Not All Moonshine!: June 2015

Sunday, 21 June 2015

What's That Smell?

"Home is where the heart is"... or so they say. But in my case it usually seems like "home is where that hideous smell is"! Odour is that secret weapon this world has to irritate us beyond our senses. I wake up to the guff of garbage wafting in through the windows in the wee hours of the morning. Every single day begins with an assault to my olfactory system. I spring out of my bed and slide the windows shut, hoping to bring the situation under control. But, I realize with a heavy heart, the damage is already done.

I walk into the bathroom and it smells funny again. I check if the block of air freshener is remaining, and it is. Then why is that obnoxious smell still lingering in the air? I turn on the faucet and squeeze out a big glob of bubble bath liquid. The aromatic smell should subdue the stink for some time, I hope. I foam up a lot of bubbles and after a long, relaxing bath, walk into my closet to pick my outfit for the day.

My senses are overpowered with the strong stench of naphthalene balls, and my clothes exude the same whiff. I quickly pull out a blue and white tunic and spray Chanel No. 5 generously all over me. I cannot go into important meetings smelling of naphtha!

When I open my dressing drawer to pick out my favourite shade of pink lipstick, I sniff a trace of expired makeup. The shelf makes me nauseous with the mixed toxic fumes of powder, compact, foundation, blush and nail polish. I make a mental note to dispose off the old stuff and buy some new makeup.

After brushing my hair, I head over to the shoe rack to find a pair of matching stilettos to go with my dress. I almost double over as I take in the reeking pair of socks that I had stuffed back in my sneakers after a sweaty run in the rain last evening. I instantaneously pick up the offending pair of socks and chuck them in the washing machine.

I finally step out of my home and let out the breath I have been holding. The world outside smells so much better than my malodorous house!

The smell of rotten eggs is horrendous!

I am back home at seven thirty in the evening, very excited for my date with the cute guy I met in office. But the moment I enter my apartment, I am welcomed by that fetid atmosphere again. I panic at the thought of having such a handsome and fine-smelling man witness my smelly house. I quickly run to the nearest supermarket and bring home a room spray.

After drowning the whole place in the scent of lavender, I enter the kitchen to cook some delicious pasta for dinner. When I open the fridge to take out the bottle of zinfandel, the foul smell of rotten eggs scares me. I discard the bad eggs into the organic wastebin, and try to concentrate on the pasta.

It is almost eight. He must be here any minute now. I set the table and change into a sexy backless pink tunic. I roll on a fruity fragrance and pray for the drawing room to smell better. The bell rings, and I can hear my heart beating in my ears. What do you think will happen? Will I have a great date or will my love interest be turned off by my smelly home? Do you have any tips to rescue my evening? Write in to me!

I am blogging for #SmellyToSmiley activity at BlogAdda.com in association with Ambi Pur.

Wednesday, 17 June 2015

The Bang in Each Buck

A (in a bragging tone): "I bought four belts for the price of three!"
B (chortles): "I bought five!"

Most of us Indian's have have been privy to similar conversations all our lives. We pat our own backs each time we negotiate a good bargain or get much more for the same budget. Our haggling skills are famous the world over, and each deal we seal is stamped with the label of "paisa vasool". While some of us are proud of this quirky trait, some others are not. Before I delve into the topic of paisa vasool, let us understand why we are the way we are.

Our ancestors have lived through very difficult times when power was concentrated in the hands of few and benefits hardly trickled down to the common man. From the times of foreign rulers who commanded over various provinces, we have learnt that most of the gold was stored in the royal treasury and the peasants worked hard to pay their taxes. Then came several periods of war when stocks of everything, from food and clothing to money and arms, was closely monitored and people would consume only measured portions of their stockpile.

India has seen multiple instances of famines and droughts. And each of these occurrences have taught our predecessors to ration their food and earnings and bargain well to ensure they get the bang for their buck. The situation today is quite pleasantly different. We are developing and the birth of the ambitious and well heeled middle class has seen a spurt in our wants and wishes. One thing, however, has not changed - our quest for a paisa vasool deal.

We may have six figure salaries and live in plush homes, but we still haggle with the grocer to have our weekly supplies in three-fourths of the quoted price. We often have two cars and at least one sedan, but when we shop for another vehicle, we mull over the mileage and maintenance cost. We love global high street brands and flaunt the latest gadgets, but we always shop during a sale so we can get a paisa vasool deal!

A Paisa Vasool Meal! We love buffet over a la carte as we get to taste it all for the same amount of money

Our pursuit for paisa vasool must not be misconstrued as our willingness to settle for poor quality. No! We are sticklers for supreme quality, but we like to achieve it in the most economical way. Our Mangalyaan (Mars Mission) and Tata Nano (cheapest car) are proof of the world class stuff we can do without burning a hole in our pockets. The paisa vasool phenomenon is actually our quest for 'value'. We are not so much after the price tag, but the worth of goods and services we buy. Our value based economy binds us together and makes us a great country to do business with.

Take for example, the growth of medical tourism in India. Our doctors and surgeons are equipped to perform complex surgeries and procedures for almost one-tenth the cost of the same treatments in developed economies. Another great example is the massive technology and business process outsourcing industry in our country. Hundreds of multinational firms have their technology centres in India, thanks to the superior quality service and IT-product delivery we have here - all for the fraction of the cost in western countries.

It is also our paisa vasool nature that has prompted our favourite German airline - Lufthansa to introduce their premium economy class in India. The #LufthansaPremiumEconomy is exactly what the upper middle class Indian has always been looking for on her next flight abroad! It is economical, but is worth a lot more. There is more room to wiggle around, a footrest and an allowance of two checked bags of 50 pounds each! This means, I can carry my all my favourite books on my next long Eurotrip without having to throw out any of my carefully picked clothes. For a fraction of the cost of a business class ticket, I have my own drink holder on the armrest and so much extra storage space. I no longer have to stuff my carry-on jacket in the overhead unit. Instead, I can just secure it with the belt beside my seat! The foodie in me also loves the delightful cuisines on offer and the cute little water-bottle holder between the seats! And let's not forget that we all have work commitments which we can fulfill in the sky with our own sockets and USB ports! When we are tired of working, we can always unwind using the amazing inflight entertainment system. Long haul flights are the best places to watch those movies you have never found time for.

Source: http://premium-economy.lufthansa.com/en-us#area/comfort/point/1/0

After looking at the list of awesome privileges above, I honestly cannot think of anything else I could have asked for, except for maybe Lufthansa to introduce domestic flights for us as well! ;-) You will surely agree that the Lufthansa Premium Economy is the perfect paisa vasool offering for us Indians who always look for the bang in each buck!

I would love to hear your quirky stories of how you strike paisa vasool deals in your day to day life! So please write to me with your stories.

Nioxin - 20 Day Challenge

Earlier this month, I had introduced you to Nioxin - an intensive treatment for hair thinning. While I was pampered with the experience, the hair experts told me I did not have a hair thinning problem. So, on my next visit, I took my mom along.

One of the beauticians analyzed my mum's hair and suggested treatment number 3 for her hair which was normal to thin looking and was chemically treated. My mum colours her hair to hide her greys.

Before the 3 step process, my mum's scalp had to be cleansed thoroughly for the treatment to work. So, she underwent step-0, the dermabrasion process.

After keeping that on for 10 minutes, she was given a hair wash with the shampoo (cleanser). Next, the conditioner or scalp revitaliser was applied. And finally, after another wash, the treatment was sprayed onto her scalp.

At home, my mum dries her hair naturally, but the salon specialist gave her a nice blow dry.

When my mum saw her reflection in the mirror after the Nioxin experience, she was delighted! She took the kit and promised to use it daily. To check the efficacy of this treatment, my mum has not used any other hair product (even hair oil) or undergone any other hair treatment (such as colouring) for almost the entire month now.

Her hair looks healthier. But she tells me, the entire process takes long. Especially the treatment bit, which has to be sprayed on the scalp after separating different hair-sections. Have you tried Nioxin? Let me know your experiences!

You can try and experience #NioxinNowIndia at your nearest salon. This activity is in association with BlogAdda.com.

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

A Fresh Look at Traffic Jams

Any Mumbaikar will tell you how much we hate our roads. There is either a pothole every few metres apart or an ensuing jam that will keep you behind the wheel for eons. While the average person stuck in a traffic jam would just remain frustrated and have a bad day ahead as a consequence, I have an interesting idea for you all to turn a traffic jam into a "jam-session"!

When all the vehicles around you are honking and the traffic is still, do not just sit there and curse the roads or the drivers. Get out of your car or bus or auto and off your bike or scooter. Go out, play some music and dance! Or if you are lucky, call Anushka Manchanda to sing for you in the middle of the streets! She will cheer up every angry passenger in the bus and make them sing along. While you are at it, make a call to the Southern star - Allu Arjun and get him over to teach you some cool dance moves! If you are not yet convinced of this electrifying pair of singer and dancer, watch this video of Bezubaan Phir Se, one of the songs from the upcoming movie - ABCD 2:-

ABCD in the title of this movie stands for Anybody Can Dance. Allu Arjun is terrific in his new lean look. Anyone would be amazed by his flexibility and the agility with which he commands over the dance floor. We must not forget that he has Anushka Manchanda's crystal clear and powerful voice to infuse a new life in the dance.

Being a dancer myself, I know how wonderful it feels to be able to move your body in a rhythm of your choice. You must mot wait for moments in which to dance. Instead, you should just start grooving when you hear some good music or catch some nice beats. A couple of years back, I was at an amazing party but I was too shy to dance. A shot of tequila later, I hit the dance floor and showed off my moves. I danced not only until the last song was played, but also with some very hot guys I would otherwise have never had the courage to approach.

So, take my advice. The next time you are stuck in traffic, hop out and dance like Allu Arjun to Anushka Manchanda's music! ;-)

I am blogging for the #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda.com. Are you?

A Fresh Move on a Boring Day

You will not believe how boring my office days usually are! To add to the boredom, my weekdays are tiring too! Let me take you through my schedule on the average workday:-

7 AM: I wake up after snoozing my alarm for half an hour. And I am woken by my screaming parents who cannot believe I have grown up and am not a school kid anymore.

7:30 AM: This is when I am actually awake and ready for a shower.

8 AM: I frown at my wardrobe and manage to fish out a half-decent outfit for work. If it's not well ironed, I have to iron as well. Then I throw in my hairclips, lipgloss and lip balms in my tiny pouch and decide I can do my hair and lips at office. I only wear some sunscreen and scrunch my hair up in a bun.

8:30 AM: My mum screams again to get me to have breakfast, and I realize then that I am late for my office cab. I take one bite into a fruit and ask her to pack the rest. She throws me a dirty look and curses me again. I rush out of my house, but remember to take my phone out of the charger just at the last minute. After getting irritated by the lifts that will take ages to arrive and the auto-rickshaw drivers who will never want to go anywhere, I finally am on my way to office.

9 AM: I reach office looking like I was stuck in a cyclone. Then I log on to my computer and am bombarded with a series of emails that make my heart sink. I cannot believe I am loaded with work again! I work non stop with only some loo breaks and a lunch break.

1 PM: Lunch is again something that makes me depressed. I wonder why nobody wants to change the caterers.

1:30 PM: My colleagues in London walk in and we have back to back meetings while my backache gets worse sitting on my chair for so long.

6:30 PM: It is finally time to leave for the day! But the traffic is just pathetic! To add to it, the rains beat mercilessly.

7:30 PM: I return home damp from both outside and within. I wish to do a bit of blogging, but my body is so tired, I just want to sleep. I carry my tired self through snacks, a lot of nagging from my mum and dinner.

Midnight: If I am lucky, I manage to sleep. Or else, I keep working until it's 1AM.

The only way to energize my dull day is to have Allu Arjun dance for me every morning with Anushka Manchanda singing a melodious number. This power packed duo can certainly charge my boring office day with some excitement with their glamorous presence. I would love to have them over at office too! They would totally rock the office and get us off our PCs and on the dancefloor!

I am blogging for the #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda.com. Are you?

Sunday, 14 June 2015

Lusting After Lodgy

Renault recently launched its swanky SUV - Lodgy in India. All this while, I have been dreaming about a romantic ride in this mean machine. The lovely weather, with the intermittent rains, cooling breeze and a fresh looking environment, only makes me dream even more about a long drive! My wishful thinking is all done, and today I am going to share my packing list with you. I will only talk about the five things which are most important to my world.