It has been ages since I last smiled at an unknown stranger when our eyes met. Social media, news, movies, has made us so uptight and alert that our natural reflex has shifted from smiling to suspecting them.
We no longer enjoy food as we did
Snapchat and Instagram have made people forget the value of here and now. Instead of being happily in the present moment, we are often more focused on portraying a happy life which may be far from the reality. The satisfaction of the first sip of the morning tea or the first bite of the domino’s pizza doesn’t feel the same as it did a decade ago. The first thought that we have when we see a delicious food now is to click a perfect picture to show other’s how wonderful our life is.
We no longer see Bollywood as we did before
A decade back movie stars were famous for their work and that was enough in itself. Acting was seen as a profession and a job. However, the current Bollywood seems more like a political party than a show business. It is not the work but the lives of the celebrities that we are most interested in. Political leaders are supposed to have opinions and that is what is to be taken seriously by the people. However, now it is the opinions of our favourite celebrities that we are more into.
We no longer have real meaningful bond
The friendship and relationship trends have changed since the last decade. There were more meaningful bonds between link minded people who were true to one another (even behind their back). However, now the long evening chai meets have turned to Starbucks coffee meets. Where though we are physically together, but mentally and emotionally far into two different worlds in our mobile phones.
As the current pandemic has got us all confined in our house, a lot of dreams of travelling around the world has been crushed. So instead, how about I take you on a world tour via books!
However, this book tour will happen over a series of 7-8 days, so pack up your luggage accordingly.
This tour begins with the largest continent – Asia.
( PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE SOME OF THE MANY COUNTRIES IN ASIA, THOSE THAT ARE MISSING WILL HAVE THEIR OWN PART IN THE NEXT BLOG OR SO AND THIS BLOG HAS NO PREJUDICE AGAINST ANY COUNTRY OR COUNTRIES.)
Afghanistan
1) Born under a million shadow – Andrea Busfield.
2) A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini.
3) The places in between – Rory Stewart.
4) A Thousand Rooms of Dreams and Fear – Atiq Rahimi.
5) The Patience Stone – Atiq Rahimi.
Armenia
1) Passage to Ararat – Michael J. Arlen.
2) The Sandcastle Girls – Chris Bohjalian.
3) Armenian Golgotha – Grigoris Balakian.
Azerbaijan
1) Mirror of the Invisible World: Tales from the Khamseh of Nizami.
Bahrain
1) City of Strangers – Andrew Gardner.
Bangladesh
1) A Golden Age – Tahmima Anam
2) The Black Coat- Neamat Imam
3) Banished! – Han Dong
Bhutan
1) Buttertea at sunrise – Britta Das
2) The Kingdom at the centre of the world: Journeys into Bhutan – Omair Ahmad
3) The Circle of Karma – Kunzang Choden.
China
1) Soul mountain – Gao Xingjian.
2) The April 3rd Incident – Yu Hua.
3) The Art of War – Sun Tzu.
India
1) The God of Small things – Arundhati Roy.
2) The White Tiger – Aravind Adiga.
3) The Inheritance of Loss – Kiran Desai.
4) A Suitable boy – Vikram Seth.
5) Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie.
6) A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry.
7) Sea of Poppies – Amitav Ghosh.
Indonesia
1) This Earth of Mankind – Pramoedya Ananta Toer.
2) Man Tiger: A Novel – Eka Kurniawan.
3) Durga/Umayi -Yusuf Bliyarta Mangunwijaya.
Japan
1) Norwegian wood – Haruki Murakami.
2) Convenience store women – Sayaka Murata.
3)Kafka on the shore – Haruki Murakami.
4) Strange Weather in Tokyo – Hirami Kawakami.
5) The Memory Police – Yöko Ogawa.
6) Killing Commendatore – Haruki Murakami.
7) Manazuru – Hiromi Kawakami.
South Korea
1) Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 – Cho Nam-ju.
2) The Vegetarian – Han Kang.
3) Human Acts: A Novel – Han Kang.
4) The White book – Han Kang.
5) The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly – Sun-mi Hwang.
6) If I Had Your Face – Frances Cha.
7)Pachinko – Min Jin Lee.
Thailand
1) Sightseeing – Rattawut Lapcharoensap.
2) Four Reigns – Kukrit Pramoj.
3) Bangkok wakes to Rain – Pitchaya Sudbanthad.
Pakistan
1) Train to Pakistan – Khushwant Singh.
2) The Wandering Falcon – Jamil Ahmad.
Saudi Arabia
1) Girls of Riyadh – Rajaa Alsanea.
Myanmar
1) The Glass Palace – Amitav Ghosh.
Iran
1) The Man who snapped his fingers: Fariba Hachtroudi.
(PLEASE NOTE, THAT ABOVE MENTIONED BOOKS ARE JUST SOME OF THE MANY BOOKS THAT ARE EITHER PUBLISHED BY OR WRITTEN ABOUT THAT COUNTRY.)
We human beings often tend to pay less attention to our mental health than our physical one, but we all should understand its heavy importance and admit the fact that they can be equally or even more dangerous than the physical issues so one should take immediate help of doctor or councilor in case some abnormalities or issues arises.
Importance of mental health :
Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health. Mental illness, especially depression, increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long lasting conditions like stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Similarly, the presence of chronic conditions can increase the risk for mental illness.
Some mental illnesses :
Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the united states.
* More than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime.
* 1 in 5 children,either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.
Causes of mental illness :
There is no single cause for mental illness. A number of factors can contribute to risk for mental illness, such as
* Early adverse life experiences such as trauma or a history of abuse.
* Experiences related to other ongoing medical condition, such as cancer or diabetes
* Biological factors, such as genes or chemical imbalances in the brain.
* use of alcohol or recreational drugs.
Types of mental illness :
People can experience different types of mental illnesses or disorder and they can often occur at the same time.Mental illness can occur over a short period of time or be episodic. This means that the mental illness comes and goes with discrete beginnings and ends. Mental illness can also ongoing or long term.
There are more than 200 classified types of mental illness. Some of the main types of mental illness and disorders are listed below; however; this list is not exhaustive.
Anxiety Disorders :
People with anxiety disorders respond to certain objects or situations with fear and dread or terror. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, panic disorders and phobias.
Hyperactivity Disorder :
It is one of the most common childhood mental disorders. It can continue through adolescence and adulthood. People diagnosed with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors or be overly active.
Disruptive Behavioral Disorders :
It involves a pattern of disruptive behaviors in children that last for atleast 6 months can cause problems in school, at home and in social sitauations.Behavioral symptoms can also continue into adulthood.
Depression and other mood disorders :
While bad moods are common and usually pass in a short period, people suffering from mood disorders live with more constant and severe symptoms. People living with this mental illness find that their mood impacts both mental and psychological well- being, nearly evry day and often for much of the day.
Eating Disorders :
Eating disorders involve obsessive and sometimes distressing thoughts and behaviors including
* Reduction of food intake
* overeating
* Feelings of depression or distress
* concern about weight, body shape, poor self image
Personality Disorders :
People with personality disorders have extreme and inflexible personality traits that cause problems in work, school or social realtionships. Personality disorders include antisocial personality disorder and borederline personality disorder
Substance use Disorders :
Substance use disorders occur when frequent or repeated use of alochol and or drugs causes significant impairment, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home. Substance use problems can be fatal to the user or others. Exsmples include drunk driving fatalities and drug overdoses.
In this busy world our brain gets a lot stressed and its very important that we should take due care of it, some of the practices which will help us to do better with our mental health are:
Yoga plays a great role in keeping our mind calm and also helps us to focus and concentrate on things. It also helps us deal with tough situations and gives us the strength to stay away from negativity.
Exercising regularly is a key to healthy body and we all know that a healthy body and a healthy mind goes hand in hand, so we must ensure that we exercise daily to keep ourselves fit.
The environment that we stay in also the company with which we spend time also plays a major role we should be extremely aware while selecting our company and in case we are not able to adjust we should walk away.
Food is the fuel and is of immense importance we should ensure that we are not nutrient deficient also we should ensure that we intake enough amount of water daily.
Self- confidence is a feelung of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgment.children with a healthy sennsr of self-confidence are able to feel good about themselves and knoe that they deserve respect from others. Confidence can be a tough thing to build up. We’ve put together some handy tips to help you put.
TIPS FOR BUILDING SELF – CONFIDENCE :
There are number of things you can do to build your confidence. Some of them arejust small changes to your frame of mind; others you’ ll have to work on fora big longer to make them familiar habits.
1.LOOK AT WHAT YOU’VE ALEADY ACHIEVED:
It is easy to lose confidence if you believe you haven’t achieved anythkng. Make a list of all the things you’ re proud of in your life, whegger it’s getting a good mark on an exam or learning to surf. Keep the list close by and add to it whenever you do something you’ re proud of. When you’re low in confidence,pull out the list a use it to remind yourself if all the awesome stuff you’ ve done.
2.SET SOME GOALS :
Set some goals and set out the steps you need to take to achieve them. They don’t have to be big goals; they can even be things like baking a cake or planning a nighy out with friends. Just aim for some achievements that you can tick off a list to hrlp you again confidence in your ability to get stuff done.
3.THINK OF THINGS YOU’RE GOOD AT :
Everyone has strengths and talents. What are yours? Recoginising what you’re good at,and trying to build on those things,will help you to build confidence in your own abilities.
4.TALK YOURSELF UP :
You’re never going to feel confident if you have negative commentary running through your mind telling you that you’re no good. Think about your self- talk and how that might be affecting your self- confidence. Treat yourself like would your bestfriend and cheer yourself on.
5.GET A HOBBY :
Try to find something that you’re really passionate about. It could be photography, sport, knitting or anything else! When you’ve workef out your passion, commit yourself to giving it a go.chances are, if you’re intetested or passionate about a certain activity, you’re more likely to be motivated and you’ll build skills more quickly.
Confidence helps us feel ready for life’s experiences. When we’re confident, we’re more likely to move forward with people and opportunities no back away from them. And if things don’t work out at fisrt , confidence helps us try again. It is the opposite when confidence is low.
Self- confidence is a feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgement. Some of the many causes of low self- esteem may include. Unhappy childhood where parents were extremly critical. Poor academic performance in school resulting in a lack of confidence.
Growing mentally and growing physically are two completely different things. Growing mentally refers to a person’s psychological growth the way we think and deal with different situations, and by what methods we develop and disseminate information. Growing up physically refers to a person’s physical growth like increased height, strength, and health. It can also refer to the development of your brain. ” The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life mental emotional, spiritual as well as physical.” A healthy body can help your mind stay strong.when your body isn’t fit, it’s tougher to make challenging decisions. Some of the tips will help you to improve both simultaneously.
ENRICH YOUR MIND :
keep challenging yourself to learn new things. By doing this, will gain more knowledge about things around you, and you will learn how to utilize things in a better way. Don’t let yourself get stuck in one place, either mentally or physically. Be proactive, curious, conscious and informed about the world.
Use your brain more often by doing brain exercises:
Exercising your brain means using it more. Generally the brain takes part in everything we do, but there are some types of activities which are specifically exercise our brains. Activities like doing puzzles, playing games like chess or scrabble, solving numerical problems, studying difficult topics and changing your dexterity, spatial reasoning and logic. Doing these mental exercises daily can sharpen your mind , and it can be an excellent way to strengthens neural links in your brain.
CONSUME NUTRIENTS THAT ARE GOOD FOR BRAIN:
Take in nutrients which are good for your brain. Foods that have antioxidants like vitamin c,e,b etc are good for the brain.consuming almonds and apple juice is also good for sharpening the brain.
THINK CRITICALLY :
when we hear, read or work on something, It is very important than we question everything and pay attention to details.such an approach can improve our thinking ability because it requires more brain work than mere observations.
DO PHYSICAL EXERCISES :
A healthy body means a healthy mind; regular exercise has a positive influence our brains function. The brain takes in nutrients from the blood, which makes the brain healthier. Physical exercise is essential for enhancing mental power .
EAT HEALTHY FOODS :
spend some time to examine which kinds of food bring you up and which foods bring down. Creating a diet plan can make you feel good, and gives you a sense of self-development. This will boost your sense of success.
GET BETTER SLEEP AND TAKE NAPS:
Get as much sleep as you need, around Seven or eight hours, every night. While sleeping well does not guarantee good health, it does help you to maintain many vital functions. Perhaps most importantly sleep helps you recover from the wear and tear of daily life. Major healing functions in the body such as tissue repair, music and mental growth occur almost exclusively during sleep.
SPEED TIME WITH PEOPLE :
Build a good support system with the people around you. Whether it’s your family, friends, or something else, find a group of people who are willing to support you in any circumstances. This increases flexibility and helps to provide perspective in the midst of stress and discomfort.
STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS AND ALCOHOL : using cigarettes, alcohol, and illegal drugs damage your mental and physical health. Decreasing mental and physical stability produces” false” emotions.
FIND A GOOD LISTENER :
Find someone who is eager to listen to you, who you can talk to openly and freely. This can help you in relieving stress and anger and can heal you mentally, which ultimately has an impact on your physical health.
LAUGH MORE :
Laughter is the best medicine for human health. Human increases dopamine, and it improves memory and health.
GET RID OF BAD HABITS THAT HURT YOUR CONFIDENCE :
If you have a habit of smoking too much, drinking alcohol too much, spending too much time online, or a different habit that’s hurting your confidence, take steps to eradicate them. Study books, watch good films, play games, watch dances, and listen to songs; do the things that make you feel relaxed. Many studies suggest that watching TV and using a computer late at night is bad for your health.
STAR YOUR DAY BY THINKING ABOUT ONE GOOD THING YOU CAN DO :
Generally, it’s just a matter of deciding to do something good. Develop the habit of finding a good deed to do each day. Set aims and goals and follow through with them to attain them. By setting goals and gradually working to attain them , you will grow mentally.
Theme this year: “Teach someone how to play chess”
The idea to commemorate International Chess Day was proposed by UNESCO after it was established by FIDE in 1966. FIDE, the International Chess Federation has 181 chess federations as its members organize chess events and competitions across the globe on International Chess Day.
FIDE: Fédération Internationale des Échecs
-Chess was invented in India around 8th Century. It was known as chatrang-
Chess:
Chess is a board game played by two players. It is enjoyed all over the world. There have been many grandmasters and the records get tougher to hold the title. Chess is an abstract strategy game and involves no hidden information.
It is played on a square chessboard with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. At the start, each player controls sixteen pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The main chessboard and pawns are black and white.
The goal of the game is to put the opponent’s king under immediate attack .i.e. in “check” and give no way for it to escape. There are also several ways a game can end in a draw. Each pawn has its own limitation of movements.
It is one of the most fun, intellectual, and brainy indoor games.
Players: 2
Abilities: Strategy, tactics
Fact: In 1997, Deep Blue became the first computer to beat the reigning World Champion in a match when it defeated Garry Kasparov.
History:
The origin of chess date around 7-8th century. Three are written in Pahlavi and one, the Harshacharita, is in Sanskrit. Chatrang was named shatranj, after the Islamic conquest of Persia. Xiangqi is the form of chess best-known in China
The modern piece movement rules began to appear in intellectual circles in Valencia, Spain around 1475. The queen replaced the vizier chess piece and by the 15th century had become the most powerful piece.
Prague-born Wilhelm Steinitz laid the foundations for a scientific approach to the game, the art of breaking a position down into components. In addition to his theoretical achievements, his triumph over the leading German master Johannes Zukertort in 1886 is regarded as the first official World Chess Championship.
Significance of chess:
“The United Nations recognizes that sports, the arts and physical activity have the power to change perceptions, prejudices and behaviours, as well as to inspire people, break down racial and political barriers, combat discrimination and defuse conflict, and therefore contrabute in promoting education, sustainable development, peace, cooperation, solidarity, social inclusion and health at the local, regional and international levels.
The designation of World Chess Day of the UN will not only recognize the important role of the FIDE in supporting international cooperation for chess activity and aiming to improve friendly harmony among all peoples of the world, but also to provide an important platform to foster, dialogue, solidarity and culture of peace”
-United Nations
Fact: The rules of chess are published by FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs)
Notable Men and women in the world of chess:
Judit Polgár
Garry Kasparov
Vera Menchik
Magnus Carlsen
Rohini Khadilkar
Andrey Espienko
Nona GAprindashvili
Hou Yifan
Movies to watch:
The Queen’s Gambit
Queen of Katwe
Pawn Sacrifice
Searching for Bobby Fischer
Brooklyn Castle
Hikaru no Go
What to do?
LEARN CHESS!!
Cause why not? Learning moves or moving pieces entirely after thorough thought, being on your toes to find the easiest or quickest win to checkmate, and tricking someone to make the move you wanted them to do! It is a load of exercise for your brain.
The veteran actor who passed away at the age of 75 of a cardiac arrest has starred in about 29 films and 19 Indian television shows and has been honoured with three National film awards for Best supporting actress (highest than any other actress in this category) and also is a recipient of a Filmfare award, a Screen Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and six Indian Television Academy awards.
She was born in New Delhi , 1945 and attended Aligarh Muslim University and graduated from National School of Drama in 1971 and later went on to work with NSD Repertory company for a decade and then moved to Mumbai. Her notable works include playing the characters of ‘Durga Devi kaushik’ in the movie Badhaai Ho (2018) , ‘Kalyani Devi Singh’ (aka ‘dadisa’) in the prime-time soap opera Balika vadhu ( 2008-2016), Fayyazi in Mammo (1994) and ‘Rajo’ in Tamas (1986).
The news of her death has saddened her fans and colleagues. Her co-actors Ayushmann Khurrana, Avika Gor, Shashank Vyas and Avinash Mukherjee paid a heartfelt tribute to her by penning down their memories while working with the actress. She was humble, grounded, hardworking and was devoted to work. Her impeccable performances on screen has always left the audience in an awe, her demise has certainly left a void in the film and television industry but she will be cherished and remembered for the legacy she left behind. May her soul rest in peace.
Science and technology play a huge role in our society as well as in our lives. Nowadays we all are surrounded by technology and are dependent on it for everything we do. Especially after this pandemic everything is in virtual mode and is completely based on technology. We live in the technological era where gadgets are of outmost importance to us. A gadget is simply a human made device which is programmed to reduce human effort and does a piece of job easily without any hassle.
In this fast-growing world we human beings are always surrounded by machines and gadgets for every need of ours starting from the time we get up in the morning till we again go to bed we even use gadgets while we are asleep such as air conditioner, insect repellent and many more. Science is a boon for us, but in the other hand as everything has its own merits and demerits there are also people who do use science for a bad cause. Technology is good but it is advisable to keep this technology out of the reach of children as otherwise they will not tend to learn things and will prefer to take the help of science to solve a particular existing problem this may affect their growth.
IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY :
Technology, science and knowledge are important in modern contemporary society. Essential questions include the following : How does science and technology produce new products, new ways of living and new nutritious? Why is new technology and knowledge so fundamental to us in the ways through which we imagine the future?
Technology, knowledge and science are fundamental in modern contemporary society. The understanding of how social, cultural and material elements influence the production of new practices, new ways of under of contemporary postmodern society. Studies of technology and science provides students with insight into how different processes of knowledge are initiated and progressed, and how innovative technological processes are developed employed and increase in importance. In this manner, students will be provided with the academic basis for working with detailed analyses of different forms of technologies and process of knowledge within business life or industry and commerce, research work , political development, management of knowledge and innovation.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY :
Science , technology and innovation each represent a successively larger category of activities which are highly interdependent but distinct. Science contributes to technology in at least six ways.
New knowledge which serves as a direct source of ideas of new technological possibilities.
Source from tools and techniques for more efficient engineering design and a knowledge based for evaluation of feasibility of designs
Research instrumentation, laboratory techniques and analytical methods used in research that eventually find their way into design or industrial practices, often through intermediate disciplines.
Practice of research as a source for development and assimilation of new human skill and capabilities eventually useful for technology.
Creation of a knowledge base that becomes increasingly important in the assessment of technology in terms of its wider social and environmental impacts
Knowledge base that enables more efficient strategies of applied research, development, and refinement of new technologies.
THe ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Teaching technological literacy, critical thinking and problem- solving through science education gives students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in school and beyond.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY USED IN SOCIETY :
Science and technology have had a major impact on society, and their impact is growing. By making life easier, science has given an the chance to pursue societal concerns such as ethics, aesthetics, education and justice to create cultures, and to improve human conditions.
J.K Rowling’s story is one of the most famous insipirational failures to the success story of our time. She had failed in almost everything she attempted to do in her life and at one point she considers herself a major failure.
Most of the people only know her as a woman writer who created Harry Potter, but what people don’t know about the struggle she faces before reaching the stardom.
BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD :
Joanne Rowling was born on 31st July 1965 in yate, Gloucestershire, England to Peter James Rowling and Anne Rowling. Her father was a Rolls- Royce aircraft engineer and mother was a science technician She had one little sister, Dianne, as a child Rowling loves to write fantasy stories and read them to her younger sister. When she was a teenager she got a chance to read Jessica Mitford ‘s autobiography, from then on Mitford become her heroine and after that, she read all her books.
BOOK INSPIRATION AND MOTHER ‘S DEATH :
After working for Amnesty International as a researcher and bilingual secretary in London, Rowling moved to Manchester with her then- boyfriend where she worked at chamber of commerce. In1990, Rowling first had the idea for Harry Potter, a story of a young boy who attends a school of wizards, while she was on a 4 hour delayed train trip from Manchester to London. While travelling the idea fully formed in her mind and when she reached her flat she began writing furiously. However, in December 1990 her mother died after 10 years of complications from Mutiplr sclerosis Mother’s death heavily affects Rowling and leave her extremely distraught and upset. Later she channelled her own feelings of her loss by writing about Harry’s feelings in her first book.
MARRIAGE, DIVORCE AND SINGLE MOTHER:
After a few months of her mother’s death, she moved to Portugal to teach the English language. There she met a man, fall in love with him, got married and gave birth to her daughter. In 1993 her marriage ended in Divorce and she with her infant daughter moved to Edinburgh Scotland to be closer to her sister. This is the most struggling time for Rowling and she saw herself as a complete failure. She was divorced, jobless, no money and a dependent child. Because of all this, she suffered bouts of depression and contemplated suicide. Eventually, she signed for Government-assisted welfare describing her economic status as poor. It was a really difficult time in her life but she kept going on and put all her energy on completing her novel.
HARRY POTTER :
In 1995 Rowling completes her manuscript for Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone on an old manual type writer. She was so poor at that time she could not afford a computer or even the cost of photocopying the novel, so she manually typed each copy and submitted to twelve publishing house in London. The manuscript was rejected almost dozens time until she was finally given chance with £1,500 advance by a small London publisher, Bloomsbury after the company’s CEO little 8 years old daughter fell in love with it after reading the first chapter of the book.
In July 1997 Bloomsbury published first 1000 copies of Harry Potter series out of which 500 copies were distributed to libraries. Just five months later the book won Nestlé smarties Book prize it’s first award . In early 1998 an auction was held in America for the printing rights to publish the novel. Scholastic INC won the auction for USB 105, 000, later Rowling said in a interview that she nearly died when she heard the news of this amount for printing her novel. Today Harry Potter is a global brand worth an estimated 15 billion dollars. The last four Harry Potter books have set the records for the fastest selling books in history. The Harry Potter series to talking 4, 195 pages have been translated either in whole or in part into 65 languages. The Harry Potter books series have also gained recognition for creating an interest in reading among the children’s at a time when they were more inclined towards the Internet, computers and television.
FINANCIAL SUCCESS :
In 2001 J.K ROWLING purchased a 19th century killiechassie House, an estate house on the banks of the river tay in Perth. She also owns a £ 4.5 million Georgian house in West London. In 2004 , Forbes named Rowling as the first person to become a us dollar billionaire by only writing books.In 2017, according to Sunday times, Richard list Rowling net worth was approx. £ 650 million.
PERSONAL LIFE :
Rowling and her second husband Neil Murray were married on 26th December 2001. They live in Edinburgh with their 3 children. Rowling was a runner up in 2007. Time’s annual person of the year issue after Russia’s president Vladimir putin.
Depression and anxiety are very common problem these days starting from teenager to elderly adults anyone and everyone can face this at any point in life and they equally affect us as any physical disease does, many people don’t take mental health seriously but it is outmost necessary to do so. Here are a few simple daily habits which will help you to deal with depression:
Stay away from negative thoughts, and always try to focus on the filled part of the glass and try not to worry about the empty.
Practice meditation regularly it helps to calm one’s mind and helps in relaxing the brain.
Try to stay out from field where you feel irritated and also do try ignoring unnecessary mess.
Physical exercising is a must for a healthy mind as it keeps the body fit and also helps keeping negativity away.
The physical environment where one spends time and the company of people with which one spend time also plays a key role in determining the and dealing with depression issues.
One must also take care of the diet, consuming fresh fruits and vegetables are highly recommended and one must take care that proper diet is consumed.
Depression symptoms :
Depression can be more than a constant state of sadness or feeling ” blue”. Major depression cane cause a variety of symptoms. Some affect your mood, and others afect your body. Symptoms may also be onging or come and go. The symptoms of depression can be experienced differently among men, women and children differently.
Men may experience symptoms related to their:
* Mood, such as anger, aggressive, irritability, anxiousness, restlessness.
* Emotional well- being such as feeling empty, sad, hopeless.
* Behavior, such as loss of interest, no longer finding pleasure in favorite activites feeling tired easily , thiughts of suicide, drinking- execessively , using drugs, engaging in high- risk activities.
* sexual interest, such as reduced sexual desire, lack of sexual performance
* cognitive abilities , such as inability to concentrate, difficulty completeing tasks, delayed responses during- conversations.
* sleep patterns, such as insomina, restless slepp, excessive sleepiness, not sleeping through the night.
* physical well- being, such as fatigue, pains, headache, digestive problems.
Women may experience symptoms related to their:
* mood, such as irritability
* emotional well- being, such as feeling sad or empty, anxious or hopless.
* congnitive abilities,such asthinking or talking more slowly
* behavior, such as loss of interest in activities, withdrawing from social engagements, thoughts of suicide
* sleep patterns, such as difficultu sleeping through the night, waling early, sleeping too much.
* physical well- being, such as decreases energy, greater fatigue, changes in appetite, weight changes, aches,pain, headaches, increased cramps.
Children may dxperiences symptoms related to their :
* mood such as irritability, anger, mood swings, crying.
* emotional well- being, such as feelings of incompetence or despair, crying, intense sadness
* behavior, such as gettkng into trouble at school or refusing to go to school, avoiding friends or siblings thoughts of death or suicide.
* cognitive abilities, such as difficulty concentrating, decline in school performance, changes in grades.
* sleep patterns, such as difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
*physical well- being, such as loss of energy digestive problems, changes in appetite, weight loss or gain.
Depression causes :
There are several possible causes of depression. They can range from biological to circumstantial.
Common causes include ;
* Family history :
You’re at a higher risk for developing depression if you hace a family history of depression or another mood disorder.
* Early childhood trauma :
Some events affect the way your body reacts to fear and stressful situations
* Brain structure :
There’s a greater risk for depression if her frontal lobe of your brain is less active.
* Medical conditions :
Certain conditions may put you at higher risk, such as chronic illness, insomia, chroinc pain or attention- deficit hyperactivity disorder
* Drug use :
A history of drug or alcohol misuse can affect your risk.
Many factors can influence feelings of depression, as well as who develops the condition . The causes of depression are often tied to other elements of your health. Depression can be linked with to other health problems, your healthcare provider may also conduct a physical examination and order blood work.
Types of depression :
Depression can be broken into categories depending on the severity of symptoms. Some people experience mild and temporary episodes, whike other experience severs and ongoing depressive episodes.
There are two main types. Major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder .
Major depressive disorder :
Major depressive disorder is the more severe form of depression. It’s characterized by persistant feelings of sadness, hoplessness and worthlessness that dont’t go away on their own.
Persistent depressive disorder :
Persistent depressive disorder ( pDD) used to be called dysthymia. It is a milder, but chronic, form of depression.
It’s common for people with PDD to
* lose interest in normal daily activites.
* feel hopless
* lack productivity
* haveclow self- esteem
Depression can be treated successfully, but it’s important to stick your treatment plan.
Treatment for depression :
Living with depression can be difficult, but treatment can help improve your quality of life. Talk to your health care provider about possible options. You may successfully manage symptoms with one form of treatment ,or may find that a combinations of treatment works best.
The Da Vinci Code is written by the famous author Dan Brown. He has a separate fan base who loves science fiction and thriller novels. He wrote many sci-fi books like Angels and Demon, The Deception point, Inferno, Origin, Digital fortress. All are well known among avid readers and some books are also adapted as movies too…
Book Plot:
Jaques saunière the curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. He wrote Robert Langdon’s name on the floor before he died. Harvard Professor Robert Langdon devoted himself to ancient histories, Languages, symbology, cultures as well as forbidden mysteries. He was falsely accused of murdering the curator, because, there is his name on the floor. So, the cops get him to investigate him. Before Jaques saunière dies, he left a series of baffling codes. Which must be solved soon unless an ancient historical truth will be lost forever. At that moment Sophie Neveu, a French cryptologist came to help Langdon from the situation. Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu were stunned to find a trail that leads to the works of Da Vinci’s Monalisa and The Virgin Mary, the upcoming mysteries unfold an enormous history which Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu have to find them. They both followed Jaques Saunière’s Clues closely and they started to reveal the mysteries one by one. Why does Jaques Saunière have to write Robert Langdon’s name on the floor when he even doesn’t know him? Why Sophie Neveu has to help Robert Langdon and what are the mysteries that they need to hunt soon? Are the questions that the book contains.
About the book:
The plot and the Facts about the history and the ancient societies are beyond perfect… In the beginning, I thought it’s the same thriller as every book. Yes, it is a thriller. it is the same with the cold-blooded murder, a mastermind villain and various right and left hands to help him, betrayal, false accusations, twists, and turns, etc… But, I loved the details about the ancient society, about the historical events and facts. I love hidden histories and if you too love them and didn’t yet read this one… Give it a try and you will never regret it.
Who can read it?
The language is legit. And the content of the book won’t be comfortable for children.
If you are a believer… I don’t recommend this to you. It has some breathtaking history about religionism.
If you are an adult and would love to read thrillers and mysteries. You must try this one it’s breathtaking.
Book Quotes:
Life is filled with secrets. You can’t learn them all at once.
Faith ― acceptance of which we imagine to be true, that which we cannot prove.
History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books-books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, ‘What is history, but a fable agreed upon?
Men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire.
By its very nature, history is always a one-sided account.
Genre: Slice of life/ Shounen/ Comedy/ Sports/ Action/ Supernatural.
1) Haikyuu
2) Dr. Stone
3) The Promised Neverland
4) Gintama
5) Noragami
6) Steins Gate
7) Asobi Asobase
8) Vinland saga
(The list is not in order/ranking)
1-Haikyuu
Haikyuu!! Is an anime about volleyball. It is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate. The story follows Shōyō Hinata, a boy determined to become a great volleyball player despite his small stature.
I am absolutely in love with this anime. Quirky yet mature characters, massive positive energy (without the cringeyness), good and steady character development, close to reality and filled with moments that will fill you with many emotions. It is the type of anime, which will keep you hooked till the end and wanting more of it.
No. of Seasons: 4 (With 4th season having 2 parts)
No. of volumes: 37
2)Dr.Stone
Dr. Stone is a Japanese manga series written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by the South Korean artist Boichi. The first episode aired in Japan on July 5th, 2019 and ended on December 13, 2019.
The anime unfolds with the introduction of the personalities wherein Taiju, the brawny guy is collecting himself to confess his love. A green light envelopes the sky and everyone. In this world where humanity has been petrified, scientific genius Senku and his brawny friend Taiju use their skills to rebuild civilization.
An absolutely hilarious, scientific, realistic yet lil unrealistic and an all-package anime. Main characters be making faces like so-called villains and villains like the sane ones. You are gonna love the humor, creativity with innovations and probably learn to make some of the scientific inventions.
No. of season: 2
No. of volumes: 21
3) Noragami
Noragami is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Adachitoka. It is a shounen brought to you by Studio Bones. Noragami is about a stray God called Yato, who wants to build a shrine of his own. His journey to do so, with his hilarious and annoyingly careless yet caring personality is what makes this anime unique. The fun is unlimited, relatability and appropriately written characters makes it more special.
Male and female protagonists have been written better than what i have seen till now, Diverse characters, straightforwardness and extremely crude, chill personality of characters. The anime has really less episode considering it’s quality but the fun and wholesomeness compensates for it.
No. of season: 2 (2 OVA)
No. of volumes: 23
4) The Promised Neverland.
The Promised Neverland is a Japanese manga series written by Kaiu Shirai and illustrated by Posuka Demizu. It was serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump from August 2016 to June 2020. group of orphaned children in their plan to escape from their orphanage, after learning the dark truth behind their existence and the purpose of the orphanage.
I believe that cuteness, child energy, super relatability to our world, intellectuality, and wholesomeness are less than enough to describe this anime. It is pretty tear-jerker anime. The twists, scenes makes you want to help those kids through your screen. Although, in second season the anime’s plot changes a lil, if you are looking for a series to keep you on your toes, this is it.
No. of Seasons: 2
No. of Volumes: 20
5)Gintama
Gintama, along running series has finally come to an end with the movie Gintama : Final, launched 18 July 2021. This action, comedy anime is based on Alien samurai setting where the humans and alien are living together after the war. Gintoki Sakata, the main protagonist of the series, owns a shop named “Odd jobs Gin” and as its name suggests they accept any type of work as long as they’re paid for it.
Animated by Bandai Namco Pictures and written by Hideaki Sorachi, the cast of Gintama is arguably the best an anime has to offer. Even though the arc’s are short and start is slow, one can never get enough of the parody, action and the drama it provides.
No. of Seasons: 5 (4 movies and 1 OVA)
No. of Volumes: 77
7)Steins Gate
Okabe Rintaro, a self proclaimed Mad scientist accidentally discovers about time travel and time leap. Steins;Gate which is almost ranked in top 10 of every review page and ranked 3rd in MAL (My Anime list) is a time travel story, but not a typical time story. Its not only about the main protagonist travelling or leaping through time, it deals with many modern theories of time travel such as The Time Paradox, Butterfly effect, String theory and much more.
Unlike most anime’s, the side cast is one of the best out there. Every character used has their own importance on the overall plot. The start may be slow for some viewers but that’s the beauty of Steins;Gate.
Steins;Gate was produced by Mika Nomura and Yoshina Doi, directed by Hiroshi Hamasaki and Takuya Sato, and is written by Jukki Hanada
No. of Seasons: 2 (Along with 5 movies and OVA’s )
No. of Volumes: 3
8) Asobi Asobase
The story revolves around three classmates who play simple hand games and their exposure to more weird games.
The opening song gives you vibes of innocence, sweetness and everything nice. Well, the outro is a complete chaos. This pretty much sums the entire series, the girls are innocently chaotic. Filled with crazy ideas regarding the concept of club, extreme honesty and horrifically funny, this girls are absolutely hilarious.
Asobia Asobase made me remember everything I did in school days, every silly games I played. The anime just keeps getting better and more hilarious with each episode.
Honestly, I have never laughed this hard before. If you want to see something that’s going to make you laugh by hitting that pause button without cringing, this is a must watch for you!
No. of season(s): 1 (Episodes: 12)
No. of volumes: 12
15) Vinland saga
Vinland saga anime having only 1 season till date based on Vikings, it is considered one of the best New Gen anime and manga. Season 1 deals with a young boy, Thorfinn, who has a great interest in fighting. Thorfinn swears revenge against Askeladd, the killer of his father and also the main antagonist of the show.
The protagonist – antagonist setting is unrivaled not only in new gen animes but also in the older one’s. The main plot of the anime/manga revolves around the war for the crown of the England. The new season has been confirmed for the Year 2021 and adapts the Slave arc from the manga.
Cacao tree belongs to the family Malvaceae, native to the deep tropical regions of Mesoamerica. Its seeds and beans are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate.
Yes, you heard me right. Cocoa are Cacao are different from one another. Though they start their journey from the same station i.e. the cacao plant, yet they end up to different final destinations with major differences in their nutritional values. Theobroma cacao or the cacao tree, also known as the ‘food of the Gods’ produced many cocoa pods. These pods include beans (which are later converted into cocoa or cacao) and a white fleshy pulp called Baba (which is used in making white chocolate).
Cocoa starts its journey from cacao. Cacao seeds are raw beans from the cacao plant. They undergo fermentation process that develops their distinct chocolate flavour and aroma. The dried, roasted and crushed beans then form nibs that are used to make cocoa.
It is the roasting process that converts cacao to cocoa. Cacao is made from fermented, dried, unroasted cacao beans. Being unprocessed they contain a higher amount of nutritional values that the cocoa looses to the heat. The roasted beans are further treated with alkaline to reduce its bitterness. This makes them loose60% of their flavanol.
Cacao contains flavanols, which have various antioxidant, heart-protective and anti-cancer properties. They are a good source of several minerals, including selenium, magnesium, chromium and manganese. They are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid our body uses to make serotonin (a brain chemical that helps the mind relax). The polyphenols in cacao is linked to numerous health benefits, including reduced inflammation, better blood flow, lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol and blood sugar levels
Bottom line : Higher bitterness indicates higher content of cacao, and hence provides more nutritional benefits.
“The Bad Mother’s Handbook” is a Domestic fiction by the author Kate long. The book was originally published in 2004. “The Bad Mother’s Handbook” is the first novel of Kate Long. The book was also adapted into a movie by the same name.
THE PLOT:
“The Bad Mother’s Handbook” is the story of a year in the lives of three women Charlotte, Karen and Nan. Karen is the mother in her thirties raising a teenage girl Charlotte. Charlotte is an highschool girl. Karen’s mother Nan is suffering from Alzheimer.
1997, the year Blair was elected and Diana died; and the year that changed everything for Charlotte, Karen and Nan. Charlotte is doing her A-levels and she is pregnant . Karen, her mother is thirty three and she is about to be a grandmother. How cuffed is she with that? And then there is Nan, who is not bothered about her granddaughter’s pregnancy. She has other things on her mind.
For Seventeen year old Charlotte cooper, it became too late to find out her pregnancy. Despite her efforts to finish her school, to handle her angry mother and cope up with her loving but slightly crazy Nan, she is pregnant. And the boy who is responsible for her pregnancy doesn’t want to take any responsibilities.
Charlotte’s mother, Karen, is trying to convince herself that there are worse things than becoming a grandmother at thirty-three. For instance, there’s wanting to kill Charlotte for the mess she’s made of her life.Karen uncovers a scandalous family secret involving her own birth, and then falls back with her ex-husband. So much for perfect timing.
In the meantime, Karen’s mother, Nan, is having a trouble with names (sometimes her own). But that doesn’t keep her from retaining a few things she’d rather forget. Of course, Nan knows that everything will work out fine for Charlotte and the baby–these things usually do. Now, if only she could put the pieces of her own fragmented memory together, she might have an interesting tale or two to share.
In this funny novel, three generations of mothers learn that it’s the simplest mistakes that can change your life forever. With wit and wisdom, Kate Long proves that there are as many kinds of mothers as there are daughters, but the love that binds them all is what truly matters.
FAVOURITE QUOTES:
‘there’ll never be equality of the sexes till men can get pregnant.”
“Everyone’s history is the product of someone else’s; what we think of as our own experience is only what’s has been bestowed on us by others and you can’t walk away from that. And Why should you?”
“I don’t know which is worse; fear or boredom.”
MY OPINION FROM READING THE BOOK:
“The Bad Mother’s Handbook” remind me that there is neither a perfect time nor a perfect way to be a mother.
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