Showing posts with label list love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label list love. Show all posts
My Favourite Blogs 2
All right, this post is at least a year late, so no more time-wasting here. (Link to the first post in this series.)
Things that Make Me Happy (Updatable)
In no particular order:
- Rain
- Babies
- Wet grass
- Dew drops
- Good food
- Cheese
- Coffee
- Flowers
- Writing/blogging
- Typing
- Cameras
- thxthxthx.com :)
- Shades of purple
- Being so busy with something, you involuntarily forget about lower-order needs
- Long phone conversations
- Smiling
- RAOKs (directed from or to me)
- Good stationery
- Clean desktops—real and virtual
7 Photography Tips for the Beginner
1. Read the owner's manual. This one might win an award for obviousness, but it really is important. The owner's manual is an easy-to-understand way to familiarize yourself with everything your camera is capable of.
2. Do not stick with the Auto settings. This will of course require you to have read the owner's manual first. The idea is to not only know all the settings, but also use them for every picture you take. Auto of course saves time, and usually works well, but in some cases you can really see the difference if you adjust the settings first.
3. Optical zoom good. Digital zoom bad. The idea is simple. Optical zoom is what happens as a result of your camera's lens moving towards the object. And it's good. Digital zoom, however, is (umm, err, eh...) a digital thing. The badness of it lies in the fact that it leaves your picture looking grainy, and drastically reduces the quality, which becomes very obvious on a larger screen/print.
4. Keep reviewing for later. Not only does this save battery and time, it also ensures you don't delete a picture that looks bad only on a little screen, and not a bigger one, where you'll end up seeing it way more frequently.
5. Carry around your camera everywhere. With extra memory cards and battery pack/s. That's two tips rolled into one, but they're both very obvious too. Always try to be prepared for a good shot by keeping memory cards/films and battery packs plus your camera handy at all times, so you never have to miss a great shot, or make do with your cell phone's camera.
MAKE SURE you don't keep it away from yourself, though. (Lesson learnt the hard way.)
MAKE SURE you don't keep it away from yourself, though. (Lesson learnt the hard way.)
6. Transfer pictures often to your computer. Makes it easy to review, delete and edit pictures by reducing the number you have to deal with in one go, and also frees up memory on your card. And minimizes your loss in case your camera gets lost/stolen.
7. Capture from as many different angles as possible--try every new idea you can think of. This usually generates great pictures out of everyday subjects.
Bonus: Shoot in the RAW format, rather than JPEG, if your camera will let you. It might be inconvenient when you start, but really helps with post-production. I'm still learning more on this, so I recommend you look it up.
Share your own in the comments!
Bonus: Shoot in the RAW format, rather than JPEG, if your camera will let you. It might be inconvenient when you start, but really helps with post-production. I'm still learning more on this, so I recommend you look it up.
Share your own in the comments!
10 Software Tools Every Computer Deserves
Before I'm off to the list, let me tell you that you don't need any "qualification" to like these softwares. The average computer user might not feel the need for any of these, but I highly recommend each one. I'm not including any security software here, because I expect even the average computer user to feel the need to have them. :P
1. CCleaner
This nifty tool was actually named "Crap Cleaner", and does everything the name promises, and more.
2. Defraggler
Way better than the default Windows defragment tool.
Defragment your hard drive a couple times a year to keep it running fast and well. However, as I recently learnt (Thanks, Karan Kantoor), do not defragment too often, because moving large chunks of data on your drive needs lots of setting and resetting, and is therefore not good for the drive's health.
3. Google Chrome
No matter what browser you primarily use, (I hope you don't say Internet Explorer :P) you should have Google Chrome installed. It's very fast, and comes with a generous set of features despite the minimalist approach, the "Incognito" mode being one of my favourites.
4. Evernote
This powerful note-taking app is a must-have for almost everyone. Sign up for an account, and download the desktop client. There's an online account where all your information gets synced, and there are iPhone and BlackBerry clients too. Write notes, make lists, take screenshots... and I'll tell you more as I discover. MS Office fans might like OneNote for its similar features, but I appreciate Evernote's generous free plan too much to not use it.
5. Recuva
This one can be a true life-saver, especially for fans of the dangerously useful Shift + Delete combination. Pronounced recover, this software does one simple job, and does it well—recover files from your hard drive once you've permanently deleted them but they have not yet been totally effaced.
6. Q10
Here comes my favourite text editor of all time. This is the software I'm using to type right now. There's a plain black background, covering my entire screen, green Matrix-style text on it, and a bar on the bottom that helps me track the time, number of words, pages, etc. There are lots of customizable features, and this tiny software is also portable, so you can even take it on a flash drive anywhere you want to.
7. Caffeine
This microscopically light app is a wonderful way to keep your computer active and awake. All it does is simulate a Shift keypress every 59 seconds, to make sure your computer does not sleep or activate the screensaver if you don't want it to. And for the curious, the Shift key is almost harmless, and indicates to the computer that a user is around.
8. JPEG Lossless Rotator
The name really does say enough. Lossless Rotator has a very simple purpose: it rotates digital pictures in a way that does very little damage to their quality, if at all. It's very user-friendly and integrates directly into the shell, so all you have to do is right-click a picture and select "Lossless Rotate Left/Right".
9. Foxit Reader
This is not really a must-have, because most of us use Adobe Acrobat Reader for pdf files anyway. But in case you're looking at better speed and features, Foxit is a quick answer. For a quicker one, check out Sumatra PDF, a light, portable and ultra-fast pdf reader.
Edit: Nitro PDF Reader. Period.
10. Universal Viewer
If there could be a Swiss Army knife equivalent of softwares, Universal Viewer would be a contender, if not the winner. Under one common roof, you can open tons of file formats that cover pictures, audio, video, and lots more.
Most of these come with decent alternatives, also free. These are just my favourites, and they do their job handsomely. Some of these are Windows-only, so feel free to recommend cross-platform/Mac/Linux alternatives, and also share your own favourite tools in the comments.
1. CCleaner
This nifty tool was actually named "Crap Cleaner", and does everything the name promises, and more.
2. Defraggler
Way better than the default Windows defragment tool.
Defragment your hard drive a couple times a year to keep it running fast and well. However, as I recently learnt (Thanks, Karan Kantoor), do not defragment too often, because moving large chunks of data on your drive needs lots of setting and resetting, and is therefore not good for the drive's health.
3. Google Chrome
No matter what browser you primarily use, (I hope you don't say Internet Explorer :P) you should have Google Chrome installed. It's very fast, and comes with a generous set of features despite the minimalist approach, the "Incognito" mode being one of my favourites.
4. Evernote
This powerful note-taking app is a must-have for almost everyone. Sign up for an account, and download the desktop client. There's an online account where all your information gets synced, and there are iPhone and BlackBerry clients too. Write notes, make lists, take screenshots... and I'll tell you more as I discover. MS Office fans might like OneNote for its similar features, but I appreciate Evernote's generous free plan too much to not use it.
5. Recuva
This one can be a true life-saver, especially for fans of the dangerously useful Shift + Delete combination. Pronounced recover, this software does one simple job, and does it well—recover files from your hard drive once you've permanently deleted them but they have not yet been totally effaced.
6. Q10
Here comes my favourite text editor of all time. This is the software I'm using to type right now. There's a plain black background, covering my entire screen, green Matrix-style text on it, and a bar on the bottom that helps me track the time, number of words, pages, etc. There are lots of customizable features, and this tiny software is also portable, so you can even take it on a flash drive anywhere you want to.
7. Caffeine
This microscopically light app is a wonderful way to keep your computer active and awake. All it does is simulate a Shift keypress every 59 seconds, to make sure your computer does not sleep or activate the screensaver if you don't want it to. And for the curious, the Shift key is almost harmless, and indicates to the computer that a user is around.
8. JPEG Lossless Rotator
The name really does say enough. Lossless Rotator has a very simple purpose: it rotates digital pictures in a way that does very little damage to their quality, if at all. It's very user-friendly and integrates directly into the shell, so all you have to do is right-click a picture and select "Lossless Rotate Left/Right".
9. Foxit Reader
This is not really a must-have, because most of us use Adobe Acrobat Reader for pdf files anyway. But in case you're looking at better speed and features, Foxit is a quick answer. For a quicker one, check out Sumatra PDF, a light, portable and ultra-fast pdf reader.
Edit: Nitro PDF Reader. Period.
10. Universal Viewer
If there could be a Swiss Army knife equivalent of softwares, Universal Viewer would be a contender, if not the winner. Under one common roof, you can open tons of file formats that cover pictures, audio, video, and lots more.
Most of these come with decent alternatives, also free. These are just my favourites, and they do their job handsomely. Some of these are Windows-only, so feel free to recommend cross-platform/Mac/Linux alternatives, and also share your own favourite tools in the comments.
The Three A's of a Great Relationship
In the last few weeks I've been a bad person. A bad friend more than anything else. I've been irritated, irritable and irritating. Now finally I've taken a break from college and am at home, unwinding and organizing my thoughts. And unexpectedly, it's working. Only a few hours of serious thinking, and I've already discovered a huge hidden part of my entangled web of ideas, and—believe it or not—I've almost entangled it too:
Relationships are probably the single most important part of life. Every relationship requires you to adjust, accommodate, and accept. These three A's can often be the difference between a lasting relationship and a failed relationship. However, it is very important to truly understand what these words really mean.
Adjust: It is very rare that someone can get along with you exactly as you are. In the real world, some (or many) small changes are required. Make those changes. These changes should not come as a burden or obligation—you would happily make them for a loved one.
Accommodate: Accommodating is the complement of adjustment, in that it has to be everywhere that adjustment is. If another person cannot adjust in a certain situation, you should accommodate. Keep in mind though, that there is no other way for this to work than on a reciprocal basis.
Watch out that adjusting and accommodating should never require you to curb your personality. Never let anyone in the world restrict you to a person that's less than the real you. Minor changes here and there are great, but a relationship that seems to become successful only if you shake up the foundations of your very being isn't a very good idea at all.
Accept: Where adjust and accommodate fail, and otherwise, acceptance comes into the picture and probably erases all negativity. Acceptance is never easy, and in fact requires more selflessness than most of us have. Yet, it is one of the strongest foundations of love. Sometimes an incompatibility cannot be removed; instead embrace it, respect it, enjoy it.
All of this said, there are two very important "boundary conditions" (engineer-speak):
1. None of the three A's (or let's say a relationship) should ever come in the way of your becoming a better human being. Be a work in progress and strive to be continuously in the process of improving. At least with me, the conscience is enough to decide which traits need to go in transcending to a higher self. So there is usually a clear line between improving and not having to curb myself.
2. Like I've mentioned already, there's no way a relationship can work unless both (or all) the persons involved contribute their share of love, attention and the three A's, among much else. If a relationship ever gets abusive, the best thing to do is to call it quits.
It's perfectly normal for things to not work out even when you have given your best. You didn't end up with a great relationship, but with a great lesson. Trust me, that's not bad at all.
From my learning, I've certainly become a happier person, and am ready to make the people around me happier. Hope this can have the same effect on you too. :)
Relationships are probably the single most important part of life. Every relationship requires you to adjust, accommodate, and accept. These three A's can often be the difference between a lasting relationship and a failed relationship. However, it is very important to truly understand what these words really mean.
Adjust: It is very rare that someone can get along with you exactly as you are. In the real world, some (or many) small changes are required. Make those changes. These changes should not come as a burden or obligation—you would happily make them for a loved one.
Accommodate: Accommodating is the complement of adjustment, in that it has to be everywhere that adjustment is. If another person cannot adjust in a certain situation, you should accommodate. Keep in mind though, that there is no other way for this to work than on a reciprocal basis.
Watch out that adjusting and accommodating should never require you to curb your personality. Never let anyone in the world restrict you to a person that's less than the real you. Minor changes here and there are great, but a relationship that seems to become successful only if you shake up the foundations of your very being isn't a very good idea at all.
Accept: Where adjust and accommodate fail, and otherwise, acceptance comes into the picture and probably erases all negativity. Acceptance is never easy, and in fact requires more selflessness than most of us have. Yet, it is one of the strongest foundations of love. Sometimes an incompatibility cannot be removed; instead embrace it, respect it, enjoy it.
All of this said, there are two very important "boundary conditions" (engineer-speak):
1. None of the three A's (or let's say a relationship) should ever come in the way of your becoming a better human being. Be a work in progress and strive to be continuously in the process of improving. At least with me, the conscience is enough to decide which traits need to go in transcending to a higher self. So there is usually a clear line between improving and not having to curb myself.
2. Like I've mentioned already, there's no way a relationship can work unless both (or all) the persons involved contribute their share of love, attention and the three A's, among much else. If a relationship ever gets abusive, the best thing to do is to call it quits.
It's perfectly normal for things to not work out even when you have given your best. You didn't end up with a great relationship, but with a great lesson. Trust me, that's not bad at all.
From my learning, I've certainly become a happier person, and am ready to make the people around me happier. Hope this can have the same effect on you too. :)
Top Ten Things to Do for a Loved One
I have no memory of how and when I fell into this thought trap, but fall I did for sure, so here are the results of being in the trap for several hours:
(These are not only for sweethearts, but also for friends, parents... Yeah basically, loved ones. Here's a bonus: most of them are easy on the pocket. :D)
10. Meet up, in a "Zero Technology Space-time"
The fancy term is grossly inaccurate, but it conveys the idea well, I think. This one is especially for people who don't get to share a lot of quality time with their loved ones. Make the time to meet, in a quiet place, and keep cell phones, laptops, televisions etc. totally away. (Mentally away is more important than physically.)
9. Work for a Cause Together
This can work extremely well if you both feel strongly about a certain issue. Help spread AIDS/cancer awareness, participate in an anti-corruption rally, or help spread the "Go Green" message.
8. Create Something Together—And it Doesn't Have to be a Baby :P
This can give you a very wide range of choices--paint your house, assemble a computer or do an art/craft project together. Create something tangible that will be a lasting symbol of your collective hard work. A baby actually fits into this pretty well, if that's applicable in your case. ;)
7. Give Them a Nickname
A friend of mine used to call me "Blossom" and it's one of the sweetest names I've ever had. Think of a name that's cute and sounds nice--but don't use it all of the time. “Sunshine” and “Cupcake” are my personal favourites, although I hate that they’re so hackneyed.
6. Take (Long) Walks Together
The utopian idea about this would be a long, slow walk after dinner, when it's not totally dark yet, with a scenic view around. Perfect for interesting and warm conversations, and exercise too. Long drives work too, but they're not really the same.
5. Make a Slideshow/Scrapbook of Your Shared Memories
Don't worry too much about putting the pictures together; just pick out your mutual favourites. Once you're done and satisfied, make sure you can have some uninterrupted and quiet time together to look at the slideshow/scrapbook. By the way, Windows Movie Maker, Animoto, Stupeflix, Picnik, Slide, etc. can be helpful apps.
4. Allow Them to Relax and Leave Things to You
Particularly if you live together: This is perfect for an evening during a busy week. Also a great background to a special dinner or some lazying together. I'll leave rest of the imagining to you. ;)
3. Surprise Them
Meet them where and when you're least expected; of course having double-checked that the plan won't backfire! Give some minutes to each other, tell them how special they are, and leave them with a flower or a small gift as a cute memory of the moment. Or just leave “Boo!” or “Gotcha!” or of course “Love You!” notes where they’d be least expected.
2. Gift Them an Experience
It could be a movie and dinner date, or a dance/cooking class together, but doesn't have to be that fancy. For me, coffee and breakfast in bed on a cold weekend morning is great too. (Aha!)
And finally, point # 1. (Thank you for the drum-roll!)
1. Keep It Real
Nothing expresses your love for a person better than truly, deeply loving them. Listen to them, genuinely care for them, and most of all, accept them for who they are. You wouldn't need much more if you can just do this well.
So those were my top ten. Let me know what yours are, and which ones of these you like best, and worst.
(These are not only for sweethearts, but also for friends, parents... Yeah basically, loved ones. Here's a bonus: most of them are easy on the pocket. :D)
10. Meet up, in a "Zero Technology Space-time"
The fancy term is grossly inaccurate, but it conveys the idea well, I think. This one is especially for people who don't get to share a lot of quality time with their loved ones. Make the time to meet, in a quiet place, and keep cell phones, laptops, televisions etc. totally away. (Mentally away is more important than physically.)
9. Work for a Cause Together
This can work extremely well if you both feel strongly about a certain issue. Help spread AIDS/cancer awareness, participate in an anti-corruption rally, or help spread the "Go Green" message.
8. Create Something Together—And it Doesn't Have to be a Baby :P
This can give you a very wide range of choices--paint your house, assemble a computer or do an art/craft project together. Create something tangible that will be a lasting symbol of your collective hard work. A baby actually fits into this pretty well, if that's applicable in your case. ;)
7. Give Them a Nickname
A friend of mine used to call me "Blossom" and it's one of the sweetest names I've ever had. Think of a name that's cute and sounds nice--but don't use it all of the time. “Sunshine” and “Cupcake” are my personal favourites, although I hate that they’re so hackneyed.
6. Take (Long) Walks Together
The utopian idea about this would be a long, slow walk after dinner, when it's not totally dark yet, with a scenic view around. Perfect for interesting and warm conversations, and exercise too. Long drives work too, but they're not really the same.
5. Make a Slideshow/Scrapbook of Your Shared Memories
Don't worry too much about putting the pictures together; just pick out your mutual favourites. Once you're done and satisfied, make sure you can have some uninterrupted and quiet time together to look at the slideshow/scrapbook. By the way, Windows Movie Maker, Animoto, Stupeflix, Picnik, Slide, etc. can be helpful apps.
4. Allow Them to Relax and Leave Things to You
Particularly if you live together: This is perfect for an evening during a busy week. Also a great background to a special dinner or some lazying together. I'll leave rest of the imagining to you. ;)
3. Surprise Them
Meet them where and when you're least expected; of course having double-checked that the plan won't backfire! Give some minutes to each other, tell them how special they are, and leave them with a flower or a small gift as a cute memory of the moment. Or just leave “Boo!” or “Gotcha!” or of course “Love You!” notes where they’d be least expected.
2. Gift Them an Experience
It could be a movie and dinner date, or a dance/cooking class together, but doesn't have to be that fancy. For me, coffee and breakfast in bed on a cold weekend morning is great too. (Aha!)
And finally, point # 1. (Thank you for the drum-roll!)
1. Keep It Real
Nothing expresses your love for a person better than truly, deeply loving them. Listen to them, genuinely care for them, and most of all, accept them for who they are. You wouldn't need much more if you can just do this well.
So those were my top ten. Let me know what yours are, and which ones of these you like best, and worst.
My Favourite Blogs
I've been spending lots of time these days with highly intellectual and creative people, and well, the downside is that I'm being made fun of how infrequent my posts here are. And the upside of that is this post--not quite like the earlier ones, but really something I feel an urge to share.
The idea is simple enough--these are my favourite blogs, all regularly followed. (Thanks, Google Reader!) I don't read every post, but definitely glance through them all and slow down when I find something that really interests me. And that does happen often enough. ;)
The number of great blogs around is limitless, but my time and typing ability are not, so I thought I’d keep myself to the ones I'm really addicted to.
(The list is really random about order and categorization; that's just me. :D)
Seth's Blog
Stepcase Lifehack
Health Nut Wannabee Mom
Wise Bread
ReadWriteWeb
Digital Photography School
43 Folders
Ultimate Geek Girl
Lifehacker
Mashable!
Make Use Of
Digital Inspiration
Mintywhite (Windows Tools, Help & Guides)
TechCrunch
Ask The Admin
The idea is simple enough--these are my favourite blogs, all regularly followed. (Thanks, Google Reader!) I don't read every post, but definitely glance through them all and slow down when I find something that really interests me. And that does happen often enough. ;)
The number of great blogs around is limitless, but my time and typing ability are not, so I thought I’d keep myself to the ones I'm really addicted to.
(The list is really random about order and categorization; that's just me. :D)
Seth's Blog
Stepcase Lifehack
Health Nut Wannabee Mom
Wise Bread
ReadWriteWeb
Digital Photography School
43 Folders
Ultimate Geek Girl
Lifehacker
Mashable!
Make Use Of
Digital Inspiration
Mintywhite (Windows Tools, Help & Guides)
TechCrunch
Ask The Admin
Zen Habits, Write to Done
Newsman--Rajdeep Sardesai's Blog
A big big thank you to all those wonderful bloggers. You're a huge help and inspiration. And hey, intellectual, creative people, thanks for the inspiration here too! You guys finally made me type what I've been meaning to for weeks. :)
Newsman--Rajdeep Sardesai's Blog
A big big thank you to all those wonderful bloggers. You're a huge help and inspiration. And hey, intellectual, creative people, thanks for the inspiration here too! You guys finally made me type what I've been meaning to for weeks. :)
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