Indian Bloggers' League 2.0

A hearty welcome to IBL newbies and a welcome back to the IBL veterans!

For those of you, who are new to IBL, let me take you on a fast track flash back to the first IBL Chellenge that ‘happened’ last year.

Indian Bloggers League is, simply put, a battle of the bloggers. Last year we had 8 teams, representing 8 cities that faced off each other in 4 different rounds, that included a wide variety of topics, over a period of four months. Last year the teams were (in Alphabetical Order):

- Amdavadi Tadka 

- Bengaluru Bloggers' Bistro 

- Bombay's Bloggywood

- Chennai Super Bloggers 

- Delhi Sutras

- Kolkata Knight Writers

- Pataliputra Wordsmiths

- Pune Blog-in

In the end Chennai Super Bloggers and Kolkata Knight Writers faced each other in the finals and Chennai Super Bloggers emerged victorious!

You'll notice that I rushed through that and did not give much details about each round. Well, each round & the entries are available on the IBL Website for whoever is curious about it. But what isn't there is the experience that we had. Ofcourse being bloggers, we all blogged our hearts out. But at the same time we made new friends, discovered new blogs and had fun. 

Being part of the Kolkata Knight Writers was an amazing experience for me. I made quite a few friends there - thats still continuing... I found a couple of people that I now look up to for their experience and calibre of writing. I loved the energy, the initiatives and the inter-team chats. Infact, if I was being truthful, I don't think that the dictionary has enough words to describe the experiences that we had. Ofcourse, not everything was rosy, yet I can truly say that we had 'Nirmal Anand'.

And now IBL is back in a new avatar. This year we are going to have 5 teams represent each zone of the country... & in case you are wondering - I am in Coup d'East this year. Also, instead of just 16 bloggers in each team, we will have 30-35 bloggers in each.

Changes are apparent but Binoy Karan, Akshay Kumar G and Deepak Karthik promises us that its going to be for better and that we should look forward to 'double the craziness'!

Well people, I am already having fun getting to know my new team mates and I will introduce you to them soon... So the question is Are You Ready for it?

Go Grocery Shopping with a Click!

Well, if you guys know me well enough then you already know that I hate going out for shopping. And ever since I have discovered internet shopping websites, my life has become a lot easier. So, far I have shopped for almost everything online except for groceries. Now even that has changed.

I first heard about Big Basket at the Hyderabad Bloggers’ Meet, 2013 at ITC Kakatiya, when a representative presented us with a gift coupon of Rs.500. I was a bit sceptic about it. I mean I had questions… Do they really deliver fresh vegetables? How dependable are they? A couple of people present there admitted that they were already using this particular website and were satisfied. That piqued my interest and needless to say, I did use that Gift Voucher on fresh vegetables and fruits only – thinking that it was after all free and would give me a chance to see if they really deliver fresh stuff. That was in February and I have been shopping frequently from Big Basket since that first purchase with a free coupon. Progressing slowly, I now not only do my monthly ration shopping from Big Basket but also the weekly grocery shopping.

So, let me now introduce you to this amazing website that has made my life so much easier : 

BigBasket.com

They offer :

Fruits & Vegetables

Grocery & Staples

Bread, Dairy & Eggs

Beverages 

Branded Foods

Personal Care

Household Items

Confectionary

Meat

They basically have every necessity that a typical household needs. My initial fear of not getting fresh grocery was useless because they have delivered fresh and good quality product every single time. Then I even tried out their meat section and ordered chicken. That was fresh cut and good quality too.

Shopping on their website is pretty easy. All you have to do is to navigate through the panels searching for the item that you are looking for. For instance, if you are looking to buy Spinach - Go to Fruits & Vegetables and a drop down menu will open (as shown below), then choose Leafy Vegetables. Check for Spinach and when you have found the item, choose the quantity and click on 'Add to Basket'.

Things can be even easier for you as the search bar is most helpful. They show options as you type and you may find your product even before you finish typing it completely.

Once you have added everything you need to the shopping basket, all you are left to do is choose a time f delivery and make the payment. Ofcourse, first time users will need to create and account and save the address and contact number.

They have four delivery slots. Choose one as per your convenience.

 

You can choose to pay with coupons / Credit Card / Debit Card / Netbanking or even Cash on Delivery

Review your purchases before placing your order. They have even provided a place for you to list the things that you have searched for and haven't found.

I have shopped for about 15-16 times so far and every time their delivery has been impeccable in terms of both timing and quality. Only once did a product become unavailable after I had placed my order. In that case they had informed me about it both via e-mail and sms. When the delivery came, amount for that particular product was deducted from the bill and since I had made the payment via netbanking, it was directly refunded within 7 days.

 

Its a huge relief for me to have found Big Basket as I no longer have to go out and haggle with the vegetable sellers in a language I barely even understand. The delivery guys are friendly and gracious and do not mind waiting while I check through the delivery lot while comparing it to the bill. And the one thing that the 'little girl' in me finds very funny is the fact that they actually bring in your lot for delivery in BIG RED BASKETS!

So, people of Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai - Click & Shop for Groceries & other Household items.

Have you shopped on Big Basket? What was your experience?

Being a Woman...

The world out there is celebrating ‘Women’s Day’ today. Status updates on social networking sites, messages on micro-blogging, personal messages being conveyed over mails, messages and calls and some, like me are blogging about it. But behind the scenes, God knows how many girls are being killed in the womb right now. How many women are falling victims to rape and domestic violence as you read this post? How many women are being subjected to crude comments and their vital statistics being discussed over a bottle of beer? God only knows!

So, as a friend of mine just asked ‘what does it mean to be a woman?’ – I answered him with the most clichéd answer. But it got me thinking… What does it really mean to be a woman in the 21^st Century?

I wish I could say that it feels wonderful or at least no different from being a man. I wish I could say that all the messages make me feel special or celebrated but I truly cannot.

I think that being a woman first and foremost means being responsible. Be it naturally or under society’s misguided conceptions… Nature makes us responsible by giving us the power and tools to nurture life. We are the ones that give birth and then nurture that life. Society on the other hand makes us responsible for every little thing that happens. When a child falls and is hurt it is always because the mother was careless. When a girl or a boy behaves in a rebellious manner it is always because his or her mother didn’t teach him/her well. A girl is raped because SHE provoked the perpetrators. In case of domestic violence it is always because the woman must have failed to satisfy the man. If we talk about female feticide, well what can a man do if the woman decides to nurture the X chromosome instead of the Y! Either way, being a woman means being responsible whether we want to be held responsible or not.

I may raise the ire of a lot of people when I say - Yes ladies, whether we want it or not and whether we acknowledge it or not, we are responsible for everything that is wrong today as well as everything that is right today. We being women ourselves, ask for dowry and treat our daughters-in-law like a commodity. We being women ourselves, raise our sons as if they are the answer to our prayers.  We being women ourselves, victimize the rape and domestic violence victims. Tell me, how can we ask men to stop victimizing us unless we stop doing it first?

As for the state of our patriarchal society, by rule, the power holder will never relinquish their power willingly. If we want the power and respect that we deserve then we will have to take it ourselves. How you ask? When you see boys whistling at a girl wearing short skirts, don’t stop and think that she deserves it because of her choice of clothes. Instead stand with her to reproach those boys. When you see a man molesting a girl in the crowded bus, don’t wait for her to raise the alarm. She may be scared of being alone. When your son gets married, don’t ask or let your husband ask for dowry. Remember, she is just as educated and strong as your son. Treat her as you would like to be treated if you were in her shoes. 

Stop victimizing the ones of your kind and hold her hand instead. Only then my dear ladies, will you have the power in numbers and the respect you deserve.

Don’t wait for someone else to come and hand you what is yours. Just claim it!

Socially & Ecologically Responsible Travel

Please help me welcome Mr. Prasad N. at Random Musings today! 
You can find him Blogging at Desi Traveler
He Tweets as Desi Traveler
And you can also find him at Facebook, Google + and Pinterest



I was a traveler first and then evolved into blogging the next logical step towards the same was trying to understand I can use my passion for blogging for something useful to the society. A lot of ideas were exchanged during last Hyderabad Bloggers Meet, and we all wanted to take it further.

So when Debdatta pinged us all to write guest posts, I was thinking is there a way I can combine all the above in a single post. So a friend here is my attempt to combine my passion for travel, blogging and using blogging as a medium to drive some social change.  Let me begin by thanking Debdatta to give me this opportunity to write this post.

So as a traveler we go to a lot of places and each place has its own unique flavor. There was a time when I was the typical tourist and the only reason to travel was to get some bragging rights and boast about the places I have visited.  But as I started traveling more and became an active traveler rather than a tourist I realized there is more to travel than just clicking pictures and collecting stamps on your passport.

If I have to talk about a turning point then I would say it was when I was stranded for a day on the Manali highway for more than a day with rocks falling from higher reaches on the highway we were stranded.  The reason for land slide? A few months ago a vast patch of forest has been cleared to make an eco friendly resort.  Ever since then I have been trying to be an eco traveler, fortunately this was long before eco tourism was the buzz word. 

What do I do to claim to be an eco traveler please read on, It is much easier than  you think.

1. Bring back what you take: The Mountains and the beaches that most of us love to visit are part of very fragile ecosystem; the first thing you need to learn is that you do not have to leave anything there. Whatever one is taking one needs to bring back that includes water bottles, polythene bags, chocolate wrappers, Thermocol cups etc. Remember some of these things will take maybe a million years to decompose. I as a rule bring back everything from my treks that I take into the forest.

2. Save Power: I am sure you noticed that in a lot of hotels you need to insert key in slot to get power.  The reason hotels do it because a lot of guests leave fans, AC, and geysers etc on in the room leading to waste of lot of power, so this way you are forced to use power only when you are in room. But even when you are in room make sure you use all heavy duty appliances like AC and geysers prudently. The logic that I am paying for the room does not hold when all additional units of power are made by wounding the mother earth to mine coal and emitting green house gases.

3. Use Linen Again: In my home I use a towel for more than 3-4 day, the typical stay I have in a hotel or resort. So do I really need to get a fresh towel every day when I am in a hotel? Same for bed sheets. Remember detergents used to wash linen contain toxic chemicals and compounds of phosphorus that go and meet the local water bodies polluting the water and food chain.  The less linen we use the less washing, and the less pollution.

4. Eat Local: I see no reason to visit a beautiful part of the world and order a food item from another part of the world. See food that is grown or packaged in another part of the word needs to be shipped thousands of miles which leads to pollution during transportation and adding of chemicals to preserve it. I always eat local food be in Rajma Chawal in Himachal or Pongal in South India, keep your cravings for the exotic in big cities, you will do Mother Nature a big favor. Trust me you will survive without that Caviar in Ladakh flow in from Russia. 

5. Click and Share the ugly too I like to click lots of pictures of all the good things around us, but whenever I see something destroying the beauty of nature, I make sure I click the pictures.  Some time I blog about the ugly side but I always make sure I send an email to the local newspaper and or to the tourism authorities of the state. I am sure if enough people send emails with pictures of the dumps to the concerned authorities they will be forced to take some action. It costs nothing and in some cases I have actually received mails of thanks with a promise to take action. 

6.  Volunteer:  Travel need not always be for fun or sightseeing, it is a great way to learn and give back to society. A lot of NGOs offer tours as volunteers to areas where they operate. To me it is a great way to travel as well as learn about the NGO and the local people.  I think to travel and contribute as a Volunteer is one of the best ways to return back to the society. Please read here about my travel as a volunteer for Rangde, a microfinance organization that I support. 

7. Respect the Local Culture: No matter which part of the world one is traveling it is very important to respect the local people and the culture. You will be surprised how quickly you make friends and the locals will go out of the way to help you and talk to you. Simple things like asking for permission before taking pictures of kids can decide if you will get a picture or somebody will scream on you.

As you will see none of these things is rocket science and just needs a little bit of effort without causing any pain or money. I try to follow them as much as possible; please do try them in your next journey. Would love to hear your ways of socially and ecologically responsible travel.

Hyderabad Bloggers' Meet - 2013

So, this post has been long due, but I have been procrastinating for two reasons. One, my mind is still processing all the new information I gathered at the HBM’13 [I know… it’s a bit slow] and also because I am not sure I can do justice by trying to capture what went on in that Board Room at ITCKakatiya on 20^th January. Anyway, let me just get on with it and try.

I reached the venue at 5minutes past 5pm with my hubby in tow. The moment I opened the door and entered the board room, I was greeted by a bunch of friendly smiles, waves and ‘Come on ins’.  I proceeded to take my seat and we got started within minutes.  The first surprise of the day was when Shubhorup Dasgupta introduced to us ITC Kakatiya’s very own blogger Chef Sekar who had joined us. He was the first to speak about his blogging experience and get this, he doesn't blog about food/recipes! There goes my expectation of the expected :P 

Next person to be under the Spotlight was Satish Kumar of CoolPCTips, who expertly explained to us  the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization, sharing best practices to increase the reach of individual blogs and Do's & Don'ts of Blogging. And I must tell you that this was the first time that I found that I was not only understanding what was being said but also having fun listening to "Tech Talks".

This was followed by a combined presentation about 'from blogging to getting published' by Anuradha Goyal, Linda L.Ashok and Shankari Sundaram. While Shankari Sundaram explained that Blogging is a good option to get your work out there and getting feedback prior to getting published, Linda L. Ashok also made a few points to compare Self Publishing & Traditional Publishing. Talks turned to Niche Blogging where was most inspiring to hear Anuradha speak about how blogging can help you find yourself and feel connected to even strangers. She was joined in by Prasad, our very own Desi Traveler .

Talks turned to touch a number of crucial matters for the bloggers. For instance should we blog for money or not? This is where we found out that a few among us were actually sponsoring their own education by blogging! Amazing  isn't it? How to handle plagiarism - when your write-ups, poetry and  photographs are blatantly being copied? Talks of forming a support group to tackle this issue was raised.

This was followed by a small snacks break that turned out to be an separate even on its own!

     

Light discussions and networking over a sumptuous meal...

Soon we settled down again and our discussions resumed with Ratnakar Sadasyula, social media activist, political commentator and historian, spearheaded the topic of “Social Media Activism”. He enlightened us on how we can help people, spread word and spread hope through Social Media. He spoke about the existing 'rays of hope', small organizations that are working genuinely hard to uplift our society and how instead of liking/sharing a photograph on social media, we should make small contributions in terms of money and man hours to make a greater impact. Pattu Raj, one of my favourite bloggers, contributed her recent experiences.

 

Maxthon Browsers sponsored special T-shirts and caps for the speakers of the day.

Blend of Tea, an initiative of MetaBrown Holistic Solutions Pvt Ltd, sponsored special samples of flavoured tea

BigBasket.com, provided each participant with a free shopping coupon. Watch out for a post on my experience with BigBasket.com.

This was followed by the most unique giveaway concept that I have come across. The invite had encouraged us to bring small tokens with us, that had been gathered on a table. Now with the help of random number generators, these tokens were given away. 

 

It was an experience that I am not going to forget anytime soon and will be looking forward to more of these ! 

Here's a list of Participants & there blogs:

1.       Sampath  Bhoompally : http://gaminggarage.blogspot.in

2.       NVL Sateesh : http://nvlonline.blogspot.com

3.       Sandeep Ingilela : http://singilela.blogspot.com

4.       P Sekar : http://ninaivazaigal.blogspot.in

5.       Satish Kumar : http://coolpctips.com, campus2life.com, thefitindian.com

6.       Shankari Sundaram : http://oijuggle.wordpress.com

7.       Madhavi Dasgupta : http://homebeautician.blogspot.com

8.       Bhavana Nissima : http://tillingtheearthwoman.blogspot.com, blogbhav.blogspot.com

9.       Pattu Raj : http://gardenerat60.wordpress.com, dreamspaces.blogspot.com

10.     Prasad N : http://desitraveler.com, cafebpo.com

11.     Anuradha Goyal : http://anuradhagoyal.blogspot.in, anureviews.com, anuradhagoyal.com

12.     Sai Kumar : http://crunchyhub.com

13.     Pavan Somu : http://www.geekandblogger.com

14.     Koundinya : http://www.koundeenya.com

15.     Madhur Chadha : http://www.madhurchadha.com

16.     Gautam Dhameja : http://gautamdhameja.blogspot.in/

17.     Linda Ashok : https://www.facebook.com/NotMenButPatriarchy

18.     Ratnakar Sadasyula : http://scorpiusmaximusindicus.blogspot.in/

19.     Subhorup Dasgupta : http://subhorup.blogspot.com

Here's a list of Posts by other Participants:

City Hyderabad

Crack the Sky

Desi Traveler

Gardener at 60

Shubho Jejune Diet

Tilling the Earthwoman

Blog Make Over

At my attempt to flourish as a Book Review Blogger, I have infact neglected this blog far too much. Often cross posting stuff from my b00k r3vi3ws blog, and putting up random photos and quotes to keep up the flow into this blog was really not fair. (It did work though!)

So I have finally given this blog a makeover... I have deleted the fillers and given it a new look. Now I hope to continue blogging here with more sincerity than ever. Hope you all will keep following and commenting :)

Judge me all You want

Source: Candy Cigarette by Sally Mann (Conscientious)

I know that look… I know that you are judging me right at this moment. See, if I care… Once upon a time, I would have cared but now I don’t. Not any more.

I was once like you – pure and innocent.  But I did not have a childhood like yours. Nor did I have the choices that you did. My life has been different from the very beginning. Why you ask? I do not know as I do not see any difference between you and me. I see the same heart and the same blood in both of us. We breathe in the same air and walk on the same earth. The same things hurt us and the same things bring us joy. Yet, my life is different from yours. Why you ask? Truthfully, I do not know.

People tell me it is because I dared to be born as a girl child in a family that craved only for a son. I was just a mistake conceived in a flurry of passion and regretted from the moment of my birth. No one cared that my sex was not my choice. No one cared that at I had the same need for attention and affection. No one cared that I can work just as hard and love even more. My younger brother was nourished and cherished, while I learnt to live on one meal a day – sometimes on even less. I was reminded every day that he was strong while I was weak. That my brother would grow up, earn and look after my parents while I would grow up and would need to be married off at the cost of a heavy dowry. I would always drain their blood and money. When my family could not afford the basic necessities, they sold off their only liability, me, in exchange for a meagre amount of cash that would keep their hunger at bay for a month. My cries and pleas did not move my parents. I was just a burden they were getting rid of.

From the age of six, I have been trained in every way possible to be successful at my trade. After all, I had to work off my family’s debt. I was only a little girl – fighting back wasn't an option. So, I learned the tricks and did my job even though it made me sick and hurt my insides. While numerous men enjoyed my flesh and ravaged my body, it did not matter if I wanted it or liked it or hated it – it was my job and I had to do it. I know you think that girls like me are in this business because it is an easy way to earn money or because it is pleasurable. But let me assure you that being beaten, whipped, tortured or used as an ashtray just to satisfy some sadistic need is neither a short cut nor is it pleasurable. Unlike you, I was not taught not to smoke or drink; instead it became my only escape. I felt violated, I felt trapped and I felt choked in my life but no one cared. Once again, my pleas for help fell on to deaf ears – I was yet to justify my existence.

It took me some time but I finally realized something… It doesn't matter whether anyone cared or not because no one can see beyond my flesh. You cannot see the pain in my eyes or the hurt in my heart or the broken dreams. It does not matter to you that I did not have the childhood I deserved or the love and affection that was my birth right. I do not deserve the prejudice you have against me and I do deserve the same respect as you. I warrant the same chance at happiness and the same encouragement to chase my dreams.

Did you ever stop to wonder who I am?

I am little girl with an old soul. My experiences have aged me far more than my years on this earth. I am a woman who is beyond any care in the world. After years of crying and begging, I know not to expect warmth or understanding or even a spare thought. So, why should I care for those who have always turned their backs and blind eyes away from me? I am a gentle spirit who has been pushed around for far too long. I am done being treated as a burden or a liability. I am tired of justifying my existence with every breath I take. I am just another human being who has been on the edge and back. My dreams and desires have been broken so many times, yet my soul and spirit survives.

I am the uncensored reflection of most women you know. Some trade in their freedom and some trade in their emotions. Some do it voluntarily and some do it involuntarily. Some do it in the name of love, some in the name of marriage and some do it in the name of family. All those little things that you take for granted from them, all those little compromises you expect them to make – brings her a step closer to what I unabashedly am. Every time you think she is weak, every time you try to suppress her, every time you take her choices away – you make her a little more like me. Crush her innocence, crush her dreams, crush her aspirations – she just gets a step closer to where I am.

I know that look… I know that you are judging me right at this moment. See, if I care… Once upon a time, I would have cared but now I don’t. Not any more. 

So, judge me all you want – for my actions and for the choices You think I have made. It does not matter because you are merely judging the piece of flesh that you see. 

"This post has been published by me as a part of IBL; the Battle of Blogs, sponsored by WriteupCafe. 

Join us at our Official Website and Facebook page"

My first date with Jabong.com

Here’s the thing… I hate shopping! Yes, believe it or not – this girl doesn’t like shopping. The main reason I behind that is I do not like crowd and I certainly don’t like bargaining. As you all know, unless you know how to bargain, you are always going to end up paying bit too much. Plus, between exploring the kitchen, wonders of household chores, handling full time job and this part time job of blogging, somehow I never find the time or the energy to get up and go shopping. So, even after six months of marriage, I am still in the process of ‘settling down’. There is a list of ‘need to get’ things which include quite a few simple items that are needed on a daily basis. I will not divulge the complete list because that is surely going to make you question my house keeping skills.

The simplest solution for that is online shopping. I have shopped quite a few times by ordering books through the website of my favourite bookstore. But then shopping online for books and household items are completely different because getting the best deal and quality assurance comes into play. I was particularly concerned about the latter. You cannot really understand the quality of such products from their photos online. So I decided to start with baby steps. ‘Order a small and not so expensive item first and see’ – I told myself.

Once that decision was made, I decided to try out Jabong.com. Why Jabong you ask? Well, I had seen a salesperson from Jabong delivering at my building just a couple of weeks back. So I checked through their website and my, they have quite a range of products to offer.  They offer:

Shoes

Clothing

Bags

Beauty Products

Jewellery

Toys

Accessories

And yes, Home & Living

They have products from different brands and in different price ranges. It’s pretty easy to maneuver through the website, very user friendly, so do not have to be a computer genius/geek in order to shop there. Under Home & Living quite a few things caught my eye, but I found a perfect set of table mats. It was something I urgently needed and the prices were pretty reasonable. After browsing through few options I settled on a design I liked.

I proceeded to register myself, which I thought would be a long drawn process. There is an option where you can buy a product without actually registering too. But thinking long-term I chose to register. Guess what? It wasn’t a long drawn process after all. Pretty easy and simple and they ask for the very basic details. So within the next 10 minutes I was registered and had successfully placed my order.

I received an e-mail confirming my registration. I also got a second e-mail saying that as a first time customer, I had received gift vouchers worth Rs.2000/-. Surprised I went back to the website and viola, they are there in my account. I also got an e-mail with a link to track my order anytime I wanted. The website showed that the delivery would be done within 2-5 days. So all I had to do now was to wait.

  

On the second day since I had placed my order, I received an sms saying that my package had been dispatched and this is what arrived at my doorstep later that day.

The delivery person said that I should open the package and check the contents before signing for it, but I took the chance and signed for it before checking anyway. On opening the envelope, I found that it was further packed with bubblewrap.

 

Then out came the 24 piece set that I had ordered. It’s actually 2 sets of 12 pieces each, 6 tablemats & 6 coasters.

   

It’s as beautiful and colourful as it looked on the website. Quality is just what I expected it to be, if not better.

It was really a great and satisfying experience. I cannot wait to do the rest of my shopping from the comfort of my home and use those gift vouchers in the process!! And the best part is – they deliver on Sundays too.

Thank you Jabong!

Peace Blitz 73rd anniversar​y of the crash of the G-AESY

The Gardener LXI: Peace, My Heart

Peace, my heart, let the time for
the parting be sweet.
Let it not be a death but completeness.
Let love melt into memory and pain
into songs.
Let the flight through the sky end
in the folding of the wings over the
nest.
Let the last touch of your hands be
gentle like the flower of the night.
Stand still, O Beautiful End, for a
moment, and say your last words in
silence.
I bow to you and hold up my lamp 
to light you on your way. 

~~ Rabindranath Tagore

Photo Credit Kecedilla @deviantART

I am not only a pacifist but a militant pacifist. I am willing to fight for peace. Nothing will end war unless the people themselves refuse to go to war.
~~ Albert Einstein




Peace is not the product of terror or fear.
Peace is not the silence of cemeteries.
Peace is not the silent result of violent repression.
Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all.
~~ Oscar Romero

I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.

~~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.
~~ Dalai Lama

It is a curious sensation: the sort of pain that goes mercifully beyond our powers of feeling. When your heart is broken, your boats are burned: nothing matters any more. It is the end of happiness and the beginning of peace.
~~ George Bernard Shaw

“I think people in general are good people, and I am sure that in the world there are many more substantially good people than there are bad people. I also think that the younger people with global communication and so much more travel are less intolerant. I believe that my generation and the ones that follow are capable—world wide—of being more peaceful. Look how the entire world wants to help and is helping Haiti! We are capable of being a peaceful planet. I have to believe that.” 
~~ M.C.V.Egan in her book The Bridge of Deaths

Start by putting an end to your inner conflicts and then step forward to spread it around.

~~ Debdatta a.k.a Me!!

Peace... It is a small word with a big impact! There are so many different interpretations. What does it mean to you?

Stop by these blogs to find out what their take is::



A Piece of Peace
Amelia Curzon
Anne Chaconas, Writer
Author Bette A. Stevens
Book mews and tattle tails
Book Purses
B o o k s 4 T o m o r r o w
christine bonnerClose Encounters with the Night Kind
Combermere Abbey
Devoted Mommy of 3
Diary of a Writer in Progress
Get Lenin by Robert CravenGraciela Zozaya
Halley EliseHeaven's Garden Productions
Hope With Change
Joseph D. Smith
keeperofthesword
Lift You Up
Mallory Heart Reviews
margaret west
Nomi's Paranormal Palace
Opus 'N' Pen
Paulette Mahurin
Pavarti K Tyler at Fighting Monkey Press
Rise of the Vampire
Russell Bittner
Simple Clockwork by Nancy Cudis
Tela's Notes
Tela Wallen Fiction
The Author Zackary Richards
The Bridge of Deaths
The Journey
The Persecutio of Mildred Dunlap
The story of a girl...
Think in ink
Wendy's Bookcase

Yvonne Mikell

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Leibster Blog Award.

The Award takes its name from the German word, 'leibster' meaning ' Dearest or Adorable..’, According to legends that came to us from antiquity, the Liebster is meant for blogs that motivate, inspire, and have 200 followers or less. It is also a way to show love, encouragement, and appreciation to fellow bloggers, as well as to introduce them to new readers.


A Huge "Thank YOU" to Panchali Sengupta @ Panchali Bolchi for honouring me with this award! If you haven't read her blog yet, then you have missed out on a quality blog... Go hop on there and check it out!!


RULES
If you are tagged/nominated, you have to post 11 facts abut yourself.
Then you answer the 11 questions the tagger has given you & make 11 questions for the people you are going to tag.
Tag 11 more Bloggers.
Tell the people you tagged that you did.
No tagging back.


First let me try and Tackle the 11 Questions!


1] 'Checkered blue n white' or 'black'?
      BLACK
2] Curtains or no curtains?
      Depends... If we are talking about home then yes to Curtains. But if we are talking about end of my        
      favourite book series then hell no.
3] Hardcover, paperback or ebooks?
      PAPERBACK
4] What's your ambiance while writing?
      Washing machine whirling in the background and hubby watching videos/movies! :)
5] Do you plan to publish a novel?
      Nope. I enjoy reading too much to do that to anybody... :)
6] Do you like to make a gift for your loved one or do you rather buy?
      Make a card & buy a gift.
7] Which is the most beautiful color according to you?
      Sky Blue
8] What’s your mantra in life?
     Its my life so my rules and my dreams... Nothing else matters.
9] Have you ever thought of becoming a soldier in your life?
     Yes. Wanted to join the Navy after my 12th.
10] Do you have stage fear?
      Before getting on stage -- Yes! After -- I tend to forget everything else when I am dancing. So once the 
      music starts - what stage???
11] ‘Mickey mouse/ Aladin/Duck Tales’ or ‘ Shin Chan/ Doraemon/ Kitretsu’?
       ‘Mickey mouse/ Aladin/Duck Tales’ & Tom & Jerry Forever!!!


Eleven Random Things About Me:
~~ Ever since I have started blogging I am reading more of YA, Paranormal, Fantasy and Chic-lit
~~ I get super excited when review copies arrive in the mail and act like a 5 yesr old on christmas eve. 
      [Don't believe it - ask my hubby - he can show you some videos ;) ]
~~ I love writing snail mail and prefer receiving them over e-mail any given day
~~ I get odd cravings at odd times
~~ I hate posing [or even being an unsuspecting subject] for a photo
~~ I usually always add a year when anybody asks me my age!
~~ I grew up in a joint family and now miss the chaos of it all
~~ Am a Coffee Addict. The coffee Machine is always on at my home!!
~~ I wish I could sing, but I cannot carry a tune to save my life...
~~ I am a bit unsocial of sorts since I prefer playing with dogs and curling up with a book over interacting 
      with people! 
~~ I love music and dancing. Wish to learn all the Latin dances someday!



My Questions:
When and why did you start Blogging?
Do you comment on the blogs for increasing your readership or when you genuinely feel like reacting?
Do your friends & family know about your blog & do they follow?
What is the one thing you would like to change in your life?
What is the most memorable moment of your life?
What is your favourite song – the one which you hum often.
Do you have an Idol – a Role model?
Hard work or Fate. And why?
Where do you go/what do you do when you feel like being left alone?
Apocalypse is fast approaching and you are in charge of deciding which one book is to be saved… which book would you choose?
Friends are the family we get to choose. Do you agree?


A lot of blogs are "Award & Tag free zone" these days. So I am leaving this open to anyone who would like to tag themselves. Just let me know in the comments section if you tag yourself, so that I can go check out your post & Officially tag you to this post

Tagged!

I have been "Tagged"  by Apala Sengupta @ What's in a Name!!! Thanks Apala!!

Here are the tag rules:
1. You must post the rules.
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create ten new questions to ask the people that you have tagged.
3. Tag ten people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you've tagged them!

What Apala wanted to know:

1. What is the first think that comes to your mind when you hear the word 'Black'?

Ans: Starry Night! I lived at a hill station for quite a long time. There you can still see stars in the sky. I have spent lots of nights sitting at my door step and looking up at it!

2. Who is the most important person in your life and why?

Ans: My Mom, of course! She gave birth to me, has taken care of me through thick and thin, always put my needs first… List goes on. But mostly because she has been my best friend throughout and she still puts up with my tantrums.

3. What is/will be your expectation from a relationship with your partner?

Ans: I can get very emotional about the smallest things in life. If he takes care of those little things, then he can get away with everything else.

4. If you had not been in the profession that you are in today, what would have chosen and why?

Ans: I love to dance and would have loved to do it for a living – given an opportunity.

5. Name something that you do when you are alone and wouldn't do when you are with people.

Ans: Cry. I never cry in front of people – only into my pillow when I am alone.

6. One crazy thing that you have done in life.

Ans: There’s a whole bunch of crazy things that I have done and cannot list just one. What can I say - I had a busy time growing up with four elder brothers at home and a bunch of hooligans at school/college.

7. What are you afraid of?

Ans: Snakes & burning to death

8. Any regrets, however big or small it maybe?

Ans: Yes. There are two actually and both are HUGE.

9. What would you do if you had a million dollars?

Ans: Put it in FD and live off it – occasionally travel the world!

10. Would you rather have the power to become invisible or the power to read minds? Why?

Ans: Power to read minds… sometimes I just wish I knew what someone is thinking.

11. A favourite quote.

Ans: “My dear, I don't give a damn.” - Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind. That’s what I often say too.

Who Do I Tag?

• Vishal Mudgal
• Kalpak
• Mohana Das
• Nilanjana Bhattacharjee
• Nobonita Chowdhury
• Anjana Vasan
• Abhilasha
• Poulomi
• Sanchita
• Priyanka
• Antara Chakraborti

Now My Questions:

When and why did you start Blogging?

Do you comment on the blogs for increasing your readership or when you genuinely feel like reacting?

Do your friends & family know about your blog & do they follow?

What is the one thing you would like to change in your life?

What is the most memorable moment of your life?

What is your favourite song – the one which you hum often.

Do you have an Idol – a Role model?

Hard work or Fate. And why?

Where do you go/what do you do when you feel like being left alone?

Apocalypse is fast approaching and you are in charge of deciding which one book is to be saved… which book would you choose?

Friends are the family we get to choose. Do you agree?