Bharat Ane Nenu - [Movie Review] #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

This will be my last post for #SuperBloggerChallenge2018. It has been a wonderful journey with a lot of learning by participating and reading many good blogs in these 10 weeks. Thanks to Dr. Amrita, Dr.Bushra, and Utpal for organizing this. 

In this post, I am going to share my opinion on the latest Telugu Movie #BharatAneNenu. I am not a movie critic and also not someone who watches all movies. I am not a fan of Mahesh Babu but I consider him one of the handsome actors in Tollywood.

Bharat Ane Nenu movie is a political drama. You, of course, remember Rana's "Leader" and Arjun's "Oke Okkadu" movies while watching this, but the way this is filmed and the issues it raised are different than those 2 movies. 

Pros:

1. Mahesh Babu
He is the hero of the movie and you see him in almost every frame. His charisma is visible throughout the movie and it is a treat for Mahesh Babu's fans. He is getting younger day by day and has good style quotient in him. If you are a Mahesh Babu fan, don't even read this review, go to the theater and enjoy. You will be satisfied 100%.

2. Concept and Issues raised
The hero becomes the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh unexpectedly but uses his common sense and intelligence to solve the basic problems of the state. The movie raises good points about the development of villages, traffic problems, and self Governance. 


Cons:

1. More heroism dominating the story
Sometimes, it doesn't seem natural for hero fighting numerous villains and taking decisions on his own without fear. Of course, when we see other Telugu films, it doesn't look odd though. But, less heroism might have been good to connect to the character. Even though they show hero as a Super Man, he is a human too with follies. So, it won't connect with me much when a movie is far from the real world.

2. Music
The Background music and the title song are very good and enjoyable. 'Vanchindayya Sami' is good too. But all other songs fall flat. We might forget the other songs immediately after stepping out of the theater. 

3. Love sequences
When the concept is good, we don't need a romance angle much. If it is there, it shouldn't be incomplete and incomprehensible and it should blend with the story. But, this is not the case here. The love scenes look more like infatuation and there are no scenes to show their understanding or closeness in their relationship. There is not much shown about the heroine and it feels like a gap.

In my opinion, if taken well without more focus on commercial elements, the concept of the movie and acting are great. The characterization of Prakash Raj is superb as always. 

My Rating: 3.5/5

Did you watch the movie? Do you like it?
Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

This article is written as part of SuperBloggingChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com,Fashionablefoodz.com, and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.

5 tips to rock a dance performance on stage #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

I am participating in #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 and have been posting every week from 8 weeks. This is my 9th post and I want to write about something general and which is also my forte.

Some of you might have known that I am a classical Kuchipudi dancer. I have been giving a lot of stage performances from childhood and this experience taught me some important things about how to avoid stage fear and perform well on the stage. So, here is a post on the tips that I learned on how to rock a stage performance.

1. Never stop smiling

A smile is a natural way to boost our confidence. It is vice versa as well. If we have confidence, we smile and perform. The main purpose of every performance is to please the audience. So, smile even if you are low in confidence and have hundreds of doubts in your mind about your performance. It eases your body and enhances the beauty of the show.

2. Strive for perfection but aim for excellence

We have to work hard and practice well before the performance but the main focus should be to improve and perform better than earlier. We can strive for perfection but our main goal should be our limit of excellence. Instead of comparing with others or imitating others, it is better to understand our weakness and improve on those. We should compete with ourselves and challenge ourselves to be better.

3. Focus only on dance while you perform

Many people have stage fear as they think of hundred things while performing. 
For ex: What my friends/ family are thinking? Did I meet their expectation? Why isn't anyone clapping? etc., If we focus on dance and keep everything else aside on the stage, there will not be any fear. Usually, every stage is set at an elevation and when the performance is going on , there won't be a focus of light on audience and focus in on the stage and performers. All these are for a good reason. While the light focuses on the performer, it is good for the performer as he/ she cannot see the faces of the audience. 

4. Show uniqueness and Originality

Every dancer is unique in his/ her style of doing movements, agility, smile, the capability to attract the attention of audience etc. So, if you are not good with one thing, that doesn't make you any less. We have to follow the natural flow and use our positives. So, don't shy away and show your originality and uniqueness. 

5. Practice, Practice, and Practice

This is the foundation of a good performance. Practicing more makes you memorize sequences. Even when you are good at remembering the dance steps, the nervousness before getting on to the stage might mess up with your memory. But, more practice allows your subconscious mind to remember the steps which allow you to remember even in the middle of a sleep. One more advantage is it helps to you to improve day by day if you analyze and know the things that can go wrong. With more practice comes a lot of confidence that nothing can go wrong on the stage.

So, that was about some tips to perform well on stage from my experience. Do you have stage fear? Have you ever performed on stage and were apprehensive ? What tips help you? DO let me know in comments.

Until next time,

This article is written as part of SuperBloggingChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com,Fashionablefoodz.com, and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused. 

5 Best scenic drives in Colorado #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

Travel!!! 

Before you run out of time.

If I have a lot of money in hand and no responsibilities, I won't waste a single day without traveling. If you have been following my blog for some time, you already know my craze for travel. Nature offers a lot to us and we only should take the opportunity to experience the beautiful nature. Fortunately, we are in the beautiful mountain state of Colorado and we could cover around 80% of tourist places in this state.

Colorado State is the 8th largest state geographically in the United States of America and it has a diverse landscape like desert, rocky mountains and river. There are a number of scenic drives in the state which should not be missed if you visit Colorado.

Here are the 5 best scenic drives :

1. Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain national park
2. Million dollar highway near Durango
3. Independence Pass near Aspen
4. Pikes Peak highway in Colorado Springs
5. Mt Evans scenic byway near Denver

Now, Let's go into the details..

1. Trail Ridge Road

Trail Ridge Road in Rocky mountain national park is a 48-mile road connecting Estes Park and Grand Lake. This heavily traveled highway in the park goes up to 12,183 feet elevation giving the visitors thrilling views of snow mountains and valleys around. The speed limit is 20 mph and it is fascinating how we climb 4000 ft elevation within minutes. There are some dangerous curves with no support in the edges making it an adventurous drive. Read my Travelogue here.

Views from Trail Ridge Road

2. Million Dollar Highway

The Million Dollar highway (also known as US Highway 550) was built in 1880's as part of San Juan Skyway scenic byway between New Mexico and Colorado. A 25 mile stretch from Silverton and Ouray is the most spectacular route.  We didn't visit this route yet and it is on my wishlist for so long. 
There are several hairpin bends and dangerous curves without guardrail on the edges. 

Million Dollar Highway covered with snow
PC: Google images labeled with reuse

3. Independence Pass

Independence Pass also known as Hunter pass is the third highest mountain pass in Colorado as per its elevation which is 12,095 ft. It is on the Continental divide midway between Aspen and Twin Lakes. This is part of Colorado Highway 82 and is busy with visitors in Summer and Fall. It is closed in winter. This 32-mile long stretch offers fantastic scenic beauty. We traveled twice on this route to Aspen and we never want to miss a chance to go again. Read my travelogue about Aspen here.

View from Independence pass in Summer

4. Pikes Peak Highway

This 19-mile highway connects Cascade to Pikes peak Summit which is at an elevation of 14,115 ft above sea level. There are approximately 162 turns on the way. The highway is open year round - weather permitting. The highway entrance itself begins at around 7500 ft and the road climbs to 14,115 ft. On the way, you can stop to catch a glimpse of Crystal reservoir and Devil's playground and take snaps of mountains and valleys. The temperatures drastically change as we go up and we are fortunate to watch a sleet(Rain with snow) when we have driven last time. Find my travelogue here. 

Amazing turns of Pikes peak highway

5. Mt. Evans Scenic Byway

Mt Evans Scenic Byway is just 60 miles from Denver and it starts at Idaho springs visitor center. This is the highest paved highway in North America. This is the one place where you are not concerned about the destination but enjoy your journey. This is on our wish list for so long. It is closed during winter and opens in Spring. This 15 - mile 2 lane road is also known as 'Road into the sky'. This highway gives breathtaking views of the valleys and mountains climbing to 14,000ft above sea level. Echo Lake and Summit lake on the way are worth a visit. 

Mt. Evans
PC: Google image labeled with reuse

So, how did you like these places and scenic drives? Do let me know your comments. 

Until next time,

This article is written as part of SuperBloggingChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com,Fashionablefoodz.com, and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused. 

5 ways I promote my blog #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

Self - promotion is always difficult for me. Even when I started my blog I created it in private mode and shared it with only a few close friends to get the feedback. That was in 2006, I suppose. After a few posts when I refined my writing, I chose to make my blog public.

It's always not about getting appreciation but there is a benefit of getting quality feedback when we promote our content/ blog. A small appreciation from a stranger is a kind of booster to the confidence. When we learn that someone else who read our blog could relate to it and feel that the article helpful, we feel more than happy. Nowadays, I give more importance to promotion too other than writing quality content. Social media has made life easier for people like me who run blogs with less reach.

The first thing that we should do before the promotion is to analyze our blog statistics on how are we getting the traffic and which audience is more interested in our articles.

My blog is about book reviews, travelogues, and parenting. But, I realized that my friends and colleagues read my blog when I write more about parenting and travel. My Book reviews are shared and promoted by the authors and blog tour organizers and so they reach more audience. I understood from my blog stats that I get more traffic from Google plus and then from Facebook. So, after I realized these facts, I focused more on Google plus and facebook than other ways of promotion.

I promote my blog in the following ways:

1. Google Plus

This is most surprising to me when people come across my blog through Google plus as I don't put any special effort to promote my content this way. Even though my blog is on a custom domain, it is managed by blogger platform. Whenever I publish any blog post, blogger automatically opens a popup to share my post on Google plus. So, it's easy and quick.

2. Facebook

The number one promotional tool for me is Facebook. This is the only place where my content is shared and liked by my close friends and strangers alike. I have created a facebook page for my blog and I am constantly trying to improve the followers. I not only share my content on my facebook page and also share content from other blogs which are good. Basically, I try to keep my audience engaged. I joined a lot of facebook groups like "It's all about blogging", "Blogher", "Indiblogger" etc., and also writing communities like "Parenting moms style", "Mompresso", "WriteTribe" etc where I share my content regularly.

3. Twitter

Twitter helps me a lot in promotion by sharing my posts with proper hashtags. My Followers are constantly increasing these days. I follow other bloggers which post content about parenting, books, and travel and also share their content. Whenever I promote my content through Twitter, I add an image with my blog url in it along with proper hashtags. I have used one tip from blogging community through which my posts shared on my facebook page are automatically posted to my twitter feed. So, it becomes easy and quick to post on Twitter at the same time.

Content is Fire. Social Media is Gasoline. - Ryan Kahn

4.  Blogging communities and websites

I have joined a blogging community "Indiblogger". I share my posts on Indiblogger whenever I get time. This helps me to network with fellow bloggers. My posts had been top posts a few days, which was a mood booster for me. I also share my content on the blogchatter website. They have a reading list where they feature our blog links to their readers. I see that many bloggers share their content on other blogs too like 'Medium', 'Momspresso' and 'Winkl'. There are some specific websites which take guest posts from mom bloggers on a variety of topics like 'budingstar' and 'Raising Global children' magazine.

5. Pinterest

Pinterest is my new find. Earlier, I used to search on Pinterest whenever I want to try new crafts for children. But, didn't realize its importance in the promotion of blog until I read "Pinterest Basics" post by Shailaja Viswanath. I have also enrolled a course online "Pinterest Primer". I am still at a beginner level on learning to promote through Pinterest but I suggest this to all bloggers.

How do you promote your content? Other than social media, what works best for you? Which social media drives more traffic for you? Please share your opinion in comments.

Until next time,

This article is written as part of SuperBloggingChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com,Fashionablefoodz.com, and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused. 

Sree Rama Navami - A festival to celebrate the ideal Lord Rama #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

Sree Rama Navami is celebrated on the 9th day after the beginning of the new year as per Hindu Calender. While we celebrated the beginning of the new year as 'Ugadi', we will be celebrating 'Sree Rama Navami' 9 days after ugadi.. Sree Rama Navami is celebrated on the birthday of Lord Sree Ram and also as the marriage day of Ram with Sita.

Happy Sree Rama Navami
PC: Google images labeled with noncommercial reuse

Lord Sree Ram is considered an ideal personality in the epic 'Ramayana'. As per Swami Vivekananda, Sree ram is

 “the embodiment of truth, of morality, the ideal son, the ideal husband, and above all, the ideal king.”

People might argue about Lord Sree Ram giving Agni pareeksha to Sita Devi but their love to each other is eternal.  Sree Rama is the embodiment of high morals and being a great king he has more responsibilities than an ordinary person. 

Sita Devi is also an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and is also someone who moved the Shiva Dhanussu with one hand while playing at her young age. 

Ram and Seeta were made for each other and their love, respect, and understanding to each other were ideal cases for a marriage. That is the reason, Kalyanam(Marriage to Ram and Sita) is conducted every year in Bhadra chalam on Sree Rama Navami.

How do we celebrate?

Like other festivals, we take the head bath, wear new dress and perform Pooja at our home. We go to temple in the morning to visit Sita Rama Kalyanam. We prepare and offer 'Panakam' (A drink made with jaggery powder, cardamom, and peppercorns), Chalividi (sweet made with jaggery and rice flour) and Vadapappu (Soaked moong dal) to God.

Sita Rama Kalyanam done at Bhadrachalam (Now in Telangana state) is very special. As a custom, the chief minister offers silk clothes to the divine couple every year. The Kalyanam is aired on all TV channels for devotees.


Panakam
Panakam is best for the hot weather that we experience at that time in India. The preparation of Panakam is very easy and it is good for health to reduce body heat. Jaggery powder is mixed in water until it is dissolved and crushed pepper and cardamom are added to the water. Tulasi leaves are also added at the end.

This is the way it is celebrated in Andhra Pradesh, whereas in other parts of India people read holy books like Ramacharitha manas and Sundara Kanda at temples on that day.

Do you celebrate Sri Rama Navami? What rituals do you follow? Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

Pin it for later!

This article is written as part of SuperBloggingChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com, Fashionablefoodz.com, and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused.

5 tools that help me in my regular blogging

“Some links may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take action after clicking one of these”

When I started blogging many years ago, I was not sure how to make my content more attractive to readers. In this blogging journey of around 10 years, I have learned a lot from other bloggers and from Google as well on different techniques like below:

• Choosing a better headline or title
• Writing content in small paragraphs and with bullet points if needed
• Including relevant high-quality images to attract readers
• Including quotes and providing a takeaway in each article
• Ending the article with an action item/ a question to connect with readers
• Promoting in social media
• Publishing the post at specific times when the readers are active (mid of the week and in the evenings after 6pm)
•  Writing genuine content with a personal touch instead of some ideal scenarios
• Reading and replying to the comments regularly
• Joining link parties and participating in writing challenges regularly.

Even though my blog is on a custom domain, it is managed through the blogger platform. This made it tough for me to use the plugins because of blogger platform limitations. Since I don't earn much revenue through my blog, I cannot go for paid tools as of now. But, there are some free tools that help me to write regularly on my blog. These tools/ apps/ websites made my life easier.  

Here is a list of 5 such tools/ apps/ websites:

1. Grammarly

I write good English with fewer grammar mistakes but the punctuation mistakes irk me a lot. I have Grammarly Chrome extension enabled which helps me to write content without grammar mistakes.

 I use a free version as of now and it meets my purpose. I feel Grammar is the first thing any blogger should focus on if they want to improve their blog and reach more audiences. 

Check this link to install Grammarly:

The World's Best Grammar Checker



2. Canva

I would say this is a boon for social media promotion and to write content with attractive images and text. I use this regularly and almost every time I blog unless I am using my own images.

Canva is free and it has loads of templates and images. It is very easy to use. Just we have to pick an image, include the text we want to add, add our blog's URL, and download the final image to include in our blog post or use for social media promotion. 

Super cool and Simple!

Check this link to create an account and start creating beautiful graphics faster:






3.Image Sources

Picking attractive high-quality images is very important for any blog post. 

Good Paid stock photos are best for Pinterest Pins as they stand out and bring more traffic to me. I suggest Deposit photos for high-quality images that we can use for social media promotion..

Stock Images


The first source that helps me with this is the website www.pixabay.com. Many images are available for free. 

One more option is to search for an image in "Google images" page, select "tools 》usage rights" and filter the results by "labeled with non-commercial reuse". Those images are not copyrighted. 

Other sources are Flickr images with a creative commons license and a website www.unsplash.com. 

4. Buffer

Taking time to promote our content is as important as publishing quality content. I usually promote my content on Facebook, Twitter and Google plus. I also add my links to Indiblogger and the blog chatter reading lists. 

When I schedule my content ahead for a future date I use buffer to share the links on social media. It makes planning easier and I use a free version as of now.

5. Image editing tools

Sometimes, for travelogues, I post photos directly from my mobile. So, I use snapseed app to edit my photos. This is a free tool with lots of editing options. I use photo grid app to make collages of photos real quick from my mobile. 

What tools do you use for blogging? Did you try any of the above-mentioned tools/ apps/ websites? Please do let me know your thoughts and also suggestions on some free tools which make blogging easy.

Until next time 

This article is written as part of SuperBloggingChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com,Fashionablefoodz.com, and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused. 

Also, linking this to #QuotedStories hosted by Upasna. 

Infused Water and its benefits #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

We reside in Colorado state in USA. I thought, only places with hot weather will be dry. But, Colorado springs being a mountain town at high altitude, temperatures usually decrease while humidity is not high. This state is cool and dry. If we don't drink enough water here, it is common to bleed through the nose due to dryness. 

We all know that we should drink at least 2 liters or 8 glasses of water daily though this requirement changes with geographical conditions and our health. Sometimes, drinking plain water multiple times might be uncomfortable.I came to know about infused water only a year ago. While different types of flavored waters and flavored sodas are available in the market, Infused water is a healthier option.

Strawberry, Cucumber, mint Infused water
PC: Google image labeled with non commercial reuse

What is Infused water?

Infused water is the water with herbs and fruits soaked in it over a period of time. Because of the infusion process, flavors of the fruits or plant material are steeped into the water. 

How is Infused water beneficial?

1. Tasty
We all know the benefits of drinking water. If the water consumed by us is also tasty, there is a probability of us drinking more water. Infusion process slightly improves the taste of the water. The common ingredients used for infusion are cucumbers, lemon, mint, ginger, cinnamon, strawberry, pineapple, coconut, basil, rosemary, raspberry, blueberry etc.,

2. Detoxifying 
Since infused water has high antioxidants, it cleanses the body and detoxes. This will keep you hydrated for more time eliminating wastes from the body.

3. Nutritious
This is not a major benefit but 20% of nutrients from herbs/ fruits used for infusion will steep through the water. So, definitely, it is not equal to having a full fruit or having a smoothie with fruit but better than plain water.

Strawberry, lime, mint Infused water
PC: www.pixabay.com

4. Helps in Weight loss
Some specific fruit infused water are known for weight loss properties. Some can burn fat and even relieve stress. The combination of cucumber and lime infused water, strawberry and rosemary infused water etc., are good for weight loss. 

5. Immunity booster
Infused water can improve immunity depending on the fruits/ herbs we select to infuse. 
For example: 
Pears, raspberry, and rosemary can lower blood pressure and support immunity
Blueberries, lemon, and cucumber can boost metabolism and detoxify

Since you are convinced of the benefits, how do you infuse the water?

Here comes the process:

1. Choose the ingredients

2. Buy a pitcher/fruit infuser bottle. See below for product ideas:

Fruit Infuser bottle from #Instacuppa   

Fruit Infuser bottle with thermos steel from Instacuppa

Fruit Infuser bottle from #Instacuppa

Green tea detox bottle from Instacuppa

3. Soak the ingredients in filtered water. 

4. Leave it overnight or at least for 4 hrs.

5. Sip whole day and enjoy!

Try the infused water and let me know how you like it :-)

Until next time,

This article is written as part of SuperBloggingChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com,Fashionablefoodz.com, and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused. 

My Childhood Food memories #SuperBloggerChallenge2018

I am not a foodie and I manage to eat anything if it is a veg option cooked properly with enough salt and spice. But, My mother is a great cook. She loves cooking tasty dishes, she takes time to improve the food that she cooks and presents them properly. I am just the opposite. I don't have interest in both cooking and eating.

Still, I have some good childhood memories of food. Here are some:

Gold fingers :
They are some fries with salt and spice. We used to get these packs in our school cafeteria. We used to stand in a queue to buy them during recess and share them with our friends. I used to save pocket money for this. Of course, this is junk food, but I liked it because they were spicy and crunchy.

Gold finger snacks
PC: From Google images labeled with non-commercial reuse

Evening snacks :
After coming from school, our daily routine was to freshen up, eat homemade snacks made by my mom, and rush to dance classes. My mom used to make a variety of snacks like plantain bajji (stuffed fries), wholewheat dosas, Maggie, Rava laddoo, sweet laddoo, murukku etc., My favorite was whole wheat dosa, and my mom used to make 2 versions - a simple one and a sweet one.

Wheat Dosa
PC: From Google images labeled with non-commercial reuse

Poori :
I used to hate almost all breakfast items like idli, vada, and dosa as I am allergic to them. But, Pooris are so tasty and my all-time favorite breakfast. They take some time to make, so my mom used to prepare them on weekends when we got up late. We used to enjoy Pooris with potato curry or with a gravy made with chickpea flour.

Poori
PC:www.pixabay.com

Rice items and Specific vegetables:
I almost like all rice varieties like veg pulao, tamarind rice, tomato rice, etc., I like some vegetables more like ladyfingers, potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants.

Ladyfingers/ Okra
PC:www.pixabay.com

Really, those were fantastic days when we didn't need to cook anything and just eat and enjoy a tasty meal. What were your childhood favorites and best food memories? Do share in comments.

Until next time,

This article is written as part of SuperBloggingChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com,Fashionablefoodz.com, and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused. 

Linking this to #FlavoursomeTuesdays hosted by Sunita and Shilpa. 

Also, linking this to #QuotedStories hosted by Upasna.