October 25, 2020

Book Review: The Kite Runner


 

“For you, a thousand times over!!” 


One sentence, multiple emotions. That’s how I describe The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

 

A simple line of 6 words is capable of carrying various emotions like shame, guilt, friendship, forgiveness, love, and regret. 


The Kite Runner is not a book written on the grounds of being morally or politically correct. Rather, it’s a book that lets you live through various conflicting emotions that a human being goes through in his life. How a decision shapes up a person or a person’s destiny is beautifully sewn by Khaled Hosseini.


The plot unfolds against the backdrop of Afghanistan and is a moving portrait of Afghanistan's glorious days to Afghanistan under Taliban Rule. It takes the readers through a country, which is more than just a troubled land.


Hassan, a pure and loyal servant cum friend said the above-quoted words to Amir who is conflicted and unsure on emotional and moral ground. Hassan and Amir, who were fed from the same breasts, who learned to crawl together, who spent their entire winters flying kites, who taught each other to ride a bicycle, and yet Amir never considered Hassan as his friend in the usual sense. This is an accepted equation between a master and a servant in our society, which is based on history, ethnicity, or religion, be it between Amir’s father and Hassan’s father or between Amir and Hassan. Still, that one incident in the winter of 1975 changes their point of view towards life. Hassan’s soul dies a painful death and Amir searches for redemption through Hassan’s son, Sohrab’s eyes.

 

Hosseini’s writing is simple, with no added glitter which lets you live the story and not just read it. It puts a personal face on Afghanistan and drives the readers through the sufferings of the flesh and bones living in the conflicting, troubled land.

 

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Rating: 4.6 out of 5

 

Plot: 4.5

Language: 4

Character Building: 5

Reader Engagement: 5

Ending: 4.5

 

October 20, 2020

How to efficiently plan your day as a working woman in 9 simple steps?


If you are born into a woman's skin, you probably already know that life is not going to offer much of that physical rest to your body. Most of the time, you would be the first to wake up in the house and last to hit the bed.  

If you are a homemaker, you are expected to be on your toes and fulfill the needs of your family the entire day. If you have children, you have added responsibilities of your kid's development into responsible human beings. On top of that, if you are a working woman, be prepared for a roller coaster ride. The feeling of guilt to not be able to give sufficient time to your family becomes constant with an added struggle of trying to be the best employee in your capacity. 

No matter how hard you try and plan your day, you end up feeling exhausted and a feeling to plan your day better from tomorrow. But, isn't that a vicious cycle that we all go through every day, only to find ourselves stuck again in the cycle by the end of the day. 

Certainly, I can't plan your day as every family's needs are different at different points in time. But I can help you with some super handy tips that would be useful for almost all you ladies out there. Let's dive right into it. 


1. Start your day 10 minutes earlier than your scheduled time. Don’t forget to make your bed, comb your hair into a neat bun and drink a glass of lukewarm water. This gives you enough time to knock that sleep off your head and get back on your toes for the rest of the day, with a calm and happy mood. 


2. Sort the clothes for laundry and put them in the washing machine. By the time you freshen up and prepare breakfast, your clothes would be all set to be dried under the sun. 


3. Park the elaborated meal for your weekends. For weekdays, prepare a 5-day meal plan and put the sticky notes in a frequently accessed place, say your refrigerator. Choose the menu such that it’s easy and simple for you to prepare along with being healthy & fulfilling for your family. Here is the list of easy and healthy recipes that you can use for your 5-day meal plan. 


4. Chutneys are an essential part of an Indian meal. If you or your family are also fond of chutneys, prepare a batch over the weekend and store in jars. This will save you from an extra task every day as chutneys can be easily stored for a week.

5. Make sure to boil and store some legumes like chana or chickpeas in the fridge. There are various ways you can use legumes as part of your meal. It also makes sure that you are not letting junk seep into your meal if on a rainy day you are running short of time.     

6. Divide and Conquer might not be the best policy always. But, it’s a great policy when it comes to keeping your house clean. Set aside 15 mins every day for dusting and cleaning one particular area and put a timer for the same. This will make sure that you don't lose track of time while cleaning and you won't have to spend the entire weekend just cleaning the house. 


7. Clean the gas stove, kitchen platform, and utensils before sleeping. It might look like a hell lot of task after a hectic day but surely works like meditation. It’s such a satisfying feeling to see the dishes getting cleaned up slowly and going back to bed with a clean kitchen. Also, it's not a very good feeling to enter into a smelly kitchen as soon as you get up. This will save you from the morning hassle and also keep your mood uplifted to prepare those amazing dishes for your family. 

8. Once your clothes are dried up, make sure to fold and keep them in the wardrobe. This might take 10 mins extra but would definitely save you from the heap load of clothes waiting for you during the weekend. 

9. Before switching off the lights for the day, follow the 2F rule. i.e. cleanse and moisturize your face and feet. It relaxes you from the core, ensures a night of peaceful sleep, and lets your skin breathe and rejuvenate in the night. 


 


Image Courtesy: YourStory