Review: The President is Missing

President Bill Clinton and James Patterson on crime fiction

It's the groundbreaking collaboration between Patterson and Clinton. One thriller everyone is talking about this year. THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING: Yes you read it right. 42nd President of United Staes of America has decided to penned down a thriller alongside none other than The Patterson , the most prolific and iconic crime writer at work today. The page-turning read is currently the top selling novel in the country. (M not surprised) 

The President Disappears. The world is in shock.But the reason he’s missing is much worse than anyone can imagine. With details only a President could know, and the kind of suspense only James Patterson can deliver. (Blurb from back cover) 

Goodreads Review: 

President Bill Clinton and bestselling novelist James Patterson have written a spellbinding thriller, The President is Missing.

As the novel opens, a threat looms. Enemies are planning an attack of unprecedented scale on America. Uncertainty and fear grip Washington. There are whispers of cyberterror and espionage and a traitor in the cabinet. The President himself becomes a suspect, and then goes missing...

Set in real time, over the course of three days, The President Is Missing is one of the most dramatic thrillers in decades. And it could all really happen. The President Is Missing is Bill Clinton and James Patterson's totally authentic and spellbinding thriller. 

My Take: 

Absolutely Loved it . Lot of political stuff in here. If u have read Patterson very closely, you will be able to spot the difference between his writing and Clinton's influence. There was a lot of back and forth in the edition. But then again, James regains the control of the book. 

It serves as a cautionary tale about the vulnerability of our digital world in which many things from infrastructure to government are connected to the internet. It seems pretty scary that our world could easily crumble from cyber-terrorist threats. 

 The value of this book is not only in its entertainment, but also in its criticism of our political structures and their failures. Highly recommended !!!

Happy Reading !!

Review: Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

Kavita Merchant who is a poor village women, gives birth to a girl child and names her Usha. She gives her daughter to the orphanage in Mumbai as she is terrified by her husband Jasu Merchant who would kill her if he finds out its a girl. She travels all the to Mumbai by herself and gives her daughter away with heavy heart. Two years later Kavita gives birth to a boy named Vijay. 

On the other side of the globe in America couple named Krishnan and Somer who are doctors themselves, trying hard to have a child and consults Fertility but all in vein. They finally decides to adopt a child, and of course, it is Usha they adopt as Krishan is from Mumbai and still has a huge family in Mumbai. They name her Asha.

Kavita, Jasu and Vijay in village living their lives and Krishna, Somer and Asha in California busy in theirs.

What has amazed me in this story is the relationship between each of them. How well each of them understands how the relations are maintained.

I loved the bonding between Kavita and Jasu. Jasu call her Chakli :) I found that sweet.

Loved the relationship between Asha and Sarla (Dadima, Krishnan's mother in India) where Asha goes and lives for 1 yr to do her project on Slums of Mumbai. The other reason why she comes to Mumbai is to find out her real parents.

Some of the chapters have really made me cry, few were a bit dragging in between. There some beautiful sentences, actually Captions which i normally use for my pictures. They way it has been used in this story has just blown my mind. If the quotes/Sayings are used at a right place, it can change the entire meaning.  I have quoted below:

"If the mother falls, the whole family falls"

"At some point, the family you create is more important than the one you're born into."

"that is what growing up is. Life is always changing on us, presenting us with new lessons. Look at me, I'm seventy-six, and I'm just now learning to wear white."

So, give urself a little gift. Take this book, sit on a bench at a near by lake with a chilled Cappuccino in the other hand and read Secret Daughter. Not cuz I want you to read this but YOU want to read it. I promise this will enrich ur understanding towards ur own family.

Happy Reading !!!

Review: Wonder

 This book will always be very close to my heart. Very special, as it reminds me that every human being, every child on this planet is SPECIAL. They are God gifted. Never judge people by how they look. Just treat them as how you want to be treated. 

There are couple of chapters that gave me goose bumps, couple that made me cry, couple that me feel proud as a parent. It's definitely an uplifting story and worth being told. 

August Pullman is a 10 yr old kid whose face is deformed by birth. A 5th Grader and first year at school. He had go through countless number operations and made him an outsider with other kids of his age.  This book is the story of him facing his fears of being stared at and excluded, of him growing up and of his family letting go.

Writing is quite simple. Its a page turner. I finished this book in 9 hours. 3 Hrs a day. The overall mesg in the book: 

"When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind." – Dr. Wayne Dyer" 

I was still left with a question by the end of the book....

"Do 10 year old kids really Date?" .... :)

Next Read:  

Happy Reading !!!

Time with Children

Sometimes 

the smallest 

thing 

take up 

the most room

in your heart. 

Happy People

Habits of Happy People 

• Ignore nonsense
• Talk less
• Learn new skills
• Help less fortunate
• Laugh
• Wake up early
• No entitlement  

 

Myself

 

 To perfect myself would be a pain,

So, I'd rather be myself, 

the ugly and pretty sides, 

my flaws and all,

good and bad

merged

and 

I'm the oneself,

myself 

All I Remember

When my mother spoke to me, she always began the conversation with "Have I told you yet today how much I love you?" The expression of love was reciprocated and, in her later years, as her life began to visibly ebb, we grew even closer.... if that were possible.

At 40 she was ready to die, and I was ready to let her go so that her suffering would end. We laughed and cried and held hands and told each other of our love and agreed that it was time. I said, "Mom, after you've gone I want a sign from you that you're fine." She laughed at the absurdity of that; Mom didn't believe in reincarnation. I wasn't positive I did either, but I had had many experiences that convinced me I could get some signal "from the other side."

 My mother and I were so deeply connected I felt her pain in me at the moment she died. Later I mourned for months n years in the sterile wisdom, had not let me hold her hand as she had slipped away. Day after day I prayed to hear from her, but nothing happened. Night after night I asked for a dream before I fell asleep. And yet four long months passed and I heard and felt nothing but grief at her loss.

One day, when I returned home from work tired and exhausted, to my surprise I saw that my entire house was neat and clean. Cooking,cleaning and Laundry was all done. I was wondering and plus I was shocked and scared as to who came into my house, who did this ? Many questions flashed through my brain. The answer was standing on stairs. My Mom, she came down the stairs, had lunch with me, rolling her hand on my head, making sure I finished everything on a plate. I kept eating, sobbing like a kid and asked her if she can stay with me forever. Of course not cuz she cleaned and cooked but ...

She took a promise from me that I wont tell anyone that she comes to see me everyday, have lunch with me and helps me with my house chores. I promised I won't. I said, "Oh, Mother, I'm so sorry that you had to suffer with that horrible disease." She tipped her head slightly to one side, as though to acknowledge what I had said about her suffering. Then she smiled—a beautiful smile—and said very distinctly, "But all I remember is love." And she disappeared. It was a DREAM. I knew in my bones that the love we give and receive is all that matters and all that is remembered. Suffering disappears - love remains.

Her words are the most important I have ever heard, and that moment is forever engraved on my heart.

I have not yet seen or heard from my father, but I have no doubts that someday, when I least expect it, he will appear and say, "Have I told you yet today that I love you?"

KNOWING

What you know for sure

-is your enemy-

Than what you do not know 

Happy Reading 

Morning Dream - Haiku

The first dream of the morning

I kept it a secret

And smiled to myself  

 

Full Moon - Haiku

Beautiful  moon, 

Only lovely,

Flawlessly clear

 

Trust

Reveals the truth

The best companion

My mirror on the wall 

Rainbow

Waiting patiently,

For the rain to stop.

Only then, I'll see a beautiful rainbow  

 

Healthy Mom , Radiant Mom

I have thought of lifestyle as a choice. Living in my body has been a journey for me, and during my teens, I struggled at times. I did not truly understand and treat my body as house for my spirit; this practice has only come with maturity. As women, and specially as young mothers, it is important to listen to the wisdom of our bodies and do the things that promote holistic physical health and wellness. This will allow us to be the best moms we can ever be, in harmony with our bodies.

I encourage you to check in with yourself and be honest about how you are feeling, how you have been treating yourself lately, taking a note of your basic self-care practices. Have you bwen getting enuf sleep? Eating properly? Getting enuf exercise? Drinking enuf water? Annual physicals, including blood work, pap smears, mammograms and monthly breast self exams are important to schedule even if you are feeling well. 

It's so easy to take for granted that our bodies just work for us. But we mistake this, our health is in our own hands and not in doctors hand. It's our body, don't let anybody treat it. Take a mini-Vacation everyday. May be this is the reason i've never visited a doctor as much, except my two overwhelming deliveries and those emotional prenatal visits :) Touchwood. 

Taking care of yourself and your health is a lifetime commitment. While your kids may not act as if they see what you are doing, I promise you, they are absorbing your example. Someday you will see that they will model much of what you've taught them by how you live your life. Choosing a healthy lifestyle takes discipline and personal study. Having experienced the miracle of growing two babies in my womb and watching them grow to be the most amazing teens and feeling the most healthy I'd ever been, I want to feel just as good as I enter my pre-teen. I want to have energy to play with my grandchildren, and to embrace this happy stage in my life's journey and maintain my inner radiance .... No matter what my age says I am :)

Have a Happy, Long and Healthy Life's Moms !!! 

FAMILY - HAIKU

My whole family

Accept me for who I am 

The best gift from God 

EYES - Haiku

Your eyes deep oceans

Holds many treasures and tales

Reflects ur inner beauty 

Happy Birthday Baby 

God Bless You 

You have beautiful eyes

The kind I could get lost in 

And I guess I did 

Happy Birthday Again 

Princess  

 

Reading - Haiku

Reading .... I enjoy 

I can saunter, fantasize 

Reading keeps me sane ....

Current Read: The Apartment by Danielle Steel 

Review: To follow 

Happy Reading !!

ONLINE - Haiku

Waiting all day long

Just to see you come ONLINE

Sparkle in my eyes 

Coffee at Work - Haiku

Coffee, warm and black

Joy of having it at work

I need a refill 

Like a long lost love

reunited each morning 

my coffee and I  

Happy Birthday Dad ....

Loving memories of my very special dad on his birthday ..

My heart still aches in sadness
My silent tears still flow
For what it means to loose you
No one will ever know

Although you cant be here with me
We're truly not apart
Until the final breath I take 
you will be living in my heart

Dearest dad, to hear your voice and to see your smile
and just to sit next to you and talk to you
would be my dearest wish today and always
Watever it take to make it happen
Thinking abt you now n always !!!!!

I remember this one bday of his that I and my brother could never forget. 
I was may be 9 or 10 yrs old and my brother was 7 or 8 yrs old. Too young to go and shop and have money in our pockets. We both wanted to do something for him without anybody's knowledge. Not even mom was involved or aware of it till the end. (Look whose talking, She is a mom, she knows everything. Only we knew that she knows nothing.)  After a lot of thinking and planning, not left with much choices but to use his White Night Suit which he wears every night and which we wanted to use it as a Banner to write "Happy Birthday Daddy" . We ripped apart and made a banner or say chart board out of it.

Finally everything was set, Cake on a small table with candles on it, room decorated, banner posted on the wall, lights off and waiting in anticipation for him to come back from work. 

Door bell rang, mom opened the door and here He comes, "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Daddy ... Happy Birthday to youuuu ...." Dad smiled, (Oh I can never forget that smile) was very very happy, surprised face, that glow on his face .. omg ... He cut his cake, we all shared smiles, laughter and enjoyed the delicious cake made by my mom. 

As the time was getting closer for him to change, my and my brother's heart kept racing. Now What? we said to each other. Dad went into his room and screamed, "Where is my Night Suit?" I and my brother gathered strength and hold hand in hand  and went into his room and said, "Dad, Where do you think we have written "Happy Birthday Dad" ?? ......... That moment ......  we didn't knew what is he going to do ? Will he scold us for the damage we did or will he laugh at it and forgive us ?

 Like any other dad  , He chose to Laugh at it and forgive us. And that night we got the best hug ever ... .. :) 

Will always cherish these little moments that we spent together ... 

Truly rich children are the ones, who run into their dad's arms, even when their hands are empty ... 

Happy Birthday Dad, Where ever you are !!!!
 

Treating with Love

True That !!

When someone loves you,

They don't have to say it.

You can tell by the way they treat you 

Or by the way they look at you.