Date Archives July 2018

BOOK REVIEW: Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz

Books & Reading

As far as I can remember, I’ve always been a James Bond fan. The love affair started with the action-packed movie franchise but soon the love of the written word steered me towards the books.

Love of Bond

Hurdled in front the television set with a ton of snacks, I remember catching every Bond movie that came out with Pa (and of course he brought home the edited versions). As years passed by, my obsession with old movies ensured I turn back the clock and catch all the ones I missed. And then one-by-one devoured the books. To date, a James Bond movie thrills me to my very core and even though I have severe hots for Pierce Brosnan, I always been overly-critical of the movie adaptations. Especially when they ruin the book altogether. Ian Fleming is one of my favorite authors and when I read on Twitter that Anthony Horowitz was coming out with a James Bond novel, I had a list of reservations already prepared.

Anthony Horowitz

My brother has been a Horowitz’s fan for years (thanks to the Alex Rider Books and the Gatekeepers series) and up until last year when I read the Magpie Murders (2016), I had never experienced a Horowtiz story before. And I was pleasantly surprised when a wonderful Christie-esque murder mystery lit up my holidays. Having said that I was skeptical of the idea – I mean James Bond in the hands of someone other than Fleming? The horror! The horror!

How James Bond became 007?!

And then it happened – I read “Forever and a Day” in July and knew I had to take back my initial verdict. Surprisingly this is not the first James Bond novel by the author. Somehow I missed Trigger Mortis (2015) by him but none the less the origin story of James Bond was exciting but with a bit of predictable plot line. But may be that’s only because I’ve read almost all of Bond literature out there. And since this was Bond’s first mission (the book takes place before the events of Casino Royale) you can’t blame him entirely can you?!

Excerpt from the Book

“There is one more thing.” M reached for his pipe, although he didn’t light it. “You’re going to need a number. You’ll be working with 008 and 0011. I don’t know why, but 009 sprung to mind. What do you think?”

Bond had been getting to his feet but he sat down again. “If it’s all the same to you, sir, I’d like to take over the 007 designation.”

M raised an eyebrow. “Really? Why?”

“Well, I suppose there are two reasons. The first is that I knew Richard Blakeney. The man who used to carry that Double-0 number.” Bond named the man who had died. “I’d go so far as to say we were friends and I’d like to keep his memory alive, flying the flag, so to speak.”

“And the second?”

“I think it sends out a message. You can take one of us down but it changes nothing. We’ll come back the same and as strong as ever.”

My Review

On the goodreads.com scale, I gave this book 4 stars and I would’ve been a little more generous but shades of Vesper in a similar character forbid me to do so. Some fans might disagree but many similarities do surface here and there including the ultimate evil plan of the villain. One thing that I am grateful for is a different Bond, we see a different man, we see him make mistakes and watch him often rescued by others. This is exquisite because we see how he was able to develop as a spy in the following years.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk5HDlElHSv/

One of my favorite moments was when we discover the origin of Bond’s signature line — “Shaken, not stirred” and yes you will be surprised (I wonder if Fleming would’ve agree with it or not?). A few favorite, reoccurring characters to the series are obviously absent but are handsomely replaced by similar figures. You’ve a couple of scenic destinations and to my sheer surprise almost no sex. I mean well there is but compared to the book/movies – I should say nothing.

I don’t even feel the need to comment on the action because we can all trust Horowitz to create a series of igniting events. If you enjoy thrillers and have absolutely no idea of Bond’s history, you will still thoroughly enjoy this book. Just be warned you will find yourself predicting a few elements but the easy writing style and an entertaining lineup of characters won’t let you put it down.

For those of you who are interested, ‘Forever and a Day” is available in Pakistan.

My Minimalism Journey & 10 Things I No Longer Buy

Minimalism & Sustainability

Hello & welcome to another instalment to my minimalism series.

Today, I am going to share my minimalism journey and how it has affected my lifestyle and well-being.

What is Minimalism?

The very first thing that one needs to understand about Minimalism is that it is different for everybody. It holds a different meaning and a different motive for everyone. People are under the impression that minimalists are all about white walls and monochromatic clothing but that is not the case. Whether you want to delcutter your life in general, save money for personal investment, reduce your carbon footprint or just travel around the world with a backpack, Minimalism is about what you ultimately want out of it.

If you like to put it into words, it is an intentional lifestyle whereby you reduce unnecessary possessions to bring more meaning to your life. People often assume that it is about throwing away everything you own, no, its not. It does not mean you can never shop again, it is more about being self-aware and making conscious decisions regarding what is important to you.

How Did I Discover Minimalism?

Honestly, I don’t remember but I can tell you this – I had never heard of this concept but back in 2012 with no sense of understanding, I began with my minimalism journey when I gave up writing on paper. More on this down below.

Is Minimalism for You?

Minimalism is an extremely versatile life choice, one can shape and bend the rules quite easily. All you need to remember is one basic rule – if it does not serve a purpose in your life, it is best to let go. If you are moving into your new place, it is the perfect time to declutter and bring only the important things into your new home. If you are starting a new job in a new country, best would be to let go of all the excess and gain more freedom. Minimalism is often associated with materialistic possessions alone but in reality it can also be also be used to cut out fear, negativity and guilt from your life. It is all about simplifying. Any and every thing!

10 Things I’ve Stopped Buying As a Minimalist

In the years, I’ve come to adopt this lifestyle, I’ve found myself using it as a tool to identify what brings me value and eliminate the superfluous. And today, I am going to talk about the 10 things that I no longer with my simple living approach.

Diaries & Notebooks

I have been scribbling in a diary since the age of 9 and all of a sudden in the year 2012, I asked my baby brothers to help me declutter 18 physical diaries that contained my inner most thoughts, dirty little secrets and every aspiration from almost 2 decades (they decided to have a bonfire). I sincerely believe that is the moment where the planets aligned and I started my minimalism journey. You know all those cute notebooks you see at Miniso and other designer stores? I no longer feel the need to add more paper to the landfills and yet continue to share my love of the written word using Google Docs or my Blog.

Handbags

And this is coming from someone who at one point in her life, owned a collection of almost 50 bags! Bags and books have always been my jam, something I have come to love from a very young age. And no doubt even today, it is quite easy for a well-constructed crossbody or a luxe clutch to take my breath away but I’ve chosen to invest in a few, fine pieces as opposed to a wardrobe full of low-quality and high-maintenance bags. Investing in 4 excellent quality pieces (1 handbag, 1 crossbody & 2 clutches) has fuelled my passion for this accessory and yet helped in downsizing immensely. In fact, I am happy to report, I haven’t spent a single penny over an evening clutch in over a decade.

Costume Jewellery

Curating a collection takes time and a budget and I know this isn’t for everyone. One must take absolute care when making expensive purchases and I did make that choice just a couple of years ago where I donated and gave-away 99% of my costume (imitation) jewellery in favour of a few fine pieces. Once again, yes, replacing expendables with indispensables does require you to invest a little but the value that it brings over an extended period of time is beyond measure. That is exactly why today, my entire jewellery armoire is just a 1″ x 3.5″ box from Pandora but holds more value (literal and sentimental) than my entire closet.

Makeup & Skincare

You know Bill Gates wasn’t fooling around when he said, wearing the same clothes helps him focus on what is more important. And thus I’ve chosen to set a makeup routine that works wonders for me and I stick to it. With already my handbag and jewellery collection downsized, I take less time to get ready in the morning and spend more on the breakfast table with my baby brother watching morning cartoons. I have one of each makeup item that I need and repurchase only once it is fully utilized. Who needs 25 lipsticks and 20 nail lacquers any way?

And don’t get me wrong, I do take care of my skin but instead of a cluttered bathroom counter, I’ve selected a few organic options that are great for the skin, easy on the pocket and excellent for the planet (Top Tip: Organic Coconut Oil does it all – cleanse, moisturize, protect and sooth).

Magazines, Cookbooks & Subscriptions

As hard as it was to leg go of a few favourite publications (RD, I am talking about you) I’ve chosen to opt for online reading and leisure-time browsing. Remember all those subscriptions, you clicked ‘yes’ to just because you were in a hurry to enter the website? They not only clutter your inbox but also lead you to tempting purchases. Today pretty much everything under the sun is available online and unless there is a specific medical journal that is available only through mail order that you require to complete your residency there is no need to add more trash to the bin.

DVDs

Now here’s an option that you can adopt right away as the trend is already dying out. And now that you’ve so many multiplexes and online video-on-demand subscriptions there is no need to hoard over 300 DVDs in your home. I decluttered my family’s collection 2 times in the last 3 years and today we are DVD free. Not to mention the money you can save on yearly subscriptions as opposed to purchasing new movies every Friday.

Ornaments, Kinck-knacks & Home Decor

This is something I’ve been very strict about and have had the most success with till date. I no longer spend money in buying decorative items, mantelpiece add-ons, antiques, artworks, faux flowers that in the end only add to the clutter around my house and most of the time are lost in translation. I’m extremely happy with a clear house and less items to dust every day thus making it extra easy to stop myself from buying things.

Single-use Plastic

Now this is more aligned with my attempt to leading a less-waste lifestyle but yes it has helped me much in saving money, and sending less and less trash into the oceans. But this takes time and change will not happen overnight but if you are looking for ways to eliminate disposable items from your household, here’s a quick guide for you and your family.

Snacks -The Munchies

And Woah! Did it help me get in shape or what! I belong to a family of kids who refuse to grow up when it comes to snacking. You would, at any given time, find at least 7 different kinds of snacks at my place. I no longer add any kind of sugar-based or oil-based treat to my cart and have noticed a sense of gratitude from my heart and body. Plus I save a tremendous amount of money along the way, every time, I say no to Pringles and Oreos.

Disposable Batteries

When you decide to settle for software and digital solutions you in turn make more, and more purchase in terms of batteries and chargers with all the power use. I have made a point of buying rechargeable batteries at home and in the office. They work just as good and you can find them in a variety of options. Less trash and more value.

Often when I share my minimalism journey with my friends or peers the very first thing they pick out of the entire story – is the investment. And I do not refute that at all. Few first-time investments are certain when you decide to opt for intentional living. But the key here is to remember that minimalism is a process. You do not have to turn around your entire life in a day. My advice is to take it easy. look at me, its been 6 years since I recycled my diaries but I still have a long way to go.

With minimalism you have the luxury to design your life of less and more. More of what you love and less of what you don’t. So breathe, decide and declutter.

And Good Luck!

The Strange Boy at a Distance

Inklings - Poetry & Prose Love & Relationships

It wasn’t that he seemed out of this world or even one-in-a-million and yet he was not a fraction of the multitude of a race that only believes in keeping oneself different from others. And I stood at a distance thinking how wonderful it would feel to have and hold.

Obscured under the blue, blue sky, he preferred solitude and for him she was nothing more than a mere stranger with an unhealthy obsession for words.

This boy is running but from what? Seems like from everything and probably nothing.

Focused; in his own world, yet cautious not to fumble over the cracks in the slab of pavement.

Above all they are his, as he glides over, one after the other.

He is like the calm to my eternal chaos.

He offers a smile to his invisible audience, whose cheers are still audible over the waltz of traffic and a cliched betrayal. Strangers who share his same verifiable reality remain indifferent, slouching over their steering wheels.

Though this boy does not care.

He fails to notice, in fact. He gallops home, ignoring their guises of this lacklustre steel town.

The rolling clouds bow over to him, allowing him his rightful throne. He wallows in the fire cast by the mysterious deity; sovereign. He advances but remains put. Nothing more, nothing less.

His mind is a fortress. Impenetrable.
He continues home, but to no one in particular.
And not to his home.
Then to where, and to which home? I could not tell you, and nor could he.
His destination has yet to present itself.

The boy does not care – I admit finally. He continues to run.

Feel my words let them create the mood for our very first encounter; shall we be friends of the word or strangers or more let my words please you and fill your every need you assumed never existed.

I sense your needs feel your loneliness your emptiness. I offer you – let my words to embrace you, ease your pain give you comfort and let the emptiness evaporate create the world you want.

You believe in logic and I prefer the cadence of rhyme but perhaps together we can conceive a marvel beyond this realm. For I would like to come closer, a little more than you are comfortable with but I promise to grant you confidence.

Once our minds are sated and the glow of this past-present interweave begins to illuminate, we shall part with contentment. Knowing you will always have my words and I will forever treasure your touch.

Welcome to Plastic Free July and Zero Waste Lifestyle 101

Minimalism & Sustainability

Two of my closest relations claim that I am not a Minimalist. And that is true because I’ve just begun and there is a long way to go.

I would say, I discovered this very approach to life probably in late 2014 but I continue to struggle with it till date. And my recent haul from Mango and Khaadi isn’t helping either. But I am opting to talk about my Minimalism journey for another day. Today, I am coming to you with a sense of realization that dawned on me just over a year ago.

My carbon footprint on planet Earth – a simple, straightforward thought but with consequences that transcend generations. I exert day and night to build a future for myself and my family but with my planet under threat – there wouldn’t be much of a future to work for.

As time passed, I learned more and more about the Zero Waste Lifestyle and with #PlasticFreeJuly here, I thought it would be best to indulge in this further.

What is a Zero Waste Lifestyle?

Above all, a zero waste lifestyle is simple living whereby an individual continues to reduce respective eco-footprint in the long run. The basic philosophy is designed around the practice of sending less and less trash to the landfills and the ocean.

Explore the “WHY” Behind it All

Before you even attempt to feel accountable for the trash you produce, you need to establish a “why” thus strengthening your zero or even less waste lifestyle passage.

This “why” has to be black and white because it in turn becomes your motive, it is exactly what keeps you going back to your commitment. Because trust me committing to such a lifestyle is like a crash diet, one weekend is all it takes and the rest is a blur.

For instance: Did you watch the sea turtle struggling with the plastic straw and it horrified you?

Did you notice all the single-use cutlery piled in the corner at the local food court?

For me it was my toothbrush, one humid morning, I stood there brushing my teeth and all of a sudden, I had an epiphany. It terrified me estimating the number of toothbrushes I threw in the garbage in my lifetime. And I knew I was onto something big.

Discovering the Zero Waste Lifestyle & the Obstacles

There I was hardly a Minimalist; just learning about the horrors of the oceans and now I find myself in a country where locating a compostable toothbrush was equal to finding an honest business partner – impossible.

Resourcing cleaner alternatives wasn’t even the hardest part!

If I had a dollar for every time, I politely asked the waiter to not add a plastic straw to my drink, well then let’s just say, I would have had enough for the vacation I just lost (another story, another day).

Producing awareness and relevant collateral is one thing and expecting people to understand and/or act on it is other. Drinks continued to pour in with plastic straws and a sweet, forgetful waitress helped me dispatch more plastic to the Indian Ocean.

I knew from day one, I wasn’t going to find a stainless steel straw or a package-free shampoo bar but what I didn’t realize is that I will have to protest my rights in favor of bringing in an empty, reusable cloth tote to the local supermarket. And I am not even exaggerating.

Asses, Prioritize & Replace – At a Turtle’s Pace

Instead of giving up entirely, I realized a basic mistake. Just because there is a hole in the ozone layer, it does not mean, everyone around me is suddenly going to help me save Mother Earth.

So, I went back to the drawing board and decided to start small. I read online that doing a ‘Trash Audit’ helps assess areas in need of improvement and I did just that. My trash mostly consisted of takeout packaging, leftovers, freebies and plastic water bottles. It was time for me to prioritize and focus on perhaps just a couple of areas and I took the most logical first step – refused freebies, marketing collateral and promotional merchandise. And made sure, I was carrying a reusable water bottle at all times.

I have contemplated creating my own toothpaste and mouthwash but I’ve been back and forth on the idea. If only ‘Package Free’ decides to open up in Pakistan. I did however convince my family to buy in bulk and avoid packaging as much as possible.

Minimalism & Being Zero Waste

I think the one step that benefited me the most in adapting to this new lifestyle is making sure to add or replace only when necessary. Something that is also fundamental to Minimalism. This automatically produces less trash and de-clutters life in general. But in doing so I also made a point of up-cycling as much as possible and not start throwing away like a crazy lady. The goal of zero waste living is to keep matter out of landfills. Just ask one of my best friends, I forced her to accept many of knick-knacks and even a part of my library.

Above all, I told myself that this is all a process, one step at a time and change will happen but not overnight. One must understand that everyone’s zero waste journey is different. Instead of weighing out triumphs, it is best to acquire inspiration and draw up your very own blueprint.

I learned to focus on one area at one time and take it from thereon. You just need a standpoint to pledge and soon a commitment turns into a habit and you will be saving Mother Earth in no time. For most of us, it is simply switching out bottled water with a reusable water bottle.

And if you are looking to start on your zero/less waste lifestyle or were taken back by the “Planet or Plastic” Cover of the National Geographic Magazine, here’s the ideal opportunity to start making a positive difference.

Welcome to PLASTIC FREE JULY

In the year 2011, a group of Australians came together to establish #PlasticFreeJuly and today it is a worldwide movement with participants from more than 150 countries worldwide. This year’s theme for the International Plastic-Free July campaign is “Beat Plastic Pollution” and you too can become a part of this revolutionary movement. After all a habit takes 21 days to form and after an entire month of saying no to plastic, you just might help clean up the oceans.

And this is precisely the starting point; you might be looking for and with the “International Plastic Bag Free Day” falling on Tuesday, July 03, 2018, you have every opportunity to promote more sustainable alternatives. I myself signed up, and received much literature and artwork to help me embark on my mission with clearer motives. Take the pledge today on plasticfreejuly.org and reduce the number of single-use plastics from your homes, office, and community.

Be part of this incredible transformation and contribute towards a safe tomorrow for our future generations.

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