Project ‘Get Fit!’
There is nothing more humbling than being able-bodied then not. One day you hop skip and jump along… the next one-foot hop aided by a walker!
Wheeling all the way home!
My silly ankle injury introduced me to all sorts of new wonders in traveling – including checking out the airport wheelchair services in Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Tokyo, Shanghai, Manila, Kuala Lumpur… navigating obstacle courses on crutches… and realising that all that yummy food comes with an extra price beyond dollars and cents alone!
Yup you got it – between hotel and restaurant food for many months, the mad marriage marathons of December, our usual social whirl, there was a ripe recipe for some serious weight gain.
Yeah… us gals in our mid-40s don’t exactly bounce back from an enforced sedentary life-style and do have a slower metabolism.
And let’s face it… I got lazy. Inertia is a terribly seductive thing!
However, one of the best things about being between work projects is the TIME and opportunity to start my own project – “Get Fit!” (more…)
The “Real” Mentalist – Lior Suchard
I’m a closet TV series addict. As much as we enjoy being out n about, nothing beats curling up at home and watching a good show. Or occasionally even a not so good show. 😉
The Mentalist Poster
And sometimes all you crave is fluffy filler type stuff – predictable shows following a formula that you can follow without full attention.
So, as I’ve been doing a variety of mundane tasks at home, my current companion is The Mentalist.
It is perfect – enough dialogue to follow without really watching. Between various updates, I can glance up and watch for a bit then get back to the main task at hand.
A bit of an irony considering the premise of the series is a brilliant guy (Simon Baker) who is able to solve crimes through his powers of observation and mental manipulation.
It also accepts that with these elements, adding a dash of distraction, a drop or two of research, one gives the impression of having psychic powers.
So when invited to see real live mentalist – Lior Suchard – how could I resist? Especially as it was a private function with promise of single malt and good food! (more…)
The good, the bad and the ugly – India’s air pollution exposed by Obama’s visit
Why does it take the visit of the US President Barack Obama to highlight that India has a serious air pollution problem?
Some may have missed a small footnote in the excitement over the US President’s visit. It was initially suggested Obama, chief guest at India’s Republic Day Parade, should remain indoors as the air quality levels is hazardous to his health?! Naturally you can’t be chief guest at an outdoor parade without being… well.. outdoors! But at last there followed a series of articles in the press about just how bad pollution levels are in India. (more…)
Makar sakranti / pongal feast
You know it is makar sakranti when every street corner in Mumbai is bursting with kites.
Known as makar sakranti in Maharashtra and pongal in Tamil Nadu, it is a time to celebrate the end of winter with flying kites and feasting!
It is also a time to get rid of the old and welcome the new. (more…)
Avehi Abacus at Mumbai Marathon
Yesterday all over Mumbai folks woke up with extra aches and pains but satisfied smiles despite feeling stiff all over!
Sunday was the 12th annual Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM). One of the largest marathons in Asia and India’s largest non-profit fundraiser platform.
Clearly I’m not currently marathon material at the moment, however my partner volunteered to support the Avehi Abacus Project by participating in the 6 km “Dream Walk”. (more…)
Whisky Lady – January Journal
It is Friday night and for you whisky drinkers, time to make you jealous!
Some may recall I decided one of my vices passions deserved its own little home. Thus Whisky Lady was born.
I also promised to share whisky posts here only once a month…
My 1st monthly malt missive is a bit of a catch up so bear with me!
Last night we kicked off the new year with: (more…)
How bad theatre results in a great eve
We’ve seen some terrific theatre over the last few months… but it can’t always be a complete hit or ‘wow’ reaction!
No surprise, a recent new production that SHOULD be good was actually a dud.
The audience was so collectively stunned that when the lights dimmed at the end of the performance, there was a resounding silence. Followed by an uncomfortably polite smattering of lacklustre applause.
No… I will not give further details or trash the folks involved – they were clearly sincere in their efforts. It just did NOT work. (more…)
Answering the annual update – personal + professional
There was a time when Christmas cards stuffed with hand-written letters and photos would be dutifully mailed off annually to near and dear. These were replaced by an email with a carefully crafted newsletter attachment. You know what I’m talking about – a couple of pages chock full of photos, a bit of bragging about accomplishments, glossing over tragedies, making recipients just a wee bit green with jealousy?
However when you live the other side of the globe from where you grew up, these updates fill more than a few gaps. For example, my spunky and precocious niece turns nine tomorrow – for her entire life she knows only that she has a ‘crazy aunt Carissa’ living in India who pops ‘home’ for a visit every year or so. Not once have we lived in the same place. Let’s just say – I miss a lot! Which makes my sister’s ‘Holiday Missive’ all the more precious. (more…)
Everyday Asia 