Reading Discoveries Of The Year

One of the things I intend to do more of in 2014 is reading books, especially of the non-IT & non-business variety. This quest has already led me on to a few discoveries. 

1. Having finished reading a book mid-week, I found myself without a book to read at bed time. Remembering an Amazon feature, I Googled (this word is still highlighted as a grammatical error) to learn that I can indeed borrow a digital book from another amazon user. A few whatsapp messages later, I was gleefully experiencing the lend or borrow Kindle books feature of Amazon. Coincidentally, the first book that my sister lent me was Start Something.

2. It was mid-way through yet another week that I finished Start Something & found myself with the prospects of not having anything for bed time reading again. This time I chanced upon the free eBooks collection of Amazon. Autobiographies, thrillers, classics, etc., this is surprisingly very well stocked & I wanted to get started on many titles all at once. Do note that one doesn’t even need to own a Kindle to indulge in this collection.

3. I resorted to an online recommendation to decide which book to start with. The Thirty-Nine Steps was 1915 novel, described as racy & just 100 pages (minimizing risk exposure). The clincher for me was that this book was a prelude to the now common man-on-the-run genre of Hollywood movies. I couldn’t stop smiling the first few pages – I had completely forgotten such writing existed. This book was read soon & thoroughly enjoyed!

Wishing for many more such serendipitous discoveries during the course of 2014 .. thanks to the years goals & resolutions. 

List of Uttarakhand Relief Donations

While most of our media has moved on from covering the disaster at Uttarakhand, the job of rebuilding the devastated areas & the lives of those affected is far from over. The looming winter season only makes the effort required urgent to avoid the calamity becoming worse than what it has already been.

It is not the time to think about the portion of your contribution that might not reach those it is intended for. Instead make a contribution with the faith that every paisa that reaches the ground is absolutely essential in making life a little bit better for those who are living through a hellish situation. Make a contribution because generosity is its own reward.

If you are thinking of make a monetary donation to the Uttarakhand relief work, use the below list of organizations working for the cause. This is neither a recommended list nor an exhaustive one. If you can add to the list, please leave a comment with the details so that some other reader can use the same. 

Action Aid
ActionAid International
Art Of Living
Association For India’s Development (AID)
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CRY India
CRY - Non-Profit Organization
Goonj
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GroupOn India
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HelpAge India
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Indian Red Cross
Mountain Children’s Foundation
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NDTV
Oxfam India
Home
People’s Science Institute
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Pragya India
Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, (PMNRF)
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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
Save The Children
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Seeds India
The Indian Express
Uday Foundation
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Uttarakhand Chief Ministers Relief Fund
Uttarakhand Logo
World Vision India
World vision India

Another’s Viewpoint

Title: Another’s Viewpoint
Location: Chamonix Mont-Blanc

The last few months, I have been reading quite a bit about Emotional Intelligence (EI) for professional development. An important aspect of EI is the ability to see & understand the situation from another’s viewpoint. This picture, for me, captures the essence of this aspect from a photography perspective. Walking through the icy tunnel, this fantastic framed view of the Alps with the silhouette of the couple enjoying the view, was a compelling click.

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Related Posts:
~ Photo Feature – Old Geneva Town (Part 3)
~ Photo: Man & Peace
~ Photo Feature – Linger At Balur Estate