Steel Lunch Box and Oh-So-Clever Ms. Singh

If I may say, I was a fool to think Ms. Singh won't catch me. She was a clever teacher. There was no fooling around in her class. And let me confess, I was petrified of her. But that particular day, I had no control. What I did was no child's play! It took immense courage to indulge in the stupidity. Yes, it was stupid of me. But, pardon me I was hungry. My stomach was making weird noises. I did what I had to do - I opened my steel lunch box, unwrapped the roti from the cloth napkin, took a piece and folded a generous dose of aloo-gobi into it. I ducked my head and put that big bite into my mouth. It didn't end there, I told you, Ms. Singh was clever. She reacted even at the slightest mark of suspicion. I had to raise my head. I raised my head and placed the book in front. Abhay was reading Chapter 7. I paced my mind and caught with the lines. He was reading the second paragraph. I was chewing simultaneously. I must take a moment to say, my mother is an artist. That aloo-gobi was to die for! And it tasted extra delicious that day. After the first bite, hunger went sideways and greed took charge. My mouth watered at the thought of another bite. I placed the book down, moved my hands under the desk and made another bite. The boy who sat in front moved in suspicion. Because of Ms. Singh, he didn't look back. The fragrance of this winter delicacy must have reached his nose. Sneaky, dude!

The second bite gave me utmost joy. Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility failed as I relished the burst of spices inside my mouth. I was in food heaven. I was a little proud of myself, too. I did the inconceivable in Ms. Singh's presence. By this time, my confidence skyrocketed. Next bite was easy. Next to it was a cake walk. But then we all know what happens when we get greedy - we make mistakes. I, too, made one. In the rush, I dropped the steel lunch box’s lid and it made a loud sound. Ms. Singh's fox like ears followed the sound and she called out my name. She caught me and ordered me to stand outside.

I walked past her but there was no shame. I realization dawned upon me. Ms. Singh was clever but my mother was cleverer.

To Ms. Singh -

You were smart but not that much! Had it been my mother she would have guessed the dish by the aroma that wafted the moment I opened my lunch box? Ms. Singh the only excuse would be your poor sense of smell. Your only defense. But Ms. Singh, we all know how much you hated excuses.

P. S. - I ruined Chapter 7, not by my act but my turmeric stained fingers silly. Par koi nahin, kuch daag achhe hote hain!

*Image Source - www.veggieindian.com

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We need Facebook likes. Your post gets only 10.

Let me begin by saying to all those who seek numbers - Number Game is a big business and only a few understand it. When a post gets hundreds of likes on Facebook, it's a combination of - friend count, time of posting, interaction level, and ease of reading. Hence pictures get more likes than words. So, don't judge a post on the basis of 'like count,' check its quality.

Now let me go a step ahead and tell you the business aspect of it - Facebook and Instagram don't allow your post to reach all your followers. As a Facebook Page owner, my post reaches only 2-5% on good days. And as someone who has changed her Instagram to a business profile, my post reaches only 20-25%. Both these platforms prompt me to 'promote' my posts. They are in a business. They want profiles like mine to spend money before we even make a dollar on it. So, next time you see a profile with 1000s of likes with unmatched follower count, take it from me - something is fishy. In fact, Instagram interaction has dropped by 38% since August.

Being a writer I find it most amusing when brands tell me how much I am worth. Well, let me put it this way - You may shop cheap. I, my dear friend, have quality. And to get it, you need to open your wallet. If you want only likes, why not buy it? In case you want it free, there are apps too. But you will only get likes, not genuine interaction! I understand you need numbers, just a word of caution - fake numbers are not good for business.

In the end, I want to share how I actually feel. Last Saturday, I wrote a Hindi couplet, and I loved it. I was so happy with it that I repeated it many times. It gave me immense joy to create something that has the magic of language, words and emotions. I don't know it's good, bad or whether it would attract numbers. But it just made my day! That's the most satisfying thing for a writer. No amount of money can take that away from me. And no amount of money can buy that kind of happiness.

As far as businesses are concerned, I am happy to work with those who share my ideologies.

The magical potion with dose of love, rain and romance -

My reply to Zuckerberg -

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5 Free Resources You Can Use To Plan Your Wedding Smartly

The best way to have a stress-free wedding is to plan ahead. I did the same. I planned ahead. Not only all the functions went without any hiccups, my family enjoyed it too. We danced, wept, regaled, and we did all that in style. I got married in 2009. My planning was limited to what I knew or what I learned from others.

The world has changed a lot in the last 8 years. Pre-wedding photography, lavish mehndi ceremonies, and theme weddings are not limited to the who’s who.  With proper planning, any girl can have her dream wedding. As a modern girl, ditch your worries and use technology to stay on top of your wedding preparations. Get it done in style with the help of technology. Make it large but personal. These DIY tech-tools would make your wedding fun and would take the stress away.

Download the Right Apps

Image Source - WedMeGood App

Leave the jittery feelings aside. Don’t know where to start - download a wedding planning app. An app is the answer to all modern day issues. Make the to-do list, guests list, budget and more using the app. Need to delegate the wedding tasks or need help in narrowing down the wedding theme - all this can be managed with the help of an app. Search for vendors, fix vendors meeting and select the wedding dress. Looks like a lot, right? Share the burden with an app.

Use Pinterest Boards

Image Source - Pinterest

Pinterest is not a website for artists only. You can curate your own wedding on it. Create boards - wedding dress, theme, jewelry, decor or anything you want. Share these boards with your friends and family. Get their valuable opinion. Use that to take an informed decision. Keep confusion at bay with the help of Pinterest boards. Participation of your loved ones will make the process a lot easier. It would create happy memories, too. You can also take ideas from some of the well-curated Pinterest boards for bridal lehengas, wedding décor, or bridal hairstyles.

Surf Wedding Portals and Blogs

Have no time to visit stores to check what’s in fashion? Don’t fret. Relax with a cup of coffee and read. There are many good online wedding planning sites online like Wedmegood.com. It’s just great. You can search for wedding venues in Delhi, Mumbai and all parts of India on the site. Not just venues, you can also find top wedding photographers, bridal makeup artists, caterers, décor, cakes, bridal stores, and mehndi artists online. Read their reviews, compare prices, shortlist and then contact them to book. It lets you plan your wedding at your convenience without wasting time and money in visiting several vendors and not knowing who is the best.

Make your own Wedding Website

Wedding websites are free. You can collect all the information at one place, update the changes and keep the guests informed. It’s a chic way to RSVP, give directions and manage the guests. It saves time, too. I recommend - TheKnot, it’s one of the best in the market. Wedding website would also come handy while managing your photos. Ask your friends and family to upload the pictures they have. You can get more candid moments using this one medium.

Use Free Services, Keep Track of Your Budget and Save Money

Image Source - Shutterfly

Save money where you can. And use it where you need. There are a few services that are available for free. Make use of them. Don’t use professional services for all ceremonial invites - use Shutterfly. They provide tons of themes that can be used for making invites of the wedding shower, mehndi or small pre-wedding ceremonies. Keep track of your wedding budget on one of the top money-management apps - Mint. Use Postable to send free ‘thank you’ cards.

There is no limit to ideas. Once you would start the research, you can tweak and adapt them to suit your needs. The main point - enjoy the process. Use technology and make your dream wedding a reality.

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17 Easy Changes That Can Save You Thousands Every Month

Last night I was reading about calories. Empty calories to be specific. Even if one consumes a measly number, say 100 calories a day, it adds to 3000 in a month. Nearly the same we have to burn to lose a pound. That made me realize how even a small change can bring a big impact in the long run. I was reviewing our monthly budget later and I decided to bring small changes in my monthly expenditure as well. I’ve been doing a few things to cut my expenses and added few more on the list. Here are the easy changes that can help us save thousands every month.

Shop on assigned days unless it’s an emergency

The best way to stick to your monthly budget is to shop on pre-assigned days. We tend to spend money every time we go to the market. Some of the items we buy are not even necessary. We see, we buy. We think later, though. Correct this by shopping on specific days of the week.

Please click and read the rest of the article on MoneyView blog

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Kaunse wala blue? When he replaced greeting card with a shade card.

A long time ago, a boy liked me. I am tempted to say loved me but he never said it loud. Poor chap! One day, he decided to fast-track the romance. He came, broke the ice and said, 'You look nice in blue.' Instead of accepting the compliment graciously, I asked, 'Which blue - sky blue, navy blue, or turquoise blue?' Perplexed, he stared at me. 'All!' - was his one-word reply. We stood in silence for a minute or two and parted ways. I thought that was the end of his feeble attempt - one compliment, one-word answer, and one daring encounter. Well, I was wrong!

Next day he came holding an envelope. I was uneasy. It was a trend those days to propose with a greeting card. He was the most sincere boy in school. I never wanted to hurt his feelings. 'That's for you,' he said and handed me the envelope. Inside there was a shade card - with few tick-marks on the various shades of blue and a line at the bottom - you look nice in all of the above blues. I skipped a beat. I felt butterflies in my stomach. I felt loved.

A long time ago, a boy liked me. I want to say loved me but he never said it loud. Poor me!

P. S. - Blue, to me, is the color of love. My favorite, too!

*Image Source - Here

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