Horoscopes, Horoscopes, Horoscopes

Hi There!

For all my dear Aries, Cancerians, Librans, LEOS (hehe), Aquarians....and so many, I'd like to share a bit about Astrology to you in this post. All the secrets that I have learnt through these years are here for you, absolutely free. Ofcourse, you would like to know about how I have journeyed in this Astronomical journey, my experiences, my researches, I will surely tell you.

My Journeying - yearwise:

2005 - 2006 : Sunsigns start to interest me. "Is it possible to understand someone's behaviour from their sunsign? What are the qualities of different signs?"

2006 - 2010 : Awesome studying of people have led me to understand few personalities that sets each sunsign apart from the other. My guesses about what sign one would belong have slowly grown. (I'm right atleast ONE in ten to twenty people, woohoo!)

2010 - 2011 : Predictions, Predictions, Predictions. What's the craze? I study various websites on how Astrologers truly predict what will happen.

And, I unravel the mysteries for 2012, and it is all right here:

Predictions for 2012 for the various Sun signs - peek in your sign -go ahead, its all free.

The Awesome, go-getter Aries

The new year started with a Bang. It went on a dragging ride, now with the path you are in, you are in middle of God Knows Where. You are clueless, you feel you have no sense of direction. You are in the middle of the year, and so are your plans. Don't worry about the results, as the coming months promise you in good faith of the unimaginable and exciting results that will make you happy. You want some, you go get some.

The Home loving Taurus

The year 2012 started with so many expectations. But now, you have lost faith. Your best friends disappointed you, your loved ones abandoned you, the food tastes yuck, the weather makes you sick, and all other gooey things you can think of is all happening - to You. Taurus, my friend, the world doesn't revolve around you like it used to. If you wait with a willing heart, the angel will sure shine upon you and give you wings. (Like Red Bull? May be). The stars promise the tough times are over, finally. Whatever comes up will now rock your world. A hint: rather than waiting for a smile, why don't you give one?

The Very Versatile Gemini

The year 2012 has given you nothing but excitement till now. You have enjoyed the ride, spent extravagantly, bought new clothes, displayed your style sense, it is all good. But past June 2012, it is testing waters Gemini. Be careful, be very careful. Give back those clothes you borrowed from a friend, along with the money which was inside it. Place the new designer watch from where you took it. Accept that it was you who burnt the food. Feed your dog. Be good, and then will the stars guide you to a positive phase. Or else,, there is no saying of what evil shall fall on you!

The Cute & Friendly Cancer

My friend, stars know what you want, what you really need. They have been playing with you by not giving you what you truly deserve. Wait, with caution, the Cupid is waiting to shoot his arrow. When he does, you know what you will get. Love is all Cancer needs right now. You will get it. Just make sure you purse is full.

The Confident Leo

This year has truly been a bang of a year. It started with so many dreams coming true, so many exciting stuff knocking every door, the excitement was above the roof! Or so you thought! The mid year has beat you, kicked you, made you roll in the mud and dirt, but its not without reason. Its a year of molding and unfolding. Past July 2012, you will realise what the stars are meant to do in your life. Keep playing the way you do, you will surely get to the place you want to.

The Family Loving Virgo

With a little push from your friends and loved ones, your year 2012 till now has been great. You have undergone a difficult journey last year, and this year so far has been okay-okay. You feel you need a direction, a support, and the stars are here for you. After the 2nd of July, you will be blessed with lots of love and support from every direction. You only have to spend sometime with whoever wants your company (if somebody does need it)

 The Balanced Libra

This year is all about your studies and career. 2012 highlights promotion, incentives, and recognition. You have been struggling the past year with slow growth and recognition for the wrong things. It is all gonna change. Its gonna be whirlwind of success and fame. Be ready. As for the matters related to the heart, somebody is waiting to warm you up by the 12th of July, keep your wardrobe in shape for that exciting outing.

The Spicy Scorpio

The past few months have been the toughest. You have been working hard for something, no matter what you do your ideas and thoughts keep going back to that thing or person. You feel just too dumb to think ahead off it. You waited too long for action. Don't worry, the stars are smiling. Its up for lotsa fun till the end of year. Socialising, networking, are there on your cards. Have fun!

The Ambitious Sagittarius

2011 has been a journey of ups and downs of career and money. 2012 now promises you that there will be opportunities knocking your door at many ends for exciting investments. But it does not promise you any return. It is a year of caution and control. There is ofcourse marriage on the cards for prospective Sagittarians, those who are already married will find new prospects tempting. But then, yes, its a year of caution and control. Use your opportunities wisely, there will be more coming.

The Cool headed Capricorn

Capricious capricorns for the past few months have been trying to surge ahead with creativity. Your creative nature somehow just does not have an effect on your audience. You still have to work on that, past August 2012, you will realise that it is not worth it. Only after that, you will come upon great other practical stuff which will help you lead successfully till the end of year. Felt bad? You know you love being practical, dreaming just doesn't suit you bro.

The Intelligent Aquarius

Not all, but few yes. Anyways, Aquarians will learn stuff this year. How you apply it depends on you. Swimming, dancing, singing, and just about everything, you will learn so much that you could start a class of your own. There's just so much to do and so little time to do it, is how you will feel. By the end of the year, the stars warn you that you will have no friends. So, keep learning, but don't forget your friends and loved ones!

The Peaceful Pisces

Ah ha ha.. Pisces. This year 2012 is your year. You don't like the spotlight, but its gonna be there on you. No matter how hard you try to hide. You will be on the spotlight for all the bad reasons. If you've been good, then you wont have the spotlight. That's life. Hey, just kidding. Pisces will have recognition for their work, step up in studies, great time for relationships. Its all yours, take it.

That's about my prediction.

I don't know if you have read all the predictions for all the signs, may be should. Go up again before you continue with the rest of the post, I insist. 

So you will find that its all BS, if you haven't found it yet.

Finally this is my learning out of past years of learning and research, just read what makes you feel good and forget the rest! Life is yours. I really read this one, really, the stars are light years away from you in a timeline (Told you to follow Physics class, now you just don't understand this one) so different that you really can't predict stuff which will happen. Besides, you cannot predict the movement of spatial bodies, so making an astrological prediction will not be accurate. I don't mean to say don't read horoscopes, read it, if it makes you feel good. 

Or else, dump it.

Lance to Lead !!

I just want to say..

Small things can make great differences in our life. 

From a quote you read somewhere to a friendly hug, little things can inspire us each day, if you let it. Today I want to introduce you to a gentleman - Lance Armstrong. I read his Autobiography, It's not about the bike - My journey back to life. The little things that inspired me, through his autobiography are something which I feel is worth sharing. What he has overcome and has achieved is nothing close to being small.....but the changes through which he himself has gone through, has all happened in baby steps. If you want to achieve something in life, know that they are the little things, the tiny changes that occur within you, which will dart you forward. Life is not a hit song, but it is a series of boring, fun, and tragic episodes. How you want to end your story, is your choice.

This post - errhmm - is ALL about Lance. Whatever I have felt, the things which has made tiny but tremendous changes in me, and in my friends, are shared here.

Lance Armstrong is a world class cyclist. Mind you, world class. How he ended up there was not by having a great coach, or big money, or any great incentives except his own self motivation and never ending support from his mother Linda Armstrong. Oh, what miracles love can do! Be it self love, or love from a woman.

Lance's early life was filled with financial struggles, along with a great desire to prove his worth. When life pushes you down, it is not without double the power that you rise. Now, Triatheletes are those who compete in the Triathelon which I consider to be the toughest athletic sport. It is a combination of swimming, cycling and running. Lance is said to have struggled quite a bit to get through Triathlon competitions, not in the action of the sport, but rather to gain confidence from seniors of the field to think of him as fit enough to compete at 12 years of age! He went from being a Triathelete winner at the age of 12 (Wow!) to a World renowned cycling champion winning the Tour de France (His first) at a bare 22 years of age - being the youngest road racing champion in the world.

So, what's really great about this guy? He is a Testicular cancer survivor. It is the King of all cancers that you know. Here is an excerpt from the book,

"As he battled against the cancer invading his body and the chemotherapy that threatened to sap his soul, he focussed on his training and drew strength from the people around him who never gave up. Just sixteen months after Armstrong was discharged from hospital, he entered the Tour de France, a race famed for its gruelling intensity, and won, in the fastest ever time. Just a few months after that, he became a father"

That's Lance for you.

Although it has not been the same Lance ever, he has been the sloppy, fat and completely broken individual during and after the course of his cancer as well. When cancer hits you, it hits you hard.  He has crossed the highest peak of pain both physically and mentally. Cancer tests you in all ways. It kills you once it is done testing you. Doctors told him that he had a 40% percent chance of survival, but later, they admitted that 40% actually was meant to be around 5% chance, and that is not a lot. He did seem like from a failing team losing all his hair and weight due to Chemotherapy (for cancer), and that's when he lost his professional contracts too. His career started to fail him. Along with his medical insurance. He was close to broke. 

How he came out from all this, how he 'survived', how he achieved, are not miracles. They are all born out of pure pain, that either kills you or makes you stronger.

I now intend to write few excerpts from the book, here goes -

"I want to die at a hundred years old with an American flag on my back and the star of Texas on my helmet, after screaming down an Alpine descent on a bicycle at 75 miles per hour. I want to cross one lasst finish line as my stud wife and my ten children applaud, and then I want to lie down in a field and gracefully expire, the perfect contradiction to my once-anticipated poignant early demise"

That's how you dream.

There's something else about Lance. His mother. He was born to Linda Armstrong, when she was just 17. She has supported him and made him come up in life, through her own efforts. She never quit, she had humble beginnings. She worked as a Secretary where she was underestimated, and her son asked her,
"Why don't you just quit?"
"Son, you never quit." was her response.

Lance competed in a gruelling cycling race, his first professional race - Classico San Sebastian - and came last.
"The day of my debut, it rained so hard it hurt. I slipped farther and farther behind, shivering and struggling to pedal. Soon, I was in the last place. Ahead of me riders began to give up, abandon the race. I was tempted to do the same. It would be so easy. But I couldn't, what would my teammates think? I wasn't a quitter."

"Why don't you just quit?"
"Son, you never quit."

In his book he mentions, once you are through terrible pain in life, you are never the same person again.

Winning is not just about the moment, it is a series of things that keep happening when you decide not to quit. Believe me, without those negative people in your life, you would never ever have the thought about changing the way you live, or have a burning desire to succeed. Lance has told in the book that, he does not cycle because he loves to do it. The intensity of pain that comes from cycling in races is not deserving of love. What made him ride is the - pain. He wanted the pain. Pain which deserves an awesome victory, which has exuded from his cancer survival as well.

I still have lot to say, lot to share, but I end here. Cuz when you reach that book - Its not about the bike My journey back to life, I can bet that you comment "Is that all you have got to say about him?" Make your own interpretations about this winner.

And let me know.

Before leaving, if you have really come this far reading this (very interesting) blog post, click on these:

Courtesy:
Its not about the bike My journey back to life (Autobiography of Lance Armstrong)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/summer06/articles/summer06pg6-9.html
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/lancearmstrongtimeline.html
http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/HISTO/us/palmares.html

Make sure your eyes don't pop out.

Interiorscaping - How to create Greenery 'inside' your home!

This post is designed for Plant lovers basically. The only thing that I find incomplete about plants is that they don't have tails that wag when they see us, and they don't jump on us in excitement! Well, that's what they say, Love is complete acceptance. So, I love you Plants, for who you are.

Lets move on, before I forget why I came here in the first place.

Uh Hmm, Interiorscaping. People talk about Landscaping and Softscaping, it basically means to design your outdoor area with ornamental plants, even fruits and veggies. They act as to provide an aesthetic environment, give you a hang out space right where you live or work. Plus, its all about going green too. World is getting polluted enough already, so never hesitate to plant a few saplings now and then.

With the same incentives, Interiorscaping is decorating your 'indoors' with plants.

                                                                   Like this

Do you love plants and the freshness it exudes? Why wait.. Go on and find what you can do to your home, that will change the way you live!

"Indoor planters"

This is simple. You have a beautiful planter already? (Ofcourse, like a plant lover should!) Know your plants and keep them in a place they can survive.

Few indoor plants that you can choose from, or own all - Caladiums, Money plant, Syngonium, Chlorophytum.

The idea here is not just about the plant, but the planter as well. The beauty comes from both of them. You have a beautiful plant, but the pot is damn ugly, it becomes difficult to enjoy the view.

So here is an idea -

Looks like aliens huh? Anyway,

"Bonsai"

Honestly, I haven't made Bonsais, once yes, but it was during a class in college and I did not visit my Bonsai later to that to see how its doing.

To those who are new to this, Bonsai are basically - 

Trees or shrubs made to grow in small planters, which makes them dwarfed. With the right care and climate, you can even have small citrus, mangoes to enjoy! Bonsais vary from a few centimetres to a few feet - 

"Window Boxes"

This is definitely an area you can explore. 

You need a carpenter to get you done with the Window box. Things that you need to keep in mind (other than most obvious ones) are the window sill dimensions, holes drilled at the bottom of about 0.5 to 1cm radius, piece of jute cloth to make sure to hold the soil back but to just let the water drain, and most important - a peaceful neighbour downstairs.

"Terrariums"

Terrariums are sometimes called Bottle gardens. As the name says, they are gardens - inside a bottle!

Have a look :

A layer of tiny pebbles, sand and soil will act as the rooting medium. You need tiny saplings of your indoor plants, pick out tropical ones that survive a lot of humidity, like Caladiums for instance. And, I know you are not Santa Claus (If you are, pls leave a comment, I cant wait till christmas), you don't have assistant elves to help with arranging the medium and saplings inside the bottle..............Long handled forks and spoons are good to go. (Bad joke, I know)

Hey, its NOT easy as it sounds, you need to be a delicate and gentle worker. I promise you, the end result is worth the effort!!

"Container Gardens"

Close being called potted plants, Container Gardens are a mix of plants not just one, arranged in fashion like how a garden would be in real life. Flat Containers of 10cm radii to as big as 50cm radii can be used.

This pic shows something of outdoors, but in these same lines you can do it indoors.

Still, the idea tried to explain here is not described in full justice with the pic! So I'm gonna play with your imagination- Imagine a landscape of a garden, and place it in the container of the above size. That is, Make mounds of soil for small mounds in the real garden, you can make tiny sand pits which depicts sand pits for children, plug few dried twigs vertically that make it look like dried up trees, go crazy - sprinkle small pebbles and make it look like boulders, place anything dried and natural and watch your imagination go crazy!

This type gardening is Japanese in origin (if i'm right), and it has a name (which I don't remember).  I will post it soon!

The above stuff for Interiorscaping are all bookish ones, you can go creative with your methods and containers.

Hope you enjoyed the post!

Golden Shower in Chennai

Ah....Monsoon.

The most common enjoyable things that they say about the showers...the earthy smell, getting wet (followed by a nasty cold), the general thrill, enjoying the window side, kids running,

 the black cloud of Umbrellas....I could go on and on.


Ofcourse, in Chennai, there's too much of Rain a human, an office goer for one, can handle. Mud seems to love your pants, or sarees, while going in most modes of transportation. It clutches your clothes like a lost lover. 

Me though, I love the thrill of it! It is a game I play with the mud, "No, You can't catch me this time buddy!". May be there would be another post coming soon on how to escape from the MUD!! You wouldn't believe but I have a plastic shoe bought especially for the Rain. Best buy. I'm reminded of Cindrella's glass sandals every time I wear it.

But there's another thing about the Rain which I personally love. Flowers.

If you would notice, there are certain trees which flower during the Summer, and some during Rain, some after. There's a peculiar beauty to trees which flower in the rain. It is like two beauties fighting over attention. The rain or the tree? The tree or the rain? I get confused what to look at! But the picture of them together settles it! What a couple!

My post title - Golden shower - actually means this :

Its botanically called - Cassia fistula. Cas..what? This one sounds better - Golden shower tree. It was love at first sight.

This baby grows anywhere from the climate likes of Hyderabad to Bangalore. She doesn't need huge care, quite independent you see. That is why Golden showers are picked up and used as Avenue trees. If you are ever planning to have a beautiful tree in your house, remember her.

There are other wonderful flowering trees too, I'd love to share with you.....but class is over! Rinnnnng.  :)

See you in my next post!

Motivators for the D-Motivated

I'm going to present to you a sample of things that would help you get Motivated on a demotivated day.

I'm not a counsellor or a psychologist, but a regular demotivated person out there. Yes, I have my crazy days...............when

I find these useful:

One. Videos. You cant get yourself to read? Watch a movie? Listen to songs? You are just so beat up, that you crawl on your way to work/college and back home after a tough day? Listen to motivational videos. Most people don't know that Youtube has them Yes, Youtube.

(The videos are not clear! They are just samples to find you what you want)
Try these links:
Antony Robbins Motivational Video
Nick


Two. Books. If you have come this far to reach my blog, I'm sure you can further your step ahead to grab some books too. There are loads of them out there which tell you that YOU CAN DO IT. I never did much! But, yeah, I can survive a week or two with them.

Try these:
Awaken the giant within
How to stop worrying and start living
Books do more to you than a good motivational video.

Three. So you think you are not into books? Books are Fat? Then try Articles!! Subscribe to stuff that helps you keep upbeat. Are you the Nature lover? Are you a spiritual person? Doesn't matter that your subscriptions have to do with Motivation, it only has to do with what you love. Find some love. Go.

I'm subscribed to:
Chicken Soup
NatGeo
Tiny Buddha

Four. Friends. Friends are the real stress bustas - If - you have ones who are not like you, in the current situation. Don't go gloomy all day, and find a gloomy friend to catch up on how sad and bad life is. Catch up on things you left behind while on this emotional ride! Certain people are so intrinsically programmed to be funny, find them, friend them. (And, ya, don't spoil them - Kidding!)

Five. Famous People. Ok I can hear you saying - "Now where do I find those?" Famous people are famous for a cause. Find them. Read them.

Like Him:
It's not about the bike, its my journey back to life

Six. Movies!! Movies move you with the Actors into their sad reel lives and come out of it along with them.

I watch -
Jab we met - Hindi
Pursuit of happyness - English

There can be many more......zzzz........

Seven.

Have a good sleep.

It is not a direct motivator, but a good sleep, or a 'power nap' (google it if you don't know what it is) will make you do more, than your awake sad self! ;)

Besides, its 00.15am and i'm pretty sleepy myself. Up for a motivated day tomorrow!! (Its now 00.45am after I have finished this blog - I'm outta here!)

Goodnight.

P.S. There can be eight, nine, ten to ten thousand.....it won't work, unless you make up your mind! Life is yours, Friend. Make it beautiful.