Preeti Shenoy's Blog, page 69
September 25, 2013
Wordless Wednesday 38 . Snapshots from Pune International Lit fest.
For Wordless Wednesday thought I would share some snpashots from the recently concluded Pune International Lit fest.
It was wonderful to meet and interact with my fellow authors. See if you recognise any! :) Answers at the end of the post :)
Did you recognise any? :)
In case you haven't--- from top to bottom.. Tuhin Sinha , Mehgna Pant, Durjoy Datta, Ashwin Sanghi, Kiran Nagarkar (I am a HUGE fan of his writing) and of course Preeti Shenoy :)
(Click on the names to know more about them)
_______________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here - See more at: http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/#...
Buy my books (pay cash on delivery) on Amazon.in Click
Buy my books on Flipkart (pay cash on delivery). Click HERE
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here - See more at: http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/#...
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here - See more at: http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/#...
http://preetishenoy.com/
It was wonderful to meet and interact with my fellow authors. See if you recognise any! :) Answers at the end of the post :)
Did you recognise any? :)
In case you haven't--- from top to bottom.. Tuhin Sinha , Mehgna Pant, Durjoy Datta, Ashwin Sanghi, Kiran Nagarkar (I am a HUGE fan of his writing) and of course Preeti Shenoy :)
(Click on the names to know more about them)
_______________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here - See more at: http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/#...
Buy my books (pay cash on delivery) on Amazon.in Click
Buy my books on Flipkart (pay cash on delivery). Click HERE
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here - See more at: http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/#...
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here - See more at: http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/#...
http://preetishenoy.com/
September 17, 2013
Coming soon!
Hi there,
Apologies for not posting this sooner.
Things have been crazy in a crater-erupted-inside-my-home kind of a way. I have been working NON-STOP since Friday evening. I took a break only yesterday morning. I worked and worked, till I fell asleep in front of my laptop. Upon waking I worked again. I had to revise my manuscript of my 5th book and do the edits, and God, it is a tough task, requiring immense concentration and effort. You cannot let your mind wander even for a few seconds, as you might have missed something.
When I work on edits, I shut down from the outside world. Nothing else matters. I find anyone trying to even talk to me, an intrusion. Fortunately I have a co-operative family and they give me my space and time.
In case you want to read more about the process of writing a book, click here.
And this is just the first round of edits which are over. (two more remain)
Meanwhile nobody guessed the title of the book, and so I went ahead and revealed it on Facbook. For those of you who are not on FB, here it is, my 5th baby! (The due date is 2nd week of November.)
I am very excited about this book, as 60 percent of the book is from a male point of view. My closest guy friends who read it, (including Satish) said that nobody would even say that a woman has written it--it captured the thoughts in a man's head exactly. All of them, felt it was my best work yet.
I felt happy about that.
The book is about unrequited love. I shall share the synopsis and cover soon.
Meanwhile there will be a lot of fun stuff happening on my FB page.
Do join me there! (Especially if you want a quick reply from me to anything you have to say. I am very active on FB and Twitter )
In the other news, I have two sessions at the Pune International Lit fest!
Both my sessions are on 21st. So if you are around, come and say a hi :)
Here is the website for more details: http://pilf.in/
I leave you with a visual I shared on Facebook. These are lines from 'The One You Cannot Have'.
Will post again soon!
Till then, please wish me luck :)
And tell me what you think about the early glimpses of my new baby :)
Good night folks.
With love
Preeti
______________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
Apologies for not posting this sooner.
Things have been crazy in a crater-erupted-inside-my-home kind of a way. I have been working NON-STOP since Friday evening. I took a break only yesterday morning. I worked and worked, till I fell asleep in front of my laptop. Upon waking I worked again. I had to revise my manuscript of my 5th book and do the edits, and God, it is a tough task, requiring immense concentration and effort. You cannot let your mind wander even for a few seconds, as you might have missed something.
When I work on edits, I shut down from the outside world. Nothing else matters. I find anyone trying to even talk to me, an intrusion. Fortunately I have a co-operative family and they give me my space and time.
In case you want to read more about the process of writing a book, click here.
And this is just the first round of edits which are over. (two more remain)
Meanwhile nobody guessed the title of the book, and so I went ahead and revealed it on Facbook. For those of you who are not on FB, here it is, my 5th baby! (The due date is 2nd week of November.)
I am very excited about this book, as 60 percent of the book is from a male point of view. My closest guy friends who read it, (including Satish) said that nobody would even say that a woman has written it--it captured the thoughts in a man's head exactly. All of them, felt it was my best work yet.
I felt happy about that.
The book is about unrequited love. I shall share the synopsis and cover soon.
Meanwhile there will be a lot of fun stuff happening on my FB page.
Do join me there! (Especially if you want a quick reply from me to anything you have to say. I am very active on FB and Twitter )
In the other news, I have two sessions at the Pune International Lit fest!
Both my sessions are on 21st. So if you are around, come and say a hi :)
Here is the website for more details: http://pilf.in/
I leave you with a visual I shared on Facebook. These are lines from 'The One You Cannot Have'.
Will post again soon!
Till then, please wish me luck :)
And tell me what you think about the early glimpses of my new baby :)
Good night folks.
With love
Preeti
______________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
September 10, 2013
Guess the title-part 2. FIVE book hampers to be won :)
So here is part-2 of 'Guess the title' game which has just started. If you have missed it, see my last post.
See the clues above and guess the title!!
Go ahead---wear your thinking caps and get cracking! :)
FIVE book hampers to be won. :) Westland (my publishers) will pick five correct entries and give away gift hampers.
You could even join me on my Facebook page , or Twitter , where the contest will go live later . I just thought you, my dear blog readers [my special people :)] , should be the first to know and hence this post! :)
And also here is a picture I shared on FB, which a lot of people liked :) So had to post it here too :)
Good luck in guessing the title :)
And also tell me if you think this picture is good enough to be the author picture for the new book.
______________________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
September 8, 2013
My 5th book! Guess how many words in the title? :)
A lot of people are guessing the number of words on Facebook. If you want to join me there, click here.
Else, just use my comment box :)
__________________________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
September 7, 2013
A powerful connection.
7th of September is a day I do not like to face.
In case you are a new reader, I suggest you read
This post I wrote on 7th September 2010. and
This one I wrote on 7th September 2011 and also
This one I wrote on 7th September 2012
(My personal favorite being the first link-- the 2010 one)
He loved to go for long walks. Today I walked 12 kilometers,as a tribute to him. Satish walked with me.I remembered all the stuff that he did, everything he used to say. The stuff that made great memories.
And the stuff that made me the person I am.
He shaped me, he moulded me, taught me to be strong, independent and have pride in my work. He taught me to be kind. He taught me that you learn something from every single person you come across.
He instilled in me, my love for books. As a child, my home was filled with books. By the age of nine or so, I had read Thomas. A. Harris's I'm Ok, You're Ok. I used to have conversations with him about Transactional Analysis and PAC . (Read the book to know it in detail). We used to analyze behavioral traits and why we do the things we do. As a child, I read, devoured and digested almost all the books he owned (and he had a vast and interesting collection of fiction and non-fiction). Our love for books continued long into adulthood.
It was my dad who told me to read Tuesdays with Morrie and it remains one of my all time favorite books. Whenever I read a good book, I would excitedly call him up and tell him to get it. If he read something that struck him as engrossing and a worthy read, he would do the same. He would cut out interesting articles that he came across in newspapers and he would send them to me to read. I would do the same. And we would discuss them.
I loved speaking to him. He was one of the most open-minded individuals I knew. We could talk and discuss about anything under the sun.
He would have been so proud to see my name in the Forbes long list of 100 most influential celebrities in India. He would have been elated to know about the success of my books, and how they have been best-sellers. I would have discussed the story with him, asked his inputs. I would have shown him the covers while they were being finalized. I would have taken him through the whole process and his chest would have swelled up in pride. I can imagine how happy he would have been to hold my books in his hand.
When he went, he took a piece of me with him. He left a huge gaping void in my heart--an unending emptiness.
When I write, it comforts me for a while. Then it comes back to gnaw at my insides.
Not a single day passes when I don't think of him. (and it has been 7 years now and yet I miss him). The connection with him is that deep, that powerful.
People ask me 'What inpsires you to write?'
I have just one answer 'My dad.'
____________________________________________________________
ps: Please keep him in your thoughts today, and say a prayer for him if you are reading this. He was a great guy, my dad.
___________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
In case you are a new reader, I suggest you read
This post I wrote on 7th September 2010. and
This one I wrote on 7th September 2011 and also
This one I wrote on 7th September 2012
(My personal favorite being the first link-- the 2010 one)
He loved to go for long walks. Today I walked 12 kilometers,as a tribute to him. Satish walked with me.I remembered all the stuff that he did, everything he used to say. The stuff that made great memories.
And the stuff that made me the person I am.
He shaped me, he moulded me, taught me to be strong, independent and have pride in my work. He taught me to be kind. He taught me that you learn something from every single person you come across.
He instilled in me, my love for books. As a child, my home was filled with books. By the age of nine or so, I had read Thomas. A. Harris's I'm Ok, You're Ok. I used to have conversations with him about Transactional Analysis and PAC . (Read the book to know it in detail). We used to analyze behavioral traits and why we do the things we do. As a child, I read, devoured and digested almost all the books he owned (and he had a vast and interesting collection of fiction and non-fiction). Our love for books continued long into adulthood.
It was my dad who told me to read Tuesdays with Morrie and it remains one of my all time favorite books. Whenever I read a good book, I would excitedly call him up and tell him to get it. If he read something that struck him as engrossing and a worthy read, he would do the same. He would cut out interesting articles that he came across in newspapers and he would send them to me to read. I would do the same. And we would discuss them.
I loved speaking to him. He was one of the most open-minded individuals I knew. We could talk and discuss about anything under the sun.
He would have been so proud to see my name in the Forbes long list of 100 most influential celebrities in India. He would have been elated to know about the success of my books, and how they have been best-sellers. I would have discussed the story with him, asked his inputs. I would have shown him the covers while they were being finalized. I would have taken him through the whole process and his chest would have swelled up in pride. I can imagine how happy he would have been to hold my books in his hand.
When he went, he took a piece of me with him. He left a huge gaping void in my heart--an unending emptiness.
When I write, it comforts me for a while. Then it comes back to gnaw at my insides.
Not a single day passes when I don't think of him. (and it has been 7 years now and yet I miss him). The connection with him is that deep, that powerful.
People ask me 'What inpsires you to write?'
I have just one answer 'My dad.'
____________________________________________________________
ps: Please keep him in your thoughts today, and say a prayer for him if you are reading this. He was a great guy, my dad.
___________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
September 3, 2013
A special relationship and a birthday wish.
She called me up this morning at around 5.45 a.m. I had been fast asleep and my hand reluctantly reached out from under the blanket to answer her call. Groggy eyed, I picked up the phone and tip-toed out of the bedroom, so that I don't wake Satish, my brain still pounding under the confusion of being suddenly woken up, my mind suspended in that half-dazed state between sleep and wakefulness.
'Good morning Preeti,' she said.
'Hey--all okay?' I asked.
'Wish me first, It is my birthday,' she said.
'Idiot--did you wake me up for that? I would have wished you later. I was fast asleep.'
'So what? That's okay if i woke you,'
I smiled and wished her.
And we spoke for a good 35 minutes.
And that was just the first phone call. Later there were many more phone calls to each other.
Apart from the whatsapp chats.
'Hey, Do you realise something?' I told her, a little while ago.
'What?' she asked.
'We're in a relationship,' I said.
'What?! ' she asked.
' We're sisters.' I said.
And she smiled.
It was the truth.
I do not know what I would have done without her. She is one of my closest friends and it is a friendship of more than 11 years. She is one of my biggest well-wishers and sometimes, I trust her much more than I trust my own self :)
She is an entrepreneur, a mom, a business woman--completely self-made and very successful. She is someone I truly admire. ( I plan to write about her someday.)
Happy birthday Priya.
I love you loads and feel so blessed to have you in my life.
_______________________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
'Good morning Preeti,' she said.
'Hey--all okay?' I asked.
'Wish me first, It is my birthday,' she said.
'Idiot--did you wake me up for that? I would have wished you later. I was fast asleep.'
'So what? That's okay if i woke you,'
I smiled and wished her.
And we spoke for a good 35 minutes.
And that was just the first phone call. Later there were many more phone calls to each other.
Apart from the whatsapp chats.
'Hey, Do you realise something?' I told her, a little while ago.
'What?' she asked.
'We're in a relationship,' I said.
'What?! ' she asked.
' We're sisters.' I said.
And she smiled.
It was the truth.
I do not know what I would have done without her. She is one of my closest friends and it is a friendship of more than 11 years. She is one of my biggest well-wishers and sometimes, I trust her much more than I trust my own self :)
She is an entrepreneur, a mom, a business woman--completely self-made and very successful. She is someone I truly admire. ( I plan to write about her someday.)
Happy birthday Priya.
I love you loads and feel so blessed to have you in my life.
_______________________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
August 29, 2013
A little note to someone special.
How is it possible for two people to be so very different, and yet so alike in so many ways? How is it possible for two people to fight over the silliest of things, argue, sulk, and yet the next moment look at each other and burst into laughter, all anger dissipated? How is it possible to get so mad at each other that you want to kill the other person, yet not be able to sleep unless the other is with you?
I don't know how it is possible, but I can tell you it very much is.
He is one of the most determined people I know. He really has an iron will and once he makes up his mind about something, it stays that way. He will not be swayed.
The other good thing about him is his patience and accepting nature, when the person means something to him. No matter how much you irk him, he would still be patient with you.
Professionally, I have seen his career soar. The people who he has worked with tell me what a great team-player he is. Almost every management trainee who has worked under him, has been over to our home, for a meal and I am used to them raving about him and singing praises about him.
For each of my books, he is always my first reader and my first editor. It is him I first mail the chapters to, as and when I finish writing. I can count on him to give me the harshest of criticism and also the most wonderful praise and I can be sure it is well-deserved.
I can also count on him to calm me down, when I am exasperated about something, which I often am. At my book events and at my speaking events, I am always overwhelmed and deeply moved to see the pride on his face.
He is always there for me, when I need him. And only he knows how much I need him for even the smallest of things and the biggest of things. (Baby did you see my pen? Baby, will my book do well?) :-)
He always tells me 'Remember Preeti, In life, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies'.
But he forgets one thing--that there can be permanent best friends :)
Happy birthday to my bestest friend ever!
May we celebrate many many many more birthdays together.
With all my love and then some more :)
Photo by Ranna .M.V E mail: R@ranna.in
_____________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
I don't know how it is possible, but I can tell you it very much is.
He is one of the most determined people I know. He really has an iron will and once he makes up his mind about something, it stays that way. He will not be swayed.
The other good thing about him is his patience and accepting nature, when the person means something to him. No matter how much you irk him, he would still be patient with you.
Professionally, I have seen his career soar. The people who he has worked with tell me what a great team-player he is. Almost every management trainee who has worked under him, has been over to our home, for a meal and I am used to them raving about him and singing praises about him.
For each of my books, he is always my first reader and my first editor. It is him I first mail the chapters to, as and when I finish writing. I can count on him to give me the harshest of criticism and also the most wonderful praise and I can be sure it is well-deserved.
I can also count on him to calm me down, when I am exasperated about something, which I often am. At my book events and at my speaking events, I am always overwhelmed and deeply moved to see the pride on his face.
He is always there for me, when I need him. And only he knows how much I need him for even the smallest of things and the biggest of things. (Baby did you see my pen? Baby, will my book do well?) :-)
He always tells me 'Remember Preeti, In life, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies'.
But he forgets one thing--that there can be permanent best friends :)
Happy birthday to my bestest friend ever!
May we celebrate many many many more birthdays together.
With all my love and then some more :)
Photo by Ranna .M.V E mail: R@ranna.in
_____________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
August 24, 2013
A simple thing you can do to fight discrimination against women-- MANifesto.
Like most people in this country, I am horrified, appalled and deeply disturbed by yet another incident of gang-rape, this time in Mumbai. I had raised my voice when it had happened the last time. You can read the post here.
And now I am compelled to write yet another post.
The fact is Indian culture is deeply tinged with misogyny--whether we accept it or not. Years and years of social conditioning has ensured a bias towards sons, whether we acknowledge it or not. Women in India have to be really scared today, to even step out after 5.30 pm, and sometimes even in broad day-light.
When I first moved to the UK to live, I was amazed at the sense of pure freedom I felt, as a woman. It was something completely different from what I was used to,in India. It was in UK, that I first felt *respected* as a woman. Nobody saw me as anyone's wife or mother or daughter. I had my own identity there--I was Preeti and that was it. I can't tell you how liberating that felt. Unless you have lived in India for most of your adult life as a woman, and then moved to a country like UK, or the U.S , you would probably not get the full impact of what an amazing difference that makes, in the quality of life one leads and how much it empowers you to make the choices that you do.
When I moved back to India, after living there, I felt nauseatingly stifled in the first few months. I had to watch what I was wearing, I had to take in account what time I was going, where and most importantly with whom. Mostly, I just felt unsafe. All because I was a woman, living in India. I hated it, but like millions of women in India, I 'adjusted' to the situation and learnt how to manage.
The fact is, this gender-bias is something which is so deeply embedded in Indians, that many a time we don't even realise that we are guilty of the same. I have many Indian men (really good human beings) as my good friends and yet in one way or the other, they would be somewhat guilty at one point or other, to have made a sexist remark or to have simply discriminated against women, without even being aware of it. I tend to forgive and not make an issue, as basically they are good guys who won't even dream of raping a woman, disrespecting her in any way. And yet, they are unaware about how they might be contributing to women being treated as second rate citizens, less than a man.
I can cite many examples.
If you are a man who expects that your wife makes that morning cup of coffee for you, and serve it to you, (more so because she is a housewife, and she does it 'willingly' and 'She really does not mind') I urge you to think if you are discriminating.
If you are a man who has made a remark like 'fat cow' after looking at a woman's photograph, you are discriminating.
If you are a guy who thinks that the air-hostesses in Air-India are 'aunties' and 'I would want young females to serve me' you are discriminating.
If you are a man who thinks about 'saving for my daughter's marriage', you are definitely discriminating.
The common Hindi swear word 'Bho***i' and 'Beh*****d' and 'M*******d' have become so much a part of daily speech. I am told that if you live in Delhi, UP or other northern parts of India, this just becomes a part of your vocabulary, so much so that you become desensitised to using these. You may argue that using words like these immediately does not catapult the man to a rapist or a potential rapist category. But that is not the point.
The point here is creating *awareness* about how even our daily acts can make a difference. This morning I came across a Manifesto through Peter Griffin (@ zigzackly on twitter ) and it struck a deep chord in me.
It asks 'What simple steps can you take as a man, to fight discrimination against women'?
Many men have submitted their pledges, and I urge all the men (particularly Indian men) who read this post to do so and to share it on your social media pages.
You can submit them in this link. (and it can be anonymous)
http://realmanifesto.tumblr.com/submit
Among the many pledges submitted, the following ones made me want to applaud (do read them) :
http://realmanifesto.tumblr.com/post/59205559464/i-will-not-tell-the-adult-women-in-my-life-what-to
and this which many Indian men are guilty of, and in fact think it is 'noble'
http://realmanifesto.tumblr.com/post/59205700557/i-will-remember-all-women-arent-my-sisters
and also this one:
http://realmanifesto.tumblr.com/post/59205682212/i-will-not-promise-not-to-swear-but-i-will
If you are an Indian male, I urge you to think about this and make a pledge today.
To make that tiny difference in a woman's life.
You would have contributed in a small way---made a difference.
And these little steps go a long way.
Do it..and come back here and leave me a comment saying you have done so.
I shall applaud you for it.
So will millions of Indian women.
_________________________________________________________________
http://preetishenoy.com/
And now I am compelled to write yet another post.
The fact is Indian culture is deeply tinged with misogyny--whether we accept it or not. Years and years of social conditioning has ensured a bias towards sons, whether we acknowledge it or not. Women in India have to be really scared today, to even step out after 5.30 pm, and sometimes even in broad day-light.
When I first moved to the UK to live, I was amazed at the sense of pure freedom I felt, as a woman. It was something completely different from what I was used to,in India. It was in UK, that I first felt *respected* as a woman. Nobody saw me as anyone's wife or mother or daughter. I had my own identity there--I was Preeti and that was it. I can't tell you how liberating that felt. Unless you have lived in India for most of your adult life as a woman, and then moved to a country like UK, or the U.S , you would probably not get the full impact of what an amazing difference that makes, in the quality of life one leads and how much it empowers you to make the choices that you do.
When I moved back to India, after living there, I felt nauseatingly stifled in the first few months. I had to watch what I was wearing, I had to take in account what time I was going, where and most importantly with whom. Mostly, I just felt unsafe. All because I was a woman, living in India. I hated it, but like millions of women in India, I 'adjusted' to the situation and learnt how to manage.
The fact is, this gender-bias is something which is so deeply embedded in Indians, that many a time we don't even realise that we are guilty of the same. I have many Indian men (really good human beings) as my good friends and yet in one way or the other, they would be somewhat guilty at one point or other, to have made a sexist remark or to have simply discriminated against women, without even being aware of it. I tend to forgive and not make an issue, as basically they are good guys who won't even dream of raping a woman, disrespecting her in any way. And yet, they are unaware about how they might be contributing to women being treated as second rate citizens, less than a man.
I can cite many examples.
If you are a man who expects that your wife makes that morning cup of coffee for you, and serve it to you, (more so because she is a housewife, and she does it 'willingly' and 'She really does not mind') I urge you to think if you are discriminating.
If you are a man who has made a remark like 'fat cow' after looking at a woman's photograph, you are discriminating.
If you are a guy who thinks that the air-hostesses in Air-India are 'aunties' and 'I would want young females to serve me' you are discriminating.
If you are a man who thinks about 'saving for my daughter's marriage', you are definitely discriminating.
The common Hindi swear word 'Bho***i' and 'Beh*****d' and 'M*******d' have become so much a part of daily speech. I am told that if you live in Delhi, UP or other northern parts of India, this just becomes a part of your vocabulary, so much so that you become desensitised to using these. You may argue that using words like these immediately does not catapult the man to a rapist or a potential rapist category. But that is not the point.
The point here is creating *awareness* about how even our daily acts can make a difference. This morning I came across a Manifesto through Peter Griffin (@ zigzackly on twitter ) and it struck a deep chord in me.
It asks 'What simple steps can you take as a man, to fight discrimination against women'?
Many men have submitted their pledges, and I urge all the men (particularly Indian men) who read this post to do so and to share it on your social media pages.
You can submit them in this link. (and it can be anonymous)
http://realmanifesto.tumblr.com/submit
Among the many pledges submitted, the following ones made me want to applaud (do read them) :
http://realmanifesto.tumblr.com/post/59205559464/i-will-not-tell-the-adult-women-in-my-life-what-to
and this which many Indian men are guilty of, and in fact think it is 'noble'
http://realmanifesto.tumblr.com/post/59205700557/i-will-remember-all-women-arent-my-sisters
and also this one:
http://realmanifesto.tumblr.com/post/59205682212/i-will-not-promise-not-to-swear-but-i-will
If you are an Indian male, I urge you to think about this and make a pledge today.
To make that tiny difference in a woman's life.
You would have contributed in a small way---made a difference.
And these little steps go a long way.
Do it..and come back here and leave me a comment saying you have done so.
I shall applaud you for it.
So will millions of Indian women.
_________________________________________________________________
http://preetishenoy.com/
August 21, 2013
You cannot please everybody
So, I have just got back from IIT Kanpur, where I was invited to speak at the E summit 2013. Times of India carried a news item about it.
I spoke about my journey as an author and emphasized the five lessons that I learnt along the way. I was told I spoke really well- it was powerful and made an impact. I was glad to hear such praise.
It is interesting to see the kind of reactions, that 'success' spews.
Especially so, if the 'successful person' in question is very accessible
by mail or the social media. Almost everybody that I meet or encounter
from my 'past'( 'past' refers to the time when I was an unknown nobody)
has something or the other to say about my books, about my writing, my
poetry, my blog-posts---anything that comes to their mind. Do they pause
to consider how I feel about their opinions? Ninety percent of the
time, it is a no.
Today a friend from my past, whom I have not met or spoken to, for the past ten years, got in touch. She loved my book and she was indeed happy for my success and was genuinely proud of me. But what intrigued me was the slightly accusatory undertone (I am sure unintended) which I couldn't help noticing . In the course of conversation, she mentioned that today she could not hold back any longer and she had to tell me about my book (she sure got my attention) and she went on to tell me how much she loved it (so far so good). She said she had tried to get back in touch and since I did not show interest, she left it. She also said 'I know you are a big person now.' I said it was the price of fame, and I would surely write a blog-post about it, 'explaining'. And this is my 'explanation'.
The fact is, my life has completely changed in the last 6 years. If I were to draw a graph of my career growth, it would look like this:
photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1426748
The fact (which most people miss) is also that I have worked bloody hard for it! Incidentally, I noticed a common thread in what all the other speakers at the E-summit at IIT Kanpur, had to share--- That they all work long, long hours and since they enjoy so much what they do, it doesn't feel like work to them.
It is the same for me. My fifth book will be out in November (Yes!! :) I am in the editing stages. Will share details--watch this space). So, that is five books in four years :) (My first book had come out in October 2008).
The exchange that I had today, made me think about my working days. I do have a LOT of things going. It was only today, after a gap of nearly 10 days, that I managed to have a long conversation on the phone with one of my closest friends who is perhaps even busier than me. (a remarkable woman who is a single parent, a very successful entrepreneur and her life story is one of the most inspiring stories ever--I plan to write about her someday).
Most days, my day begins at 5.30 AM and I am working late past mid-night. . I don't go out and socialize in the evenings, which I see most people around me doing. (Instead I prefer playing badminton or a game of chess with my daughter ). I don't watch television at all. I work even on weekends.
I also spend loads of time with my family, go for walks, do my yoga and I read a LOT, apart from my art and writing. I watch some awesome movies too.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Most people who don't know me wouldn't understand my choices.
Sometimes, I am annoyed at the 'friendly suggestions' offered about my lifestyle, about what I express on FB and about my blog. One person from my past, who again got in touch with me after a gap of 20 years, pinged me and asked me what I was cooking for dinner. Being the polite person that I am (really, I ought to be a little less polite) I answered his frivolous query, whereupon he commented 'Oh I see..you are taking the easy way out.' WTF! You can be sure he never got a response from me again. Many weeks later, he pinged once again to comment about how I have become too busy for friends. I did not reply to that one either.
I get that all the time, from the people from my past. The truth is I am not the same person I was 10 years ago. A lot has happened and I have changed a lot since. And when you reminisce about the 'good old days' I fail to see the 'good' in them! No, thank you very much---I like my life now!
I know many people probably would presume that I now have a bloated ego, and have forgotten the time when I was a nobody. (How can I forget?! But I do not live in the past. My present is more exciting for me!)
One of the very important lessons that I have learnt is that no matter what you do, how much you succeed, there are always people who are going to not acknowledge that your success is because of your efforts and not because of some random chance. It is futile to seek that from them---they are too bereft to be able to give that to you.
Also, you can never please everybody
But as long as you prioritize and do what makes you happy, that is all what matters.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
August 10, 2013
The Doon School.A great experience.
I have just got back from
The Doon School
(see previous post) after giving a talk to the students there.
There is just one word for the school---Splendid. I am now officially a Doon School fan. I had an opportunity to interact closely with the faculty, and the students and I spent a lot of time on the campus. I spotted Vikram Seth's name on the wooden boards outside the Principal's office which have embossed on them, the names of school captains and the editors of the school magazine, throughout the years.(Since 1935 which was when the school was established). The former prime-minister Rajiv Gandhi too studied in this school. (But his name isn't on the boards outside :) )
It is a myth that the school is 'elitist and western'. I absolutely loved the 'Indianness' of the school. The students are grounded, intelligent and smart. They asked me great questions. They loved my talk and the interactions, and some of the students told me 'M'am, yours is the best talk we have ever had.'
Here is another picture after the talk:
The local newspaper covered my talk. (It wasn't a creative writing workshop as the headline claims but a talk)
For more photos from the event, click here
The campus itself is magnificent---set in 70 acres of greenery. They have a separate art school, a music school, an art and design center--all of which are superbly equipped. They also have a very well equipped music school. It reminded me so much of the school in UK that my children used to go to.
This is the view from one of the windows of the art school.
This is the upstairs gallery which has a separate water colour room, acrylic room, a room for fabric painting, a digital art room, potters wheel, sculptures--you name it, they have it. I was really impressed by the work done by the boys.
I had my dinner with the faculty and I loved the bond between the students and the teachers---and how caring and approachable the teachers were.
The school has great emphasis on discipline, traditions and customs. The school aims to be an institute of excellence, dedicated to producing leaders of the future. Their intake is in class 7, through an entrance test, and there are limited seats in class 8.
I loved the wellness centre of the school, which boasts of a very well equipped modern hospital and also the pastoral care that the boys received.
The well stocked library spread over two floors impressed me. (and yes, my books are very popular and well stocked :) ) This is a view of the ground floor.
A day after my return, I am still reveling in the warmth of the welcome that I got, the unmatched hospitality where even the smallest of details was taken care of, the enthusiasm of the students who interacted with me, the questions they asked and the thunderous applause (and appreciation) that I received for my talk.
It is easy to see why my mind is still lost in the valley of Dehradun, even though I am physically here.
______________________________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
There is just one word for the school---Splendid. I am now officially a Doon School fan. I had an opportunity to interact closely with the faculty, and the students and I spent a lot of time on the campus. I spotted Vikram Seth's name on the wooden boards outside the Principal's office which have embossed on them, the names of school captains and the editors of the school magazine, throughout the years.(Since 1935 which was when the school was established). The former prime-minister Rajiv Gandhi too studied in this school. (But his name isn't on the boards outside :) )
It is a myth that the school is 'elitist and western'. I absolutely loved the 'Indianness' of the school. The students are grounded, intelligent and smart. They asked me great questions. They loved my talk and the interactions, and some of the students told me 'M'am, yours is the best talk we have ever had.'
Here is another picture after the talk:
The local newspaper covered my talk. (It wasn't a creative writing workshop as the headline claims but a talk)
For more photos from the event, click here
The campus itself is magnificent---set in 70 acres of greenery. They have a separate art school, a music school, an art and design center--all of which are superbly equipped. They also have a very well equipped music school. It reminded me so much of the school in UK that my children used to go to.
This is the view from one of the windows of the art school.
This is the upstairs gallery which has a separate water colour room, acrylic room, a room for fabric painting, a digital art room, potters wheel, sculptures--you name it, they have it. I was really impressed by the work done by the boys.
I had my dinner with the faculty and I loved the bond between the students and the teachers---and how caring and approachable the teachers were.
The school has great emphasis on discipline, traditions and customs. The school aims to be an institute of excellence, dedicated to producing leaders of the future. Their intake is in class 7, through an entrance test, and there are limited seats in class 8.
I loved the wellness centre of the school, which boasts of a very well equipped modern hospital and also the pastoral care that the boys received.
The well stocked library spread over two floors impressed me. (and yes, my books are very popular and well stocked :) ) This is a view of the ground floor.
A day after my return, I am still reveling in the warmth of the welcome that I got, the unmatched hospitality where even the smallest of details was taken care of, the enthusiasm of the students who interacted with me, the questions they asked and the thunderous applause (and appreciation) that I received for my talk.
It is easy to see why my mind is still lost in the valley of Dehradun, even though I am physically here.
______________________________________________________________________________
Buy my books in India, here.
(You can pay cash on delivery. You don't need a credit card)
Buy my books on Amazon, (outside India) here
http://preetishenoy.com/
