No Thought : Letting go of things that hurt

Hey Everyone,

Do you know what are the toughest things to let go......the things that hurt you,the things that you hate......

Some days back,a person said some very hurtful things to me.The things she said were totally uncalled for and it was a totally unprovoked act of rudeness.I handled the situation as best as I could,but later found that I was unable to stop thinking about it.Now I knew the fault didn't lie with me and that I did the best I could with the situation.Still I couldn't stop being angry and resentful..........

I realized that I was giving so much of my time and energy to this person whom I didn't even like.I was giving so much thought and intense emotion to this incident that had hurt me.I thought "Wow! I really am attached to this hurtful thing that happened to me.I am holding it inside me and letting it poison me with hate and anger".

Come to think about it, isn't it amazing how much time we spend criticizing things,complaining about things, thinking about things that have gone wrong,hating people for having hurt us.........

Its so difficult to let go of negativity...... things that have hurt us and made us angry or afraid....things that have made us cry.....people that have caused us happiness.......

We carry these poisonous things in our heart......and you know what......holding all this pain in your heart is what really hurts us.....much more than the actual incident or person who caused it in the first place.

I don't want to hold the hurt....or the anger towards the person who hurt me......in my heart.

I want to be happy and at peace.

So I take a deep breath ,relax and try to empty my mind of all thought......"peace",I tell myself,"I am happy,I love myself,I am relaxed and at peace".

I do this a couple of times and it feels better.

I have realized that letting go of things that hurt is tough........but I am getting there......one calming deep breath at a time.

Au Revoir and I hope you have a great day. 

Hair Care : Review Sulphate Free "Rainforest Volume" shampoo by The BodyShop

Hi Guys,

Its me again :)
I promised you all a full review of the sulphate free "Rainforest Volume" shampoo by The BodyShop and here it is.

Well, I have been using this shampoo for almost 2 months now and I must say I am thoroughly satisfied with it.Here's why :

(Note : Please remember that I have fine silky hair and the results may vary with the kind of hair you have.)

• The first time I used it,I had oiled my hair quite heavily the night before,using my "Biotique Bio Bhringraj" oil at the roots and then my "Olitalia Extra Virgin Olive Oil" all along the lengths of my hair.I had those on overnight and in the morning I mixed 3 teaspoons of the shampoo with some water and applied it to my hair.It didn't lather too much but it took all the oil off in just 1 wash :O.I was like WOW.My hair felt fresh and clean.
• The second time I used both the shampoo and conditioner on normal non-oiled (: hair.Again not a lot of lather but clean hair all the same.You're supposed to apply conditioner from the roots of the hair to the tips and that's just what I did.Now the conditioner didn't feel particularly luxurious or creamy on my hair but it did add to the volume and made my hair softer and it absolutely didn't weigh my hair down.Hmm......the conditioner is......nice......but I am not awfully excited about it.....its ok.
• Both the shampoo and the conditioner have,as the BodyShop site claims,no silicones, no sulphates, no parabens and no colourants,which is a good thing.
• I have used the shampoo in combination with my "Dove Damage Therapy Intensive Repair" conditioner and I loved the results.Ofcource the conditioner is not silicone free and I apply this one along the lengths of my hair,concentrating on the ends,but I love it all the same <3

Here are a couple of reasons why this shampoo my not be your cup of tea :

• If you like lots of creamy lather then this is certainly not for you.But I must repeat that it cleans the hair really well. 
• This shampoo can be a tad drying
• It is more expensive than the normal drugstore shampoos.

So that's my review for you guys.All in all I really liked this shampoo and give it a thumbs up.Do give it a try if you are in the market for a sulphate free shampoo.I am kind of on the fence about the conditioner ......but it may grow on me.....we shall see.

The Indian site for The Bodyshop doesn't feature this shampoo but its available in the store outlets.
Here's the link to the shampoo on the US site :

http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/hair-care-products/natural-shampoo/rainforest-volumizing-shampoo.aspx

Have you tried this shampoo....if yes then do let me know whether you liked it......

Au Revoir!!!

No thought : Letting go of my beliefs

I have found that everytime I feel I have it figured out and I know my path in life,something shakes me up and I am back to not being sure about things.Its as if the thought that "Yes,this is it,this is what I believe about life and this is how I am going to approach it" brings a sort of rigidity to the way I live,and there is something or some force that will not allow any kind of rigidity to set in.

I have found that each time I build a belief structure for myself,I am immediately defensive about it because I want it proved right.Its a bit like saying "My God is the One True God".
Once the excitement of having figured it all out wears off,I am left with the fear that fate will deal a blow which will rock my faith and make me give up on what I believe.

So I shall try to let go of my beliefs and approach each moment with openness and see what comes to me.
I shall try to relax into each moment and see what it brings me.

I have nothing figured out and I feel at peace right now.All I know is ....this feels good,like sitting in a soothing,refreshing,cool breeze.....

Au Revoir....

Book Review : On Writing by Stephen king

“On Writing” by Stephen King is without doubt one of the best books I have ever read.

Now I am a great fan of the kind of book he generally writes : What would happen if the monster in the attic or under the bed was really real and came face to face with us….or even better…..tried to eat us up. Mmmm….I find those stories very delicious…..does it mean I have a morbid streak deep within my psyche…..well no matter…….thats just how I tick and tock (:

No, On Writing is ,as it says on the front cover, is a ”A Memoir of the Craft”….It is a book about writing…..about King’s journey towards becoming one of the most popular writers alive, about what he considers good writing and his advice for new aspiring writers.

And If you are thinking it’s going to be one boring text book/essay type thing…….you couldn’t be more wrong.

I think this book rocks for 3 reasons :

1) It’s hilarious
2) If you love to write like I do, this book can teach you a lot about the craft while keeping you as interested as any good page turner.
3) It tells the truth. The honesty with which its written grips you and charms you.

Now what more do you need from a book…..for god’s sake!!!
In my humble opinion it’s a must read for anyone who writes or aspires to write well.
And even if you just like reading ….this is a great book anyways…..give it a try.

I leave you with my favorite quote from the book :

“......no one likes to root for a guy
over the course of three hundred pages only to discover that
between chapters sixteen and seventeen the pig ate him....”

Au Revoir

Hair Care : Sulphate Free shampoos

Hi Guys,

On my quest for thick (ha ha ha....I have fine silky hair....but I believe in miracles......and angels......), long,healthy hair.....I am constantly on the lookout for new products........and I was soooo excited when I read about sulphate free shampoos.

Almost all drugstore shampoos,and most highend shampoos,have Sodium Laureth Sulphate(SLS) for creating lather.But this chemical is also supposed to be harsh on your hair and dry it in the long run,making it brittle and breakable.Now I have gone through lots of material about how effective Sulphate Free shampoos are and do they really make a difference.Opinions are divided as to whether these shampoos really are worth the money and the hype.Because they certainly do cost more than your average drugstore shampoo.

Another concern people have with Sulphate Free shampoos is that they do not lather as well as the regular shampoo and so they don't really feel as if their hair is being really cleaned.

Well, the regular shampoos lather more because of the SLS and other similar detergent contents.

However ,I have found from my research that most people agree that you don't need lather to clean your hair and the Sulplate Free shampoos do just as good a job of cleaning hair.

Also the ingredients in these shampoos are definitely gentler on the hair and scalp compared to common shampoos with SLS and other similar chemicals.

Here are 2 links that talk about Sulphate Free shampoos,their benefits and peoples' experiences with them:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100610221827AA0EZdu

http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/archive/index.php/t-8946.html

This link here talks about various sulphate free shampoos available:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=87347

L'oreal has a line of Sulphate free shampoos that's much talk about and well thought of,the EverPure range for colored hair and the EverStrong one for the non colored variety I guess :)....I do have a suave way of putting things :



Now I was searching for a good Sulphate Free shampoo but try as I may I couldn't find one I liked online that shipped to India.But then I was looking through the Indian site for The BodyShop and found that they have a whole range of Sulphate Free shampoos called the "Rainforest" range....yayyyyyyyyy!!...And I have an outlet quite near where I live YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!

So I popped over there the first chance I got and bought the "Rainforest Volume" shampoo along with the conditioner that goes with it.The 400ml bottle cost me around Rs 750 which is around 9 British pounds

or 15 dollars.Its costlier but I am hoping it will be worth it.Full reviews coming up for the both the shampoo and the conditioner which is silicone free:)

Au Revoir!!!!

Going on inspite of things

Hi Everyone,

Its been long-time-no-see for us....but so much has been going on with me and what with this and that and office and home.......I have had no energy (how cliche is that)......

Anyways,I have been in a rather bad way of late........exhausted and confused about things......worrying about a lot of things that are really out of my control.....and its taking a toll on a lot of things that I like doing....like blogging...... and a lot of things that are good for me.....like exercising.....

It happens to a lot of us,doesn't it......we get worried about things and drop a lot of our routine activities just because we cant bring ourselves to do these normal ,mundane activities when we are so highly strung and worried about issues that loom so large and seem soo important.

What I have realized is that there will always be issues.....sometimes many and sometimes few.
Giving up on my daily activities is like giving in to the issues and problems surrounding you and is a step towards letting them overwhelm you.
On the other hand ,if I continue with my everyday activities and other things that are good for me,it has a soothing affect on me and helps me stay grounded.

I have realized that issues and problems seem lighter and much more handle able if you don't let them numb you.Carry on with life as normally as you can and try to take care of your self and your body ,indulge in you hobbies and try to do all the stuff you normally do......and your mind will be much more peaceful and cool and serene.....no matter what issues you feel threatened by right now.

his is what I have learnt from my own experiences......and I shall make an effort to apply this more and more in my life.

So my friends......what your take on this?

Au Revoir!!!

Fav YouTubers : Fleur de Force

I love Fleur's videos,both of the beauty kind and her vlogs.
She is so genuine and funny and sort of....polished....I think she is really classy and elegant.....maybe its because she's English :) .......jokes apart.....she is great guys.....my fav YouTuber of the moment.
So if you like beauty and/or fashion videos then go check her out,below are a couple of links :

Beauty Channel : http://www.youtube.com/fleurdeforce


Vlog Channel : http://www.youtube.com/user/FleurDeVlog
 
Blog: http://www.fleurdeforce.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fleurdeforce1

HairStyle : Diagonal part for round faces Feat. Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez is one girl who has exactly the same face structure as I do....round with full cheeks....and a not too large forehead :) .Mark  how the sort of "diagonal part" looks great on her.I think it becomes her much more than a simple side or middle part.What do you think ? (btw love her lip color in this first one)

So what do you say girls.....would you give the "diagonal part" a try?

I never overeat when I am Happy

Hi there,

So got back from office about an hour back and still have to cook dinner.........sooo this one is going to be short and sweet.....as I have about 2 seconds to pen this down......but I simply have to share this one with you guys.....

Generally when I get back from office,I have an urge to eat something.....and generally its something unhealthy like a chocolate....or instant noodles (any other Maggie addicts around???)...or ready to eat snacks full of oil and spices.But today was different.I have had an exceptionally great Monday,ladies and gentlemen,and hence am in an exceptionally great mood.And do you know what I ended up eating,as my evening snack.....ok you won't believe this.....but try.....here goes......FRUITS!!!!!!
I had an apple and then a delicious orange....and then the thought came to me......I generally eat healthy when I am happy......I eat good stuff and I don't stuff myself  :)

So maybe if I maintain my Happiness Quotient,my body will get naturally and effortlessly healthy.
Maybe all I have to do is.......do stuff that makes me feel good .......
What a great thought this is.....I am positively all shookup....heh heh.....

Self Help guru Esther Hicks says.....just Get Happy and everything else will take care of itself.
I believe in the truth of this.......do you?

A nice,chatty monday morning + Soothing,mellow songs

Hello there,


Its 7:30 am where I am and I have just made my self a nice cup of tea........sounds so British and olde world doesn't it......a nice cup of tea...hmmm.I remember when I was much younger and used to be an avid Agatha Christie reader (well I still love them to death but unfortunately I have read them all and she isn't writing any more :( )
.....in those books,there was nothing a nice cup of tea couldn't cure.....

By the way,the flowers in the picture are just some beautiful blossoms growing near a friend's apartment building......so fresh......I loveeeeeee them!!!

Anyways, now that I am all cozy with my nice cup of tea and a mellow song playing in the background......I thought I will say a little Hi!! to you guys.So Hi Guys!!!!!......I hope you are having a nice Monday morning (yes!!! such things do exist...."nice Monday mornings" are possible....in fact this blog post of mine is all about how you can do away with Monday Blues)....

If it is still Sunday evening for you then I hope you had a great weekend and enjoyed and had lots of fun and are feeling just fine and refreshed.

God! its so good to talk to you guys.....which seems kind of odd to me because obviously you can't talk back......I mean of course you can comment and stuff but I can't actually see you guys,can I......and yet.....this feels so nice and restful......

So lets go on.......shall we......by the way the "mellow song playing in the background" is "waiting in vain" from the soundtrack of the movie Serendipity.Its a lovely song and is one of my favourites.Here's a link to the song on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYOlACrt1o0&list=PL45483D78700D1B13&index=7&feature=plpp_video

In fact I have made a playlist of my favourite "soft and relaxing" songs on youtube.Here's the link to that :

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL45483D78700D1B13&feature=plcp

That's all for now guys!!!
I hope you have a Great day!!
Au Revoir!!!!

Just Relax...........Zettai Daijoubu da yo

Hi There,

This past week has not been one of the best,although I have definitely seen worst :)
You know,just the small annoyances which do not matter so much in the larger scheme of things but do really upset you.The office has not been exactly loving and I was hit by one of the worst Monday Morning Blues....only they lasted kind of throughout the week....hmmmm

There are others matters that were heavy on my heart but are sort of too.....complicated and personal to share ....we all have those ,don't we.....I believe we all do.....even the ones that look carefree and always carry a cheerful smile on their faces....

Anyhow,I do believe my burden is lighter than most and am very blessed in my life......well,at least......I believe that most of the time :)....at other times I feel like running away from everything.....to Timbuktu.....or Pluto :)

Well,I am glad to be able to tell you that everytime I feel down,low, sad and mad......I am able to get out of the blue mood fairly quickly......and by "fairly quickly" I mean in 5 min to a few hours....depending on the intensity of the blueness........and this is what helps........and its pretty simple:

I just let go of the worrying,fretting thoughts,take a few deep breaths,and tell myself "All you have to do is relax....just relax".....and just leave my mind and body to do as they please.....prepare the morning breakfast or read a nice blog post or two.....or clean the house.......just anything....
Usually I end up feeling calm and de-stressed......and just generally soothed down in a matter of minutes.....even happy....you might say...
And is that not what really matters,to feel good now.
After all,we only live 1 moment at a time......so now is the only time there is.......so if you are feeling good Now then you're set :)

Have you ever seen a cork float in water……how effortlessly it maintains its cheerful bobbyness on the surface of the water.
I read in an Abraham Hicks article that humans are like corks,in so far as it is in our nature to be happy just like it is in the nature of corks to float.(Note : If you don’t know about Abraham Hicks,here is the link to my posts on this).The article went on to say that it should not take a lot of effort for a person to be happy,because it is our natural state.
But this natural state of ours is all clouded over by the constant worry and stress and social conditioning that teaches us life is this long hard grind and a constant struggle and that all responsible,good people should work hard and look serious…..whew!!!

I believe that if we just let our self be and stop struggling so much and trying so hard,we may get there faster.What ever our heart's desires are,they finally translate into happiness and peace,right.We want certain things because we believe having them will make us feel that rush of joy and that glow of happiness.
And its perfectly ok to desire things....I for one desire loads of stuff.....I want everything and then some ....why not :) ......but feeling happy and at peace should not be so hard.

In fact it should not be hard at all....and it isn't.I know this because I have experienced it over and over again.
Just relax,cut yourself some slack,just let yourself be.......your self is wise enough to find its way to happiness and all good feelings if you will just let it be..........Zettai Daijoubu da yo!

Au Revoir!!!
And a shout out to @Jayson Quinones whose comment inspired me to write this post on this sunday morning!!
Hearing from you guys is always a treat!
Have a great day everyone!

About "The BodyShop" + Mini Haul

Hi Everyone,

So a few days back I popped into “The Bodyshop” store at the mall near my place.

For those who are new to this brand, “The Bodyshop” sells cosmetics and bath and body products with natural ingredients.It is a child company of L'oreal and was founded in the UK.It has outlets in most countries including the US,UK and of cource India.Below is the list of countries they retail in :

http://www.thebodyshop.com/index.aspx

You can order stuff online from their online stores......only the Indian website doesn't seem to have online shopping .....bummer......anywho......Below are the links to their Global,US,UK and India sites:

Global : http://www.thebodyshop.com/_en/_ww/index.aspx 

US : http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/

UK : http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/_en/_gb/index.aspx

India : http://www.thebodyshop.in/

Now I haven’t tried a lot of their products, the reason being that I am just getting into the high end bath and body products thing.I have bought some Lush products recently and will be putting up a haul/review up soon,but I have still to reconcile myself to spending so much on bath and body products when there are so many cheaper alternatives available.

Also I use up my shower gels and body lotions really fast so a normal size tube of body lotion will last me only....... like.....3 days.

Still,with all the talk going on about Lush and other such awesome natural stuff……I expect to be lured in slowly but surely(: ......

So I have yet to try any of their body lotions and body butters and shampoos and shower gels (although I have heard plenty of good things about their body butters and planning on buying some....yum(:....such a shopping freak....sheesh......).but I am a fan of their lipsticks and lip stains.

Now I have this phobia of lipstick going into my body with all the chemically stuff it carries.That’s what drew me to “The BodyShop” lipsticks and liptints.The site claims that they contain natural products that don’t harm the body.Below are the ingredients in the lipsticks I bought,as per the site :

Marula oil - Is a very effective moisturiser that also helps to condition the skin over time. Also provides essential fatty acids that help to repair the skin's moisture barrier, thus helping to restore moisture, smoothness and suppleness.

Organic beeswax - Moisturises and helps to condition the skin. Acts as a barrier that helps to seal in moisture. Helps to keep product texture consistent when used over time.

Grapeseed oil - Is very rich in essential fatty acids that help to repair the skin's moisture barrier, thus helping to restore moisture, smoothness and suppleness. I love all that natural goodness….I bought 2 lipsticks and a lip-and-cheek stain(Please excuse the quality of these pics.....I lost my camera....these cruddy images are from my no-good laptop camera :(  )

The first one I got is in the shade 63-Sunset Peach from their "ColourGlide" range.It retails for Rs 600 which is about $12 or 7.5 British Pounds.

This one is a corally,more orangy color….its really pretty and I love it.

The pigmentation is good too……these lipsticks are not sheer…..which I really like because my lips have some darkening around the corners and the edges and sheer lipsticks just don’t float my boat (: ……But these babies cover my lips really well which is cool.

They are not extremely moisturizing ,there are somewhere between a matte and a super rich lipstick.

So of cource they go on much better if you moisturize your lips before hand.But since they are not super creamy,they last on the lips for a reasonable amount time (unless your eat something of cource (: )….which is another thing I love about them.

The second one I got is the shade 14-Pink Ginger,again from the  "ColourGlide" range.

This one is more of a pinkish nude and is quite pigmented too….it basically has the same texture as the last one…..and I loooooooove it……

Although this one looks darker,its actually quite near my actual lip color and so works like a really pretty nude for me…..ideal for office and other formal occasions.I have a light olive skin tone and totally recommend this as the nude lipstick of choice for anyone with my skin color.

Here are swatches for both lipsticks : 

The last thing I want to show you today is also my favourite lip product in the whole world….and it is the BodyShop Lip & Cheek Stain in the shade 01 Rose Pink.It comes with a doe foot applicator and 2 sweeps of this baby gives your lips that luscious,bitten look that is to die for.......**swoon**

The color is really build able,and 1 application will make it look like your lips have a naturally reddish tint.

Also since it is a stain it stays on the lips much longer than a lipstick does......I love love love it &lt;3

And oh yeah....this retails for Rs 575 which is again about $12 or 7.5 British Pounds.

Well that's all for now guys,tell me if you like BodyShop products or whether you would like to try them....

Hope I get a better camera soon.......*sigh*

Au Revoir!!!!

Bruce Lee : Quotes Part I

Hi There,

I have loved Bruce Lee since forever after watching his movie "Enter The Dragon" when I was little.
I have always felt that there was much more to him than his physical prowess....as the quotes below show :
"A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at. "

"All fixed set patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. The truth is outside of all fixed patterns. "

"Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successfull personality and duplicate it. "


"If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. "

"Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system. "

"Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick. "


"The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be. "

"The possession of anything begins in the mind. "


“Zen is not “attained” by mirror-wiping mediation, but by “self-forgetfulness in the existential ‘present’ of life here and now.” We do not “come”, we “are.” Don’t strive to become, but be.”


“The measure  of the moral worth of a man is his happiness. The better the man, the more happiness. Happiness is the synonym of well-being”


“The “moment” has no yesterday or tomorrow. It is not the result of thought and therefore has no time.”


"Awareness has no frontier; it is giving of your whole being, without exclusion."
 
"The man who is really serious, with the urge to find out what truth is, has no style at all. He lives only in what is."

Extra Virgin Olive Oil : My favorite skin and hair care product

Hi Everyone!!!

So a year back I had a really bad outbreak of acne.

At the time I was using a face cream by the all natural Indian brand “Biotique”.Now that’s a pretty good brand in itself .But looks like my skin was going through an extra sensitive phase and the Biotique thing was too greasy for me.

Anyways I tried lots of different brands of face creams including the very popular “Olay Total Effects" (Its very popular in India….soo….sorry if you are from elsewhere (: ).I also tried a couple of anti-acne creams. Well, nothing helped. The anti-acne cream would shrink one pimple and another would pop out in its place.

For a few nights I just washed my face with a mild face wash and slept without applying anything to my face.The only thing that did was…..leave me with a very dry face. The acne problem remained as it was.

Then I came across a youtube video showing how olive oil could be used to moisture the face and helped with acne.I decided to give it a try and the rest is….as they say….history. I am now an ardent fan of Extra Virgin Olive oil and regularly use it on my face, body and hair.

Here is some information on Olive oil and its use for skin and hair care

1.       I always use extra virgin ,cold pressed olive oil.It’s the purest form of olive oil with very little precessing . So every time I mention olive oil,I always mean extra virgin ,cold pressed olive oil.

2.       Extra Virgin olive oil will not clog your pores.Its particles are too big to clog up the pores

3.       I have read in many places that Italian olive oil has less pesticides and other chemicals compared to olive oil manufactured in Spain.Not sure whether the claim is valid but I go for the Italian brand.

4.       Make sure you store olive oil in a dark colored bottle. Olive oil degrades when exposed to light.

I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil by the brand Olitalia.500 ml costs Rs.325(Indian Rupee) and comes in a dark green bottle.

I buy mine from the super market at the mall near my place.....but here's the link to it from amazon where it retails for $11.50.(I don't know of any Indian website which sells this online,do you?) :

Here are the YouTube videos that initially inspired me to use Olive Oil.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3324538B77B199D2&feature=plcp

I am planning on doing blog posts on my hair care and skin care routine using olive oil......hope these are up soon.....fingers crossed (:

Au Revoir!

A quick tip on giving your blog a makeover

Hi guys,

Its me again (who else would it be ....... heh heh.....hmm)

So in my last post I told you guys some stuff about how I went about redoing my blog design ,from scratch,and I forgot to mention one very important thing.

I have been wanting to redesign my blog for the longest time but I was not able to do so because of the huge amount of time required to do that.I work full time, plus I am wifey too,so I have a house and home and a husband to take care of as well.As you can guess,there's not a lot of time left for other activities (I still am able to while away a lot of my time though.....mainly watching YouTube videos or reading magazines....I don't know how I am able to achieve that.....hmmmm.....I must have like a super power.....maybe I am a mutant....you know....like the X-Men....OFF TOPIC ALERT!!!...stop it Pooja)

Sooooo anyways,what I am trying to say is,I was scared of changing my blog design because most days I have less than an hour to spare for blogging activities.....So if I were to try a new design,I won't find the time to fully implement it in one go.The redesigning could take days.And what would happen to my blog in the mean while.Would my site be down for the whole time,or be a complete mess and unreadable.

I would hate that,and so was shying away from the task for a long time.

Then I got a genius idea.Create a prototype blog,add some sample posts to it and apply my existing template to this second blog.Then I can do all the experimenting I want on this guinea-pig-bloggie and once I am done I can simply save the new template and apply it on my Real blog. (it may seem an obvious idea to you but....you're not me....ok (: ...to me its sheer genius....sheer genius I say!!!)

Sorry if this looked like a humongous chatty intro and one teeny tiny idea......but that's how I roll!!!

ciao!!!!
hasta la vista baby!!!!
affirmative!!

A Fresh Look !!!!!! plus blog design tips and links

Hi Everyone,

HappinessnLove has a fresh new look!!!!

I have been thinking of changing the look of the blog for a long time now,but got around to doing it only recently.
I had been using a template I had downloaded from the net,from the site below :

http://www.allblogtools.com/

This site has a huge collection of templates for blogs created using Blogger.

Anyways,I wanted to give my blog a much more personal and cozy look.....you know....I want it to be a sort of soft,warm,fluffy,fuzzy place to rest your spirits after a long day (: .....also I wanted to declutter my site and give it more individuality.So I started looking around for a template that suited my current taste.In the process I came across some more sites hosting really good blogger templates,linking them below :

http://www.ourblogtemplates.com/

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/50-most-beautiful-blogger-templates/

http://www.bfreetemplates.com/

I decided I will create a header image of my own and use it in a template of my choice.
Here are a few links I liked,for header images :

http://www.freewebpageheaders.com/gallery/
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/03/05/blog-headers-for-free-download/
http://www.freewebheaders.com/

When I realized that none of the ready made headers quite suited my purpose,I decided to use vectors and created a header of my own.In the 2 sites below, I found lots of tiny ornamental designs which I used to design my header,using Microsoft Paint(I know its not the recommended software to do this kind of thing,and its more professional to use photoshop.....but I am not quite on that level yet (:  ....maybe I will get around to using the cool stuff.....eventually....).

http://vectorfile.net/
http://filevector.com/

As for the blog template, I did like a couple of designs,but they proved too difficult to implement for someone of my abilities (:
That was a bit of a setback and I sort of left the idea alone for a couple of days.
But 2 days back I again started casting about for ways to achieve the look I wanted,when I got the idea to use the blogger feature "Template Designer".The snap below shows where you can find it once you login to blogger :

Here's what you get once you click on the "Template Designer" link :

 
Once here you can choose a basic template,the background color/image,how many columns you want to have.....the whole works.Its pretty much self explanatory and really easy to work with.

Well, that's what I basically used to create a new design for my blog.Its nowhere near finished......I have a lot of ideas I want to implement and I will do that by the by.
Coming up is a tutorial on how to add the cool buttons at the top,instead of having a boring top menu....hope I will get around to doing that really soon.

Till then,
I will see you when I see you,
beep! beep!

Happy New Year 2012 and New Year's Resolutions

Hi Everyone,

Wish you all a very very happy new year.

I hope you have a whole lot of happiness and the year is full of hope and mellow good cheer for you.

So tell me,did you make any new year resolutions?
Well,I did make one ,and here it is :

1.  I shall use my time more wisely,to get the maximum happiness out of my day(was that a really geeky  way of saying that....mmm....its ok,I am geeky (: )

Now I have a very low boredom threshold ,and I spend a lot of time everyday obsessively watching YouTube videos or reading books I don't even like that much....and then at the end of the day I end up feeling quite miserable and not so good about myself.I could have used some of that time in doing something that would have actually made me happy....like cleaning my home or writing or exercising.
And then,after doing stuff that actually means something to me,the YouTube videos and novels would have given me immense pleasure because it was well deserved.
And I could have gone to bed happy.
So yeah,this is my first new year's resolution : "I shall spend most of my time doing things that make me happy and are creative and give me a sense of accomplishment"

(You know,yesterday I was cribbing about being bored to my best friend ,and she said "Between working full time and looking after your home,where do you get time to be bored".And I said "Well,It may be tough for others but I manage just fine" (: Oooh that was suave...heh heh )

Soo......I shall keep you updated on how I have been doing with my new years resolution and what changes it has brought to my life.....

I hope to begin my new year on a very fresh and happy note .....and I hope that yours is fresh and happy too......and if life seems a bit stingy in handing over the freshness and happiness....we shall be creative and brave and manufacture some ourselves.....yay!!!

See you around,
bye! bye!

I joined Bloglovin!!!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Louise Aka SprinkleOfGlitter : My favourite Youtuber (:

You know that feeling......when you are simply tired out,it has been a long day.....you have had your fill of the little pleasures and pains.....much has been achieved and quite a few lessons learned......you have given the day its due and now you are ready for some well deserved rest......

Well when I feel that feeling (: (Feel that feeling....lameeeeeeeeee)....I go to Louise's channel......and relax into a few minutes of warm,cozy good humor and cheerfulness.
Her's is a beauty channel...but there's so much more to it.Lots and lots of funnyness ....each video brings a smile to your face.Also you see a person who is genuine and not afraid to be herself......
And then there's BabyGlitter....her baby daughter.....who I think is about the cutest baby in the whole world....She appears in many of Louise's videos and seeing her so happy and cute always brightens my day!

So here's a link to Louise's channel,do have a gander there (as Louise would say (: )

http://www.youtube.com/user/Sprinkleofglitter

She has a blog too :

http://sprinkleofglitter.blogspot.com/

Have an awesome Christmas Louise.........and same goes out to you guys....
I wish you lots of Happiness and Joy and Good Cheer and Good Luck

Meek! Meek!

My day today

Morning(Don’t want to say exactly when  (:  ) : So I am @Office…..finally (: …..
Have to face considerable traffic on our way but the hubby handles it.
Starting my day now……look forward to accomplishing a lot today…..be very productive and all that.
I intend to give my 100% to the job ….you know why?
Because I have noticed that when I put all I got into whatever I am doing…..it becomes a sublime experience…….I feel that the most mundane job can become a thing of beauty if you put your whole self into it.
And then doing your job gives you happiness……which is like the whole point of being alive….isn't it……to be wonderfully happy!

 Somewhat Later : Just had lunch.After lunch I generally tend to let things go for a while ……..just relax and generally……waste time.
Now I am not saying that relaxing is a waste of time. Relaxing is great if it refreshes you.
But too much of “doing nothing useful” kind of dulls my senses and gives me a mouldy,decayed ,slug like feeling…as if my very fingers don’t want to more…..hmmm….descriptive wasn’t that (: ….
I am not sure if that’s only me or does it happen to everyone (comment and let me know please).

Anyways ,today I had my usual post lunch walk around the office building and then,once I came back,I immediately started work without thinking about it.
Now for me that’s the key,”not thinking about it”.Because once I think about starting work,through force of long established habit,I dilly dally.
But starting work without thinking doesn’t allow the habit thing to kick in and before I know it….I have tricked myself into working….heh heh….cool ain't I (: Shall definitely use this technique to get other stuff done….what do you think guys……does it look useful?

Much Later : Almost 1 hr to go and then the weekend starts..hoorrryyyyy!!!!.....the work day went fine…..all my work is done ….all my ducks are in a row….you might say (: The hubby and I will be visiting friends later today……a husband and wife who have had the cutest tiny baby boy about 3 months back…..Looking forward to a whole lot of awesome coochie – cooing with the little cutie….. Nice day today.

Amongs other things, during a break at work I read a story called “The Last Rung on the Ladder” by my favourite writer,Stephen King.Unlike most of his stories,this one isn’t horror.Instead it’s a beautiful story about how a loving,caring brother slowly loses touch with his younger sister,drawn by ambition and the demands of a hectic work life……..The story manages to be simple and yet hauntingly mysterious…….I loved it.

 Tell me a bit about your day…or your weekend…
Bye for now….
meek! meek!