Ten things they don’t sell.

We work out asses off all our lives – to make money. And believe that this money will make our life better. No doubt it does, but does it make it perfect? Isn’t it true that the best things in life cannot be bought? You don’t believe? Let me point a few such things to you:

Peace of Mind: You have millions in the bank. Your company has branches worldwide. But it's likely you are always worried about the stock rates and the market value of these offices. Where is the peace of mind? Weren't you more at peace when poorer?

Confidence: You have a walk in closet with the world's best designer clothes and accessories. But you don't know how to pair them. And finally when you do learn to, you walk out with a stopped shoulder. Why? Because you lack confidence. You can learn to walk upright, but can you buy and make up for that lack of confidence?

Time: Remember the story where a little boy offers to pay his father the same amount of money that he earns in an hours, just so the man can spend it with his son? You have all the money you desire, but no time to spend it on yourself, no time to sit and talk to your nearest ones.

Health: Money can ensure good medical services and care. Money can ensure hugh insurance premium being payed for. But there is only so much that medical science can do to ensure your good health. What after that? How do you ensure good health when there is nothing left to buy, but pray?

Sound Sleep: You are up all night worrying about your work and your meetings. Will the same money help you sleep soundly, every night. More often than not, it doesn't.

Wisdom: We can buy all the books in the world and get educated at the best institutions, but widom comes from within. It graces the poor as much as the rich. You are either wise, or you are not...you cannot buy it.

Talent: Money can help us better and polish our talents, but it cannot be bought if it's not within us. You cannot create a talent with money. Again, it's either in you or it's not.

Immortality: Earn millions, build a cushy home and have the best facilities around you. But, you'l leave it all and die one day. Alone. The money left behind can never buy you immortality.

Family and friends: These are the relations we take very lightly and for granted. But can we buy them? No, a mother or a best friend who care for you as they would if they were own, can never be bought.

Home: We can invest in multiple real estates and feel good about our acquisitions. But those are houses. Not homes. We can build a home with people, emotions, feelings etc. With money, we can just acquire the structures and decorate them.

Don’t let me upset you with all this! Be a mystery shopper with RedQuanta, get paid to shop and review! How cool is that!

[This blogpost is in association with RedQuanta. You can also check their blog here.]

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Book Review: When Strangers meet.. by K. Hari Kumar

On the jacket: 

What happens when an irritating but lovable wise-cracking 'Stranger' called Iyer meets a frustrated and arrogant teenager, Jai, on a fateful day in a congested room at the metro station? Catastrophe!!!

Meanwhile, Pathan never had the pleasure of happiness in his life yet he thanked Allah for every second of it... 

Abandoned by fate and friends, surrounded by responsibilities and poverty... This hard-coated man from the city of Delhi knew only thing and that was to keep faith in Allah... Now he is set on a journey to turn around his fate...

The tale from the Iyer's past will change Pathan's present and Jai's future... And trust me... 

Sometimes all it takes is a stranger's tale to change the track of your life...

Three Men... One fateful day... and a Story of a Lifetime...

The Stranger is coming this May... are you ready to receive him? ;)

Review:

When I first read the synopsis of this book, I was intrigued. Three lives crossing path, obviously something intriguing will come out of it. So I began reading the book as soon as it arrived. Here, I must point, I was met with a few surprises - both good and bad. Good being that Hari Kumar is a good story teller and the bad being that the book seemed like it was in it's first draft format, with no edits whatsoever. The latter hampered the reading experience to a large extent.

Coming back to the story, it's about three characters - Jai, Hussain and Iyer, all of different age groups, backgrounds and ethnicities. They meet and life changes for all of them. Despite the fact that I was a bit miffed at a book with so many editorial errors, I didn't want to stop turning the pages. Characters were not built very strongly, but the events were. For instance, I am still wondering if Hussain's character was at all necessary? He plays an important role in the last bit of the book, but his life was not as affected as Jai's or Iyer's were, owing to this meeting. Jai's relationship with his father, as shown in the story is atrocious  A professor's son saying 'shut up' and the father calling his son a bastard to which the son retorts saying I am your son - is a bit too stretched, accepting the fact that Jai was shown to be a misbehaved teenager. 

Iyer's story was very well told and personally I found that part of the book the most gripping. I was hoping to read more about Hussain and what happens in his life, though. The climax of the story, though not very new, is good and well placed. The book could have been a much better read with more polish to the language. Also, being a debutant author, Hari Kumar does show the skills to create interesting plots.

Rating: ***/5

[This review is for Srishti Publishers & Distributors. The opinions are strictly my own and not been written under any obligation.]

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Are you a 'creditcard-oholic'?

We all have that one friend (at least one) who is addicted to credit card shopping. And if we don’t, probably that one friend is us! These people have multiple cards in their possession and all of them are mostly used to their limits. When the bills are generated, these friends scamper around begging for money to pay off these bills. Only to shop with the cards again. This addiction has taken families to bankruptcy and even to jail, owing to non payment of bills.

The best thing to do is abstain from using these plastic cards unless really important. And, to look for signs, what if you are turning into a credit card addict! How would you know?

Well, for one you will never keep much cash in your wallet and if you do, you will realise your purchases are burning a hole in it. If you are shopping on impulse, or when upset, or just because a sale is on, chances are you are using the card. You realised your cards have maxed out, but instead of paying the dues, you go and get new cards for more credit! And the worst thing - you hide yours cards as well as your purchases from your spouse! You would also own a lot, I mean a hell lot of things which have never been used.

How to get out of this? Well it's difficult, it's an addiction after all. Try by disposing/freezing all the plastic cards and spending only cash. If you have the amount in your wallet, you buy it. Else, you don't. This way every purchase is accounted for. OR! Be a mystery shopper with RedQuanta! Earn while you shop and give your valuable feedbacks to the merchants at the same time!

[This blogpost is in association with RedQuanta. You can also check their blog here.]

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Book Review: Five Past Midnight In Bhopal by Dominique Lapierre, Javier Moro

On the jacket:

On the night of December 3, 1984, a cyanide cloud drifted over the streets of Bhopal, India, set loose by a leak in a nearby chemical plant. When the deadly fog lifted untold numbers of the city's residents--perhaps as many as 30,000, by some accounts--lay dead, while half a million others were injured. Dominique Lapierre, a French journalist and longtime champion of India's poor, joins with Spanish writer Javier Moro to recount the terrors of that night, about which the whole truth may never be known. The deaths are but one part of the authors' long, sometimes elaborate tale, which relates how the industrial conglomerate Union Carbide had come to build its vast chemical complex at Bhopal, one meant to be a glory of technology and, ironically, to save thousands of lives brought low by insect-wrought starvation. There are few villains but many heroes in the authors' account, which explores the margins at which good intentions conflict with the profit motive, at which cost-cutting omissions yield horrifically unintended consequences. 

It all makes for a thoughtful and disturbing book. --Gregory McNamee

Review:

When I had started dating my Bhopali husband, one of the first instances of foot-in-the-mouth was when I'd said, "I used to think everyone from Bhopal has a physicial disability because of the gas tragedy." implying, how come he seemed all fine. Yes, a hateful thing to say and I am not at all proud of it. If I was him, we wouldn't be married today. But he spoke to me about the tragedy as he remembers which was not much as he was only 3 back then. In my defence, school books don't talk much about Bhopal apart from about this bone chilling tragedy. This was eight years ago. A month after we were married, he bought home this book. 

I'd read it then, cramped with fear, sadness and a heave heart. I am back in Bhopal after three years and my hands automatically reached out to this book. I re-read it, and my heart is still cramped as if bound by shackles. 

This is one rare book. The incident has not been given as much limelight and justice as it deserved; the region not being one of the prime regions of the country. What happened, why did it happened, what didn't happen, why can the Indian political system never bury the Union Carbide incident. I had read this book was banned in India. Understandable. Read it and I promise your heart will cry and your blood will boil. You will be forced to imagine yourself in that situation, because this is not a plot that has been spun but a fact in so many lives. 

A very well-researched book, very factual, yet a link is missing as Union Carbide's management had not given any inputs about the hows and the whys. The book is depressing to a large extent, after all the incident was the world's worst industrial disaster. Their suffering still continues, the least we can do is know what they are suffering. Seriously, do read this book. 

Rating: *****/5

[This review is for a book from my personal collection.]

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Book Review: Hinduism: From Maya to Moksha by Vijay Singal

On the jacket: 

This book is no ordinary work on Hinduism. It, in fact, is an academic study, done in a dispassionate and comprehensive manner, of an inclusive way of life, which has evolved along-with the evolution of mankind. It brings, to the doorstep of a common reader, the travails of the history, creative genius behind mythology, essence of philosophy, various means of spiritual attainment and utility or otherwise of practices of this most misunderstood and maligned religion. Both the strengths and weaknesses of this religion of eternity, Sanatan Dharma, have been flagged emphatically. Misplaced perception of multiplicity of gods has been demolished, with great conviction.

This book has highlighted the fact that Hinduism, though religion of antiquity, is not only equally relevant today, but is also fully equipped to face the challenges of future. Such a perspective can instil bonding, pride and confidence in adherents of this great stream of liberal thought. It can also help others in acquiring an appropriate understanding of this great tradition of universal brotherhood.

Review:

When I started reading this book, I was sceptical. To be frank, I am wary of preachings which say any one religion is the best. And I had a feeling this book  includes such preachings. I am glad to admit I was wrong and reading the book was a pleasant surprise for a practising Hindu who doesn't know a lot about the  religion. 

Hinduism: From Maya to Moksha talks about the religion, as is known from centuries, what it stands for and what it doesn't. We all know that every religion and it's norms have been twisted and modified by us, their followers, for our own requirements. In this, as the newer generations keep coming in, lesser do they know about what their religion stands for, do they believe in it or not.

This book talks about the roots of hinduism, it's deities, scriptures, vedantas, ethics, beliefs, festivals, it's renaissance, it's involvement with science and many other aspects, along with what concerns us more - dilemmas of a common Hindu. 

The book is not just a guidebook for someone who wants to know what Hinduism is, in fact it should be a compulsory read for all Hindus, to know what the religion actually is and to stop practices which the religion does not support or promote. All in all a knowledgeable book.

Rating: ****/5

[This review was done on author request, however the views and opinions mentioned above are my own.]

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Book Review: Amreekandesi - Masters of America by Atulya Mahajan

On the jacket:

Akhil Arora, a young, dorky engineer in Delhi, cant wait to get away from home and prove to his folks that he can be on his own. Meanwhile in a small town in Punjab, Jaspreet Singh, aka Jassi, is busy dreaming of a life straight out of American Pie. As fate would have it, they end up as roommates in Florida. But the two boys are poles apart in their perspectives and expectations of America. While Akhil is fiercely patriotic and hopes to come back to India in a few years, Jassi finds his Indian identity an uncomfortable burden and looks forward to finding an American girl with whom he can live happily ever after.

Laced with funny anecdotes and witty insights, Amreekandesi chronicles the quintessential immigrant experience, highlighting the clash of cultures, the search for identity, and the quest for survival in a foreign land.

Review:

If there ever was a bible that the nervous 20 year olds about to go abroad to study can read and get an idea of how life will be, Amreekandesi - Masters of America can be one such. On the flip-side  few chapters in the beginning can get boring if you have already lived this life and don't really want a teaser to it, but want to read the story.

The story, as the synopsis suggests, is about two young boys, from Delhi and Punjab, and their journey from preparing for their GRE tests, to finally landing on American soil, studying/living there and managing on their own. For most people who have already crossed this stage of life, it would be a flashback of their own lives. At some points, one would wonder if the book really is a memoir of the author's own experiences.

An an author, a lot of us already know Mahajan is witty and definitely not the stereotype, trying-hard-to-be-funny ones. The book reflects honesty in writing (though the bits where the author explains how things worked back in 2004 was not really required, we were all around eight years ago) and is quirky & insightful. Akhil and Jassi are indeed the two types of youngsters we can classify the Indian students studying abroad in. You will get involved with the characters and want to read on till the very end in one sitting. 

Mahajan is an author I would want to read more of. However, there were a few editorial (proof-reading) errors which did affect my reading experience a bit.

Rating: ****/5 

[This review is for Random House India. The opinions are strictly my own and not been written under any obligation.]

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Love to shop online? How about some cool apps to help you?

Who doesn’t love to shop? Gone are the days when only women hoarded the shopping malls for a good bargain. Even men and kids are market as well as product conscious nowadays, and have an opinion about what they want. Of course, you can be a mystery shopper with RedQuanta and have some real fun shopping as well as review the services. Nevertheless, this is where shopping apps on our smartphones come to our rescue!

Amazon Mobile, well you can buy pretty much everything here! The App is free and makes shopping from your iPhone smooth. Groupon  is an amazing app available in 70 cities so far. It uses group purchasing to help users get a price break on everything from teeth whitening to helicopter tours and also includes a good number of restaurant deals. Snaptell is awesome if you are a bookworm! Take a picture of the book/CD/DVD/video game you wish to buy and the app will pull up all stores in your neighbourhood selling it. RedLaser uses the barcode scanner and helps to compare prices; local as well as online.

GoodGuide goes a step further and suggests to you what is suitable for you and your environment, and supports barcode scanner.

Then there are snapdeal and flipkart, one stop destination apps to a wide variety of shopping options. ngpay helps us with ticketing, shopping and recharges. Ebay and OLX apps help us buy and sell with a plethora of goods for choice. Fancy is an app which helps us discover, collect and buy from some amazing catalogues.

[This blogpost is in association with RedQuanta. You can also check their blog here.]

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A pile of gift wrappers? Don’t throw them yet!

So, a birthday just went by and while the gifts made you ecstatic, you don't have the heart to throw away the pretty wrapping papers? Worry not, you can reuse them! How about you trim the spoilt parts and use them to line your drawers pretty? If the paper is really pretty, cut a neat peace and frame it; it can make for a beautiful wall decor! Have a patch of wall which your kid has drawn upon? Why don't you take a few wrapping papers, cut them in equal size and paste them alternately as wall paper? Cool, eh?

Another brilliant way is to cover your books, or even your shoe boxes. Make 'em pretty! Some wrapping papers are made of soft, tissue paper – you can wrap your delicate jewellery in them. You can cut the papers into designs of your choice and use them for party decorations. You can also cut the smooth portions from a few sheets and join them to make a fresh wrapping paper, with a personal touch. Another good idea would be to use these sheets to cover your gift boxes and make them pretty.

You can use old wrapping papers as kitchen place-mats  If the paper is very crumpled, shred it and use it as fillers in gift bags etc. You can also cut out pretty images and help your child make next year’s Christmas greetings! Lastly, you can always reuse them as wrapping paper, for someone else’s gifts and/or for your child’s craft projects! And when all of this is done, drop everything and be a mystery shopper for RedQuanta! Go on, I promise you will be thrilled.

[This blogpost is in association with RedQuanta. You can also check their blog here.]

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Are you a mystery shopper?

Recently, I got to know about mystery shopping and in turn about RedQuanta. Before I talk more about how cool being a mystery shopper is, I must tell you about RedQuanta, whose works, at least to me, is quite new and intriguing. As they call themselves, they are a new-gen mystery audit firm and are in the market to collaborate with as many organisations as possible. What do they do? Their customers are organisations for who customers and customer satisfaction come first. And for these customers, RedQuanta and their team of mystery shoppers, do some silent audits. How?

All you need to do is ask!! Of just visit them at http://www.redquanta.com/

AND! Keep a watch for this space! As I will be updating a lot of interesting stuff about shopping, on this page, in association with RedQuanta.

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Book Review: Smart Phones Dumb People? by Parthajeet Sarma

On the jacket:

Parts of India and the world live in the 21st century whereas parts live in the 19th century. Whilst many of us live in times ruled by smartphones and the internet, millions go without easy access to basics like water and electricity.

We live in an opportune moment today. We have, available to us, the technological tools of the 21st century to address 19th century issues. In a fast changing world, will mankind be ruled by smartphones soon or will mankind use technology in life-changing innovations to make our societies far more equitable? Can technology be used to address the most crying needs in our societies today?

The big picture is built by stories about the modern fruits of technology and how these are being used by leadership groups to combine business with social causes. This is an easy read for anyone interested in innovation, entrepreneurship, social issues and the current challenges like excessive corruption that face us today.

Review:

You know how we see things happening around us, the obvious, but our eyes just scan over them without registering them? Sarma, in his book has spoken about the very same things and thanks to him, I at least won't be able to ignore these things. The facts that how mechanical our lives have become and how we are clueless about how to behave in the absence of technology, are some shocking truths we seldom sit back to ponder about.

Sarma grips the reader's attendance with giving real life experiences and anecdotes, about his own daughter, colleagues, and other people around him. And immediately we can relate to what he is talking about. Sarma makes sense in Smart Phones Dumb People? from Page 1. Apart from technology, he also talk about entrepreneurs, innovations brought in my technology, about corruption etc.

All in all, his basic question is, have we advanced so much, then we are unable to do the basic, i.e. think? A good, smooth, insightful read. 

Rating: ****/5

[This review is on request of PRJankari/author. However, the views expressed are my own honest opinions and the review is not a paid review.]

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