Wednesday 5 October 2016

My tryst with reality


Bombay was never a strange city to me. Before moving in here for work in 2010, I had visited this place several times to meet my sister.
I started living with my sister’s family in Mumbai. My peers complained of rising auto prices and jam packed locals every day and I was empathetic enough to ponder on it on my 4 min walk from home to office. While they were busy searching for brokers for rent and fighting with their room-mates over space /grocery bills and tasteless canteen food, I made important decisions ranging from what to eat for dinner : palak paneer or mattar paneer and how my new room would have pink curtains contrasting with the white walls.
The city of dreams truly lived upto its name for me .


I spent a good 2 years here and then was transferred to my hometown for an assignment where daddy’s princess had a rosy path to tread on.
Fast forward to 2014 , it was time to move to Mumbai again and this time without my sister’s presence in the city.
The moment I landed in the city with my baggage, the city looked strange to me .As I dragged my luggage towards the taxi stand I kept pondering on how uncannily daunting it would be to survive by myself this time.



On my way to my new apartment , the taxi halted at a signal . My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the window. Though it was very hot outside , the curious and innocent eyes of the knocker compelled me to listen to what he had to say. A boy of around 8 years was demonstrating a drawing book. I said “ I don't have kids to buy this for “
He promptly replied “ You can draw , color and paint yourself. Its always fun to try new things. Who knows you could be better at this than you think”. Although impressed by his salesmanship , I did not buy the book but I couldn't keep my eyes off my newly found guru who had uttered the exact words of wisdom I needed then. My taxi moved ahead and so did I.



I was apprehensive of my new innings in the city but then I decided to give it a shot with an open and positive mind.
Its been two years of living all by myself now and id like to share some wisdom too.
Life is a journey .However small be , every journey has stories and every story has a moral. You either become wise by experiencing things or by learning from what others have experienced.
I've learnt about life in these 2 years more than my whole life put together.
Here's what id like to share with anyone who is apprehensive about doing a new thing :
  • You cannot be everywhere and you cannot do everything . So prioritize what is important. The thumb rule is to value people over things.
  • Always be ready with alternatives and backup plans.
  • Take into account everyone’s opinion. If you think a certain opinion is unimportant then let the person know why it is so.
  • Always support your statements with logic and facts. Don’t say or do anything on basis of any preconceived notion.
  • Bank on action plans and ideas and not people.
  • Be hungry for knowledge and have multiple perspectives and think about all possible outcomes of everything you say or do.
  • And finally no work or person is inconspicuous. There is plenty to learn from each kind of work and person.




Wednesday 14 September 2016

The Equation of Reverse Aging


In a matter of few years I am turning 30 (its actually months but on the calendar its like literally the next year :D) . Although age is just a number (and I hear that almost everyday from my husband ), lets admit that our bodies in the 30s would not be same as it was in our 20s or further in 40s would not be same as in our 30s. It might sound little threatening thinking about adding more candles to the cake , but then a lot of people do not get to their 30s , 40s , 50s or even further. So celebrating your 30th , 40th....or 80th birthday is more of an opportunity to celebrate being alive rather than being worried about getting old.
Well , all this enlightenment didn't dawn upon me by itself or not even after some cognition.
This wisdom came to me after I read this book titled “ The Longevity Book “ by an author who I famously remember and adore as Natalie Cook in Charlies Angels, Cameron Diaz. Looking at the cover itself made me feel younger by few years :D .
Let me now share what I learnt from the book. I would be quoting the book or pouring my excerpts with my expert opinions of course at places.

 The best way to age well isn't to worry about aging. It is to live well

We all are aging by each passing day ; even by each passing second as I talk so. It is an inevitable and non-reversible activity. The sooner we come to terms with this fact , the more opportunities we can give ourselves to age with health and joy. This is a journey so lets make it an enjoyable one . Lets make it strong , lets make it possible , lets make it right.

As soon as you are born you start to die 

The older you grow , the more difficult it becomes to keep things together with your body. Your skin isn't as illuminating and bright as it was when you were a toddler , your hair isn't as luscious , black or healthier like you had when you were 16 , your ability to sleep less or drink through the night isn't the same as it was in your early 20s.The junk food you had in your growing up years starts showing up on your waistline by the time you cross 25. Well this happens to everyone and there are factors apart from your lifestyle which contribute in this like your genetic makeup , your legacy of health and aging etc . These factors however are beyond our control but the factors which are in our control for improving our own health and passing the same to our consequent generations are very much under our control.
There is no rocket science when it comes to this. Eat right and exercise . There is no alternative and addition to these. Start small but do make healthy changes in your daily habits . It is not that you would wake up one day , decide to be healthy and be healthy by the next day. It is something which needs to be inculcated in your life on a daily basis. Make it a habit , keep reminding yourself , make it a ritual for yourself and the whole family.

The world begins with you and ends on you.

Stay healthy not for anyone else but your own self. By doing this , happiness , energy and longevity would be an effortless addition to your life.
With each passing day imperceptible changes are taking place within our cells and as decades pass , they begin to show up as wrinkles , gray streaks and in a lot of other superficial ways. Accept this fact and focus on growing and not just ways of looking younger.

Looking younger is not the same thing as anti-aging

The ability to color your hair , smooth your skin , take botox shots doesn't change the fact that each part of the body is getting older every day. The only way to actually feel younger is to embrace the reality that you are getting older in fact and dealing with it with a positive bent of mind. Think of it as adding experience to your life rather than years. Every age we pass through has its own standards of beauty.

Lets raise our standards of beauty and remember that learning , growth and kindness are what are valued and truly appreciated.

Lets treat the grays as streaks of wisdom , wrinkles as signs of maturity and the diminishing glow as the effort and love put to make the lives of people around ourselves better.

Lets put value on being a better person , parent ,sibling , son/ daughter , friend, colleague and life partner. Lets make this accomplishment more important than having a smooth skin or a perky figure. Lets grow wiser and not just older by each passing day.

Sunday 21 August 2016

Well dressed = Well deserved?


Some time back at the monthly Townhall , apart from the unnecessary but important team building lessons and news we were introduced to our new Vice President – Operations. Expecting a geek-looking gym deprived person (let's blame it on his busy schedule and not his will . We all have been there ) , I took out my phone and started swiping left and right aimlessly. As the new VP walked over to the podium the applause grew louder.




 Right in front of us stood a man who captivated all of us in seconds. He commanded the stage and our attention and applause seemed like his birthright. We were impressed and mesmerized. After the town hall, while all the girls swore to have 100% attendance in Town-hall then onwards and boys started incorporating his style in their disposure , I was wondering what was in him which made him so confident and worthy of our praises.

He was not the most handsome we had around but there was a striking appeal to the way he had dressed. He wasn't wearing anything fancy like Lady Gaga or super expensive like Harvey Specter. The common factors from his well combed and kept hair to his shining shoes were appropriateness and suitability. It well suited him and was appropriate for the workplace.
They say the first impression is the last impression and for any job interview , meeting or date , all people see and make opinions about you are from the way you look.



Having said that it doesn't mean that people with mirror cracking looks and supermodel bodies are the only ones who make a good impression . Going by that it would, however, mean that only 10% of the world's population would make and everlasting impression in their first meeting. That's not the case, however . Its the way you dress up and carry yourself is what makes all the difference. In an office environment, however, it becomes essential to dress professionally and neatly. You should retire your Justin Beiber and John Snow looks from the work-space . The ill fitted ground kissing denim should be done away with too.




A well-groomed person attracts attention and therefore more opportunities. Moreover , it isn't just for attracting other's attention that it is important to dress diligently . A well-kept personality including trimmed beard , combed and not dropping -on -the -forehead hair , well fitted and appropriate clothes and accessories boost your confidence and is, of course, necessary for your own health and well-being. It instigates a moral boost and you reach out for things you think you deserve , you realize your potential and end up attracting success. That is after all that we work for.


Wednesday 17 August 2016

You are what you eat



Food is an inseparable , essential and unavoidable part of our lives. We are nothing but a stack of whatever we have eaten. After all that has what transformed into muscles , fat and energy and made us who we are. And after writing this now I imagine myself as a big stack of donuts and ice creams . You might imagine yourself as a stack of butter chicken , burgers , pizzas, cheese balls...........Gosh I am hungry now. But before you sink in the same feeling and add a little burger to yourself , lets ponder on what food does to our body and is all kind of food healthy?



 The function of food : The primary function of food is facilitating growth and repair in the body. I know many of you thought the primary function is to satisfy your hunger pangs initiated as a result of visual attraction created from cheese melting from a pizza or chocolate dripping from a donut. Apart from growth and repair of the body that is the physiological aspect , it has a lot of psychological impacts too.
A very famous saying “ You are what you eat” comes in spotlight when we talk about this. Of course that doesn't mean that if you eat chocolates and ice cream you will turn into a sweet person and eating kale will make you bitter at heart. Your eating habits determine the kind of thoughts you get and consequently the actions you take.

Impact of processed foods and sugar : Food that looks alluring and is a treat for the taste buds might be aggravating ill health and fatigue in your body. You would have often found yourself drowsy and low on energy after a big fat burger , french fries and coke. What seems to be a party on your lips for a while creates energy-draining effects on your body. This might not seem upright or might not have immediate visible effects for eg don't eat a burger and fries the next time you aren't getting a good sleep and expect to have a sound sleep. The effect is gradual and works as a slow poison taking a toll over your heath.



Fresh Foods Fresher Life : On the other hand try fresh fruits and vegetables for lunch once in a while and witness how agile and refreshed you feel. Food with high content of protein , complex carbohydrates and good cholesterol not only supply ample amount of energy to the body but also lift up the mood , support positive thoughts and result in better concentration and productivity.

Know your food : The key is to know what you are eating . Not every tasty food is bad for your health and not every bitter food is good. Switch to more healthier options and eat in moderation and you will find your thoughts, actions and work productivity turning positive. With internet so handy these days , it has become easier to be aware of the effects of food on us. So the next time , that melted cheese melts your heart away and instructs your hand to move for it , halt and direct your hand towards your mobile , search the internet with what the food would do to you and whether it is good for you and make the decision of walking away or sinking in the valley of fatigue and illness.



Eat wisely : There is more than what you think your eating habits do to you. Your food determines who you are , what you do and where will you be in life ; Either be a pile of crap and laziness or be a stack of freshness and agility – The choice is yours.





Wednesday 10 August 2016

Time to shine


While surfing random 24 by 7 news (read entertainment) channels on TV , I caught on a contemplating mood. Memories of the dreamt but undone things flashed across my eyes.
I had a crush on this handsome boy in school but never gathered the courage to speak to him . His looks spell bounded and dumb-folded me literally. The thought of a “no” restricted me from expressing my feelings. He was too stunning to settle for an average looking person like me I always thought.
Now when I look at his Facebook pictures with his wife or the salt and pepper combination as I would like to call them, I understand that looks don't matter to him at all. If only I would've said something to him then.........




Fast forward to college life , I wanted to study literature . When I told this to my parents they looked at me as if I was planning to join ISIS. My mother sobbed saying how I wouldn't be able to become rich or get married to a suitable boy and my dad reflected on what more he could have done for me to bend my mind towards the Sciences or make me more like Sharmaji's son. Unable to handle this pressure , I decided to end my life by joining an engineering college. While slogging for four years for something I neither had the interest or aptitude for , made me think if only I would've said something then..........
If you are wondering what I saw on the TV channel that made me so reflective about life then read on.
Be it India or anywhere in the world , there is no dearth of incompetent politicians and the so called leaders ready to decide the course of action of the country. Be it a certain IIT graduate who talks non-sense and whose job profile is more of a critic than a chief minister or be it a certain “young” leader who carries a legacy of four generations on the shoulders and talks of progress when the only progress he has made in these years is to read a speech without factual errors or a certain rich businessman with his bizarre policies ready to take over the most powerful country of the world, all have one thing in common ; Confidence.
Their confidence is taking them to places and have placed them on the map of the world and our TV sets.
Success they say is a combination of hard work and perseverance but what drives you in moments of doubt and disparity is confidence. The trust on yourself and the decisions you make is essential for succeeding in life.




Having said this , proposing to every girl you find beautiful , changing your career path to become a politician , making non-sense YouTube Videos or relying on your legacy is a bad idea or in other words over-confidence . Don't be under or over just add the right amount of confidence to your life.
So the next time you feel low and wonder if you are capable of doing a certain thing or not , then switch on the TV and watch the news. You will see ample faces addressing a rally , taking oath as a minister , formulating policies of the nation and taking foreign trip. These are those who had no money , no education , no expertise and no knowledge when they started . Well some of them still have none of these except the money of course , but they built their dreams on the confidence they had on themselves and others and have achieved success and fame regardless of the critics and haters.

Its now your Time to shine .  



Wednesday 27 July 2016

Start Somewhere............


It was a usual Monday morning and the more usual traffic I was stuck in. There seemed no displacement in my position from 8:34 to 8:52. I was stranded and caught among a hoard of honking and smoking vehicles. I felt the same during visits to my family. Never ending questions about my marriage , love life , job and so on. Ah, the traffic still seemed better than that.
While I was lost in what seemed like the battle of John Snow and Ramsey Boltan , just in time my Sansa Stark appeared to save me from losing (my mind). As the glass window slid down , a pretty face came to light amidst the unbearable traffic. It was after a long time that I had gotten the time to see something this pretty. I took off my helmet to let her gaze into my eyes without any interruptions. But my ray of hope disappeared in the cloud of disappointment when the signal turned green and the traffic started moving ahead just enough for me to catch a glimpse of myself as she rolled up the glasses. It was an ugly , tired and frustrated face at 9 am on a Monday Morning. I moved on and started wondering how would I look like at 9 PM after the day's work.
I reached office at 9:10 and sat in front of my computer. It had not been 8 hours since I was here last. What was I doing ? Why was I working so much? Why was I here even on weekends? I went to the men's room and stared at the mirror. I looked older than I was. My hairline was receding and my belly line was increasing . I was always working . I start from home at 8 AM , battle traffic for an hour and reach office by 9. The day then halts at lunch time when after a quick 15 min lunch , I am back on my computer until 11PM or sometimes 12 midnight. I hardly talk at home , know my colleagues or have friends.
A familiar face appeared in the mirror “ Why are you so stressed?”
For a moment I thought it was like those mythological serials where the angel appears when you have unanswered questions. But it was my cubicle mate John or perhaps Jay. Oh God I don't know the people around me. I looked back at him and smiled at him not for his concern but for his help in telling me what I wanted to hear.
Yes , I was stressed .I decided to change things. All great works begin with a simple word : Google. I googled the ways to de-stress myself. Blogs , articles , Top 10 things for a stress free living......... the internet was full of stressful content. What resonated was however diet , exercise and yoga. I could do yoga. Its not as tough as sweating in the gym or eating boiled food. All you got to do is sit , close your eyes and breathe.
I enrolled in a yoga class near my home. Woke up at 5 and reached the class. Everyone was so fit around me. While everyone was in body hugging yoga wear , I was in my loose shorts and an XXXXL Tshirt ( it atleast looked that big). It started as a sit , close your eyes and breathe , but there were advanced levels too. Asanas and poses were difficult to master. Everyone around seemed like clay turning and twisting and here I stood like iron ; unbending and inflexible.
Uncle you need to stretch “ came a voice from behind. Everyone is an instructor these days and why is she calling me uncle anyways. Girls who moon over Tom Cruise and call men a year or two older than them as uncles should have a special torture zone in hell. I ignored the uncle part and stretched to my limits.
The first day was tiring and I left office at 8 . Ate and slept till 10. After a week things changed however . I felt more energetic , happier and more content. Days began at 5 am , followed by yoga , a breakfast while sitting on table ( I had forgotten that luxury in my hurry to office everyday) , a skype call with my mom and dad while I ate breakfast , office at 9, lunch break followed by a walk in the office premises , back to home at 8:30 and time for dinner ,TV and reading and then a sound sleep.
I started noticing things and people around me. There was life beyond my computer monitor now.
I felt energetic to talk to people , discuss ideas and implement them. I appreciated things around me , valued relationships more and enjoyed doing tasks.
Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. When you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. Stress can take a toll over your mind body and even your social equation.

The question now is how to distress yourself and cope up with the ever demanding life.
The key to this is to prioritize the various events things and people in your life.
Few changes in the way you live your everyday life can do miracles. All it takes is a single step . Start somewhere and Start today.


Tuesday 19 July 2016

Kuch geet yu hi puraane se............


Kuch geet yu hi puraane se
kuch kisse jaane pehchaane se
khoye the jo yaado ki parto me
aaye saamne kal parso me
yaado ki band khidki khul gayi
ye rooh tujhe dekh sihar si gayi
jo gum the yu hi kaaydo me
yaad aa gaye purane waaydo me
kalpana ki chaadar od liye
humne kitne ki safar kiye
khud ko kabhi tumhaare paas paaya
kabhi chu ke gaye tumhara saaya
yaadein ubhari syali si
barsaat me chai ki pyali si
par ye yaadein bhi to asthayi hain
bedard nisthur harjaayi hain
fir humne hamesha kyu itne jatan kiye
ab tumhe bhoolne ke firse prayatn kiye
yaado ki khidkiyan fir band hui
teri parchaayiya kuch mand hui
vastavikata ka nakaab humne pehna
brahm ki ghata ka utaara gehna
yu firse satakar mat jaana

kal se kal me aa jao aise aana

Friday 8 July 2016

The NBA Superstar : Steph Curry


Wardell Stephen Curry or Steph Curry ,as he is popularly known among his fans, is an American basketball player who plays for the Golden state warriors team of National Basketball Association (NBA).Born to a former NBA player Dell Curry and Sonya Curry in Ohio in 1988 , Steph has many accolades under his belt . His younger brother Seth Curry is a NBA player too playing for the Sacramento Kings.


Steph has been playing for the Golden State warriors since 2009. This team established in 1946 is based in California . The team has competed in seven NBA finals and have won four NBA championships the most recent being of 2015.
After joining the Warriors in 2009 , Steph played till 2011 when he briefly was not in his best form till 2012 because of a surgery on his right angle to treat torn ligaments. After that there was no looking back and Steph still continues to show his best form. He has been voted as the Most Valuable Player by NBA in a first of its kind unanimous vote in history. He also happens to one of the few players who have won this title two times in a row.
Steph holds various NBA three-pointer records made in consecutive regular season games , consecutive play off games and in overtime period. He has also won the ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete and Best NBA Player, BET Award for Sportsman of the Year and AP Male Athlete of the Year awards for his exceptional performance and contribution to the sport.


Apart from being an outstanding sportsperson , Steph is a philanthropist too.
He has been associated with the United Nations Foundation's Nothing But Nets campaign. The campaign aims at eradicating malaria in parts of Africa. He also drives the Stephen Curry Foundation which aims at providing resources for schools .

He lives in California with his wife , Ayesha and two daughters.



Monday 27 June 2016

Kitesurfing


Kitesurfing is a form of kiteboarding wind powered surface water sport. It harnesses the power of wind through a large kite and a regular surfboard . There are various surfboards available and depending on the type of surfing there is difference between kite surfing boards which we will cover in this article. The kites are parachute like with inflatable tubes. The size of the kites depend on the strength of the wind and size of the rider. Although a surfing sport , the factor propelling the surfing is wind and not waves.



Apart from being an adventure sport , kitesurfing has a host of health benefits too .Your whole body is is used and exercised while surfing . It also increases improves the balancing act of the body and synchronization among various senses. The equipment required for this sport are portable , light and cost effective.
If we talk about the kite surfing boards then there are a variety of them available:

  • Twin-tip
  • Wake-style
  • Wake-skates.
  • Wave
  • Directional or Race



Here we will talk about the difference between twin tips and directional boards .
A twin board is called so because the bottom half (tail) and top half (nose) are mirror images of each other and the flex is exactly the same on both ends. The nose and tail are symmetrical and are therefore of the same shape, flex and same camber profile. Directional boards on the other hand have the same tail and nose width but there is usually a very noticeable difference in shape and length. The side cut is also different and favors directional riding.
Twin tips are designed symmetrically from nose to tail being the same whichever direction you are traveling in. They are similar to wake boards. Directional boards on the other hand are not symmetric as the twin tips. The nose is longer on directional boards and the tail is stiffer so you can load up on hard turns.
Twin tips has symmetrical, side cuts, flex whereas Directional has asymmetrical side cuts and flex.
Additionally twin tip has centered stance whereas directional boards have setback stance because the tip and tail are not geometric but is tapering towards the tail.
Riding a switch is easier in a directional board than a twin tips board.
At higher speeds, directional boards are preferred over twin tips as they provide more stability and control. Since the nose is longer it provides better stability during high speed surfs.
Directional boards have more wind range as compared to twin tips.
Twin tips on the other hand are easy for jumping and turning without switching feet in comparison to directional boards.
Free ride boards are directional and freestyle boards are generally twin tipped.
If you ride park and land switch frequently then for you twin tip is recommended. If you’re just cruising and carving on trail then a directional board is preferable.

As most things the type of snowboard you choose is based on personal preference and the kind of surfing you would want to enjoy.


Thursday 23 June 2016

Money for everyone : Universal Basic Income


Universal Basic income or unconditional basic income is a form of social welfare system which aims at distribution of unconditional and equal income to all the citizens. All citizens benefit from it regardless of their skill , requirement of work or other sources of income.
The idea behind the concept was that Universal Basic income will help reducing inequalities and bridge the ever increasing gap between the rich and the poor.
It is a form of minimum guaranteed income which differs from other similar concepts in the following ways :

  • It is paid to individuals and not households
  • It is not dependent on an individual's alternate sources of income
  • It is not dependent on any kind of work done or willingness to work .

The idea of universal basic income was first proposed in the 16th century . Discussed and debated through the centuries which followed on grounds of social dividend and national dividend by the economists and socialists views , the 20th century saw the emergence of a full fledged universal basic income scheme called the Alaska Permanent Fund. It is an annual dividend payed to all the citizens of Alaska.
The idea was then well received and considered for discussions in other parts of the world including Europe. Basic Income European Network (BIEN) was founded in 1986 with a purpose to serve as a bridge between individuals or groups interested and in support of Universal basic Income, i.e. an income unconditionally granted to all on an individual basis, without means test or work requirement. It also aims at promoting discussions on this topic in the countries of Europe.
In 2008 an official petition for basic income was started in Germany by Susanne Wiest which was later closed by the German Parliament. In 2015, a citizen's initiative in Spain aimed at a similar movement with a signature campaign but was not able to gather the required number of signatures. Switzerland managed the required signature numbers and will hold the world's first universal basic income referendum in June 2016.
The last two decades have witnessed an increase in the willingness of states to adopt this idea fully or partially. The discussions from various social , political and economical perspectives have been going around for its implementation. A growing number of scholars and social researchers see it as a way to tackle the increasing unemployment.
It is also seen as a measure to distribute the wealth produced by the society back to the people ensuring the benefits reach everyone.
Social policy and economic policy aiming reforms are dependent on each other and basic income is one viable way of reconciling two of their respective central objectives: poverty relief and full employment.


Wednesday 8 June 2016

Bejeweled Blue : Tanzanite gemstone


Tanzanite is a variety of zoisite mineral which comes in spectacular specimens of blue , bluish purple and bluish violet colors. Discovered in the 1960s ,Tiffany called it as the “ most beautiful blue stone to be discovered in 2000 years”. Embedded in jewelry , the price of Tanzanite stones ranges from $100 to $10,000.





Prices for small sizes of Tanzanite typically lesser than 1 carat is around $100 -$200.
Prices of original 3 - 5 carat size range have been seen at between $550-$700 per carat.
Adorned with other metals and jewelry the price of 3-5 carats can be as much as $900.
The US alone buys 80% of the Tanzanite produces in the world and the prices at high-end stores can be up to $1000 per carat.

You can buy a decent 3-5 carat size in the range of around $600 per carat. This price although is on the lower side in Tanzania , the country being the source of this stone. The stones are however sent to Thailand for finishing from where its is exported to other countries.
There have been constant rise and fall in the price of Tanzanite stones due to limited number of mines and restricted available geographical locations for extraction of this mineral stone. Back in the late 90's prices were as low as $200 per carat. In the early 2000's, this value surged to the $700-$800 per carat range. With modern mining techniques and a control over prices , the prices of Tanzanite is however now stabilized.

What makes Tanzanite so special and popular is its dazzling colors ranging from blue to blue with hues of purple and violet . The most remarkable color however is blue mixed with purple which has a beautiful effect in sizes over 10 carats. It is a also rare stone considering its is found only in Mererani Hills near the city of Arusha in the country of Tanzania. Owing to its limited availability, sparkling and unique color and exceptional aura the stone was promoted by the New York based Tiffany and company and thus became one of the most coveted gemstones of our times.




Tanzanite is available with many brands and jewelers . Toptanzanite is however the world leader with its expertise in designs and stone sizes to suit everyone and every occasion.
This blue color magnificent stone is calibrated into various shapes like Cushion , Marquise , Pear , Round , Emerald Cut , Oval , Princess and Trillion with A ,AA, AAA, AAAA, D and SD grading.

Implanted with the rich blue colored stone , various jewelry items like rings , earrings , pendants and studs are available. Rings are the most popular form of ornament orchestrated with Tanzanite stone .The price for rings range from $ 175 to $11,000.
For a pair of designer earrings the price starts from $ 200 and can go up to $6000.
Pendants can be brought for as low as $30 and the price can go up to $ 14000 depending upon the size and clarity of the stone.
Tanzanite studs can cost from a humble $100 to a whopping $17,000.




Tuesday 7 June 2016

Project Management Simplified : Hive Home


Overview Presentation

Hive is project management and portfolio management platform that enables business and users to form an interaction between messages , action list and files. Hive provides a integration of all tools on a single platform without the need to switch windows. Hive also automates team workflow for the enterprise.


Features, Benefits, Product Strengths

  • Portfolio management

Hive provides a single dashboard view for all messages , actions and files in a glance . The actions and files can be easily exchanged in a conversation by just clicking on the icon and dragging and dropping into the message window.
  • Resource management
Hive enables the ease of actions assignment to the team . You can also add labels , attachments and comments for every action. Hive also provides a cockpit view using the project calendar. You can get updates from the other tools you use. You can create groups for different projects and people and can communicate with them using the computer or the phone.
  • Workflow management
For tasks with same set of actions , you can create a template of the steps involved along with the name of the person the task is assigned to and the date of completion. It can be triggered as per need from other tools too.



Pricing

Hive is offered as a free software with features including Unlimited messages ,Unlimited actions , All your content available,Mobile and desktop apps and Two integrations.
The professions version is available for $8 per user per month and included add on features like Unlimited integrations, Single sign-on,Data export and Priority support.
The Enterprise edition comes with more advanced features including Custom integrations ,Compliance exports,Consolidated billing,Custom reporting and 24 hr response line with 2 hr SLA

Social Network Presence

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/hiveteams
Twitter - https://twitter.com/hiveteams
LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/company/hivetechnology

Target Market

Hive is an ideal project and portfolio management tool for any organization which works on multiple projects , tools and line of business . Resources , actions and projects of any number and magnitude can be managed easily through Hive.

Supported Languages

The Hive software supports English language.

Some of their Clients

Since its available as a free download with features like Unlimited messages and Unlimited actions , the client base is huge. Our other clients include Envato.

Why Hive

With Hive's all-in-one dashboard, team members have their actions , files and messages at the same page and can prioritize their tasks. Hive automates team workflow for the enterprise. It pulls all your team's actions from across all the tools you use, and automatically creates & manages actions lists for your team
Hive also Integrates with over 90 popular tools, like Hubspot, Google Apps, Salesforce, Marketo and WordPress. It also supports integrations for files from Box, Google Drive and Dropbox. It is also available for Mac , IOS and android.

Company Info

Founded in 2015 , hive is a privately held organization which operates from New York ,USA . With an ever growing but dedicated team , Hive specializes in SaaS, Collaboration, Mobile and Team Management.


Thursday 2 June 2016

How to track your lost Mobile Phone


A mobile phone is undoubtedly one of the things people cannot function without these days. Apart from being a handy solution to umpteen everyday problems and tasks , it is also the black book of our lives. Personal conversations , emails , bank details , credit card details , photographs , contacts all reside safely under the umbrella of this device. Now imagine a scenario where you are no longer in possession of your mobile phone . In other words you have lost it and cant find it anywhere.
However disheartening the event maybe be , thankfully there are ways by which you can find your phone. Read on the top 5 ways to find a lost phone.

  1. Call
When you cannot find your phone around , then the first step is to place a call to your phone to track it. If you don't have another phone around then you can use websites like wheresmycellphone.com or make a skype call to hear your phone ring. If you are lucky enough then either your phone would be around and you will hear it ring or your phone call would be received by someone from whom you can know the whereabouts of your phone.
  1. Contact service provider
Service providers can track your phone's location through your sim. If your phone is switched on and active , then with the help of your phone number or sim number , they can easily track the location of your lost phone.
  1. Find my phone app/Device Manager
If you have an apple phone or an android phone then there are some apps using which you can track the location of your phone. Using apples's “Find my Phone” app you can find out the location of your phone , ring your phone , display a message on your phone and also lock the phone and delete all data from it . For android users , “device manager” comes to rescue. Its is similar to the find my phone app except that you cannot remotely lock your phone.
  1. Anti-theft apps
Apart from the above mentioned free apps some paid anti theft apps by Avast , AVG , Bit Defender and Gadget Track provide continuous anti theft security. These come with add on features like force the phone to get answered , email pictures when phone is accessed trying incorrect passwords or remotely wipe the contents of your phone using a SMS command.
If you do not have any of these pre-installed apps then you can make use of Plan B. Using your Google play account from your computer you can install this app on your phone. You then have to SMS “locate' to your number to know the latest position of your mobile phone.
  1. Track through IMEI number

If none of these things work or your sim is on longer in use in the phone for you to call or SMS to track , then its best to lodge a complaint with the police department. Each phone has a unique IMEI number which can easily be found on the box of the phone in which it came or by dialing *#06# from your phone. You can save this number and provide it to the authorities in an unlikely event like this. This number will help them to trace your mobile phone.



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