Say yes to Organic- 2

I always enjoyed nature. Growing up in a metropolitan city made me look and admire concrete nature more than Mother Nature. However, a wonderful trek with my darling brother when I was 16 did give me a perspective of how beautiful and unique every aspect of nature is. However, I experienced it in full bloom after moving to the US. I have experienced all the four seasons and it's wonderful how the same tree which is completely green, changes orange, red, brown and then leafless. This connection with nature, wanting to move away from chemicals and feeling connected to beauty, made me start my little garden. It's a wonderful feeling to wake up to fresh bloomed flowers and pluck tomatoes from your backyard, just when you need them. My attempt has been so far so good. Although some of my plants have something going wrong with them, cos their leaves have holes. However, most of my plants are doing well. The tomato,  mint and  flowers all are doing wonderful. I am sure this summer, I am going to enjoy using mint, cilantro, peppers and tomatoes from my very own garde. Not only do I save money, but I also know that I am eating organic. One more step closer to good health :-) 

My Garden

Baby tomato:-)

DIY - Say Yes to ORGANIC

It's been so long since I wrote in here, but that doesn't mean I have stopped writing or don't have reasons to celebrate. I always have reasons to be happy and writing is what gives me my bread and butter.

I have been fascinated by the DIY world and have been grateful for all the websites which provide details of this. The DIY trend has made me wade away from chemicals slowly and use natural products for my skin and hair.

1. I started with " No Poo"- This basically means no shampoo. I use baking soda mixed with water, as shampoo and apple cider vinegar mixed with water as a conditioner. I have been doing this for 2 months now. This has helped my hair's natural oils be restored and because of that, my hair is not oily anymore and manages to remain clean for more than two days.

This link has detailed instructions on how to "No Poo"
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Go-No-Poo/

2. I use honey as a face wash and have stopped using any other face wash. I apply raw honey a few minutes before showering or washing my face, It is a little sticky, but it leave you clean.

3. This is the most excising thing I have done in this series. I made my own face cream. Is that not wonderful. Oh My god... It was so exciting to even try making it. It turned out perfectly well and I love the cream. It' not only economically, but free from chemicals and suits well on my skin,  I used this website for guidance-
 http://www.robinskey.com/diy-beauty-luxurious-homemade-all-natural-face-cream-recipe/  
I didn't use chocolate butter as suggested , but substituted that with coconut oil and it works perfectly wonderful.

Do try one or all of these at home and let me know how amazing you feel. If there are  some ways you are trying to minimize the use of chemicals. pls share the same in the comments section. I would be happy to learn.

Safety (#75)

I am a very emotional person, who is easily affected by the news around her. The headlines these days have not been good.They are full of missing planes, terrorism, discrimination and rapes. I have had sleepless nights for a long time now, cos I am in constant fear. Fear of all this horrible tragedies happening to anyone I know. I am aware, it's a big big world and the chances of my loved and known ones falling into these mishaps is .001. However, when you are away and don't see the actual scenario at places, what you know is what the media highlights. Oh! the media does a brilliant job at highlighting the gruesome incidents and conveniently forgets the good happening in the world. In the last 100 years, this is the time when human kind is the safest, more connected and the spirit of humanity is alive. This is a good time to be alive and see the beautiful world around you growing. I am confident that the world is becoming a better place and soon we will be a greater, more peaceful, more accepting and a more sensible society. Till then,I am happy and very very grateful for the safety of my loved and known ones. I can't thank Almighty enough for this blessing, may this blessing be showered on me and everyone who is reading this and is not reading this also.

My Best Friend...Always will be (#74)

My best friend My Life….

The first day I met him , I was bewildered at the fact that he was from Pachappas College………The first thought my mind processed was “ Stay away from this handsome guy “. I was introduced to him by my classmate who eventually became his first love.

My inhibitions about the college and all the students from Pachappas College made me keep my distance from him, but nothing stopped him from helping me. My first paper presentation in my new post graduate college, actually my first paper presentation in my life… without even knowing who I am and what I think about him. This guy stood there and said…. “Lets hear it once, that will give you the confidence”. It indeed did give me confidence and as I was giving my presentation, he anticipated the judges’ question and sent the answer across to me. Lo behold! That was the answer to whatever the judge had asked. I won. Not only a trophy, but a friend, a friend for life.

My inhibitions only reduced, they didn’t disappear. He offered to drop me home.. It was pouring cats and dogs and I kept arguing “ I will manage “… Thanks to my inhibitions. I was extra cautious of the way I was sitting on his bike… Keeping my distance as much as I could and being conscious that I don’t touch him… He insisted he drop me home and I fought back saying “thank you , I will walk “ . My mind kept saying “You don’t know him, how will you go home with him, after all he is from Pachappas…..

Gosh what’s in a name? I Thought. But so much a college name did.  It made me waste one full year, by staying away from this gem of a person…. We eventually got close.

I was a day college student, he also was but he was special and that’s why walked into college at 11.00 A.M – 12.00 A.M   and left an hour after that.  His brilliance helped him be one of the best students of the college and although he was a hourly visitor to college, he was made the Chairman of the Student’s Union council.

The department Journal – Decorum 360 degree (for which he recommended me- Wonder why?) got us closer and made us friends. Things slowly changed, I came when Day College began and left when the evening college got over and this hourly visitor came in the afternoon and went home after dropping me home. Yes, right outside my house :-)

We were supposedly working for the paper . we use to be in Canteen fighting over the one Masala Dosa which he would ruin completely or else we would be seen on the bike together leaving to the printer. Oh! What a Unicorn it was (the bike ) – It would always run out of petrol or the tyres would go whooooooooshhhhh exactly when we were getting late or there was no petrol bunk in the vicinity. He would make me run pushing his bike from behind and he dragging it. He would always blame his Unicorn’s laziness on me and say – “ it happens only when you sit on the bike”… Stupid never realized- No one else ever sat J

He created history in college by organizing Disha- the college cultural program. I give the credit to myself, wonder whom he gives the credit for the name. I worked for the cultural cos my heart said – “He is a nice guy and he needs you”.. Doubt if he ever needed me. The cultural was on Valentine’s Day…. No, no I wasn’t expecting anything from him…. He never believed in love then….

It was amazing, our college, our journal, our cultural program and our new relationship- Our out of this world friendship. He was my only friend in the whole college of 3000 students… was it because I never got along with anybody or I never needed one, cos I found him?

Everything was perfect, till  he feel sick.Hospitalized…Typhoid…………nooooooo…. It was terrible, no not his falling sick, but the lecture from his brother ( great guy ! Seriously) J . His brother thought he fell sick because I made him eat at all the local eat outs while working with him… But was he not the one who recommended me for all the work along with him ????

Whatsoever, said and done…This guy was no ordinary guy. He was an super intelligent guy, being a hourly visitor and coming to the exams directly from the ICU and still clearing all the papers… wowwwwwwwwww. Only somebody with his caliber and determination could have done it.

That was my first year in College, he wasn't my class mate.. he was my senior… Hated him for being the Chairman, cos of him I never became the chairman (they wouldn't give it to the same department for 2 consecutive years – Stupid rules ! ). I loved him for his humor. Got irritated with his innocence, he would never understand the clues of me wanting to change my sanitary pad. I would tell him  10 times in different ways “I want to wash my face , lets go home “ he would repeat it 10 times “Wash it in the canteen” . I would give all the reasons to go home and he would reject all of them and then with all my frustration and irritation ( Thanks to the monthly cycle and his innocence ) I would scream and say “ I have got my periods and need a sanitary pad”  and he would keep mum throughout  the way and take me home…

The day I wouldn't go to college, he would come and meet me at home and we would endlessly  talk about everything under the sun. We have walked for 3 hours at a stretch. Thanks to him , I am fit today., So is he ….

Oh ! How can I forget the mess I created in his life… My classmate and my friend  loved him deeply and she said her love increased cause of me… (I was always spending time with him). He never wanted to get into and always confessed the same to me and she would also confess to me all what she was going thru… I always pushed her to him and eventually asked her to express her feelings and after 2 years,( dude took quiet a lot of time )  he fell in love with her ……How much I hated myself for it…. Cause in 2 years he became my best friend, and I wasn't willing to share him with anybody on planet earth….

I should be honest, I had a boy friend then…. My first love..  This hourly visitor would drop me to my boy friend’s place when asked for and has even had dinner with us even though he hated it… (An awesome friend)

His typhoid didn't stop him from attending the farewell, how could it ???? She had insisted he be there.  (he is a sweetheart).

Missed this hourly guest in my second year of college, but he made his attempts to stay connected so did I. He would give me a lift, actually not a lift , he would go out of his way to drop me to college, every time I was late… I was late most of the times( learnt it from him ) . During my exam, I would read one subject of mine and he would read the other and explain it out to me… thanks to him, I topped the university…. Wouldn't have , if not for him. College got over and it was a beginning to my career life… He was always there listening to my fears and always kept telling me  “ if you don’t get a job who will” . I got the first job I applied for.

He gave me Joy, Courage, Confidence, Smile, Time, Success, he gave me life,  A life which I would have never enjoyed , if not for him….

Thank you friend, thank you Guru ,Thank you my Guardian Angel… ( only I am allowed to call him all the above even after 5 years of college ) Love you doggy J

Whatsapp (#73)

Staying away from family and loved ones makes one realize the importance of all the technology in the world. I am so so so grateful to technology which keeps me connected at any time of the day with my loved ones. Whatsapp is a great messaging service which not only allows me to send messages, but also send voicenotes, pictures, songs and videos. It makes me form groups and hang out with cousins and friends. I may not be there to have all the awesome conversations I would like, but whatapp lets me send my emotions the moment I want to. I am very happy for the service, it's not only so awesome, but it's also free!!! Thank you developers :-)

Santa Clause (#72)

It's a Christmas today and most of the world is on a break, enjoying the gifts below the tree, celebrating with family and friends , eating delicious food. However, not everyone is so blessed. Som e people have to work/ choose to work, so that the rest of us can have fun. The public transport drivers, the employees in the restaurants and stores which are open, the airlines and airport employees, the police, the defense personnel... Today, I am very very grateful for all of them who work today, so that we can have all the fun. Merry Christmas to all of you work today and on every other holiday..THANK YOU, you are my Santa.

A special shoot out to my brother and  my dad.. who work all the days of every holiday, so that their family (us), can live the comfortable life we live.

Christmas Gift (#71)

I have started cross training and running. My goal is to participate in a 10 mile race and complete it in less than 2 hours in April. I had a pair of sneakers, but everyone advised me to get a pair of running shoes. Honestly, I didn't even know the difference, till I got this. Oh My God!! They are so light and fit so well. Waiting to exercise in these. They came by mail on the day of Christmas eve. It surely is MERRY CHRISTMAS

Gym Bag (#70)

I was in love with this bag, the minute I saw it on Amazon.com. It was so colorful, with so many designs on it. It had too much going on and pink was the dominant color. This bag screamed my name. Although some of my friends thought, it was "too much going on" for a gym bag, I still went ahead and bought it. I have owned it for a month now and still every time I see it, my face lightens up. Not only cos of it's beauty, but also cos its a reminder to me that I am choosing a healthy lifestyle.

Is this not a beauty?

Phone (#69)

This is my first branded smart phone. I had got it as a gift two years ago, cos my friends were tired of me using a brick phone with a black and white screen display. It neither had my emails, nor did it have a camera.

 Life has changed after having this phone. It's been both more entertaining and productive. I read on this, thru my kindle app. I check my emails on the go and take care of work wherever I am. I click pictures for the blog and I quickly Google all the things, I don't know. I am grateful for the technology of smart phone and for friends who were willing to pamper me.  I am happy to have my friends and this technology which connects me with them:-) 

Adorable little house ( # 68)

It's time for Christmas, the city is light and their Christmas trees all around. As I was walking to the gym today, I saw this beautiful cute little house, next to a Christmas tree stall , guess this was my little Christmas cheer. I had only heard of tiny houses and houses on wheels. I always fascinated having one. Seeing this house, makes me believe that this could be one of the many houses me and my love will have. Is this not the cutest houses ever... Oh this house made my day :-)

New Beginnings (#67)

I am happy today for new beginnings. They are not as smooth as you would want them, but they are exciting , fun , challenging and always for something better. I have to start of a research paper all over again after a y.ear's hard work. I don't know how instead of being disappointed.. I am happy, cos I feel the new paper has more hope than the previous one. So, is the case with relationships too.. the new ones always have more hope than the old ones... So here it is ... CHEERS to new beginnings.

Settings (#66)

I love the settings of this blog. I started this challenge for myself, for me to learn and appreciate things in life. There were days when I didn't write, not because I didn't find reasons to be happy, but either cos I was travelling or too tired. I have cheated a few days and changed the time setting to make me believe that I wrote everyday. However, I realize... why should I.. how would it really help.. it won't hence ain't going to do it, henceforth. However, I am happy for this realization and that happened only cos I could cheat. 

Health (#65)

I am happy for a healthy, fit able body. I am happy that I am able to sleep, work, think, smile and walk out in the sun. I am happy to be free from ailments.

Exercise (# 64)

I have always loved being fit. I enjoy running out on the streets, group exercises and yoga, However, for a very long, I couldn't run outside as the weather has not been very supportive. Group exercises needed a place, instructor and people. I didn't know a group like that, which was cheap and easily accessible from home. Yoga needed space, which I didn't have.

All this made me feel dirty from within, as there was no exercise. I felt bloated and fat. However, our office had just moved to a very swanky location and this location had a swanky gym, which was not only affordable, but had classes, just in time after office. I enrolled myself to this gym and dragged a few friends along. It's been a month, I am not only in love with the classes, but also have been successful in motivating three more friends to join the gym.

This gym has not only made me look forward to my evenings, but is lowly inspiring me to work on the machines... something which I never enjoyed.
                                     Thank you LA FITNESS... You are a great place

Mother Angel (# 63)

I am not a person who is very balanced in her emotions. I sometimes get very hyper when I am angry, I wail like someone is dead when I am sad and I am a live wire when happy. It can be very tiring to handle such a person everyday. Especially when the proximity is less, communication is only over the phone and the person is unwilling to listen. You have to be patient, sane and loving to handle someone like this.

I have been blessed to be loved inspite of my weakness and  my mood swings ( they are like the economic cycle, always fluctuating).  One person has always stood by me, listened to all my rant on international calls, calmed me down more than a 100 times and has continued to love me unconditionally for 10 or more years

I met her in the most random ways, again it was her, who figured that I could use some awesome support in life. She came as a lovely friend of a spiritual satsang and over the years,she has become my mother angel, whom I am sure god has sent to look after me.

Words can never describe what she means to be. I am only grateful for her in life. She is the strongest, self-determined, hardworking, caring, understanding, loving..... ... woman , I have ever met.

I am happy to you in life di... I am happy you exist Kusum di.

You are everything your name stands for...

Directions(#62)

I am happy for directions, directions on roads and in life. These directions can come from people or machines. I ,of course am grateful for the people who give me directions in life, but I am excited and happy for the machine. The machine which we all know as GPS. Thank god and thank you Roger L. Easton ( inventor). GPS has made life so easy. I can drive to  any road in this country,  with a sane mind  my gas tank filled, my drivers licence and a GPS, and I know , I will reach the road.. even if it's a less traveled one, and this  is possible cos of this machine. This machine, which is an essential in all cars and sometimes, even while walking.
 As one my darling friend says    "I can't imagine life without GPS".

Museum (#61)

There is so much I don't about the world we live in. I have been a curious person and an avid learner,guess that's why I am a PhD. I am in a new city and I had a chance to visit one of the most beautiful knowledgeable and breathtaking museums I have ever visited. The icing to my museum cake was- it was FREE. Yes, so much knowledge and beauty for free.
I had a full day, but I still couldn't complete seeing every artifact and every video in the museum What's more fascinating is that the artifacts change every 6 months, indicating that there is so much more to be discovered and learned.
Oh! I am so awestruck, I know I will go back.
I am really really happy today for the Smithsonian group who ensures that these museums are so awesome and are free. Thank you Smithsonian (s)... we need more people like you  

Gifts (#60)

I love giving gifts, as much as I love receiving them. I believe this is one of the many gestures which makes people smile. This year, I want to send gifts to all my loved ones. Unfortunately, I don't stay in the same city or country as them and shipping charges are huge.But, there is always a blessing which you don't realize till the need of it arrives, My blessing- AMAZON.COM/IN...
It's wonderful how I can send what I want, pay in the currency which I have in my country and track delivery of the gift and even gift wrap it... everything at a click of a button. This is awesome. I am so happy that Amazon.in exists and the employees work hard and efficiently to ensure my gifts get delivered. Thank you Amazon team, you guys are a true blessing.

Advisor (# 59)

I ain't a genius, I am just average smart for a city girl. However, I have been blessed to be working with one of the most intelligent person in my field. He not only is top 5 researchers in the world, but is also a prolific writer, reader, statistician, and everything else that a person needs to be on top of the game. He can go on for days with just a few hours of sleep, he travels all across the world and never complains of jet lags. He is a brilliant teacher and he is humble about learning from his students.I am happy that he thinks I have the potential to be his student. I am happy to be learning from a genius, I am happy for Dr. Kumar in my life. 

DIY (#58)

I can stare at these blogs the whole day. They make me feel so wonderful about the things which can be done at home. There are so many things which we buy from the stores can be made at home. They are not only cheaper, better quality, but are made with a lot of love. I have learnt how to make sugar scrubs from these websites and my pinterest is full of things I want to do when I find the time. The DIY blogs make me want to do so many things. They awaken the creative me. I love love them. They remind of my childhood, where my mom made most of the things at home from ketchup to cookies to mixers. Mom would be so proud that I am inspired by these things and I am trying to do my own little things. I love these blogs and I am thrilled that they are so easily accessible. Thank you DIY bloggers. Thank you .