My Little Log Book

Well, I am the first to admit that the title is neither original nor applies to me. I am not a wimpy housewife, no way. Inspired by my son's devouring of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and treating it as a bible - I had to pick up the "Secret Diary of a Demented Housewife" - when I came across it at the local library. There was an immediate affinity with diary and diarist - just reading the first page. Many a times I have vowed to spend "quality, life-affirming things to reclaim my spirit" and "staring vacantly into space" wondering about the "the selfless decision to leave the workplace." Or trying to feel noble about being a stay at home mother. As for being wimpy - I don't always give in to the others whims. If I do - I have strong reasons like: I do let my kids watch Cartoon Network 14 hours a day - but that's because I believe a moving, lively, colorful medium will do more for their brain than the staid colorless words in print. They ...

An Equal Music is the only Vikram Seth book I have read (so far). It is always a daunting task to start reading a book of an author of Seth’s stature. As one starts to read – the book comes to life like the music it portrays. Can a book which is solely about classical music (of which I have absolutely zero knowledge) sustain for the length of a novel? It can and does as it flows through chapters describing the perfect music, the love the protagonist Michael is in search of and the fusion of love, music and the life of a struggling violinist and a quartet named Maggiore. Michael is a narcissist. For him it is perfect or nothing. A butcher’s son from Yorkshire (no, Lancashire), he has started on his journey with the violin with encouragement from an elderly neighbour and inputs from the public library of unlikely Manchester - to make a small place for himself in classical music. As he struggles on in London , he finds his lost love Julia – while his quartet makes some of the perfect mu...

It has been a long time since I have revisited any financial planning concept. So time for rehashing some basic investment  fundas! How many really take an active interest in managing their portfolios? People tend to leave it to the fund manager to manage money in case of mutual funds and tend to put any spare cash in the latest fund that is "in" or as chosen by a "financial adviser", else choose a "safe" inflation beating instrument. The more judicious squirrel away a little bit systematically in "safe investments" and do a bit of active portfolio management while the experts look for gains in the stock market. But there are some easy to use personal finances tools out there which actually make our money work well with a modest financial planning. However, due to ignorance, overconfidence or maybe simple laziness we tend to ignore them. Value Averaging is one such tool. Its an unbelievably simple financial planning tool that anyone with even the...

My "Xomba" friends Priya Kanwar and V. Taprial have just published a book "A Beginner's Guide to Blogging". Taprial and Priya are amongst the cream of Xomba bloggers! Taprial, a Naval Commander, has also published a racy thriller "Enemy in the Ranks". Be sure to have a look at both the books! They are both Pustak Mahal publications and can be ordered online too. Both the books sold well at the Delhi Book Fair. Be sure to get a copy if you are in India. Here is the link to get it online. http://www.infibeam.com/Books/info/varinder-taprial/beginner-s-guide-blogging-making-money-online/9788122311105.html http://www.infibeam.com/Books/info/varinder-taprial/beginner-s-guide-blogging-making-money-online/9788122311105.html

Gong Xi Fa Cai 2010 - Chinese New Year, Mall Hopping At Kuala Lumpur

Gong Xi Fa Cai 2010 - Chinese New Year, Mall Hopping At Kuala Lumpur

In a few minutes Super Bowl 2010 will begin. The Colts with their QB Manning will take on the effervescent New Orleans with their dynamic QB Drew Brees. In this second consecutive Super Bowl at Florida - Carrie Underwood will start with the National Anthem. The Who - the rock band from Britain will be the half-time act at the Dolphin Stadium. Will this be the best Super Bowl in a long time? This promises to be an attacking attacking, attacking game! Definitely, the best two teams on view this season are fighting it out. Want to know where to watch all the live action? The NFL official Super Bowl site seems to be the best bet!  http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/44 Watch all the happenings ath the Superbowl online free here! http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/44/live/landing CBS will be broadcasting it live. Here is the Super Bowl website at CBS Sports. The kick off time is at 6-30 pm http://www.cbssports.com/nfl Enjoy the 2010 SuperBowl!