FREE today on Amazon Kindle: Those 16-30 Years of Undiluted Melodrama

I am a compulsive shopper. The words ‘% discount’ and especially ‘FREE’ are like music to my ears and an awesome sight to behold.

I have self-published two of my novels under Amazon’ KDP Select program and they offered me a free promotion deal.

I chose today to promote my first book ‘Those 16-30 Years of Undiluted Melodrama’ because of the characters in this book. My protagonist Jennu mentions her best friend Simmu’ love for ‘Halloweenish’ themes several times and she would also like to pay a tribute to her friend Gayu.

Download my book for FREE today (exclusively on Amazon Kindle) to get an insight into the 16-30 years of undiluted melodrama in Jennu’ life.  

US: 

Amazon.com

India:

Amazon.in

UK:

Amazon.co.uk

You get the drift of the links, right?

I would love to hear your thoughts on my book in the form of reviews on Amazon or Goodreads.

Happy Reading!

Happy Halloween!

It was the first time I was celebrating Halloween. Curious about the history of Halloween, I did some research on the significance. I read about the Christian influence first - Halloween is actually ‘Hallow’ Eve’ where you remember the dead specifically the saints on All Saints’ Day (Nov 1^st) and all the departed souls on All Souls’ Day(Nov 2^nd). In pre-Christian era, this was celebrated as the end of summer. 

Now, while I was in India, October being the month of the Holy Rosary, on the last day we would have the Rosary being recited throughout the day with a group of people heading each half-hour. Then came the 2 days of remembrance of the departed souls – All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

In those days, I was under the influence of cable television and American movies where Halloween was a day where you dressed up as some scary person, heard spooky stories and ate and drank weird colored stuff. So, now that I was finally in the US, I was excited to get into the spirit of Halloween. 

True to my influence, I wanted to be a witch. I got all the accessories – the cape, the hair and the hat, the blood-red nails and even my very own spider. My dress had those witches herbs and I covered my neck with a red scarf too. Check me out!

Unfortunately, I am lacking the evil visage and coupled with my smile (which I almost always involuntarily do when I am posing for a photo), I don’t look in the least bit spooky or scary which was the intent. Maybe I can be the good witch, eh?

Note to self: It is not only important to have all the accessories but also the act to look your part.

Happy Halloween!!!

Surprise! Your preconceived notions are being disproved....

I have preconceived notions about most things. These are not only from personal experiences but also from hearsay.
My notions about crowded buses at least some specific ones and crowded men' compartment in the Mumbai local train were conditioned on pure hearsay; still I thought they were best to be avoided altogether.

I have said earlier in my blog that I love surprises.... seemed to be the theme of that day. I was travelling with one of my many nephews by train. It was his first trip by Mumbai local train and he was quite excited about it. In Mumbai, most of us time our trip to the minute as per the train schedule. And we needed to get to Nerul station so there were two changeovers and hence not a minute here and there.
I don't know if this happens to anyone else, but with me, if I have such a hectic schedule then chances are quite high that something totally unplanned happens which almost kills my schedule. 
That fateful day, it was heavy downpour and lack of rickshaws. To meet the planned schedule, we got into a crowded bus... unfortunately one of those specific ones which was on my 'to-be-avoided' list. So, there I was with a very defensive posture ready to kick and snarl at any guy who threatened to be a pest. What happened next was a complete contrast to my stance. 
The guys tried to make place in that overcrowded bus to allow me to reach the seats in front which are reserved for ladies. My nephew trailed behind. Now, in one of the seats reserved for ladies was a couple... I presume this of course from the fact that the lady was fussing over this man who had a bandaged knee and ankle. Surprisingly, he got up from his seat as soon as he saw me to allow me to sit. Ya, I am in my defensive stance but making that obviously ill man stand would be offensive on my part. So, I told him to stay put and was rewarded with a weak smile.
At the station, I am appalled to see the huge queues and curse my luck, that I had forgotten to put my ATVM Rail Card in my purse. I am mentally rescheduling my trip all the while being angry at myself.... so I could not have been a pretty sight. The guy in front of me turns around and says "Madam, why don't you go over to the ticket window specifically reserved for Ladies. The queues are much shorter there". I was kind of in a bind wondering whether all those angry thoughts had not been in my inner voice as I had presumed. Still I thanked him and went over to the said window and got our tickets in under 5 minutes. The best part was that we could manage to get the train that was part of my originally planned schedule. 
My nephew was adamant on not travelling in Ladies compartment and I did not press him. But that meant, I had to travel with him in the crowded Men' compartment. Oh dear!!
My personal experience that day was far better than I had experienced in the Ladies compartment. I got to sit in the train (first two legs of our journey) and there was no pushing and screaming. I listened to the men discussing the latest news from finance to entertainment; why I even saw some guys playing some card game using one of their briefcases as the table. The rest were on their smart phones utilizing the 2G/3G networks to the hilt. 
By the time, we reached the last leg of the journey from Thane to Nerul, I was sure that I was going to have to remove my rose-tinted glasses from my pleasant experience till that time. 

We entered the compartment which was literally packed to capacity. I decided that the smart thing to do would be to stand in the aisles away from the door so that the chances of being pushed were lower. The train was just leaving Thane station when two men got up and were looking at us intently. I am filled with dread, my hands are clammy and a thousand thoughts on how to fight and what to do crosses my mind... but I am still indecisive on my next step.

The guys urged us to sit down in their seats comfortably and that they would let us know when our station was due to arrive. Huh!!! My brain seemed a little befuddled. I wondered whether it was a trap. My nephew did not seem to think so and he sat down in one of the vacated seats. He seemed surprised at my reluctance. The men were still smiling and urging me to sit down in the remaining seat… I mean even a nanosecond of hesitation could cost you the seat in a Mumbai local but none of the other men rushed or pushed past me to sit there. I sat down and through that 40 minute train ride, I found those men to be extremely civil... protective even.

Though I never let my guard down even once during any point of that day, I could not help but wonder whether I should not have any preconceived notions on hearsay.

And last, I wish I had taken photos of all these men who had been so kind and thank them on Facebook as people generally do. Unfortunately, I was so busy being surprised that frankly it did not occur to me at all. I hope I thanked them personally at least.... I think I did.

Have you surprised anyone lately?

I have always loved surprises... the good kinds that is.
Surprise gifts on birthdays, festivals or any normal day, your family, friends and neighbors getting you something... no matter how little that they made... it just brightens me up. I feel good that an effort was made to just brighten my day.

Surprise visits can go both ways, I am sure.
The negative aspects could include your already well-laid plans being completely spoiled or having to be readjusted or the quiet moment that you planned becoming anything but... to name a few. I am sure all of us may have experienced it during some part of our lives.
However, imagine this scenario - you know your friend is alone, kind of sad, moody and irritated because of some personal issues and maybe even wallowing in sadness and despair.
What if, you make a surprise visit, hold their hand, talk about the issue (if your friend is amenable) or talk about general stuff, reminisce about the good old childhood days (that never fails to perk people up) or just whip up their favorite dish.
It takes a lot of effort from your side, because you may have 'n' things lined up to do, the travel may take you about 2+ hours each way, you may have to deal with some complications during your travel.... well, you get the drift.
But, when reach your friend' place and see that look of surprise or that whoop of pure joy.... you know it is worth it. You did your bit to cheer your friend after which you heard the words - 'Thank God, you came. I was so lost and moody. But that talk of good old days of school and college; it just brightened up my day'. I tell you honestly, nothing I did that day compared to the elation & happiness I felt on hearing those words.

After 2 hours of travel back in a crowded local train (euphoria about my surprise visit being such a success made that 2 hours seem like hardly anything), I was walking on the railway platform and I chanced to look at the indicator for the next train on the platform. It was the same train that another friend took every day. I could wait and surprise her or hurry home to relieve my bladder. After a moment of deliberation, I decided that I would wait. If I did not laugh or cough or do any abrupt moments, my bladder should hold it...
The train pulled in to the platform. Everyone seemed to be in a tearing hurry to get home and so, I was afraid that I would be 'surprised' and miss her. And I was, because she was not on that train. Yup, these are the complications that happen... so I call her and she is on another train but 15 minutes away. All I am going to get to do is say 'Hi' and then both of us have to rush home. My bladder makes impatient noises but I still shush it and stay. The train was 10 minutes late. And even though I managed to see her for all of 3 minutes and say a few words, I felt good for making that effort. Best of all, my bladder still held up.

Have you surprised your friends or neighbors lately? Try it, it may very well just brighten up your day!

Protect your crowning glory!

About a month ago, I was worried. At the rate that my hair was falling, I was looking to be bald in few years… at least that was what I felt. 

Yeah yeah yeah! Worry contributes to hair loss too.

Here is a solution that I tried; apparently it worked wonders on my hair when I was child… this judging by the long thick pigtails that I sported in my pictures of old.

1. Oil your hair every alternate day without fail. The coconut oil should be warmed and into it goes a sprig of curry leaves, thulasi (basil) leaves and the rind of lemon (lucky if you have them fresh from your garden like I did courtesy my friend' garden. You should let the oil set for about 20 minutes.
2. Use a shampoo that agrees with your hair to wash off the excess oil and dirt on the scalp. I have tried multiple shampoos and found that my hair prefers Dove or Tresemme; 
3. Wash the hair with a homemade conditioner. Take some hibiscus leaves (check for spots or worms), clean it with a tissue for dust (especially in Mumbai) and then pour some water over it. About 5 minutes later take the hibiscus leaves and rub them together till they start breaking out and then just grind it along with the water. You will get a green liquid which is called ‘Thalli’ in Malayalam. Use it on your hair after the shampoo; it is a great conditioner.

I have tried it and the results look encouraging.

However, stress, worry and some strong allopathy medicines contribute greatly to hair loss so if you still have lumps of hair just falling off, you should have a doctor take a look at you and take appropriate remedial action recommended by your doctor.

Save your crowning glory before it is too late! I hope I have managed to be on the revival track.

Create your very own kurta!

Ever since I started renewing those things that had mesmerized me till I landed my job, the gifts that I receive from  family and friends  are always on the lines of encouraging and motivating me to pursue my dreams.

I have always loved designing my clothes and enjoyed sewing by hand. This year on my birthday, my parents got me a sewing machine and my friends got me lot of materials for my DIY sewing project. 

This Dusshera was special with the release of my second book and so I decided to design and sew a simple kurti for myself. 

The right cuts as per my measurements, the darts to accentuate the effect of the cut, getting the right length to make me look taller, the embellishments and embroidery... I did it all. 

It took me a day to complete it and I snapped a picture and sent it to my friend who had gifted me that particular material. 

Her overwhelmed voice and words to me will forever remain in my heart.

Makes me want to try more and more to create, check out the possibilities.  

Don't dispose off those wine bottles

I was cleaning the kitchen cupboards and I found a lot of wine bottles... I don't know how long they have been up there. I thought of our 'kabadi-wala' who would take away all those things that you no longer have any use of (old newspapers, bottles and what-have-you). I made plans to call him ASAP and take away all the 'junk' I had cleaned out.

Thankfully, ASAP never materialized. 

My next-door neighbor who is a creative soul, is always giving me tips on reusing everything. She makes these fantastic stuff and we are always exchanging things we made with our own hands including food, pieces of clothing, accessories etc.

This Dusshera, I was racking my brains as to what I could make for her that she would love. Obviously, if it was a recycled and transformed product, then it would surely make her gush forth praises for me. & I am such a sucker for that.

Then, my eyes fell on these wine bottles and I decided to try something.

I painted it.

It works well as a vase now as you can see.

But it could also be a candle stand or if you put some small lights in and flip the switch on, the effect could be dazzling.

I recommend that all of you try this at home and bring a smile to the face of your loved ones by reusing some empty bottles.

Wish you all a very happy Dusshera!!

For the love of freshly baked bread...

I love the aroma of freshly baked bread… who doesn’t?

Now, if you were to get some fresh garlic and green leaves from your friend’ garden, maybe you want to just do something that sends your senses into overdrive.

At least, I so wanted to… and I did exactly that by making Garlic Greens & Cheese Bread and eating those soft flaky bread slices along with my cup of tea with that dash of fresh mint.

SIGH!! I need to walk a lot to balance those calories but it was sooooo worth it!

Garlic Greens & Cheese Bread Recipe

INGREDIENTS

3 cups maida (self-raising flour)

3 tbsp of finely chopped garlic and coriander leaves

2 tbsp Amul Garlic & Herbs butter

2 tbsp of grated cheese

1 tsp active dry yeast

1 tbsp sugar

salt to taste

1 cup warm water

Note: My cup/vati can contain 100 ml of water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 cup of maida, 1 tbsp of yeast, 1 tbsp of sugar and ½ tsp of salt.
2. Add 1 cup of warm water. Whisk to make a smooth thick batter.
3. Cover the bowl and keep it for an hour or till you see a bubbly and frothy layer on the top of the risen batter.
4. Add the finely chopped garlic and greens and 1 cup maida and add 1 tbsp of the Amul Garlic & Herbs butter and whisk properly.
5. Add the last cup of maida, whisk well and begin to knead.
6. If the dough is sticky then add maida with a small teaspoon to make a smooth dough. If the dough is dry then add warm water enough to make a smooth dough.
7. Spread the remaining butter all over the smooth pliable dough.
8. Cover the bowl with a lid and leave it for about an hour or till the dough has risen to more than double its size.
9. Gently punch it and knead it lightly again into smooth long log about 4” wide. Grease the baking tray with oil/ghee and put this dough on the baking tray to stand.
10. Sprinkle the top with the grated cheese.
11. Cover for about 30 minutes or until the dough has risen to around double the size for the 2^nd time.
12. About 10 minutes before baking the bread, preheat the oven at 180^oC.
13. Before placing the bread, coat the top with milk if you want the golden colour (optional).
14. Place the baking tray in the centre rack in the preheated oven at 180^oC degrees for 25 minutes. Check if the top is golden and if stick or knife tip inserted comes clean. If not, bake for another 5 minutes.
15. Remove the loaf from the baking tray and place on the wired rack or tray.
16. (Optional Step). While serving, cut the loaf of bread into oval pieces, apply Amul Garlic & Herbs Butter and heat on tava till golden. Sprinkle grated cheese and microwave for 10-20 seconds or put it the convection oven (setting: toast) for about 5-10 minutes.

Creating your green spaces

After a severe bout of food poisoning due to contamination of one or more of the leaves (coriander, mint, fenugreek, spinach, curry leaves), my friend decided to put her adequately spaced terrace and grilled windows to good use.

Where earlier these were used to store all the things that had outlived its use and others that had been bought but still needed to make itself useful, now there were pots of different sizes and shapes housing the leafy greens – curry leaves, coriander, mint, fenugreek, spinach & basil and other roots like ginger and garlic. 

My observation was that it transforms the rooms especially the kitchen and the aroma... it is so fresh and welcoming.

And of course, the health benefits have extended to all of us.

I must tell you that tea with that dash of mint (pudhina), coupled with tasty snacks like coriander pathras (rolls) and fenugreek (methi) parathas at her place had me gushing ummmmms and ahhhhs!!

Isn’t that motivation enough to grow my own greens?  

Note to Self: Motivation to convert to green spaces is one thing, contracting malaria and dengue due to mosquitoes breeding in water collected at the bottom of pots is quite another thing that must be avoided. Cleaning the spaces below the pots to be undertaken every week. Copy that! 

Create a custom concept Photo book for your little one!

I was asked to design a custom concept photo book for a 2-year old. My constraints were – working with photos that were taken from mobile phones and hence lacking the resolution and clarity that my high-end SLR would have provided, and fitting the concept to the photos rather than clicking photos that were suitable to the concept.

I kept the concept simple and something that a 2-year old could learn and identify with the help of his own photos – his view of the world around him including his family, home, personal habits, diet and even his dream vacation.

My belief is that once the child sees himself with people and objects, he / she is able to remember it better. Ages 1-6 is significant for a child’ development because the child is continuously using the senses and grasping and learning. So, if you want to help your child identify objects faster and correlate with his/her life then it is best to weave a story or text so that the child sees the people and objects  in their natural surrounding – e.g. furniture at home, fruits and vegetables to be eaten, flowers in the garden, etc. Also, I feel that kids at this age should not be exposed to gadgets like smart phones and tablets and their time with TV should be limited to less than an hour per day.

So, I stripped the pictures, removed all references to phones / tablets and even TV and weaved the following story and modified the pictures in line with the background of the book –

Photobook Cover Page

Starting with him and his family, and his birthday celebrations. He decides to follow the instructions in a book that he received as a gift to become a good boy and make his parents proud. Good Habits from when he gets up in the morning to when he goes to sleep at night. This included the right eating habits where he identifies the vegetables and fruits and pulses and dairy products that would make him, the playtime rules including keeping the play things in its place and good behavior in the playground. While sleeping, he sees a dream where he travels by common modes of transport through forests on to a beach. He stays at a farmhouse which has several domesticated animals and birds and has a good view of the rivers and mountain scenery both during the day and night.

Flap Cover

I even had a shiny flap cover in which the teaser / sample of the photo book had a prominent place. 

Net result: Parents overwhelmed with joy and a delighted child. Quite fulfilling, don't you think?