Idiot Box: Part 10

Reviewing TV shows. You can see the earlier parts here - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7,

Master of none

Witty, intelligent, funny, extraordinary. 5/5.

13 reasons why

I have already reviewed it here.

Big Little Lies

It is a glossy, very well made, mystery melodrama. I love it. 5/5.

The Crown

I know everyone is going gaga over 'the crown' but I don't understand why. Is there anything extraordinary that the queen did so the viewer needs to see a tv show based on her life? I didn't find her life interesting. 2/5.

The Handmaid's Tale

Astounding, marvelous, superb, no television event has hit such a nerve. 5/5.

The end of the F***ing World

I did not like it. 1/5.

Our best...

I work out every day for 60 minutes. Aerobics, Weight lifting, Pilates, Yoga, Hiking, Biking, Dance, Kickboxing and whatnot,  still I am not content because I never think I am doing enough. I should be doing more.

I prepare most of my meals. I spend around 60 minutes each day in the kitchen on meal preparations.  I eat simple and fresh food. I eat fruits, nuts for snack time. I also consume all my meals before 7 pm and I follow this successfully 9/10 times, the 10th meal I give up, I end up eating restaurant food, dessert, junk food and such. 9/10 successful meals... and yet I think it is not good enough. I should be doing more. 

While I know this feeling of 'needing to do more' will never go away but again it helps me to push myself and never give up. It helps me to stay motivated. 'Not doing enough' feeling doesn't have to translate into disappointment, it can also be translated into not giving up and pushing ourselves. 

When I started working out (I have been working out ever since I remember), my life was at a different stage. When I started blogging (2006?) it was at a different stage. And today (2019) it is at a different stage. With every stage, the challenges have changed and I am sure you have been through various stages/ phases - good bad and the ugly. But as long as we keep doing 'our best' and continue to focus on getting better, I guess we are doing enough. 

Not knowing where I am going...

“I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going. And I have trained myself to love it. Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight. And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to. But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings. You may not know where you're going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you.”

- C. JoyBell C.

Dress: Tjmaxx

Sandals: Impo

Hypocrites or a**holes ....

If I like you, life is easy. I take interest in your life and work and am concerned about your well being and supportive towards your goals and I make every effort to keep in touch with you. If I am neutral towards you, life is still easy. I am polite and civil towards you when our paths cross.

If I don't like you or get an inkling that you don't like me/ are trying to avoid me/ are giving me an insulting treatment then - life is again easy because I don't give a second thought about you, I won't bitch and whine about you to people around me but at the same time I ensure that our paths never cross. I do not call you socially, I do not make plans to meet you, you might not even be on my friend or phone list. I do nothing. I don't allow you to occupy my brain space.

You know what I don't get...when people clearly do not like someone or do not agree with their fundamental view on life -professionally/morally/socially - and still continue to be social with them. A lot of people are perfectly fine with everyone around them ONLY they bitch about people on how they can't stand someone or how someone did them wrong (but it can not be told from their interaction with anyone).

If you ask me I am wary of people who are nice to everyone and talk nicely with everyone because you never know who they are really fond of or who are they bitching about... I have realized that straight forward people are considered a**holes (I am one such) but I prefer to be friends with a**holes any day, because if they are friends with me then I know that they are in it with a genuine interest.

2 combos:

Pant: American Eagle

Shirt: J crew factory

Shoes: Steve Madden

Jeans: J crew

Top: Tjmaxx

Shoes: Steve Madden

What the health: Part 20 - How to stay healthy continued ...

This is part 20 of ‘What the health’ series. You can find earlier parts here – part1, part2, part3, part4,  part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8,  part 9, part 10, part 11, part12, part13, part14, part15, part16, part 17, part18, part19

Mental health (2) - Mental health is as much important as physical health.

2. Meditation - Meditation helps a lot with releasing anxiety and stress - it also helps with a better quality of sleep. You don't need any Guru or spiritual organization to teach you meditation. Some people sit and meditate on their own, it doesn't work for me, I like guided meditations, like the ones which are available on an app called InsightTimer, Glenn Harrold being my favorite. I am sure there are other apps/ videos on which you will find guided meditations.

3. People and negativity - I go through stress if I have negative people around me, I can not function in such surroundings, even at work. I do like to be around positive, easy-going people (who are not full of hatred, jealousy, negativity or comparison) and I have written many posts on the traits that I do not like (rasikam.blogspot.com) - bullies, vampires, gossipmongers, male chauvinist pigs, negative people (we all have these traits - I am talking about the extreme cases here).

Weed out the negative people slowly from your life, the world is full of nice people that you will stumble upon every inch/ every corner and will be able to form new friendships. There is no need to be associated with people who are giving you humiliating, insulting or degrading treatment or the ones who do not give a shit about you. My life and headspace feel so much sorted since I decided enough is enough, that I am going to stand up against and not give in to any of these beastly creatures.

Cutaway toxic people and relationships, move away from situations and things and events that make you feel negative. Discuss ideas and not people, don't hang out with people to kill time - first check if your wavelength matches, society and socializing can make you feel drained or feeling empty, socializing is a boon and much needed when it leaves you feeling light and joyous in your heart, don’t let the insecurity, jealousy, and negativity of other people affect you or dent you no matter how much you want to react, you can not stop your life from moving on to react to people who don’t matter to you at all, insecure and negative people will try and pull you down always, keep moving forward offering them silent good wishes. 

Dress: tjmaxx

Shoes: Nine West

What the health! Part 15 - How to lose weight and stay healthycontinued...

This is part 15 of ‘What the health’ series. You can find earlier parts here – part1, part2, part3, part4,  part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8,  part 9, part 10, part 11, part12, part13, part14

Diet (4)

9. And last but not the least Alcohol - Call me uncool if you had like, I really don't care - but DO NOT drink alcohol (I know it is for some reason considered a status symbol these days), some people drink wine every day saying it is good for the heart, it sounds ridiculous- there are so many better options for the heart like running for example - opt them and not wine.

Alcohol affects the acid levels in the body, it affects the quality of sleep, it can cause many health conditions like heart ailments, it affects the liver and pancreas, it also increases the risk of cancer (throat, mouth, esophagus, breast, and liver). Cocktails and hard liquor are loaded with unwanted calories that you just wanna avoid piling on.

I am high on life and I don’t understand those who are dependent on alcohol to do that job and those who drink do not understand how can one be high on life… some people come under social pressures and drink to give the company, I don’t do that (not anymore). I have been asked many times at parties that if I don't drink alcohol or carbonated beverages then what do I drink. Stupid question. I drink many things - tea, coconut water, lime juice, freshly squeezed orange juice, turmeric milk, buttermilk, and mostly water!

I am not a fun bob (someone who needs to be inebriated to have fun, loose inhibitions or enjoy life). I enjoy life even when things are painful or not going so smoothly. Accept that hardship is part of life. Pain, sickness, and sadness is as much a feeling as healthy and happy - embrace it, sooner the better - it is useless to be afraid of the existence of unhappy feelings and to forget it getting numb (and dumb) under the influence of alcohol/drugs.

Food and water are an important part of a balanced diet, yes, we are what we eat…. and drink.

Jeans: Abercrombie and Fitch

Shoes: Steve Madden

Stripes Tee: TjMaxx

Jacket: J Crew

Modern Romance

My new post 'Modern Romance' is available here

Jeans : American Eagle

Stripes top : tjmaxx

Sweater : J crew factory

Shoes : Vaneli

Belt : Target

Good Movies on Netflix

Jeans: 7 for all mankind

Top: Tjmaxx (also worn HERE)

Shoes: Steve Madden (non leather)

Scarf: Target

My new post Good movies on Netflix is available HERE

Have you seen...?

Have you seen these 2 types of Indian women?

1. Wearing gold bangles, anklets, earrings, necklaces, toe rings, rings, nose ring, bindi - along with flip flops, formal skirt, and formal shirt? - There is nothing wrong with wearing Salwar Kamiz or a Saree (even if you live outside India) than wearing a funny combination like that.

2. Wearing nighties at public places! Please ladies, I mean it looks bad even if you are in India.

Jegging: American Eagle

Shoes: Nine West

Button Down Chambray: American Eagle

Stripes top: Tjmaxx

Similar combo HERE

Reduce, Recycle and Reuse

A materialist concentrates on accumulating things and a minimalist thinks of how to get rid of things, ultimately both are focusing thoughts on stuff. We accumulate stuff and then think of ways to purge it out of life (this is the First World Phenomena).

Owning more than what we need is consumerism, I think we all are consumerists in that sense. All I can say is don’t have a lifestyle of mindless consumerism, don’t be an impulsive consumer be a mindful one. The more realistic thing to do is donate things that you don’t use than giving away things in the name of minimalism. Know what is in your drawers, cupboards, fridge, and corners. Donate anything that is not used for a few years. Ultimately have things that you utilize and utilize what you already have!

Denim Skirt: Banana Republic

Shirt: J crew

Sweater: Tjmaxx

Tights: Hue

Shoes: Vaneli 

Things

The best things in life are not things at all.

Skirt: Modcloth

Top: Tjmaxx

Scarf: Target

Tights: Target

Shoes: Circa Joan and David

Again: Use what you have

A lot of people buy something nice and then keep it away just for a special occasion or they never use it thinking it will get spoiled. Use what you have, if it looks worn out with use you can always buy something new and more exciting. Don't wait until it stops fitting you or you no longer exist to enjoy it!

White Denim: American Eagle

Gingham Shirt: J crew Factory

Stripes Top: TjMaxx

Shoes: Unisa

Harmful

It is not harmful to own things but it is harmful to be owned by them ;-)

Jeans: American Eagle

Chambray: American Eagle

Stripes top: TJ Maxx

Shoes: Vaneli