Preeti Shenoy's Blog, page 80

Part 2--here's a clue!

Over the weekend, I have been closely watching the responses. So many of you took part. (Thank you for playing!)  But nobody got it right! (If you do not know what I am talking about, do see my last post ).

Many did get the first two words right. (The Secret.................)

And there are so many creative answers! (Full marks to all of you for good thinking!)



I do want to give away the quilled card. :)

And I do want you to guess it right too :)





So, as promised, here is the second clue.



The third word has no E



It has two vowels--both are the same.



It is something which most of us might want to do but never get down to doing and if fulfilled will make us happy!



 THE  / SECRET  / _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _





What is it? :)

Guess! Guess!!



The quilled card will be given to the first person who makes a correct guess.



Tomorrow: I shall put up the cover of the book :)



And the date of release too :)



Go on now..I am waiting :)



 ______________________________________________________________

 If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here









 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)


http://preetishenoy.com/

Lets play a guessing game! :)

You know how it is, when a book goes into the process of being born. I had written about it in my post 'Welcome to a writers world'. and that post became really popular for some reason. (click on link to read)



If you have read that, you know what I am undergoing right now. I have no nails left.

Really. :)



And if you have been following my blog, you know what I do when I am stressed. I turn to art or I quill. (Incidentally I had already announced the winners in my last card  giveaway. Check widget for names of winners)



Today I have been quilling since morning. Four whole hours. That is all I have been doing.

And the card above is the result.

I have used  a new technique I learnt. I am pleased with this card. :) Do you like? Nice? :)



And yes--I am giving it away! (Exclusively for my blog readers.)



What do you have to do to win it?



Guess the name of my new book!



_ _ E  / _ E _ _ E _ / _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _



To  make it easier for you, I have given you the number of words (three words) as well as a few letters filled in :) (Just like the hangman we used to play as kids)



The first person who guesses it right will get the card.



And yes--if any of my close friends or family members take part, I will give them a kick , not the card :)



Go on!!

Guess.

Leave me a comment :) and you might just  get a beautiful quilled hand-made card.



If nobody gets it, I will give you another clue on Monday.



Get thinking now! :)

And guess it.

I am waiting :)

___________________________________________________________



 If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here









 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)




http://preetishenoy.com/

Something to tell you

a few vague ideas

one good one

two hundred and fifty four sleepless nights

two thousand hours of solitude

writing

seven drafts

fourteen revisions

more writing

editing

creating

rewriting

living with characters who feel like your friends

hearing them speak to you

and agonizing when they refuse to

coaxing them till they oblige

more writing

reading it yet once more

rewriting.



Yes, you can say that the past few months have been hard for me.

Very hard.

But I am not complaining



I am happy.

And very very excited



You can guess why :)

Any guesses as to what the title will be?



Details soon!  Watch this space!

And yes--this pic is going to be the author photo:







 _____________________________________________________________________

 If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here







 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)



http://preetishenoy.com/

What to do when life gives you a beating.

Dear You,

In life sometimes,everything will not go the way you planned.

You may not get that much coveted promotion even though you deserved it completely.

Someone you trusted with your life may let you down.

Someone you love(d) with all your heart may walk away.

You may lose a loved one.

Worse--you may lose yourself.



It is okay to mourn when this happens. It is okay to feel sad. It is okay to retreat into your shell when life gives you a beating.



But it is not okay to stay there for longer than is necessary.



It is important to come out and FIGHT.



It is important to live well. Do things that bring you joy.

 

Life is indeed short. very short.


Whatever did not work out, accept it. This was just the way it was meant to be.



You will see this for yourself, maybe two years from now. I know. I speak from experience and I speak from a place of deep pain. I have faced it--I have retreated , I have wept but then I have also fought and emerged stronger today, because of it.



Every bad experience makes you grow, teaches you something.



Keep your heart and mind open.


Love.

Express yourself.

Dance.

Listen to Music.

Do what makes you happy.


GROW.


(I know I did)


Wishing you luck and peace


And loads of laughter.



Until the next post.

With love



Me











 










____________________________________________________________________________



 If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here





 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)


http://preetishenoy.com/

Why time pass is more important than replying to mails

To an increasingly large number of people out there, (and this is especially true of the times we live in) an activity which does not generate income is viewed as 'time-pass'. (a word peculiar to Indian English, if it must really be classified or its origins clarified ).



Going by that definition, I love 'Time-pass'. I am happiest when I am doing time-pass. Except that I don't have much time to pass these days. In fact I have no time at all. Which must then explain why I am so unhappy ,in other words, stressed these days. It's all because of that elusive thing called time-pass.



Take the mails in my inbox for instance. They have piled up like mangoes on the push-cart by the road side during mango season, or the Sadhus at Kumbh mela on the banks of Ganges, or perhaps the tomatoes at La Tomatina held at the Valencian Spanish town of Bunol.  You get the picture. I wish I could just think up replies in my head and they get magically typed and sent. No such luck.



So I come here, writing  blog-posts.

 It is easier.



Because in my blog-posts I can talk about stuff that matters to me. Like Time-pass. Which I cannot do in my mails. Mails are usually from readers who tell me they love my writing. Make no mistake,   I  do feel very grateful to those who write in. I intend replying  immediately. But before I realise, certain other things (like writing my books and making portraits and cards and attending to numerous demands of motherhood (to a teen and pre-teen--need I say more?) and the even more numerous demands of running a home, not to mention single parenting, as spouse is,apart from walking the dog and ensuring the dog doesn't get into mischief  ) have kidnapped my time and held it to ransom and yet another day has passed and guess what--more mails have piled up.



But I am not complaining. I love getting nice mails. It means that the person who has read my writing, has been moved enough to take out time (from their lives) and written to me. They have given me something which even money cannot buy--a few minutes of their lives. Put like that it sounds rather profound, for a simple mail, I know. But it matters you know.



It is these little things that give me great happiness.



Small little things like admiring a flower which bloomed in my garden. (see the picture--this bloomed today)





Or taking time off to play with my dog.













 Or reading a lovely book.







 





or making a birthday-card for one of my closest friends.





Happy birthday Jayu!











Or watching a nice movie.













Or walking on grass in my garden.













Or catching up with a friend over coffee.











All these are so important for me.



A very nice lady called Nischala, interviewed me today for her site. She asked me what is it I mean by living life to the fullest.



I told her that it is little things that matter most to me. Like the ones mentioned above.

The things many would call 'time-pass'.



It is so important you see, this 'time-pass'.

That is what makes life worthwhile.



Truly.



And now that I have explained, I am sure you will forgive me, if the replies to your mails get delayed.

I am doing 'time-pass', you see.



And yes, I will  definitely get back to you. Thank you for understanding, for the love and the patience. :)

___________________________________________________________________

If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here





 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)






http://preetishenoy.com/

A happy weekend giveaway. Three paper quilled cards.

It was in October 2006 that I started this blog. Today six years and seven hundred posts later, I am a published author of three best-selling books (fourth on the way soon!).



 What an amazing journey it has been for me.

One part of my success is definitely attributed to my blog-readers. It was only the love that i got here, which encouraged me immensely. I have now met so many of you, made new friends and even those I haven't met, we have a  wonderful relationship, don't you think?



 As a thank you, to my readers I am giving away these three cards. (I do
wish I could give one to all of you, but then I would have to make
thousands!)













































Like I said before, I quill or make art, whenever I take a break from writing,
Nothing gives me more happiness than sitting at my desk, creating
stuff-- be it writing books, or making cards or painting. Here are three
paper-quilled cards I made very recently.  They are fairly large in
size (25 cms x 18 cms) and handmade paper has been used. They are blank
inside and the designs are all completely original.

Did you like? :) For a chance to win these cards (3 winners will be picked) simply enter below and don't forget to leave me a comment too!





a Rafflecopter giveaway



 Happy weekend folks!



____________________________________________________________



If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here



 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)




http://preetishenoy.com/

Learn to say a firm NO

How many times have you heard the words  'It's nothing personal,' and then the person has gone on to be very personal?

How many times have you heard the words 'Don't mind but...' and then the person has told you something that really upset you?

How many times have you heard the words 'Don't get emotional...' and then the person goes on to attack you (for whatever reasons) verbally?



It happens to me many a time. I think it mostly happens to the 'nice people' (or so I like to believe). Chances are if you are helpful by nature, kind and sensitive, you get pushed around a lot.



If you allow people to pick on you, they will. The trick here is to be assertive, not aggressive. (and sometimes aggressive too if the situation demands) and yet keep your cool. I learnt how to do this only over the years, after dealing with a huge variety of people. The selfishness of some people and the complete two-faced nature, still shocks me. I have now politely learnt to say a no, whenever someone makes an unreasonable request. I have discovered that it is often the easiest and fastest way, to save yourself from a situation where you feel used.



Practise saying NO.



Most of us hesitate to say a no as there is an inherent need to be liked. We fear that by saying a no, we might be displeasing the other person. Most of us are conditioned to put others first and oblige and please others, in the name of being 'unselfish'. This is true especially if you are an Indian mother.



By learning to say no, you are not only creating more TIME in your life, but you are also easing yourself of situations that are going to cause you stress. By saying a no to things you really do not want to do, you are saying yes to the 'positive' things that life has to offer you. And do not worry about being disliked or unpopular. The ones who do not like you, will not suddenly change their minds and start liking you, just because you said a yes to their request. And the ones who like you will understand anyways.



When you say a no, be firm. Do not be apologetic. Just say 'Sorry, I cannot do that. I have other commitments.'



After I have become a published author (and because I do interact a lot with my readers) I get unreasonable requests all the time. Initially they used to hassle me, but now I have learnt to manage them and stay calm. Wherever I can, I help and if I can't I just say a polite no.



It has made my life easier.

A small word, NO, but it can make big changes to your life.



Try it.

__________________________________________________________________

photo credit: teresatrimm via photopin cc



 



If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here

 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)




http://preetishenoy.com/

Are you a prisoner of your thoughts?

This morning, I found this visual on FB (have no idea who the image belongs to, as it has gone viral)  that I shared:







I laughed in delight when I read it. How true this is.



Why in the world should one tolerate the 'time-wasters'? The older I get, the more picky I become about who I choose to spend my time with. (I had written a post on this here)



 "You are the average of five people you spend the most time with," said Jim Rohn , a motivational speaker.

If you want a superb analysis of this statement, I urge you to read this well written article.

I quote from the above article:

You may be the most conscious and smartest individual around, but if you
are constantly surrounded by negative, fear-based people in your life,
it will have an impact on who you eventually become and your progression
in life. If you are heavily rooted in yourself, there might be a
limited downside that negative friends can bring you. However, you are
also getting a limited upside because you are spending time with people
who are holding you back vs people who can be elevating you.

Does this advocate intolerance and selfishness? I do not think so.

I think we owe it to ourselves to give ourselves a chance to excel personally. If you are constantly pulled down by people who do not have as much courage as you, then it is going to be that much harder for you to break free.



We have to constantly strive to excel and push our own limits.



The moment we stop doing that, we stagnate.



What many of us do not also realise is that we are prisoners of our own thoughts. 

What is impossible?



Nothing really!



Watch this amazing video:







It


It is about a minute and sixteen seconds.



 I guarantee you will not fail to be moved.

 And inspired.



Go out there and give it your best!
Chuck out the negative people--the doubters, the ones who get you down.
Work hard towards where you want to be.

And you will definitely achieve it.



You do deserve the best.



Now go grab it!
_____________________________________________________________________




If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here

 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)











http://preetishenoy.com/

What isnt love but feels like

What isn’t love
but feels like.




There are these things I want to say

But I am afraid how you will interpret them

And whether I will ever find the right words

To express what isn’t love but feels like.




There are these things I want to do

But I am afraid how you will see them

And whether I will ever find the courage

To execute what isn’t love but feels like.




There are these pictures I want to paint

But I am afraid how they will reveal

My innermost self, my emotions

To portray what isn’t love but feels like.




There are these phone-calls I want to make

But I am afraid how they can ruin

A perfectly good relationship

To expose what isn’t love but feels like.




There are these poems I want to write

But I am afraid how the words once spilled onto paper

Will expressly in all their nudity

What isn’t love but feels like.







So I stuff my emotions back into my heart

Shut it, tie it with logic and reason

Stifle, strangle and choke it , hoping to kill

What isn’t love but feels like.









 © 2012 Preeti Shenoy

 

For more poems click here. Some poems have already appeared in print. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.


__________________________________________________________________________




If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here

 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)
















http://preetishenoy.com/

Ted X SITM. A memorable event.

And so there was this Ted X event which happened at Symbiosis Institute for Telecom Management (SITM)  Pune and I was invited as a speaker.



I got back from pune on Saturday night after the event and it is still fresh in my mind. It was truly a memorable experience for me. The enthusiasm of the everyone associated with this Ted X talk, the superb and efficient way it was organised, the breathtakingly beautiful campus, the cordial welcome I got from the Director of the Institute Prof.Patil, and the love that the students and faculty showered on me has floored me completely and has left me with a fuzzy warm feeling which refuses to die down even three days after the event.



The speaker line-up was superb. I felt honoured to hear Dr.Pawan Agarwal of Mumbai dabbawalas (which is now a case study  in many management Institutes)  speak.

To quote from 'The Hindu'

Mumbai’s 5,000-odd dabbawalas have been in action for over 125 years
now, without any work stoppages. They deliver nearly 2,00,000 lunches
everyday and on time. Their unique management and operational models
have become subjects of management study beyond text books for global
business schools.
The dabbawalas have a Six Sigma quality certificate and a global
business fan club that includes Prince Charles and Mr Richard Branson.

He is humility personified--a gem of a human being.











I felt honoured to speak to him and even click a picture with him. He also told me that he loved my talk and I felt elated about that. (the video to my talk will be available after 2-3 weeks and I shall share the link, once it is up)



Here are a few pictures clicked on the day of the event.





The picturesque, serene campus is located on a hill covered mist. It looks straight out of a picture post-card and makes you want to dive in.







 There was an enormous hoarding just outside the college. I was surprised seeing my face suddnely on a hoarding :)





There were posters on the wall too.





Karan, who was the corporate Interface assigned to me. He met me at the airport, even though it was ten thirty pm when my flight landed. And right from the time of landing Karan was with me till I left. He was really sweet and took care of even the smallest of details efficiently. He also showed me around the magnificent campus they have. Thank you Karan!





Rohan (white shirt) , manoj, raveena and some of the other students at SITM. Rohan did a nice job of compering the event. :)







 A student from SITM who wanted a pic with me, just before I got into the car which was waiting to take me to the airport.

Sometimes, a single snapshot can tell an interesting story :)



And three days later, the hangover of the experience refuses to go away.

____________________________________________________________________


If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here


http://preetishenoy.com/