tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63090724914973621662024-02-02T02:34:25.964-08:00Weaver's CornerThere's gotta be something for my soul somewhere...but when and where ??Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-64399347079136443172015-03-14T23:26:00.001-07:002016-01-09T01:02:37.249-08:00All You Need is Love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Life is a series of moments bundled up together, the good ones, the bad ones and even the unnamed ones. It is all these moments, irrespective of the time make us who we are, it is they alone that decide the road we take, the future we make. And most importantly it is the people in these times both the happy ones and the miserable ones that we depend on our closed ones for hope. It is hope after all that fills the flattened balloon and gives rise to sun after a rainy day.<br />
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The incident is dated so long ago, and yet it is fresh in my mind just like yesterday. Why should I think about it? It happened so so long ago precisely when I was in my class X th. It didn't take place on working Monday-Tuesday-Thursday nor on the non-working Sunday. It was a thing that dominated most of my year, rather the entire year. One that had the power to make my life or let it go to shambles.<br />
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All through my school life I've always been an average student, not because I didn't study but because I always always made silly mistakes, cancelling the right writing the wrong and voila where I could have scored 80/100 I gracefully land to a 70/100 or a measly 65. But that was fine, as there were only two or three subjects that topped that list, one of them being Mathematics.<br />
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I was fine with it, marks weren't going to govern my life were they? How did it matter if I was the topper or not, if I loved Math or not. Well it didn't until I reached my std Xth and my future depended on my boards.<br />
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I remember it distinctly as it haunted me almost like a horror movie, we had Trigonometry in Algebra and I was a mess. Oddly enough the topic was everyone's favourite barring me. It scared the living daylights out of me. First thing I didn't like Math at all, second I always scraped through somehow and lastly I had trigonometry that was stopping me from even scrapping up a decent count. All in all I was a loser in mathematics.<br />
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Right from my first unit's I was scoring well in every other subject but Algebra and it started effecting me. I had few friends okay two friends in school and apart from them, everyone teased me. The failing group also didn't welcome me in their club as they mocked me and the elite, well I wasn't their category. That left me perpetually all alone. Every classmate I seeked help from, none gave. My teacher, well she tried to explain me after school and yet it was going downhill. I couldn't get the logic past my head, I needed some weird reasons and I had none.<br />
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So just like that, months kept on passing and exams kept on taking place. And with every exam I was scoring less and it was affecting me, slowly I started turning bland from bubbly. My mood wasn't just affecting just me anymore but my whole family, my mother was worried seeing me perform poorly and see me cry. My baby sister didn't know what to do so she tried to make me laugh but nah nothing.<br />
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Determined to not let me lose in this whirlpool of depression my mother contacted my aunt and uncle who stayed in a different city. Why you make ask? Well they were class X th and XII th mathematics teachers, they came to Mumbai taught me and yet I could only get my head around 10% of the stuff, they couldn't stay forever and soon they left. It was again me and my self with the torturing trigo.<br />
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It was then with my mother's constant support, I stayed up late every night to try to understand the subject, mould it to my understanding. Seeking help from every teacher I knew, right from my classes math teacher, to my school math miss and another ex-school math miss. When I was on the verge of losing my hope, these teachers and my mother became my motivation. They taught me at every available hour, they tried to get my confusion and worked through it, helped me clear my doubts and answered even my calls which I did from a public pay phone.<br />
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And yet, I failed in Algebra in my first ever pre-boards prelims. I was amongst the toppers in other subjects, esp history yet not math; what did it matter scoring well in all and failing in one. Still I didn't let myself be deterred, I made a new friend and helped her in her studies in a way helping myself. Constant motivation and optimism kept me going and I finally scored a 56/75 in Algebra my third and final pre-board prelims.<br />
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I was satisfied, at least I didn't fail. And then came the big day, the actual boards itself. Prayers of my teachers, love of my family and everyone's motivation and my own determination I walked in the examination hall, wrote the paper and walked away thinking nothing hoping against hope to score good.<br />
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Day ticked fast and soon March turned to June in a blink on an eye, it was the day of judgment, the result day. I was fretting, sweating and my heart was beating wildly. I was even convinced I will take up Commerce due to my low percentage even though I detested it or maybe I would be welcome in Arts. And then a call, a call from one of my aunts asking me for my seat number. I was frantic, I said no but relented eventually. Those 15 minutes were the I dunno, can't describe of my life. And then she called and for a whole moment, I was shocked, I asked her check again is it really me? My name, this can't be happening, I can't score that much. My parents were worried, they didn't know why I was in shock. And then I exclaim I have scored 140/150 in Mathematics, that means at-least 70 in both Algebra and Geometry.<br />
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That was the biggest shock, not only I had passed, I had passed with flying colours. My running had stopped, I had reached my goal and I hadn't lost. No one could guess, no one could believe but just my family and the teachers who stood by me. They were proud of me and it was a proud feeling.<br />
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And it was that day that I realized, alone we can achieve so little but <a href="https://housing.com/">#together</a> so much more. The coming days were bathed in positivity and optimism and filled with hope that everything is possible if we all stick together and help each other trod through difficult times.<br />
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<i>This post is inspired by <b><a href="https://housing.com/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Housing.com - #Together</a></b>.</i></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-3246618587189167072015-03-14T02:11:00.002-07:002015-03-14T02:11:51.803-07:00A Gradual Acceptance <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was like the model student, my goal was set clear 10th std with good percentage then go to college take up science score good in entrance and then land up in a good engineering college and walk away with placement in an IT company.<br />
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Seemed like a plan until it went downhill with my drastic change in interest in the later part part of my class XIIth. This sudden change in mindset derailed me completely yet due to my parents insistence and my lack of fight, I landed up doing engineering. New start was it? Definitely not, I felt trapped and hated engineering with all my might, I couldn't wait for engineering to get done with so I could let loose and fly from the cage and build a life I envisaged for myself.<br />
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Slowly very slowly time passed and one semester changed to another, with me passing somehow (I literally didn't study in hopes of bad grades and my parents asking me to drop engineering and pursue my dream). But eventually the 4 years came to an end and I was a fully qualified not really ecstatic engineer.<br />
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Life passed between writing, finding a job and doing all the nitty-gritty chores of daily life, waiting for a new life, a new start. I thought I had found it with escaping from engineering but how wrong was I? I was still living in my old life, trapped in old ideas and beliefs.<br />
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It was then that, things changed and I started losing hope. My dreams of writing were turning to jelly and I was slipping on the slippery slope that went downhill. I had a steady job (well an engineering one itself, beat that!) but I suffered greatly, I longed for change, I needed to write, blogging wasn't enough.<br />
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And then something came out of the blue, there was freelance writing opportunity, after several failed ways to refresh my life had failed, I took to this. I applied for the post, despite my hectic schedule. And to my luck, I was offered the freelance writing job.<br />
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Happy? Yes beyond measure. No one around me could understand my joy. After all I had a good paying job that kept me steady income wise and yes it made me happy too yet there was a void only I could feel.<br />
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The first few weeks were tough, juggling between writing and teaching; two diverse topics and fields was turning out to be hectic until I found a balance. The freelance hiring company was happy with my output, they liked how I weaved words around sentences and breathed life into them.<br />
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It was definitely a learning experience, not only I learned to multitask but learned to accept life as it came. Full of vigor and new outcomes. Though at times it's tough, juggling between writing, studying for new subjects daily (a teacher needs to study after all) in a way accepting engineering and managing my home alongside my mother; it is satisfying in every sense of the word.<br />
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I'm indeed glad to have stepped out of my shell and embraced life to the fullest, after all the <a href="https://housing.com/">#StartANewLife</a> is tough but rewarding. <br />
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This is my official post inspired by <i><b><a href="https://housing.com/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Housing.com - #StartANewLife</a></b></i>.</div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-662834798249620392015-03-05T22:04:00.001-08:002015-03-05T22:11:22.087-08:00Best Joys Come in Smaller Packets<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Everywhere I go, I end up listening to this phrase "Best things come in small packages" and then one day my view changed, it's not just things but even happiness. It is happiness alone that makes us optimistic rather it is wise to say, optimism makes us happy and content.<br />
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This incident dates not very long ago, but just a mere year ago. I was a recent graduate who didn't wish to pursue engineering all throughout my graduation yet for the sake of my parents happiness I did it. Earlier I wasn't a cribber, I used to be content with what life and god bestowed on me. But with each passing day or rather semester I slowly ended up becoming more and more discontent, with life with my career choice, with my inability to not stand up to my parents et al. Yet there was no one to blame but me and in doing so many-a-times I slipped into the black hole of pessimism. Time and again I resurfaced and lived my life with joy; I enjoyed all the time spent in college and yet I wasn't as optimistic as I used to be.<br />
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Then hours turned to days and eventually years and now I was a fresh graduate with no job. Was I unhappy? No hell no, I wasn't I was finally relieved to be out of that thing called engineering. I though the world was my sky and I free bird.<br />
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My first task was to bask in the new found freedom and then join a NGO which I always wanted to do. Second would be to find a job where I want to work. And third? Well I hadn't thought that far.<br />
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My first hurdle was crossed and I landed in MAD. I was exuberant and joyous than I had been in ages. Every Sunday I used to go to my center and teach the boys (yes mine was an only boys center) English. Some Sundays were fun while some taxing and occasionally a few were emotionally draining too.<br />
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Now what did I do the other six odd days? Well I posted job resumes everywhere I knew, I went for job interviews etc. Every place I went I was turned down with a no. Some said though I was good, I was over-qualified, some others said why don't I try an engineering firm and some directly turned me down saying I was under-qualified (shocked!!!) and well some I rejected because it wasn't feasible to travel 2 hours for an Rs.8,000 that too six days a week.<br />
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All in all everything was a failure. Add to that my mum fell ill and all the household work fell on my shoulders. No one to share, no one to hang out with and too much tension. This time I slipped into the well of pessimism and cribbed that why can't I have anything? No job, no this no that. In my own words I was pathetic.<br />
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It was during one such MAD class on a Sunday when one of my student was not attentive at all and we were doing some activity on family. Me and my co thought that maybe staying in a shelter home apart from family is affecting him but we let it go, as there was nothing we could do. And then to my horror E started crying ( I won't name him, I respect his privacy but his name was from E).<br />
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What do you do, when a 13-year old young boy suddenly starts crying and you don't know what to do? Finally we calmed him down and asked him what was the matter?<br />
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First he wouldn't open up then with lots of coaxing he did, he said it was his mothers death anniversary and he was missing her a lot today, moreover we started teaching them about family so it hurt more. We asked do you want to call your father, we can go to Brother and tell him. He said, "No I don't have a father." On further inquiry we came to know he was an orphan and he just had an elder sister to was herself staying with a guardian and studying. And since his guardians couldn't afford his quality education, they sent him here so that he gets to stay in boarding and attend a convent school. He said, though sometimes he feels very lonely here and misses his parents, he has to make a name and life for himself and his sister. And that gives him hope and he continues to smile.<br />
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The shock of this left me reeling, in that one moment everything fell into perspective. Here I was cribbing over not getting a job, because I was searching somewhere where I didn't fit. When in reality I had loving parents, a roof of my own to live in and I wasn't devoid of money for my basic needs. what was I cribbing for? Why was I sad when in reality I had all the joys one wishes for.<br />
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This young brave brave boy in some weird way gave me back my lost optimism. Slowly and steadily I started searching a job in the field I graduated and eventually 2 months later, I got a job as a teacher in a college. Something I hadn't expected and I was happy, yes truly happy.<br />
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It was then that I finally realized <i>"Best things come in small packages." </i>All we need in life is a little hope and <i>optimism </i>and every good thing follows automatically. I finally <a href="https://housing.com/lookup"><i>looked up</i></a> to joys and true contentment and happiness.<br />
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<i>This is my official post inspired by <a href="https://housing.com/lookup">Housing.com - Look Up.</a></i></div>
Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-55091063615198870772015-01-26T22:13:00.002-08:002015-01-26T22:15:45.724-08:00Red Blotches, Why Me?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Back then in my Junior College days, the teenage days when almost all girls tend to be affected by pimples and have their faces covered with scarfs because of the red dots splattering their cheeks, I roamed carefree with not a single pimple in sight. I considered myself lucky and prided my bath soap for keeping me away from harms way.<br />
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JC ended and I stepped onto the next pedestal, the Engineering College days. Not that I was very happy getting into it, after all my dreams of joining media studies were blown away. The dream was short lived just like my lucky-prided no pimple free self, as it would be known. Year One passed uneventfully, with me going about my routine fussing over nothing and happily welcoming the succeeding Year Two. Year Two began on a dramatic note and well the end? Grr I don't even want to think about it..<br />
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It was in the fall of 2010 that my pimple chronicles began and continued to worsen over the winter. Year Two was supposed to be the year of the IV err Industrial Visit that was more like a Jab We Met; with we running behind the train. But coming to the main topic, yes it was the year of the IV and just like the planning to visit North began in fall slowly and steadily; the red blotches started marring my pretty face almost the same way, slowly and steadily. First they were less small patches here and there and then they grew into full fledged pimples by the time 2011 arrived. I was worried, worried is an understatement I was quiet dramatically worried. And thus, started my problems. For ease and less drama let me list down the problems I now started facing on a daily basis;<br />
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1. Itchy, very itchy skin add oily to that too.</div>
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2. Reactions, plenty of them. Gosh even my most prided soap couldn't be spared.</div>
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3. No makeup(okay I practically applied none but well what I meant was Talc) so not even talc.</div>
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4. Worried about how I looked when it came to fests especially.</div>
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5. Being teased by friends mercilessly, karma is a bitch truly.</div>
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6. And so on, so on as my principal always concluded his speeches....</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xdyocNyYzLKvKFRjRYuvhr0hYiE1BLAW9DehjV9oYCu-NNQI13avxSeEu_JEqXVTxAE39GrBPSKfJkMAvXJx9GuL-VCBG2IHkntHXDBxUGUlq2ZWkPcCdVlyuLT6DITq2113GOoPlpJ2/s1600/face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9xdyocNyYzLKvKFRjRYuvhr0hYiE1BLAW9DehjV9oYCu-NNQI13avxSeEu_JEqXVTxAE39GrBPSKfJkMAvXJx9GuL-VCBG2IHkntHXDBxUGUlq2ZWkPcCdVlyuLT6DITq2113GOoPlpJ2/s1600/face.jpg" height="287" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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So with so many problems, I obviously tried a lot of solutions. Right from one face wash to another, not to forget the special dermatologist treatment. Alas! All failed and I was promoted to my Year Three and with that even my pimples. Eventually, I was tired and thought of giving up all the creams and medicines et al. when a miracle, an angel arrived.<br />
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Out of routine, one fine supermarket visit and my mum got Garnier Neem FaceWash for my sister, note my sister and not me; after all she is the one who used it. And looking back now it would seem that the stars were finally aligned in the right direction. As I came home one fine evening, after a tiring day in college and later on an extreme struggle in college; I went to wash my face but what do I see? My precious oh-so-expensive facewash and serum got over! What now? I was tired and secondly I was in no mood to go down and get a new one<i> *after all it wasn't really working.*</i> So out of laziness I ended up using my sister's facewash and continued using it for the next whole week. And viola suddenly it seemed like there was something different. My face, my face was improving, the pimples were finally leaving me!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rescuer !!</td></tr>
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I could not believe yet I carried on with the experiment,<i> *yes now it dramatically was called experiment instead of laziness*</i> one week then two and the pimples magically started disappearing slowly and steadily. In no time, okay almost three months my face was back to how it was, Looking back now it feels like ironic, the solution was right in my home and yet I went to search it outside failing miserably. Sometimes I feel glad of my laziness that day, had it not been for it who knows I would still be a victim of those monstrous red blotches, ruling my face. Ending my story on a dramatic note, I'm indeed glad for the karmic intervention! And now I use it daily!<br />
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This post has been written for <a href="http://bit.ly/GPABlogLinkIndiBloggerActivity" style="background-color: white; color: #29a8bb; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">bit.ly/GPABlogLinkIndiBloggerActivity</a><span style="color: #222222;"> and </span><a href="http://bit.ly/GarnierPureActiveNeemWebsite" style="background-color: white; color: #29a8bb; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">bit.ly/GarnierPureActiveNeemWebsite</a><br />
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-66774581989895850432014-11-17T01:36:00.000-08:002014-11-17T01:40:24.118-08:00A Healthy Child Makes a Healthy Home <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There is a famous English Proverb that goes as, <i>"The soul is healed by being with children."</i><br />
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Children make our heart soar with happiness, contentment and joy. They not only lift up our spirits but in ways unknown help us to be better adults. There is a child in all of us, after all we too were once children and our parents nurtured us to grow into healthy adults. </div>
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We had a home, our parents who took care of our every need. Right from our clothes to our nutrition. But what about kids who don't have a home? Or who stay in an Orphanage or better yet a Shelter Home. We all know home is a place that resonates with the joy of being with family, our parents. However, not every kid is fortunate enough to have parents, does it mean they don't have a chance at a being a healthy nutritious choice? They do, they have every right.</div>
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So why this post or what reminded me of it? Last year I used to teach in a Shelter "Home" and those kids stayed away from their parents for 6 months at a stretch and till the time they stayed there we taught them. And believe me, teaching was not mere teaching like going and coming back home, it was so much more. I was attached to the kids and the kids to their teachers. </div>
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There was one such incident that reminded me of this, I had a student who was very mischievous, he couldn't sit in one place for long always jumping and reading chapters which were yet to come. He looked like a 5th std kid but in reality he was a class 8th student. Somewhere around mid-term suddenly for more than two consecutive days he wasn't coming to the class. The class sudden;y seemed dull, I mean it was class of mere 4 and in that too one child missing, it is tough. Finally no longer being able to control my concern after my class ended I went to Brother and asked him where Blaise is; he was unwell. </div>
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In brother's word, three days ago when he was playing football with the other children he was dizzy and fell to the ground. They took him to a local doctor and he said this happened because he wasn't getting the nutrition required for a thirteen year old boy. He gave some vitamins and other iron supplements. With this he even said that they could give him some Dabur Chyawanprash, this is clinically tested and proven to boost immunity and supply the necessary nutrients to developing kids. </div>
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<i>"A healthy child makes a happy home"</i>, this is true not only for kids who stay with their parents. Every child deserves a bright future and being healthy makes the journey less trudging. After all, home is where the heart is, and that shelter home is his Home. </div>
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This is the nutrient supplement that the doctor suggested, </div>
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<a href="https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/"> https://www.liveveda.com/daburchyawanprash/</a></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-51903455257896483132014-10-29T11:44:00.000-07:002014-10-29T12:36:09.440-07:00Book Bond With Ashwin Sanghi - Prelude to Tata Lit Live<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Photograph Credit: Vaisakhi Mishra</td></tr>
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The most awaited International Literature Festival in Mumbai - Tata Literature Live has finally arrived. This is the <b>Fifth </b>consecutive year that the fest is being held, this year the dates allotted are Thursday 30th October to Sunday 2nd November 2014. The schedule is out and the venue is NCPA and Prithvi Theatre. Each year the festival has more add-on's that highlight the beauty of literature surrounding us and connects it to the masses with collaboration with media.<br />
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The festival is an enriching platter full of various speakers, award winning novelist, journalist et al. A sneak peak into the fest that connects over 125 artists under one roof. The speakers would be Amir Or - The multi-awarded poet whose written 18 poetry's in Hebrew and whose work has been translated in over 40 languages, the bestselling author Anita Nair, the young Eurig Salisbury who won Welsh Children’s Poet Laureate) 2011–13, Amish Tripathi, Ayaz Memon and Barkha Dutt to name a few.<br />
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As a prelude to the upcoming festival, the Tata Lit Live team organized a Book Bond meet and greet event with author Ashwin Sanghi (Chanakya's Chant and The Krishna Key), for bloggers in Mumbai. The event took place on 20th October at Vivanta by Taj, Mumbai. The whole session that lasted around say roughly around 1- 1.5 hours was a captivating and an interactive one.<br />
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It started off with Anil Dharker, Mumbai based writer, columnist and the director of the festival initiated the evening discussion. The session heavily focused on the Indian literature, our outlook towards it, the current and the past trends of publishing and the center of it all - The Indian Author and the Publishing Industry. The discussion sifted effortlessly on how we have evolved both as a reader and an author, still not losing touch with our history and the deep rooted mythology. There was a considerable amount of time devoted to mythology, as Ashwin Sanghi has structured his stories around them, countless discussions of God and sharing of funny incidences from both the authors and bloggers lives enlivened the evening.<br />
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One of the best part was that, this discussion had a bit of an informal touch where we came to know a bit more about Ashwin as to how he started of with being an accountant to a novelist. And how his maternal grandfather gifted him a book till he passed away. Now I'm not so good at remembering numbers but the round figure what he said was somewhere around 370 or 377, and the best part being he still has all those copies (he remembers not because he still has that book keeping streak in him but also because the books are numbered.) I was totally in awe of his grandfather and how he shaped Ashwin to what he is today, a brilliant author and an equally humble man!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Photograph Credit: TataLitLive</td></tr>
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Coming back to the discussion, we not only came to know how the Tata Literature Festival was conceived or about Ashwin's journey but a lot of other minute things that we tend to neglect. The discussion was thrown open to bloggers, with several new questions that brightened the evening further. And giving a world view of different perspective. Along with prose even poetry was subject touched upon where Anil Dharkar said,<i> “Poetry is the final distillation of Literature, of thoughts. But very few get it and poets are even less.”</i><br />
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Anil Dharker officially announced the shortlists for 3 coveted Book Awards – Tata Literature Live!<br />
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1. Book of the Year (Fiction & Non-fiction),<br />
2. Tata Literature Live! First Book Award (Fiction & Non-fiction) and<br />
3. Tata Literature Live! Business Book Award<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photograph Credit: TataLitLive</td></tr>
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Alas! All good things come to an end, and so did this evening. But is any literary event complete without a book? No right, the highlight of the evening was the autographed copies of ‘Private India’. by Ashwin Sanghi co-authored with James Patterson,<br />
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Awaiting the festival that commences tomorrow! Keep on reading and re-reading.<br />
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<i>-Fatima</i></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-12482979659024067172014-10-06T05:51:00.000-07:002014-10-08T05:52:23.155-07:00Social Media Week Mumbai 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've always been interested in Art, Culture, Media and Literature. There is something about media that when blended with society brings about a change, a betterment. Being part of NGO's I can say I've been part of this social movement, bringing about change in the most basic of ways. Be it either teaching young shelter home kids or elders who wish to improve their communication in English so as to raise themselves to a better employment sector of our society. In a way, it helped me view the lives of people at the grass-root level thereby understanding them and bringing a smile on their faces. But despite all this, I never did get a chance to explore it in the media way, I always heard about various organizations fighting for trafficking or rape victims but never got a chance to interact with them directly. Then apart from that there is always a factor of blogging, being an avid blogger myself I wanted to socialize and venture more into this arena.<br />
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Blogadda gave me this opportunity to attend social media week, (me thinks if I didn't get this opportunity I wouldn't have found time in my schedule to even attend it). The Social Media Week was held in Mumbai, at Novotel Hotel, Juhu.<br />
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So, I registered for 4 events that could fit my schedule but call it bad luck I could attend only 1 of them as I fell ill on the third day of the event :-/ and have just recuperated just yesterday. (Started off with mild fever and cold and went onto allergies that eventually banned me from leaving the bed). So end of this sob story, let's continue on the workshop I attended.<br />
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This is the pass I was given at the entrance and could be used for attending all the workshops and events. The event I attended was "A Perfect Bite" - A masterclass on Food Blogging by Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal. Ring a Bell? Nah..Okay let me stop the misery, she is a food blogger, an amazing one at that. Her blog is full of small notes and filled with personal touches as well as mouth watering recipes.<br />
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What I remember the most of her amazing session is this line, "Being a curator of information." She began the presentation by focusing on what is Blogging all about, how to be a blogger, make a blog and other smaller things that make a blogger.<br />
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Ten minutes post this, the presentation on Food Blogging finally began. Never being a food blogger, this one had me hooked; I wanted to know that how's and what's of food blogging. And who better teacher than the speaker herself.<br />
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Some of the points she spoke to be a Good Food Blogger were; Being a writer, A recipe creator, Food Stylist (how you present it to your audience), a photographer (very essential), Designer (plating and all is important) and finally a marketer. And finally every post should motivate the reader, motivate to try the recipes and eventually experiment their own recipes. <br />
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I would like to end this post on both a happy and a sour note. Happy because I agree with the speaker, that Blogging gave me an identity. And sad because I really wanted to attend this event, "CASE STUDY ON CITIZENS AGAINST RAPE, MOLESTATION & ATROCITIES (CARMA)" The speaker also the founder of CARMA Ashwin Mishra is a friend, we used to teach at MAD together and I had heard a lot about his organization with him, but sadly bad health made me miss this one; one which I deeply regret.<br />
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But I sincerely thank Blogadda Team for giving me this opportunity to attend this event, even though I attended one, it helped me realize that media is what we make of it.<br />
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<i>-Fatima</i> </div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-64337275501598980102014-08-30T12:45:00.003-07:002014-08-30T12:45:27.970-07:00North & South<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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What happens when things collide? When two extremes cross each other? Either we are shocked and bewildered or it's a pleasant surprise full of euphoria! This is exactly what happened to me on a certain 23rd August when I after lot of coaxing and cajoling by my blogger friends decided to lift my lazy self on a fine Saturday morning, boarding a Southbound train to go Colaba Causeway the shoppers delight in Mumbai. But I don't really love shopping so what could be of so much interest there that I dragged myself all the way till Churchgate that didn't tempt me into getting into an empty Northbound train..Obviously a cell phone store <i>Univercell Sync </i>nestled in the historic side of Mumbai, right next to Regal Cinema! <Shoppers Delight><br />
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I'm sure you must be wondering, what's so different about this new store that could set it apart from the already existing mobile stores all over? Well you got to visit to it :D but since, I already visited it; I take it upon me to be your esteemed tour guide and help you navigate through the store.<br />
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One of the best things of Univercell Sync is that you get everything and anything about phone under one roof; be it accessories, comparing different models, being able to choose the best one you prefer out of the rest, simple clarity if you are confused as to what to purchase. So, lets go step by step. The store in general is divided into 6 major sections.<br />
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1) Snap n Share:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunQ71qiTye1rsneKRjfapJoqpGsg59k6a4xCa1BF1LAYWqIzeMfcFKePGoBz3Ml75RhgooDlbwC7vsif0fLKOxmZTtcclmzAmCj_w-52LZCkG2oV6zpsdcJLhrTjGHB5554Q_7JK-nS-u/s1600/20140823_141259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunQ71qiTye1rsneKRjfapJoqpGsg59k6a4xCa1BF1LAYWqIzeMfcFKePGoBz3Ml75RhgooDlbwC7vsif0fLKOxmZTtcclmzAmCj_w-52LZCkG2oV6zpsdcJLhrTjGHB5554Q_7JK-nS-u/s1600/20140823_141259.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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A picture is worth a thousand words, or so it is told. For someone who loves clicking photographs be it selfie or otherwise, this is the one section where they need to hunt for the best phones in market irrespective of the brands. Rest assured you need not go online to compare the picture quality, the screen size etc it's all there at your disposal.<br />
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2) Muzik :<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pshog4dekMwR8yHBlTSYUYkBoydCDAa-IVHlWZSV0ccqXBng9j_OhA_nUJY1vZ_RyIoaACwb_IWreHK_lLwMpwHFeK9DTHNf11Gm7OzK_sZeIjSmQZLnTeQWi-XuOiv2KTWUDyo25RvY/s1600/20140823_141544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pshog4dekMwR8yHBlTSYUYkBoydCDAa-IVHlWZSV0ccqXBng9j_OhA_nUJY1vZ_RyIoaACwb_IWreHK_lLwMpwHFeK9DTHNf11Gm7OzK_sZeIjSmQZLnTeQWi-XuOiv2KTWUDyo25RvY/s1600/20140823_141544.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qT1dldJCbiq_Hd33E2qsmF6_i24L5llixw97nSOnGwHKbL_zEcvhTHGLbF6mimJyQn5_nf71GmYG5eClr4Yfr_UOXYQjPuJAJIX4dCYaqHyJjHlfB4-iwNI70mYVAODq44TASO6rJkQ3/s1600/20140823_141853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qT1dldJCbiq_Hd33E2qsmF6_i24L5llixw97nSOnGwHKbL_zEcvhTHGLbF6mimJyQn5_nf71GmYG5eClr4Yfr_UOXYQjPuJAJIX4dCYaqHyJjHlfB4-iwNI70mYVAODq44TASO6rJkQ3/s1600/20140823_141853.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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If music be the food of love, play on. Shakespeare believed in it, and chances are even you do. If, you're someone whose life is music- heart and soul. This is definitely where you can get not only the best sound quality phone depending on your taste but even all the accessories required; earplugs, headphones, soundshooter and even speakers.<br />
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Can you imagine, that there can actually be a whole section dedicated to phones just based on their sound quality? Well I couldn't before I experienced Univecell Sync.<br />
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3) New New Brand New<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKu9mDLOjEy1j_yrSwszzEklFcw7_yT6dCXysqyNeusU3UGcctPW1DWvdNdwEtZnSIYMF_u1CSY_tRH7dNB-DS1Ki840kl0crDbV3kIPL5GSsVBcXFsxQJ0tLJeDSHAVLsji5xs2eg8KUB/s1600/20140823_141128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKu9mDLOjEy1j_yrSwszzEklFcw7_yT6dCXysqyNeusU3UGcctPW1DWvdNdwEtZnSIYMF_u1CSY_tRH7dNB-DS1Ki840kl0crDbV3kIPL5GSsVBcXFsxQJ0tLJeDSHAVLsji5xs2eg8KUB/s1600/20140823_141128.jpg" height="300" width="400" /> </a></div>
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This is one of those sections that houses the latest models of phones in the market. These cell phones are the ones which are new in the market with promising features and quality. And the best part about this section is, it catches your eye the moment you step inside. </div>
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4) Popularity:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk1rzIsFveWP_lp0QkdEjuDIyszmh95aCS5C1nh3164cVW3oU3utdH41QsguQWyZD7pspUkgIA9i2mU-6t2QrIWOKALTnIu_RBr1GrDzHjr74YvsFj63nAtqnttjQwJBaRYqcxumHW1Fl/s1600/20140823_141111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCk1rzIsFveWP_lp0QkdEjuDIyszmh95aCS5C1nh3164cVW3oU3utdH41QsguQWyZD7pspUkgIA9i2mU-6t2QrIWOKALTnIu_RBr1GrDzHjr74YvsFj63nAtqnttjQwJBaRYqcxumHW1Fl/s1600/20140823_141111.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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This section has the popular phones in the market. Right from Nokia Lumia to a Nexus or a Samsung phone. Another feature of this section, is that it's visible from the outside <reminds me of window shopping tempting the shoppers to have a more closer look> </div>
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5) For You & Me<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOYJyQKc33G0ek7aerdvXvbBStSpf3M7Po7pWdPMiaooRkJYq5NisJyZzLT8zoEkvwhuN3kvCHjiBKkUKtafhNkBgGDNMgxinO7ZorZ2X8ENxHm_Ojog7b-zeSrkHGryfl6URA9Hso4-_/s1600/IMG_20140823_145706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOYJyQKc33G0ek7aerdvXvbBStSpf3M7Po7pWdPMiaooRkJYq5NisJyZzLT8zoEkvwhuN3kvCHjiBKkUKtafhNkBgGDNMgxinO7ZorZ2X8ENxHm_Ojog7b-zeSrkHGryfl6URA9Hso4-_/s1600/IMG_20140823_145706.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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As the name suggests, this is the aisle where you can view and compare phone that can everyday average user needs. Pocket friendly and covering every aspect required in a phone. Phone in this arena include models like Samsung I8262- Core Duos, Samsung Duos S and even brands like Karbonn and Micromax that have recently emerged in the Indian markets.</div>
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6) Tab Zone:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEVcPjy5HJ79ARC9P8O_S-wpuRbCoHmSaeInJ2Kjl-lcXescot59ivlE7gOIWn_yL8DBcGCPDc5-VDtjmInxzaJl0mbxkNBGipRLXiQP8Kb6wW_ebYLCoV5g1FuBf3ZYS7KhM8zWXm85q/s1600/20140823_143354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEVcPjy5HJ79ARC9P8O_S-wpuRbCoHmSaeInJ2Kjl-lcXescot59ivlE7gOIWn_yL8DBcGCPDc5-VDtjmInxzaJl0mbxkNBGipRLXiQP8Kb6wW_ebYLCoV5g1FuBf3ZYS7KhM8zWXm85q/s1600/20140823_143354.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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This is an area that concentrates more on the tabs that are currently in market. The main focus of this section, are kids, as these days the classrooms are more eco-friendly and e-based. This zone helps them experience the different tabs and their efficiency depending on their usage.<br />
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In addition to all this, the store is very simple and the decor as well as the placement of the phone is very subtle and sophisticated without any clutter. There are fun zones like the emoticon wall covered with all sorts of emotions for us emotional people :P I personally liked the store, it was both cozy and friendly even the store people seemed at easy and knowledgeable <most important isn't it :D ><br />
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So next time, you have a confusion which phone to buy and dunno where to go; hop into the nearest Univercell Sync store and rest assured you will be leaving the store with a good phone and a smile on your face :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRH9CZ61kgmdCV-zcQZcnhXhtyc4X6CwgOer9vxPKFVZVWbZRX5bX4rWSC2dJt2bVQYVpqctHG6V_6EO1gcAQkDJqKfmz9O8W-G218R27yaE1UYtZeWItt21hlLzqnH1lnkvjKeCzA1RUh/s1600/20140823_143258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRH9CZ61kgmdCV-zcQZcnhXhtyc4X6CwgOer9vxPKFVZVWbZRX5bX4rWSC2dJt2bVQYVpqctHG6V_6EO1gcAQkDJqKfmz9O8W-G218R27yaE1UYtZeWItt21hlLzqnH1lnkvjKeCzA1RUh/s1600/20140823_143258.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
The Address to the Store I visited is given below:<br />
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UniverCell,<br />
Cecil Court Building,<br />
Next to Regal Cinema,<br />
Cause Way, Mumbai.<br />
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P.S. - This post has been written as a part of the <a href="https://www.indiblogger.in/indistuff/14/">Univercell Sync Mumbai Store Review for Indiblogger.com</a><br />
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<i>-Fatima</i></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-78897870114755913802014-07-31T11:17:00.000-07:002014-07-31T11:29:27.615-07:00The Wizard of Oz err Skyscanner <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><b>Her: Dude I'm tired, I need a break. I so so wanna go on a holiday!</b></i><br />
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<i>Me: Duh, didn't you just go to Kashmir and Goa? It's me who needs a break...poor me couldn't even go to Goa Zest trip :-/</i></b><br />
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<i>Her: Yeah, poor you. *lost in a faraway land* You remember we had this bucket list back then in our 12th std.</i></b><br />
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<i>Me: I do, visiting so many places. Though I so wish I could go to Leh Ladakh or Sikkim now. </i></b><br />
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<i>Her: Omg omg! You are a genius Fati, let's go to Sikkim. </i></b><br />
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<i>Me: Hey Varsha take a breath, what are you saying? You've office I have college. How on earth? When..</i></b><br />
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This is how it all began two months ago, impromptu out of the blue deciding that come October we'll be packing our bags and going to Sikkim a place from our bucket list. Booking Airline tickets, car travel, hotel booking, sightseeing.. Ah! Easy Jet Set Go. It's a smart fast forward world, travelling is such a cake walk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAr4xxUZyW_pC_f0m8H2wUm9Ak_W9pOaOqL7CQaMsK8c7LbJ6R0H1kHBaqd4TSyCKVLKrj29orSYvrUeXuYzD-iQHir0flo6wl7OoHg524TVP535n-klh9H-Af5shoNq5SlVO2OunYntCr/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAr4xxUZyW_pC_f0m8H2wUm9Ak_W9pOaOqL7CQaMsK8c7LbJ6R0H1kHBaqd4TSyCKVLKrj29orSYvrUeXuYzD-iQHir0flo6wl7OoHg524TVP535n-klh9H-Af5shoNq5SlVO2OunYntCr/s1600/Untitled.jpg" height="454" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Tsomgo Lake, The Rumtek Monastery, the Flora and Fauna...gosh the evening sky, the simple way of life..away from the hustle bustle of Mumbai... I could just imagine how blissful our trip was going to be!<br />
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<i>*What was I thinking? Was I in my right mind? Why-o-why did I agree with V that I'll plan our whole trip, right from bookings to everything else :-/* </i><br />
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This is exactly what I was going through since two days, what for a mere 4 day tour. I just couldn't decide which flight to book, or which is a good hotel everything seemed like a big fat jumble mumble. Let, me let you in on a secret or the root cause of everything evil; I and Vaisakhi we are a little stingy and combining together we had only Rs. 1 Lakh to spare.<br />
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Frustrated to the core and on the verge of scrapping our trip or just yelling at someone. I suddenly came across something, something that seemed like a rainbow in the cloudy gray skies. It felt like magic, like it had a magic wand that vanished worries replacing them with joys and mirth! A wizard to aid me weave my modern travel tale, it felt like I was Glinda and the rescuer the wizard of Oz or in my words skyscanner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWzj_ABUAMkziKE7MdrwdnwpFacPSYlOb53Tg_hgs45mtFSjEn0XdBJaEVFOFA5sM8r-VvReP7755nm9QIjHR_7etLWcFNIVQMUCBKK11ljJe5BX8nQl43RXcdc9jG563peKX2Faq7JBz/s1600/skyscanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWzj_ABUAMkziKE7MdrwdnwpFacPSYlOb53Tg_hgs45mtFSjEn0XdBJaEVFOFA5sM8r-VvReP7755nm9QIjHR_7etLWcFNIVQMUCBKK11ljJe5BX8nQl43RXcdc9jG563peKX2Faq7JBz/s1600/skyscanner.jpg" height="195" width="400" /></a></div>
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Everything that seemed like an impossible task earlier now seemed to vanish in sight! Not only was I able to book my airplane tickets, I also pre-booked our car service and did the hotel bookings. And that too in a record time of 1 hour (well had to consult it with Varsha the developer too :D ) And at last I went on jotting down the places we would definitely visit.<br />
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Hold on a moment, you don't believe me do you? Gosh do not worry I knew you wouldn't and hence I have evidence to prove my truth! *she couldn't believe me too :P*<br />
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Actions Speak Louder than words so I will do my travel wizard do the talking :)<br />
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<i>Mumbai -- Bagdogra Airport -- Car/taxi to Gangtok -- Enjoying Sikkim -- Returning back home</i><br />
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<b>First thing First - The Flight Bookings: </b>Mumbai to Bagdogra flights are the fastest ! There were plenty of flights, sadly none were direct. While going it was less time, but while coming home it was more. Then it dawned, this is like a blessing in disguise as we decided to meet our friends from Delhi during the 2 hour halt at Delhi airport on our way home. And the best part...it was cheap? Yes and also it was so easier to compare ..no need for tedious algorithms or comparing techniques.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdIJ1jkOh8Gswq2KEsCI65A-H0wPdxke8KnMUXwl2noZtdZiS7EUeyjgH7ktk9EeVXxa-S6MNOqNyF1VuiX9jm5aGXwIGjSgJqQ9s_QN833DZeTh5eThEgXlt9HHNdPF2LJ16akOqvLeS/s1600/flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdIJ1jkOh8Gswq2KEsCI65A-H0wPdxke8KnMUXwl2noZtdZiS7EUeyjgH7ktk9EeVXxa-S6MNOqNyF1VuiX9jm5aGXwIGjSgJqQ9s_QN833DZeTh5eThEgXlt9HHNdPF2LJ16akOqvLeS/s1600/flight.jpg" height="640" width="436" /></a></div>
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<b>Second thing- Going from Bagdogra Airport to Gangtok: </b> Now this is important, if we don't reach Gangtok we don't get to see Sikkim plus we can't splurge more..uhu how are we to travel the exotic land then ! So then, I search the car hire section! Lo and Behold, not only am I able to book a cab but hey it was almost just Rs. 2200 approx so it was effective, the best thing was it wasn't about to shoot up around Rs.3000 :D<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmFuP_EASl7Hwq7Et_46KTrHmPe6_VXeZXA-RdulmhtR7SCX5BLTzlksMRCquIob5xmdz4Yz3Aisp2PJgC-9nfrX-2mCvb_ypLXddIzf59pXc82fMXdSanwFKhMZ_Yg_AmqzI6aylEWE7/s1600/car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmFuP_EASl7Hwq7Et_46KTrHmPe6_VXeZXA-RdulmhtR7SCX5BLTzlksMRCquIob5xmdz4Yz3Aisp2PJgC-9nfrX-2mCvb_ypLXddIzf59pXc82fMXdSanwFKhMZ_Yg_AmqzI6aylEWE7/s1600/car.jpg" height="422" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Hotel Reservations: </b>Princesses need royal treatment and hence, the perfect hotel for the perfect girls. We decided a well connected hotel that even serves breakfast was a good option. Dual beds and beautiful gardens..hard to resist.<br />
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For 3 nights, Rs.1 short of Rs.30,000 (Rs. 29,999) was a blessing !<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYHrtMPecwXPhSvuNDXR6_IoAKuPB2Yha5xlyWyQ7EI97q8YJgiTcj_nWmhHnF8XcdnNrzmKjk-Ykp2f770FGOF9ZMpFueuj2dPJRUBqmbQHMBtubdiPSOkvWLMXzAQjTNHw11vmFclVn/s1600/hotel+sikkim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYHrtMPecwXPhSvuNDXR6_IoAKuPB2Yha5xlyWyQ7EI97q8YJgiTcj_nWmhHnF8XcdnNrzmKjk-Ykp2f770FGOF9ZMpFueuj2dPJRUBqmbQHMBtubdiPSOkvWLMXzAQjTNHw11vmFclVn/s1600/hotel+sikkim.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div>
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Being the less spending people we are, I looked into our expenditure<br />
<b>Total Money Spent:</b> Just Rs.73493 *Is this for real? 1 hour ago I could fit anything in our budget and now our kitty has some money left..miracle!*<br />
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Can't help but share how much we <b>saved</b>, an oh my dear god amount of Rs. 26507<br />
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Just think now, we have so much saved that not only can we visit our favorite destinations but can also do a little shopping. Which girl doesn't love to shop and when there are not one but two, you can imagine :D<br />
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When now I'm busy packing up my bags, coordinating with V and checking if everything is in place. But I promise you, when I'm back I'll share all the beautiful pics of all the beautiful places we visited!<br />
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As I sit, to pen down my diary for the night I see this post of mine written some time ago! Feels like a complete circle, I wished to visit Sikkim and my wizard made it all possible! Who said magic is wands and fairies, a timeless folklore written to soothe young children. I felt that too earlier, but skyscanner made me believe, believe that magic exists, if only we know to look for it! Magic is indeed there and it's Special!<br />
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<i><b>There are places and then there are places. Every person we meet has a story to tell, likewise every place has a story of it's own. Some stories we are able to see and read about in scriptures while the others are only to be felt. Every time we talk about travel all I usually hear is "I wish to go to Venice or I so wanna go to Malaysia or Dubai" but me I beg to differ. I wish to experience and explore my own motherland before I venture outside. There are loads of places that I visit and capture in my memory album, though there is one that outweighs the rest. I read this on some website about this place, "Good things come in small packages that's what describes Sikkim the best." And believe me nothing describes it best!</b></i><br />
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<i>-Fatima</i></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-16020476258841108762014-07-24T13:20:00.001-07:002014-07-24T13:20:21.934-07:00Magical Black<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I simply can't get enough of black and my list just keeps on increasing, someday it is black coffee (which is readily available) then the order day it is a black audi (a distant dream). With all my wishes cramping up and no space to store, I thought about penning it down in a list, at least 5 of them which I think every girl should have.<br />
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<b>1. Black Iphone 5S:</b> There is no comparison to Apple, it is by far the best in the market and unfortunately the most expensive one. Where people around me are gushing on the golden Iphone or the Silver one, all I wish for is the black. Not only does it add to the alluring mysterious classic factor, you aren't tagged girly or common by everyone.<br />
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<b>2. Black MacBook Air:</b> I am a gadget freak *alright not that much* but when it comes to computers and mobiles, yes I am. And just like my craze for a black Iphone, I equally yearn for the MacBook Air in black. My best buddy loves the silver one and keeps on gushing about how sexy it is, but hey isn't my favourite black supposed to be that? Duh! And I so so wish that the Apple people start creating one in black. *praying hoping wishing land*<br />
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<b>3. Black Watch:</b> A watch is an item that describes your personality, at least I am someone who looks at people's watches and tries to decipher them. Wearing floral watches is fun, but sometimes in a formal setting a black classy Titan watch can do wonders.<br />
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<b>4. Black Bose AE2 Headphones:</b> Music is my life, or at least I consider it to be. And what better way to enhance the experience other than buying a Bose one. Although I agree white is in vogue, nothing beats the ever trending black. You don't even need to bother if it get stain marks *if you are not an organized person and tend to keep things anywhere without a care it matters.*<br />
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<b>5. Black Gucci Bag:</b> Girls and shopping are synonymous, I am no different than others in this one. A black Gucci bag not only sounds cool, awesome and costly but it is worth it. Flawless black can be teamed up with any color dress and tada you are the spotlight of the party.And I so so wanna buy one someday. <br />
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<i>-Fatima</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">This post is a part of </span><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://whattheblack.blogadda.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; outline: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="WhatTheBlack"><b><span style="color: #444444;">#WhatTheBlack</span></b></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">activity at </span><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><a href="http://www.blogadda.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="BlogAdda.com">BlogAdda.com</a></b></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-55336506343960094062014-07-24T12:54:00.003-07:002014-07-26T05:05:09.336-07:00Dark Paradise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2P15hknyAHeSgp_8YHLrFBux6v5YGZFzZ1t6ftZpNSgXO9ahyc0ioF622m7fOewZ8M6EovYBLTRm-2ql0nJw7q14WPrRcCm3DR6-hfVk3alAFgu1mBOJXtq8udfrC_fNN3uyhwW9XcJAU/s1600/blac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2P15hknyAHeSgp_8YHLrFBux6v5YGZFzZ1t6ftZpNSgXO9ahyc0ioF622m7fOewZ8M6EovYBLTRm-2ql0nJw7q14WPrRcCm3DR6-hfVk3alAFgu1mBOJXtq8udfrC_fNN3uyhwW9XcJAU/s1600/blac.jpg" height="347" width="500" /></a></div>
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The world is an amalgam of black and white, whilst white is all about peace there is something mysterious about the opposite that allures me. The mysterious black creeps up and engulfs me like the sky envelopes the bright stars at twilight.<br />
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I'm not like that wicked vampire who hunts at night, notoriously nocturnal is what I call myself. Black tempts me into submission and I do not shy. Black night sky, black heels and even all black gadgets. And though I'm a pretty zesty person full of tang, there is a part of me that craves to be kept hidden as,<br />
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Black is sexy, Black is rare..</div>
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With all the notoriety surrounding it..</div>
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I'm tempted to open my Pandora's Box..</div>
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And list out all that I voraciously crave and care..</div>
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<b>Black Piano:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0Yf0gD8rWNKh80_U08P1KUUNW04-2u0ZxmMpiI4GzClNZbNRWzfOJCKKzQJGLlSSSy6dKqxccFJjls9ZY0j8PlsGoOfG8jxX8PpqKxPuW_OKcdRjBsA3y1T4uvSo1FUKnnpyRrqF5dV6/s1600/piano_wallpaper_by_celerybear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0Yf0gD8rWNKh80_U08P1KUUNW04-2u0ZxmMpiI4GzClNZbNRWzfOJCKKzQJGLlSSSy6dKqxccFJjls9ZY0j8PlsGoOfG8jxX8PpqKxPuW_OKcdRjBsA3y1T4uvSo1FUKnnpyRrqF5dV6/s1600/piano_wallpaper_by_celerybear.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>I believe in music the way that some people believe in fairy tales!</i><br />
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I still remember the very first and the only time I played a piano. I was in my 5th grade, and me being one of the naughty kids, ventured to an abandoned corner in the school and came across this ancient worn out piano. Something in me tickled, tempting me to run my hands on the rough broken keys. I don't remember the sound much, as I was caught soon after. But it stuck with me. Even today after such a long time, I yearn to learn to play the piano and own one in a startling black colour. </div>
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Dreams dreams day dreams, one that I hope comes true one day! :D</div>
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<b>Black Net Saree:</b> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwblT1QUpzoSdhbgdHP-LkVl8NVHT7wNg6FGFf49Go5mKVsPTvnQtdTToEHAY7YbHa-YWW9d9Ublv58m62lQjXHPs3WxUJ4EkZFMr_WualtaqlCCgyxZTg-oL1iN7ipfb_6NSJjAd16VJ/s1600/Downloads10.preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwblT1QUpzoSdhbgdHP-LkVl8NVHT7wNg6FGFf49Go5mKVsPTvnQtdTToEHAY7YbHa-YWW9d9Ublv58m62lQjXHPs3WxUJ4EkZFMr_WualtaqlCCgyxZTg-oL1iN7ipfb_6NSJjAd16VJ/s1600/Downloads10.preview.jpg" height="492" width="590" /></a></div>
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Sarees gosh I gush over them like anything. Not only are they the perfect ensemble with an earthly ethnic charm. To me they are the perfect sensual symbol. And what more than a black saree. Believe me even a Miss red is sultry girl like me lusts over the perfect black net saree.. <br />
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<b>Black Arabian Stallion:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AWduQPT8HDgCnvKivXXo4lWPraI5nvfTzK8lnWLW7AlopNHADRBviKg1h2vaBpJPy9lK6QANp2QeTOzYZPrf7IyTQ204t0lM8btpiD7IUZFchb6sAgg0d8yRqM7d_iUkwNG4VE_7hble/s1600/Princess-riding-Black-Stallion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AWduQPT8HDgCnvKivXXo4lWPraI5nvfTzK8lnWLW7AlopNHADRBviKg1h2vaBpJPy9lK6QANp2QeTOzYZPrf7IyTQ204t0lM8btpiD7IUZFchb6sAgg0d8yRqM7d_iUkwNG4VE_7hble/s1600/Princess-riding-Black-Stallion.jpg" height="260" width="400" /></a></div>
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Regency Era, Victorian Era and till the early 20th Century is the time period that fascinates me the most. I've grown up reading about those amazing Jane Austen novels to Elizabeth Gaskell. Not to forget the fairy tales where Prince Charming comes riding on his Arabian Stallion. My love for horses began due to my love of historical classic fiction where the girl goes riding with her chaperon adoring her special riding habit. </div>
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This is one of the most weirdest wishes of them all but I do hope that someday I get to own my own horse. Go riding in the country side, of course with a chaperon else I would drive the Stallion mad making him throw me down with a bang :P</div>
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<b>Black Teardrop Pendant:</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNdqxNhWYWFtI97ju_7qiOsMoc_EgMy9ruW8cB2bSOlW-fm93llmXovst5X4A7S8Ucw67T27sD5ahIhrmA69I9H8AlJBREXAuLrdmhieQMB53h6AqrqsQ_0v4cuAXX-bAJ9bE461l-iz1/s1600/black-glass-teardrop-pendant-with-silver-flower-details-and-silver-chain-441-p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNdqxNhWYWFtI97ju_7qiOsMoc_EgMy9ruW8cB2bSOlW-fm93llmXovst5X4A7S8Ucw67T27sD5ahIhrmA69I9H8AlJBREXAuLrdmhieQMB53h6AqrqsQ_0v4cuAXX-bAJ9bE461l-iz1/s1600/black-glass-teardrop-pendant-with-silver-flower-details-and-silver-chain-441-p.jpg" height="320" width="126" /></a></div>
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I don't like the concept of "the more the merrier" and hence I prefer wearing no or minimal jewelry. Out of all these essential items, one thing that I wish to have in my collection is a black teardrop pendant. Not only is it simple and poised, it looks pretty too. </div>
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In fact, I can easily imagine myself wearing a black net saree with the teardrop pendant necklace! A truly suave and sophisticated combination!</div>
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<b>Black Tea Set:</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9v1Z0npbFkxIicoYBpj4e_GzakH45T61NEDoIE0wXcuBD8oatDgSaHg4N5w05j0UcUGVc_HwXmmBPD9Nt-3yIe0szb2zmLAXLl8oMwSf2cp2H-hOrTreDnJIn4sCynhQMN4-57BSGoPa/s1600/tea+set.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9v1Z0npbFkxIicoYBpj4e_GzakH45T61NEDoIE0wXcuBD8oatDgSaHg4N5w05j0UcUGVc_HwXmmBPD9Nt-3yIe0szb2zmLAXLl8oMwSf2cp2H-hOrTreDnJIn4sCynhQMN4-57BSGoPa/s1600/tea+set.jpg" height="355" width="400" /></a></div>
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Did I mention that I'm a tea freak; Earl Gray, Camomile , Simple Indian Masala chai each one of them. It soothes me down when I'm hyper, helps me sleep when I'm insomniac and fills my tummy when I'm hungry (tea & biscuits :P) Coupled with it the fact, I like that make your own tea according to your taste. </div>
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Not to forget that, I'm a sucker for traditional royal way of drinking tea, in delicate cups saucers and a cute little kettle. But then there are days when I can't handle all the flowery texture on them and for days like those I dream to own one black tea set; simple elegant and classy. Well if only, my dearest mother agreed and let me buy one in suave black. </div>
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These things in the mysterious black..</div>
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Are the ones that adorn my dark paradise..</div>
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The only ones that keep me wishing..</div>
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Wishing, on a wishing star..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcRmU_QxyceUV0Rc4xpyBa4T2diyZBBU4dC6y4e2OazaHWeivx7_yTM4qcNQOVsvGWMmVxBgbv4Sp4r3ThagVDoy70XadX_K052NCnTZAUqhNaXiBMc2j3j5Is7YkEKHXDsGh3NTRvoBn/s1600/wish+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcRmU_QxyceUV0Rc4xpyBa4T2diyZBBU4dC6y4e2OazaHWeivx7_yTM4qcNQOVsvGWMmVxBgbv4Sp4r3ThagVDoy70XadX_K052NCnTZAUqhNaXiBMc2j3j5Is7YkEKHXDsGh3NTRvoBn/s1600/wish+-+Copy.jpg" height="247" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>-Fatima</i></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-53082376510694452522014-07-20T12:02:00.000-07:002014-07-20T12:07:34.657-07:00A Zillion Zests !<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have to admit that there are about a "ZILLION" things and activities that add zest to my not so changing everyday life. And since I can't help but talk and share, here's some more!!<br />
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<b>DREAMS.........</b><br />
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Midst all those 'pushes' and 'punches' and BETTER than daily soap, free of charge fighting lessons in train, I just get lost in those adventurous dreams of mine which rejuvenate me instantly. I always end up imagining myself next to Tom Cruise as his co star in all his Mission Impossible series with a amazing gadgets and gizmos battling the bad guys and then jumping and boarding an already airborne helicopter which is getting away.... and what not. And then dancing like Madhuri with all eyes fixed at me. It surely makes up my mood and I'm full of zest. I have to confess that I'm a bit afraid of heights but it is my inner most dreams that I want to fulfill and that is SKYDIVING. Amazing isn't it?? Even the thought of falling from a height say 50,000 feet gives anybody a cold feet, it gives me too but with that it also fills you with enthusiasm that can make your day.<br />
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<b>SHOPPING !!!!!</b><br />
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Ok I might have never mentioned it before but those sparkling heels surely puts my heart in race. No matter how bad my day was or no matter how much I'm tired, but never ever deny a friend who needs my company for shopping. Amazing collection of anarkali's coupled with matching dangling earrings with perfect stilettos are a dream come true. An entire day spent in mall or market is worth it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yeHBDx2szH_X_2Er8Q_ppCis6l9wjwxwKW7OTTR2gluNceKyL3kpOC4CKr8BqUK1CXHCKZnjqKYDozJrRNEVsrMV49hGF86uc8KMZhqQxlX1v4wX-4wQFm86IoIm3ZVadbCYZzR8YmHs/s1600/woman-shopping-for-shoes-le-blow.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yeHBDx2szH_X_2Er8Q_ppCis6l9wjwxwKW7OTTR2gluNceKyL3kpOC4CKr8BqUK1CXHCKZnjqKYDozJrRNEVsrMV49hGF86uc8KMZhqQxlX1v4wX-4wQFm86IoIm3ZVadbCYZzR8YmHs/s1600/woman-shopping-for-shoes-le-blow.jpeg" height="212" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<b>FASHION WEEK </b><br />
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Since I'm a shopaholic this shouldn't surprise you :D. Now since I'm not so fortunate enough to physically go there and attend the best of best brands by the designer, I quench my thirst for fashion by RELIGIOUSLY watching the fashion week on T.V. My favorite...Milan Fashion Week.<br />
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<b>TREKKING@@@</b><br />
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Putting on those trekking shoes and heavy backpack stuffed with energy bars and drinks I end with a few friends on a green mount top posing for funny but pictures of enthralling locations. It's not something I do very often but once or twice a year is enough for the beautiful memories to gather and surround me in a boring or lonely atmosphere. Now since it's raining that amazing fragrance that arises when water droplets touch the soft soil is intoxicating. And anybody..ANYBODY is sure to feel the wave of zest through his or spine when cold breeze brushes through your hair and touches your soul with this fragrance....<br />
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<b>FRIENDS</b><br />
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Last but not the least. Even if the above mentioned things don't workout for me sometimes, my friends always do. They are like your part of soul. Aware of every fault in you but still love you flawlessly. even if I irritate them to fullest they always take a revenge which leaves a big smile on my face, tears in my eyes, red cheeks and a terrible pain in my stomach which I can't stop. Surprisingly I never want that pain to go away because that pain is fuel to my feeling full of zest. Of all the best moments and times of my life, I owe 98% of it to them. So hats off to my amazing friends!!!!<br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">This post is a part of the </span><a href="http://zest.blogadda.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Zest Up Your Life">#ZestUpYourLife</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> activity in association with </span><a href="http://tatamotorszest.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="TATA Motors Zest">TATA Zest and</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><a href="http://www.blogadda.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="BlogAdda.com">BlogAdda.com</a></b><br />
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<b><i>-Fatima</i></b></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-69549509174492216282014-07-20T10:31:00.001-07:002014-07-20T12:02:06.247-07:00Zesty Like Citrus <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>“What is this life if, full of care. We have no time to stand and stare.” </i></b></div>
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Life passes by us, just like those tiny hands of the clock slowly ticking away. Moving in a monotonous pace, living the mundane life is what most of us do, don’t we? Home-Work-Eat-Work-Home. Tada! The day is over. Where is the enthusiasm, where is the zest? <br />
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So on this ‘mundane’ Sunday I sat on my usual isolated location surrounded by books and kept on<br />
pondering. Is there nothing that keeps me motivating, prodding me to look ahead to each new day or is there something that triggers me into welcoming the morning sunshine with a sleepy yet satiated smile? And the answer was instantaneous, what maybe be boring to someone may be tangy to someone else. Here, the someone else being me :D<br />
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So since, I’m such a zesty person with so much gusto let me even be a little less lazier and share it out here on my blog.<br />
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<b>Reading:</b><br />
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Reading anytime, anywhere as long as it is not a boring non-fiction or a business journal. You’ve got me hooked. I am such a novel freak that even though my poor smartphone is overflowing I have overstuffed it with e-books. The other day my friend exclaimed, what you don’t have Candy Crush Saga in your phone! Embarrassing moment it should have been but it wasn’t, the love the feel of losing myself in a book, paperback or electronic. Even after a long tiring day, reading a book cheers me up. If it’s a classic it’s a boon!<br />
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<b>Watching Movies:</b><br />
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Now I ain’t saying I’m a die-hard movie buff or someone who no matter what watches the “First day First show.” Nah I’m not that kind of a girl but there are days when even reading seems painstaking and I’m drooping. That’s what those movies come to the rescue. 3-4 back to back and I’m bouncing back letting go of my aridity. It’s a bliss and I totally fall in love with cinema and life all over again.<br />
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<b>Cooking is Therapeutic:</b><br />
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I’m not a big time foodie but I’m a very choosy picky eater. Throughout my life I’ve bugged my mum, sometimes I still do coz I don’t like the way she makes it or it’s not my favorite. This was how my love for cooking was born. Experimenting with various cuisines, whipping something yummy with very less ingredients; in short cooking gives me a high. The first time I cooked something was way back in my 8th std. believe me it was a disaster apart from me no one ate it. But over the years, not only has my cooking evolved but my family looks forward to my cooking. On a very secretive note, I think my mum is very happy as she has got a break from her cooking, as she just gets to enjoy like a good patron and I’m the poor chef.<br />
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<b>Silver Moon and Sea:</b><br />
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I’m a true romantic and I live in place where the lord has bestowed us with sand n sea. Fusing them together, I love strolling along the sea side at night, with the stars shining bright. Not only is it pleasurable and refreshing. It even drains out the fatigue of the long hard day. Though this delightful activity is not possible daily, I try to take out time on weekends to unwind.<br />
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<b>Chatterbox: </b><br />
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I simply cannot help it. I am undoubtedly and blatantly a talkative. It’s not like I haven’t tried to curb it or in the most lower it. It simply does not happen. My report cards have been constantly been having this remark, “She’s talkative or She’s a chatterbox or She’s simply too exuberant.” I don’t really know if it’s a good thing or bad, but even when I’m low or sad I’ll be talking. Hell I end up talking more than usual then. It might come across as a turn off to someone silent, but chatting make me lively and vivacious.<br />
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I would like to end on this note, zest is different for everyone else. For someone it might be the loud pumping music of a disc, for another a quiet night curled up with a book on a couch would provide the same high. What matters is what elevates you and gives you a high.<br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;">This post is a part of the </span><a href="http://zest.blogadda.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Zest Up Your Life">#ZestUpYourLife</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> activity in association with </span><a href="http://tatamotorszest.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="TATA Motors Zest">TATA Zest and</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px;"> </span><a href="http://www.blogadda.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.559999465942383px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="BlogAdda.com">BlogAdda.com</a></b><br />
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<b><i>-Fatima</i></b></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-83125482095807363702014-06-23T11:11:00.000-07:002014-06-24T09:17:52.373-07:00Zindagi Gulzar Hai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><b>"Zindagi bahot si ajeeb baton ka majmua hai, ajeeb baatein
itefakat mojze. Baaz dafa samhaj nahi aati, agar isko kisi ek jumle mei bayan karna pade toh wo kya hoga?
Zindagi Gulzar Hai.." </b></i></div>
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This statement has never felt so powerful before with all emotions wrapped in one tight ball, like it did on this very day. I watch a lot of cross culture, across the border drama's with no motive other than feeling connection. My tryst with Pakistani TeleFilms began around past 2-3 years. I still remember a friend of mine residing in USA went on talking about "Humsafar" and how amazing it is. At first I thought it was some drama aired on DD in the olden days as it was based on Episode format, and then came the realization. It's an across the border creation. I couldn't stop myself from searching it on youtube and watching.<br />
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It would be mild to say, that I wasn't moved by it, or that it didn't strike a chord with me. It left me mesmerized and this is how I fell in love with the drama's. Always talking about them with one of my blogger friend Kiran (she's from Pakistan) and discussing various drama's too. Sometimes, I longed to see them on the big screen alas! that didn't seem to be possible. Imagine my surprise when Zee launches Zindagi, priceless!<br />
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And then came another big surprise, 22nd June, 2014 was one of kind when Indiblogger in collaboration with Zee Zindagi announced the #JodeyDilonKo meet. </div>
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Excitement, anxiousness, the high of getting to meet friends after long coupled with weird nervousness is what I entered the premises of the venue, <i>"The Leela" </i>The moment I entered everything flew out of the window for Indiblogger is known to throw impromptu surprises. There were team of technicians (what for I thought earlier) banners of various drama's that are to be telecasted; "Zindagi Gulzar Hai" , "Aunn Zara" and "Kitne Girhain Baaki Hai" to name a few.<br />
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This meet was no different, it started with lunch, making our presence known on the famous social networking website. Still one thing that was totally amazing was that Delhi was having the same meet side by side with the advantage of VC.<br />
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What began as merriment between Mumbai and Delhi soon turned to a war, with each city defending their pride. Almost matching the intensity of India vs Pakistan cricket match. Debating right from which men has the most handsome men to the best street food. And though it looked like soon World War Three would break out, the arrival of the imminent personalities saved the country literally :P <br />
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The Zee Zindagi team arrived, introducing us to the world of Pakistani serials that would soon be aired and the idea, how it was conceived and finally brought to fruition. And then arrival of the most awaited guest of the evening (gosh at least for me :D) Imran Abaas Naqvi. I couldn't believe that he was actually in front of me, flesh and bones not behind a laptop screen. I felt like I was falling in love with him all over again *la la land*<br />
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His brown eyes with tint of hazel, mesmerizing playful smile, the cool and collected way he interacted with everyone present irrespective of the nature of questions thrown at him. What I really liked about him, was the way he handled the questions that focused more on political relationship between the two countries and gracefully navigated the focus to Arts and Entertainment. Personally, it didn't come as a shock for me that Indian Entertainment is hugely followed in Pakistan, that there are so many ardent fans of Bollywood. It really made me go aww when he told us that he has a collection of old evergreen songs by famous Indian artists like Mohd. Rafi, Kishor Kumar and others. It was sweet and touching in its own simple way.<br />
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Not only did we meet him, we had the privilege to voice talk to Sultana Siddique (producer and director at Hum TV) whom he fondly addressed as "Sultana Aapa" his mentor, his guide and someone who molded his career and life. I'm sure it was a proud moment for her too seeing him receiving love across the border.<br />
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The man was like a Pandora's Box to me with so many hidden talents being unfurled as time passed. Not only he is an amazing actor, we learned about his awesome singing abilities. His voice was soulful, and a pleasure to listen to. He sang two songs "Aisa Des Hai Mera" and "Tum Hi Ho", but I only took the voice recording of the song. Owing to Deepti Verma I got the idea to post a song of his that someone else took a video of. Thanks Dee :D You too should listen to it, the video is posted by Meghana on youtube, thanks sweetheart for recording it :))<br />
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How could the meeting be complete without Anoop's witty sense of humor and pulling Nihal and Delhi's leg everytime some competition came up. Also there were goodies, that some lucky people won not me though! People *including me* clicked pics with Imran Abaas personally and some even took his autograph as a symbol of memory :) And though I await the release of his first Bollywood movie alongside Bipasha Basu, I've heard it's horror and if it's true I think I'm gonna miss it *sheepish smile*<br />
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I am really looking forward to seeing some of the shows again and some brand new ones that I had not seen on Zindagi :) At the end of the day, what I realized was though we are from two different nations we are very much the same. I remember Imran's words <i>"<b>Hum do alag mulko zarur hai, lekin hamara khoon aur hamari mitti ek hi hai." </b></i><br />
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As a parting to this post, I post this small poem in Urdu by me<br />
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<i><b>Zindagi ko par laga do,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Wo hai udne ko tayaar..</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Zanjeero mei nahi hai bandhna,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Isse sunni hai panchion ki pukar..</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Aasmano ko hai chuna,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Pehen-na hai bulandiyo ka taj..</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Wo sarhad par se pukaare,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Hum unki awaz sunne ko hai bekarar..</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Jahan aman ki asha pukare har ek dil ko,</b></i></div>
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<i><b>Wahan zindagi jodey dilon ko..</b></i></div>
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<b><i>-Fatima</i></b></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-5531656242008299412013-09-17T04:01:00.002-07:002013-09-17T04:01:31.321-07:00Perks of Canola Oil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Talking about food is always fun. But then eating the right food is equally important, or is it the right kind of oil which goes into the preparation? Several questions spark through our mind and they leave us in a muddle. What to follow, who to follow and most importantly which to follow? And then in all this messed-up state of mind I get a mail from BlogAdda stating this new meet. A healthy one at that.<br />
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This is what happened at Four Seasons Mumbai. Where several people were invited to discuss food, its healthy and nutrition aspect and also the various new upcoming culinary trends. Sounds interesting isn't it? It certainly was.<br />
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The council that was present included, Ex- Master Chef judge, Chef Ajay Chopra along with Naini Setalvad, nutritionist and Dr. Ashish Contractor HOD: Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation, Asian Heart Institute. Also present for the interaction were Bruce Jowett, Vice-President - Market Development, Canola Council of Canada.<br />
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The question looming in your mind might be, What is Canola Oil? To be frank truly, when I entered the conference room my mind too was filled with various such questions but I left with several positive answers.<br />
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Canola Oil, is the healthiest, most versatile and cost-effective cooking oil. Ok not really cost-effective in the Indian markets currently with the market prices rising but a little cost should not deter with the other health benefits. This oil as test and experts say, has the least saturated fat of any culinary oil and is free of trans fat and cholesterol. Thereby, reducing the risk of heart diseases; Good news isn't it? Also it has omega 3-fat and is a good source of Vitamin E.<br />
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Now with all these factual facts there are facts which we can taste and see ourselves too. The oil has a neutral taste and so it can be used right from cooking to baking. Also it has a light texture and is high heat tolerant. And since it is neutral the best thing is we can prepare flavored oil ourselves directly. Cost effective finally!<br />
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No, I'm saying all this because I attended the meeting or just for the sake. I have tasted the oil myself and seen the high heat test from my very eyes. All this was courtesy Chef Ajay Chopra who prepared three delicious mouth watering delicacies with the use of this very oil. And also three types of flavored oil; Thai Basil, Rosemary and Kashmiri Red Chilly. What was best about these oils was there was no other dominant flavor over powering them and the aroma was really wonderful. I loved Rosemary and Kashmiri Chilli the most followed by Thai Basil.<br />
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You know it's not about dieting or skipping food or controlling your appetite to reduce weight or being healthy. It is how one cooks food and in what oil we cook food. People say one should avoid fats, that is completely untrue. Fats are essential for the proper functioning of our body. Remember, not all fats are created equally. The type of fat matters as much as the amount.<br />
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For me this was a really a good session and more of an eye-opener. For more info on Canola Oil you can visit the website: www.canolainfo.org<br />
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<i><b>P.S: </b>Sorry readers about the lack of photographs(hopefully once all is settled I will upload the pics too) and no update since ages, my laptop has broken down and I'm unable to update. This post was specially written from my old rickety computer because I loved the meet and really wanted to share my experience. </i></div>
Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-41323750190555016692013-06-20T13:14:00.005-07:002013-06-20T13:14:48.059-07:00ReConnect - Step into the world of technology<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The past few months have been too hectic for me, college and project work taking up most of the time. Yet with so much of an hectic schedule I managed to find time to venture out and enjoy with my friends but still there was tiredness and worry about completion of work at the back of my mind.<br />
Luckily, last week I completed B.Tech and I was finally free. And with that new found freedom came another awesome event by IndiBlogger a Reliance Digital Experience.<br />
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<span id="goog_625990908"></span><span id="goog_625990909"></span>Skipping skipping everything about my exams and how I felt like a free bird let me come to the most important thing and that is the event. I along with my other blogger buddies decided to visit the store at Infinity Mall, Malad on the 15th of June. Now I was surely in for a surprise as I had never been to the said mall before and what a shock. I was pleasantly surprised by the interior of both the mall and the reliance store. In our excitement we by mistakenly mistook 1st floor for the 2nd and searched for "Reliance Store" and to our dismay found none and it was then that someone realized that we were indeed on the wrong floor and we made our way to the store where we were greeted by Mr. Vishal the store manager and later on Nihal, one from the Indi team. Finally we heaved a sigh of relief (rather laugh of relief :D)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance</td></tr>
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After acquainting ourselves to the new environment, and realizing we weren't the first ones to come at near about 11:15 am. We greeted Vishal once again and he took us on a tour of the whole store. <br />
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Reliance Digital is a multi-brand electronic store that houses entertainment, personal care, information technology, home appliances, telecom et al. under one roof. It is the fastest growing electronic store not only in the city but also the country. Also there will be three new store that would be launched, two of those include Neptune Mall Bhandup and Maxus Mall Bhyander. All this valuable information was given to us by the store manager and our guide for the time being Mr. Vishal.<br />
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The first thing I saw once we entered the store was the Power Aisle. It is named so because it is the most economical and budget friendly with varying discounts on products that allure the customer towards purchasing them. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power Aisle</td></tr>
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Once my focus shifted away from the power aisle, it landed on gadgets. Laptops and cell phone alike. I was amazed that there were so many new models and brands. Earlier I thought only Croma had that facilities but Reliance proved me wrong this time too. I couldn't believe that there were so much to choose from. Also there were some companies like Sony, Blackberry etc that provided End Caps.<br />
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Not only was the iphone here, but there is a whole dedicated store to Apple known as the Apple istore on the Ground Floor of the mall that houses just the Apple products..wow isn't it !<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple</td></tr>
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Apart from brands like Sony, Blackberry there were others like Philips, LG, Samsung, lenovo, their own brand Reconnect et al that took up most of the other space. The sector included both electronic items like LCD TV's, washing machine, refrigerators everything that one needs.<br />
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Apart from this there was this whole big gaming section that was dedicated to people who love gaming and that excludes me. So I didn't really spend much time here apart from the little we were supposed to go. But it did seem really nice.<br />
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There was this amazing explanation given to us about the different types of professional camera's available in the market today and which should one go for depending if, they already are into photography or are amateurs. It was something I really liked the best.<br />
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Surprise after surprise, once we were done with this we came to know that not only does this store offer you a digital experience but there is also Reliance Time Out Corner at the back of it, that includes Books, Movies, Art and Craft supplies etc. Not only this but this is the only bookstore in the whole mall. Amazing isn't it and the collection though not like a typical bookstore is still decent as it mostly includes new releases.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NyU5RD7WRRjEeCWS8gYrKP90XhhyphenhyphenutfnsrT-Zsn5Xnk4GBih5h7YpMTanjmpDDYOcywVPC4b2EEBbeQkmrocaU51YauBca7lgo0EQI5UwvXF-rEVItXX9qgRSN64oeoXjCX1WSZqlTFr/s1600/dsc05027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NyU5RD7WRRjEeCWS8gYrKP90XhhyphenhyphenutfnsrT-Zsn5Xnk4GBih5h7YpMTanjmpDDYOcywVPC4b2EEBbeQkmrocaU51YauBca7lgo0EQI5UwvXF-rEVItXX9qgRSN64oeoXjCX1WSZqlTFr/s640/dsc05027.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After almost spending close to more than an hour and half here it was finally time to bid the store adieu. It was indeed a very pleasant and an informative experience. And I somehow think I might visit a Reliance Digital Store when I wish to browse and purchase something when I'm not sure which to buy or from where. As is it not only customer friendly but even economically as it saves time.<br />
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Yet another Indi Meet was concluded successfully, though this was not really a meet but well we got to meet our blogger friends once again. All thanks to Reliance and Indiblogger.<br />
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<b>This post has been written for <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/indistuff/4/">The Reliance Digital Experience</a> powered by <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/">IndiBlogger</a> </b><br />
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<u>Photographs Courtesy:</u> <a href="http://vaisakhimishra.blogspot.com/">Vaisakhi Mishra</a> and from the Bloggers Group where pics are uploaded.<br />
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<b><i>-Fatima</i></b></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-47970543611496755972013-04-21T04:01:00.002-07:002013-04-27T01:28:18.458-07:00My Bookstore My Dream...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Reading and Writing, two words that I use to define myself. Tracing back time to almost my school days all I can recollect is; reading used to be something that I found comfort in and now that bliss is extended so much that it has become my passion culminating into a dream. I am a Engineering student and a dreamer, put these two together and you don't always get a good combination. Though it doesn't necessarily mean that being a student has thwarted my plans, although at times I did feel like backing away and not pursuing it till the end but each time I felt like taking a step back, I was reminded of a quote by <span style="text-align: left;">Paulo Coelho that helped me tread ahead.</span></div>
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<i><b>“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” </b></i></div>
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And thus the idea of starting a Bookstore cum Cafe, an independent start-up bookstore for book lovers grew on me slowly and steadily and I started moving towards my goal of converting my dream into reality.</div>
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People who know me, know how much emphasis I give to jotting down everything that I need for my task to be completed right from the location, to employment, to softwares to be used and most importantly names. So after hours of mind-boggling I decided on <i>"Grounds for Thought Bookstore."</i> My primary goal was to serve the people who not only frequent bookstores but also those who couldn't due to lack of time and travelling thereby catering to every individual who genuinely loves reading. </div>
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But business is not just about marketing, networking and money; it is also about the resources and how to allocate those resources in order to get optimal output. And that is where I started facing issues, what seemed good in my mind and on paper didn't really seem fitting in reality as I being a student hardly have enough resources. My dream of starting a bookstore came crashing down; that is when I came across Microsoft Office 365 (<a href="http://www.office365.in/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">http://www.office365.in</a>). </div>
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Microsoft Office 365 is the cloud version of the decades offered by Microsoft Office suite. Besides the familiar programs like Word, Excel and PowerPoint there are other services such as Lync SharePoint Online and Exchange Online and creating websites to market the business and keeping it up to date which are included. It provides virtually anywhere access to familiar Office tools, plus enterprise-grade email, conferencing, and more IT services. In all being a perfect tool in the business arena. </div>
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Having learnt so much about it and realizing its benefits, my mind started forming different ideas about how to incorporate it into my business without losing focus on my dream project. </div>
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The bookstore industry as a whole is going through a large shift. Earlier, the market was dominated by local city libraries and small book vendors selling novels. Thus, my own experience as a customer was not satisfactory as I did not always get everything under one roof. Therefore, my bookstore would cater to the needs of middle class customers who cut back on purchasing; thereby a used bookstore will look more attractive to customers who still wish to purchase books or simply lend them by being a member of the bookstore. </div>
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The bookstore would try to provide various genre of books. It would offers a wide range of books including both the educational and recreational, a variety of magazine and fine music selections and newspapers. This includes just about every imaginable category including fiction, non-fiction, business, science, history, children and other types of books. Also the newspaper selection would concentrate not just on daily newspapers but archive even the past newspapers of historical dates.</div>
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Since this will be a bookstore cum cafe it will also provide a relaxed reading room type atmosphere that would be encouraged through the placement of art, chairs, couches and coffee tables; where one can sip evening coffee and enjoy a good read for customers who do not wish to purchase the book or take it home with them. </div>
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In addition, a<span style="text-align: justify;">s I mentioned earlier about incorporating Microsoft Office 365 as it provides ample services that would help my business. Since this is a small scale venture, the small business plan would help in my start up. </span></div>
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Using Sky Drive I would update the database of existing and newly added books as it can be accessed both online and offline after synchronization. Basically this would help in searching the item the customer is seeking but is hard to find. This I do would by using the Microsoft Office tools like MS Excel for keeping a record of the books and music collection in a .csv file that would be stored in the cloud i.e Sky Drive that can be easily imported in a database; also since I'm all but using Microsoft products the database that I would incorporate would be SQL Server to ease my work. </div>
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Also there would be an online virtual library so it’s easy for the customer to leaf through books and place the order though not necessarily being present at the bookstore personally. The basic idea of having an online library in addition to the bookstore is that, if a customer wishes to purchase the book; the book would be delievered to their residence. But, home delivery won't hold true if the customer wishes to take the book on loan, but they can definitely pre-book the book they wish so that it is issued in their name and can be collected by the customer in a weeks time.<br />
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The website of this online library would be built using the Microsoft Office 365 Website builder and the requests would be updated in the database that would be connected to Sky Drive, Excel, Lync for audio calls and SharePoint so that the changes and order recorded can be viewed by me, the Head Librarian and even the other employees so as to have a fair idea of which book is available and how is the bookstore functioning. </div>
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And one of the best feature is that I need not be present in the bookstore the whole time to check the records management, I can sync and configure Microsoft Office 365 on my touch screen cell phone and access the data anywhere thus, simplifying my task of checking the business development at my ease. </div>
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Though this being a small scale business at start-up with minimum employees, the primary marketing strategy in order to capture attention for the bookstore would be using prominent signs at the stores location, handing out fliers to people, discounts on membership cards based on first cum first serve basis and radio advertisements to capture customers. Still there would be a sales and marketing representative who would keep a track of all the books sold, borrowed, acquired and also lost incurring a fine to the individual; using Microsoft Office tools like MS Word, Excel but with new and improved efficiency.</div>
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Today technology has advanced and it has it's perks and is present in every part of our life, it helps us from menial tasks to skilled elevated ones. The bookstore is my dream and a small initiative that I want to take in order to encourage not just reading for leisure but also a step towards developing a rational thinking that combines both proper education and creativity thereby inculcating the idea of dreaming big and working towards achieving it.</div>
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And I sincerely hope that one day my dream is fulfilled and I can proudly say, <i>Yes this is my Bookstore not just for people who can afford to buy books and read but for everyone who can afford or who cannot but who genuinely like to read. </i></div>
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<b>This post has been written for <a href="http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/">Microsoft Office 365</a> and <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/">Indiblogger</a></b></div>
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<i><b>-Fatima</b></i></div>
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<em><u>P.S:</u> Understanding Microsoft Office 365 courtesy; Microsoft site and google for various tutorials in each language.</em></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-18338352434126618102013-04-18T08:44:00.001-07:002013-04-19T12:44:36.313-07:00Rendezvous with the Sun <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Time flies so fast with memories never leaving your side as they always linger close in the recesses of your mind. As I sit here on the beach enjoying the subtle sun browsing an albums of my younger days on my i-pad, I realize it's been exactly ten long years since the day I had a real tryst with the sun.<br />
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Back then too global warming was as good as it is today and one needed protection from both the UVA and UVB rays of the sun. Smiling slightly my gaze lingers on my smooth untanned skin reminding me of my <b><i>"Fourth Indiblogger meet sponsored by Neutrogena"</i></b> that finally made me embrace a sunblock lotion. Seeing that I had really nothing much to do, I let the memories engulf me loosing myself in them.<br />
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The meet was held in JW Marriott, Juhu, Mumbai of which I was lucky to be a part off owing my exams were miles apart. The moment I entered the venue all I could see was yellow; umbrellas, drapes, the hosts and even Neutrogena boards all over.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGwsvQNDEGqwSeAOnvTLmtZ7X0NAMaya1ncddnz4zcMM3mJy_0SHFcLafHVok8RXg47cggN0CWRhCzOBL1lo6QxQA4tUZwuiPhI11Y3KB89ZfH_r_obHqrktfp0A1X_K3ClXj1H373F70/s1600/pic4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGwsvQNDEGqwSeAOnvTLmtZ7X0NAMaya1ncddnz4zcMM3mJy_0SHFcLafHVok8RXg47cggN0CWRhCzOBL1lo6QxQA4tUZwuiPhI11Y3KB89ZfH_r_obHqrktfp0A1X_K3ClXj1H373F70/s320/pic4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Once the registrations were done we were being given a Face mask and a cute little umbrella on which we had to write our name and drop in a box *me thinking why* but before I could run a theory in my mind one of my friend dragged me to our table as everyone had already settled on their tables and were mingling with fellow bloggers.<br />
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Some new faces, some old and some not present but that didn't dampen our spirits as we made new friends. Some of the bloggers even wore the Neutrogena Face mask that we were given during registration. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYR8HDH3AdinAXeUalUjYLgEEfeQq2HUTy3mTSDt9Mc10xmKqzQcb4mC0n787ZY-yGj58zc079F_eIlhWjPhsAP39UFe1ifAWkzFk2azHLvKAnkeAqVftwdvuwTOEoTaeHEOFVVnyEbjP/s1600/pic5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYR8HDH3AdinAXeUalUjYLgEEfeQq2HUTy3mTSDt9Mc10xmKqzQcb4mC0n787ZY-yGj58zc079F_eIlhWjPhsAP39UFe1ifAWkzFk2azHLvKAnkeAqVftwdvuwTOEoTaeHEOFVVnyEbjP/s640/pic5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our host and dost of the evening !</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my group :D</td></tr>
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Once we were finally settled on our tables and sighed happily that finally this time "Our Group is not table-less" but sadly our happiness was short lived as Mr. Anoop thought that this time too there would be fun games but with a twist of scattering everyone, thereby breaking our sweet group and we went table hunting with an added rule that every table must have at least 2 guys and 2 girls each and also that they should not be a part of your previous table. And the first table to form that group gets an USB band. </div>
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Well my table lost in this one but never mind as we won the next one. We had to know each other's name on the table and tada we knew and were the first ones to raise our hands!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay we all won vollyballs..yoo hoo :D</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLmVIKerjbZnq2B-AXqKPM_OqoWIeArYVSJrrnFebUyJEzfxj9REKGKGGoaj8aEB3hxABjDmUqu5du1o0idhtY5KcFdmpqf_de3Ztq68hVoCbdawMAp3IuuATSP64M-mTPYKz_8j9X9lF/s1600/pic12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLmVIKerjbZnq2B-AXqKPM_OqoWIeArYVSJrrnFebUyJEzfxj9REKGKGGoaj8aEB3hxABjDmUqu5du1o0idhtY5KcFdmpqf_de3Ztq68hVoCbdawMAp3IuuATSP64M-mTPYKz_8j9X9lF/s320/pic12.jpg" width="320" /></a>Once this was done and we thought that finally there would be no more shuffling. We were to pick the cute little yellow umbrellas we had submitted while registration that were randomly sorted.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6n2PTjcVxFxRGz5Fdi1v6vFXlnQRGYIWTLGg80TVEl_L6VzgXioS-DzBukLxYHukhMOvWenRRJ3PhiI8-ThLZdydvgWOQ-lnin_7aWFOa1MHn235qwPs5kW36KGQLnMkTR3aqtEWtsSi/s1600/pic7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6n2PTjcVxFxRGz5Fdi1v6vFXlnQRGYIWTLGg80TVEl_L6VzgXioS-DzBukLxYHukhMOvWenRRJ3PhiI8-ThLZdydvgWOQ-lnin_7aWFOa1MHn235qwPs5kW36KGQLnMkTR3aqtEWtsSi/s200/pic7.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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Once the picking ceremony was done we were asked to find the person whose name was written on our umbrella and get to know them. Some lucky ones found their soon while some like me were searching for the person till the very end. Also the first five people who searched their partners got cool gifts and one of the girl was so lucky she got her own name and she too got a gift. :D</div>
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Finally we sat down feeling that now we put the umbrellas to rest. Anoop dropped another fun game on us, that was to count the number of holes in our umbrella. I for one had not even noticed that there were holes in the first place :O. Anyways, moving on I had *four* holes and so I was to find fellow bloggers who were in the same group. Post the new group forming we were told to give our group a name and a tag line. My group's name was <i>"Sun-or and Sun-orita - Basking in the Sun"</i> pronounced as (Senor and Senorita). Although we didn't win this round too we enjoyed a lot and I yet again made some new friends :) </div>
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Post this we had a war, not literally but an umbrella with holes and balls war where duh we again lost but had lots of fun. At the end, the purpose of the game was to explain to us that there were two types of rays UVA and UVB and most of the sunscreens do not give 100% protection and thus there are holes that allow the harmful rays to penetrate and affect our skin. *Didn't know that but glad to know*</div>
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Finally, we were tired and we got our much awaited break. And we went to satiate our tummy that was hungry and mind you there was so much that one had to think what to eat and what not. Jalebi with Rabri, Chocolate Mousse, Cheesecake, every variety of tea and coffee, Corn balls, sandwiches etc. both Veg and Non-Veg. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Different varieties of Tea.</td></tr>
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Once our stomach was satiated and we were seated on our tables. Walked in our guest for the evening the very own sweet "Tara Sharma Saluja" wearing a bright yellow dress.</div>
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She talked about her show "The Tara Sharma Show" that airs on Colors and Nickelodeon and also talked about her 2 kids, and how she manages to keep her skin healthy, glowing and supple using Neutrogena Sunscreen on a regular basis. She also told us three easy steps for a healthy glowing skin; cleanse, moisturize and protect. Finally she was done with giving us ample suggestions and shared her views with us. But alas! Everything comes to an end, and it was time for her to leave but not without a goodie from the IndiBlogger team who presented her with Neutrogena hamper and it was given by our very own youngest blogger (13 years old) Ashwin Pathak. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashwin with Tara Sharma Saluja</td></tr>
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Post this there was a dermatologist session who tested different sunscreens including the Neutrogena Sunscreen and finally the results proved. Neutrogena provided protection from both UVA and UVB rays thereby giving 100% protection. Also he answered many queries by the bloggers. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_pq4CXt_d-8M13_BJn2HFFkE83-LpMJFwdwEtEvjlgDeGQADMCIGxLgfbNYbcXKTccd_FmlwsFDMj4i4SOaKMiHruF7xuUQV7NoJJixMv3DQ9eq7kd0m1oPmXR7KicHN76YvnAozm95b/s1600/pic17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_pq4CXt_d-8M13_BJn2HFFkE83-LpMJFwdwEtEvjlgDeGQADMCIGxLgfbNYbcXKTccd_FmlwsFDMj4i4SOaKMiHruF7xuUQV7NoJJixMv3DQ9eq7kd0m1oPmXR7KicHN76YvnAozm95b/s400/pic17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Why are Sunscreens Important and when can be used ??</b></div>
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* Sunscreens can be applied since the age of 3</div>
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* Most sunscreens only provide protection against UVA rays.</div>
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* Higher SPF level does not necessarily mean a good sunscreen. </div>
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* Sunscreens should be applied every 2-3 hours so that the effect stays for a long time. </div>
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Finally, it was time for the meet to end but can a meet be done without some more fun and a group pic..Never but since this meet was all about twist we had a crazy "Harlem Shake" and a group pic thereby putting an end to the wonderful meet. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_GuB6foKODnmIBsygozhDv2T73ixUvU5Rcn94vYnr5VgNqii-FThzdnxio8Hu2Kdz049OOQy6duJaE-uqY68ypHosr7zjeTFOEOLio6FK4Rf7tp7Mplucm3VSmZ3N9tmxxBriHH3ng1e/s1600/pic18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_GuB6foKODnmIBsygozhDv2T73ixUvU5Rcn94vYnr5VgNqii-FThzdnxio8Hu2Kdz049OOQy6duJaE-uqY68ypHosr7zjeTFOEOLio6FK4Rf7tp7Mplucm3VSmZ3N9tmxxBriHH3ng1e/s640/pic18.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglM3zaSdYh-eE25YmfniaE6cWdr2tnO_Rpepi1ElZn10RDCNpvVOA71h1b9BRd2M95Do46X5dw0XPFZ0YW_wNeP7elM4v3elTRlyMpI7AMMM2B02X8cizrgK8WQMNcBjekgsN0rCI5PicN/s1600/Photo0376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglM3zaSdYh-eE25YmfniaE6cWdr2tnO_Rpepi1ElZn10RDCNpvVOA71h1b9BRd2M95Do46X5dw0XPFZ0YW_wNeP7elM4v3elTRlyMpI7AMMM2B02X8cizrgK8WQMNcBjekgsN0rCI5PicN/s640/Photo0376.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Suddenly, I heard my friend calling me breaking me from my trace and I realized it has been almost an hour that I was lost in the memories of that day when I realized the importance of using Sunscreen and from then on till today I've been using <i>Neutrogena Sunscreen- My personal protection from sun</i>. And this is <i>"How I met the sun"</i> and have fallen in love with it since then. With that being said, I re-applied my Sunscreen and took off to play beach vollyball with my friends without the fear of being tanned or sunburned. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlnu_lAsTdawBzkMnr1DPW8f-UkzsVynJqlB-abXZB9M0aaPjowCPj61lgq0X62RG7OvJn8-u_C0Eip9WduE22CvlsaXtZu9pIYCo3fzUV68prRJHsItsxLAapQ9V56sseaJ64u8llYfU/s1600/pic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlnu_lAsTdawBzkMnr1DPW8f-UkzsVynJqlB-abXZB9M0aaPjowCPj61lgq0X62RG7OvJn8-u_C0Eip9WduE22CvlsaXtZu9pIYCo3fzUV68prRJHsItsxLAapQ9V56sseaJ64u8llYfU/s400/pic1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My protectors from the harsh sun.</td></tr>
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Also do visit: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NeutrogenaIndia" style="background-color: white; color: #ff5875; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">https://www.facebook.com/NeutrogenaIndia</a></div>
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<i>-Fatima</i></div>
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<i><b>P.S:</b> Picture courtesy IndiBlogger and Aditi Pathak</i></div>
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<i> UVA- UltraVoilet A and </i><i>UVB- UltraVoilet B</i></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-65127220209813295282013-03-11T01:08:00.000-07:002013-03-13T01:26:55.861-07:00Ragda Patties..<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is one of the very first recipe I made and that was when I was in 10th std, technically in my holidays that were what one can say super long. For this very reason this is my most cherished and maybe can even be said as my signature dish.<br />
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<i><b>Ragda </b></i><b><i>Patties </i></b>is a favorite chaat recipe and whoa it's my first dish..:D Though at times I do eat it outside but nothing beats the taste of mine <well according to me> especially these days as my mum has got this new <b>Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil</b>. It not only is healthy but also enhances the taste or is it just my taste buds?? Never mind all in good :)<br />
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So, I guess enough of introduction to my dish and why I like it. I'll post the step by step process how I make it. Also sorry for the lack of pictures I do not have a good camera, so took the pics only at the end when the dish was ready.<br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
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<u>For Ragda:</u><br />
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1½ cup yellow peas (white vatana)<br />
3 cups water<br />
1 tsp turmeric powder<br />
1/2 tsp red chili powder/ 3-4 green chilles |Which you prefer.|<br />
salt as per requirement<br />
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<u>For the Potato Patties :</u><br />
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4 boiled potatoes<br />
3 slices of bread (the soft portion)/ 3 tsp cornflower. |Which ever you prefer, I use bread.|<br />
salt as per requirement<br />
1/4th tsp turmeric powder<br />
Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil for frying.<br />
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<u><b>For Garnishing the Patties:</b></u><br />
<u><br /></u>
2 cups of Ragda<br />
Sweet sauce. |Alternatively one can even use sweet & spicy chutney's otherwise sauce too tastes good|<br />
1/2 cup coriander leaves finely chopped.<br />
Chaat Masala<br />
Pinch of jeera powder for taste.<br />
Lemon juice, if you want.<br />
1 onion finely chopped, tomato and sev are complimentary if, you wish them.<br />
<I like them as toppings but my sister doesn't><br />
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<b>How to make:</b><br />
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<u><b>For Ragda:</b></u><br />
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1. Soak the peas overnight in water. The next day, the peas will be of slight yellowish color. Rinse them the next day nicely.<br />
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2. In a pressure cooker add the soaked yellow peas with the turmeric powder, green chilles and salt.<br />
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3. Add water and close the lid.<br />
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4. Cook for around 10-15 minutes.<br />
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5. When the pressure becomes low and the ragda is slightly cooled, check for the consistency. The ragda should be on the thicker side; neither watery nor too thick.<br />
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6. And your ragda is ready.<br />
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<u><b>For Patties :</b></u><br />
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1. First boil the potatoes and peel the cover once they are off the stove.<br />
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2. Mash the potatoes finely and add the bread to bind.<br />
<u><b>Note</b></u>: To use the bread, cut the outer edge of the bread and soak the softer portion in little water and drain the water. This is done so that the bread is soft and mixes well with the matter. If, you find this time consuming you can use cornflower. I don't use it as somehow my patties doesn't turn out well some binding issue.<br />
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3. Mix the bread and potatoes well. Also add turmeric powder and salt. Check if, it tastes well and is binded properly else you might need a little more bread.<br />
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4. Once this is done, make small rounded balls and flatten them and keep them aside.<br />
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5. After making the patties ; now comes the time for frying.<br />
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<b>Note:</b> Do not deep fry but shallow fry on a pan. <br />
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5. Heat oil on a pan. Keep the potato patties on the hot oil in the pan for shallow frying. Let it cook for a min or two. Now, lift with the spatula and check to see if the base is light browned. If yes, then turn over the patties and fry the other side till the other is of the same color.<br />
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6. Once the patties are crisp and light golden brown remove them from the pan and place them on a tissue paper.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGa8Ymiy0HGbTHzsotjjRHcB75UG1b6PoanDMhSJ203tN_kuJDgJauy2a86jZjKdUCNnUcpXZbWTeWCenzy8WT5QzzOXjpdb5HfF2IDXgq_5sCrvR6DoXp5v6O-HCy2yRT7mVpsmi7z3O/s1600/photo0179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGa8Ymiy0HGbTHzsotjjRHcB75UG1b6PoanDMhSJ203tN_kuJDgJauy2a86jZjKdUCNnUcpXZbWTeWCenzy8WT5QzzOXjpdb5HfF2IDXgq_5sCrvR6DoXp5v6O-HCy2yRT7mVpsmi7z3O/s400/photo0179.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Assembling and serving:</b><br />
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1. Take ragda in a bowl.<br />
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2. Keep two or three patties on top of the ragda.<br />
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3. Top it with coriander leaves. And sprinkle some chat masala, jeera powder and lemon juice.<br />
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4. Also you can use tomato, onion, sev and sauce to garnish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzFJIW5iWhZ9cRFA0I8shYSPRXiUo2QDfuYVPTOVEHNX8TMuafN87_xIQ6qP-wwgbIRxpKLTovKlBezYDQP1DeMkAuI75DA_Jl7xNNccFg5zxBsp4uoCjnM_IGmY-1PoFzRzVbpJC7VRN/s1600/Photo0181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzFJIW5iWhZ9cRFA0I8shYSPRXiUo2QDfuYVPTOVEHNX8TMuafN87_xIQ6qP-wwgbIRxpKLTovKlBezYDQP1DeMkAuI75DA_Jl7xNNccFg5zxBsp4uoCjnM_IGmY-1PoFzRzVbpJC7VRN/s400/Photo0181.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>Nutritional Value:</b><br />
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1. The proteins coming from the yellow peas in the ragda,<br />
2. carbs and fats coming from the potatoes in the patties<br />
3. The minerals-vitamins from onions, coriander and lemon juice used as topping.<br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">'I am reviewing </span><a href="http://www.fortunericebranhealth.com/" style="color: #ca3595; text-decoration: none;"><b><i><span style="color: black;">healthy oil</span></i></b></a><span style="color: #444444;"> as a part of the BlogAdda's </span><a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/category/product-reviews" style="color: #ca3595; text-decoration: none;"><b><i><span style="color: black;">Product Review Program for Indian Bloggers</span></i></b></a><span style="color: #444444;">.'</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">This post is a part of Healthy & Tasty Recipe Contest with </span><a href="http://www.fortunericebranhealth.com/" style="color: #ca3595; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Fortune Rice Bran Health"><b><i><span style="color: black;">Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil</span></i></b></a><span style="color: #444444;"> &</span><a href="http://www.blogadda.com/" style="color: #ca3595; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Best community for Indian Bloggers"><b><i><span style="color: black;">BlogAdda.com</span></i></b></a></span><br />
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-Fatima</div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-16997242437384445482013-02-25T08:56:00.000-08:002013-03-13T03:37:48.752-07:00Silky Like Silk..<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Same year different day a continuation to my crazy wacky experimentation to get smooth and straight hair using innumerable ideas of ironing, making the hair sleep under the weight of heavy books and even some mom-made ideas et al. @<a href="http://duskndawn-fatima.blogspot.in/2012/12/mischief-managed.html">Mischief Managed</a> <you can check it out here><br />
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Nevertheless after a while all had failed and I was back to my lustrous locks. But they say perseverance pays and it surely did; err not for me always you see as I'm the impatient one but this time it did. Well I didn't really wait did I?? As I had not only resorted to my crazy ideas but still waited for some miracle to happen and what a luck it did happen, with the launch of<b><i> "Sunsilk Perfect Straight"</i></b> moreover I was lucky to get a free sample by IndiBlogger but not so lucky enough to use without feeling a little sheepish as I had proudly claimed there can never be a shampoo to tame my curly hair *embarrassment you see.*<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2R-Ls1evcacBBQHiz2MhK6bzBKvIcxuKp31GknXXOT_7r0ixJYGaR0g9nvNZbRNkPDAm7ohCz1xPVnPBzGV1h7PzG-SDdaX0aYhuhK7GVusoPH8hU48vKOCUeXIt5S-spBWldXJdScwR/s1600/Photo0355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2R-Ls1evcacBBQHiz2MhK6bzBKvIcxuKp31GknXXOT_7r0ixJYGaR0g9nvNZbRNkPDAm7ohCz1xPVnPBzGV1h7PzG-SDdaX0aYhuhK7GVusoPH8hU48vKOCUeXIt5S-spBWldXJdScwR/s400/Photo0355.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lucky hamper :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Anyways enough of me poking myself for my loss. Let me narrate or rather illustrate <i><b>"The" </b></i>experience after using the <i><b>"Miracle Shampoo."</b></i> After all a picture speaks much more than even thousand words can convey.<br />
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This snap of the unruly, curly hair were taken before taking a head bath for the first time with the S<i>unsilk perfect straight. </i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9rH9_L0TLu71k8QHmn8cctMp3BNGyJ397bxRtaOoIyAfhnY8UY8yIEZIxjQai40RLiWAQIb3mviWVnq1khcNL0d56Uvg_g-daf4UW0BDmthvIXt1YTaYlIcfYiIXKlis4J5TiEaxACB4/s1600/Photo0311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9rH9_L0TLu71k8QHmn8cctMp3BNGyJ397bxRtaOoIyAfhnY8UY8yIEZIxjQai40RLiWAQIb3mviWVnq1khcNL0d56Uvg_g-daf4UW0BDmthvIXt1YTaYlIcfYiIXKlis4J5TiEaxACB4/s400/Photo0311.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before hair wash pic1 </td></tr>
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<b>and </b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTcFfrLOhaHJvGqDePK6byy9oRO9LuSlGXV6z-M0q59azSTclU8evevOQs2I3lmvQOZqA2BEzHWGoH-Efbhr3aiGhrv9rbEhotCxDLk4IaYhHkVHDSDBi4Wm14mpVrcyNQtlbvrQAauR-/s1600/photo029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTcFfrLOhaHJvGqDePK6byy9oRO9LuSlGXV6z-M0q59azSTclU8evevOQs2I3lmvQOZqA2BEzHWGoH-Efbhr3aiGhrv9rbEhotCxDLk4IaYhHkVHDSDBi4Wm14mpVrcyNQtlbvrQAauR-/s400/photo029.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before hair wash pic2</td></tr>
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Once I was done doing the photo-shoot; I immediately went to have a bath. Basically, there were no different procedure to wash the hair but the same like using every other shampoo. First shampoo your hair and rinse them gently and then apply the conditioner to the ends for a minute or two before rinsing that off too.<br />
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Now of-course, I couldn't see the difference until I stepped out of the bathroom so I was again hoping that it doesn't work but then again contradicting myself please let it work. *<i><u>Note to thyself:</u></i> <i>If, it works further embarrassment to myself.*</i> And then, I finally stepped outside with my hair wrapped in a towel.<br />
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<i>Counting...my subconscious drama queen pacing...moment of truth finally... </i><br />
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I unwrapped my hair brushing them slightly, waiting for them to dry and the smell that wafted in the air was a sweet tooty-fruity smell..at least to me it felt so. And I couldn't believe my eyes; well I can't really write it down you better see the results.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFM0y-hCDV_TVHR5fV05nFwPXzehmg8q_BAUhePN-18B4NBRCJupq4GDr4ITmLHcU4pYSnMq_kuKzO-EvEC_z8Bg-IhWglfn41t9xRc323hCn3ZbJOIIMvmxsvUYl3_iGPBaLNAjbxsiw/s1600/photo0317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFM0y-hCDV_TVHR5fV05nFwPXzehmg8q_BAUhePN-18B4NBRCJupq4GDr4ITmLHcU4pYSnMq_kuKzO-EvEC_z8Bg-IhWglfn41t9xRc323hCn3ZbJOIIMvmxsvUYl3_iGPBaLNAjbxsiw/s400/photo0317.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After hair wash pic</td></tr>
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And now as even you can see my hair were finally sleek, smooth and silky and all due to<i> </i><b><i>Sunsilk Perfect Straight</i> </b>and that too in the very first wash.<br />
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If, only I had waited and not experimented even I would have sleek hair with minimal effort earlier. But realizing my folly now I plan to use this very <b style="font-style: italic;">Miracle Shampoo </b>whenever I want my lustrous locks to be straight thereby reducing the hassle. </div>
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Indeed, really glad that Sunsilk came up with such an amazing product and that too at an economical and affordable price. </div>
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And folks reading this, please do give it a try. You will surely see the results especially people like me who thought ironing was the only way to get straight hair.<br />
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At the end, I can proudly say<br />
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<b><i>The Mischief was finally Managed with no, not a single help from Magic but from Sunsilk Perfect Straight..</i></b><b><i>! Even muggles have solution to everything..</i></b> :)<br />
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<i><b>-Fatima</b></i></div>
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<em><strong><u>P.S: </u></strong></em>The url used in the pics is of my other blog, I had planned on posting it there earlier as this blog was not approved by IndiBlogger when the pics were clicked and sorry for the lack of pics, I don't have a good camera just the cell phone one and also less memory space. Nevertheless, happy to have got straight hair. :)</div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-2184595775819872152013-01-31T02:30:00.000-08:002013-01-31T02:33:24.732-08:00Book Review: Men On My Mind<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
TITLE: Men On My Mind<br />
AUTHOR: Radha Thomas<br />
PUBLISHER: Rupa Publications<br />
ISBN: 9788129120502<br />
BINDING: Paperback<br />
PAGES: 280<br />
FIRST PUBLISHED: 2012<br />
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Men On My Mind is the debut novel of the jazz vocalist Radha Thomas. True to its name the book is funny, chick lit and light hearted. </div>
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The book begins with a 7-year old girl, who overhears a conversation between her mother and aunt and thus begins her journey in the world of men or rather to put it more specifically ‘men on my mind.’ The first chapter though doesn’t entirely prepare for the rest of the book as it is more of a character and setting introduction. </div>
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The novel is true to its name, tracing the adventures of an Indian girl who is into men since the age of seven. From an all girls convent boarding school, to dreams filled with tall, dark and handsome crush right out of a Mills and Boons novel and teenage crises; she makes her way from one place to another. To make this journey exciting she always has a BFF by her side discussing everything that girls share right from stories of first crush to the other fun gossips. </div>
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She is a casual girl who juggles with more than one relationship at a time, after she realizes the short comings of her first big crush. Kissing on the first meet and one night stands also do not bother her. She is someone whom guys fall for but she just tries to fit them in her criteria waiting for ‘Mr. Right One’ to finally arrive and sweep her off her feet. </div>
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Her journey traces from Mumbai to Panchgani, to Delhi, New York and parts of New Zealand, Fiji and China exploring herself and other species..err men. But sadly ‘Mr. Right One’ always eludes away and she is left with pathetic sloppy kissers, rich old men who are supposed to be family friends, DJ, pianist et al. the list is never ending and her quest continues with no particular direction. Spoilt could be the word for her, but then again one can’t fight the matters of mind and heart can they? </div>
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The book can be termed has hilarious because there are moments when you are like really so many types of men exist? But basically it’s all about different men and relationships and while waiting for the true one to arrive she experiments with all the wrong ones. What’s the fun in just waiting all alone.</div>
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Though the book is fast paced and full of different scenarios at times it gets too monotonous with all the fickle men talk surrounding it and that is a major put off. But if, you see past it, it’s just about a woman who desires a little more than love and craves for adventure all in the midst of finding her ‘Mr. Right One’</div>
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At the end, if you don’t have anything else to read and just want to read something that is light, sexy, funny and audacious this is the book for you. </div>
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This review is a part of the <a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/2011/05/04/indian-bloggers-book-reviews">Book Reviews Program</a> at <a href="http://www.blogadda.com/">BlogAdda.com</a>. Participate now to get free books. </div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-29962100287219385732012-12-25T09:55:00.000-08:002012-12-25T09:55:17.733-08:00Shave or Crave----Spa Event <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Posting here after long, but couldn't resist sharing this. Back from the Awesome Spa Experience and it was possible all due to Team BlogAdda.<br />
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Thanks a ton guys, for the once in a lifetime experience, why once in a lifetime?? you may ask...well it was absolutely free :D Rejuvenated to the core !<br />
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<a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/2012/12/15/women-bloggers-in-mumbai-free-spa-experience">BlogAdda at Sukho Thai Spa</a><br />
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All in all had a wonderful evening! :)<br />
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<i>-Fatima</i></div>
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Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-65320355483705379612011-11-11T03:47:00.001-08:002011-11-11T03:52:19.853-08:00Epilogue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><em><u><span style="color: black;">Epilogue</span></u></em></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black;">Life is not a mere story but a journey. A journey that goes on with time and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>never really ends nor can one predict what will happen next. People die but memories remain and so the story moves ahead, the same happened to the lives of the Ada and Zaid.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">After years of separation the two were finally united, though there were several ups and downs personal as well as professional but together each storm felt like wind, sometimes harsh and sometimes kind. Zaid gradually shed his inhibitions and fears and embraced love in his life and whenever he faltered Ada was forever by his side giving him reassurance to thread ahead. Life after long seemed merrier and hopeful with his wife and twins Ayaan and Ayah, after all it was just the beginning with the future waiting ahead and it sure seemed beautiful!</span><span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #e06666;">True love makes the wait worthwhile !</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">-</span><span style="color: black;">Fatima</span></div>
</div>Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-35392370356195738512010-12-14T08:16:00.000-08:002010-12-14T08:16:31.740-08:00Chap 10: It's All In The Mind<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc3399; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;">Chap 10: It's All In The Mind</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #cc3399;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">"Dreams are broken and hope is lost,<br />
And your verve seems to faint;<br />
You fall down and ask why?<br />
God, why do I have to trod?"</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"> The night was still young and the weather was considerably below, the view was pristine and ethereal and the sound of the gushing water was mingled with the sound of the raindrops outside the cave, it had been some fifteen minutes that the downpour began abruptly. He sat besides Ada deep in thought contemplating whether to let go or let things be as they are? He eyed her tranquil form, her face radiated calm and innocence. <br />
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He spoke after long, "I'm tired and I've become a wreck, this feeling each and every emotion is eating me up and it's affecting me not only physically and mentally but also emotionally. I very well know this is the past, a past which has done no harm to me or someone else in direct respect yet it doesn't seem to leave me; it comes in front of me the moment I try to move on and let go but yet again I'm trapped in the shackles of my past and it still haunts me. It's just I've spun too many lies and literally lived a lie just to protect myself and now I'm just tangled in this web of deception where I've lost myself. He took a deep breath before continuing further, <i>Love</i> a feeling that everyone experiences in their lifetime platonic or otherwise, it has its own aura. I believed in it from the bottom of my heart and soul though not a hopeless romantic but the one who saw the brighter side of things, even you didn't know about this hid it so very perfectly but then something happened and changed me completely; shattering me into pieces that were seeming difficult to join and made me weak. That was the time I would cry and let out silent tears in the hope of blocking all this from my mind but as they say<i>, Somethings get etched in your mind and no matter what you do it's impossible to erase it out all by yourself</i>. My tears stopped and from then on I became this arrogant self and hid myself deep inside, dreaded to come forward to talk to people including you and started to distance myself from everyone and went miles apart but maybe I never really could go."<br />
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He let out a sigh before moving forward, "This hiding and fearing all of it began whilst I was in fifth grade when I was merely a ten year old, an age when kids play and have fun and frolic but here I was hiding deep within myself maybe not knowingly but unknowingly. If, you remember this is the time when my parents separated, we were small to understand the hidden meaning and accepted all that was told to us and never questioned back. I felt my dad was the best and loved mom deeply, Oh! What a fool I had been to believe in such crap. From then on I was in my father's care, was I really? Days passed by and life moved on once again though not in the usual way but it had. I remember vividly how dad would come late in the night with different girls every different night, but I couldn't muster up enough courage to ask why so? As years passed by I recoiled more into my shell and reduced interaction with others even my best buddies Sameer and Gaurav were clueless in regards to my behavior but none questioned me beyond a limit; you and mom were my only friends whom I could confide in completely (pause) Coming to mom I still remember my birthdays as that was the only time she met me and that would be the happiest day unlike now. Slowly and steadily I started to know my dad and his affairs and since then I don't like him , hate is too strong for a word I can't hate him for he is the very reason of my existence." <br />
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Zaid looked into her eyes once again and they reassured him, giving him strength to open up.<br />
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"I was fifteen; soon to be sixteen in a matter of few weeks when my life changed drastically, all the joys and happiness turned into sorrow as vile overshadowed the innocence that lingered. It was an unusual day in many respects, it was the day when I realized my love for you, you will not imagine how happy I was and was waiting impatiently to confess to you and also mom visited me that day and my joy doubled and I was overwhelmed unable to contain my joy, she was the first one to know and was ecstatic to hear this from me and my initial worry of seeing her two weeks prior to my birthday left me as she gifted me a diary to pen down my precious moments who knew it would be otherwise, that the calmness that prevailed was an indication of chaos in the future? (pause) I heard the door knob turn and saw my drunk father, not a new sight but what shocked me was that he was alone and that too home this early and that frightened me as mom was home. It didn't take him time to realize this fact and he started hurling verbal abuses and even tried to kiss her forcefully, not caring that his fifteen year old is in the vicinity, I tried stopping him but my attempts were futile. I guess he had lost his sanity that day and was physically assaulting mom in front of my eyes how could I stand that? I tried to inter-wine and stop all this but all in vain as he was crossing his limits. It was too much for me to stand and I was about to call the police when I heard a thrashing sound, I turned back to see he had jerked my mom away and she crashed into a nearby glass table and more-so the shattered pieces penetrated her forehead and she was surrounded in a pool of blood, I couldn't stand that sight yet controlled the rage that was bursting in me. I tried calling the doctor and kept on caressing her and assuring her that all will be fine but before the doctor could arrive, she went away in the most unexpected way, the one person I loved from my heart and soul, the very existence of my being had gone forever; leaving me alone in this ruthless world. My most happiest day turned out to be one the gloomiest days of my life."<br />
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It seemed as if time stood still, the clouds were roaring louder and the rainfall didn't seem to stop nor Ada's tears which were suppressed for long as she was too shocked to respond. He spoke yet again his voice laden with choked emotions, "No one knows about this not a single soul; and the guilt of not being able to prove anything troubled me as my father roamed like a free bird and I was rendered helpless. I started hating him more than I did before, I turned rude and arrogant and also started believing in the fact that nothing called as love exists it's mere lust; lust that cost my mother her life. (pause) My father died of cirrhosis three years back as you all know and this is the very reason I didn't even come to attend his funeral nor did any last rights on my part. Come to think of it, I'm glad my mom is no more or else even after years of separation she would have had too fulfill and cater to my father's desires and demands. She was an orphan and didn't want me to be one and so she bared the brunt of her husband."<br />
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Ada went numb listening to all this and tears were still spilling, she was shocked beyond belief and words failed to escape. She hugged Zaid tightly not wanting to let go of him and take all his pain away for she knew it was not easy to forget and let go, Zaid hugged her back he couldn't control himself and broke down in her arms completely.<br />
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They seemed to have lost track of time and place and were in each others embrace for long. She had to be there for him; she couldn't leave him alone this time and has to be strong, not just for herself but Zaid too.<br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<span style="color: #cc3399; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><i>"I know it ain't that easy,<br />
To cry in the night and wear a smile at morn,<br />
I sigh and let out a small plea to the God above,<br />
To help me forget and move on,<br />
And give me strength and trod all along." </i></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #cc3399;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"> </span></span></i><span style="color: #cc3399; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;"> </span></b></span></div>Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6309072491497362166.post-60996804170399295872010-12-05T22:21:00.000-08:002010-12-05T22:21:55.222-08:00Chap 9: Amour<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;">Chap 9: Amour</span></b></span> </div><div align="center"><i><br />
</i></div><br />
<div align="center"><span style="color: #cc3399; font-size: small;"><i>"Birds are chirping far away in the woods,</i></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #cc3399; font-size: small;"><i>And shadows are left far behind,</i></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #cc3399; font-size: small;"><i>The rhythm of heart reverberates loud,</i></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #cc3399; font-size: small;"><i>But not a mere soul in sight."</i></span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #003399; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #003399; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The November night was silent and peaceful, the air was misty and a chill ran through the air and blew her hair aimlessly and the wind caressed her cheeks. The moon shone brightly in the water beside the waterfall, her petite body glowed in the basking moonlight. The water gushed through the pebbles near the rivulet making a soothing sound and a beautiful smile played on her lips. She remembered her teenage years with Zaid in their special hideout; it was still her hideout and she would come here when she was ecstatic as well as when she wanted solitude. Today too, she was here like always but with an amalgam of so many feelings.</span></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> Back at the wedding everyone was enjoying, the newly weds brimmed in joy and others too were having a ball, amidst all this fun and joy Zaid was feeling restless he needed some space, he felt suffocated and the reason was unknown to him. He excused himself from the crowd and walked the untrodden road, he was lost. Unknowingly he traced his path to "their" secret hideout, in search of tranquility to clear the mess and drain his soul before heading forward in his journey. The place was the same it had been eight years back. He could listen to the humming of nightingale the place looked even more ethereal at night than it seemed in the sunlight; the sound of the water rushing through the rivulet snapped him out to reality. He walked towards the cave, and the sight shocked him she looked beautiful and the moonlight added to the beauty, he was entranced. She looked like an angel descended on earth "his angel" the wind blew and shook him out of his trance. He pondered and finally moved towards her, and spoke in the most subtle of forms.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> "Hello!" for a moment Ada felt she had an encounter with a ghost as she turned pale, it took seconds to register it was Zaid. "Oh My God! You scared me" muttered a shaken Ada. His immediate response was a sorry as he sat down beside her. None of them spoke for a while, words didn't seem to escape and silence prevailed. After what seemed like an eternity and the silence was killing Zaid he finally spoke, "you looking good! Changed a lot, more than I imagined." </span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> "Time does change people a lot, more than we can imagine and even relationships", replied Ada her voice devoid of emotions. (Pause) Zaid struggled with his emotions and his words died before coming out; finally he let out a sigh and thought it's high time he confront Ada or at least ask apology for his cold behavior and attitude towards her, "umm...Ada I want to say something to you" Ada looked up at this and gazed into his brown eyes and blinked her lashes as if signaling him to continue.</span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #003399;"> </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #003399;"> "I'm ... (Stammering) I'm sorry Ada, I'm really very sorry for each and everything I know a sorry would not suffice yet that is the only word I have to ask forgiveness for my ice cold behavior, my talking rudely to you ignoring you, each and everything that I've done during this month; well just not this month alone but the whole lot ten years. I made you cry, I hurt you, I made you feel low and even went on to the extent of blocking you off my life completely. I didn't realize my untold words and silence was killing you silently. (Pause) I didn't want to see you hurt and your heart to rip and shatter, but what I forgot I was actually doing all that which I didn't want to. (Pause) You were precious and dear to me I feared losing you, I could not bear the pain, he felt his words choke yet he spoke further; I don't know Ada whether my apology was heartfelt or it sounded like me cold but it's the truth that had been buried for so long and it would have been, but I just couldn't stop myself I can't see the one "I love" in pain and that too when I'm the one responsible for it." No sooner did the words escaped his mouth; Ada became still and numb, she could not gauge the situation and suddenly it striked Zaid; he let go...let go of the emotions he held back from years, he regretted; regretted coming here, apologizing to Ada and also saying those three forbidden words, his heart pounded loudly as he felt, he would now lose Ada completely.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> <br />
</span><span style="color: #003399; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Neither of them spoke, Ada was still in a daze "Had she heard right? Does he really love me? If yes then why did he hide it? And kept on running away from me and the feelings?" Several questions started looming in her mind and yet her heart bubbled, she was joyous and tears flowed down her cherry cheeks and a smile played on her lips and she hugged Zaid tightly. Zaid was dumbfounded he didn't seem to understand what was going on, his eyes wide open with shock, delight and fear too! </span><br />
<div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> She slowly parted from him and stared into his eyes and he stared back, suddenly the eye lock broke and the smile that tugged Ada's lips vanished and she looked away. She wanted to say so much, question him, ask him every possible thing she could but she was numb by the sudden confession. She didn't want to lose him though she didn't have any right over him nor did they have a relationship yet she felt close and near to him and couldn't take in him leaving her all alone once again, she would die yet words failed to escape and sentences broke even before they were spoken. After a debate with her conscience whether she should speak or let the silence prevail between them, she chose the former and started speaking; her voice soothing and soft. </span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #003399; font-size: small;"> "You were my best friend, a friend whom I treasured dearly and kept close to my heart. A friend who was with me in my growing years, who understood my silence and never mistook my talkative self. I felt like a free bird when I was with you and over the years this friendship turned into a beautiful relationship. Yes, I fell in love with you but did not acknowledge it. At first I brushed off my feelings and named them nothing more than infatuation (Pause) and months went by but, then a time came when you started avoiding me and reduced our interaction, and my feelings just grew stronger and it was then that I realized that this was not mere attraction but love. Yet, you didn't sense the change or perhaps I never did show and the feeling just grew more with the passage of time. People say when love is not returned and is one sided it fades away sooner or later but with me the opposite took place."</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="color: #003399;">She was silent for sometime listening to the tinkling sound of the waterfall before she resumed speaking again, "I do not know which side of you I enjoy the most and feel close too but I treasure each side just as I have treasured our past years. (Pause) You have something Zaid, something beautiful and secure, something different from the other men I've come across, maybe it's your personality or just my perception. I see you as a kind hearted and a caring man though at times you don't show this aspect of you; you are the most peaceful man I know, an angel to me who I know will be with me' no matter what happens, no matter how much ever we argue or disagree, deep down my heart I know you do care and nothing can change that. (Pause) I believed and felt this even before and today I know you do care!"</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Fatimahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09407541725369570472noreply@blogger.com0