Put That Damn Nail Paint On!

Get facts right in your head – you are a lady and the society, despite it being a nag, happily allows you to do stuff she would not to a man. Making your body speak for itself is one, first art, that you should learn to master. And that, dear lady, doesn’t seek any excuses of you – it only demands the final result, the better YOU.

Talking about polishing your aura, you know what can a properly applied nail paint do to your overall image? Well, it can substantially lift your spirits; it can make you want to look at one of your body parts time and again – your nails, obviously; it can make you look younger and sassier; it can add to your sex appeal; it can add colors to your bland personality and can beautify your otherwise very plain-looking hands and, lastly, it can send a message out to the world that you DO have time for yourself!

I hear females quetching why they can’t apply nail paints all the time – they have gotta handle house chores, which do not let the nail paint stay for long or the nature of their jobs refrains them from applying nail paints or they don’t like them chipping often and removing the chippings to reapply a fresh coat seems too much of a task to them or nail polishes look damn too expensive for them to shed their money on. Whatever the shit they say, it all sounds guff to me.

Did you ever realize your body is the ‘only’ permanent residence you are ever gonna have? If you did, why, on Earth, would you still abstain from looking beautiful? I am so sure none of your excuses would sound light enough for gravity to let you stay with them. Drop that to the floor and let it break. Head out to a spa or a parlor and get yourself a manicure/pedicure. Don’t let this be a task you only get done if it’s your birthday/someone’s marriage or karva chauth nearing soon.

The rules of the game are simple – chipping-offs are a big turn off, so, don’t let that happen to you. Either invest in a good nail paint that lasts for long or keep a watch on when the existing one chips. Second, keep experimenting; nail art is so much fun! Third, manicure, please? Fourth, keep a nail polish remover handy. Fifth, keep in mind that you’re sexy and that nail polish just reiterated that out to everyone. Stay gorgeous and please, put that damn nail paint on!

 

 

 

Book Review: The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Being Fit

My rating: ●●●●●

Namrata Purohit

The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Being Fit

India: Ebury Press, Random House India Pvt. Ltd., 2015

192 pp. ₹ 250

ISBN: 9788184006018

Summary: This is, apparently, my favorite genre of books and keeping in view the current wave of fitness-consciousness in India, this is the field where all the curious eyes are gazing at. Perfectly conforming to the trend, here comes a brief, informative book from the youngest Pilates girl from India, Namrata Purohit.

My take: Contrary to the title, this book, in no manner, advocates sloth or indolence. In fact, it pushes everyone to move out of the skin of a ‘lazy person’. If you bought this book thinking it will help you shed extra kilos while you continue being lazy, then you are miserably mistaken. This book will, in fact, prove to be a fantastic rulebook, which will inform you right and will take you by hand to walk you on to a smooth path to fitness.

The cover depicts the important emblems associated with the country of slack – couch and remote – and then there is a weighing scale, dumbbells and a pair of sneakers, trying to speak a language of transformation. Talking about the TOC, all topics mentioned seem to the point and crisp, summarizing the detailed account they are veiling within them. It majorly covers every topic of interest which would hover in the mind of an average fitness-conscious person; for instance, kick: inspire yourself or talking about food and holiday: exercises for when you are on holiday.

The author, Namrata Purohit, has managed to gather a handsome array of acknowledgements from a lot of renowned faces of celeb world, like Lauren Gottlieb, Neha Dhupia, Jacqueline Fernandez, Richa Chadda and Bruna Abdullah. This, obviously, makes her more credible.

Throughout the book, the author has aimed at breaking the common stereotypes like being thin means being fit, only a chosen few can exercise and there is an age to start working out. Asking the readers to identify their ‘type’ of body, the author has motivated them to choose their workouts wisely. Listing some fabulous inspirational quotes which inspires the reader to get out and get going, the author has also made it a point to explain in great detail the innumerable benefits of working out throughout the book. Also sharing her views on the importance of stretching, warming up and cooling down, Namrata has given workout plans for everyone aiming to work out at home or in the gym. Furthermore, she has actively advocated the wonderfulness of ‘Pilates’, which is apparently her forte.

Her 4-minute workout plans and 4-day workout plans should come handy to many. Additionally, the fun activities she has mentioned, reckoned to have fat-burning qualities, like shopping, skipping, cycling, dancing, hula hoop, dog walking, swimming, skating, trampoline, horse riding, cleaning the house, playing on Xbox and partying should, indeed, cajole a lot into some fitness routines.

This book lets out important information about your body, about the fitness regimes one should opt for and about science associated with training and, therefore, it should come across as a fitness reference book for life.

Final word: Putting together a holistic account on fitness, the author of this book has, indeed, kept the content Safe, Simple and Smart. Overall, a wonderful, easy-to-grasp and informative read, which keeps you glued till the last page and makes you want to note down a lot of interesting information, which you could use for life.

Book Review: The Secret

My rating: ●●●●●

Rhonda Byrne

The Secret
India: Atria Books, Simon and Schuster (in India), 2009
198 pp. ₹ 750
ISBN: 9781416554998

Summary: How often do you feel like thanking a person/community/club/group for suggesting a book to you – not too often, right? For this one time, you would be compelled to be ‘grateful’ to the suggester all your life.

My take: The first thing that arrests your attention is the cover of the book – the art, the design, the seal they have depicted seeming to contain some deliberately concealed code, the background which says, ‘may the joy be with you’; ‘you have the key’; ‘you’re holding the key in your hand’– all of it wants you to open the book up and unveil ‘the secret’. This book should interest both kinds of readers – the one who enjoys reading philosophy and, also, the one who considers it as mindless preaching.

The TOC of the book looks enticing as it promises to take you through the secret to money, the secret to relationships, the secret to wealth, the secret to the world, the secret to you and the secret to life. The author, Rhonda Byrne, has pretty much covered every sphere of influence which touches a person’s mind and life. This book brings together philosophies of 24 authors from all across the globe. These great teachings are in perfect sync with each other and with the overall concept of the book. In fact, all the teachers/preachers talk on the same lines and give instances from their respective experiences supporting the secrets.

In the preface, the author talks about a tragic past and how she got rid of it after getting to know ‘the secret’. This book should not even come close to being a high-profile bible, for the teachings it gives to the reader do not sound out-of-world or unrelatable; they, in fact, sound like comprehensible solutions to everyday problems. The hero concepts, which are also the ‘secrets’ here, discussed in great depth in the book, love, gratitude and forgiveness are not something we had not ever heard of before. I am sure stories around these would have been told to every toddler out there trying to enter the world of grownups. It’s just we need philosophy books like these time and again to make us remember all that was forgotten. The book, actually, concludes with the famous lines – remember to remember – to let the readers know that the key to happiness was always there with them and that they should just remember to remember the secrets and not let their mind dance on the tunes life plays.

This might not be the best philosophy you will ever read, but it definitely is a nice eye-opener to the ones who have never read any philosophy on life. Rhonda Byrne has already published three sequels to this book where she talks about the power, the magic and hero and I am sure you would be itched to get your hands on them as and when you'd be done with this.

I am sure this genre of books serves great purpose to the readers – it sets their thinking and outlook right and gives them positivity-tinted glasses to wear on. For how long the readers can retain wearing them is often questionable, but, then, we see some other fine philosophy on religion and spirituality, health and wellbeing, self-improvement, success and personal transformation being released in the market to keep our vision right.

Final word: This book would never make you feel as if it’s robbed you of your time and money by giving out senseless prophesying in the name of ‘the secret’. It has wonderful takeaways, which would definitely make you feel richer by the time you reach the last page of the book - definitely, a must read if you have been looking for fresh motivation to lead your lives better. 

That One Lady in the House

The pains, the cures, the worthies, the vains,

The master effects of acceptances and blames,

The stories, the truth, the untold lies,  

The excitements, the fears, the stomach full of butterflies,

The lasts, the firsts, the middles that come and leave,

The successes, the failures, the laughter and the grief,

The secrets buried, the facts never unveiled,

How does she know, my every emotion being trailed,

No less than a word, never more than an emotion,

She silently watches as if perceiving every commotion

This lady in my house, that one lady in everyone’s house,

Taps the pulse of the walls and the people living within,

The no-nonsense life, the let-me-know-when-you-need-me vibe,

The love which never falls less, the love to jibe,

She must be supernatural, for no one, I believe, could look through soul,

She is the head, she’s the mother, she’s one enough for the family, the whole.