Preeti Shenoy's Blog, page 81
September 19, 2012
Bliss. Wordless Wednesday no. 31
My post for Wordless Wednesday
____________________________________________________________________
If you still don't know about my Ted x talk, go watch!
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/
September 14, 2012
Some more lovely stuff from The Busy Elf.
For those readers who came in late and do not know about 'The Busy Elf' do read Keshrie's story.
Here is some more stuff she made. (The proceeds from the sale of the things she makes goes 100% to her, towards the education of her two boys. I don't make any money from this!)
A cup warmer. Rs.150/- for a single one.
Rs.275 for a pair.
They can be adjusted to fit most mugs.
Rs.300/- for this crocheted Bottle holder. Carry your water stylishly!
A beautifully crocheted tray cloth. Rs.300/-
Doesn't it look gorgeous?
If anyone wants to place an order for any of her items, please e-mail me your requirement. Add Rs.100/- for shipping.
Check out her other products on her FB page that I made for her.
And please spread the word, will you? It's for a good cause.
____________________________________________________
If you still don't know about my Ted x talk, go watch!
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/
Here is some more stuff she made. (The proceeds from the sale of the things she makes goes 100% to her, towards the education of her two boys. I don't make any money from this!)
A cup warmer. Rs.150/- for a single one.
Rs.275 for a pair.
They can be adjusted to fit most mugs.
Rs.300/- for this crocheted Bottle holder. Carry your water stylishly!
A beautifully crocheted tray cloth. Rs.300/-
Doesn't it look gorgeous?
If anyone wants to place an order for any of her items, please e-mail me your requirement. Add Rs.100/- for shipping.
Check out her other products on her FB page that I made for her.
And please spread the word, will you? It's for a good cause.
____________________________________________________
If you still don't know about my Ted x talk, go watch!
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/
September 12, 2012
A few songs down the nostalgia lane
If you have been a child of the eighties in India, you probably recall the time without Internet, without television and once television came, days of Hum Log and Buniyaad and waiting for Chitrahaar on Wednesday evenings.
If you were anything like me, you also probably had a huge crush on Kumar Gaurav in Love story. (or Vijeta Pandit depending on your gender/sexual inclination heh heh)
(I know, but I did, on Kumar Gaurav! Murdering Vijeta Pandit was probably one of my greatest ambitions at that time.)
I also grew up on a diet of English (36th Chamber of Shaolin, Herbie goes bananas) and several Hindi movies of those times. (Mostly Amitabh starrers, I recall). My dad used to take us to the 'theatre' (we used to say 'theatre--never a cinema hall and multiplexes were unheard of in those times) as a special treat on weekends to watch movies. Oh, the joy!
I remember in the absence of Internet and instant access to information like we have today, figuring out the lyrics of songs we like, used to be a major activity. Either we had to have a ' cassette tape' of that song (Remember this? I don't think my children even know what this is)
which we would endlessly rewind , pause and forward in order to catch the right lyrics or if we did not have the cassette tape, then we had to wait perched, prepared with a pencil and paper, for the radio to play that song and write down very quickly the lyrics or what we thought we had heard, the latter often producing hilarious results, because of relying solely on our sense of hearing or whatever the person who was hearing it and dictating it, said. (as sometimes, we had special assignees--the ones assigned to decipher the lyrics and another assigned to write it down).
Very often, the lyrics we wrote down were wrong--but who cared! We formed our own music bands (with musical instruments borrowed from the Kitchen--a stainless steel plate and a spoon made a good tambourine substitute and the storage containers turned into drums along with the wooden chappati belan turning into a stick) and we sang these songs at the top of our voices.
I vividly recall singing 'Qurbani Qurbani Qurbaani' along with my brother. I can to this day, play the drums at the start of Qurbani with my eyes closed and I can say the lyrics in my sleep too. ( oooo--bi-bi-tujpe-kurba-meri-jaan--that is how I used to sing it).
Sometimes, when a wave of nostalgia washes over me, I break into the Qurbaani song, much to the amusement of my kids who stare at me with that look in their eyes which says Oh-has-mom-gone-mad-she-was-fine-just-a-minute-ago.
This morning the song 'Aaap jaise koi mere zindagi mein aaye' played on the radio. Who can forget the sex appeal oozing Nazia hassan's voice and the even more sexy Zeenat Aman who danced to it ? Satish told me that one of his relatives took great offence to this song, as they misheard the lyrics as 'aap jaisa koi mere zindagi mein aaye toh BAAP ban jaye' (instead of baat ban jaye). I couldn't stop laughing when I heard that.
In the more recent times,(which translates to a few years ago) I had the song 'Tu hi meri shab hai..' from the movie Gangster as my hello-tune (a tune which the person who calls you hears instead of the boring tring tring). An elderly aunt of mine called me up on my mobile whereupon she was greeted with the very peppy 'Tu hi meri shab hai' song.
She hung up the phone hurriedly even before I could answer , proceeded to call me upon the landline and then gave me a full blown lecture about putting unsuitable and negative songs as caller tunes. Puzzled, I asked her what could possibly be negative about a peppy love song which proclaims eternal love and she said that she doesn't understand these modern songs and that she fails to understand how anyone can possibly express their love by saying 'You are my dead body'. It took me two minutes to figure out that she had heard the lyrics as 'Tu hi meri Shav hai' :D
I am laughing as I type this now.
Some times it is indeed fantastic to travel down the nostalgia path.
_________________________________________________________________
ps: I apologise to my non-Hindi speaking readers and my English friends for the extensive use of Hindi in this post, without any translations. Somehow the beauty of the songs get killed if one translates.
If you still don't know about my Ted x talk, go watch!
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/
If you were anything like me, you also probably had a huge crush on Kumar Gaurav in Love story. (or Vijeta Pandit depending on your gender/sexual inclination heh heh)
(I know, but I did, on Kumar Gaurav! Murdering Vijeta Pandit was probably one of my greatest ambitions at that time.)
I also grew up on a diet of English (36th Chamber of Shaolin, Herbie goes bananas) and several Hindi movies of those times. (Mostly Amitabh starrers, I recall). My dad used to take us to the 'theatre' (we used to say 'theatre--never a cinema hall and multiplexes were unheard of in those times) as a special treat on weekends to watch movies. Oh, the joy!
I remember in the absence of Internet and instant access to information like we have today, figuring out the lyrics of songs we like, used to be a major activity. Either we had to have a ' cassette tape' of that song (Remember this? I don't think my children even know what this is)
which we would endlessly rewind , pause and forward in order to catch the right lyrics or if we did not have the cassette tape, then we had to wait perched, prepared with a pencil and paper, for the radio to play that song and write down very quickly the lyrics or what we thought we had heard, the latter often producing hilarious results, because of relying solely on our sense of hearing or whatever the person who was hearing it and dictating it, said. (as sometimes, we had special assignees--the ones assigned to decipher the lyrics and another assigned to write it down).
Very often, the lyrics we wrote down were wrong--but who cared! We formed our own music bands (with musical instruments borrowed from the Kitchen--a stainless steel plate and a spoon made a good tambourine substitute and the storage containers turned into drums along with the wooden chappati belan turning into a stick) and we sang these songs at the top of our voices.
I vividly recall singing 'Qurbani Qurbani Qurbaani' along with my brother. I can to this day, play the drums at the start of Qurbani with my eyes closed and I can say the lyrics in my sleep too. ( oooo--bi-bi-tujpe-kurba-meri-jaan--that is how I used to sing it).
Sometimes, when a wave of nostalgia washes over me, I break into the Qurbaani song, much to the amusement of my kids who stare at me with that look in their eyes which says Oh-has-mom-gone-mad-she-was-fine-just-a-minute-ago.
This morning the song 'Aaap jaise koi mere zindagi mein aaye' played on the radio. Who can forget the sex appeal oozing Nazia hassan's voice and the even more sexy Zeenat Aman who danced to it ? Satish told me that one of his relatives took great offence to this song, as they misheard the lyrics as 'aap jaisa koi mere zindagi mein aaye toh BAAP ban jaye' (instead of baat ban jaye). I couldn't stop laughing when I heard that.
In the more recent times,(which translates to a few years ago) I had the song 'Tu hi meri shab hai..' from the movie Gangster as my hello-tune (a tune which the person who calls you hears instead of the boring tring tring). An elderly aunt of mine called me up on my mobile whereupon she was greeted with the very peppy 'Tu hi meri shab hai' song.
She hung up the phone hurriedly even before I could answer , proceeded to call me upon the landline and then gave me a full blown lecture about putting unsuitable and negative songs as caller tunes. Puzzled, I asked her what could possibly be negative about a peppy love song which proclaims eternal love and she said that she doesn't understand these modern songs and that she fails to understand how anyone can possibly express their love by saying 'You are my dead body'. It took me two minutes to figure out that she had heard the lyrics as 'Tu hi meri Shav hai' :D
I am laughing as I type this now.
Some times it is indeed fantastic to travel down the nostalgia path.
_________________________________________________________________
ps: I apologise to my non-Hindi speaking readers and my English friends for the extensive use of Hindi in this post, without any translations. Somehow the beauty of the songs get killed if one translates.
If you still don't know about my Ted x talk, go watch!
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/
September 10, 2012
Cupcakes, Conversation and Chai
You are invited :)
It is going to be a discussion on importance of friendship, modern day relationships, marriages, and how
different living in a big city versus living in a small place is.
There is going to be Chai and cupcakes and of course conversation too.
Event is open to all but it will be really nice if you confirm, as Vani Mahesh of easylib is making all the arrangements to see that everyone has a great time.
Click here for the FB event page
Those of you have read the book (and the acknowledgement section) will know Ramesh of Business Musings was one of the first to read the manuscript, even before I submitted it to the publishers.
I was delighted when he confirmed today that he will definitely be there.
Am looking forward to meeting you all.
Meanwhile, I have been making cards.
Sharing a few I made recently. (The people who ordered them as well as the recipients were delighted!)
And this is a card which was made to order, for a little girl who turned seven:
Liked them? :)
Well, you know what to do! :)
_______________________________________________________________
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/
September 6, 2012
A silent plea.
This
is a post I wrote on 7th September 2010.
This one I wrote on 7th September 2011.
And tomorrow is 7th September 2012 and I am again typing this from a tiny village in Kerala.
Six years.
You would think it hurts a little less by now.
It doesn't.
You just learn to hide the pain better.
Please say a prayer for me.
And for him.
I need it.
Need all your love, positivity and prayers.
It helps.
http://preetishenoy.com/
This one I wrote on 7th September 2011.
And tomorrow is 7th September 2012 and I am again typing this from a tiny village in Kerala.
Six years.
You would think it hurts a little less by now.
It doesn't.
You just learn to hide the pain better.
Please say a prayer for me.
And for him.
I need it.
Need all your love, positivity and prayers.
It helps.
http://preetishenoy.com/
September 2, 2012
Five rules to get over someone
Rule no.1: Move on (and while you are at it, cultivating a new hobby which you are really passionate about helps)
Rule no.2 : Move on. (and while you are at it, making a brand new friend helps)
Rule no. 3: Move on. (and while you are at it reading A LOT helps. Don't allow the mind to be idle for even five seconds, lest it goes racing to depressing thoughts. Use the time to read good books. There is so much waiting to be learnt in them, especially on heartbreaks ;-) )
Rule no.4 : Move on (and while you are at it find one thing to do in the day, which gives you immense joy)
Rule no.5 :Move on (and if you have been doing the 'while you're at it stuff' you don't need this rule as you would have already moved on)
Good luck!
(accept it hurts and sometimes, it is indeed okay to hurt. We all go through it and emerge stronger and meet someone better eventually, though at the time of going through it, it definitely does not seem so)
____________________________________________________________________
If you still don't know about my Ted talk, go watch!
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/
August 22, 2012
Welcome to a writer's world. (what writing a book involves)
Most runners speak of a 'Runners high' that endorphin rush you feel
when you have been involved in strenuous activity, leading to a feeling
of euphoria and happiness.
Yesterday I hit a writers high. It was something I have never experienced before. I wrote 7256 words yesterday. That is the highest ever number of words I have written in a single day, in my entire writing career.
I patted myself on the back. And when a friend pinged to ask how is the writing going, I said 'Super, I hit a writer's high today. This is the highest number of words I have written in a single day in my entire life,'.
'Wow. Keep rocking!' he typed back.
But I don't think he understood why it meant a great deal to me.
Writing a book, is a lot of work really. You have to think of a story (a completely original one which noone has done before, which by itself is a mammoth task), a plot, characters (they have to be likeable, believable, and people who you can relate to) , dialogue, what happens to them. You have to write coherently. But more than anything, you have to discipline yourself to sit at the computer all by yourself and type out words after word after word. Day after day after day.
It is a L.O.N.E.L.Y profession.
You have to be involved with people and interested in them and understand them, empathise with them, yet be strangely detached to be able to write.
There is no-one really to check your progress and nobody you are accountable to. So that makes it that much more harder. You can take a year, two years, even five years to finish a book. It is so entirely upto you and you alone.
I have my own ways of pushing myself. Sometimes I compete with fellow authors who are working on a book. We ping each other at the end of the day and ask 'WC?' (which stands for word count. There is great joy in typing 2300 or 3200 or whatever be the number of words one has written. A sense of satisfaction of a day well spent.
Sometimes I tell a friend (whom I am dying to meet) that I will go out with them only when I hit x number of words. Then they keep checking as to how many words I have written so that we can go out.
I report my progress to my children and spouse and the house-help as well as my dog. They are the only ones who actually care about my word-count. :) Or rather, they are the only ones who will listen to me. (oh and that friend too who I promise to go out with on hitting x words)
Most full length novels have a minimum of 60,000 words.
This is how it is classified :
500-1,000 words - Flash story
1,000-10,000 words - Short story
10,000-40,000 - Novella
40,000-60,000 - Novelette or "Novel Lite"
60,000 and up - Novel
Yesterday I crossed 60K words of my fourth book. (which was when I hit the writers high).
'Oh, so does that mean the book will be out soon?' asked another friend.
'No! The real work starts now!' I replied.
Most people do not know that once a manuscript is complete, and a publisher is chosen, it takes a minimum of 4-6 months for the book to be out.
The manuscript goes through the first revision.The structural changes if any are suggested to the author. The author then incorporates the changes or convinces the editor about why the changes should not happen.
Then begins proof reading.
The first round is done and the manuscript comes back to the author. Generally it looks like a war-field with all the corrections in red looking like blood-wounds. I had winced when it first came came. I kid you not.
Then the corrections are made and sent back.
Each coma, each full stop, each word, is examined over and over.
Then the second round of proof readings happen.
Then the third.
Sometimes fourth and fifth. (I have proof read till the words begin blurring and I fall asleep in front of my laptop)
We squabble about fonts. About an exclamation mark. About a word repeated.
Every single detail counts.
Then the cover.
And the book title.
And the acknowledgements.
And the chapter titles.
And how it should all appear in the final version
And finally it is a BIG moment when the book gets an okay and goes for printing. For my last book, upto the last moment, we were making changes. It is something like a rocket-blast off--the frantic holding of breath, till it takes off.
The tension doesn't end there.
When you finally hold the book in your hand (the much coveted author's copies) it is truly a moment that makes me weep.
Every single time.
No matter how many books you have written, it is still the same.
Welcome to the Writers world.
It is a lonely place, a crazy place, a place which makes you hurtle down into depth of despair when you can't get those words out, but at the same time a place which makes you soar higher than even the heavens when things go right.
_____________________________________________________________________
If you still don't know about my Ted talk, go watch!
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/
when you have been involved in strenuous activity, leading to a feeling
of euphoria and happiness.
Yesterday I hit a writers high. It was something I have never experienced before. I wrote 7256 words yesterday. That is the highest ever number of words I have written in a single day, in my entire writing career.
I patted myself on the back. And when a friend pinged to ask how is the writing going, I said 'Super, I hit a writer's high today. This is the highest number of words I have written in a single day in my entire life,'.
'Wow. Keep rocking!' he typed back.
But I don't think he understood why it meant a great deal to me.
Writing a book, is a lot of work really. You have to think of a story (a completely original one which noone has done before, which by itself is a mammoth task), a plot, characters (they have to be likeable, believable, and people who you can relate to) , dialogue, what happens to them. You have to write coherently. But more than anything, you have to discipline yourself to sit at the computer all by yourself and type out words after word after word. Day after day after day.
It is a L.O.N.E.L.Y profession.
You have to be involved with people and interested in them and understand them, empathise with them, yet be strangely detached to be able to write.
There is no-one really to check your progress and nobody you are accountable to. So that makes it that much more harder. You can take a year, two years, even five years to finish a book. It is so entirely upto you and you alone.
I have my own ways of pushing myself. Sometimes I compete with fellow authors who are working on a book. We ping each other at the end of the day and ask 'WC?' (which stands for word count. There is great joy in typing 2300 or 3200 or whatever be the number of words one has written. A sense of satisfaction of a day well spent.
Sometimes I tell a friend (whom I am dying to meet) that I will go out with them only when I hit x number of words. Then they keep checking as to how many words I have written so that we can go out.
I report my progress to my children and spouse and the house-help as well as my dog. They are the only ones who actually care about my word-count. :) Or rather, they are the only ones who will listen to me. (oh and that friend too who I promise to go out with on hitting x words)
Most full length novels have a minimum of 60,000 words.
This is how it is classified :
500-1,000 words - Flash story
1,000-10,000 words - Short story
10,000-40,000 - Novella
40,000-60,000 - Novelette or "Novel Lite"
60,000 and up - Novel
Yesterday I crossed 60K words of my fourth book. (which was when I hit the writers high).
'Oh, so does that mean the book will be out soon?' asked another friend.
'No! The real work starts now!' I replied.
Most people do not know that once a manuscript is complete, and a publisher is chosen, it takes a minimum of 4-6 months for the book to be out.
The manuscript goes through the first revision.The structural changes if any are suggested to the author. The author then incorporates the changes or convinces the editor about why the changes should not happen.
Then begins proof reading.
The first round is done and the manuscript comes back to the author. Generally it looks like a war-field with all the corrections in red looking like blood-wounds. I had winced when it first came came. I kid you not.
Then the corrections are made and sent back.
Each coma, each full stop, each word, is examined over and over.
Then the second round of proof readings happen.
Then the third.
Sometimes fourth and fifth. (I have proof read till the words begin blurring and I fall asleep in front of my laptop)
We squabble about fonts. About an exclamation mark. About a word repeated.
Every single detail counts.
Then the cover.
And the book title.
And the acknowledgements.
And the chapter titles.
And how it should all appear in the final version
And finally it is a BIG moment when the book gets an okay and goes for printing. For my last book, upto the last moment, we were making changes. It is something like a rocket-blast off--the frantic holding of breath, till it takes off.
The tension doesn't end there.
When you finally hold the book in your hand (the much coveted author's copies) it is truly a moment that makes me weep.
Every single time.
No matter how many books you have written, it is still the same.
Welcome to the Writers world.
It is a lonely place, a crazy place, a place which makes you hurtle down into depth of despair when you can't get those words out, but at the same time a place which makes you soar higher than even the heavens when things go right.
_____________________________________________________________________
If you still don't know about my Ted talk, go watch!
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/
August 18, 2012
Yet another weight loss Inspiration story. You CAN lose weight with a little effort.
Yesterday, after I published the post on weight-loss, I got a really nice mail from Kavya who wanted to share her story with me.
I found her story commendable and inspiring and asked her if I could share it with everyone. She had absolutely no issues in sharing and in fact said she would be happy to, if it inspired people.
So here is the mail she wrote me and her story in her own words:
I am Kavya, residing in Bangalore. I am into Music and am studying music for my graduation (B.Music). I have been following your blog for over a year now and I have to accept this..you have truly inspired me in so many ways! :) I love you for that and everything that you are :) <3
And today when I saw your
"5 not-so-hard ways to lose 2 kilos in a week" post,
I thought I must share with you some of my pictures of "then and now" :)
My story goes something like this,
I completed my 10th std from Kendriya Vidyalaya DRDO (KVDRDO) Bangalore in 2009. I weighed about 60 kilos back then. As I started my college, I just have no idea how,but I put on a hell lot of weight! Say about 15-18 kilos but I was not very aware of this.
After a period of one year I got myself tested for TSH and some other functioning tests and learnt that everything was normal with my body and I was shocked about the sudden weight gain in about 5 months. ( after finishing 10th and before getting into a new college for pre university).
I was not really aware about how being unhealthy and unfit could affect both my body and mind. I started becoming very subdued and was really not socializing due to my weight issues. I used to feel very inferior in front of others but yet, I did not really take up any measures to lose weight in 2009 or 2010.
But May 2011- August 2012 was that turning point of my life where, I managed to lose about 15 kilos. :) I feel really good and happy when I say that ! :) My hard work did pay off :) All I did was walk for 40 mins a day, yoga for about 20 mins, avoided outside junk food and sweets :)
I was determined and it worked :)
I have attached two pictures of mine. "Then and now" :)
I feel so young and refreshed now (I am young btw..I am 21 years and 1 month old now).and I am now addicted to being healthy and having healthy food habits and also regular workouts :)
So just thought of sharing this with you :)
Eagerly waiting for your reply :)
Loads of love your way :)
And here is the other photo she shared:
I was really impressed with Kavya's efforts.
Way to go Kavya!
Applause from my side to her! :)
(and for the over-calculative ones who are wondering how she can be 21 when she finished 10th in 2009, she was admitted late to school :) )
Please do leave a comment for Kavya if her story impressed you! :)
________________________________________________________________________
If you still don't know about my Ted talk, go watch!
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/
I found her story commendable and inspiring and asked her if I could share it with everyone. She had absolutely no issues in sharing and in fact said she would be happy to, if it inspired people.
So here is the mail she wrote me and her story in her own words:
I am Kavya, residing in Bangalore. I am into Music and am studying music for my graduation (B.Music). I have been following your blog for over a year now and I have to accept this..you have truly inspired me in so many ways! :) I love you for that and everything that you are :) <3
And today when I saw your
"5 not-so-hard ways to lose 2 kilos in a week" post,
I thought I must share with you some of my pictures of "then and now" :)
My story goes something like this,
I completed my 10th std from Kendriya Vidyalaya DRDO (KVDRDO) Bangalore in 2009. I weighed about 60 kilos back then. As I started my college, I just have no idea how,but I put on a hell lot of weight! Say about 15-18 kilos but I was not very aware of this.
After a period of one year I got myself tested for TSH and some other functioning tests and learnt that everything was normal with my body and I was shocked about the sudden weight gain in about 5 months. ( after finishing 10th and before getting into a new college for pre university).
I was not really aware about how being unhealthy and unfit could affect both my body and mind. I started becoming very subdued and was really not socializing due to my weight issues. I used to feel very inferior in front of others but yet, I did not really take up any measures to lose weight in 2009 or 2010.
But May 2011- August 2012 was that turning point of my life where, I managed to lose about 15 kilos. :) I feel really good and happy when I say that ! :) My hard work did pay off :) All I did was walk for 40 mins a day, yoga for about 20 mins, avoided outside junk food and sweets :)
I was determined and it worked :)
I have attached two pictures of mine. "Then and now" :)
I feel so young and refreshed now (I am young btw..I am 21 years and 1 month old now).and I am now addicted to being healthy and having healthy food habits and also regular workouts :)
So just thought of sharing this with you :)
Eagerly waiting for your reply :)
Loads of love your way :)
And here is the other photo she shared:
I was really impressed with Kavya's efforts.
Way to go Kavya!
Applause from my side to her! :)
(and for the over-calculative ones who are wondering how she can be 21 when she finished 10th in 2009, she was admitted late to school :) )
Please do leave a comment for Kavya if her story impressed you! :)
________________________________________________________________________
If you still don't know about my Ted talk, go watch!
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/
August 16, 2012
5 not-so-hard ways to lose 2 kilos in a week
Photo:Suanie
The other day a friend and I were talking.
"But how in the world do you maintain your weight? You must be dieting all the time," she said.
I told her I really wasn't and I do indulge in whatever I like to eat. (Puttu Kadala from Kerala remains my all time favorite food)
But the one thing I do is that the moment my weight crosses 53.5 or 54 kilos (I am 5' 4" tall. So it's very much on the lower side of 'ideal weight') I step up the exercise and cut down on calories. I have maintained this weight for past many many years. (I did work hard to burn off all the pregnancy weight after having my two children). Many people write to me asking what is my secret. I have written posts about weight-loss in the past. You can read them here and here. (and there are more links in those two posts as well)
Recently, (last 20 days) I managed to lose three kilos (had really indulged in yummy food when I went to Kerala on a vacation) and since so many are asking me what I do, I thought I would once again write a post on it.
Here are five not-so-hard ways to lose 2 kilos in a week or at the most ten days.
Disclaimer: Please check with your doctor before attempting this, as I am no expert and merely telling you what worked for me!
1. Zero Sugar : Take absolutely no sugar in your coffee/tea. It will feel very weird at first. But gradually you get used to the taste. Take no sweeteners too. Just plain coffee/tea with no sugar at all.
2.Take Green tea: If you feel a strong craving to drink something, make it green tea. (Just a cup of hot water and dunk the tea-bag in). You get plenty of flavors of green tea at any super market. Green tea is said to have a lot of anti-oxidants.
3. Walk 20 minutes on treadmill: I have invested in a really good state- of- the- art treadmill. It travelled with me all the way to UK when I moved countries and came back with me to India when I moved base again :). I use the 'weight-loss' setting on it. It alternates between walking very fast (6.5 km/h) for four minutes and then walking slow (4km/h) for four minutes. Essentially what happens is when you walk fast, your heart rate elevates. Your heart continues to pump blood at that same pace even when you walk slow. It's a super way to 'fool your body' and burn that fat. there is no excuse for not walking every single day. Even if your body protests and groans, push yourself and do it.
4.No to alcohol or fried food : This was super hard for me as I do really really love and enjoy my drink! I gave up totally on alcohol and any kind of fried food. (I do love potato chips and Murrukus and all the savories!). If you feel discouraged and unable to resist, tell yourself it is only for ten days. Say NO. Be determined.
5. Drink a LOT of water. Most of us do not take adequate water. We feel tired many a time, simply because we are not aware just how much water out body needs. Drink half a bottle of water (500 ml) as soon as you wake up. Keep drinking water through out the day. What I do is keep one 2 litre bottle filled just for me (with my name on it!) so I know how much I have consumed. I don't do this on a daily basis of course. Just when I am super focussed on losing weight.
6. Suryanamaskars--Do it! If you have never done Yoga before I recommend taking the help of a yoga instructor. I do about 15 and on some days 20, apart from other asanas. It is excellent for over-all toning of all the muscles in your body. Watch this video.
Another thing which I do to keep myself fit is using TRX, thanks to Ajay (a very good friend) who gifted it to Satish and me. He uses it regularly and has managed to lose some 15 odd kgs so far!(but then he is one of the most determined individuals I have ever come across).
The TRX is truly one of the best gifts we have ever got.
If you want even more inspiration to lose weight, just look at what my good friend Niall Young accomplished with just walking. He promised himself that he would gift himself a fabulous body before he turned fifty and oh how he succeeded! His success story is a MUST read. Click here to read it.
The key to any weight loss attempt is DETERMINATION and CONSISTENCY.
Just push yourself towards the goal even on the days you don't feel like doing anything.
You will be rewarded when you see a super fit body. (Reward yourself by buying some nice sexy outfits if you have accomplished your goal! :) That is what I do!)
Good lucks folks! Hope these tips help!
Any questions or any more tips(on motivation as well as on weight loss) that anyone wants to share, please do leave them in the comments section and I will be happy to update this post with an addendum of all the tried and tested tips.
So go ahead and share!
ps: I guess the regular readers have noticed, I am trying to do a new post every day :) This is an 'unofficial' blog marathon. (am afraid to commit to an official one as I have far too many engagements right now. But yes, I am trying hard to post every day. :) Nice? Makes you happy? Say, say!
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photo credit: suanie via photo pin cc
If you still don't know about my Ted talk, go watch!
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/
August 15, 2012
On anonymous comments and comments with psuedonyms
An incident which happened to me today made me think about annonymous commenting and commenting using pseudonym, without revealing identities.
Photo credit: Daniel Ivan (creative common license)
In my very early blogging days (way back in 2006) when I had first started blogging, I was terrified about what I was getting into. I felt very scared to give out my real name and hence used my initials 'PS'. Gradually I began getting popular and many of the people who were commenting on my posts regularly (they all used their real names and they used pictures of themselves) wanted to 'see' me in order to connect with me better. By then, I had figured out that the Internet isn't that dangerous a place as it is made out to be, as long as one follows some basic rules. So I started blogging under my real name as well as I put up a picture of myself. It helped immensely later, when I wrote articles for Times of India, Readers Digest etc as Editors could easily sample my writing (with my name on it) on my blog. It added value to them and a real name did help in creating a favorable impression and gave me credibility rather than a moniker or using just the initials.
It also helped me to connect with many bloggers, some of who became very good friends and I met them many times, one of them being Niall Young, who is a brilliant artist based in UK. (Go check out his blog. he is AWESOME)
Later, when my books became popular (by which time I had a page on the wiki too) I realised that using my real name everywhere was indeed a boon, though I did not know it at that time. It gave me 'branding' so to speak. Also I realized, it did make me very vulnerable too. Suddenly I was a 'public figure' and my actions and whatever I did, said or wrote was 'open to scrutiny'. I did not mind it much, as I do stand by whatever I have written or said so far. I have been nothing but honest and forthright in my writing, as well as when it comes to expressing my opinions. Yes, over the years, whatever I feel might have changed--but I have always expressed vociferously, whatever I believe in. I know now, it takes courage to do that.(Though I hadn't even thought of it that way!)
Naturally, I am guarded about who I am dealing with, on the Internet. I am also wary of people who do not identify themselves when they leave a comment. I like to know who I am 'talking to'. I simply do not have the time (nor the inclination) to follow-up or find out identities of commenters who choose to reveal only initials or nick-names or even scrambled versions of their names or initials. I like it when commenters have a profile pic and reveal something about themselves. To me, it seems only fair, as I am opening up myself quite a lot and it is only natural I want to know a bit more about you. Else I feel I am speaking to someone standing behind a one-way wall, where they can see me, but I cannot see them at all! Not a very nice feeling, especially when one is as forthright as I am.
Because of my honesty, I have been accused of many things (by even supposedly close friends who have known me for years) some of them being vanity (perhaps because of all the smiling pics I post?), thinking too much of myself, not being humble even though I am a writer (where did that come from?!), not being able to tolerate a difference of opinion (ha ha--if that was the case I would have stopped writing a long time back!) and many such things.
I have always maintained that my blog is a 'happy place'. There is no room in my blog for negativity. You, of course do not have to agree with me. You are definitely entitled to your opinion about me--but on your blog and your space and your time please! Not on mine! Thank you :)
Therefore I am happy that the Internet is slowly becoming a less anonymous place. Most sites do not allow anonymous comments and they require you to sign in with your FB profile or any other verified online identity.
To read an interesting case, which may change the face of Internet for good, click here. Fact is, like the article points out, when you say something which has your name attached to it, you are that much more careful in what you say. One only has to look at the Youtube comments to see how much of utter trash and vile poison is spewed out, under the guise of 'free speech' afforded by the fact that most commenters are unidentifiable.
Personally I like it.
I truly do not believe that saying something anonymously or under twisted monikers or initials, adds any extra 'value' to whatever is being said. If you strongly feel about something, don't be scared. Speak out. (but be careful about libel!)
Long live the Internet.
Long live free speech.
And yes, don't be afraid of using your real names. It does more good than harm. :)
Trust me, I speak from experience.
_______________________________________________________________
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/radio-di... Iván</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photo pin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
If you still don't know about my Ted talk, go watch!
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/
Photo credit: Daniel Ivan (creative common license)
In my very early blogging days (way back in 2006) when I had first started blogging, I was terrified about what I was getting into. I felt very scared to give out my real name and hence used my initials 'PS'. Gradually I began getting popular and many of the people who were commenting on my posts regularly (they all used their real names and they used pictures of themselves) wanted to 'see' me in order to connect with me better. By then, I had figured out that the Internet isn't that dangerous a place as it is made out to be, as long as one follows some basic rules. So I started blogging under my real name as well as I put up a picture of myself. It helped immensely later, when I wrote articles for Times of India, Readers Digest etc as Editors could easily sample my writing (with my name on it) on my blog. It added value to them and a real name did help in creating a favorable impression and gave me credibility rather than a moniker or using just the initials.
It also helped me to connect with many bloggers, some of who became very good friends and I met them many times, one of them being Niall Young, who is a brilliant artist based in UK. (Go check out his blog. he is AWESOME)
Later, when my books became popular (by which time I had a page on the wiki too) I realised that using my real name everywhere was indeed a boon, though I did not know it at that time. It gave me 'branding' so to speak. Also I realized, it did make me very vulnerable too. Suddenly I was a 'public figure' and my actions and whatever I did, said or wrote was 'open to scrutiny'. I did not mind it much, as I do stand by whatever I have written or said so far. I have been nothing but honest and forthright in my writing, as well as when it comes to expressing my opinions. Yes, over the years, whatever I feel might have changed--but I have always expressed vociferously, whatever I believe in. I know now, it takes courage to do that.(Though I hadn't even thought of it that way!)
Naturally, I am guarded about who I am dealing with, on the Internet. I am also wary of people who do not identify themselves when they leave a comment. I like to know who I am 'talking to'. I simply do not have the time (nor the inclination) to follow-up or find out identities of commenters who choose to reveal only initials or nick-names or even scrambled versions of their names or initials. I like it when commenters have a profile pic and reveal something about themselves. To me, it seems only fair, as I am opening up myself quite a lot and it is only natural I want to know a bit more about you. Else I feel I am speaking to someone standing behind a one-way wall, where they can see me, but I cannot see them at all! Not a very nice feeling, especially when one is as forthright as I am.
Because of my honesty, I have been accused of many things (by even supposedly close friends who have known me for years) some of them being vanity (perhaps because of all the smiling pics I post?), thinking too much of myself, not being humble even though I am a writer (where did that come from?!), not being able to tolerate a difference of opinion (ha ha--if that was the case I would have stopped writing a long time back!) and many such things.
I have always maintained that my blog is a 'happy place'. There is no room in my blog for negativity. You, of course do not have to agree with me. You are definitely entitled to your opinion about me--but on your blog and your space and your time please! Not on mine! Thank you :)
Therefore I am happy that the Internet is slowly becoming a less anonymous place. Most sites do not allow anonymous comments and they require you to sign in with your FB profile or any other verified online identity.
To read an interesting case, which may change the face of Internet for good, click here. Fact is, like the article points out, when you say something which has your name attached to it, you are that much more careful in what you say. One only has to look at the Youtube comments to see how much of utter trash and vile poison is spewed out, under the guise of 'free speech' afforded by the fact that most commenters are unidentifiable.
Personally I like it.
I truly do not believe that saying something anonymously or under twisted monikers or initials, adds any extra 'value' to whatever is being said. If you strongly feel about something, don't be scared. Speak out. (but be careful about libel!)
Long live the Internet.
Long live free speech.
And yes, don't be afraid of using your real names. It does more good than harm. :)
Trust me, I speak from experience.
_______________________________________________________________
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/radio-di... Iván</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photo pin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
If you still don't know about my Ted talk, go watch!
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/
