Riding a Bicycle on Hot Lava & Five things You "Must-Not" do to be a Good Runner !

Alright ! I'm back - ten days on and I've kept my attempts at running alive. Although, I must admit, I almost went dead on my second day of the Couch to 5K eight week challenge that I've set myself on. 

Yes, you read that right - the C25K as its famously / infamously known in the running world. 

So here are a few of the things I've been up to : 

1: I've earned a batch for exercising all 7 days a week - 😉

2: Attempted not one, but two five kilometre runs and completed them in 43-45 odd minutes 

3: Felt nice about reconnecting with my old running motivators on Strava 

4: Got back to the Nike Training and the Nike Run Apps - which means I have a more structured warm up and cool down routine

5: I have cleaned up all of my distracting subscriptions on YouTube - which encourages me to focus my screen time only on watching Running Videos - which, I am totally loving, at this point in time ! 

As important it is to know what is a 'must-do', it should be equally critical to know what is a 'must-not-do': 

1: Not Staying Hydrated : 

Never step out without the right intake of water - I almost dehydrated myself on my last run by skipping that glass of water before I headed out.

2: Skipping your Warm Ups & Cool Downs :

Lack of time should not be used as an excuse to skip your warm ups - go back to your childhood and reckon the days you've played a sport. Your coach never allowed you to touch that ball / racquet / hockey stick without ensuring your muscles were all warmed up. 

Even if you've never played a sport, remember to warm up using the below sequence, starting from your head down to your toes : 

1: rotations 

2: jumping (well head to toe sequence doesn't obviously apply in the case of jumping) 

3: stretching 

and for a cool down, slow down for the last five minutes and end with the same stretching routine.

3: An Under-Fuelled Body :

Yoga is probably the only form of exercise that can be done on an empty stomach. All other sport / exercise requires you to eat a healthy snack before you begin to burn those calories. 

4: Using only your Nose to Breath In :

Yes, in my last post I remember recommending breathing in through the nose for 3 strides and breathing out through the mouth for 4 strides. That worked, since I was probably just getting started and wasn't in it for the distance. But two 5Ks in the kitty and now I cannot emphasise enough on the importance of using your nose and your mouth to both breathe in and out. It keeps you going longer since you take in more oxygen to your blood cells this way !

5: Bad Form :

Sitting for long hours with a hunched back or being a stomach sleeper resembling the pose of a Spider-Man climb or dragging your feet while running - bad posture has disastrous consequences on our skeletal system.

I haven't really started to take my running so seriously, so as to give importance to form or technique - but my timings and the level of exertion I've felt on running two 5Ks are indicators enough that I should ! 

So while four of these five things are easier to do, the one I will be focussed on over the coming weeks, is my Running Form. My feet touching the ground for a fraction of a second and quickly off the ground - ensuring my Achilles Tendons are powering my runs ! 

And must I mention that I will Run like I'm riding a Bicycle on Hot Lava - Ouch, Ouch, Ouch !! 😊

Ouch ! That Hurt's !

It began how it begins every year - Year 2021 ! With renewed hope of keeping fit, I spent a week trying to get my body accustomed to walking long distances.. five, six, seven, even eight kilometres. 

There is something about Monday's - after the morning blues are gone, I finally make up my mind to try n run this evening. And wow, Do I feel awesome ? "Hell yea!"

What went right that day is what I will replicate on my following attempts I decide. 

So here it is - whatever went right & more of what went wrong : 

1: I made peace with my circumstances : 

Yes, this is a running tip. Anything you will attempt out of your comfort zone, has everything to do with your Mind first and your body later. So you may have demanding pets / children / ageing parents n in laws needing attention, maids that don't keep commitments, unannounced guests, incomplete errands, abandoned chores, a hard day at work, subordinates that under-deliver or bosses that over-commit, you're thinking about finished groceries or that course you had to tick off a week ago, which you remember not starting at all, laundry, dishes, prepping meals, several notifications crying for your attention, basically all hell breaking loose - but the truth is - life has always been like this - irrespective of your age, gender, relationship / employment / financial status - chaos is synonymous with everyone's life in one degree or the other. And hence, rather than trying to dot every i and cross every t, you must just make peace with your circumstances and get things and people around you, used to your short-lived absence ! 

2: Warm Up : 

While a lot of You tubers will claim - "30 minutes a day is all it takes" - that is not the truth ! It takes me a while to train my mind n body to get into that "zone". Then there's the dressing n lacing up for the run - a transformation from your Work-From-Home clothes. And now-a-days you will most likely come back to fetch your mask - if you are a mask hater like me ! Then you will want to take at least 10 minutes to warm up and another 10 to cool down, if you intend to run injury free. That is 50 minutes of your 24 hours gone right there.. ! However, if you really are a sucker for your time and other commitments - you do a ten minute run - just as good. In the age of capsule wardrobes, why can't there be capsule runs !  ;)

3: Breathe : 

To breathe is to live - literally ! Its taken me umpteen injuries and bad runs to learn to attach importance to the right breathing pattern. For this Monday evening what worked was breath in for 3 strides and breathe out for 4 strides - an odd-even breathing pattern. So let's say you took your breath in on the right foot strike and then after you breathed out for four strikes you end up taking in your breath on the left foot strike - ensuring both sides of your body get enough oxygen in the cells. Result - no injuries due to incorrect breathing. 

That's all that I got right on my Monday evening run. 

On Tuesday, I avoided these mistakes : 

1: Replaced my earphone with ear pods : 

Running with a phone in your hand and the cord hanging from the earphones makes one feel like you're running with too much circuitry in a wireless world ! 

However, even my ear pods fell off while I attempted my run today. (Lol !! :) ) And no, its not the B&O earpods at fault - it's just how my ears are. I've struggled for years trying to find something that fits well ! :) So if you're like me who refuses to move an inch without music, then it's worthwhile to invest in the right alternatives. 

2: Went without my jacket & with my waist pouch : 

You can get warmed up pretty soon and even the weight of a light jacket can prove to be a drag, especially when you're just starting. So you may be better off leaving it behind, unless you're running in the north pole ! 

Anything in your hand is a distraction. Your phone is best carried in a waist pouch. Better still, don't carry your phone at all. But again, if you want to carry your music along and don't really have a GPS enabled watch, you are left with little or no choice but to invest in a waist belt. 

Tuesday's run should have been better - or so, I thought ! It turned out worse - cause I committed new mistakes ! :)

1: When starting anew running everyday isn't going to work : 

While my knees don't hurt at all, it was my calf's and hamstrings that refused to let loose today. 

2: Of course the absence of music was a big let down : 

Elite marathoners never run with any music on - but its years to go before I get there ! For now Music is Motivation ! or to be precise - "Shape of You" is motivation ! ;) 

So this is how my first two days of a new running season have panned out. 

And hopefully, I'll keep learning, un-learning, re-learning along the way until I join the club of "Elite Runners" - for 

"If Your Dreams don't scare You - they aren't Big Enough!" 

Sweet Dreaming...! :)

The Lock Down Stories - May You Meditate on Some Knowledge !

Spiritually, April is meant to be a month of balanced equilibrium. It's a time of growth and moving forward in new and positive ways. With psychic energy in abundance, it is the ideal month to start meditating, for the purpose of healthier living and raising consciousness. 

This WhatsApp forward, which has come to me way too many times, from way too many sources, in the last couple of days, has made me want to see myself as not lacking, but fostering discipline more than ever before ! 

And it helps even more, when You have a husband who lives that, days over months, over years !! The latest addition to his routine over the past more than a month has been meditation. 

In the tremendous exchange of banter that goes on, on our 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' groups, Abhi, very graciously, pointed us to the list of free courses on Harvard (/ edX). His recommendation comes just in time, when I've failed to tick the box against 'Knowledge'. 

So as a 1st step, I've gone ahead and identified the courses that have caught my fancy ! These are very reflective of my love for writing / speaking, my interest to arrange tangible things in a way that they tell a story, my willingness to gain philosophical insights from the history of Hinduism and Christianity, to understand how digital technologies allow us to visualise ancient monuments in new ways - in this case, the Egyptian Pyramids of Giza ! And finally, how social problems in emerging economies can have entrepreneurial solutions - this choice of mine is more influenced by the scale and magnanimity of tackling Covid-19 ! 

• Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking 

• Tangible Things

• Hinduism Through Its Scriptures

• Christianity Through Its Scriptures

• Pyramids of Giza: Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology

• Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies 

There is of course an innumerable variety of courses online, something for each one, from humanities to technology, from health to healing. Happy e-Learning ! 

In the quest for more Knowledge...

this is Sayli signing off.. ! :)

On Woman's Day : Some ME Time !

If I were to delve into the life of a dozen women, it probably would be no different. We spent the whole of our lives ensuring every member in the family feels cared for, that people at work, truly are satisfied about having hired us to do our job, that the house is in order, the children have finished their homework, had their milk/banana and a zillion other things that may be relatively insignificant.
Then somewhere down the line, we loose sight of our own being. We keep telling ourselves that of course our lives are balanced, until it occurs to us that maybe one of the most important aspects of our lives got ignored : we allowed ourselves to age faster than a Rat !
And aging does not mean having a wrinkled face or grey hair, it goes beyond ! We stopped feeling alive due to the absence of wanting to pursue our hobbies. It was always about joining the 3 points to make the triangle : Family, Home, Career. There was never a ME in there. And while a lot of women a generation or a couple older might feel I sound Selfish, the truth is beyond a certain point we would truly end up feeling not too good about ourselves.
If I were to talk to the late 30's / mid 40's woman : she isn't too interested in her husband, she doesn't look too well, she doesn’t feel too happy, shez caught in a more mechanical way of living, life for her is more about duties than actually living each breath!!
Why ??? Because she missed out on learning to attach a greater importance to her own needs for the lack of time. But only if she set aside just that 1 extra hour by either getting up earlier or staying awake later or just shutting out communication to the world in an hour in between, that 1 hour everyday would eventually have added a decade to her life : and even if life cannot be measured by the number of days, she could've at least lived the same number of days - only a lot happier than now.
We all have work, we all have a family to care for, a career to progress in, a home to look after, children to raise, but if we don't take that time out for ourselves, no one will give it to us on a platter. Let's learn to make time : to maybe just go up the terrace and watch the sunrise, or read in silence with your favourite cuppa chai, or just plant a sapling, sketch / paint, write, knit, dance, bathe in relaxation, smell the flowers, go for a walk, talk to yourself, do anything that just involves U alone !!!

That truly is the best gift you will give yourself everyday : some time that is a Classified ME TIME !! I just did – Will You..?? :)
Have a Wonderful Woman’s Day ! :)
Luv as always,
- Sayli ! :)

June 2nd 2011 - My 1st Day @ Work

When I proudly took a sabbatical back in April 2008, little did I know that it was going to last for 3 long years ! I had a feeling that 5 years of working in the IT industry was a good enough reason for me to take a break - but only for a few months. But Life has it's own way of surprising us and while we may work real hard at making our Plan A work, it sometimes hints at you to implement your Plan B ! I was - job hunting in the right place at the wrong time - in the UK when the worst recession in the past 30 years finally peaked in 2008/2009 !

While I inherently started to enjoy motherhood, the fear of being unemployed loomed real large over my head. It was like this constant guilt that I was trying to overcome, the persistent feeling of failure that I was attempting to combat. Behind that gleefully beaming smile was a heart that cried for a job ! It was as if, being just Mom alone wasn't enough - I knew I was capable of a lot more ! When friends often reacted saying "Avani must be keeping you very busy", I always responded in my mind that I did have time on hand to work or talk technology atleast for a few hours of the day - but my problem was I had no one to talk technology with ! Other than my brother Anant, who works on the Oracle stack of the Integration products, and who kept me going, there really was no one who could take me back to those brain storming discussions that lead you to love a product enough to be able to solve critical Business Problems using technology!

Today, as I take on a new opportunity, I have enough challenges - both domestic and at work but what I do not have, is guilt and neither a feeling of failure... What transpires from this will depend upon how well I manage to balance the act of juggling a family, a home, and a career. A sense of fulfillment will not come with success/happiness in one arena alone. It will always be rewarding to see how all 3 are skillfully managed.

The End of an Era - The Dawn of a new Beginning !

It's a wet and windy day. March is ending on a typically stormy note. It's the last Friday of the month. We are preparing to pack up. My heart feels heavy. The place which we'v been calling home for quite some time is the one we will never ever return to in our lives ! 21, Marlborough Court is being cleared off all the belongings of the Yadav Family.

While I am quite happy to return home, the fact that I never bagged an opportunity to work in London, will always be one of the things I will forever regret in my Life. Wether I would make up for it and in what ways is still unclear to me, but the wounds will continue to hurt untill then. The learning's from 3 years of living abroad and raising a family have been immense. The experience has been vital, in terms of appreciating the other side of life where you have no dearth of time !

April 19th 2011 - Mom n Dad's 30th Wedding Anniversary Day ! With a transformed persona, an optimistic attitude and a slight fear of not wanting to repeat failures, I have landed on the Indian Soil ! With a Happy Heart to be back home forever to live with my extended family we surprise them both by deuping them into beliving that we were set to land days later. :)

May 27th 2011 - It's been close to a month we'v returned from the UK and I have not 1, not 2, but 3 big Job Offers - all from the Organizations I've already proved my mettle to ! I have put my less than a month long Job Hunt to a Halt and decided to pick 1 out of those 3 offers & believe me it hasn't been an easy task !

The Era of being Unemployed is over for Me! :) The days of migrating from being "Yummy Mummy" to being "SuperMom" are finally here! :) Brace Yourself - The Career Woman is finally Back and this time She's in it - "For The Long Haul" ! It's the Dawn of a New Beginning...

Cheers !! :)

- Sayli :)

The Closet - The Power of Organization !

How did I benefit from Organizing my closet ?

1: I save time - 20 mins flat with clothing hair n makeup is all it takes.

2: I save money - I never shop on impulse because I have my eyes, heart and my brain looking for only what I need and when I need it.

3: I feel great - segregating this way makes sure I wear a variety of clothing and that every piece of clothing I own gets worn!!

4: I look happy - I regularly give away what is good looking clothing that I have grown out to like to people who need it.

5: I have it all de-cluttered - "Less is More" is truly what my closet swears by: while I always manage to find occassion appropriate clothing I never really feel like I have TOO MUCH or TOO LESS - it's just right for any occassion... :)

Do you have a tip that would get me & the rest of the readers of this blog feeling happier and better ?? ;) Pen In... :)

The Closet - Organize It !

While there are numerous ways in which every woman would organize her closet - To Segregate is the key and herez the way I do it (but I am so all ears to hear about an improvised version, so pen in your tips too). Also a top-down approach to arranging, topmost being the items that you frequently wear and bottom most being the ones you wear occasionally.

1: Exercise Gear:
a) Track Suits
b) Swimwear

2: Night Wear:
a) :) whatever that means to you ! :) ;)

3: Work@Home Mom Wear:
a) Harrom Pants
b) Tees to match

4: Casuals:
a) Daily Wear - Jeans, Tees, Leggings, Tunics
b) Holiday Wear - Camisoles, Tops, Shorts, Skirts, Casual/Day Dresses, Cotton Trousers, Capris etc...

5: Evening Wear:
a) Embellished Kurtis
b) Cocktail Dresses
c) Maxi Dresses
d) Evening Dresses (My version of "I am Red Carpet Ready Gowns" :) )
e) Prom Dresses / Ball Gowns (I obviously own neither of the two but this could be a category in your closet if you have still kept that prom dress or attend ball room dances) ;)

6: Formals:
A formal suit ideally works best as a complete set (waist coat + blazer + pencil skirt + trousers + dress)
There are numerous ways in which each can be put together to give you a feel of variety dressing.

This would also include Salwar Kameezes and Sarees that you would wear to the office and no place else.

7: Sarees:
I always, yes, always "used to" wear sarees for ceremonies and they are categorized purely by occassion (and if you live in the same city as your huge friend circle and relatives there'll be aplenty)

a) engagements
b) weddings
c) receptions
d) family dinners
e) baby showers / naming ceremonies / festivals / other family events

8: Summer/Winter Jackets & Coats:
Unfortunately have to make place in Abhi's and AVANI's closet :p :)

9: Sweaters/Cardigans/Shawls - again of which I own a countable few are folded away out of sight since jackets is what gets worn 9 months out of the 12 that I live here in the UK ! :(

10: Drawers:
Hold all the etcs..

11: On 3 hangers go the following accessories:
a) Stoles
b) Mufflers
c) Belts
d) Scarves - again of which I have None ! :) ;)

Sadly, I still haven't learnt how to use scarves with any outfit - hopefully I will save that for one of you to teach me :)

The Closet - I scream HELP ! :(

You're invited for a party and while it is okay to be a little late, you loose all sense of timing and make a dissappointingly late arrival : reason : you could not decide on what you should wear inspite of having a pile of clothing that could last a lifetime !

You read SALE, in you hop and out you come with a hole in your pocket and bags you can barely manage to hold ! You come back home only to realize those clothes that made you feel happy instore, don't really make you look happy at home !

Its yet another Monday, you are up in time and yet land up late for office and this time it isn't the traffic, its the fact that you spent loads of time hunting for the right shirt to match your trouser and then another couple of minutes for a cardigan & a belt to match. Just when you've found those, you realize your favourite pair of diamond/pearl studs just went missing and the watch you always wear with your formals shows the wrong timing !

Have you ever, even once, been caught up in a crisis like these ! :) It is cause your closet screams HELP ! It's time to spring clean your closet and have it reorganized. It makes your choices so much more easier and allows you a stress free start to the day.

Year 4 - The Fight for Survival !! :)

Hhhheeellllllooo :) Wishing everyone a Very Happy 2011! 2011 is the 4th consecutive year of "Life Less Ordinary". Going by the number of posts in the last 3 years, I don't have a great track record but that's all the more a reason to set myself a higher benchmark ! :)

Going back to all the posts that this blog has hosted - I have made and broken numerous resolutions and apologized more than a dozen times :) All for various reasons - the most common one being unable to post more often!

So while I am struggling to keep My Blog up to date, I thought the last day January of 2011 should be early enough to try n keep it alive ! I'd love to sum up the year that passed by , but this time I wish to look forward rather than keep up with the tradition of writing that "How 2010 Turned Out" post. More on that later :) ;)

While every year I have vowed by a fitness regime, kept up on my disciplined investment habits and put together a well thought out versatile wardrobe, this year I aim on doing something else:

1> Learn Baking - before I get out of this country
2> Upgrade my cosmetic counter to colors other than brown n beige - as in get refreshingly innovative with my Make Up !
3> Become A Sun Certified Enterprise Architect (SCEA) by the end of 2011 !

And while I am at it, I've got to keep up the last bit of effort to get rid of that muffin top ! :) ;) While you wish me luck for all of this I am wondering - what's weighing high on Your list of "To Do's for 2011" ?? :) ;)

So therez a Pattern..

Going by the statistics of the last 2 years since I started to blog, just noticed that, I begin each year with renewed enthusiasm for writing. But it seems to last only the 1st quarter of that year and then, the number of posts starts to reduce dramatically!!

Wonder what I get so caught up into ! :) This time around I am going to try real hard to stick to atleast 4 posts a month - that's about one a week. Now methinks, that's a modest goal ain't it ?

Even with an adorable little daughter who will 1 in just 1.5 months time :(. Can't believe shez going to be no more that bubbly cuddly tiny baby - shez going to be that mischievious toddler with bouts of curiosity and energy !! ;) I am sure that phase too is going to be the one to look forward to ! :) In the mean time I am going to sit back and enjoy to the fullest these last 2 months of babyhood ! :)

So my plate is full - trying to make the transition to full fat cow's milk for AVANI, preparing myself to part with AVANI even if it meant for a few hours, making the right & the most difficult choice for a couple of hours of Day Care, trying to think about how WE would want her 1st Birthday to be, preparing for our Trip to the Pricey land of Chocolate, Cheese, Cuckoo Clocks and Jaw Dropping Natural Beauty - Switzerland and keeping up with my Exercise Routine.

Hope I am not biting into more than I can chew ! As always need loads of good wishes :) n prayers too :)

No More WASTED Tomorrow's !! :)

Its been 10 Days since my last post "When Today Was a Waste Tomorrow's Got to Be Better!!" Yes, the next day was definitely better but what was even better was the whole 10 Days ! So what made the difference : Well, getting up just half an hour earlier left me with a lot more time to get more things done and then devoting a good amount to myself as well !!

But there was 1 paper that changed everything ! It is this very same paper that hangs right up on the wall above my kitchen sink. This is what it says:

CHECKLIST

1: Did the Dishes ?
2: Cleaned the Sink ?
3: Cleaned the Platform & the Cooking Hob ?
4: Mopped the Kitchen Floor ?
5: Binned the Garbage ?
6: Put the clothes on the Clothes Dryer ?
7: Put away the utensils in the Right Place ?

No ?? Then Tomorrow is going to be a

• Messy
• Stressful
• Unproductive
• Mis-Managed
• Disastorous
• Wasted
  

Day of your SHORT LIFE!!

Now, whenever either of us thinks of going off to bed without even one of these things getting done, we know what that is going to lead to. :)

So yep, sometimes instead of relying on your body to signal you to do things, you are better off putting PEN to PAPER and sticking up that CHECKLIST right where you can see it !! This trick really really works !! Now both ABHI and me have got into a habit of following this routine ! And I am sure it's here to stay !

Have something similar to share ? Leave me a comment on how you manage to get organized and shed away that laziness :)

When Today WAS A Waste Tomorrow's Got To Be Better !!!

2 mistakes that I did yesterday that cost me 24 hours of my Life !!!

1: Dint do the dishes and hit straight to bed last night!
2: Forgot to switch on the water heating system and the taps ran freezing cold today morning!

The result: Well ABHI runs late to office cause he had to wait it out till the water heated. I spent a useless half hour 1st thing in the morning doing dishes while I should have been up having breakfast on time ! None of us had a bath on time and I missed out on taking AVANI to the Toy Library. I had to skip breakfast, could'nt fix up lunch for ABHI, AVANI got cranky cause her Massage was delayed and a ton other things that have me feeling sick about myself ! I even skipped my Gym today... nothing got done.

Yes! Thankfully I have found time to pen in this post so that I reinforce some discipline so that my loved ones don't suffer. So have made a Weekly Time Table for AVANI that lists out the activities I involve her in (Rhyme Time, Stay n Play Sessions, Toy Libraries, Swimming). So the moment any one of us thinks of going to bed without doing the Dishes, we know what it is going to cost AVANI - a day of Fun, Frolic and making Friends.

Wish me a better week ahead ! :)

I Hit a Century ! :) ;)

Okay ! Now here's a confession: My 100th Blog Post was the one on How to Care for Your Laptop. But "100" made me think, it's time I penned in something a lot more personal! Jan 17th 2010 My Blog turned 2 years old, but there wasn't much to celebrate, since there were about 18 posts in Drafts that remain unpublished !

It is times like these, that drive my mind into a reverse gear and there I am into my past, when I penned in my very 1st post promising to make reading a pleasure. Now I think, my enthusiasm for writing kind of spiraled down with time and so did my linguistic skills ;) :)

But that does not deter me from thinking in what ways then, had my Blog Grown Up in the past 2 years ! :) ;) Well, My Profile sports a Wish List which I am sure will keep growing with time (Girl's never get enough of what they want :);)). I am sure since your last visit you also noticed My Blog now Sports a Search Button, A Follower's List (with 0 followers on it !! :))))), and it even shows me a Visitor Count by Country ! Gr8 ! Okay now all you techies out there sure do know its no Rocket Science to add all of these to your Blog, but yes I am at it again: "Self-Encouragement is the Best Encouragement ! ;) "

So a little bit of sarcasm and jokes apart herez (Cheers) To Writing and herez to My Blog ! Hopefully, I will have more reasons than one to write n celebrate for as long as I live ! :)

The next post however, will be the one I failed to complete - Yes, the one on caring for your laptop, cause I just realized I had been taking my Hard Earned Dell Inspiron 1525 (once a cherished item on my old Wish List) for granted. So before it gives me a Thumbs Down I think I should Nurse my Heart and Fall in Love with it All Over Again! :)

How To Care For Your Laptop

It happens to us all the time. We all take care of our possessions as long as they are new and then, we forget that we were the ones who were responsible in aging them. Its obvious that most laptop owners do know about caring for our laptops but how about some re-enforcement , just in case your memory did a slip.

Drain the Laptop Battery & Recharge:
First thing most people forget about is the battery. To properly care for your battery you need to drain and recharge weekly. You need to do this so it remembers it can fully drain, and it will extend battery life.If you use your laptop as desktop replacement, do not leave it plugged most of the time to avoid detrimental effect on your battery life. Or you can keep it plugged all the time but remove its battery. This will help your battery last longer.

Protect the LCD Display:
Always close down the lid when you are not using your laptop. Avoid touching the LCD screen that leaves fingerprints. Regularly clean it with cloth or one of those anti-static monitor wipes. When you shut your laptop, make sure there are no small items, such as a pencil or small ear-phones, on the keyboard. These can damage the display screen when shut. The screen will scratch if the item is rough. Close the lid gently and holding from the middle. Closing the lid using only one side causes pressure on that hinge, and over time can cause it to bend and snap.

Ventilation:
Keep your laptop in a well-ventilated place and don't block the fan grills on the sides. Heat can destroy the motherboard.

Clean up your system:
Keep the bad guys OFF. Install a good ANTI-VIRUS and ANTI-SPYWARE to help protect your system from viruses and malwares. Turn on your Firewall for added layer of security. Turn on pop-up blockers to avoid those intrusive advertising that may install software on your laptop.
Make sure you have the latest patch for your operating system and latest definition for your anti-virus. Defragging hard drives not only speed up data access, it also improves performance. Remove unused programs and other components that only consume memory. Clear your temporary internet files folder and cookies. Delete duplicate files or other huge files that you no longer use to free up space.

Take care of your Laptop Cord:
Don't roll your chair over the computer cord. Stick the cord onto your desk with tape or a special computer cord tie which can be easily undone when you've finished using the laptop. Always try to keep most of the cord away from the floor or your legs; sometimes you can be so engrossed in what you're doing that you move your legs and forget the cord is there.

Clean Hands: Always have clean hands when using your laptop. Clean hands make it easier to use your laptop touch pad and there will be less risk of leaving dirt and other stains on the computer. In addition, if you clean your hands before use, you will help reduce wear and tear on the coating of the laptop caused by contact with sweat and small particles that can act upon the laptop's exterior underneath your wrists and fingers.

Handle with Care:
Don't leave your laptop on the edge of your desk because one ill-fated drop could mean goodbye to your mobile device.Hold and lift the computer by its base, not by its LCD display (the screen).

Visit the Doc at least once a Year :) ;)
Have the unit cleaned once a year to remove internal dust. Get this done by a computer professional. If dust accumulates, the system cannot cool itself correctly.

So hope that our love for our machines is renewed and they give us company for real long ! :)

Am I Loosing It ..??

An entire 6 months and there isn't a new post on my blog! Oh no... there has been so much going on in my mind it should have been right here .. !!

Makes me kind of wonder is it lazing around or is it plain me loosing out on my thirst for writing.

Could be none actually. It's just that AVANI is so much in the center of everything I do now a days I keep feeling like everything else can wait and topples down my list of priorities.

I am so absorbed watching her progress by the day that I am probably not keen enough to sit up and take notice of things that do not involve my little gurl.. :)

But surely, I am hoping that this trip to India will do wonders to my enthusiasm for the things I always loved doing... Writing, Exercising and Reading apart from Mothering my little angel ! :)

So see you in the next year.. and yes not without that quintessential Good Bye 2009 Post ! :)
Watch out for that right here .. !

New Sites that Made it to My Bookmarks :)

http://www.live365.com/stations/bollywoodsargam
http://thehindimusic.com/24-hour-online-internet-radio/
When the Playlists on your PC get exhausted, this is where u turn to :) ;)

http://lutonlibrary.com/

The best way to Search the Library Catalogue and Reserve a Book of my Choice! The membership is FREE!!! (Provided you have a valid Proof of Residence to present for the membership)

http://www.luton.gov.uk/

The Luton Borough Council Home Page - helps me get some local news and happenings and gets me to the Emergency Contacts around the Town.

http://www.luton.gov.uk/internet/references/Maps/map_railtrack.html

Map rail network - Well I am yet to get familiar with the Geography of this place. And I presume this is what I am going to need the most when consultants would get in touch with me to talk about openings in various places.

http://nationalrail.co.uk/

It has it all - The Arrival/Departure Times, the Number of Changes, the total Duration of the Journey... I can even Print Time Tables and Tube Maps!

http://www.cwjobs.co.uk/

Well, I haven't given a single Interview as yet, but I am sure I will start off before the end of the coming week. Cause it is now itching me - can't be Idle any more. I am craving to belong to an organization, dying to work on a challenging assignment and looking forward to working with a new team on things as challenging as they used to be back in India!

Wish me Luck !! :)

21 Days - An Unsuccessful End..! :)

So the maximum number of days I could religously wake up and stick to my routine was just 7 days in a row.

March 8th - International Womens Day - when we celebrate the achievements of women world over, was the Day I made my 1st excuse and broke my regime - what an Achievement! :)

Thanks to DJ Suketu and the rocking Saturday night Vodafone Annual Party @Pancards - Sunday I oversleep! :)

So with a feeling of guilt of not having exercised 2 days in a row I wake up for a Monday morning Jog and follow it up on Tuesday to fall sick and drag myself to office till Friday.

Come Saturday and I decide to focus on preparing for my certification and hence give up my regime altogether!

But this still doesnt stop me from asking Abhi to buy me new fitness gear and get myself enrolled for Power Yoga n Aerobics ;)

I am at it again ! :)

Being a Fitness Freak helps - but only on Alternate Days - or better still - how about 4days a week ?? :)

so long as the weighing scale pointer doesnt tilt rightways & your tape shows the same numbers ;) :)

~ sayli :)

A Quarter of a Year Nears its End..!

6th of March! Time just flew by me! And I almost always feel like that!! :) Before the 1st Quarter of this New Year Ends, I need to re visit my To Do List. This time I have way too many things left undone.

Hopefully noting down all that’s pending is going to help me organize my thoughts and avoid distractions. Before it gets too late and I have too many reminders pouring in from different sources via umpteen channels let me pin this up - the 1st Quarter ending TO DO List !

As a self made promise, I am going to come back and color code the executed items to Green! :)

Personal High Priority:

1: Follow Up on the Passport Name Change Application (cnt believe i waited 2 long yrs to get this done !! )

2: Purchase an External Portable HD

3: Finalize on a configuration for the Laptop and get it shipped

4: Back Up and Consolidate Data spread across 3 machines

5: Update my Address Book and Delete obsolete Mail Id’s

6: Share Seema’s Wedding Snaps with the GANG ! :)

Finance:

1: Deposit money in my PPF Account

2: Submit IT Proofs externally: Medical, LTA Bills & Investment Proofs

3: Validate the amount of Tax Paid this Financial Year and prepare to pay more or ask for returns

4: Review Investments made in Y07 and Plan Investments for Y08

5: Set aside Premium & PPF amounts for next year in a Liquid Scheme

6: Open a Joint Demat and a Savings account (again cnt believe we waited 2 long yrs ....!)

Health:

1: Polish my Teeth

2: Got to get my Eyes Checked

3: Weigh & Measure Up [last noted: Sat March 1st 2008, Wednesday Jan 16th]

4: If required, revisit the current exercise and diet regime

My Wardrobe:

1: Revamp my Wardrobe

2: Donate unused/illfitting clothes/accessories

3: Discard Old Cosmetics

Personal Low Priority:
1: Purchase New Bed/Coushion Covers

2: Retire the Old Curtains

3: Collect the Marriage/Reception Photo CD’s from Abhis Friend (again cnt believe i waited 2 long yrs .... done!) :)

4: Follow up with Abhis Friend for the Wedding/Reception CDs and the 2nd Anniversary PPT!

IBM Related:
1: Enroll and finalize on the Exam Date
2: Appear for the Certification Exam
3: Update my CV in the IBM format

Vodafone Related:
1: Surrender my Vodafone Official Cell Phone Plan and acquire a different Number
2: Back Up Data on My Vodafone Machine

:( thts a long list :( I got to get going ! :)
~ sayli :)

21 Days!! A Progress Report :):):)

Feb 29th Friday Day 1 : It took me half an hour just to get myself out of bed. But I did, thanks to Abhi :) he reminded me that I had pledged ! :) We joked a hell lot on that note :)

March 1st Saturday Day 2 : I walked a little more than the usual 5 Kms :) I do crazy things when Abhis not around! :) [He got out & returned before I did, since he works on saturday and for me its a holiday! :)]

March 2nd Sunday Day 3: Today I wasn't gonna be allowed to over stretch myself since my Fitness Instructor (read Abhi) accompanied me for good! :) The time spent sitting beside Abhi and watching the Sun come up admist tranquil greenery was a wondeful way to unwind post a long brisk walk and an almost perfect start to the day! I started to wonder why we choose to cuddle up and laze around in bed every Sunday Morning when we could have more fun outdoors! I look forward to many more such Sunday Mornings.

March 3rd Monday Day 4: Okay! So today I took about close to 15 mins to get out of bed ! :) Hopefully tomorrow would be a better story! I must honestly admit that my ankels are in pain and I hope to get a nice massage from Hubby deary only to start out on my "Jog a Lil Walk a Lil day" tomorrow! :) ;)