What New Thing I Want To Try In 2023

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What new thing do you want to try in the next year?

I’d like to try a new job next year. What I really want to achieve or accomplish is to find another job that pays a good deal more. Like Rs.20,000 to Rs.30,000 more than what I am currently getting in hand. That leaves me with a bit more money to play with and save as well. With medicals bills (dad, mom & mine), groceries and eating out, it just feels like I have a lot less in hand at the end of the month.

The fear of changing jobs in the current setting and wanting a full time work at home option is a bit off putting when compared to the comfort zone of where I am working right now. However it is high time that I made a change and now that it will be 8 years for me at my current place in January, it seems like a really good time to make changes.

So I wouldn’t even mind changing my roles a little bit. Whatever it takes to do a good job and make a lot more money but also working from home. I hope to make that change by January and well, wish me well and a lot of luck, as I will need it.

Prompt from 30 Best September Journal Prompts for 2022 at Lifegram.com

The First 15 Years Were The Best

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What time in your life do you always want to remember?

I had a very nice childhood and that is the time that I always want to remember. Unlike my mid 20s onwards which is on various vlogs, the times before that is not recorded. I wish I could have some way of relieving those days of my childhood; as I grow older those days fade into the background.

Once my family moved back to India – I wish I could have had this blog back then. It would have been fun to record moments of my life and thoughts from those years and especially as I became a teen and started getting interested in girls, women and sex. That should be an interesting read. And my thoughts and feelings for the girls I had a crush on and yes ofcourse my girlfriend of 5 years.

But mainly though my childhood all the years uptil the age of 16. Those were some really awesome years and I want to be able to really recall them.

Prompt from 30 Best September Journal Prompts for 2022 at Lifegram.com

The Golden Memories Of The Years Gone By

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What was your favorite thing to do as a child?

So I’m gonna say three of them. Number 1# was watching cartoons as a kid. I loved my cartoons and feel bad for the current generation of kids who grew up watching utter crap. For me Tom & Jerry, Droopy, Bugs Bunny & Looney Toons, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Pink Panther, Tweety Bird, Roadrunner, Mickey & Donald and all of them were awesome stuff. Thundercats and other bigger animated shows were so good. Even in the 90s when Cartoon Network’s What A Cartoon shows like Dexter’s Lab & Johnny Bravo came out – so much fun!

Second thing was eating snacks and good food. Like my Kitkos, Chocolate, chips etc. I loved the snacks I had growing up. So did other kids my age. Drinking 7UP and Pepsi and other soft drinks. The shawrma and burgers we used to get in Kuwait were amazing. And ofcourse KFC – these were the highlights. On some Fridays we also used to buy a special type of shark meat which was delicious. And I miss Hungry Bunny burgers which I think is a Gulf countries only product.

Third would be playing games and spending time with my cousins. Nothing like it. Whether it is playing cricket or football in the front yard of our grandparent’s house or boards games and card games during the evenings and on rainy days. Then watching movies or tv shows together, eating snacks and drinks and also playing quiz games. Also we spent hours playing music and just sitting and chatting, enjoying each other’s company and hanging around reading books. Those golden days will never come back again.

Prompt from 30 Best September Journal Prompts for 2022 at Lifegram.com

Binge-Watch Or Week-to-Week When Watching Tv Shows?

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Do you prefer to binge-watch TV or keep up week-to-week? Why or why not?

I guess I can do both and as I watch 7 to 8 tv shows during the fall season and then others that stream for 2 to 3 months, I balance them out as much as I can. I grew up watching weekly tv show episodes airing on tv and cable for most of my life and only started getting dvds (the cheaper kind first) since 2010. Hence I didn’t binge watch any show until that year and if I am not mistaken the first show that I did binge watch, not the first time I was watching it, was Star Trek Voyager and then Friends.

Now I think I like the binge watching option however that limits how many other shows that I can watch during the week. I usually do not spend as much time watching tv as much as I used to (or want to) and hence I might get 2 to 3 hours a day. Binging makes sense in that case but there are also so many tv shows that come out weekly which I would like to watch and catch up during those days. That makes it hard – also I tend not to watch tv shows on the weekends and instead only watch movies. Maybe I should change that.

Keeping up week to week is also good as it gives you a lot of variety in your shows. During the week you might be watching 1 each of horror, cop drama, medical, comedy, science fiction and adventure – which is exciting in it’s own way. So I guess a mix of both binging & week to week is best for me.

Prompt from 68 Fantastic Daily Writing Prompts for Everyone at Journal Buddies

What Was The Best Birthday You Ever Had?

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You know what? I can’t tell. I can’t think of one birthday that stands out as the fondest or best birthday ever. I think my 15th and 17th birthdays were really good. After that I don’t think I have celebrated it much other than by myself or with my family. A couple maybe with friends, like 2 or 3 in number.

I’m trying my level best to remember birthdays of mine during my 20s. Other than my 29th birthday which for some reason I remember a lot and I celebrated it all alone at home. It was also just a few months after my dog Shawny had died and I was not really into celebrating the birthday. But I had a nice day at home and at the bar and I guess that’s why I remember it a lot.

Since then none have been very memorable. The last 6 years I have been either buying a cake or my sister/niece get me one. I order food and we eat as a family. Nothing else has been happening. I guess I need a special birthday some year soon.

Prompt from 30 Best September Journal Prompts for 2022 at Lifegram.com

Five Benefits That Owning A Dog Gives You

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Lower stress: Studies have shown that petting a dog or cat can release the oxytocin hormone and decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol, resulting in a more relaxed state. Incidentally, scientists have confirmed that dogs reap the same benefits from being petted. In recent years, dogs have been brought into airports, nursing homes, even school campuses to help relieve stress and pressure.

Healthier hearts: A study dating back to the 80s found that touching or even talking to a dog can lead to lower blood pressure. In 2002, another study found that married couples who owned a pet had significantly lower heart rates and blood pressure levels than people without pets. Furthermore, in 2003, the American Journal of Cardiology published a reported that claims heart attack survivors who own pets are eight times more likely to live another year if they own a pet.

More active lifestyles: Need to amp up those steps or drop a few pounds? Owning a dog may be the kick-start you need. A 2011 study by Michigan State University researchers found that 60% of dog owners who walked their pets regularly met the recommended criteria for regular exercise. “There appears to be a strong link between owning and walking a dog and achieving higher levels of physical activity, even after accounting for the actual dog walking,” said epidemiologist Mathew Reeves, who led the study.

Fewer feelings of loneliness: From feeling obligated to get out of the house to walk their dogs as well as attracting attention by the presence of a dog, people who own dogs are proven to be less lonely. A study published in 1993 found that “dog owners reported significantly less dissatisfaction with their social, physical and emotional states.” Recently, researchers at the University of British Columbia, Canada, determined that homesick college students could benefit from dog therapy.

Fewer allergies: According to the Department of Pediatrics, infants in homes with dogs are significantly less likely to develop allergies. “Children who had a dog at home as newborns were much less likely to have allergic dermatitius (12% versus 27%) and wheezing (19% versus 36%) by their third birthday,” the department claims. Also, researchers are examining whether the bacteria in dogs’ mouths may have a probiotic-like effect on humans after licking their owners.

Midnight Mass

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Midnight Mass is an American supernatural horror streaming television miniseries created and directed by Mike Flanagan and starring Zach Gilford, Kate Siegel, Hamish Linklater, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Kristin Lehman, and Henry Thomas. The plot centers on an isolated island community that experiences supernatural events after the arrival of a mysterious priest. A young man returns to his isolated hometown on Crockett Island, hoping to rebuild his life after serving four years in prison for killing someone in a drunk-driving incident. He arrives at the same time as a mysterious, charismatic young priest who begins to revitalise the town’s flagging faith. However, the community’s divisions are soon exacerbated by the priest’s deeds while mysterious events befall the small town.

Soho Berry From The Brooklyn Creamery

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Ice cream and healthy? he healthy ice cream brand, The Brooklyn Creamery is one such brand that aims to give you such. The Brooklyn Creamery started out in 2020 as a small brand that offered healthy desserts. From the family that started Kwality Ice Creams and later who brought Baskin n Robbins to India, the great-grandson has come up with this unique brand that focuses on his own interest of healthy eating.

Offering 50% less calories than usual, Brooklyn is now available in 13 cities in India, including Cochin, and also has outlets in UAE & Saudi Arabia. You can order them via Swiggy or Zomato as well and the packaged ones are available via e-grocers like BigBasket, Zepto, Swiggy’s Instamart as well as some physical retailers as well.

The Soho Berry ice cream is the first one that I had tried. A berry-full low calorie ice cream swirled with strawberry, raspberry and blueberry. Naturally sweetened with no added sugar. 75 calories, no artificial sweeteners, no preservatives with 60% less fat. But it tastes really good.

Where do you like to the listen to music? Why?

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Where do you like to the listen to music? Why?

I have always enjoyed listening to music in my bedroom. Back in my family house in Thrikkakara I first had one bedroom, a smaller one facing the front of the house and I used that from 1987 till 1997 – ages 11 to 21. Since my sister had moved out post her wedding in 1995, I soon started storing my music albums in the cupboards of my sister’s now vacant room and soon that became my new bedroom. These two places is where I loved to play music the most. We also had a spare room which was our library and my computer room. I would take my stereo system from the bedroom and place them there for a while as while as I could listen to music while I played on my desktop.

I also used to play a lot of songs on my walkman. Every trip we took, every summer vacation stay in my grandmother’s house and spending time with my cousins, and sometimes even when I would spend the day in the city, my walkman was with me. I must have drained 1000s of batteries in the course of a decade or more listening to all that music on my walkman. When I lived in Bangalore for a year at the age of 19 I had these rechargeable batteries and I got a second pair just so I could listen to music as much as I could as it was my only source of happiness while living in a hostel.

Nowadays I listen to music in two ways – on my Smartphone with earphones or my new ear pods and playing the songs on my laptop and external speaker. I have my mp3s and I have Youtube for my laptop and I have Spotify & Prime Music for my phone. It’s all good and I can listen to music as much as I want.

Prompt from 20 Music Journal Ideas for Young Writers at Journal Buddies

RIP Louise Fletcher

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Louise Fletcher, the imposing, steely-eyed actress who won an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her role as the tyrannical Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, died on Friday at her home in the town of Montdurausse, in Southern France. She was 88. The death was confirmed by her agent, David Shaul, who did not cite a cause. Ms. Fletcher also had a home in Los Angeles.  She was also well-known for her recurring role as the Bajoran religious leader Kai Winn Adami in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–99), as well as for her role as Helen Rosemond in the movie Cruel Intentions (1999).

Born in Alabama to two deaf parents, she was initially taught by her aunt. She was nominated for two Emmy Awards for her roles in the television series Picket Fences (1996) and Joan of Arcadia (2004). Her final role was as Rosie in the Netflix series Girlboss (2017). Fletcher began appearing in several television series including Lawman (1958) and Maverick (1959) before her two guest roles in Perry Mason in 1960. She was a relatively unknown 40 year old when she was cast as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975).

Since then he made several financially and critically successful films, while others were box-office failures. Her roles in more successful films such as Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), The Lady in Red (1979), Firestarter (1984), Invaders From Mars (1986), Flowers in the Attic (1987), Two Moon Junction (1988), Virtuosity (1995) and Cruel Intentions (1999, as Sebastian’s aunt). Additionally, she played the character Ruth Shorter, a supporting role, in Aurora Borealis (2005), alongside Joshua Jackson and Donald Sutherland, and appeared in the Fox Faith film The Last Sin Eater (2007). She also was in tv movies but her most famous role on tv was as the recurring role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as the scheming Bajoran religious leader Kai Winn Adami.

Let me tell you something – I will always associate her as Adami (I have also watched her in Flowers In The Attic & Exorcist II: The Heretic. And I, like most people hate the character. That is a credit to her acting; she really played that role so well. Similarly in Flowers In The Attic she plays another character that I despise but man what a talented actress. I feel a profound sadness on the loss.

Reasons Why Some People Do Not Use Smartphones

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There are primarily a few reasons as to why people don’t use smartphones

Technology limit : Don’t know how to use them: this will be the most common type that you’ll find. These are mostly senior citizens who are way old to adapt to the new technology.

Affordability : There are some people who simply can’t afford it: let’s face it, most smartphones are not cheap. They are surely costlier than using a regular basic phone. People below the poverty line or those who have income below $1 a day can’t afford.

Not allowed to : usually these are people who are working in a closed environment where data security is the top priority. If they spend a lot of time in such an environment then they might only be allowed a basic phone for communication. Or they are not allowed to communicate with outside people for certain number of days until the necessary task is carried out or when they clock out. In such a situation, they might choose to not keep two phones and instead only use the basic one.

Skeptical of using one : Very less people belong to this category. These are people who know the fullest potential of a smartphone and it’s ability to break into user privacy. They know the darkest and unethical secrets of the smartphone world and choose to avoid getting trapped into it.

Anti-technology : Admittedly some people are technophobes, Luddites for those of you who understand the term, people who have no use for high tech devices. Certainly, the Amish have been living for a long time without technology and life does seem to function for them.

Reaching Out To Those Who Cannot Voice Themselves!

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There are more than 70 million deaf people worldwide and 300 different sign languages. Only two percent of deaf people have access to sign language education. The United Nations day is to raise awareness of the importance of sign language for deaf people’s human rights. To support the development and preservation of sign language, the International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated annually on September 23. As the name suggests, this day aims to spread awareness regarding the importance of sign language in the realization of the human rights of people who are deaf.

This year will mark the fifth such celebration which seeks to encourage early access to sign language and services such as quality education among the community. My interaction with deaf and/or mute people has been very little. Back in 1999 the sister of a friend used to meet up with a bunch of us and she had lost her voice as a child in an accident. So she could hear very well but her vocal chords were badly damaged and hence she used sign language. Other than here, I have met a couple of guys in Bangalore way back in 1995, who were both deaf & mute.

Other than that I haven’t met anyone from the community. Back in early 2020, I was supposed to take a session for around 25 young folks as part of an outreach program we had at the office, a skills enhancement sessions for some young folks who were speech and hearing impaired and I wasn’t sure how I would be able to contribute to conducting a learning session for them. However on the actual day I found out that it was instead folks with various motor impairments. While I was able to take the session easily, had it been the hearing impaired I would have been provided with an interpreter. It made me think, maybe I should try and learn sign language so I could communicate with them if the opportunity arose.

Five Benefits Of Eating Blueberries

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1) Maintaining healthy bones : Blueberries contain iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K. Each of these is a component of bone. Adequate intake of these minerals and vitamins contributes to building and maintaining bone structure and strength. Iron and zinc fulfil crucial roles in maintaining the strength and elasticity of bones and joints. Low intakes of vitamin K have been linked to a higher risk of bone fracture. However, adequate vitamin K intake improves calcium absorption and may reduce calcium loss.

2) Skin health : Collagen is the support system of the skin. It relies on vitamin C as an essential nutrient, and works to help prevent skin damage caused by the sun, pollution, and smoke. Vitamin C may also improve collagen’s ability to smooth wrinkles and enhance overall skin texture. One cup of blueberries provides 24 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.

3) Lowering blood pressure : Maintaining low sodium levels is essential to keeping blood pressure at a healthful level. Blueberries are free of sodium. They contain potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Some studies have shown that diets low in these minerals are associated with higher blood pressure. Adequate dietary intake of these minerals is thought to help reduce blood pressure.

4) Managing diabetes : Studies have found that people with type 1 diabetes who consume high-fiber diets have low blood glucose levels, and people with type 2 diabetes who consume the same may have improved blood sugar, lipid, and insulin levels. One cup of blueberries contributes 3.6 grams (g) of fiber. A large 2013 cohort study published in the BMJ suggested that certain fruits may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in adults. Over the course of the study, 6.5 percent of the participants developed diabetes. However, the researchers found that consuming three servings per week of blueberries, grapes, raisins, apples or pears reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 7 percent.

5) Protecting against heart disease : The fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and phytonutrient content in blueberries supports heart health. The absence of cholesterol from blueberries is also beneficial to the heart. Fiber content helps to reduce the total amount of cholesterol in the blood and decrease the risk of heart disease. Vitamin B6 and folate prevent the buildup of a compound known as homocysteine. Excessive buildup of homocysteine in the body can damage blood vessels and lead to heart problems.

According to a study from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of East Anglia, in the United Kingdom (U.K.) regular consumption of anthocyanins can reduce the risk of heart attack by 32 percent in young and middle-aged women. The study found that women who consumed at least three servings of blueberries or strawberries per week showed the best results.