Preeti Shenoy's blog.

Late at night
When your thoughts drift
To that one person
Who brings a smile on your face
Each time you think of them,
And when you know in your heart
That you will do anything
Anything really
To have them in your life
Then you know
That it isn't what feels like love
It is love
The real deal
And if you smiled when you read this
Then you know
You're in love
There is no escape.

Now stop grinning before anyone notices
And thinks you are mad.
Love often is
Madness




© 2012 Preeti Shenoy

For more poems click here. Some poems have already appeared in print. Kindly do not reproduce without permission.
__________________________________________________________________________ If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab themhere.(You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab themhere  And you can interact with me on myFB page. I always reply :)

If you live in Mumbai, chances are, you already know about Loose Ends, a home decor store, located at Bandra, in the lane opposite Shoppers Stop.





The signboard itself is fun, quirky and  'stuff less ordinary' as it proudly proclaims. When I had first walked into the store , I was afflicted by a malady called  'wow-ness' . Almost every product delighted me and I kept going 'wow', 'wow'.
For example, there was this doormat, which I really liked:




And then there was this coffee mug which appealed to me:


There were also  these bookends which I loved:



The store has many more really unique products.
I loved these fridge magnets:






I also loved these coasters. I was grinning ear to ear when I saw them. I imagined gifting it to a workaholic friend of mine and grinned even wider.

Then these cushions for a children's room caught my eye:

 What a lovely way to teach the toddler alphabets and animal sounds! (there are other animal cushions too)



There were many mo…

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If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here

 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)

People react to personal tragedies in different ways. Some fight back, some accept, some get defeated and some withdraw into a shell. I know--as I did all of it.
This morning I was searching for something on my laptop and I came across this photo of Satish and me, clicked  in UK, at the Tower of London in October 2007. This  was before my first book was published. It was one of the toughest times in my life. I had short hair back then and I remember how I had told the hair-dresser to crop my hair real short--like in the army. I  was so down and going through such a bad phase, I did not care about how I looked. Even the smile in the photo is so painfully forced and sad.


I had lost my father all of a sudden in 2006. I have blogged about my father in several posts and here are a few such:

http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/2007/01/my-special-friend.html
http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/2006/11/live-like-there-is-no-tomorrow-and.html
http://justamotheroftwo.blogspot.in/2010/09/tribute-to-o…

Last night, I wasn't able to sleep.( I am a chronic insomniac and not being able to sleep doesn't bother me any more. I use the time well instead.) I read a wonderful article by Erin Pavlina-- "How to be happy when your life really sucks."
I really liked the analogy she used about being in prison and not having any choices. (With everyone and their aunt  talking about Kasab, the prison analogy struck a  slightly deeper chord.)

She is very right in what she says. (Do read the article linked. It is worth your time). We do have choices, no matter how bad the situation.

It is of course not possible to be 100 percent happy ALL the time! (Unless you are on dope and that too comes to an end)  And yes, sometimes life really sucks because whatever it is that is making you unhappy is not in your control. What can you do about it?

Here are five things that you CAN do, no matter how horrible you feel your situation is.

1. Do the best you can and then shift focus

 Ask yourself th…

And so I got back home on Sunday morning, having spent the last week in paradise. I had been on a vacation with family (husband and  kids, the dog being sent to a doggie-resort--yes, they have those things in Bangalore, where your dog can go on a holiday, while you go on yours).

My body, not used to the suddenness of change, of being rudely transported from paradise to the hustling, bustling, polluted metropolis, naturally protested and what an insolent way of protesting too. If I didn't need it so much, I swear I would have hand-cuffed it, frog marched it and ordered it to get well soon, which I realised will not help at all, and so I am in bed, pampering it with TLC, through gritted teeth, willing it to get well soon. I am wrapped up in two sweaters, a thick track-pant which belongs to husband, and a blanket which belongs to son, and am reclining on my bed, as I post this. Every movable joint in my body, hurts and I am suddenly aware how it might feel to be eighty four years ol…

So, some of you got it right, after the clue (and the hints in the comments section) given in the part two post yesterday!

Some of you mailed me the answers and some of you told me on Facebook. But the winner had to be picked from the comments section--and the person  who got is right first is Bhavika :) and the quilled card goes to her. (Bhavika please send me your postal address!) .

All the others who got it right, but were late--please don't be disappointed! The thrill was in playing the game right? And I will have more such fun stuff going. I will be making more cards. :)

I am super-excited about this book. It is my best book yet. (I am sure you will agree once you read it)
And guess when it will be out?

December 14th is the official release date!! (perhaps earlier). I have been working extra hard at this book (emerging only for freshair and food, I kid you not) and so have my publishers  and their awesome team, to release it as early as possible.

It is a story very close to m…

Over the weekend, I have been closely watching the responses. So many of you took part. (Thank you for playing!)  But nobody got it right! (If you do not know what I am talking about, do see my last post).
Many did get the first two words right. (The Secret.................)
And there are so many creative answers! (Full marks to all of you for good thinking!)

I do want to give away the quilled card. :)
And I do want you to guess it right too :)


So, as promised, here is the second clue.

The third word has no E

It has two vowels--both are the same.

It is something which most of us might want to do but never get down to doing and if fulfilled will make us happy!

THE  / SECRET  / _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


What is it? :)
Guess! Guess!!

The quilled card will be given to the first person who makes a correct guess.

Tomorrow: I shall put up the cover of the book :)

And the date of release too :)

Go on now..I am waiting :)

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If you like my b…

You know how it is, when a book goes into the process of being born. I had written about it in my post 'Welcome to a writers world'. and that post became really popular for some reason. (click on link to read)

If you have read that, you know what I am undergoing right now. I have no nails left.
Really. :)

And if you have been following my blog, you know what I do when I am stressed. I turn to art or I quill. (Incidentally I had already announced the winners in my last card  giveaway.Check widget for names of winners)

Today I have been quilling since morning. Four whole hours. That is all I have been doing.
And the card above is the result.
I have used  a new technique I learnt. I am pleased with this card. :) Do you like? Nice? :)

And yes--I am giving it away! (Exclusively for my blog readers.)

What do you have to do to win it?

Guess the name of my new book!

_ _ E  / _ E _ _ E _ / _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

To  make it easier for you, I have given you the number of words (three words) as…

a few vague ideas
one good one
two hundred and fifty four sleepless nights
two thousand hours of solitude
writing
seven drafts
fourteen revisions
more writing
editing
creating
rewriting
living with characters who feel like your friends
hearing them speak to you
and agonizing when they refuse to
coaxing them till they oblige
more writing
reading it yet once more
rewriting.

Yes, you can say that the past few months have been hard for me.
Very hard.
But I am not complaining

I am happy.
And very very excited

You can guess why :)
Any guesses as to what the title will be?

Details soon!  Watch this space!
And yes--this pic is going to be the author photo:


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If you like my blog, you might enjoy my books :) Grab them here. (You don't need a credit card. You can pay cash on delivery) or if you are an Amazon Fan, you can grab them here

 And you can interact with me on my FB page. I always reply :)