Good morning everyone. I am kinda pumped up today, because there are couple of good news from my side.
Firstly, we have the Covid vaccines widely available here in the UAE. Early last month, the frontliners had their vaccine shots, and last week, the UAE health authorities have started the mass vaccination program.
We decided to wait for the people who needed the vaccine urgently to get it and also for the initial rush to cool down. Now that the vaccine is here, we can consider visiting our families back in India at least 2021. Fingers crossed.
On other news, many companies here in the UAE, have given its employees the option to continue the remote work or Work from Home in 2021 as well. This idea has its roots from the announcement from the Prince of Dubai of himself, approving remote working options for Dubai Government officials.
Looks like some things may have changed forever.
What I read this week
I finally finished read the Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. And I am currently reading Heartstopper by Alice Oseman.
Yes I am dangerously close to not reaching my Goodreads reading challenge and I am gonna kinda cheat by reading graphic novels to get to the target.
Do you think it is fair to do that? What other graphic novels should I be reading?
What I watched this week
Last week, I caught up with the Prom, on Netflix. Despite the star power, I felt lukewarm towards it and the storyline was not gripping at all.
I also watched Big Sky on HBO, and it was just ok for me. I felt there were too many cliches and the final cliffhanger made me think I would rather read the source material, than watch it anymore.
Have you watched either of these? How did they fare for you?
On my blog
In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.
Set in the roaring twenties, The Great Gatsby is a timeless classic that offers great social commentary on the rich urban lifestyle. And even today, the book is still relevant. Here are some of the most powerful quotes from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald that I love.
Quite recently I watched the movie The Great Gatsby (2013), a classic that talks so much about the American dream, and class and race divide of the 1920s. In a short while, I returned to read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, possibly for the quotes.
Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they’ll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back.”
― John Green, An Abundance of Katherines
They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made..
– The Great Gatsby, Chapter 9
And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.
– The Great Gatsby, Chapter 3
In my younger . . . years my father gave me some advice . . . “Whenever you feel like criticizing any one . . . just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.
– The Great Gatsby, Chapter 1
You see I usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying to forget the sad things that happened to me.
– The Great Gatsby, Chapter 4
“She’s got an indiscreet voice,” I remarked. “It’s full of—” I hesitated.
“Her voice is full of money,” [Gatsby] said suddenly.
That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money—that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it.
– The Great Gatsby, Chapter 7
I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.
Have you watched or read the classic The Great Gatsby? Which of these quotes from The Great Gatsby hit you hard? Do you have a book that love for its quotes? Let us chat.
Once in a while we get to read books that are too difficult to read because they speak of raw and unflinching truths. Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon is one such book. Read on to hear more on my review of Ziggy, Stardust and Me.
Jonathan has been waiting for his final “therapy” session so that he can be cured of his “disease” and be the son his father wants.
The sixteen year old is bullied at school and ignored for most of the time by his alcoholic father, who is still mourning his wife’s death. At a time when being gay is considered a mental illness and is punishable, Jonathan just wants to be a boy who is “normal”.
When his only friend Starla, a biracial neighbor leaves the town for the summer, he realizes he is truly alone. Except for Ziggy Stardust. He worships David Bowie and has long (and only) conversations with his dead relatives and Ziggy.
But everything changes when he meets Web, a Native American/ Indian kid in his school. Web is everything he wants to be – fearless and not ashamed of being gay.
What happens when their homophobic neighbours, classmates and mainly families know about his secret forms the rest of Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon.
Book review
For a setting that is inherently doomed and heartbreaking, Ziggy, Stardust and Me surprisingly is not. There are many sweet moments and is full of hope, especially in the end when Jonathan starts accepting who he is gradually.
That being said and given the time it is set in, the book has so many homophobic and racist characters that it broke my heart. Unfortunately not much has changed in the last 50 years or so.
I think it is essential for us to learn from our history to understand how homophobic we have been as a society. Ziggy, Stardust and Me also talks about how internalized homophobia affects people, especially younger ones.
If you like David Bowie, there are so many references to his songs and characters and you will love it. Unfortunately, I didn’t know much about them and the references flew over the top of my head.
What worked for me
Ziggy, Stardust and Me is a must read to learn about our mistakes in terms of understanding homosexuality. And it is definitely a hard to swallow pill.
Despite the gloomy background, there were several sweet and romantic moments between the main characters.
The book also talks of music and music icons can play a huge role in saving people from trauma and from others.
While I can’t speak for its accuracy, I loved Web and his Native American (Lakota) representation.
What may have been better
I didn’t get or connect with Jonathan’s monologue, in this first person narration. And that bothered me quite a bit.
I hate the closeted homophobic bully trope. It is a personal thing for me, and I am getting tired of this trope of “oh the homophobes are all secretly gay themselves“.
Content warning:
conversion therapy, (internalized) homophobia, electroshock therapy, homophobic slurs, suicidal thoughts, Bullying, hate crimes, racism, racist slurs, past death of a parent, alcoholism, mentions of drug use, sexual assault,
Bottom line
Ziggy, Stardust and Me is an essential read to understand what the LGBTQA+ community had to overcome to just exists. It is a harsh, intense and raw book that is worth reading.
Have you read Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon? What other books will you recommend on the subject? What other historical fiction have you read this year? Let us talk.
A to Z reading challenge and I am almost done with it – just the letter X is pending. Any recs for books with their title starting with X?
If I do not come across an interesting book with a title beginning with X, I might have to use the blank/freebie letter option for it. So either way I will be done with it.
And for the main event: 45 books has been my yearly goal for a long time now and this would be the first time I can remember that I may not be reaching it. I am reading my 39th book currently!
Well, it is the 2020! And I don’t think I have to explain anymore on why I couldn’t reach the goal. Slumps, mental health and unexpected plans took a toll.
So it is your turn. Tell me about your reading goals and how far are you now?
What I read this week
I am at my Hail Mary pass and have been reading super fast (at least for my usual pace).
I read 3 books this week and I am on a spree I suppose.
Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon
Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert’s Story by Debbie Tung – Thank you, for the recommendation!
A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland
What I watched this week
I watched a Hindi web series called “The scam” which is based on a book about India’s largest financial scam.
I love watching true crime and this 90s scam that had huge repercussions in the Indian stock market and investors. Do watch it if you have interest in finance and shares.
On my blog
In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.
While some of us are already to jump into 2021 and pretend 2020 didn’t happen (even with constant reminders coughcough masks), others might need a gentle push to get onboard. Here are a few New Year Resolution ideas for the year 2021.
It might be quite literal this time when we say that “we can’t wait for the year to be over”. Seriously 2020, move over already. Despite having 2020 throwing a serious curveball over my plans, I am hopeful about my new year resolutions. And I really hope you are too!
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New year’s resolution ideas to inspire you!
And those of you who do not want to wait for the New year’s eve to changing yourself, why don’t you start right now?
Wear masks
Well, just because it is a new year, it doesn’t mean we should be done away with common sense. So wear your masks when you are in public. In fact, I am gonna continue doing this when am having a cold flu, even after the pandemic goes away.
Get into shape
Getting into shape or getting some exercise is one of the top new year resolutions year after year. Maybe we all need it after a year of cooping inside our houses, don’t we?
Eat healthy
Include fruits and vegetables into your meal at least once in a day. And it may not be a big production, here are some healthy ways to do that.
Take the stairs
Quickly burn a couple of calories by avoiding the elevator and climbing the steps. Studies say that this simple exercise gives you an energy boost of a caffeine drink.
Meditate more
Manage your stress level and keep yourself calmer and in the “now” with meditation. Even if you are not religious, take a class or use an app to guide through the process.
Give yourself compliments
Be nicer to yourself and we all deserve it after the rough couple months we have had. A small “great job” or “I am good enough” could go a long way into making your daily life better.
Quit negative self talk
One more step in loving ourselves is avoiding spurring negativity onto ourselves. Avoid using “can’t” and self sabotaging yourself. All the constant worrying and doubts breed more negativity than you need. Make 2021 a positive year for you.
Get some quality sleep
About 62% of the adults worldwide are not getting enough sleep. Even though the science is clear on the correlation between higher productivity and quality sleep, we rarely get them. Prioritize sleep by making it your one of your new year resolutions.
Stop taking phone to bed
Talking about quality sleep, avoid taking your phone to your bed. Late night scrolling and binging on videos are a major factor in keeping us awake.
Learn to say no to things
Quite often we find ourselves committing to things and events that we no longer are interested in. And that includes people too. So start by saying no to every time sucking activity that don’t add value to you.
Be more punctual
Or even better, try being a few minutes earlier to your appointments. It goes a long way in making a great first impression. And if you are someone who is always rushing behind your schedule and to do lists, this would be a great start.
Keep yourself and your brain active by learning a new language this year. With the job markets being crazy, who knows when that might help you?
Read more
One can never read too many books right? Yes, join us in the yearly reading challenges. And if you are a non regular reader, try to squeeze in a bit of reading in your daily lives. You can start from here.
Quit reading bad books
This one is mainly directed for myself. I have a terrible case of seeing every book to the end, even if I don’t enjoy them at all. Who else is with me?
Life is too short to read bad books. If you are not enjoying a particular book or if it doesn’t interest you anymore, it is okay to DNF or Did not finish for the uninitiated.
Create something
How about spending 30 minutes each day to create something? Take a photograph or learn calligraphy. If you are not an crafty person, spending a few minutes every on a creative project would help you ward of boredom. Who knows, you might find a new hobby!
Be more active
Another thing to thank 2020 for is the work from home and lesser commute. But seriously it may have tied to our couch or the work desk most of the day. So a great New Year’s resolution idea would to be more physically active in general.
Spend less time on social media
Now this sounds like a cliché of New year’s resolutions. But it is so important that even Mark Zuckerberg considered doing it.
But as bloggers and creators, social media is part of our daily job and it plays a significant part in our job. While we can’t do away with it, we can control the number of hours we spend on incessant scrolling. Here are our top tips in balancing social media and our online jobs.
End the procrastination
Don’t we all have that one thing that we are supposed to do now but here we are reading this article about New Year’s resolution ideas? Or usually end up on Youtbe or Reddit?
Oh just me!
But if you have a problem with procrastination (trust me, I do) this year we can all try to chuck that monster out of our lives. What say? Let’s get things done!
Start a self care routine
We all deserve a bit of TLC now and then. A simple skincare regimen can make your day more satisfied.
Young or old, it is never too late to start a daily, weekly or monthly self care routines. Start working on things that would make you feel happier to put up a routine for yourself.
Be less passive
Going with the flow might work for many but one of my New Year’s resolution is going to be to be involved and taking control. Stop being passive to life’s turns but be more proactive and take charge of them.
Create a cleaning schedule
Are you one of those people who spend tidying up their place every time someone might drop in? That has to change because you are a grown up and you might want to live in a clean place.
This year create a simple cleaning schedule that will not overwhelm you and you will stick to. Stop living in a sty!
Reduce your multitasking
One of the lies that we tell ourselves is that we can multi-task and end up half-assing everything. It definitely is not adding to your productivity but adding to your stress and anxiety.
Promise yourself that you will reduce multitasking and focus on one thing at a time.
More New year’s resolution ideas
If these resolutions didn’t suit your fancy, then here are more New Year’s resolution ideas for you to choose from.
Start journaling your days.
Reduce alcohol.
Volunteer more.
Save first and then spend.
Cook at least one new recipe every week.
Face your fears/insecurities.
Spend less time on watching TV.
Quit smoking.
Build a budget.
Track your expenses.
Drink more water every day.
Consider therapy.
Listen to more audiobooks when avoid monotony.
Take more baths.
Use your favorite candles. Do not hold them for “some day”.
Pin me!
Let’s talk
Do you do resolutions anymore? Are any of yours on my New Year’s resolution ideas list? Which are your favorites? Let us chat.