I am not a good reader but recently have forced myself into reading novels and believe me its nice feeling after reading a good book. I started to read all famous works or I would put as well known books starting from Harry Potter, classics like Emma, Oliver Twist and lately Archer's work. When I wanted to pick a book recently, I decided to pick some random book. Having read no reviews or without any particular author in mind. Well I must say, I enjoyed reading this book 'A lady like Sarah' by Margaret Brownley. Its quite strange choice as I didn't read its blurb, I picked it up because the book cover had a beautiful lady picture, I felt her eyes sharp, got literally attracted she had a cowboy hat on, so guessed its storyline is related to old west and then read review on its cover and confirmed.
With first romantic novel in hand I kick started to read. The story is about two characters, Sarah Prescott an outlaw and Reverend Justin Wells a preacher. They meet in an unusual circumstance and fall madly in love with each other gradually. Both heading to Rocky Creek wherin Sarah is due to death sentence and Justin to take up his job as preacher. I wouldn't like to tell the whole story here because its worth a read. You will be bound to the book once you start, at the end you realise that it is very simple yet interesting story. The way love is described at its purest is awesome. Though the scenario is full of tension, the two lovers have hope that they have met to fight the odds and to get united rather than to perish amongst the unfair situation. The love between them, the faith in God and with each other leads them out successfully amidst all hurdles which was bought upon them. To sum up, a well written sweet story.
This pick encourages me to try different author's book and enjoy their writing styles.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Lines which mean to me..
It's been my hobby from my school days to collect proverbs. It all began when I started to read newspaper, after few days I used to just glance at the headlines and jump to Thought for the day section, few thoughts really had a influence on me and from then I started to write the ones I liked in my dairy which eventually now has thousand plus proverbs.
I would like to note down here few thoughts which are in my mind and on tip of my tongue always and which I find relevant in my day to day life:
Time wasted is a life wasted:
I sit in front of my laptop browsing, watching all crap from movies,songs,chat shows,etc and by the time I am done I realise that I have spent a day of my life being busy doing nothing. Next day I decide to spend my day in more useful way but get distracted again will start to browse assigning just 10 minute but then eventually goes on and on, this has been my routine for a couple of years now and today when I look back I see big empty box and question mark in my career for past two years. I realised it can't go like this forever, so there are few days in those two years wherein I have done some useful, interesting stuff be it learning to cook new dish, start blogging, read novels or technical stuff but still I think I have to use my time more efficiently so that I don't repent in future about wasting the time. I keep reminding myself often the above line.
Talent may take you top, but you need character to stay there:
I have couple of years of corporate experience, so me being fan of this line right from my college days I felt it more and more relevant once I entered corporate life. I came across people who were knowledgeable but worth nothing because of their wrong attitude, people who were success were the one with blend of knowledge as well as good character call it over all personality, take it from me character defines everything about you. While we work as team, its very important to walk along with members rather than to show attitude,ego or begrade that's where I felt this line more relevant.
Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about:
Most of us would relate to this line, as in one point or the other we compare with others. I strongly believe one gets only what he/she deserves. From my point if I fail to get something, its because I am intended to get better than what I wished for but there are times I envy seeing others thinking of being in their shoes but all comes back to norm with thought of this line. Just by seeing a person or just by action or work of that person you can't think he has wonderful life you never know what he has gone through to reach that phase or what he is destined for future so its wise to lead your life to the fullest in the way you want.
A good way to change someone's attitude is to change your own:
While I read this a metaphor was quoted as well, the sun which melts butter also hardens the earth pot. I have problems with many people in my life,I end up thinking whether the problem is within me or all those people are wrong. In real life I go by this line, if I have problem with some one I can't be normal with them, can't be undercover and have laugh,be friendly its take lot of time to get back on normal tone in fact I don't recollect any such patch up's at all but yes,I have seen its effect on the other person when I change my attitude. I am not sure whether I must change in this regard, not sure whether I have interpreted the line in correctly.Thinking under construction!
Don't walk as if you own the world, walk as if you don't care who owns the World, that's ATTITUDE:
Oops,heavy one!! still pondering about it.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend:
Thank God I have wonderful friends in my life. There is nothing much to say about this line, it just touches ones heart and brings smile on ones face thinking about all friends in life. I did have my share of downs in friendships but as life went along have priceless friends. Thank you all dear friends!
Many more to add, but will stop here. These lines are out of people's experience no wonder when we read, we can relate to them.
Feeling like writing my first line, here it goes:
Life is game, participate with full might without thinking about winning or losing.
I would like to note down here few thoughts which are in my mind and on tip of my tongue always and which I find relevant in my day to day life:
Time wasted is a life wasted:
I sit in front of my laptop browsing, watching all crap from movies,songs,chat shows,etc and by the time I am done I realise that I have spent a day of my life being busy doing nothing. Next day I decide to spend my day in more useful way but get distracted again will start to browse assigning just 10 minute but then eventually goes on and on, this has been my routine for a couple of years now and today when I look back I see big empty box and question mark in my career for past two years. I realised it can't go like this forever, so there are few days in those two years wherein I have done some useful, interesting stuff be it learning to cook new dish, start blogging, read novels or technical stuff but still I think I have to use my time more efficiently so that I don't repent in future about wasting the time. I keep reminding myself often the above line.
Talent may take you top, but you need character to stay there:
I have couple of years of corporate experience, so me being fan of this line right from my college days I felt it more and more relevant once I entered corporate life. I came across people who were knowledgeable but worth nothing because of their wrong attitude, people who were success were the one with blend of knowledge as well as good character call it over all personality, take it from me character defines everything about you. While we work as team, its very important to walk along with members rather than to show attitude,ego or begrade that's where I felt this line more relevant.
Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about:
Most of us would relate to this line, as in one point or the other we compare with others. I strongly believe one gets only what he/she deserves. From my point if I fail to get something, its because I am intended to get better than what I wished for but there are times I envy seeing others thinking of being in their shoes but all comes back to norm with thought of this line. Just by seeing a person or just by action or work of that person you can't think he has wonderful life you never know what he has gone through to reach that phase or what he is destined for future so its wise to lead your life to the fullest in the way you want.
A good way to change someone's attitude is to change your own:
While I read this a metaphor was quoted as well, the sun which melts butter also hardens the earth pot. I have problems with many people in my life,I end up thinking whether the problem is within me or all those people are wrong. In real life I go by this line, if I have problem with some one I can't be normal with them, can't be undercover and have laugh,be friendly its take lot of time to get back on normal tone in fact I don't recollect any such patch up's at all but yes,I have seen its effect on the other person when I change my attitude. I am not sure whether I must change in this regard, not sure whether I have interpreted the line in correctly.Thinking under construction!
Don't walk as if you own the world, walk as if you don't care who owns the World, that's ATTITUDE:
Oops,heavy one!! still pondering about it.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend:
Thank God I have wonderful friends in my life. There is nothing much to say about this line, it just touches ones heart and brings smile on ones face thinking about all friends in life. I did have my share of downs in friendships but as life went along have priceless friends. Thank you all dear friends!
Many more to add, but will stop here. These lines are out of people's experience no wonder when we read, we can relate to them.
Feeling like writing my first line, here it goes:
Life is game, participate with full might without thinking about winning or losing.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Smiling faces
Today I was heading to grocery store next door, on the way a lady asked me if I could drop the shopping cart she was returning to store. I gladly accepted, the smile and gesture she returned is unforgettable. I was any-way going into store, pushing the cart needed least effort but the gain I got out of it is a smile and appreciation from a stranger yet felt it so near to heart.
The other day I was carrying my friend's son he is just nine months old, smart and chubby boy. I just tickled him and swung him around, he started to laugh and enjoy the swing. Most of the kids love to have swing in air but he made it so special that moment is picture perfect in front of me.
My neighbour next door has a daughter who is three years old, one day she just came and knocked the door when I answered, her mother told me it was her daughter who knocked for fun while playing. So I stared at her she gave me an naughty smile and hid behind her mother to defend herself.
I go to library not just to return or get book, to get the warm welcoming smile from my librarian, which makes my day.I like dimples created when some people smile. Some express their smile through their eyes.
So, when I came to United States of America first thing I noticed was smiles flashing from almost everybody. I was puzzled at beginning, in my country India we give smile only if we know the person its gesture of acknowledgement. No free smile for strangers! It's different cultures, no wonder what the frequency of smile is just see to it that its always form heart rather being artificial.
One thing I cann't forget is during my marriage ceremony, smiling for photographs that was artificial one. I had smiled to the extent that I felt dragged at my cheeks and jaws started to ache. Whatever, it did the magic.
The other day I was carrying my friend's son he is just nine months old, smart and chubby boy. I just tickled him and swung him around, he started to laugh and enjoy the swing. Most of the kids love to have swing in air but he made it so special that moment is picture perfect in front of me.
My neighbour next door has a daughter who is three years old, one day she just came and knocked the door when I answered, her mother told me it was her daughter who knocked for fun while playing. So I stared at her she gave me an naughty smile and hid behind her mother to defend herself.
I go to library not just to return or get book, to get the warm welcoming smile from my librarian, which makes my day.I like dimples created when some people smile. Some express their smile through their eyes.
So, when I came to United States of America first thing I noticed was smiles flashing from almost everybody. I was puzzled at beginning, in my country India we give smile only if we know the person its gesture of acknowledgement. No free smile for strangers! It's different cultures, no wonder what the frequency of smile is just see to it that its always form heart rather being artificial.
One thing I cann't forget is during my marriage ceremony, smiling for photographs that was artificial one. I had smiled to the extent that I felt dragged at my cheeks and jaws started to ache. Whatever, it did the magic.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Winter walk
It's snow, snow, snow everywhere. It's as if someone has generous spread the pearls around and to add to this the ray of sun is making everything shine bright. I couldn't resist going out. I set the foot out with my winter gear on, the only part which I had uncovered was my face. As I step out from my warm cozy apartment oops!! I could feel the cool air slapping my face and freezing my eyelids. In this romantic walk with my partner, he is walking free and comfortable while I walk stiff as robot. First thing he does is take out his hands from gloves and pierce the finger in to snow covered ground, this is his method to measure extent of snow fall. It is just 2 inch of snow he said with frown on his face.
We are the only two people out, I see a lady peeping from window looking at us, might be thinking crazy two out in such a weather. While thinking this I slip and my hubby is already to react as if he was anticipating this. So my next step was more slow. Finally we reach starbucks, its like a tradition for us whenever it snows we walk around sipping hot starbucks coffee which passes between our hands after each sip we take.
With coffee in hand we are back to walk, now its different as sipping hot coffee is making me feel at-least something is warm. We go around all our apartment complex mostly walk over fresh fluffy snow.After we have sipped last drop of coffee we head to slide and walk in valley fully covered with snow.Thanks to nice tough pair of gloves my hands are pretty warm still but thing to worry are the feet but he was all comfortable as he had worn socks and covered the feet with plastic bags and then worn shoes, plastic bags kept his feet from getting moist I had ridiculed his idea and was out with only my shoes so after sometime my feet started to freeze so came the end of this excursion. Tracking back our foot prints and hoping for more snow fall fall we step back home and admired outside the window the beautiful magic of snow.
We are the only two people out, I see a lady peeping from window looking at us, might be thinking crazy two out in such a weather. While thinking this I slip and my hubby is already to react as if he was anticipating this. So my next step was more slow. Finally we reach starbucks, its like a tradition for us whenever it snows we walk around sipping hot starbucks coffee which passes between our hands after each sip we take.
With coffee in hand we are back to walk, now its different as sipping hot coffee is making me feel at-least something is warm. We go around all our apartment complex mostly walk over fresh fluffy snow.After we have sipped last drop of coffee we head to slide and walk in valley fully covered with snow.Thanks to nice tough pair of gloves my hands are pretty warm still but thing to worry are the feet but he was all comfortable as he had worn socks and covered the feet with plastic bags and then worn shoes, plastic bags kept his feet from getting moist I had ridiculed his idea and was out with only my shoes so after sometime my feet started to freeze so came the end of this excursion. Tracking back our foot prints and hoping for more snow fall fall we step back home and admired outside the window the beautiful magic of snow.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Step wells
I was just scrolling to the National Geographic magazine of the month and one thing which caught my sight was the step well. I had seen many step wells as kid but it was barely made of upto ten steps but the well in the picture below just amazed me
Till now I had thought the purpose of the steps built were just for well to look beautiful but was taken aback reading about step wells. Firstly, the steps built are a way to conserve rain water, water from rain float along the steps and accumulate in the wells which is at center of these steps. It was also built as a place for leisure, the water in the well made the place around bit cooler so people used to spend time enjoying cool air. This amazing architecture dates back more than 800 years old, they stand now as a sign of brilliant ancient architecture. The picture above is the deepest step well in the world. This step well is located in Rajasthan ,India and is reported to have around 3500 steps! Imagine the plight of the people who would fetch water from these wells, no wonder our ancestor were strong, healthy, fit add all adjectives you want, I guess rarely they would have allocated time in a day for exercise separately since their daily chores where enough to keep them fit for life time. I just can't wait to see this amazing architecture.
Till now I had thought the purpose of the steps built were just for well to look beautiful but was taken aback reading about step wells. Firstly, the steps built are a way to conserve rain water, water from rain float along the steps and accumulate in the wells which is at center of these steps. It was also built as a place for leisure, the water in the well made the place around bit cooler so people used to spend time enjoying cool air. This amazing architecture dates back more than 800 years old, they stand now as a sign of brilliant ancient architecture. The picture above is the deepest step well in the world. This step well is located in Rajasthan ,India and is reported to have around 3500 steps! Imagine the plight of the people who would fetch water from these wells, no wonder our ancestor were strong, healthy, fit add all adjectives you want, I guess rarely they would have allocated time in a day for exercise separately since their daily chores where enough to keep them fit for life time. I just can't wait to see this amazing architecture.
Note brainer App
I am glued to this application in my ipod called note brainer. I love listening instrumentals, that's where my urge to learn an musical instrument started but ofcourse being pushed forward by my partner. So its been couple of months since I have been trying my hands on piano, first few weeks the learning went with decent speed thanks to the tutorial videos by Lypur but after learning mere basics it came to standstill where I was supposed to read from musical sheet and play. That's when we found this application note brainer. It displays the shaft both treble and base clefs with notes randomly on different lines and we are supposed to hit the correct note, this is what I needed, practising rather having palying it as game made it so easy to recognise the notes faster , though havn't yet tried it on piano as of now managing only to play on ipod. I am still using free version of this application and it has just treble and base clefs, the full version has with notes with sharp sign and bases. Planning to buy full version once I master the basics. So, as of now in one minute I have managed to recognise of 58 notes, my target is 60 notes with all correct. I and my partner are compete, with me in lead. Thanks for the amazing application.
Ipod has full piano application virtuoso, its amazing for the beginner to start playing basic notes. You feel happy to hear the music generated by your fingers with sense of pride around. With all these amazing applications out there and amazing tutorials floating in web combined with the desire to learn can only make you more enthusiastic to learn piano, this applies to anything one needs to learn thanks for the advance in Internet and Communications which is making this vast world shrink and loads of kudos to people who share their knowledge out. I still regret giving up my dance classes as kid, but came to realisation their is no age limit to learn things, one has to keep learning till last breath so vast are the things to know about. Hope I continue with my fingers on piano.
Ipod has full piano application virtuoso, its amazing for the beginner to start playing basic notes. You feel happy to hear the music generated by your fingers with sense of pride around. With all these amazing applications out there and amazing tutorials floating in web combined with the desire to learn can only make you more enthusiastic to learn piano, this applies to anything one needs to learn thanks for the advance in Internet and Communications which is making this vast world shrink and loads of kudos to people who share their knowledge out. I still regret giving up my dance classes as kid, but came to realisation their is no age limit to learn things, one has to keep learning till last breath so vast are the things to know about. Hope I continue with my fingers on piano.
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