Gratitude List - Aug 2020 #GratitudeCircle

 It's difficult to write this gratitude list when Corona Virus is showing it's harsh impact everywhere and wildfires making many homeless in US Western states. What can we be grateful for when people are suffering around us and losing jobs?

But, this list might be a reminder that we should be thankful for our basic needs fulfilled in these uncertain times. If we have a place to stay, enough food to feed our family, clothes to cover ourselves, and no health problems, who is luckier than us? Shouldn't we be grateful for these simple yet important things in our lives?

I am grateful for relaxing weekends, simple, yet comforting meals I cook, the good health of my family, friends, and some Me-time.

So, Here is my Gratitude List for last month - Aug 2020 :

Virtual Recital

My time is majorly spent on editing our students' dance videos and publishing them on youtube in August. We couldn't do a stage Recital this year on behalf of our dance school - Kala Deepika Dance Academy due to Covid-19.

I am grateful for this activity as I passed time with video editing every evening and enjoyed publishing them on Youtube. Parents and Students felt good too to be able to showcase their dance even during COVID-19 time.  

All our Virtual Annual Recital videos are in the below Youtube channel.

Kuchipudi Dance Practice Videos

Book Reading:

I couldn't read more books last month but could read at least one book from the library. Chitra Banerjee is my favorite author and I completely enjoyed the short story collection about arranged marriage.

Read my Review for more details. 

Click the book image to buy on Amazon.

Festival Celebrations:

We celebrated 2 festivals in August. Varalakshmi Vratham and Vinayaka Chavithi.

Both are important festivals celebrated annually by us. Both have a procedure to follow with the offerings to make and the puja process to do.

Varalakshmi Vratham

I am still not getting better in preparing offerings to God, but a lot better than earlier. I celebrated Varalakshmi Vratham on a weekday, so it was not a pleasant experience running between puja and work.

We celebrated Vinayaka Chavithi to our heart's content as it was on weekend. Kids participated in preparing the clay Ganesha and we enjoyed our family time. 

Vinayaka Chavithi

Local hiking and outdoor time:

August is the last month before the Fall to enjoy the Summer outdoors in Colorado. We did some local hiking, relaxed at the river-side, and watched beautiful skies. 

It rained more than it usually does in Colorado this month. So, we could see some beautiful rainbows and colorful sunsets.

Is the Sun Smiling?

Self-care :

My Health continued to be better in August as well. I reduced my blogging time, could spend some time watching Netflix, editing videos, and reading books.

I am really grateful for my Saturdays. Took afternoon naps on some days, cooked one-pot dishes, and relaxed overall.  

What are you grateful for this month or the last month? 

Do let me know in the comments. 

Until next time,

Linking this post to #GratitudeCircle hosted by Vidya Sury.

Arranged Marriage by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - [Book Review]

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Book Details:

Title: Arranged Marriage

Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Publisher: Anchor; First Paperback Edition (May 1, 1996)

Print Length: 307 pages

Source: An e-copy from library

Blurb:

Although Chitra Divakaruni's poetry has won praise and awards for many years, it is her "luminous, exquisitely crafted prose" (Ms.) that is quickly making her one of the brightest rising stars in the changing face of American literature. Arranged Marriage, her first collection of stories, spent five weeks on the San Francisco Chronicle bestseller list and garnered critical acclaim that would have been extraordinary for even a more established author. For the young girls and women brought to life in these stories, the possibility of change, of starting anew, is both as terrifying and filled with promise as the ocean that separates them from their homes in India. From the story of a young bride whose fairy-tale vision of California is shattered when her husband is murdered and she must face the future on her own, to a proud middle-aged divorced woman determined to succeed in San Francisco, Divakaruni's award-winning poetry fuses here with prose for the first time to create eleven devastating portraits of women on the verge of an unforgettable transformation.

Purchase Link: 

Amazon

My Review:

 I have read Chitra Banerjee's novels earlier and I am a fan of her stories. So, I searched for her books and found this kindle copy from our local library. 

Like Chitra's other novels, these stories also cover Indian immigrants in the USA. Being an Indian staying in the USA,  it is easy for me to relate to these stories. All are related to the woman's problems and immigrant lives.

I love that most of the stories are real or nearer to real life. I like the narrative but in some stories, I felt the transition between scenes is not smooth but abrupt and confusing. I like the details in the stories like environment, weather, culture, and the way the author portrays the feelings of characters. 

Most of the stories are heart touching and will stay in your mind even after finishing the book and make you think of characters. A few I didn't like, maybe I expected more depth in those characters.

This line tells a lot about Arranged marriages in India.

Wasn’t it every woman’s destiny, as Mother was always telling me, to leave the known for the unknown?

Clothes is one of my favorite stories. It shows the dreams of a young bride moving to a new country with her husband. The climax is heartbreaking,  but that's how life is.

A perfect life is a tribute to a mother's love. It's very touching and sure will stay in my heart for a long time. 

 

The maid servant's story is heart-wrenching and I cannot explain in words the impact the story had on me for days. It is so sad that a few women had to bear problems throughout their life. 

The Disappearance is not my favorite story but a good one. It's surprising that a few men consider abuse as common in households and don't treat it as a problem. 

Doors - I loved this! A simple story but a gripping narrative. The climax makes you feel the impact of simple habits on one's married life.

Meeting Mrinal is about 2 women meeting after a long time while realizing that no one's life is perfect and perfection is only a mirage. Great message.

My Rating : 4/5

I recommend this book to immigrants, especially women, and also to someone who loves to read real stories.

Until next time,

Mummy Wears Blue Shoes By Scott Furlong - [Book Review]

 Summary:

Emily is five-years-old. She wears pink ballerina shoes and wants to be a ballerina when she grows up.

Emily’s mummy and daddy are both special police officers called detectives. Lately, Emily has noticed that her mummy hasn’t been spending time with her. She has stopped taking her to dancing lessons and her older brother, Jackson, to his rugby lessons. One night, Emily sees her mummy crying on the sofa being comforted by her daddy. At a family meeting Emily learns that her mummy is poorly with something that the doctor calls Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Mummy Wears Blue Shoes is a heart-warming story about a family who are living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is a story written about a family, for families by a family, by author Scott Furlong with illustrated by his cousin Emma Cahill.

Information about the Book

Title: Mummy Wears Blue Shoes

Author: Scott Furlong

Illustrator: Emma Cahill

Genre: Picture Book

Publication Date: 15th September 2020

Page Count: 54

Publisher: Clink Street Publishing

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55103855-mummy-wears-blue-shoes 

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mummy-Wears-Shoes-Scott-Furlong/dp/1913340708/ 

My Review:

This is a lovely picture book for kids to make them understand PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Sometimes, when elders in the family undergo some health problems which impact other members, it's tough for kids to understand. It's always good to explain them in simple terms instead of allowing them to assume things and become scared.

Emily loves ballerina and baking with her mom. When mom's behavior changes due to PTSD, she couldn't understand the reason. Emily's dad explains in simple terms and she does something to make her mom happy.

It's cute to know how kids react when their loved ones are suffering from a problem. The illustrations are great. But, I felt the story ends abruptly without mentioning the reaction from Emily's mom. Except for this, I loved the book. 

My Rating: 4/5

Author Information

Scott Furlong resides in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on a 10-acre equine property. He medically retired from the Queensland Police Service after 20 years’ service with PTSD and Depression in December 2019. He was a detective for 18 years and worked in Homicide, Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Task Force, Organised Crime and Officer in Charge of a Criminal Investigation Branch. He is currently studying a Bachelor of Law and a Masters of Professional Studies (Research). His love of learning didn’t develop until he was in his early 40s. Scott’s wife was also a detective and worked in child protection. In 2011, she also medically retired from QPS with PTSD. They have one son who is 14 years old. Scott has a great love for reading and writing. He also loves cooking and sports.

MUMMY WEARS BLUE SHOES is Scott’s debut novel.

Until next time,

Tunnels in a row #WordlessWednesday

 

Midland Tunnels, Buena Vista, Colorado

Until next time, 

Linking this post to #wordlesswednesday hosted by Natasha and Esha.

Revisiting the Word of the Year #MondayMusings

My Word of the year for 2020 is Self-care. We are already in the 9th month of the year and I want to revisit that post to see where I am with my Goals.

Personal goals set in Jan:

• Yoga at least thrice a week - I couldn't follow this more than 2 months I believe, so I am going to give it a second try in the coming months.

• Having nutritious breakfast at the right time every day - I could follow it most of the months. So, on track with this. 

• Sleeping before 10 am - Could achieve most of the days - On track

• Making time for hobbies- especially blogging and painting - I decided to step back on a few things due to health reasons and blogging is one of them. No regrets! :-) Could paint a bit though to my satisfaction.

• Keeping Saturday for myself to relax - The best goal this year! I enjoyed my time mostly every Saturday either by sleeping more or eating out or traveling. Sundays are dedicated to my dance classes in the mornings.

The first few months were busy with office work and health problems which made me realize that I need to spend more time on Self-care then ever.

Nowadays, I am spending more time on just relaxing, taking naps in the afternoons on weekends, watching Netflix on the evenings on weekdays, taking local hikes on weekends, sleeping early every day, preparing simple meals, including more vegetables in my diet etc.,

Reducing my office work is not in my hands but I can better organize my days now. I have cancelled all my morning office calls before 7 Am however important they are. I am hoping I can continue this in future. I am trying to strictly close office work by 4 Pm, though not possible every day. 

I have reduced my time on blogging, book reading, and painting as it seems like I need more rest or reduce my office stress to some extent. 

Do you set goals for the year? or a Word of the Year? If so, do you track them?

Do let me know in the comments.

Until the next time,

Linking this to #MondayMusings hosted by Corinne @everydaygyaan.com

A Life time to Move On by Anupriya Chowdhary - Release Day Blitz

 

~ Release Day ~

About the Book:

When Kumar finds out that his only daughter is in love, he has a tough time coming to terms with the fact that his Doll has grown up already. But his displeasure takes a different turn when he realizes who his daughter’s love interest is.

Sarika couldn’t have been happier at the news of her elder son having found the love of his life. She can't wait to see him happily married. But the revelation about the girl’s parents numbs her as much as it shocks her.

What is it in their past that Kumar and Sarika need to make peace with, so that their children can find their ‘Happily Ever After’.  Will they be able to do so?



Book Links:
Goodreads

Meet Sarika

Sarika believes that she has left her traumatic past and move on in the true sense. And why not?

She is successful, recognized and rewarded. Not only as a social entrepreneur but a loving wife and a doting mother to two sons.

She had really not foreseen that on his annual vacation to India, her elder son would drop a bomb albeit a pleasant one on them. And now she couldn’t wait to prepare for the Shagun for the girl who her son has chosen as the one for himself.

Only if she knew better. However ironical it sounded, but for her son to be happy, she had to clear a test herself. Was she prepared to face the past she had thought she had left far behind in her life?
His silence has angered her then. She had endured a lonely bitterness and worked her way through life. But had she moved on in the true sense? Probably not.  Was she ready to face her demons in person at this age?

The stakes are high. Her only hope is that her nemesis too understood the same. Could they finally patch up after 30 years?

About the Author:

Anupriya belongs to that generation of Idiots (the proud ones though), who did their engineering first and then decided on what they actually wanted to do. She completed her MBA in Human Resources and worked in the corporate world for 8 years, before taking a professional break. A mom by day and a reader/writer by night, Anupriya is a die-hard romantic. Yet she believes that love (in any relationship) is a part of life, not, the heart of life. And she aims to bring to the world, stories around this theme. She can be found in the dot com world at her blog www.mommytincture.com, which contains her ranting about her experiences in her various roles as a mother, daughter, wife and foremost a human being, all churned together. It is also her outlet to the world where she doles out loads of gyaan on self-improvement and relationship management.

Anupriya on the Web:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Until next time,

Virtual Recital and Editing Videos #MondayMusings

 Now, COVID has become an integral part of our lives and cases are rising and reaching the peak. We all are learning to cope up with COVID. Slowly, Sanitizers and masks are becoming our must-haves. 

https://pixabay.com/photos/corona-virus-mask-world-pandemic-4971013/

I think I got used to this lifestyle now. Working from home, not stepping outside except for evening walks or once or twice a month for grocery visit. We changed our focus to local hikes and scenic drives from weekend vacations and long drives. Cooking at home every day and missing the family vacations are most painful of all. 

Watch our recent Scenic drive (By the way, we started our new Colorado Family Vacation channel :-))

COVID has an impact on all parts of my life - including my Dance school. We would have done our second Annual Recital in the coming week. Of course, COVID changed everything. We moved to online classes from direct classes. So, I thought why can't we do a Virtual Recital.

The second I got the idea, I have informed the Parents, students practiced, and sent their recordings. Time for me to learn a new skill, after all. I have never edited a video or mixing it with audio earlier. 

So, the hunt began for the best free video editing software. Many suggested Kinemaster, but it didn't look that user friendly to me and there is not enough time to get used to that software. Kapwing.com and Windows Photos App came to my rescue. They helped me to edit my videos in less time. Canva.com as usual helped me with the graphics, title, and Choreography slides. 

The final output is satisfying though not perfect. That's how I learned a new skill in the last 2 months. Every day I used to spend hours and hours editing multiple videos of our student performances and uploaded them to Youtube and our Facebook group.

If you are interested in watching Indian Classical Dance videos, check out my channel, and follow my Facebook group.

Youtube Channel:

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-48YGmp4Y_DnrCpIa9zdA

Facebook Group:

 https://www.facebook.com/Kaladeepikadanceschool

I am glad to write again for #MondayMusings :-) Thanks to Corinne for starting this link-up again. I might not be regular in linking up, but I love to join whenever I can.

Until next time,

Linking this to #MondayMusings hosted by Corinne @everydaygyaan.com

Gratitude List for July 2020 #GratitudeCircle

 With this COVID and Social distancing, days are just going one after the other without much change in the routine. However, this weekend is relaxing for me as I took off from dance classes and even cooking for a day!

So, Here comes my quick Gratitude list for the month of July.

1. Scenic drive

We couldn't travel much this summer and all our plans are thrashed by COVID :-( 

Fortunately, we could go on a scenic drive for a day trip. One Sunday afternoon bored with staying at home, we quickly searched for scenic drives near us and we started within minutes. 

I feel thankful to call Colorado Springs our home as this is such a beautiful place with a lot of hikes and scenic drives around. 

Rampart Range drive is kind of a hidden gem, not a popular tourist attraction. It's a dirt road with lots of curves, scenic views with no place to take a U-turn. So we had to travel around 1.5 hrs till the route ended near Woodland Park. We got a glimpse of a rainbow as well :-)

Did you watch our Video?

2. Work

Work has been pretty much the same even in July. Some pressure, some challenging work and, more overtime. 

I am grateful for learning and improving my technical skills on job day by day. I am also grateful to God to have a job in such tough times outside.

3. Health

I could maintain my health well in July. I could go to yoga class every week and practice at least weekly thrice at home. I am advancing bit by bit in Yoga and learning breathing exercises and some interesting asanas. 

I am very happy to make my body flexible.

4. Dance Classes

Since we couldn't do the Annual Recital of our Dance school - Kala Deepika Dance Academy this year due to COVID, we planned for a Virtual Annual Recital. 

Rain or Sunshine, we dance :-)

So, I was teaching and correcting my students in online classes in July. I could see a lot of improvement in students over the last year even though face to face classes might have had more impact. 

I am grateful to the technology available to everyone to practice, teach, and learn to dance online. 

One more good news!

I am going to start my Dance school website soon!

Also, if you are interested in watching Kuchipudi Classical Dance videos, here is my channel.

Kala Deepika Dance Academy

5. Varalakshmi Pooja

I am glad that I could do this pooja like I do every year. But, I did a lot of multi-tasking this time, preparing Naivedyams (offerings to God) in the middle of work calls and decorating the idol. 

It was tough really but I am glad I could. This is a yearly tradition for all Telugu women.

That's about my July. Hope you all are having a Happy August.

What are you grateful for this month or in July?

Do let me know in the comments.

Until next time,

Pin it for later!

Linking this post to #GratitudeCircle hosted by Vidya Sury.

The Counterfeiter’s Daughter by Victoria Marswell - Book Blitz

 

Publication day: 5th July 2020

Genres:  Romance, Suspense

An empathetic psychologist, Madelyn Brighton trusts no one. She maintains a solitary and organized life with a serene view of the beach.
Everything changes when bad news forces her to leave sunny California and travel to Bavaria in south Germany. Amid 19th-century castles and dark family secrets, she must deal with the repercussions of her estranged father’s shocking counterfeiting crimes when she secretly inherits a priceless artifact.
Complications ensue when Madelyn reluctantly partners with the adventurous, blue-eyed archaeologist Jake Nolan. He promises to help her evade Leon Von Füssen, a prominent and wealthy art conservator who keeps them on the run as he tries to get his hands on the valuable museum piece Madelyn hides.

Madelyn finds herself caught in the middle of a rivalry between Jake and Leon. Will she succeed at protecting the innocent victims affected by her father’s mistakes, trust Jake with her safety and open herself to love again? Or will the counterfeiter’s daughter suffer the fallout of her father’s choices?

Join Madelyn on her thrilling journey of romantic suspense—from disillusionment to faith, bitterness to forgiveness, and loneliness to the prospect of love.

Purchase Link

Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0893PM7YK/r 

Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Counterfeiters-Daughter-Victoria-Marswell/dp/173501351X/

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53807026-the-counterfeiter-s-daughter 

Author Bio

Victoria Marswell is a romance suspense author. Victoria started writing poetry and short stories in her early teens. She majored in biblical studies at Hope International University and incorporates inspirational Christian themes into her writings. Victoria is a world traveler and sets her stories in the locations she has visited. At 17, she traveled to Germany and Austria where she was inspired to write her debut novel, The Counterfeiter’s Daughter. Victoria continues to travel the world; creating and writing romantic and thrilling adventures. She lived in Orange County, CA. for 38 years and currently resides in Portsmouth, NH.

Media Links

Website - https://www.victoriamarswell.com/ 

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20371336.Victoria_Marswell 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/vicmarswell 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VicMarswell/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/victoriamarswell/ 

Until next time,

Truly Madly Crazily in Love by Esha Pandey - Book Blitz

 

~ Book Blitz ~

Truly Madly Crazily in Love by Esha Pandey 

About the Book: 

What happens when you can't let your first love go? What happens when you keep hoping that the one that got away, will be yours again...forever?
Sue is short, vivacious and dreamy. Viv is tall, spirited and focussed. Dressed to the nines on School Social, she bewitches him. He kisses her. She kisses him back. They fall in love. But the kiss that should have sealed their love, becomes their undoing.
Sue is truly, madly and crazily in love with him. There is no one like Viv. She pines for him, but he can't be hers. Days go by and she is still head over heals in love with him.
When she finally lets him go and is ready to start over, he walks into her life again.
Hearts are broken. Promises are shattered. Lives are wrecked. Love is tested.
In a tale transcending time, Sue and Viv weave a story of love like none other. Will hope, trust and love win the test of time? From Lucknow, to Delhi to London, will Sue finally have her happily ever after? Read this sweet romance to find out.


Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon

Read an Excerpt from Truly Madly Crazily in Love by Esha Pandey

Sukirti lingered on at the gate a bit longer than necessary. She wondered if her mother had noticed how she was lost in her thoughts when she walked in. She certainly didn’t comment on it. Sukirti went directly to her room. She had never experienced the kind of rush she felt with Vaibhav. When she was pressed to him on impact because of the speed breaker, it was as if her whole body had exploded. She was tingling wherever her body had touched his. She knew this was different than anything she had ever known. She remembered her elder cousin Garima telling her about her boyfriend and how he made her feel. At that time, she had not thought it was possible to feel like you were on fire. That day, she understood.

Was she developing a crush on Vaibhav?


About the Author:

Esha Pandey, is an author and a police officer. She made her debut as an author with her book I Will Meet You There, a collection of short stories.
Esha is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2010 batch. She has a Masters in International Relations and Masters of Philosophy in American Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Before becoming a civil servant, she dabbled with the idea of being a journalist and worked with Times of India as a copyeditor. She has won a United Nations FPA Award for Excellence for the “Best Short Story”.
Esha has kept her passion for writing alive through her tough assignments in policing because writing is music for her soul. Her TDH hero is her partner for life, her husband Rajiv, who supports her in all her endeavors. When she is not doing either, policing or writing, she is busy dealing with her two bundles of naughtiness, her sons. 


Esha on the Web:
Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

Until Next time,