Tag: sindhuvinodnarayan

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Review of Jasmine builds on shifting sands

Jasmine builds on shifting sands

BLURB

Integrated with hybrid multimedia learning tools, Jasmine Builds on Shifting Sands is a unique self-help fiction offering. Its captivating narrative ties two seemingly distinct tales in an intertwined journey that explores the manifestation of dreams. At the center of the book is Jasmine’s journey of making it as a successful model in the cut-throat world of fashion. Her tale of victory and failure is enveloped within the master narrative of Sanjay, an erudite knowledge-seeker who meets his spiritual guru- Ma. Set between the esoter ic location of the Himalayas and the urban bustle of Mumbai, the book offers an enhanced learning experience which is further amplified through the embedded microlearning content that is interspersed throughout the text, making for a truly immersive experience.

MY REVIEW

Jasmine builds on shifting sands

Fiction and self-help are two of my favourite genres of books. I really don’t know the time ticking when I settle down in my reading corner with books in any one of these genres.

As much as I enjoy fiction, I also enjoy reading self-help books and try implementing principles which suit my way of life. That’s what they’re written for right?

What I look for in self-help books is strategies, lessons, case studies which tell you what to and what not to do. They should make you feel that you could try attempting to implement lessons learned. Examples which state what went wrong and how could that have been handled to make it successful are stuffs which anyone would basically look for in self-help books.

When I came to know that this book has both self-help and fiction entwined I knew I definitely had to pick it up.

What I could also relate is that the book is set in modern period and so is something everyone of us millenials could resonate to.

It takes a lot of time for us to understand ourselves in a better way. Not knowing about ourselves and instead looking out for others to accept us is something that is not plausible. The process of understanding oneself, about what we can and what we cannot, how we can and when we can is called self-discovery. Not everyone of us do this at the same time. For some of us this process happens early and for some later on. This book embarks you on Jasmine’s journey of self-discovery.

The Prologue and the Epilogue add value by providing a powerful context arising from the author’s own personal experience.

The realistic description of the travel to Kedarnath, the picturesque views of Himalaya would make you embark on a virtual journey. The divine relationship between the author and his spiritual guru , their conversations mentioned provide a lot of spiritual learning.

Jasmine who was about to land into a professional career life eventually landed into the world of fashion. Now that is two extreme opposite fields. So how does she handle it ? Does she succeed or fail ? Is she happy or keeps brooding ?

The field that she landed was something completely new to her. She had her parts of failures, jealousies, competition, wrong ways and finally rose above all of it. The author has a lot of learnings from life which he’s penned out beautifully through the story of Jasmine.

Everyone of us has a dream, a goal or an aim. We pursue our actions towards them . We chart out a goal plan to achieve the results. Did you know that the universe also has a major role in making our dreams come true? Now that is what the author tries to convey.

A motivational book that helps you to stay focused and have a positive approach to rise above hurdles and accomplish the dream. The connection to the universe and it’s integral part in making our dreams come true also is a lesson to be learnt.

I love the writing style of the author which he serves to keep it simple and crisp. No beating around the bush or extravagant descriptions. Overall a good one for self-motivation and self-discovery.

About the author :

Sanjay is an entrepreneur and an ex-banker, an alumnus of IIM Bangalore and a Chartered Accountant. During his successful career, Sanjay has been integrating the essence of a parallel spiritual journey with his material pursuits. He has now set out to share the ways and means of seamlessly traversing through the material and spiritual world. Thereby, enriching each journey.

Click below on the thumbnail to buy yourself a copy.

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla, and generously SPONSORED BY Bugshield Clothing – Enjoy Outdoors More!

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Spicy cow peas kurma – no onion no garlic

Cow peas kurma with no onion and garlic

With dussehra a lot many of us were into fasting, some didn’t take non vegetarian food and few like me wanted to take food without onion and garlic.

Not only for dussehra but also for certain auspicious days we tend to avoid adding onion and garlic to food. In South India, typically during the month of Purattasi ( mid September to mid October) people generally give up non vegetarian food cause of devotion to Lord Narayana and it’s an auspicious month.

These ten days during dussehra, I avoided added any onion and garlic to food and didn’t consume any outside food.

Dinner options were getting very limited. For lunch I planned to make the neivedhyam ( offering) for the day , which would become our lunch as well. A variety rice paired with boiled and tempered lentils also known as Sundal in the south. This would be offered to the God and kolu at homes.

But dinner for a big headache. For a person like me who tries including if not garlic but onion in most dishes, cooking during these days was challenging. That is when I started whipping out recipes without onion and garlic. Believe me they tasted equally good. I’m here giving you a recipe of a kurma that has no onion and garlic, but had lipsmacking taste. This goes well with rotis, phulkas, plain rice and even pulaos.

Ingredients

  • Cow peas – 100 GM’s
  • Tomato – 2 chopped into chunks roughly
  • Red chilli whole – as per your spice level
  • Potatoes – boiled, peeled and cubed
  • Cloves -2
  • Cinnamon -1′ piece
  • Cardamom -2 pods
  • Ginger – 1/2′ piece
  • Turmeric powder -1 tbsp
  • Shredded coconut – 4 tbsp
  • Salt – as per taste
  • Oil for tempering and sautéing
  • Cumin seeds -1 tbsp
  • Bay leaf -1
  • Saunf / fennel seeds -1 tbsp
  • Cashew – 4-5 pieces
  • Coriander leaves for garnishing
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method

  • Soak cashew , cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, saunf in hot water for 20 minutes.
  • In a pan add oil saute tomato chunks, red chilli and ginger piece.
  • Once cooked until mushy ,cool it.
  • Once cooled add mushy tomatoes, soaked ingredients, shredded coconut and turmeric powder to blender and blend them smooth.
  • Dry roast cow peas in pan for about 3-4 minutes until you get slightly roasted aroma.
  • Boil it in pressure cooker with water and salt for about 5 whistles.
  • Release steam, cool drain and keep aside.
  • In a pan temper cumin seeds and add tomato masala paste.
  • Saute for a while add little salt.
  • Give it a light boil.
  • Add cooked cow peas and potato.
  • Mix it with the gravy, adjust consistency with water.
  • Boil for 5 minutes in simmer until you get kurma consistency.
  • Adjust salt.
  • Turn off gas ,add lemon juice ,mix and serve garnished with coriander leaves.

The quantity of ingredients mentioned above is for two people. You can scale up as per need.

The kurma is spicy cause of red chilli and ginger, with a light tinge of tanginess fro the lemon juice.

The kurma is a great side to rotis, phulkas, plain rice and pulaos. Do try out and let me know.

Cooking without onion and garlic is not difficult and there are lipsmacking recipes that taste equally good. I will be sharing a couple more if such recipes.

I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa.

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Review of UNEARTHED – An environmental history of Independent India

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Protesting against dams, protecting tigers, hugging trees, saving seeds, making room for elephants, battling mountains of waste, fighting air pollution, coping with soaring temperatures-India and its people have shared a remarkable relationship with the environment.
From the Green Revolution to the National Action Plan on Climate Change, Unearthed: An Environmental History of Independent India chronicles the country’s historical movements and significant green missions since 1947. Interspersed with lots of trivia, tales of eco-heroes and humorous cartoons, this easy-to-read account uncovers the story of a past with the hope that we will rewrite India’s future.

REVIEW

A book that treasures the environmental history of independent India. Divided into portions that discuss about white revolution, green Revolution,dams and climatic changes the book has a multitude of reasons to be the best gift one can have to know about the environmental  history of the country.
A book that can bring in environmental cautiousness in future generation to preserve nature and make it the core motto of the society.
The tiger tales chapter that explains the nearly extinct or towards extinction of our national animal due to TCM .

Water scarcity , afforestation, nuclear energy the book covers vast topics supported by loads of facts, people behind the movement and illustrations.
The book is easy to read for kids and also a great one for adults.
Written in simple language the book is  a great gift to kids.
A few notable events like the Bhopal gas tragedy, acid rain effects on Taj Mahal and other monuments and also about uranium poisoning in Punjab.

The idea is to make kids aware of what happened over the years and to implant thoughts of preservation.

BOOK DETAILS

Format : Paperback

Pages : 232 pages

Age recommended : 10 and up

Publisher : puffin books

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Meghaa Gupta’s tryst with environmentalism began in 2013, when she was commissioned to compile a book on environmental courses and careers for students in India. From passionate teachers and students to eminent professionals, the journey exposed her to the fascinating work being done in this field. Her writing has also appeared in TerraGreen, Careers360 and The Hindu and she has contributed to WWF-India’s One Planet Academy. She is deeply interested in exploring how young people relate to the natural world and has conducted a series of workshops with school and college students in association with WWF-India. Meghaa works in children’s publishing and this is her third book.

Also check what Sanandita writes about optimism and What amritha writes about free play way.

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#BlogchatterA2Z X what to and what not to teach your toddler

Hello there!!. Hope your day is going on well. Today is the day we would have to take a look at traits in X. But since X doesn’t have any direct words I chose to use traits starting with eX.

What to teach

Experimentalist – A person is termed as an experimentalist when they are keen on conducting experiments. They seek results achieved through their experiments far superior than theory. They are people who would love to try out new things.

Expressionist – A person is termed as an Expressionist when they chose to express their inner emotion in the form of art instead of external reality. This particular art could be any way of expressing their inner emotion. It could be music painting or anything that is peculiar to that person.

Extemporal – A person is termed to be extemporal when they do or say something spontaneously. It’s something like an impromptu.

Exuberant – A person is termed to be exuberant when they are full of energy. Such people burst with enthusiasm and keep great company. They are always welcome in a gathering.

Exultant – A person is said to be exhibiting exultant emotions when it’s a moment of pride combined with joy and enthusiasm. The person exhibits high-level of enthusiasm on accomplishment of triumphant victory.

Expert – A person is termed to be an expert when they are well-versed in a particular field. They have a high level of knowledge in the particular field.

Exhibitive – A person is said to be exhibitive when they are capable of expressing their talents. They are capable of demonstrating or illustrating what they know of.

Exemplary – A person is termed to be exemplary when they are the highest level that can be thought of as role model. They stand as a positive form of example. They could be ideal role models who can be imitated.

What not to teach

Exaggerative – A person is said to be exaggerative when they maximise the intensity of a normal occurrence of an event. Sometimes it’s make the narration unbelievable or too good to be true kind.

I could not think of more negative traits in ex. Please do feel free to let me know through comments I had missed any and you would like me to add it up. See you all tomorrow with traits in Y.

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#BlogchatterA2Z W what to and what not to teach your toddler

Happy Monday folks. Hope you enjoyed your Sunday break. With just few more days for this challenge to end I’m really liking the spirit, that makes me want to complete it. Let’s take a look at the traits in W for today.

What to teach

Warm-hearted – A person is termed to be warm hearted when they are sympathetic. They are kind and friendly too. Their behaviour creates a trust and bonding through reciprocation.

Welcoming – A person is termed to be welcoming when they are friendly and polite. This behaviour is exhibited towards guests or new person known to them . It makes the receiving person happy and makes them feel accepted.

Willing – A person is said to express their willingness when they are ready to do something. They are very eager to get the task accomplished. Such people are eager to help and do not think of any consequences.

Wise – A person is termed to be wise when they exhibit good knowledge and judgement. This is more prominent as people age. They are always sought when we need solid advice .

Well groomed – A person is termed to be well-groomed when they are neat and tidily dressed. They are usually expected by others. Such people are always welcome to gatherings.

Watchful – A person is termed to be watchful when they are usually alert or vigilant. Such people usually have a close watch around the surrounding happenings. Such people are usually attentive to details.

What not to teach

Wayward – A person is termed to be wayward when they are disobedient. Such people are difficult to control due to their behaviour . They are headstrong and misbehave in an unpredictable manner.

Wooden headed – A person is termed to be wooden headed when they act by lacking intellect. They act in a weird stupid manner.

Withdrawn – A person is termed to be withdrawn when they do not wish to communicate with others. Such people do not prefer company. This behaviour usually arises when people are sad and dejected.

Wishy washy– Usually a term given to a person when cannot make up their mind. They do not stay with one decision. Their decisions are not firm and clear since they keep changing.

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#BlogchatterA2Z U what to and what not to teach your toddler

U being a very important letter in the alphabet has a lot of negative traits that I know of than positive traits. So let’s discuss what to and what not to.

What to teach

Understanding – A person is termed to be understanding when they are capable of being aware of others feelings in a sympathetic way. It takes an open heart to understand what others feel.

Upright – A person is termed to be upright if they are honest in what they express. Such people have high moral standards and express what is right and do what they say.

Upstanding – A person is said to be upstanding when they are trustworthy and honourable. They behave in a good and a moral way. They have a high reputation for being honest. They are straightforward in what they express.

What not to teach – This by far is almost negative terms of the traits which we saw in the other alphabets we have discussed till now.

Unsympathetic – A person who shows no sympathy or does not care about others feelings.

Unsystematic – A person who is not organised and does not do things accordingly. They do not follow the guidelines and do things as they please.

Untrustworthy – A person who is not capable of being trusted . They do not keep up their words and are usually betraying.

Undependable – A person upon whom we cannot rely on. A person who cannot be depended upon or doesn’t keep up to his/her words.

Unfriendly – A person who is not easily approachable or someone whom we cannot seek help easily from. They are usually rigid in their behaviour.

Unapologetic – A person is termed as unapologetic when they do not regret or acknowledge. Whatever be the circumstances or situation such people do not care about.

Ungrateful – A person who doesn’t express gratitude and acknowledge. Such people are never welcome. They are usually prone to criticism for their actions.

Do let me know if you would like me to add anything more.

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#BlogchatterA2Z T what to and what not to teach your toddler

T being the 20th alphabet has traits from being thankful and tolerant to being timid and tough to handle. No matter what they learn on their own some practices must begin being taught at home. Let’s take a look at what to and what not to teach in T.

What to teach

Thankful – A person when termed thankful is being genuine to express gratitude. It’s an expression of being pleased and relieved. It is a positive trait and could be practiced at home starting from being thankful for the little things around us.

Thoughtful – A person is termed as being thoughtful when they are considerate about others. It could be like caring for the welfare or offering to help others. Such people make the world a better place to live.

Tolerant – A person is termed to being tolerant when they accept people who are different from them and adjust to situations where they aren’t comfortable. They are usually broadminded. They show strength that they can live with other people’s differences and perspectives.

Trustworthy – A person is termed to be trustworthy when they could be relied upon and are honest. They are responsible and say only what they are capable of doing. It is the most important trait that helps in building strong relationships.

Tactful – A person who owns skills and strengths to handle and make decisions. They are sensitive and not rude. They criticise without hurting the other person. They put forward their thoughts in such a way that they empathic others.

What not to teach

Timid – Being timid is when a person is shy to express their thoughts. They usually lack the courage and confidence to express. It is very easy to get them frightened. Such people have low self esteem and feel inferior.

Tyrannical– A person is termed to be tyrannical when they control and exercise their power in a cruel way. Being tyrannical- is evil and not a good behaviour.

Troublesome – A person is termed to be troublesome when they cause annoyance or being disliked by others. They usually cause problems or difficulties for others.

Trickster – A person is termed trickster when they cheat or deceive people. They play tricks and usually exhibit rule breaking. They are clever and get what they want usually.

Tameless – A person who cannot be tamed and are usually arrogant. They cannot be controlled and usually do not listen when being adviced or given opinions.

Do let me know if you have any more traits in mind please feel free to include in comments. See you tomorrow with traits in U.

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#BlogchatterA2Z S what to and what not to teach your toddler

S , the alphabet has a lot of positive and negative traits. Starting from being sensible to smart we have a lot of qualities that could be imbibed in our children.

What to teach

Sincerity – A person is termed to be sincere when they express genuinely what they feel or believe. It comes from within their heart without any expectations for reward. This trait is beneficial since it makes one trustworthy.

Smart – A person who exhibits quick witty intelligence and also who is clean and tidy. They realise that each of their action has a consequence and act accordingly. They are known for making good decisions consistently.

Self-assertion – A person is termed to be self-assertive of they can express themselves confidently. They firmly say out their opinions and demand what they believe they should get. Such people are honest, direct and positive.

Sensible – A person is termed to be sensible when they act or think practically. They are usually level-headed and calm. They are known for making good judgement.

Social- minded – A person is termed to be social-minded when they are actively interested in welfare of the society. They are always concerned about the well-being of the society.

Systematic – A person is termed to be systematic when they follow a fixed plan or act accordingly to a method. Such people are disciplined and usually optimistic.

Sympathetic – A person who feels or shows care towards other human beings. They are very much likeable by others.

What not to teach

Suppressive – A person is termed be of suppressive nature when they deny or control expression of other people’s desire. Such people express dominance in their actions.

Smart mouthed – A person is termed smart mouthed when they show very little respect when talking to others. They are usually sarcastic on the way they express.

Self centered– A person is termed to be self-centred when they’re concerned only about their own welfare. They are usually preoccupied with their own needs. They exhibit very little empathy towards others.

Screwball– A person who is crazy and eccentric is termed a screwball. They act very silly and absurd.

Scatterbrained – A person is termed to being scatterbrained when they lack organised approach and concentration. They are usually forgetful and fail to think clearly.

Short tempered – A person is termed to be short-tempered when they lose their cool quickly. They are ill-tempered and get angry very easily. They often lose their temper on things which aren’t even reasonable.

Sluggard – A person is termed to be a sluggard if they are too slow to move and work. They enjoy relaxing and sleeping rather than to work. They are usually inactive and do not accept any responsibility.

As always do let me know if you’d like to add more to my list. See you tomorrow with traits from T.

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Review of Izzy’s magical football adventure

BOOK DETAILS
Target Age: Children 7+

Genre: Sports / Female Sports

Tour Dates: 12th – 16th October 2019

Publication Date: 16th September 2019

Formats available: Mobi, Epub or Paperbacks

Standalone story

BLURB

Izzy is a seven-year-old girl who lives in Ireland and loves all sport, especially Gaelic Football.

She has three brothers, David, Patrick and Robert.

Izzy plays football with her brothers on a regular basis in their back garden and dreams of playing for her county in the All Ireland Ladies Football Final in Croke Park when she is older.

One day, Izzy puts on her great grandmother’s bracelet, which is made of old All Ireland medals that her great grandmother won a long time ago, and something unexpected and magical happens, which may make Izzy’s Croke Park dream a reality sooner than she expected…………….

This book is aimed at readers from age seven onwards starting to read independently. It is based around the themes of promoting strong girls, encouraging girls to play sport and girl’s ability to play sport at a high level, while also having a fun magical theme. It is 32 pages long, about 1,700 words and has lots of lovely illustrations.

REVIEW :

A very short read picture book that sure is to be useful and be giving goals for all ages though it mentions the age as 7+.

Izzy a little girl who loves the ball and has dreams of being a good player. A book that helps you by giving the push to follow your dreams and live up your goal.

She puts on her great grandmother’s bracelet which has medals from all over Ireland that she had won. What Izzy didn’t know was that she would be transported to a magical world of future of what would her life be like if she followed her goals.

We all have dreams and aspirations but do we all live up to it or take efforts. This bok telling you the story of Izzy will definitely make you think on that point. A great book for little readers and for everyone with a dream.

About Emma Larkin

My name is Emma Larkin, and I am the founder of “Emma Larkin Books” and “Rebel in Kerry Press”. I have recently written and published my first book “Izzy’s Magical Football Adventure”, and I hope to write many more books about Izzy and her adventures in sport. As may be evident from the name of my publishing imprint, I am a “Rebel in Kerry”! This means that I am originally from County Cork in Ireland, which is known as the Rebel County, but I moved to Kerry (another county in Ireland which neighbours Cork) in 2006 and have been happily living in Kerry since then, with my husband and four children. My husband is a Kerry native and we live in North Kerry, near Listowel, where my husband is from, and is an area which is rich is literary history!

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Book review of creative writing skills by Lexi rees

Discover the secrets to becoming an amazing author
Find your creative spark
Grow your skills and confidence
Have more fun with your writing
Packed with top tips, this awesome workbook has everything you need to know about creating colourful characters, perfect plots, dynamite dialogue, and lots more …

Purchase links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Writing-Skills-activities-children/dp/1872889247
US – https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Writing-Skills-activities-children/dp/1872889247

Author Bio –
Lexi Rees writes action packed adventures for children. As well as the Creative Writing Skills workbook, the first book in The Relic Hunters Series, Eternal Seas, was awarded a “loved by” badge from LoveReading4Kids and is currently longlisted for a Chanticleer award. The sequel, Wild Sky, will be published in November.

When not writing, she’s usually covered in straw or glitter, and frequently both.

She also runs a free club for kids designed to encourage a love of reading and writing which you can check out here https://lexirees.co.uk/kidsclub/

Social Media Links –

Website https://lexirees.co.uk/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LexiAuthor/

Twitter https://twitter.com/lexi_rees

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lexi.rees/

Win 2 copies of Creative Writing Skills –
Choice of paperback or pdf for UK winners and pdf for international winners.
https://kingsumo.com/g/gw6isv/creative-writing-skills-workbook

MY REVIEW

A complete guide that helps you kickstart with creative writing. Starting with the vey basics to what is required by a complete professional the book explains each and every requirement in detail that is needed to make you a good writer with exceptional creative writing skills.

Character building, naming, description, the basics of characters firm the initial chapter.

Proceeding to description, settings, plans , themes the author goes on to explain the other needed elements in consecutive chapters.

Finally concluding with voices , dialogue and story quotes which are other equally important factors covered in the end chapters.

But what makes this the perfect guide is the number of activities that are provided in the chapters that make you exhibit your clear understanding of the subject.

Overall a great book not only for kids but also for adults as well.