Sunday Salon

I wouldn’t say it’s a great week. But considering the earlier weeks, I would say it has been reasonably productive so far. I managed to complete the book ‘Time to kill’. It was interesting enough to finish it in 3 days. Now I am in look out for other interesting books to read in the subsequent weeks.

I have started a mild exercise routine this week. Pregnancy has put me in a pretty bad shape. So I wanted to do something about this. Right now I have been walking for 30 – 45 minutes. I have also reduced junk food intake. I hope I don’t bloat further.

The one thing I used to be proud of myself was diary writing. Ever since I got married, I became irregular and my journal entries got reduced. I didn’t write for the whole of last month as I stayed most of the time on the hospital. Though I cannot remember each day events, at least, I want to write a summarized story on my diary on what happened during my delivery. But I couldn’t find time to do this which is sad. Anyway I want to do this in the coming week. The good news is, since this January, I have been consistent in diary writing. I didn’t miss a day yet. It is one of my New Year resolutions.

That’ all for now.

Skin care routine

The first thing I noticed after the delivery is my face.  I was almost scared. It looked ghastly. The severe strain of pregnancy took off the meagre glam I had on my face.  Everyone I see was querying about this. It was really distressing.  Only then I have started proper skin care routine.

Skin care is something I never cared about. Even in my college days I hardly cared about anything I put on my face. I am one of those nerds who concentrate only on academics. So when I started this skin care regime, I am completely fascinated. Yes, it does make lots of difference in one’s face.

I won’t say I am following a strict skin care routine. But I am doing the basics at least.
The very basic skin care routine includes
1) Cleansing
2) Toning
3) Moisturizing

The above should be done twice each day. But, I would cleanse my face whenever I put make up. I try to moisturize it regularly. Toning, I have never tried before. However I am thinking of buying a toner just to see what difference it makes on the face.

The other things I included in my skin care routine are
1) Scrubbing
2) Face packs

Scrubbing will remove all the dead cells in one’s skin. I love scrubbing. I do this twice each week and adore the clean and soft skin I get after doing this. No one should miss the pleasure of scrubbing. Then the face packs. If I apply face packs after scrubbing, I can see super cool results on my skin. I do this at least twice a week.

Now, what are the brands I use for all these?

Wait till next post on this topic.

On Reading

I want to read one book each week, so that I could hit my target 50 books this year. Till now I have read 2 books and in the mid of 3rd book.

Can you keep a secret? By Sophie Kinsella

I am fan of Sophie Kinsella. I loved her shopaholic series. Therefore I read this book with lots of expectation.

Summary: Emma Corrigan, the protagonist, accidentally shares her secrets with a handsome unknown man. Later she came to know this unknown man is her boss. Embarrassed Emma hopes his boss would have forgotten what she had told him. But he is not. What followed is the sequence of incidents which puts Emma in a most humiliated situation because of her shared secrets. And finally, happy ending.

I thought this book would be different from shopaholic series. However, it is not. I found lots of similarities between the protagonist Emma and Becky (Shopaholic series). Emma is not shopaholic but rest of the characteristics looks pretty much same. Innocent female lead, her wealthy lover, her close friends – the entire set up of this book reminds me of Kinsella’s other books. Even the humour is missing. Of course the book has certain laughing moments but I expected more considering author’s other books.

Unfortunately I found this book not so entertaining like her other books.

Rating - 3/5

61 Hours by Lee child

The next book I picked up this month was Lee child’s 61 hours. I love Lee’s writing. He has got most mesmerizing writing style. I loved his books for its dialogues. Lee has got supreme ability to construct dialogues. I have never seen such crisp and sharp dialogues in other books. Besides I like the character Jack Reacher.


Summary (From the back cover) : Winter in South Dakota. Blowing snow, icy roads, a tired driver.
A bus skids and crashes and is stranded in the gathering storm.
There's a small town twenty miles away where a vulnerable witness is guarded round the clock. There's a strange stone building five miles further on, all alone on the prairie. There's a ruthless man who controls everything from the warmth of Mexico.
Jack Reacher hitched a ride in the back of the bus. A life without baggage has many advantages. And crucial disadvantages too, when it means facing the arctic cold without a coat. But he's equipped for the rest of his task. He doesn't wan to put the world to rights. He just doesn't like people who put it to wrongs.

I found this book too elaborate. Lots of editing could have happened. That would save readers from getting bored. After first 100 pages, the story dragged on and on. There were simply redundant incidents. One should read the book to grasp how boring it was. And then the climax ! A simple, predictable climax. So I lost interest towards the end. This book can be read once for the character Jack Reacher and for crisp dialogues.

Rating – 3/5

Currently I am reading ‘Time to Kill’ by John Grisham. I want to read 5 books this month. Let me hope I will achieve this target.

New Year resolutions

I want to do thousands things each day. Each hour I would promise myself to do so many things only to forget them in the next hour. The only way to achieve them is to write them down and track it frequently. This year I have so many promises to fulfil and here is the list.

Read 50 books - This should include 5 biographies, 5 travelogues and 5 other general knowledge books.
Weight reduction - Should get back to my pre-pregnancy weight.
Blog – Write regularly
Time management – Since I had taken up a new role (mother) this year. I need to learn time management techniques.

There are so many other things I want to do this year. However, for now this is it.

Knowledge

True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing.

-Socrates