A Students Guide To Online Piano Lessons

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A guide for my piano students who are moving to online lessons on a temporary basis. I hope this post helps other students who are moving to online learning.

The set-up in this post is basic and at no extra cost, for students who don’t want to spend on setting up for online lessons. It is meant for my students who usually learn in-studio, and take online lessons just once in a way. Or who move to online lessons on a temporary basis for a short period of time, and will return to in-studio lessons after that.

It’s time to take precautions so that COVID19 doesn’t spread, and be safe.

Continue reading A Students Guide To Online Piano Lessons

OCD Or Covid Safe?

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She’s got OCD – it keeps her safe.

The world will end if the tendli is cut round, not straight.

OCD – it gives her control,

There’s so many rules – no one could take over her role.

She’s struggling these days because there’s no maid,

It’s hard for her to find comfort on this bed she has made.

And all that excessive hand-washing – it’s now our new way,

No longer OCD – we call it COVID SAFE!

 

Image by jacqueline macou from Pixabay

Sometimes the rules about the way homes have to be run, and the way housework is done can get fixed and rigid. And families can think there’s no other way, even when this makes life difficult.

It’s similar often, to the disruption that time consuming compulsive behaviours of OCD, like excessive hand washing for example, cause in the lives of people suffering with this illness.

PS : Tendli is an Indian vegetable – I think it’s Ivy Gourd in English.

Please check out my blog ‘Copyright Notice’ for permissions to use the content of this blog. 

To Be A Better Wife, Indian Lockdown Song Lyrics

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Click here to watch the video on youtube

To be a better wife,

I need a husband who’s here.

Here, helping at home with the chores,

Sharing the work so that I can have more,

Giving me time to relax just by being there. Continue reading To Be A Better Wife, Indian Lockdown Song Lyrics

Keep Her Away From Autoimmune Disease

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Lookin’ heavy but feeling light,

A spring in her step because she feels alright.

More on her middle and less junk on her face,

It drives many women crazy, this acceptance of age.

That pursuit of youth, it’s a really huge business,

Keeps the doctors working – fills hospitals and clinics.

But chemical free is HER way, and she feels

It will keep her away from autoimmune disease.

2016 was a good year

It’s the year I decided to go chemical free with home and personal care products, after I was diagnosed with an inflamed thyroid and treated with steroids for a few months, until my tests went back to normal.

I made this decision after I read The Thyroid Cure by Michelle Corey. Continue reading Keep Her Away From Autoimmune Disease

How To Have Things Done YOUR Way At Home

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When you’re stuck in the home, and it’s not your turf,

And all you need is a quiet place so you can log on to work.

When things are done someone else’s way,

And you feel that you don’t have any say. Continue reading How To Have Things Done YOUR Way At Home

5 Tips To Help You Enjoy The Stay-At-Home Blues

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Many are struggling with Stay-At-Home Blues, and are finding it hard to stay positive during this enforced Covid19 Lockdown.

I work from home and have had a few years packed with many activities at home – work, hobbies as well as running my home. Often these past years, just getting out of the house has been an effort for me. So, while this lockdown meant I had to restructure my daily routine because my husband and I are both at home, the stay-at-home part has not been all that bad for me.

We took some days to figure out our work spaces, so that both of us can work without disurbance, and it’s been quite nice.

So, here  5 tips that will help you enjoy the Stay-At-Home Blues :

Continue reading 5 Tips To Help You Enjoy The Stay-At-Home Blues

8 Tips To Help You Live Comfortably Without A Maid

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My husband and I have lived without a maid often, mostly because I would rather that, than have a maid who works badly. And because when I have a good maid, I happily give her long leave whenever she needs it. I’d rather have one person work for me permanently, than keep switching maids each year.

The times without a maid have always been a struggle for me, until recently. We made a lot of changes at home, and I reorganised my workflow, trying different ways, until I found something that works.

So, here’s 8 tips to help you live comfortably without a maid.

Continue reading 8 Tips To Help You Live Comfortably Without A Maid

Microwave Madam

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She’s new to the building and here’s what they say,

She has a career, and is out at work all day.

Comes home late from the office, is NEVER around,

To chat with the women, when they all gather down. Continue reading Microwave Madam

A Full Circle

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It has to be a full circle to show you your face,

A mirror that reveals that hidden, dark place.

The good that rings true, plus the faults that you hide,

Life will take you on it’s roller coaster ride.

It has to be a full circle because you have to pay,

The piper you called out in your hour of disgrace. Continue reading A Full Circle

A Guide To Help You Shop

For those of you who don’t live here, a ‘COPY’ is a notebook, usually an exercise book used for school homework. Now coffee, is just coffee, but is also pronounced ‘COPHEE’ like copy, but with an ‘h’ sound added to it, because in many Indian languages an f vowel is pronounced ph. This can cause much confusion!

This post will help you get familiar with commonly used terms when you go shopping for clothes here in Navi Mumbai (and in many other parts of India), so that you are able to find what you want without too much difficulty.

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Continue reading A Guide To Help You Shop

If I was God – a ‘Found’ essay

A ‘Found’ Essay

I decided to use ‘found’ lines from my own poems, using techniques for writing found poetry. More on this in my post Learning to write ‘Found’ Poetry

Reading a little bit of ‘Why Mummy Drinks’ by Gill Sims made me want to try my hand at a different style of writing. Light hearted, but with a message.

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Continue reading If I was God – a ‘Found’ essay

Composting for the relaxed housekeeper

Aerobic composting in 5 easy steps

My advice to those new to composting is to compost small, so it’s easy, convenient, and quick. Compost just one days waste each month if that’s what works for you. Because every little bit counts.

Step 1 : Order matka biryani home delivered for dinner.

The matkas don’t have a hole at the base, so there’s no drainage and no mess.

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Continue reading Composting for the relaxed housekeeper

5 Years A Victim

The sins of the mother, come down to her son,

But how long should we blame her for what he’s become?

One year of marriage – a journey together,

That year during which we learn more about each other.

Two years to bend, and to meet in the middle,

Three to feel the need to forge new ideas and new traditions.

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Learning to write ‘Found’ Poetry

I had a really lovely time at a workshop on ‘Found’ Poetry this December. The workshop was conducted by Ankita Shah, co-founder of The Poetry Club, at G5A, Mumbai.

We worked on two different kinds of found poetry – Blackout Poetry and Cento Poetry.

It was a lot of fun! Interesting to see how different the poems of each participant were.

The workshop started with an explanation on found poetry, and how we were to work on our poems. And then, we got started with our assignments.

Here’s the poems I wrote at the workshop, with a brief note on each exercise. Continue reading Learning to write ‘Found’ Poetry

Teach them

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A poem about forgiveness and a skill that is needed to form long-lasting relationships amid human failings.

Forgive and forget, that’s what they say,

So you can be a fool for them on yet another day. Continue reading Teach them

How to be a relaxed housekeeper

If there’s too much to clean, just throw it all out,

When you have cabin fever, just get out of the house!

Cook simple and easy everyday,

You can go out for something different once in a way.

zinc-tub-4468742_1920 Continue reading How to be a relaxed housekeeper

From a Blogger

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Alone but not lonely, ‘cos I’m with myself,

Just as happy as when I meet up with someone else.

With paper and pen, and some words – not the best,

Words sometimes unclear or imperfect – the way I talk to my friends.

But blogging is different – I need to take care,

Continue reading From a Blogger

A Ph.D. without going to college

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She’s got a Ph.D. without going to college,

You’d be amazed if you understood her skills and her knowledge!

She’s got her kids independent and a husband who helps,

It wasn’t just good luck, don’t believe what she says.

Continue reading A Ph.D. without going to college