Tag: Personal Freedom

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A Divali Gift to yourself

Happy Divali!
This is a time for feasting, spending time with friends and family.
Its a time when all of us invest in something for our homes, get gifts for near and dear ones…
All of us buy something for ourselves… new clothes, jewellery, electronics to name just a few…

Yet we often overlook an important aspect…
Our health!
No, this is not another post about healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle.
I am talking about health insurance.

Being self employed has several advantages but it also means having to pay your own bills for health care.
In India, we hesitate to visit the government hospitals in case of any problems, except politicos and top babus of course.
For the rest of us, private care is the care of choice.
But it means hefty bills.
In case of an emergency most private hospitals demand a cash advance of thousands of rupees before the patient is admitted.

This can be create extremely tense moments for the caretakers and patient as well.
Having valid health insurance can help tide over such an emergency. There are several types of health insurance but in my experience, the cashless variety is the best. In case of an emergency, one has to approach the empaneled hospitals and there are no worries about paying bills. In such policies, usually the bill is settled directly by the insurer.
The patient can simply focus all energies on regaining health.

What’s more, premium paid for health insurance gives us tax breaks and successive renewals after a ‘no-claim’ period may offer a premium rebate as well!

Has this motivated you to buy a health insurance policy? Here are a few tips:
Do a thorough market survey for products by different insurance firms. For baby-boomers, some medical tests may be required before buying the policy- the cost may be covered by the insurer. Its important to know that a new policy may not cover existing medical conditions.

In case you use the services of an insurance agent, you must ask pointed questions if the policy being sold to you meets your needs. Often agents mis-sell policies or one lands up holding holding one that does not cover your requirements. Find out the procedure to be followed in case of an emergency and make sure everyone at home knows it. If any documents (or copies thereof) are to be produced in case of an emergency, keep them in a separate clearly marked envelope in an easily accessible place. Regularly check with the insurer about list of empaneled hospitals- it may change subject to company or hospital policies.

Those who do not have health insurance or did not bother to renew it, consider gifting yourself a policy this Divali.
Its worth it!

Have a healthy prosperous year ahead!
Rgds
Archana

Disclaimer: I am not an insurance agent nor do I work for any insurance firm!

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For Netizens in Pune

The city is reeling from a battering by sudden stormy rain just as we start preparations for Divali. ‘Buccha’ (Milingtonia hortensis) trees are suddenly devoid of their blossoms, the flowers being prematurely driven to the ground by strong winds and rain.
Evening or night rain seems to be an almost daily feature. If you are stuck at home, are not interested in television soaps then what better escape than the Internet?
Here are some interesting Pune based organisations whose services you can avail without stepping out of your front door.

Let me clarify at the outset that I do not have any financial interest in any of these.

  • Feeling hungry? Order meals from a restaurant of your choice for home delivery at Tasty Khana (http://tastykhana.in/). The site facilitates restaurant bookings, has hotel reviews to help your choice. Visit the FAQ page for all your queries. TK does not prepare the meals themselves but arranges to delivery food to your home.
  • Want to assemble a salad? Order it at Green Tokri (http://greentokri.com/Home/tabid/37/Default.aspx). Register for SMS alerts to order your selection of fresh and tasty herbs and lettuce to be delivered at your home.
  • Want to read but too lazy to go to a library? No problem? Join the library at Tender Leaves (http://tenderleaves.com/) and get books delivered at home.
  • For those reluctant to drive their own vehicle and cant find a rickshaw, contact Wings Radio Cab. (http://www.wingsradiocabs.com/). They offer cab hire service for house holds and individuals in addition to several other options- listing them is beyond the scope of this post. Do visit the above link for more details.

On a recent visit, I found that almost all establishments in London had a web presence, their websites featured their menu (along with prices), working hours, took bookings as well. While Pune has a long way to reach that stage, I guess our entrepreneurs are taking their initial steps. Its for us netizens to make best use of the e-space to enrich our real lives.

If you come across any other such useful sites, do share them for our readers.
Cheers!

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Turn green with…

Turning green with envy is something that all of us have faced at some point in our lives.
Yet turning to a green lifestyle is easier said than done.
I tried to do so and faced several difficulties.

This is a brief account of my efforts. Click here or copy paste the following in a new browser window:
http://readerspost.femina.in/expressions/my-green-path/

Have you adopted a green lifestyle? Was the move an easy one? Do share your experiences!
Archana 

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Words, words, words…

I still remember my English teacher in school who advised us to ‘read’ and learn meanings of five new words from the dictionary daily. I should have taken up her advice more seriously so I would have to ‘right click’ the mouse for synonyms less frequently!!

The Oxford Dictionary now includes Indian (Hindi or other languages) words. Other than those we also use many ‘new’ words whose use is often dictated by the very nature of our work. technology or products that we use. Let me explain:
1. Getting information on any topic under the sun is not a problem these days. We simply google it!
Did Google (the company) ever imagine when they launched their search engine that their name would turn into a household verb meaning to search for? Its not uncommon to google symptoms of a disease; side effects of drugs etc…

2. In 1979, there was only one shop in our suburb with a photocopying machine. Naturally getting copies of my SSC certificate meant long queues… Very soon this process was called Xeroxing. It was many years before I realised that Xerox is the name of a company that makes the photocopying machine!! Yet we always ask the office assistant to zerox a document for us…

I am sure you already knew about these two examples.

3. Look at this Deepika Padukone’s ad on You Tube. The cute cartoon asks “Kya aap Close Up karten hai?” Obviously the product name ‘Close Up’ is used to mean brushing teeth!!
What ever the source of this marketing/advertising/creative brainwave, it has successfully replaced teeth brushing with the word Close Up.
(Close up is a successful gel toothpaste by Unilever. The above question translated from Hindi means: ‘do you close up?’)

4. Every issue of the Business Today magazine has a small section called “Word smith’ that features new words. Here is a word I read therein:
Dilberted.
What does it mean? Rather than explain the meaning let me write its usage as I understand it: “A new management trainee must ensure the boss gets his morning cup of coffee or get dilberted throughout the day!”

5. Feeling run down? How about a spacation (spa focussed vacation)?

I am sure there are many more such words that we use knowingly or unknowingly.

Does it make the language less rich? Does it convey the right meaning? Just like global warming etc, is this the effect of modernisation and industrialisation on the English language?
Think about it.
Cheers!

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Silly Mistakes

Movies- we love them, hate them yet many find their way into our ‘must see’ list for each week or month. Often we depend on reviews to help decide if its worth spending over Rs 1500 for an evening doing something we don’t really enjoy…
Then begins the tearing apart. Actually we need not even bother to go to a theatre. Many of us can do so based on TV trailers, Web-based previews etc etc.
Such ‘tear downs’ are usually about acting, direction, editing and so on.

Do we ever pay attention to small things in the background of scenes in these movies?
Most likely not.

For those looking for more topics to criticise a movie watch a programme called ‘Silly Mistakes’ on Saam TV aired on Fridays at 5PM and 10PM (as of today). Saam is a relatively new Marathi channel.

The host is a chirpy youngster who systematically points out faults in ‘continuity’ of the movie- even huge Hollywood blockbusters have not escaped his minute scrutiny. For those who can’t catch on, he helpfully puts out arrows and circles to the ‘faults’!
So watch out for ‘action’ stunts wherein cars suddenly roar past with intact glasses being undoubtedly shattered in a previous shot.

When fed up of the usual soaps, surf across to Saam and have a good laugh.
Cheers!

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Hurray for retail!

I had ditched the local bania and unreservedly surrendered to the glitzy new retail outlet near my home. The orderly display and music, apparently huge discounts were infinitely a better atmosphere to shop in than the crowded stuffy shop next door. I was an ‘exclusive’ member of as many of retail clubs as the city had to offer. This made me privy to sale previews, encashable points on future purchases etc. None of the old style stores held my attraction or loyalty any more.

As I wandered through the store on my last visit commenting on a lack of sufficient variety in breakfast cereals, I accidentally dislodged two bottles of rose syrup jutting out of the shelf. The sound of breaking glass was drowned by my pounding heartbeats! I watched in horror as the red syrupy amoeba spread fast on the pristine white floor glaring accusingly at me. Some of my fellow shoppers stared at me with pity and others with condescension. I wished a hole would open up in the ground and swallow me up!

The store staff came around to clean the mess as I jabbered incoherently about paying for the damages. Of course I had had my share of broken bottles, glasses and cups but these were in the safety of my kingdom, namely my home. This was an entirely different cup of tea! I mentally began counting notes in my purse and began to rework my shopping list for the day in order to cater for this unexpected ‘purchase’. The plastic route was unavailable since I was awaiting a renewal of my credit card.

The area having been cleaned up I hurried through the rest of my purchases and landed up at the billing counter ready to pay for my deeds! I explained my predicament to the salesperson and hoped the matter would end there. It was not to be. I saw the manager approaching with a determined look and I feared the worst. Again I slipped into explanations of the accidental breakage and my willingness to pay for the same. The manager had a tough time to get a word into our largely one-sided conversation. As I finally stopped for breath, he grabbed the chance to say his bit!
It took a minute for my splintered brain to grasp what he had said. Seeing me gulping like a fish he gently repeated there was no need to pay- they would account for the bottle as a damaged piece. As the bit of information sank in I was overcome with contrition. I had been careless and this seemed to be the perfect way of ensuring I did not perform an encore! But there was more to come. The manager was profusely apologetic for providing only eight varieties of breakfast cereals and promised me the full range in a couple of day’s time. You see he had overheard my earlier comments.
I came away from the store thoroughly bewildered. The manager’s one sentence had ensured a permanent loyal consumer at his store. I now walk around the store with my hands crossed behind my back or safely folded in front. I have no wish to test if the store’s policies are unchanged!
Some of the big outlets offer exchange programs for old clothes, newspapers or even crockery! I hear foreign retail giants too are entering our markets. I was encouraged by my NRI relatives comments that the stores compared favourably with the ones abroad.
If the retail format gives me a comfortable shopping experience, with discounts, home delivery, gifts etc, what more do I need? Retail zindabad!
Hurray!
Happy Shopping!
First published here on MSN Contribute.

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Vitamin M

Folic Acid is at times referred to as Vitamin M.
But this post is not health related. Its about yet another vital nutrient necessary for wellness.
Vitamin M with M for Money….

Having sufficient funds for all our needs and wants is what will give us mental peace. A good high paying job or successful business usually is an abundant source of Vitamin M. That will take care of EMI for a swanky flat, an enviable car, admission to the ivy league schools for your kids, designer everything and so on…
Life’s cup may seem to brim over with plenty.

Is it? Really?

Vitamin M is extremely expensive. Getting such doses of Vitamin M (for above mentioned benefits) necessitates a high price namely long hours of work, stress, irregular meals, no exercise, tons of coffee cups and often improper nutrition. I don’t have to tell you what this combination brings on…
We always crib about what we don’t have (a bigger house, another car, more jewellery etc). Do remember to rejoice some important things that you don’t have such as:
Diabetes
High Cholesterol
Heart disease
Backache

High Vitamin M levels do not necessarily translate to physical wellness.

My favourite question to patients- Do you slog 24X7 only to give away a considerable part of what you earn to the medical fraternity? Just as we pray to God to give us lots of Vitamin M, so does the doctor!!
😉

In our race to achieve all that “I want” we often overlook or sacrifice basic things in life. Good health, hobbies, relaxation time to name just a few.
When you make your wish list each year do remember to add these things.

This does not mean we can do without Vitamin M. One has to find a golden midpoint and strike a WORK-LIFE balance.
Think about it!
Stay well!

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Football Fever

For the present month, many of us have turned couch potatoes and no one’s complaining.
Reason:
Of course is the ongoing FIFA world cup matches.

We can safely watch these matches since India is not participating- safely because we need not fear spikes of blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms commonly experienced when watching the Indian team play cricket. A sore throat is a possible hazard for those watching at home as we join the thousands in the stadia in South Africa to cheer Messi or Ronaldo as they surge ahead towards the goal. Initially I was foxed with the persistent hum only to realise it was from the vuvuzela. This article and this one helpfully suggest ways to protect our ears from losing their powers…

The surprising factor is that women have sacrificed their usual serials in favour of these matches. Its not surprising to hear an over sixty-year old grandma discuss her favourite football star with her twenty something granddaughter!! Several ads now cast their product on a football background hoping to leverage this fever and boost sales. Does it work? Don’t know- you have to ask the marketing wizards for an answer…

Personally I love the ‘break-free’ 45-minute adrenalin-charged session as the footballers magically move the ball around the field. While many are extremely dexterous in gaining possession of the ball others often push, shove, pull, kick the opponent player in an at-times no-holds barred play. The referee runs in promptly to take care of any such incident flashing the yellow or dreaded red card. Each referee in the current event seems an extremely tough guy and able to see through if the player apparently writhing in pain is really hurt or not… Their gestures to get him back on his feet brook no argument.

I was surprised to see them pencil in punishments awarded in a small notebook. No fancy hand held gizmos Thank You! Obviously in such a fast paced game the human eye may not be able to keep with the motion which can create controversy if a goal was indeed a goal or not. FIFA is said to be averse to using technology saying ‘‘Errors should be a part of the game.’’

Read this article about a new high tech football that can actually sense if it has crossed into the goal!! Wow!

This has been a longer than usual post and I must stop lest your attention wanders. We have two more weeks of Football Fever to contend with so the dialogue can continue.
Cheers!

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Coffee:Boiled or Filtered?

Here in Maharashtra, many people prefer to drink their coffee boiled. Personally I have never liked this version as it leaves a grainy taste and somehow does not give the ‘nervous stimulus’ that one seeks in a cup of coffee particularly when fighting to stay awake- that’s my opinion.

There are times when I have opted for tea if the usual filtered (nothing to beat this version) or the instant version is not available.

However this study shows that boiled coffee may actually be beneficial for women. (Click here or copy paste the following in your browser:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100615151255.htm)

Research by Lena Nilsson and associates at Umeå University showed that women who drink Scandinavian boiled coffee, (chemically similar to French press and Turkish/Greek coffee) over four times everyday run a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who drink coffee less than once per day. For the the first time experts could show that different brewing techniques can lead to different risk patterns for cancer.

I hope you have read the above research.
In a broader perspective, it is sensible to focus on proper cooking techniques and not only ingredients as the wrong method contribute to ill health.
Food for thought?
I wonder….

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The Necklace

Finally I got the Necklace!
There were quite a few anxious moments when I thought it was truly beyond my reach.
However having crossed the 20K barrier I decided to go ahead…

As you rightly guessed, this is not about glittering rocks to be worn around the neck. I refer to the Necklace- in Pune cyclists’ parlance this is the circular route around the famous Pune tekdis’. It is a continuous left hand turn (or right hand depending on which direction you start) from Law College Road- SB Road-University Circle-NCL Road- DRDO-Bavdhan-Chandani Chowk-Paud Road-SNDT-Law College Road. One has to go up two hillocks- the Symbiosis tekdi and then way up to Chandani Chowk.

Why necklace? Probably because of DRDO’s lovely Necklace garden that one crosses en route.

Despite severe daytime heat, the cool morning air was condusive to my first attempt. We set off at a steady pace competing with no one but ourselves. A short water break beyond the Necklace garden and I was set for the final assault. To my mind the ride up to Chandani Chowk would be the most difficult part. I was determined not to walk up and cycle all the way up. I conserved every bit of energy, checked that the cycle gears were in top shape and cycled up one pedal at a time. Steadily I made it to the top… totally out of breath but victorious. Yeah!!

I was told that the downhill ride from any slope is a ‘prize’ to relish, a soothing balm for burning muscles as the wind rips across your face cooling you off. I had experienced this feeling on other downhill rides in Pune and looked forward to this one as well.

Yet things were different. Drastically different.

Congratulating myself I started towards Paud Road but was hit by the scariest feelings in my limited cycling experience. The road inclines downwards about 45degrees and is packed with trucks peeling from the Bangalore bypass. I felt the kinetic energy build up as my bike gathered speed, careening madly downwards with me precariously holding on to the handles for dear life. I did the very thing I had resolved not to.
I managed to brake and got off.
I walked the cycle downhill.
🙁

I guess a roller coaster ride would have been more benign at least one does not have to deal with murderous vehicles or maintain balance or ensure one does not veer from the asphalt into the stony berm.
My ego could take this fall not my bones or teeth!I had no wish to check healing powers of my bones.

The rest of the ride passed uneventfully.

Having said this, the ride was wonderful, something any cyclist must attempt. (Do so in the mornings when weather is cool and roads relatively free of vehicles.)
Cycling is a wonderful way to really ‘see’ the city up close.
Try it.
Cheers!

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