All You Need is Love

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And it was that day that I realized, alone we can achieve so little but #together 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.

This post is inspired by Housing.com - #Together.

Check the official page below:

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Zesty Like Citrus

“What is this life if, full of care. We have no time to stand and stare.” 

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?

So on this ‘mundane’ Sunday I sat on my usual isolated location surrounded by books and kept on
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

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.

Reading:

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!

Watching Movies:

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.

Cooking is Therapeutic:

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.

Silver Moon and Sea:

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.

Chatterbox: 

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.

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.

This post is a part of the #ZestUpYourLife activity in association with TATA Zest and BlogAdda.com

-Fatima

Perks of Canola Oil

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

P.S: 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. 

My Bookstore My Dream...

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 Paulo Coelho that helped me tread ahead.

 

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” 

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.

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 "Grounds for Thought Bookstore." 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. 

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 (http://www.office365.in). 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

In addition, as 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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

And I sincerely hope that one day my dream is fulfilled and I can proudly say, 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. 

This post has been written for Microsoft Office 365 and Indiblogger

-Fatima

 



P.S: Understanding Microsoft Office 365 courtesy; Microsoft site and google for various tutorials in each language.

Chap 8: Soiree

Chap 8: Soiree

      The whole household was busy with chores and was stirring up with the last minute preparations, finally the big day had arrived and joy and happiness lit the home. Everyone was running here and there and the hustle-bustle left everyone panting. Old melodious wedding songs were playing, guests were chattering and the bride and groom were nervous in their respective homes and looking forward to the evening!

        

    The evening was cold due to the light snow fall and mist shrouded the way, the colourful lights illuminated the background and added a touch to the serene place.

           

    Gaurav was seated in a shimmering white car, unlike the traditional horse being led by Sameer and zaid and accompanied by some other local friends and the Khanna family! Zoya too joined them as she was from both sides. He looked handsome in his golden sherwani with cream patchwork, a white shera covered his face he moved it aside and gazed outside in the hope of seeing his beautiful bride and was caught off guard by zoya while he was busy blushing.

          

   Preet sat quietly dressed in her bridal attire in her bedroom as her friends and cousins joked and giggled around her adding to her nervousness. She looked around and took a last look at her bedroom and memories of her younger self flocked her mind, and she blushed deeply the day she dreamed off had finally arrived, she was getting married to the man of her dreams, the love of her life! Her heart thudded impatiently with excitement and jitter waiting for him to arrive soon.

         

  A moment later, distant sounds of wedding band was heard and Muskaan and Ada left to greet them as Preet adjusted her ghunghat taking one last look of herself as a maiden!

        

  Preet's parents greeted the groom's family and friends, flashing smiles. Gaurav descended from the car and walked towards Geeta, Preet's mom welcomed him with an Aarti thali, he moved his sehra aside and bowed his head so as to take blessings from her, she smiled and led him inside.

         

  Preet's father Abhinav greeted Prachi and gaurav's family and friends and took them inside the wedding hall where the ceremony was to take place, soon everyone got seated. Gaurav waited eagerly at the alter and looked sideways every now and then to get a glimpse of his lovely bride, and Sameer and zaid pulled his leg and teased him to glory yet gaurav remained unfazed and grinned!

         

 A couple of minutes later Preet descended down the stairs with Ada, Zoya and Muskaan on her sides, Gaurav almost leapt with joy seeing her ! She looked stunning in her heavily embroidered gold lehenga, heavy gold neck less and earrings adding to the beauty. He gulped unable to gasp her image into his heart.

        

  Zaid on the other hand was feeling the same on seeing Ada, she looked breathtakingly beautiful in her baby pink chiffon saree with silver embroidery and crystal work, a vision of ethereal beauty. He could not keep his eyes of her! She too noticed him and felt shy and blushed deeply trying to concentrate more on preet rather than him. She stole furtive glances at him from under her lashes and almost stumbled, his warm brown eyes stirred her soul and butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the look, he looked tall and handsome in his maroon sherwani with golden work, he complimented her in every way. She blushed like a young bride on her wedding.

      

  She snapped out of her reverie when she heard the priest chanting the wedding vows. Soon Preet and Gaurav got up to go around the sacred fire for seven times, they were completed in no time and the priest handed Gaurav a small container of sindoor, he took a pinch and smeared it in the small parting of her hair, symbolizing his commitment forever and then wrapped a gold mangalsutra around her neck and tied the ends. Finally they were man and wife! Everyone wished them a long and a happy married life; they stood up to take Ada's grandma's and their parents blessings.

       

 They took blessings and finally it was time for the bidaai ceremony and tears of joy and sorrow as separation from parents filled Preet's eyes and she hugged her near and dear ones.

       

  A lone tear fell from Zaid's eyes too, as he thought he would never have such a beautiful moment with the girl of his dreams! But you never know until the right time comes!