Bowled over by a tablet that does yoga!

Ragini my cousin was to meet me at Pheonix Market City, Kurla. She is getting married this December and we planned to have lots of masti and shopping together, and ofcourse there was a lot of catching up to do. Well, Ragini arrived a full 40 minutes late to the appointed hour which by the way is very much like her..uff! She walked in wearing a splendid red kurti over her black jeans, she looked radiant as ever! while seeing her enter I was distracted with something that she was carrying with her.. was it her phone? didn't look like it though, it was only when she was two feet away did I realize that it was a tablet which she was holding clumsily. "Welcome Madam, you are late!" I scolded her "and what is this that you are holding which looks like it doesn't want to stay with you", I joked. She told me that was her tablet which she uses regularly at home but finds it a inconvenience while travelling, mainly because her hand at her wrist hurt if she carried it for a long while. Now, let me say it here, Ragini is a copy writer by profession and does free lancing  and she requires to send in her work regularly on the fly and compiling bizarre deadlines

Sometime in the middle of shopping she asked me if I would like to own a tab to which I looked at her and asked her if she was buying me a new tab or selling me off this box of inconvenience which was leading to her frustrations now. She told me she can have hers, I asked, "and for how much?" "for FREE" came back her reply. I was not sure if she really meant it, she meant it or not but I liked the idea of owning a tab, it was kind of cool to have a bigger screen than your regular phones, watching movie and reading a book on the run. At that very moment we passed by Chroma and something made us both stop in our stride and focus on a play card which read, "Unveiling Lenevo's multi mode YOGA TABLET" Without saying a word to each other we got pulled to the advertisement that displayed awesome images of Lenevo's Yoga Tablets that are available in multiple modes.

We both were taken in by the looks not to forget the attention grabber name - YOGA TABLET.. for the first time we both opened our mouth to wonder aloud..did this tablet do Yoga or did they make their owners do yoga?? Intrigued and excited we both charged in and requested a demo. The demo left us both impressed and increased our longing for it.

We both came out of the store and both had something to say about it...Ragini - the sweet girl that she is..thought of gifting it to her fiance, Dinesh. Whereas me, I was too smitten to think about anybody else but me. I made up my mind to gift it to me the first thing once my salary is credited! :-)

Once we shared our thoughts we went about discussing the salient features of the yoga tab, Ragini giggled when she mentioned, "The name itself will bring in good health along with good times, it has YOGA + TABLET in its name itself". We loved the name, the look, the features and functionality explained and displayed during the demo, and not to forget the awesomely unique cylindrical handle that allows you to use the tablet in several different modes, and who could beat its mobile focused, sound enhancing, Dolby Digital Plus. Could there be anything else that we could ask for? anything that we wished it had and I recollected that we couldn't see the regular android feature of android - the app drawer! Our suggestion to people out there listening..hey please put the icon with the feature back.. we need our apps put back in a drawer or else we feel nervous. We said our goodbyes once we were done with our shopping but not before we liked the page https://www.facebook.com/LenovoIndia on FB :-)

My experience with 'Teach India'

When I signed up for Teach India, I knew it is something I really wanted to happen. And after the initial screening, getting selected was the best thing to happen in a long time. :) 


Teach India, is a collaborative effort of the 'Times of India' and 'British Council' focused on teaching spoken English to underprivileged youth in the urban society who are in the age group of 18-32 and who have had basic introduction to the English language in school as their 2nd or 3rd language. 


As a volunteer, I was committed to 2 hours a day, 3 days a week for 10 weeks (3 months) and 56 hours of training prior to the start of the programme.


Teaching adults in the age group of 18 -32 years was not something I  thought I could do confidently. But I had confidence in the training given by British Council - and I was proved right. At the end of 7 days training that I took at one go, I found myself rearing to go and TEACH :))) with no inhibitions or worries whatsoever. These 7 days did to me what any other public speaking course might have taken months to achieve... as I always thought facing people and 'talking' was not my cup of tea. (LOL!). When I pushed myself conscientiously to come out of my comfort zone and to overcome my fears of public speaking - micro teaching gave me ample opportunity to do it - I felt liberated! 

At the Bandra Center of training, I met people from different backgrounds having vast experiences from what they do in life - but they were all there with me with the same aim - to reach out and make a positive difference in the lives of few others. I made so many friends out there... today we are connected via Facebook and plan to meetup on regular basis. :)

With lots of enthusiasm and equiped  with new methodology of teaching - it is something unlike the methods used in schools where teacher takes up lot of time talking, Teacher Talk Time (TTT), instead we were trained how to encourage Student Talk Time (STT), I started my teaching at an NGO near home at Don Bosco Traning Institute (Kurla).


Ms. Soniya Kshirsagar was assigned my buddy and we both were assigned differed days in a week to teach our class. She has been a supportive and a true buddy by all means. 


My learners turned out to be an eager and infectiously enthusiastic bunch of youngsters all in the age group of 18-26 years, they are 33 in all! :) . Till date they have maintained that eagerness and enthusiasm for learning - touch wood!


They just love coming to class where they learn to speak English by playing games; by taking part in pair or group activities; by performing role plays;  by story telling or sharing an experience; where they are not punished for not doing homework but are instead rewarded with cute stickers if they do it (while they just love being rewarded, I just love seeing their book being decorated :D). From being the shy, reluctant, hesitant, nervous, and low in confidence lot of day 1 to being the confident, happy, ambitious, well groomed individuals as they are today, it has been a journey of 50 -50 partnership between them (learners) and us (Volunteers, me and my buddy). Currently, for the upcoming convocation ceremony, my learners are practicing a skit in English which they will perform on stage for 5-7 minutes. 

With just last few classes remaining I am sure I'll miss them - will miss those eager to learn faces absorbing and hanging on to each and every word I say, who have shared with me their happiness and failures, who aim to secure a job that would make lives of theirs and their loved ones better. 


And what have I got in return? a satisfying experience that is priceless...

-Julie

To know more about Teach India kindly, visit http://www.itimes.com/public_teach-india.php?ctype=mumbai -the registration for the next cycle is currently open.

Magic figure of 10,000 views for my Infant Food Recipe eBook

It was a moment filled with pride and happiness, to read congratulatory email announcing my Slide share receiving 10,000 views! - a milestone achieved only by few Slide Share users" - as quoted in the email. :)))

Click on the link, http://www.slideshare.net/antnjul/infant-food-recipes to have a glimpse of the Slide Share and kindly forward the link to all women who have 'newly' entered motherhood and/or to those who worry a lot about the diet for their infants.

This is a dream come true moment for me as I have always wanted the Infant Food Recipe to reach far and wide so that more and more parents come back to traditional food when it comes to feeding their babies.

Also, it is time now to have an advance version of the ebook with additional recipes and additional information. Any kind of contribution, information, suggestions are most welcome :))))

-Julie

PS: for those who have missed this earlier, here is a glimpse of the same.

View more documents from Julie Anthony

Love is a two way street: Love your hair and it loves you back!

My Proposal snap got noticed by my soon-to-be husband for one prominent reason... my hair! 


I never had 'very' long hair, they refused to grow beyond my waist and stopped growing just above my waistline - the reason being 'Split-ends'.


I have been blessed with thick black hair just like my mom (hers is more curlier than me though) but could hardly maintain it - resulting in roughness and then split-ends.


My earlier hair care regime:

1. Oil my hair, a night before
2. Wash it off with a Shampoo, the next morning.
3. Regular hair-trimming to get rid off those annoying split-ends
4. Thats it! 

The concept of using conditioners were all aliens to me!


Times changed, I saw women getting their hair colored; ironed; and chemically treated for a longer lasting look.  Their hair looked lovelier, shinier, and felt softer - I was impressed. But at the same time I didn't want to lose out on my individuality, I loved the color, black that my hair sported and somehow I was not ready to compromise on the 'waviness' of my hair. 


I remember once my friend commenting, "Straighting would look good on your hair" to which I had replied, "then I would look one-of-them as to me they all look same". My requirement was simple, to tame my unruly hair without compromising on its nature.  I now included 'conditioning' in my regime of hair wash.


After trying out quite a lot of options of shampoos and conditioners available in the market, I almost gave up on my hair - unconsciously I had started blaming my hair with the expressions like - 'Kuch nahi ho sakta' :( Why my hair never responded to these products was beyond me.


Very recently, I was contemplating the idea of hair Spa for my hair as a last resort before I totally gave up on it. My prayers were answered with an invitation from Indi Bloggers for a Dove Spa event. The event turned out to be a blessing. Apart from unlimited fun, treats, pampering, spot prizes that were showered on us, we got a chance to interact with Dove's official hair expert, Ms. Soumya. She cleared all our doubts patiently and I got to know more about hair masks and hair serums. I was now more informed about the 'correct usage' of these products - for a dry hair like mine she had suggested weekly usage of hair masks.


With my hair Spa done and armed with my Dove hamper of Shampoo, conditioner, mask, serum - the 'Dove Nourishing Oil Care Range' packaged in an awesome bag, I left the venue all excited and eager to shower my hair with love and kindness, called Dove. ;)


Its been 7 days since I started using Dove - for a change, my unruly hair seems to be all tamed. :D


It has been truly said, "Love is a two way street: Love your hair and it loves you back!"


My current hair-care regime is as follows (done every alternate day in a week):

1. Oil my hair, a night before/ an hour before  
2. Wash it off with Dove Nourishing Oil Care daily use Shampoo.
3. Apply Dove Dual Stripe daily treatment conditioner after every wash except on the day I use hair mask.
4. Apply Dove Nourishing Oil Care Repair hair mask - once a week only.
5. Apply Dove Nourishing Oil Care Vita Oil serum after hair is towel dried and whenever required in a day (I carry the little bottle in my bag!)
6. Thats it! 

Am loving the love that my hair is showering back at me :))))

Infant Food Recipes

Infant Food Recipes

View more documents from Julie Anthony

Vaahini - the beautiful flow of events

"Be a soul sister... give three tips to a working mother to balance her work life", read the invite for a contest, Me having too many things already on my mind thought of revisiting the website later, then immediately changing my mind I thought of attempting the contest. This One Act from my side led to a flow of beautiful events that I would nurture for a while.

I received a call announcing I was one of the winners who had won the contest and that I was invited to the Hotel Taj Mahal Palace to receive my prize. I couldn't believe what I heard, "was it Hotel Taj Mahal Palace she mentioned??" Though I had high hopes of winning the contest and getting my name and entry published on their website -https://microsite.accenture.com/vaahini/Pages/default.aspx;

I never imagined I would be felicitated for the same :))) and that to in a Grand event organized by Accenture in collaboration with the Economic Times.

I sought the permission from my manager, to leave an hour early in order to attend the event , instead of granting me the same my manager encouragingly asked to take leave a lot earlier in order to make in time and be dressed appropriately for the event. Wow!!

Tagged along my friend, Tanuja - my well wisher and motivator, I reached the event just in time. The event came across to be remarkable - well organized, focused, and informative. Did you know? "out of the 11,000 seats on the boards of Indian companies, only 5 per cent are occupied by women and this is consistent with global figures, where among the Fortune 500 companies, only 15 have women in top positions"

The event was graced by Managing Director & CEO, ICICI, Chanda Kochhar, author and columnist Shobhaa De, Managing Partner, AZB & Partners Zia Mody, and Executive Director, Accenture India, Rekha Menon. The men were represented by Chairman, Accenture India, Harsh Manglik, Resident Editor of the Economic Times, Bodhisatva Ganguli and Managing Director & CEO, Future Brands, Santosh Desai.

And what an honor to receive my prize from the hands of Ms. Chanda Kochhar, winner of Padma Bhusan - one of our country's highest civilian award.

And a heartiest THANK YOU to all my friends who supported and sent me their wishes. :) :)

PS: Visit the link to hear my sound byte and read my publlished entryhttps://microsite.accenture.com/vaahini/iwd-2011/Pages/international-womens-day-2011.aspx?tab=4

Who Moved MY cheese??

"Be willing to take risks and move out of your comfort zone in the directions of your dream" - words of inspiration by Brian Tracy and how true! Without taking chances and without taking risks you cannot even achieve the achievable.

Moving out of your comfort zone in itself is a difficult decision, but with the confidence in oneself and the right attitude, it will take you places - then you will not become a victim of change but instead the initiator of change. The CONTROL lies with you. You are a sculpture of your own destiny, the tools to shape it, lies within you.

So, Who moved MY cheese you ask? Well, Change happens ... Move with the cheese and enjoy it!
Read the short story about the famous 4 mice written by Dr. Spencer Johnson and you would know what I mean ;)

http://www.scribd.com/doc/984276/Summary-Who-Moved-My-Cheese

Meanwhile, let me go search for my running shoes that I haven't used for long as now I am willing to reach out to my dreams and make them possible. I know I CAN and I WILL.