for my son who was in his bedroom on the ground floor. My sudden scream seemed to have startled and shocked him because he turned around and left. By now I had gathered my wits about me and I reached out for my phone. If I were to report him I had to snap a picture. I followed him out to the balcony just as he was fleeing. I managed to snap a picture.
Do you want to see it?
Scroll down.

.

.

.

.

.

,.

.

.

.

.
.
.

Isn't he the cutest? :)
He disappeared as fast as he had come. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of him again, but no luck so far.
I shall keep you posted.

Love
Preeti

ps: Come back tomorrow for a new post. If you enjoyed reading this one you will like my book Love a Little Stronger which is a collection of true stories from my life.

5 powerful steps that help you when you fail

Hello there,

Hope you're doing good and things are going well for you. Sometimes, no matter what we do, things don't go the way we expect them to. Many things are beyond our control and even if we have done our best, sometimes it just isn't enough. It is normal to feel defeated and down when that happens. Our friends and family want us to feel better immediately, and they tell us things like 'Don't feel bad,' or 'It wasn't meant for you.'

While they say those things to comfort us, many a time it has the opposite effect. It makes us feel worse because it  feels like they do not understand how much it meant to us, and it feels like they aren't allowing us to express what we deeply feel. It's happened to me many times. And so I devised a way to help myself. Today I thought I'd share it with you.

 Here are five simple yet powerful things to do when things do not go your way.

1. Mourn: Allow yourself to feel sadness for whatever it is that you have lost. Accept your feelings. Accept the disappointment that comes along with it. It is okay to feel sad. If you are unable to bear the grief, write down your thoughts. The act of writing down untangles feelings which are jumbled, and you will be suprised at how much the simple act of writing down your feeling helps.

2. Reflect on what you can do: Once you've accepted and taken stock of your sadness, set some time aside and reflect upon what you can do. If you are able to take some actions to solve the problem, then put that into motion. Calmly and logically, think about whether this disruption that has happened is truly ruining your life. Are you reacting from a place of overwhelming emotion or from a place of logic?

3. Focus on things within your control: You cannot control how others behave or act. You can control how you respond to them or to the situation. Focus only on that aspect which is within your control

4. Take baby steps: If the loss that you have faced is devastating,  accept that loss. Once you have accepted it, take small tiny steps  towards your goal every day. Do this consistently.  Before long you would have advanced a great deal towards your goal.

5. Take support/ help: If you are unable to cope, ask for help. Speak up, and seek help. Don't try to carry the whole burden yourself. You will be surprised at how many people are willing yo help you when you ask them.

Many a time we're so overwhelmed when we face difficulties that we forget the above, simple steps. Hope these tips helped.

Will blog about a new topic tomorrow. If you want to share anything in my comment box, I am listening. I am also open to suggestions about what you might want to read about in my blog posts. (Yes, go ahead and ask me anything. But if you are reading this in your inbox, please head over to my blog. I will not be able to reply to mails individually. However I will reply to all comments :) )

See you tomorrow
Love
Preeti

ps: If you liked these tips, you will love my self-help book The Magic Mindset.You can get it here.

Photo by Amin Moshrefi on Unsplash