Write Over the Weekend (WOW) – May 3, 2013

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

If you could have one day repeat over and over again for the rest of your life, which day would it be? Why?

 Ok, this time I am a bit confused about the theme of the WOW contest. I don't know whether to write about a day that has already been lived or a day that is yet to come, you know, the ideal sort. I don't think I'd like to "replay" a day from my past no matter how awesome it'd have been. Anyway, here is a link to my cartoon blog for those who want to know the one of the most awesome days in my life-

Three Idiots In Chandigarh

Anyway, coming to the day I want to repeat over and over again would be the day I meet the girl of my dreams. I know it might not happen the way I am going to describe it right now but that's the deal with dream days- they don't exist and when the real day comes, I know it'll be better than the perfect day I've dreamed about. Anyway, let's dream away-

Morning- 6:00 am
I wake up early to the chirping and tweeting of birds and sun-rays shining through my window. The newspaper is right by my side with a cup of tea. It's one of those days when you wake up with a smile.

I turn on the radio and the FM is playing my favourite songs. I take a shower listening to the FM and humming and grooving to my tunes.

8:00 am
Breakfast time. Samosas and Jalebis with hot milk from my favourite sweet shop have been served on my platter. I finish my breakfast and go to check my Email on my new laptop.
There are 3 unread mails. Let's go through them one by one-

Mail 1-
Sender- Editor, The Times of India 
Subject- Recruitment Letter
Hello,
This is to inform you that we have gone through your cartoons and liked your work very much. You have a freshness in your ideas and we'd love to work with you. You may kindly start sending your cartoons for publishing in our newspaper's all editions. You'll be given a daily spot on the leisure page.

Waiting to hear from you.
Regards,
Editor
TOI
New Delhi.

Whoa!! Ok, let's read the second mail-

Mail 2-
Sender- Editor, Harper Collins Publishing Co.
Subject- Proofreading done. Your book is ready to be published!
Hi,
We've finished the final stage of editing for the book written by you. We're excited about the much hyped launch and hope you are too. We hope and expect to sell millions of copies of "Recipes of Disaster" all across India and abroad. Your tickets to the book launch venue will be reaching you shortly.
Regards,
Editor
Harper Collins

Mail 3-
Sender- ashdjhdfkjg@yahoo.sdjkfs
Subject- NIGERIAN PRINCE HAS LEFT HIS PROPERTY FOR YOU
Sir,
You have inherited a property of value well above Rs. 200000000000000000000 in Nigeria. Kindly send your PAN card no. Acc no, Credit card no. etc. to avail the opportunity.
Thanks yous.

~Marked As Spam~

Anyway, the last mail was a SPAM, obviously. A day can't be that perfect.

I break this news to my loved ones and leave for a game of squash at the Squash Club I have joined yesterday. I see a girl across the court. She is looking at me too. Big eyes, long hair, dusky complexion, pretty smile- just like the dreams. Anyway, she is just about to leave. Lucky I got a glimpse.

Time- 12:30 PM
It's weekend so I gang up with bro and cousins and we go out to the mall for some bowling and lunch. I throw my ball down the wrong alley and knock down a perfect 10 but it's neighbouring player's set. I am sort of embarrassed but then I turn around and find the girl from squash court smiling. She says it's okay. She blushes a little too.

The afternoon is spent watching a masala bollywood paisa wasool movie and then coming back to home with no heavy traffic and pleasant weather and taking a short nap.

Time - 5:00 PM
I finish my cartoons to be sent to TOI by tomorrow, do the final edits and send the drafts to the editor, reply to some of my blog comments, receive a gift voucher from a competition I won at www.blogadda.com It's an iPad! Again!! Now I have three of them.
Later in the evening, as the spring breeze blows, I take a walk in the park with my favourite book in my hand. People say "hi" to me as I stroll past them. Being a public figure is fun!

9:30 PM
I go for a few drinks with my college friends I am still in touch with to the poshest, most happening nightclub in the city. The lights dancing on the floor and people having fun. This is a fresh change, I should come here more often. And there she enters, the girl from the squash court. She is with two other girls. She pauses and lingers when she spots me; then she goes on with her friend. I want to make a move but can't. She is too perfect. I am not sure if I say or do something, I'll somehow break the spell. I grow restless and step out of the club and there she is! On the street! Trying to get the key which is stuck in the slot in her car. I offer to help. She hesitantly lets me. We strike a conversation as we enter the club. She gets my jokes, she laughs, pulls my leg, flirts just the right amount. We try dancing and as partners, we set the floor on fire. We chat a little more, she mixes well with my group. I offer to drop her home. We say good night and I have her number now.

11:00 PM
I drive back home with my favourite love songs playing in my car.

Yup! This is the kind of day I can live over and over again!!! This is my day.

My Gourmet Party- Theme: Deewan-e-Khaas

Indiblogger once again, brings out another great contest which piques the interest of creative bloggerheads. In collaboration with-

Kitchens of India. Contest - "My Gourmet Party"

I'd like to thank both of them for this lovely opportunity. Here is a link to the website- http://shopping.kitchensofindia.com/ Certainly a great contest for food connoisseurs and foodies alike. Here is my idea of a gourmet party.

It'd be a small party with close friends and relatives invited and the guest list not exceeding more than 15-17 guests; hence the name deewaan-e-khas.

Location and decoration-
It can be arranged in a living room which is large enough to accommodate the seating and movement of guests. Since I want it to be a homely affair, I'd prefer my home for the party. I also do think that hosting a party at a party-hall or by booking a lounge takes something away from the host's responsibility to the guest. The welcome as done in Indian tradition needs a friendlier ambiance where the host doesn't rely on the staff's hospitality. Anyway, the room has to be dim-lit with scented or non-scented colorful candles and artistic curtains hanging from the ceiling giving the room a palace-like feel.

The decoration can borrow ideas from the nearby hookah bar or lounge. The seating arrangements would be made for the guests on the floor in traditional Indian "dari" mats with "masnad" type Lucknowi pillows to complete the look. A decorative hookah and a copper large vessel with floating rose petals may be kept in the middle to add to the visual appeal.

Entertainment
The hall will have old, soothing songs from the Golden era of Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Talat Mehmood and Mohd. Rafi in the background.

 There would be "shers" or couplets given to every guest to read out loud in order to bring out the feel of a mushayara. Nostalgia will be the flavour of the party and the first round of Gulab sherbat will have glasses clinking and everyone recounting their summer romances. Conversations will be encouraged and everybody will get his or her turn. There are always a few hidden musicians in every pack; well, they'll be brought out in open and their talents will be used to light up the "mehfil". A game of cards is optional.

Dress code
It'd be expected for the gentlemen to arrive in crisp sherwanis and the ladies in elegant saris but since it will be a closed affair; any ethnic-wear which goes with the mood of the party will be allowed.

The Menu

The menu will contain the choicest of Mughlai dishes from the house of Kitchens Of India.
The non-vegetarians will get to enjoy the lip smacking taste of

Chicken Darbari.

While the vegetarians will be able to enjoy

Mughlai Paneer

Paneer Malai

All served with piping hot butter naans and rotis. There will also be hara bhara salad made of seasonal veggies spread out for feast.

In the second course, the guests will be served biryani made with

Hyderabadi Biryani Mix

Veg Biryani Mix

based on their culinary preferences.

A delicious serving of

Jodhpuri Moong Daal Halwa

will be served to everyone after the end of the meal.

Then another round of conversations will ensue as paan and ice-creams will be served to everyone.

At the end the guest will be sent off with a heartfelt "thank you" and a pack of

Gourment Gift Halwas

to sweeten the memories that remain etched in their minds forever.

How to be the nice guy.

Ok, let me first tell you what this article is not. It's not a way to be the nice guy. You are either the nice guy or you are not. It's just something that lies in you. So, if you came to read this article just because of the title, I am sorry, but you've been tricked. Now that you *have* been tricked, how about you go on reading because you know, maybe, just maybe, it'll be the article that changes your life or helps you get back on your feet or helps you kill some time, whatever!

What it really is about- is how to assume the higher ground in situations of conflict. The conflict can be of any kind and it never hurts to leave with your head held high and your opponents gathering in the parade ground to salute you as you dust off that dirt from your shoulder in slow motion. I mean- the hero's exit. There's nothing wrong with losing. We all lose in life- in love, in career, in bets etc. and c'mon, we are sore losers pretending to be okay at one point of time or the other. No, it'll never be okay to lose and yes, you will lose. Here are a few tricks to all you aspiring losers (Wait, that didn't come out right.)-

1. Dedicate your loss to someone.
There are a lot of people out there who don't want you achieve something, a few of them call themselves your well-wishers. Some are even your family members. Whenever you lose, just let these people win instead of the person who actually won. Here is an example- You love a girl, she cheats on you. Your parents are against love-marriage and really don't want you getting in love-shove. Well, tell your parents that you dumped the girl because you respect them too much. See? You got to be the good boy.

2. Apologize
Once you do something terrible, there are chances that you'll be labelled the bad guy. You abuse a colleague, you eat someone's lunch, you bully a newbie, you dump a nice girl and bam! you're the bad guy. Do something which is unusual for the bad guy to do. Accept that you're the bad guy and be sorry for all the things that you've done. This is the right thing to do too.

There are also situations when you're not the bad guy but still get jacked. The girl dumps you for someone richer, more handsome and charismatic. She is going to rot in hell but there is way to make her feel miserable. Just apologize like the whole thing was your fault as if she was the perfect girl and you messed it up with your antics. Lead her to believe that you deserved what she did to you. You might think how is that going to help? She's going to feel good about dumping you. No, actually if someone is mean to you, slight guilt surrounds them when they do it. By assuming responsibility for the whole thing, you make the guilt not smaller but bigger. It's magic.

3. Fake pathos.
There are times when those who cause harm to you just want you to suffer. They have no ulterior motives than just inflicting pain. Give them what they want. Howl, wail in pain when actually it doesn't really matter. Take 2 minutes and then be okay. Nothing puts remorse in the villain's mind more swiftly than the idea that the victim is hurt but won't show it.

4. Over-react
Nice guys' worst quality is that they are pansies. So, if you're not naturally nice (like me :-P), you have to feign this quality too. Fake sobbing on phone, trying to fight a headache or syncope, biting lips, anything that shows that you're suppressing the turmoil that is going on inside is fine. After this girly outburst, try to-

5. Under-react
Act as if nothing had happened. This is different from point 3 because I am talking long term here. Point 3 procedure should complete in three minutes and it is used to show the villain that you're a real man. But this under-reaction thing is as gay as it gets. You have to act weird and when someone asks what happened, say "nothing". If did properly, this method can get you a lot of sympathy.

6. Advertize your niceness
When you're doing the dishes for your wife, act as if you're on a cookery show and explain to your audience whatever you're doing. Every step. Nice things have one problem, they go unnoticed. You put your girlfriend's ice-cream in freezer when she took a loo-break so that it doesn't melt. Mention it when she comes back. These small brownie points you need.

Ok, it's 2 in the night and I don't think I have any more wisdom pearls left. I'll keep you guys posted if I come up with any.

Take care and be good!

How does Modern Healthcare touch lives?

Twitter link- #ApolloTouchingLives

Another amazing contest organized by Indiblogger in collaboration with Apollo Hospitals. Here's a link to their modern healthcare page- http://www.apollohospitals.com/cutting-edge.php This topic is specially of interest to me because as a dental surgeon, I am directly associated with the healthcare machinery in India. The past decade and specially past 4-5 years have seen a radical change in our view toward common medical problems.

I have completed my BDS from Bapuji Dental College & Hospital, Davangere, Karnataka.

The region is considered a hub of medical and dental education and therefore, I was exposed to a lot of advancements as they were taking place in the region. Gone are the days when painful joints were things you just had to live with. Joint replacement surgeries have been made available at multiple hospitals and at a much affordable price all thanks to the torchbearers like Apollo hospitals. There are also big leaps in the field of heart surgeries like Total Endoscopic Coronary Bypass and Single Vessel/ Multi Vessel Small Thoracotomy and other fields too. The precision has increased manifold due to the availability of robotic surgery methods.

Live demonstrations are being arranged by senior professionals from metropolitan cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai and this knowledge is being soaked and spread in other cities where due to rising awareness of this scenario, more and more people are opting for these procedures.

Now, coming to my field of interest, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, I have been witness to a phenomenal change in the field of oral surgery during my years of graduation in college. Cancer treatments now have better prognosis. Patients of higher stages of oral cancer now go under the knife and there are more chances of survival. Cancer is not that dreaded a disease as it was say, a decade ago. We have better anti-cancer drugs, more accessible hospitals and access to the best oncologists nowadays.

There are orthognathic surgeries helping patients correct their facial profiles and I have seen tremendous awareness among the youth about them and a rise in demand for such corrective procedures.

Image Courtesy- Google Image Search

There are more and more people aware of the options available in front of them. To state an example in front of me, one of my colleagues met with an accident due to which his jaw was fractured and dislocated. The deformity caused his chin to protrude and made it difficult for him to chew and also was esthetically unpleasant. He went through the simple BSSO procedure and guess what! He started looking even better than before the accident.

There were also many young girls and boys coming to our hospital's surgery department, complaining about the jaw discrepancies which cannot be corrected by mere orthodontic braces. Today's patient is not going to take the options dished out to him by the doctor, he wants to know all his options and chooses wisely. This change in perspective is due to the remarkable developments in the field which have made the scenario much more competitive. Here is what Dr. Vinod Narayanan's page of Apollo Cosmetic Clinics has to say about the field of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery-
"The purpose of orthognathic surgery/ corrective jaw surgery is to correct functional and cosmetic problems that are due to underlying jaw deformities. Orthognathic surgery is often the treatment solution in cases where the bite problem is so severe that orthodontic braces alone aren’t enough to correct the problem, or where orthodontics alone would compromise your facial appearance.
One of the most rewarding aspects of orthognathic surgery is improved beauty and self-esteem.
Severe bony deformities caused by jaw mismatch in size and position may cause serious problems. For example, extremely small lower jaw may result in snoring and sleep apnea, which can consequently cause many health problems. In cases of short upper lip and vertical excess of the upper jaw, the lips are usually open as they fail to close without efforts due to increased lower third of the face. Consequently, it may stimulate undesirable mouth breathing which further worsens occlusion. Frequently malocclusion can have strong negative effect on speech function and often it can be accompanied by jaw joint pain.
And last but not least, occlusion and the position of jaws define the height of the lower third of the face to the greatest extent, hence the aesthetics of the facial profile as well. Convex ‘bird face’ or concave ‘mature face’ profiles are considered anaesthetic, therefore severe anomalies can cause social problems if left untreated.
Scientists have been on the way in seeking an answer to this question for years trying to find which part of the face is playing the greatest role in the attractiveness of the face, and surgeons – trying to “attack” those parts, thus hoping to make the face more attractive by changing particular features. Do we look at the eyes, at the smile, the symmetry of the face or at the combination of several features like nose, cheeks, eyebrows or eyes when assessing facial attractiveness?
Orthognathic surgery is surgery performed on the bones of the jaws to change their positions. Orthognathic surgery is corrective facial surgery where deformities of the jaw exist. It may be indicated for functional, cosmetic, or health reasons. It is surgery commonly done on the jaws in conjunction with orthodontic treatment, which straightens the teeth." The Link

Also, there is this field of Dental Implantology. A few years back, losing teeth meant going for a bridge or a removable denture and going for an implant was a thing of future. Well, that future is now! Patients in tier II cities are getting lured by the advantages that implant systems offer. Nowadays, it has become imperative for a dental practice to prosper, to learn and apply Implant systems in the practice. The patient wants to be given all the options these days.

Image Courtesy- Google Image Search

There are many such options which have made our lives much easier and longer. This revolution, is here to stay, ladies and gentlemen. Healthcare professionals, this is your time. Take a bow!

Dr. Abhyudaya Shrivastava, BDS.

Boring People- Types And Remedies (Pakau Logon Ke Prakaar)

We all have that one special person who bores the hell out of us; and is sometimes, impossible to avoid. Actually, I want to go back and correct myself- we all have multiple such people who we are always trying to avoid. These people come in many types and have different approaches to get under our skin. Here I am going to discuss a few common types and their easy home-made remedies. Of course they are not “sure-shot” remedies. There are no sure-shot remedies; I am not going to lie to you. Anyway, let’s begin-

1.      1.  The constant nagger

This one knows a bit about you. He is a close family member or an inadvertent friend. He strikes when you are at crossroads regarding a big career or personal decision. He has already made that decision for you and wants you to follow it. His nagging mostly begins with- “Why don’t you follow my advice and…” and ends with- “… I just hope you know what you’re doing.” His passion regarding your life is commendable. It’s as if he was about to commit suicide at the lake and suddenly epiphany struck and he realized that his sole motto in life was to help you.

Remedy- Just keep nodding your head until it’s over. Space out, count till thousand, just do whatever it takes to stop his constant jabber from reaching your brain. He may try to annoy you by bringing this topic when you’re sitting in a group, try to excuse yourself, feign a phone call and just leave the room.

2.       2. The repeater

This one is a harmless kind. It’s just that he has had only a very few cool things happen to him in his life till now. That’s why there is a false alarm whenever he comes across anything that is out of the ordinary. He also repeats his stories as if he’s a tape-record on loop. He also has a story in store for every occasion- The same story, every single time. The worst part is his stories are connected. Whenever one story is over and you try to leave the room sensing a window of opportunity, the other story picks up from the ending of that story and you have to sit through it too.

Remedy- Never sit down when a story is underway, it might have an abrupt end. Tip-toe around the door and just as soon as the anecdote is over, smile and take the helm in your hands. Say things like “Wow, this was fun…” etc and end it with “Ok, now I gotta go, I must check on…”

3.       3. The phone-assassin

He is most probably a friend of a friend or a person who has a crush on you.  It’s sweet in the beginning but then the number of phone calls and their duration begin to rise above the acceptable limit.

Remedy- Don’t pick it up!!

4.       4. The silent killer

This is a variant of the above type. He is not as frequent and deadly but when he calls, he lingers. There is no way to hang up the phone without offending him. Technically, the person who calls has to hang up first but, in this case, he calls and just doesn’t say “bye” at the end of conversation. Instead, he says- “So, what else?” all the time.

Remedy- Be impolite and say “Hey, I got to rush, there’s this thing…” It will be rude but he’ll get the drift.

5.       5. The inappropriate

Then there is the type which is the hardest to deal with. He mostly approaches its victim through text or Facebook messages. Commonly there is a gap of at least a few months between its two attacks. In these months, there might have been unpleasant changes in your personal life that you may not want to discuss with a near-stranger. This one doesn’t really mind the gap. His first question takes you off-guard as he enquires about your break-up and goes delving deeper into your other family problems. You, for the first time, feel the pain of stars who have to wash their dirty linen in public due to undue interference by the paparazzi.

Remedy- Say everything is fine on your side. Ask equally personal questions. Hope for a miracle.

Book Review- Salvation of a Saint- Keigo Higashino

  

Author- Keigo Higashino

ISBN- 978-0-3491-3934-0

Price- MRP Rs 350/-

Publisher- Hachette India www.hachetteindia.com

I had the privilege to review "The Devotion Of Suspect X" here all thanks to Blogadda and now I am reviewing the sequel. The last one by Keigo Higashino had me hooked all night and I couldn't sleep before finishing it. Well, comparison is natural and I am glad to say that this one is better than the last one. While the last one was a tug-of-war between an intelligent murderer and an experienced detective, this one is more of a Whodunnit and also a Howdunnit ie how the killer actually committed the murder. 

About the author

 Keigo Higashino is an engineer and that attention to detail attitude is visible in his work. There are no lose threads. He is also a Japanese author and these books are translations. Thankfully very little is lost in translation and the thrill and pace of the plot is intact. His "The Devotion of Suspect X" was nominated for Edgar award 2012 and Barry award 2012.

About the plot
Detective Kusanagi and junior detective Kishitani are back with new female recruit Utsumi and department head Mamiya. They have their hands on this new case which spins their heads right off their head. A business-man Yoshitaka is found dead and the two prime suspects are his girlfriend and his wife. Next comes an intricate plot of alibis, doubts and revelations. The book cannot be simply put down once you pick it up for reading. Detective Kusanagi is well on his way to become a cult character with a fan following. New character Utsumi keeps impressing with her keen observation and attention to detail. The way she joins the threads, you are left craving for more such novels with her in the center.

About the cover
The cover is simple with white and black theme and a face looking downwards as if laden with guilt. The red back-cover introduces you to the plot and features accolades for the previous and the current novel. The styling is neat with no frills. I personally am likely to pick such books from the rack.

About the language, style and pages.
Hachette India lives up to its name. The pages are crisp and good quality, there are no printing mistakes, misprints or problems with paper. The language has been kept simple, sentences are short and lucid. First time readers will like it very much. Fonts are big and there will be no difficulty reading or understanding the text. The author has used italics to highlight the sentences which are either muttered under the breath or not spoken at all. Sometimes, it may seem abrupt but you'll get used to it.
The characters are well-defined. We already have been introduced to the detectives so no time has been wasted introducing them again. For the first timers, it's enough to know that they are really smart people with great observation skills. The characters of the two prime suspects- Hiromi (the girlfriend) and Ayane (the wife) are well-drawn and there is an air of sympathy created around both of them. It is interesting to see the air change as the plot progresses.

So, all in all, I recommend the book and suggest that you finish it in one or two sittings to maintain the continuity and excitement. A great companion for long train journeys, but careful, you might miss your station!

Happy reading.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Book Review- Tantra By Adi

Here is the official trailer of the book. That's right folks! This one comes with a trailer. I am talking about the latest offering from Blogadda.com - The book called- "Tantra" By Adi.

 

Publisher- Apeejay Stya Publishing

MRP- 195/-

Website- www.tantrabyadi.com

Twitter- @dearadi

Facebook- fb.com/DearAdiPage

ISBN- 978-81-908636-2-9

This one brings back the memories of the golden era of thriller fiction novels like Devki Nandan Khatri's Chandrakanta. It took me back to days when children used to hide under the covers and read Indrajaal, tulsi or Raj comics pretending to be asleep. It has a racy plot, larger than life characters and thrilling turn of events. I enjoyed reading it and once I picked it up, it was very difficult to put down. 

The protagonist is a vampire slayer who isn't modest to say the least. She is Anu Aggarwal. She is a guardian and wears her attitude on her sleeve. As you can see on the cover, she stands on the top of a building taking guard with a dagger in her hand and gaze fixed on the cityscape. The city here is New Delhi which has been shown in a very nice way through the descriptions by the first time author Adi. Adi, the author, comes across to me as one of those comic book enthusiasts who loved reading about mystical creatures and imagined himself to be the hero killing the bad guys. The boyish charm of the author is evident on the pages of the book as he plays with his characters and has a lot of fun in the process.

Anu comes from New York to New Delhi on a mission to destroy a crime link and soon realizes that she has opened a huge can of worms. She seeks help from several gurus and tantriks as she fights the evil. There is a certain haunting character about the novel as evil always lurks in the background and is one step ahead of the good.

The novel also has a bollywood-like hilarious side-plot where Anu's aunt is trying to set her up with a suitable boy. The novel has been made with the intention of creating a reader base who can get to acquaint themselves with and start liking the characters. I foresee it to be the first novel in a long successful series.

The language has been kept lucid, the sentences are short and easy to understand so that the novel can percolate deep into the Indian readership. There is also enough sexuality in the pages for the, umm.. how do I put this delicately, low-minded audience. I mean it's entertainment, nothing wrong with it but, I expect a little less of it and more of action in the sequels.

A word about the author- The author confesses that he has been a fictions books' buff and has loved the characters from Indian mythology. That explains the theme of the novel and his grip on the subject. He also has degrees from Stanford and Harward and that explains the intelligent weaving on the plot and use of suitable language. His acknowledgements are heartfelt and were fun to read. I think he should stick around and write many more such novels. India does need to revive its story-telling culture.

So, all in all, it's a good, nail-biting, edge of the seat thriller with enough masala to shame a South Indian masala flick. I'd like to suggest that this book is meant for those who can handle this kind of fiction and have grown with the mysteries of vampires, zombies, fairies and angels; and can enjoy the romance behind it all.

Happy reading.