Tag: socialdistancing

Lifestyle

Book Suggestions Volume 2 – What I am Reading

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Social Distancing and staying at home has definitely taken me back to my old days where I made it a point to remove at least sometime to do the things I really enjoyed. Reading is one of those things for me and I cannot get enough of it. In these uncertain times I find normalcy in books and love how I switch off from everything happening around in the world for sometime.

Here is a list of books I have been reading. Would love to hear from you guys about books you have been reading and would suggest reading.

  1. Normal People – I decided to pick up reading this book only after the adapted show came up on television (Hulu). I find this book extremely well written, compelling and enthralling though I think you will either really enjoy the book or hate it. There is no in-between with this book. This book touches on so many important things and there is so much to analyze in the class differences, first loves, friendship, physical abuses and family dynamics explored here with nuanced skill.  This is a coming of age story.

2. American Dirt – This book has definitely received mixed reception. This novel is about a Mexican woman who has to leave behind her life along with her son and escape to the United States as an undocumented immigrant. This book has controversy written all over it but when read as pure fiction I found it absolutely engaging. I think it is one book you have to pick up yourself and decide if you like it or not. For me, I found the story chilling, tense and gripping.

3. Ask again yes – This book grabbed my attention from the first page and never let it go. A powerful, thought provoking beautifully crafted family drama that explores love, forgiveness and the ability to move on. This book is well written and the writing has great depth and complexity to it and the story flows effortlessly. This is the first book I read of this author and absolutely enjoyed it. A great read.

4. There There – I got this book a while ago planning to read. This is the authors debut novel and a strong and powerful one at that. Beautifully written, creatively and skillfully structured with the stories of multiple characters, each one important and affecting on their own, but when meshed the connections that unfold blew me away. This story is told from 12 widely different perspectives of Native communities from Oakland, California in a way which is both exciting as well as heartbreaking. A gripping read.

Some other books on my reading list are:

The Silent Patient

Where the Crawdads Sing

Too much and Never Enough

Check out my other post I wrote about What I have been reading – Volume 1 for more book suggestions and great reads. Happy Reading!!

Lifestyle

Sketching – What I made during Social Distancing

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Social Distancing has got me try so many new things I never did before. Recently, I tried my hands at sketching and absolutely enjoyed it. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am extremely passionate about Arts and Crafts – I have my Mother to thank for that. I inherit all my creative skills from her.

Here are some of the sketches I created. Let me know what you think of them.

Lifestyle

10 Ideas to Celebrate Mothers Day during Social Distancing

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  • A picture of mom and me in Kashmir, India

With the pandemic going strong we are all feeling a little strange and missing our families but lets not get it in the way to express our love to our loved ones this Mothers day. Make your mom, grandmom and newly minted moms feel special with these small gestures that will go a long way.

  1. Cook her Breakfast in Bed – If you live with her you can prepare her favorite breakfast and coffee and start the day on the right note by pampering her.

2. Watch a Mother Daughter Movie Together – Even if you are not living together you can easily block a time of the day which works for both of you and watch a movie together and Netflix makes it possible with Netflix Party. Some fun movies to watch are Little Women, Monster in Law, Dumplin, Mamma Mia, I Don’t know How she Does it, etc.

3. Take an Online Cooking Class together – Sign up for an online cooking class of your liking and learn to cook something new together. Whether you have always been wanting to take a speciality class or cook a meal from scratch go for it.

4. Host a Virtual Happy Hour on Zoom – Set aside time and using zoom or any video conferencing app tune in to your favorite concert, play games or simply chat your hearts away while sipping on some cocktails or mocktails of your choice.

5. Take a Virtual Fitness Class together – Sign up for a Virtual fitness class together of your choice be it yoga, mat pilates, cardio or even dance and sweat it together.

6. Create a Slideshow for Mothers Day – You can create a fun slideshow for Mothers’s Day and share it with her. It can include pictures from your childhood and messages from her loved ones thanking her or saying something beautiful to appreciate her. It will be a beautiful memory she can cherish forever.

7. Send her an Ecard – You can create your own ECard using any of the free apps available with messages from her loved ones or even a small poem to appreciate her and make her feel special.

8. Create a Video – One of the easiest things to do is you can ask all your siblings or all the loved ones to send a personal message for her and combine it together and share it with her. She will definitely admire the gesture and feel special.

9. Plan a Surprise Dinner for Her – You can always plan a special surprise dinner for her and cook all her favorite things from appetizers, mains and dessert. And off course don’t forget to get her favorite drink. If you have extra time on hand you can also decorate the dining area to add a personal touch.

10. Send Her a Thoughtful Care Package – If you cannot be with her and cannot do anything of the above you can always send her a thoughtful care package to let her know you are thinking of her and really appreciate everything she does for you. Will definitely bring a smile to her face.

If you are looking for Gifts Ideas on Mother’s Day check this post. I have written an entire post on fun gift ideas on a budget. There is something for everyone!

Lifestyle

Book Suggestions – What I have been reading

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I have always enjoyed reading since I was a kid but to be honest with preparing for grad school and applications reading completely fell wayside. But I started reading again from February and cannot explain the joy it gives me. These days, I have made it a point of self care to read for atleast 1 hour before going to bed to unwind from the day and the news.

I mix it up sometimes reading a hardcopy of the book, sometimes reading on the Kindle app and sometimes on the iBooks app on the iPad. Libby is another great resource I use to read ebooks and audiobooks. I prefer to steer away from the phone to read personally to avoid any distractions while reading.

Here is a list of books I have been reading (re-reading). Would love to hear from you guys about books you have been reading and would suggest reading.

1) Where the Forest Meets the Stars – For long, this book had been on my list to read and I finally read this book on the kindle app where it is free. The book focusses on 3 people who try to deal with the challenges life throws at them. The story is about friendship, power of love and healing, strength, hope, miracles and is a delightful read brimming with emotions.

2) The Palace of Illusions – I re-read this book recently and would recommend it to anyone who is interested to learn about the rich literary heritage of India. Written in first person, the book provides Draupadi’s (Daughter of King Draupada and the wife of the five Pandavas) perspective on what happened during Mahabharata. This book is based with a fresh take on the Indian Epic, Mahabharata from the point of view of the brilliant and fearless Draupadi (Panchali) with her soul touching yet enduring life story.

3) A Woman is No Man – Etaf Rum, the author has powerfully contextualized in her book the lives of 3 generations of Palestinian woman and captured the complexity of generational trauma and family, the violence of occupation and diaspora, and the incomprehensible strength and resilience of women in a raw, brutal and honest manner. I felt so many emotions while reading this book.

4) When Breath Becomes Air – I read this book 1 and a half years ago but thought of including it to the list because I really appreciate the language of the book – the way it is delivered. This book is short on the outside but packs a punch. The author, Paul gracefully deals with traumatic subject matters and triggering topics, and skillfully weaves the narrative of his own life into instructions on how to make life more meaningful.

5) Little Fires Everywhere – I re-read this book again as the Tv adaptation has come on Hulu now. This book is about relationships, race, the power of motherhood and tries to show that even with the perfect planning things can get messy. The book has a slow start but picks up as you read further.

6) Homegoing – Currently reading this book and it is a powerful and engaging novel. It tells the story of two half sisters, Effia and Esi, born to different villages, who grow up in different circumstances, and have very different lives. The book tells the story of many of their descendants covering over 300 years. It goes into great detail of slavery in the 18th century and racism.

Other Books on my list to Read

Ikigai – The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Dear Girls – Ali Wong

Olive Again

Open Book

Happy Reading !

Lifestyle

Top 12 Things to watch during Social Distancing

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If social distancing has you stuck inside going crazy, here are some shows and movies you can watch to keep yourself engaged.

Also did you know, Hulu is offering free subscription for the first month ? Which means there is more content to stream even if you do not have a Hulu subscription already.

1) John Oliver: Last Week Tonight – This show airs on HBO and you can also find the clips on YouTube. It is an absolute favorite of mine. Comedian John Oliver reviews the crazy current affairs happening around the world with his insightful wit and fearless candor. The best thing about his show is how he addresses even the most serious problems in a light way.

2) Stay here – I binged this show during social distancing on Netflix. It is easy on the eyes and perfect for people looking to makeover their homes. On this show, the hosts transfer short term rental homes from sub par properties to dream holiday destinations which are rented on platforms like Airbnb.

3) Shark Tank – This show is available on Hulu and I am a fan. I have been following this show for years and it never gets old. On this show, budding entrepreneurs present their ideas to the sharks in the tank with the hope to strike a deal. Over the years, through this show I have come across so many new products in the market and also tried some of them that appealed to me.

4) Greys Anatomy – I have been following this show from the first time it was aired in 2005 until now and really enjoy it. It is engaging and fun but I won’t lie there are some seasons which are not as great and engaging as the others. Available on Netflix and Hulu. But the latest season is available only on Hulu.

5) Money Heist – I have just finished the first 2 seasons of this show which is originally a Spanish show but has been dubbed in English on Netflix. With its unpredictable and overwhelming plot, this series is so addictive that you will end up binge watching it.

6) Culinary Shows – Some good shows on Netflix are The Chefs Line, The Final Table, Chef’s Table and Ugly Delicious.

7) Next in Fashion – This show is Netflix’s take on fashion for all the project Runway fans out there. It is a battle of designers, most of whom are already accomplished to showcase their skills and sew to impress the judges with the opportunity to sell their line on Net-a-porter and win a cash prize.

8) Love is blind – This show is a throwback to the old days around 30 years back where people got married or spoke to each other first before actually meeting the significant other. This Netflix’s original show is a terrible show on numerous levels however is also quite addictive and quite popular on Netflix at this time.

9) The Morning Show – This is an Apple TV exclusive show and can be watched by anyone who has bought an Apple device lately for free as Apple is giving a free subscription for 1 year.

10)Vir Das Live Show– On 28th March, 2020 (Saturday) Vir Das is doing a insta – live concert starting at 9.00 pm IST (11.30 am ET) for 30 mins and promises to entertain you with his humor. He also has various shows available on Netflix for streaming with the latest one being his stand up special – Vir Das for India. Sharing the link to register for the same.

The link provided above also has various other live shows for you to stream for free.

11) Other Old but great shows

Breaking Bad (Netflix)

Sherlock (Netflix)

House of Cards (Netflix)

The Big Bang Theory (Netflix)

Suits (Amazon)

Bones (Amazon)

House (Amazon)

Project Runway (Amazon)

12) Movies to watch – There is a great collection of fun movies available on Amazon, Netflix and Hulu.

And the best thing is now on Netflix you can have your own party and watch your favorite shows and movies together with your friends or watch on Hulu for free for a month.

Here is a list of some movies you can watch:

Murder mystery (Netflix)

The Shawshank Redemption (Netflix)

Set it Up (Netflix)

Life as we Know It (Netflix and Hulu)

The Ugly Truth (Netflix and Hulu)

Spenser Confidential (Netflix)

Spy who dumped me (Hulu)

A Simple Favor (Hulu)

A Bad Moms Christmas (Hulu)

The Holiday (Hulu)

Feel free to share what you are watching and enjoying during social distancing. Happy Bingeing!!

Lifestyle

Free Activities to do at Home during Coronavirus Social Distancing

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As we are moving to a more homebound lifestyle atleast for the time being, I hope that this blog post can be a lighthearted space for some of you! Some of us have the liberty to work from home while others are still out there continuing their day to day lives in these uncertain times. I hope and pray for their safety and appeal to others who can to practice Social Distancing. The Government is doing everything to keep us all safe, lets do our bit.

I know staying indoors can get boring and annoying and make you feel restless. I am sharing some free activities that can be done from the comfort of your homes. Feel free to share your favorite apps or your go to activities during these times with me.

Activities to do at home

This may be a great time to pick up some DIY projects for your home. Some fun project ideas that I have worked on myself and shared previously are DIY Jewelry Dish, DIY Plant Pots, create your own gallery wall. A few upcoming projects on my blog are TIE- DYE project, organizing your home by better storage ideas, create a cozy nook in your home, wine cork bulletin board (for a wine lover who collects corks), etc.

Home Wellness Apps

Planet Fitness – As a measure to encourage people to stay indoors, Planet Fitness is streaming Live workouts on Facebook everyday at 4.00 pm PT (7.00 PM ET) for both members and non members. Also, if you miss the live streaming you can always go back and watch it later. Over and above this, when you download their app they have several free workouts for everyone.

Peloton App – Usually Peloton offers a free 30 day trial period however during this coronavirus outbreak they are providing a 90 day free trial for home workouts which include Yoga, HIIT and many other activities which do not need the machine as well.

Corepower Yoga – They have added few online classes and will be adding more too.

Carrot Fit App – This app is free at the moment too and offers 7 minute workouts.

Down Dog App- The Down Dog App is free until April 1, 2020 and offers various at home workouts – Yoga, HIIT, Barre as well as 7 minute workouts

Strong by Zumba (You Tube) – They offer various workouts ranging from 7 minutes, 20 minutes and 30 minutes free on You Tube. The best part is you do not need any equipments for the same. They combine cardio, muscle conditioning, bodyweight training synced to music.

Studio Tone it Up App – Currently they are offering a free trial of 1 month as against 1 week and offer a huge variety of classes like yoga, dance, kickboxing. HIIT, Barre, strength training, etc. They mention if you need any weights or any other tools at the start of the class but many just require a mat.

Note – Remember to cancel paid apps once the trial period is over to avoid being charged.

Entertainment

Over and above the steaming services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO and Amazon Prime which you can watch from the comfort of your home many cultural institutions have opened their doors and are allowing people across the globe to enjoy art and music virtually.

The New England Aquarium will post content every day at 11.00 am ET on the aquariums social media platforms. They offer live videos with educators and various activities for children.

Many world renowned museums have partnered with Google Arts and Culture and are doing virtual tours online currently such as The Louvre, Metropolitan Museum, Van Gogh Museum, and many more. While it may not give you the best experience that an in person visit offers, it is a great way to explore some of your favorite museums or something you have been meaning to go for a long time from your homes.

If you are a nature lover don’t be disappointed. National Parks like Yellow Stone and Yosemite have got you covered. They offer virtual tours to explore and feel connected with nature.

If you have a library card, you can check out the libraries collection of ebooks, audiobooks and other subscriptions it offers. In case you do not already have a library card you can always sign up for an e- library card.

Learn Something new

Have some spare time on hand ? How about learning a new language ? A fun way to use this time could be to pick up learning a new language. Duolingo is a great place to start learning any language.

With Coronavirus changing our daily lives and with most of us having some time on hand it may be a good time to take up classes from prestigious universities from the haven of our homes. Sharing a link of the same here

At the very end please remember that we are all in to together and it is a great time to extend your support to those in need at this time. Help your staff with basic essentials like food, sanitizers and whatever you can. Help elderly people with groceries and medications as they are the most vulnerable to this pandemic. Ask your non profits if they need anything and try and help in any way you can. Support your favorite local businesses by buying gift cards to use later. Please do not hoard necessitities more than your household requires so that others are not left in a bind. Donate to your local food banks.

Please be cautious but do not panic. And needless to say, wash your hands regularly.