Shocks and Shoes

Chit Chat……and some haul!!

9:58:00 pm

It feels like it’s been ages since I’ve chatted with you guys. You know, nothing deep or philosophical, just everyday stuff. You’ll have to excuse my seeming disinterest in blogging, I have some very valid reasons. First Cub got sick with tummy trouble. We had to go in for scans and things and we found out that he’s got chronic constipation. He’s got to take a little laxative tablet everyday for 3 months, till his stomach settles down. Also, no processed/packaged food; only high fibre stuff.

And there’s more. Soon I got sick with a stomach infection and spent the larger part of two days in the loo. And now, my MIL has just returned after cataract surgery, so we’re trying our best to keep her comfortable. She’s not allowed to watch TV, or read or cook or do any of the stuff she usually does. I can’t imagine staying away from the TV, computer and books all at the same time, I’d go crazy!!!

Our stomach troubles have made me a lot more conscious about what I serve at meals and snacks nowadays – especially snacks. It’s always easier to reach for a pack of processed stuff, but that’s a definite no-no now. I’m also on the lookout for baking recipes that include whole wheat flour, veggies, nuts and dry fruit. So far, I’ve got a few recipes:

Whole wheat Peanut Butter Muffins (recipe coming soon!)

Whole wheat Carrot Cake

Oats Banana Muffins

Whole Wheat Dry Fruit Cake

I’ll share more links when I find them. Ok, enough of all that. While I have been busy, I did find a Sunday off and went mall crawling. The past couple of weeks have been quite good to me, materialistically speaking :-D.

First things first, I’ve given up fighting with my hair and applying layers of conditioner, serum and what not. No matter what I do, Ms. Frizz always wins and I’m left with a halo around my head. So, I decided to get this:

Life has been much better after getting this. The effect doesn’t last too long, but anything is better than what’s happening now.

Also got a striped stole, which looks to be quite versatile:

A mini haul from The Body Shop:

TBS Nutriganics Smoothing Night Cream

TBS White Musk EDT

Some colorful flip flops from Westside. There are soo many colors and styles to choose from!

These earrings are from an exhibition. Cost me just 50 bucks, though it reminds me of a shield ridden with bullet holes!

My uncle who lives abroad is here on holiday, and he brought me this:

Along with the White Musk EDT, I now have two new perfumes!! Quite a fragrant haul, this!!

My hubby got me two bags – the first one is a jute bag from a store called the ‘The Jute Shop’ in Coimbatore. I love the color and the spaciousness of the bag J

Hubby’s second bag is this Hidesign one in brown. I’m totally digging the rich brown and it’s many pockets!!

So, you see, I’ve got a lot of new things, which have contributed greatly in lifting my spirits during these past weeks. So I’m feeling good now and hopefully will get back to more regular posting. You guys take care!!

Fashion

South Asian Style Boutique: A new hotspot for elegant South Asian fashion!

6:45:00 pm

books

Book Review – When the Snow Melts

8:26:00 pm

Title: When the Snow Melts

Author: Vinod Joseph

Plot: An experienced Indian spy finds himself in a tight spot where no one can be trusted, appearances are hugely deceptive and lots of lives are at stake. The tasks he has assigned himself are huge and a single misstep could end his life – and others’.

Ritwik Kumar has brought upon the situation on himself, by excessive drinking and gambling. Now, he has his superiors, loan sharks and al Qaeda representatives at his heels. How is he going to get out of this mess?

In the midst of all this is the beautiful woman, trapped in a lonely, abusive life. Amidst everything, Ritwik can’t help but be drawn to her and wants to give her the life she deserves. How is that ever going to happen, when the massive giant-like Junaid stands in his way?

Review: The plot of the story on the back cover gives a very good idea of what to expect within the book. You are taken into a world of spies, torture, secrets and diplomats. This ensures that the book has enough material to be a page turner. However, though it calls itself a thriller, the book lacks the pace required to place it among the levels of books like ‘The Bourne Identity’. The first quarter or so of the book is quite slow, with an unnecessary amount of prose dedicated to describing the surroundings, which don’t really appear relevant to the story. After that, the pace picks up peaks in the climax, but still felt a little lower than it could have been.

The prologue of the book is probably the most painful part of the book to read. It appears to be a result of ‘over-thinking’. I would advise you to not judge the rest of the book based on the prologue.

The story is set in London, and the author seems to have a good knowledge of London streets and railways. I failed to make the connection between the story and the title, maybe it was something deeper that I missed. The snow seems to be rather forced into the narrative to justify the title of the book.

However, not all is bad. Like I mentioned, the second half of the book is interesting to read and I wasn’t able to stop till I reached the end. The author has put in some interesting twists and turns and surprises await the reader frequently. The basic plot is quite good, but we wish he hadn’t taken so long over it.

The characters have been etched out well, and we can almost see them. I wish a little more time was spent on the lone female character in the book, Nilofer, but I suppose that was probably on purpose.

The climax is a bit of a twist, but if you’re paying attention, you can actually see it coming a few chapters ahead.

Another minor gripe is with the cover of the book, it could have been made a lot more interesting.

Verdict: An okay read for a boring train/flight journey. It is not exactly a book that stays with you, nor do you feel deeply for any of the characters. An average read.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Fashion

Outfit Post – Indian Fusion!

2:06:00 pm

Links

Link List – August

10:30:00 pm

It’s raining, it’s pouring, and the old man is snoring. I know, I should welcome the rains, considering the monsoons are so late and all, and I am grateful for them, I really am. But it makes getting out of the house a messy and tiresome affair, doubled when you also consider a preschooler and all the illnesses spreading around.

Anyway, there is something to be said for the joy of sitting indoors watching the rain or curling up with a good book and a fluffy blanket, or sitting in front of your computer with a steaming cup of tea and reading some great blog posts!!

So, here’s some linking fun for all of you, with a bunch of the best posts around!!

1. Some beautiful summer braid inspiration from Rachel at Lines Across.

2. This is a must read: Fajr at Stylish Thought lists out 33 Tips on Finding Your Passion today.

3. Have you been considering chopping off your locks but can’t take the plunge? Sally McGraw posts at Stylelist about re-evaluating your hairstyle.

4. Do you wonder how some bloggers seem to live in little vintage towns and have perfectly set tables and lovely DIY wreaths?? Sadie Stein shares her fun thoughts at Jezebel.

5. The inspiring Jill Chivers guest posts at Inside Out Style about her shopping journey and how she began My Year Without Clothes Shopping.

6. Nahida at The Fatal Feminist lists out some of the hilarious reviews people have given for the new BIC Cristal For Her pens.

7. You’ve probably read a lot about the right undergarments, but Imogen at Inside Out Style minces no words as she tells you how underthings should appear (or rather disappear) beneath clothes.

8. If you find yourself kicking your own butt a little too much, you’re in need of some self love. Henrik Edberg at The Positivity Blog lists 9 ways to be kind to yourself.

9. We all know that covering yourself from head to toe in brands isn’t all that cool. But what about the other end of the spectrum? J from J’s Everyday Fashion gives you tips on how not to look cheap.

10. If like me, you love hot dogs, then you’ll drool at this recipe – Pretzel dogs by Michelle at Brown Eyed Baker.

11. Finally, Neil describes the awesomest way to settle any dispute, big or small – Rock-Paper-Scissors, only at 1000 Awesome Things.

It’s really cold here with all the rain, and I can’t wait to snuggle up with Cub under my soft blanket. So hope you guys enjoy reading the links, and those of you who have monsoons, enjoy the rains as well!

Social Issues

How Intimate should ‘Intimate’ be?

11:07:00 am

“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” - Nathaniel Branden

Awareness – ‘having knowledge of’. True, you need to know enough about something before you start to do something about it.

But consider this – You are not in the least bit aware of the strange things that are happening to your body right now. You are scared, and you’re not sure how to seek comfort. You are even embarrassed, since ‘good girls’ don’t talk about what happens ‘down there’. You’re a woman; shut up and deal with it.

And there ends the first step towards change. Change towards a healthy, confident and self respecting life.

Image Source: here

Is this what protecting the privacy of women’s intimate health is supposed to do? Submerge them under the dark sea of ‘embarrassment’? Of course, I don’t think it is necessary to announce your period from the rooftops but I do consider it vital to have an open discussion of these things, especially when the health of half the population is at stake. In my opinion, women’s intimate health issues need to be given priority at the governing levels and at all institutions, and we desperately need to get rid of myths of the kind that regard menstruation as dirty or impure.

Women’s intimate health could cover a variety of topics: from the onset of puberty to birth control and reproductive health all the way to menopause. At every step of the way, a woman is haunted by lack of knowledge, support and the tools required to take control of her own body.

A number of studies, conducted by UNICEF, WHO and the Indian government have shown the lack of toilets to be the main reason for girls dropping out of school. Those who do stay back cut classes for about a week every month, leading to lower academic performance.

Obviously, there are people who think talking about girls’ having periods in public is way too blasphemous, so then talking about building them functioning toilets? Shush, shush.

These people need to be informed that periods aren’t exactly a curse sent from above. It is a normal part of a woman’s reproductive life and something that just needs extra care.

Now, girls tend to run to their mothers/other females for advice or support regarding intimate issues. This doesn’t necessarily have to be seen as regressive and there are a number of reasons this works:

a. Children are generally closer to their Moms

b. This is 100% a female experience

c. Talking to other men about personal matters might open up doors to potentially dangerous situations

Check out this excerpt from UNICEF’s India statistics about HIV awareness among males and females in the age group 15-19:

Image Source: here

See the figures for females? Nearly half of that of males. From the looks of it, this intimacy thing isn’t helping our daughters.

Then we have the whole saga of birth control and antenatal/postnatal care. This, at least, gets a lot of press and there is much more awareness now and it is not as much a taboo topic today as in the past. One reason could be because two lives are involved – the mother’s and the child’s. Somehow in our country, people seem more comfortable discussing birth and pregnancy than menstrual or vaginal care. Maybe this has something to do with how Indians think of the ‘Mother’ as a goddess and the ‘Woman’ as dirt. Double standards, anyone??

Of all issues, I think menopause is the one that gets the least attention, partly because the women involved, the 40-50 age group, are the most reluctant to discuss their intimate matters. Menopausal women go through a lot of uncomfortable changes and they need all the support and care they can get from their husbands, children and others. But how will the family even know that the woman in their life is suffering if she herself is too embarrassed to talk about it?

Image Source: here

So I iterate: while I do not think the whole extended family needs to sit at the table brainstorming ways to ease their teenager’s painful periods, she needs to know what is normal and what is not, and whom to turn to in the latter case. She needs to know that her body is a most wonderful thing and everything it does has a rhyme and reason and nothing about it needs to evoke shame or embarrassment.

“there's nothing more intimate in life than simply being understood. And understanding someone else.” ― Brad Meltzer, The Inner Circle

This post is a part of the weekend blogging contest at BlogAdda.com in association with 18again.com