2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117

2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117

Even though I returned from India about two weeks ago, my mind would not shut up about the COVID scenario in India. Yes, my family is safe, for now. But it is still scary.

There are a very few hospital beds available. Oxygen and its cylinders, and the medicines are scarce. And there is an acute vaccine shortage, attributed to poor planning by the government and of course the population size.

To top the mess, we just had our election results out in 5 states and had the heads sworn in, so there are lot of political bashing and blaming going for the COVID mess as well as the other things. And of course, a lot of fake forwards and messages that are passing through as well.

And watching the news and videos is heartbreaking. But even more paining is how desensitized people and especially medical workers are becoming to death news.

There are several NGOs and individual fundraisers that are currently keeping information and fund flowing. If you guys are interested I could share a few of these links later. Just let me know in the comments.

Staying safe and fully vaccinated in UAE currently is making me feel grateful and guilty about the privilege.

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What I read this week

So I finally pulled myself off the reading slump that lasted almost a month and read my first book of May.

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy was on my TBR for a long long time. I queued up the movie on my OTT for this week, so I had to read it before watching.

What I watched this week

How good was Line of Duty S6 on BBC? I love the show and I am so glad that the quality never dipped all through the six seasons.

I also watched a couple of episodes again on Amazon’s The boys. It is worth a superhero series rewatch.

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.

elgeewrites 2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117 Lies We Bury by Elle Marr Featured

Lies We Bury by Elle Marr – A book review

elgeewrites 2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117 SM116FB

March and April’21 updates: Sunday Musings # monthly wrap

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

Around the blogosphere

I loved this wonderful post that Sahi had shared with 40 books by Asian authors on her TBR.

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Let us chat

So what else is happening? What are your week like? What are you currently reading and watching? Let’s talk.

2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117

March and April’21 updates: Sunday Musings # monthly wrap

I hope everyone is doing okay, considering that we are still in the midst of chaos.

Usually, I love April, considering that it is my birthday month and that I usually have some plans. This year was going to be better than 2020, or that is what I thought. In short, it wasn’t.

I finally could go to India after a long year and had all plans in place to meet my friends and family (socially distanced and masks clad only). Of course, things have to go awry, cuz it can.

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Anyway, let me give a quick round up of the major things that happened in March and April 2021 in my life.

Quick March and April’21 updates

  • I flew to Bengaluru, India during the third week of March and after a few swab tests, I was allowed to get to home quarantine.
  • I used the quarantine well and read a couple of books. And that lucky reading spree ran out with the quarantine bout. Yes, I have not read a book in the whole of April.
  • I reached Chennai, to my parent’s place in April and spent almost a month there. Of course, mom put me to use and got some cleaning and decluttering done. (Mothers have it all planned ahead, I say.)
  • Thanks to COVID pandemic (once again), I was not able to visit much of my extended family or beloved friends.
  • I did get to meet one of my close friend, on her birthday and made a day of it. Of course, with all the social distancing protocol in place.
  • My birthday was not much different than other day, you guessed it because COVID numbers in India had started rising by then. And a couple of my friends, whom I could have met, had tested positive too.
  • I was to return to Dubai on 25th. On 22nd night I received a mailer that all the flights from India into UAE from 25th were cancelled for at least 10 more days. And I had to scrape through the last available flight on 24th. Quite an adventure, if I can call it so.
  • Then with the flight cancelling fiasco and the drastic raise in COVID numbers all around India, I am done with April’21.

What I read this month

These are the books that I read when I quarantining in Bengaluru, earlier in March

What I watched this month

Even though I could not read much, I spent my time in India catching on several shows and movies. So get ready for a long list!

  • The Godfather – part 1 (despite reading the books decades ago, this is the first time I ever watched this one.)
  • WandaVision
  • Moxie – (I liked the changes the movie had, from the dated book version)
  • Instant Family
  • #blackAF
  • Young Sheldon S1 to S4
  • Citizen Khan S1
  • The Big Bang Theory – S1 to S4
  • Killing Eve S1
  • Superstore S7
  • Snowpiercer – Movie
  • Queen’s Gambit – (yes, finally)

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, this month.

Book Reviews from Mar’21

Sunday personal posts from the month

Other posts from the month

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

From the Insta-world

Here is what I posted on Instagram during the month. Give me a follow, will you?

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Let us chat

I hope your April was lot better than mine. How has your month been? What are you reading and watching these days? Let’s talk.

2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117

Issues with blog statistics: Sunday Musings #115

My blog stats has been acting weird in the past few weeks. There are few days when I have an abnormal number of page visits and then a total silence in the next few.

I have been trying to understand the head or tail of it or why it happens but failed miserably. Has it been happening for everyone? Or is it just me?

On other news, things are moving pretty slowly on my end. But I am planning to go to my hometown, Chennai, sometime this week. So that is all I have been looking forward to.

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What I read this week

I loved reading Lies We Bury by Elle Marr this week. And the book gave me a serious hangover.

It has everything needed for a psychological thriller – a band of sisters who are still trying to escape from the trauma of their childhood in captivity, their kidnapper just being released on a parole and a serial killer who is commemorating the 20th year of escape.

I will have to write a review once I clear up my mind. If anyone’s interested it is on Netgalley currently.

What I watched this week

I have been rewatching Dr House and Young Sheldon on Amazon these days. I am not watching for long though.

How about you?

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.

120+ Hashtags for bookstagram to boost your reach right now

Hashtags for bookstagram Featured

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi – A book review

Before the Coffee Gets Cold Featured Book review

I am back in India: Sunday Musings #114

elgeewrites Issues with blog statistics: Sunday Musings #115 SM114FB

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

From the Insta-world

Here is what I posted on Instagram during the week. Give me a follow, will you?

Pin me!

elgeewrites Issues with blog statistics: Sunday Musings #115 SM115P

Let us chat

How has your week been? What are you looking forward to this week? What are you reading and watching? Let’s talk.

2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117

I am back in India: Sunday Musings #114

As I was telling you guys last week, I am in India currently. The journey had been quite an experience with masks, face shields and PPE to be worn all through the journey and while in both the airports.

Once we reached the Bangalore airport, I had to take another mandatory PCR test. Even though the test result came out as normal, a fourteen day home quarantined is advised. Basically I am spending the time with family and books.

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What I read this week

I read two books this week and I am pretty happy with them. I think I have broken my bad luck with books in February. I will reviewing these two books in a short while.

  • Beach Read by Emily Henry
  • Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

What I watched this week

I have not watched much this week. And I probably wont be having time to binge watch until I return to Dubai.

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn – A book review

Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli Featured

Post COVID Trip to India: Sunday Musings #113

elgeewrites I am back in India: Sunday Musings #114 SM113F

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

From the Insta-world

Here is what I posted on Instagram during the week. Give me a follow, will you?

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Let’s talk

How has your week been? How is your reading week going for you? What are the shows you are binging on currently? Let’s talk.

2nd Wave COVID in India: Sunday Musings #117

Post COVID Trip to India: Sunday Musings #113

Y’all, I have some exciting news from my side. I am going from Dubai to India tomorrow after exactly a year.

I have not met my family in a year, obviously thanks to the COVID and it has been a tough year. This is the longest I have gone without traveling anywhere, like rest of the world.

I have taken my PCR test yesterday and I will have to submit the result when I check in. I hear that there will be another test as soon as I land in India. And there might be a fourteen day home quarantine, if the results come out as negative.

How has your week been? When was the last time you traveled out from your city? How strict are your COVID related rules? Let us talk. Click To Tweet

I am hoping that things will work out smoothly. I will keep you updated with the formalities as well.

I am excited guys, and I promise I will be posting on my usual schedule.

What I read this week

I am currently reading two books and I plan to finish both of them in a day or two.

  • Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
  • Beach Read by Emily Henry

Have you read either of these books? How did you like them?

What I watched this week

This may come a bit odd but this week was the first time ever I saw the classic, The Godfather. And I loved it. I had read the whole series by Mario Puzo more than a decade ago, and I remember loving it.

A while ago I stumbled upon Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu and I enjoyed reading it. And imagine my surprise when I saw it on Netflix of all places! I had to watch it, and guess what? I enjoyed it, even though it was not an exact adaptation of the book, (and that is for good IMHO).

I also watched the Crew and Instant Family on Netflix and I didnt like them much.

On my blog

In case you missed the posts from my blog, last week.

5 tips to working with beta readers

Working with beta readers Featured

The Duke and I (Bridgerton) by Julia Quinn

Duke and I Bridgerton Featured

February’21 updates: Sunday Musings #112 monthly wrap

elgeewrites Post COVID Trip to India: Sunday Musings #113 SM112F

I will be linking today’s post with Caffeinated reviewer’s Sunday post Meme.

From the Insta-world

Here is what I posted on Instagram during the week. Give me a follow, will you?

Pin me!

elgeewrites Post COVID Trip to India: Sunday Musings #113 SM113P

Let us chat

How has your week been? When was the last time you traveled out from your city? How strict are your COVID related rules? Let us talk.