Still Writing

I've not been active here, but I'm still writing. Yay me!

Here's is the latest post I wrote for Parentous. Read and let me know if you relate to it. 

Things I Want To Tell My Daughter

Baby G is about to turn one this May. I’ve been saying that time is flying, since forever, but it really is true. It feels like she was just born last week. There is so much I want to tell her and though there will be time for everything, but I just can’t wait.

I just can’t wait for her to grow up, and I also feel sad seeing her growing up so fast. I know, its silly. Maybe its just a new mommy thing, but it makes me emotional just to look at her wondering at my colorful bangles, or jabbing her tiny hands excitedly at her father’s iPad. I want to live in this bliss forever. I know it’s not possible, but a mother can hope, right? I have made a list of things I want her to know. Will keep adding to it, but for now, here it is.

• That your parents are trying their best to be the best, the perfect parents in the world. Because that is what you deserve. We might fall short sometimes, but we will always make it up by loving you more than possible. No matter what.
• That the best things in life aren’t things. Its people.
• That love is all you need.
• That money is important, but independence, integrity, originality and kindness are more important.
• That baking is therapeutically for your mother, so it will probably be the same for you. But if not, find your joy in little things.
• You are not me, or your dad. We are similar, but you are a unique individual and never change that for anything in the world.
• Invest in good coffee. But when you’re older, obviously. For now, drink your milk.
• Be happy. Nothing really matters.
• That you will never lose a battle, you will either win or learn.
• That it’s important to laugh. Especially with a mother who laughs like a clown. I need company, sweetheart.
• That looking good is important, but being a good person is a must.
• That friends are very important, and keeping them for a lifetime is a blessing.
• That being intelligent is sexy. Don’t play dumb, its not worth it.
• Have BIG dreams. You’ll eventually grow into them.
• Travel. See the world.
• Read, read and read some more.
• Believe in fairy tales but be prepared to slay the dragon yourself.
• That only the boring people are bored. Always find something worth your while.
• Be generous with your time, your money and your heart.
• Dance every day.
• Teach dad to dance. Seriously, I’ve tried and failed but you might be successful.
• That mommy and dad loves you more than anything in the world.
• That mommy loves you the most. Obviously.

What's Happening?

So. I've been away, I've been secretive and I've been mean to my blog lately - for which I feel tragic. Not extremely sad or melodramatically tragic, though because come on, you do know how blogging is becoming an increasingly tough task in this world? Have you not heard of Twitter?

So, there.

I've been cheating on Blogging with Twitter.

Also, I've had a baby and I'm an overwhelmed, over excited, all over the place new mommy now. Yes! I'm a mother! Can you believe it? (If you've read the post below it, then you can imagine but obviously you are stealing my thunder on my own freaking blog so just go with it. Jeez!)  Feels like it was just last month that I met this wonderful person who thought I was stubborn, quirky, funny and loved me anyway. Wasn't it just last week that we got married? Ha ha. I know I'm being annoyingly sugary, blame it on the hormones and thank your God you haven't caught me in one of my bitchy hormonal phases.


I didn't blog much when I was preggers because, well, I was too lazy to move my ass out of the bed. Either that, or I was busy fantasizing about hash brown potatoes and melting cheese. Those were my pregnancy cravings, and I have the extra fat to show for it too. Anyway, back to blog. I didn't blog then and after my daughter arrived, I literally had no time. Infact, she's five months old now and I still have no time. Being a parent is really exhausting, who knew? But then, like they say and like I now know to be true, one smile on that angelic chubby face and you forget everything. But. I digress again. Blog. So the blog was ignored again. I was regular on twitter, obviously.

See the thing with micro blogging is that you don't really have to think before you write anything. I want my blog posts to be good and or like minded people to like it. Nothing of the sorts on Twitter. There, in the world of 140 characters, I've never given a fuck damn about who likes the way I write, who takes an offense or who laughs at me. (Note to Self: Mind language - you're a mom now. No F word!)

But writing long posts is where my heart lies so here I am - just updating anyone who still reads this blog and has been wondering what's up with me that "I'm a mother now, suckers!" Hee hee.

Um. Err.

Moving on. I will try and be regular because writing will not let go of me even in the busiest of days, I am now sure. And if it makes you happy, I will let you in on a little secret - I haven't been a complete disappointment in the writing department. Noooo. Though I didn't blog much but I did write a story in my very-pregnant days and it will very be soon be a book! Yay, me! So wait up and I'll tell you more. Until then, keep faith and hey, I HAVE A BABY!!! Eeeeeee!

Hair Care

Pregnancy is said to be one of the most beautiful phase of a woman's life, right? You feel special, you are spoilt rotten and are pampered to no end, you glow from within like a 100 watt light bulb and the constant attention you seem to attract doesn't hurt either. What's not to love?

Well, I'll tell you what's not to love. Rather, what was not at all loveable during my nine months of supposed bliss - my hair. Yes. My genetically glossy and full volume hair got rough and lifeless during my second trimester. It was so noticeable that people started asking if it was a case of some chemical treatment gone bad. It broke my heart to see my lovely hair in such a pathetic situation but I (probably) had myself to blame. You see, it was sever winters and I was getting big in size. My general laziness had anyway took over me during the last three months and as a result, I had paid no attention to my shiny tresses.

I used any shampoo that was within my reach while in the shower, not wanting to move another inch for my particular brand. I used almost boiling hot water to bathe and uh, also to wash the hair (Felony, I know). I managed to forget completely about the existence of hair conditioner. I left the wet hair to dry on itself, without even taking the tangles out. Yeah, you could say that I had lost it completely.

But during the last month, with the anticipation building, arrived my husband from his far off Army post, and instead of holding me close and smiling satisfactorily, he held me at an arms distance and grimaced. "What the hell happened to your hair?" He demanded. This was my awakening call. I started to panic. I loved my hair! How did I let this happen? Why did I let myself go? I was miserable.

My darling sister came to my rescue. She gifted me 3 Hair Spa treatments at the best saloon int he city. After the first session, my hair bounced back from bleak health and my faith was restored. I started eating the Amla marmalade my mom had been almost begging me to eat throughout the pregnancy. I ate a lot of fresh fruit and even more sea food for the protein. Husband gifted me Dove Damage Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner and in about a fortnight, viola, my dreadful hair was almost back to the glossy cascading glory I used to love. Husband gave me thumbs-up the day I washed (and conditioned, obviously) my hair the day before the delivery and that was the end of my hair problems!

And all my efforts gave me a way better result! My new born daughter has a full head of glossy black hair that everyone talks about already! What's even more delightful is that the little on seems to love my hair too, her gaze fixes on one of my lose strands and she smiles when the wind blows it. 

You know, you have to be a new mother to understand the feeling when she stared at my hair for a minute or two, and then she actually looked into my eyes and smiled! I mean, its really a biggie! Up till now it was random smiles at the fan, at the lamp and other stuff, but this time my one month old looked me in the eye and smiled her loveliest toothless smile!

All I can say is, I'm glad for my lovely hair that got me that first smile. Here's a picture of both of us, but the focus is - beautiful hair.

This is an entry for the contest '.... and that was the end of my hair problems' on IndiBlogger sponsored by Dove. Check out the Dove hair aware app here.

Book Review : The Forest of Stories

Title: The Forest of Stories | Author: Ashok K. Banker | ISBN-13: 9789381626375 | Binding: Paperback | Publisher: Westland Ltd | Pages: 351  Language: English | Price: Rs. 295 

Who doesn't love the epic tale of Mahabharatha? It is without doubt the most mesmerizing and the most magical of all tales in the history of mankind. As any regular child in an Indian household, I have grown up to the story in its various forms - from an over imaginative grandma's versions to accomplished writers' (both contemporary and otherwise) renditions. Everyone is fascinated by the Mahabharatha, and I feel that it calls on to every story teller's imaginations, hence making it impossible to stay true to the original epic written by Ved Vyasa in Sanskrit. And this is probably the best thing about The Forest of Stories. 

We have watched and/or read Mahabharatha in numerous forms, we have scrutinized every character in different books (Biographies of individual characters written by various writers) and we have imagined a lot about the situations those characters were in. Ashok K. Banker's Forest of Stories stays away from all of it, stays true to the original text with the sole purpose of retelling Vyasa's epic the way it is meant to be. And it works!

The Forest of Stories is the first of Ashok's 18 books in his Mahabharatha Series. The book shares the exact same structure as the original Sanskrit epic - even the order of Parvas and Chapters are kept the same. There are 9 sections called Pakshas which are further divided into sub-sections. 

The book starts with a description of Naimisha-van that takes the reader in the wild and untamed forest for real, and feel the trickery of the winds and the menacing darkness that was not a natural one. Ugrasrava Lomarsana, better known as Sauti, arrives at Naimisha-Sharanya, a school in the middle of the hostile forest where young brahmins and seasoned gurus stayed, learned and meditated. Sauti brings the sad news of Maharishi Ved Vyasa's demise and agrees to recite Vyasa's epic narrative story called 'Jaya' consisting of 8800 shlokas, later expanded by Vyasa himself to 24000 sholakas and known as Mahabharatha.  

Sauti begins to recite the enchanting tale to a spell bound audiences that include not only the ashramites, but also warriors and slain soldiers from the Great War of Mahabharatha, listening intently for night after night to the history composed by Vyasa, hoping to find their solace. This is not just a story, or even a collection of stories - it is a story within a story, sometimes unconnected, sometimes a dream within a dream and there is a lot of back and forth but everything thing leads to one event and I am already looking forward to reading the next books in the series. 

The Tale of Parashurama, The Tales of the Bhrigu, Shakuntala and Dushyanta and others are all captivating. Ashok's writing style is brilliant - easy flowing, crisp and apt. I have admired Ashok Banker's writing since his Ramayana series and here he shows his brilliance yet again. He has not let his imagination run, and has stuck to just 'retelling' the epic. This, in my opinion is a tough job that he does well.

There are a few question in my mind after reading part one, but like I said, I'm already looking forward to the next books and I hope they will bind the stories and fill in the gaps. The stories are wonderful and Ashok's lucid writing makes it enjoyable and highly readable. 

Westland Publications has published some notable books in the past few years and The Forest of Stories is definitely on top. 

So, do I recommend this book to you? Of course I do. However, as the author says in the introduction, if you are expecting an epic fantasy, or a sci-fi rendition or a futuristic version of the Mahabharatha - you're going to be disappointed. Ashok says -

This is simply the Mahabharatha of Krishna Dweipayana Vyasa retold by one man.

That Man is me, of course.

So read it if you have an interest in Indian mythology, if you are interested in the Mahabharatha, if you are ready to invest time in the next seventeen books that would cover the entire tale of Mahabharatha, or read it as fiction for the sheer joy of it.

My overall rating is 4.5/5.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Book Review - Love, life & all that jazz...

Title: Love, Life & All That Jazz | Authors: Ahmed Faiyaz | ISBN: 978-93-81626-05-4 | Binding: Paperback | Publisher: Grey Oak Publishers / Westland Ltd | Pages: 255 | Language: English | Price: Rs. 150 |

Love, Life & All That Jazz is a fresh new story about a group of college friends who move on to various fields in life, discover life, experience new things and learn (or unlearn) a lot. The story primarily revolves around relationships and is very contemporary in its setting - youngsters in metros (especially Mumbai) will relate to it a lot.


Believe it or not, I finished the book in one go - so it is obviously a fast paced story and a compelling read.


This is the debut novel by Ahmed Faiyaz, a young writer who is also a founding member of Grey Oak Publishers and Grey Oak Foundation.


The story revolves around four friends - Tania, Sameer, Vikram and Tanveer. There is certain depth in the characterization in this book and the characters are hence strong. Faiyaz has formed all characters on entirely different backgrounds which makes their friendship extremely interesting.


Tania is an independent girl who aspires to be a successful Interior Designer. She is seeing Sameer since college and their relationship is sweet and warm. However, when Sameer decides to move to the UK for higher studies, they find themselves under the immense strain of the long-distance relationship.


Tanveer comes from an orthodox Muslim family that also faces regular health and financial issues. Tanveer is responsible and dutiful, but is constantly burdened by his family's expectations. He is invariably the butt of all jokes in the group. He faces a fork in the road when he falls in love with a Parsi girl, and is forced to choose between strong family values and love.


Vikram is the rich dad's spoilt son, and you will often find him sleeping or yawning in the first half of the book. After a failed relationship and heartbreak, he goes through a complete change in attitude and drive.


As I mentioned earlier, the book is easy-breezy and perfect for an air journey or for a cold day with a hot cup of coffee. The events are interesting, the places these characters frequent will remind you of a lot of occasions in your own life, I'm sure. Also, the fact that you feel connected to all the characters while reading the book is an accomplishment by the author.


My issues with the book, however, are :

a.) editing - the edition I read has a lot of grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and omissions, which is a major put off for me.
  
b.) predictability - The story is fairly predictable, almost in a Bollywood movie fashion. It might not be a deterrent for many readers, and though I don't have and big problem with a story being predictable, what bugs me here is the sugary sweet ending. But then, who doesn't love a happy ending, eh? I will not give out too much about the end, but the huge possibility of a certain couple ending together after all that jazz is a bit too much for me.


Also, by the end of a book, if I cannot carry something from it with me, I don't think its worth the effort. And this is exactly what happened when I finished this book. Don't get me wrong, it is a good contemporary story written in a simple narrative and is about interesting characters, but by the last page I found myself wondering if the story was worth telling at all. Maybe its just me, because my college going brother loved it! Maybe I'm not the exact target audience after all, haha.


All in all, "Love, Life & All That Jazz" is no literary masterpiece but it sure makes for a good quick-read. Good thing is that it ends on a positive note, a happy ending and the author does manage to stir your heart at times, making you remember 'the good ol' days'. You might even track an old friend on Facebook, or call a few after you read this.


My rating: 2.5/5

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Book Review - Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul: A Book of Miracles

Title: Chicken Soup For The Indian Soul: A Book Of Miracles | Authors: Raksha Bharadia, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen | ISBN: 9789381626368 | Binding: Paperback | Publisher: Westland | Pages: 295 | Language: English

"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle."

-Albert Einstein

Do you believe in magic? Do you think miracles really happen? Well, whatever your answer, I’m sure that each story from this collection will leave you believing in magic in people, miracles in day to day life and most importantly, in a power that guides each one of us through seemingly difficult times. I’m a practical person who tends to see the logic and reason behind things, as I’m sure most of you are. I’m not necessarily a religious person and while I don’t trust the Ganges’ power to wash away all my sins, I do believe in a higher power that is with me all the time. You may choose to call it God, the universe or your guardian angel – this power is with us to steer us through rough times, to hold our hand for support or just to make us stronger. And every story from Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul: A Book of Miracles has reinforced this believe in me. 

It is a collection of 101 true stories shared candidly by people, about amazing coincidences, rediscovered faith, and the serenity that comes from believing in a greater power. And these people sharing their personal experiences with us are not the so-called spiritually enlightened yogis or the always meditating saffron wearing sadhus, but regular people like you and me who go to work for a living, love their families to bits and constantly struggle to make life a little better. Some stories are really relatable, and had me see a few incidents of my own life in a new light.

The stories have been divided into 12 sections. Signs From Above is where the contributors tell us about the signs – powerful or subtle, but enough for them to spot – they received from the supreme power. The stories talk about signs that we are not alone in distress, about gaining knowledge and belief that it only gets better from here and about coming at peace with the situation. ‘The Tacky Label’ is the one I found endearing. The healing Power Of A Prayer tells us about real life experiences of prayers that have saved the day, the situation and even life. Love From Beyond has many stories that brought tears to my eyes – narrating experiences where help was showered from the other side of existence. These are stories of how our loved ones, people who are no longer with us, make their presence felt and speak silently to us, directing us,  taking care of our needs, ensuring out wellbeing and making us feel loved in moments when we require it the most. This is probably the biggest brush with the surreal, transcending all logic and judgement. His/Her Messenger is all about helping strangers or angels that came in the lives of people and assisted them in various ways. ‘Aasman Se Aaya Farishta’ and ‘Cup of Coffee’ tell the tales of much needed yet unexplained help that will enrich your faith in miracles. His Saving Grace, as the name suggests, is a section devoted to God’s direct intervention in saving these contributors from grave dangers. ‘The Mystery Man at Milestone 5’ is similar to what a friend of mine, a fellow Army Wife stationed in the North East, had experienced. It was enough to give me Goosebumps. Angles Amongst Us is about how people have received help from totally unexpected directions, recounting the terrors of the Gujarat earthquake, Mumbai terror Attacks and other incidents where the authors were offered help by strangers. Answered Prayers and Everyday Miracles will strengthen your faith in the supreme power. Divine Appointment is about God’s call and how listening to it can change your life, give you inner peace. The Magic of Faith is perhaps the most important section, because it talks about faith. I’ve always felt that a man without faith can never be strong; our faith holds us together and keeps us going. Our Guardian Angle is dedicated to stories about receiving help in times of need, almost like a direct intervention from heaven. Finally, Call From Within focuses on learning and acceptance, listening to your inner voice and rising above fears because you know there is help available to each one of us.

Nearly all stories are written in a simple narrative style, with an exception of a few. The fact that the stories are all short makes it an easy read, like all other Chicken Soup collections. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was moved by this book and its stories. Some anecdotes tugged at my heart because of their sheer simplicity and intense emotions, like ‘Aur Ek Cup’, ‘Caring Still from Beyond...’, ‘A Prayer Answered’ and more. Some of the pieces show how help from above was recognized by the authors in situations that a practical mind would most likely dismiss as chance – ‘The End of a Beginning’ and ‘Presence’ for example. 

When you read these stories, no matter if you believe in God or not, I’m sure you will realize that faith is of immense importance in life. Sometimes we place our faith in people whom we love and trust, sometimes in Him or The Universe – and the magic about Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul: A Book of Miracles is that it tell us that both are indeed the same; that our guardian angel can be someone as ordinary as we ourselves are, that our “intuition” or “direct knowledge” without any reasoning can help us through the bleakest hours, and that the real miracle lies in our ability to react pertinently to the messages we receive from above.

Like the Joan Osborne song, also mentioned in one of the stories, this book made me wonder – “What if God were one of us, just a stranger on the bus...” And in the end, all I can say is that miracles do happen, and each story in this book will convince you of that! So drop your guards of logic, reasoning and practicality and immerse yourself in these thought provoking collection of 101 real stories about hope and warmth.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Misguided by Women Magazines? Ha Ha Ha (Points And Laughs)

This post is featured in BlogAdda's Spicy Saturday Picks for December 2011.

I picked up a fat glossy women's magazine last week from a street vendor. To be honest, I've never been big on magazines. I read some Cosmopolitan back in college but then that's almost mandatory in that age, and it is never terminal. I of course recovered and now I only pick up a Marie Claire, a Femina or a Good Homes only when I'm waiting my turn for a haircut, at a dentist or in the loo where there’s nothing else to read.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the concept of a Women's Magazine per se. Infact, they can be great fun at times - Latest gossip to keep you well informed, pages and pages of alluring beauty products that make you drool and sometimes even half a good article or something to stir your thoughts. My point is - Its all good and sugary only until you weigh your time and money spent against the supposed Women’s Wisdom you’ve gained through these innocent looking pages. Let me explain.

Cover:

“Sure Shot Way To Win Your Man Over”

Inside: 

·         Cook Sushi for him

·         Look him in the eye and tilt your head to your side, just a little

·         Give him a blow job

See my point? I mean what self respecting woman in a right frame of mind would, first of all, want relationship advice from a magazine, and second of all, believe the pointers they give?

Another example: 

"50 Great Things To Do With Your Breasts"

These 'great' things are on the general line of Stick-you-ID-and-Credit-Card-In-Your-Cleavage-To-Go-Purse-Free and, beat this, Go-Bra-Less-On-A-Night-Out-And-Wear-A-Low-Cut-Shirt-To-Make-It-Obvious. I kid you not, these are word to word tips from a magazine I downloaded online.

What's interesting is that most of the magazines focus on sex as their life depended on us having sex, and even then their sex moves are old recycled rubbish from – I assume – their own older editions. Seriously, leather lingerie and whipped cream? Yawn.

Women Magazines: The Funnies

Here are a few sections that the entire hundred and forty eight Women’s Magazines in the country feature regularly and which of course are of little use to any real women with half an ounce of dignity.

Editor’s Note: Believe it or not, this is often a rich piece of content in a magazine. Or should be. In reality, these Editor’s Notes are not-so-subtle reminders of the good old Table of Content with nothing but a list of the Cover Story on How to Find Out If Your Man is Cheating on You, the Star Interview claiming to give you a ‘never seen before’ aspect of Sonam Kapoor’s life, the Diet of the Month for you to fail at (yet again), and other such unoriginal junk. Completely blah.

Special Edition: These editions are fatter, glossier, and more expensive than your plain Jane regular ones. Reason for a special edition are numerous - Anniversary of the Mag? Yes! Milestone year for the publication group? Hell Yes! Country’s Independence Day? Of course! Womens’ Day? Bring it on! Editors’ birthday? What the hell, WHY NOT? This only means a bigger star on the cover, more full-page ads from Brands that have a store only in Mumbai (or sometimes Delhi), a fifteen page collection of photographs of ‘The Years Gone By’ and a series of lame articles or interviews that you quit reading half way.

Full-Page Ads: They are the essence of every Woman’s Magazine I’ve seen recently. Brands advertise uncontrollably – Makeup giants, discreet Plastic Surgery clinics, Hair Care / Skin Care ranges, Clothes and accessories that nudge you in the ribs to chase the elusive ‘in’ feeling. These ads occupy a good 75% of the magazine. Come Special Editions and it goes up to 80%. But don’t blame the mag staff, this is probably how they are earning their revenue, poor things.

Must-Haves for The Season: This section is often the biggest, next only to the full page ads. This will have attractive, tugging-at-your-heart display of the latest range of Dresses, Handbags, Fragrances, Shoes, Makeup Items and other carp you can’t afford. I mean, who goes out shopping every three months to replace everything (clothes to makeup) with new stuff that’s supposedly chic? I know I don’t. (But then, that’s maybe because I don’t have money and I’m not size zero. Are you?) It gets really funny when on the next page is a wise article written in a stern tone telling you to de-clutter your wardrobe in order to gain spirituality. Some of them do have a sense of humor after all, I think.

Regular (lame) features: This has a list of interesting stuff like Astrology readings, Quizzes, a Guy’s Corner and Reader’s Letters who swear by the magazine’s influence on their life. Most fun is the Confession (or Sex Advice in some) where a dubious girl who slept with her cousin’s fiancée but is actually a lesbian is confessing to having relationship troubles. Jeez! I’m still holding hope for some mag-insider to tell me they have a job profile exclusively for coming up with such bizarre things. I’m applying! 

Cover Story: A cover story, generally flaunted to no end on the cover page, claiming to be super original and ground breaking, is generally something on the theme of “What Not To Say To A Man” – answers are ‘I missed my period’ or ‘What’s your ATM pin?’ - or ‘“How To Know He’s Into You For The Long Run” with clever pointers like ‘He ditches his male friends for you’ and ‘His eyes widen when he looks at you.’ Pffftttt! Next time a guy looks at you with wide eyes – maybe because you said something like missing your period – you snap your fingers and say “Hey you! Wide eyes, mister. Gotcha!” Then start preparing for your wedding.

I’m kidding. Don’t ever do that. Telling you in case you’re that woman who reads and believes these magazines. WHAT? There has to be somebody who believes them! How else do you explain the slow fall of newspapers but the steady growth of such Magazines?

And if you are a self confessed lover of the magazines, stop wasting your money and just write to me. I can give you your monthly – okay fortnight if you insist – dose of suffering by telling you how you suck in life if you don’t have a clue about the season’s hottest eye makeup, by bullying you to perform better at work by wearing empowering work-attire and the right accessories, by giving you tips to be a sexpot at home (Feathers and cleavage, right?) and by encouraging you to stop eating to become fabulously skinny for the world. Brilliant, I think. 

So. Who’s game?