The Smartest Smart Phone

My brother’s birthday was nearing. I wanted to get him a good gift. He needed a new mobile phone, so I thought it would be ideal to get him a new one, but I was breaking my head over which phone I should buy. They all had similar features, they all looked the same. I wanted something unique. Then my friend told me about the Asus Zenphone 2. My long search came to an end. My prayers were answered. Here’s why:

Sleek and Stylish Design

ASUS ZenFone 2 takes ‘slim’ to a whole new level. The phone isn't just thin, it is ‘ultra-thin’. The elegant Ergonomic Arc case tapers to 3.9 mm. Not just that, the phone has a beautiful brushed-metal finish which makes it convenient to hold and to use. What I love about Asus is that they take care of even the minutest of details. For example, the volume buttons and the shutter button of the phone are positioned, keeping in mind the index finger.

Faster than a Speeding Bullet

The Asus ZenFone 2 the world’s first smartphone with 4 GB RAM. This allows for three times better performance and seven times faster gaming. The ZenFone 2 is powered by an up to 2.3 GHz 64-bit Intel processor. Need I say more? 

Clearer than a Crystal

My brother is frequently on Instagram and Snapchat. So you can understand the importance he gives to good picture quality. The Asus ZenFone 2 has a 13 mega-pixel PixelMaster camera. I think most of you know that this means unbelievable picture quality. The camera is capable of capturing up to 400% brighter photos at night-time, or in places in low-light. That too, without a flash. That’s not all! The ZenFone 2 also has zero shutter lag.

Zen UI

What sets a mobile phone apart is the User Interface. A UI must be easy to use. One should be able to customize it. It should take you to the necessary apps or settings with the least number of clicks. It also has to be appealing to the eyes. The Asus ZEN UI found in the Asus Zenfone 2 exceeds he user’s expectations. It also has cool new features such as ZenMotion, SnapView, Trend Micro™ Security and ZenUI Instant Updates.

Dual Sim, Dual Active

Above everything else, this phone is a Dual Sim, Dual Active phone phone. For somebody like my brother who has a work number and a personal number, this means no more missed calls! Switching between Sims is as easy as pie.

I could go and on, and still not be able to cover all the awesome features of the Asus ZenFOne 2. Check them yourself here: http://www.asus.com/Phones/ZenFone_2_ZE551ML/

So do you think I’ll buy this phone for my brother? Hell, no! I’m buying it for myself!

--------------------- 

Taking the Journey of Doing Right via Boat

With a population of over a billion, India is the most populated democracy in the world. Due to its large population, India faces several social and economic problems. One of the biggest impediments to social development in India is illiteracy. Although the right to compulsory education is a constitutional right which the government is obligated to provide, the provision is far from being realized. Since the government has not been performing this important duty and obligation placed on them, much of the burden of providing free education has fallen on non-government organizations.

One such NGO is Guria. Guria has, under the leadership of Ajeet Singh, started a unique boat school in Varanasi where children can spend their time studying or playing or even revising, without any worries or distractions. Earlier, these children were not inclined to learning, because they did not want to part with the banks of the Ganaga river. The boat school has solved that problem. Without the boat school, these children would otherwise spend their time doing various mundane works or would perhaps waste their time doing nothing constructive. Due to the Varanasi boat school the children have become more interested in education. The number of students has also increased exponentially with time. Till date hundreds of children have received primary education from the boat school, and the boat school has got them admitted into various schools.

Despite all the efforts put into the boat school initiative, there is a lot more room for improvement.  Guria is not just stopping at where it is now. It wants to ensure that children are getting the best possible facilities and environment, so that they can have a bright future. In order to effect this magical transformation, the Varanasi boat school needs to restore and redecorate its interiors to make it an ideal learning environment. It is also necessary to ensure that the children receive all the required books, educational toys, stationary, a computer and a painting kit to enhance their learning abilities. If this transformation is successful in Varanasi, similar initiatives can be started in different places, throughout the country.

What can we do to help?

In order to support the boat school initiative, and help in this magical transformation of the boat school, you can help by supporting and contributing the initiative and join the Journey of Doing Right. Support this good cause and let us strive towards a better India. Remember, children are our future. Let’s all Do Right by them. 

-----------

Yummy Nashta by our Kellogg's Waale Guptaji

People are opening their mouths for just two things these days- (i) talking about nashta at Gupatji’s house; and (ii) eating nashta at Guptaji’s house. And who can blame them? The Gupta family’s mouthwatering recipes never cease to amaze. Before, breakfast was a chore. But thanks to the hundreds of recipes of Guptaji’s family, breakfast has become the most exciting meal of the day. Let’s take a look at some of the amazing dishes they have whipped up:-

Using simple and easily available ingredients such as Kellogg's Corn Flakes, custard apple pulp, chopped walnuts and cold milk, the Guptaji’s family has come up with ‘Sitaphal Cornflakes’, or as they refer to it – ‘Passing the Parcelwala Nashta’. The way the custard complements the cornflakes, to give a rich, creamy as well as crunchy effect, can only be described as – SPECTACULAR.

You haven’t lived till you have tried the Gupta family’s 'Cabbage Corn Salad in Basil Curd Dressing', also known as, ‘Homework Wala Nashta’. This dish is made from cabbage, Kellogg’s Cornflakes, cucumber, grapes, celery, salt and dressing. This dish goes well with a nice hot cup of tea. The dish is rejuvenating and, like allof the Gupta family’s dishes, extremely delicious.

Like a snack while watching a movie? I think we all are frustrated by the overpriced popcorn sold at theatres. Guptaji’s family has come up for the perfect snack for those watching movies at home, using our favourite Kellogg’s Cornflakes. Try the Gupta family’s crunchy ‘Cornflake Popcorn Clusters’, which has been rightly referred to as ‘Movie Wala Nashta’. The recipe for the same can be found here: http://www.kelloggs.in/en_IN/moviewala-nashta-recipe.html.

Say good bye to those expensive desert places. Guptaji’s family has come up with a dish which cannot be compared to the deserts found in such places. Once you taste the ‘Walnut Cornflakes Chocó balls’, you will fall in love. Perhaps that’s the reason this dish has been called a ‘First Crush Wala Nashta’. This dish is so delicious that you will forget you boyfriend or girlfriend while having it. You will be taken to another universe. This is one dish I’m sure you wouldn’t want to share with anone.

As I write this blog post, my mouth is drooling and ruining my keyboard. So I’m going to stop now. For reason’s stated above, I will be joining Guptaji’s family for breakfast tomorrow. I know that by now many of you must be jealous. Don’t worry. There are many recipes which the Guptaji’s family has revealed, so that you can make marvelous dishes at your own house. All these innovative recipes use simple ingredients, and one does not need to be a ‘Master Chef’ to make them. Check out the amazing recipe’s of Guptaji’s family here:

https://www.facebook.com/anaajkanashta

https://www.youtube.com/user/kelloggindia

----------------------

Pursuit of Happiness (Its easier to find than you think)!

You know we can spend thousands and lakhs on going around the world or attending lavish events. Some people climb mountains and cross seas to look for happiness. Yet what most people don't realize is that happiness sis in he simpler and smallest of things. Here are a few of the simple things that make me happy:-

• Taking a walk in the garden with my beautiful wife and baby girl, surrounded by the trees and with the sound of children playing in the background. The colourful butterflies crossing our paths, as if waving to us as they pass by. At such times I'm really happy and find that I am closest to family.
• Sitting with old friends, and getting nostalgic. Narrating stories from yesteryear while drinking refreshing Coca-Cola. Truly, even something as simple as a bottle of Coca-Cola can put a smile on a persons face. 

• Playing fetch with my dog, Tommy. That makes both of us happy. Dogs are truly man's best friend.  You won't believe the amount of joy my canine friend gives me.       
• Surprising my parents. A child is really satisfied when he can put a smile on his/her parent's face. That's when the child actually feels that his/her mission is accomplished.
• Binge watching TV shows with my wife, while drinking my favourite refreshment - Coca-Cola. I don't watch an episode per week. I'm more of an entire season in a day kind of guy. Be it Game of Thrones or Madmen or, my current favourite,  House of Cards, watching these shows with a Coca-Cola in one hand and my wife in the other also brings me happiness.
• Writing for my blog. Yup, as my regular readers are probably aware, I update my blog frequently. This is a place where I spill my emotions, my inner feelings and my deepest thoughts. I do it because I love it. Few things gives me more joy than a seeing a well-written blog post of mine getting appreciated. 
• Listening to old movie songs. My favourite singer is K.L. Saigal. His song, 'Do Naina Matware' really plays with the strings of my heart. The new songs cannot compare to the old ones. I hope that one day the new songs will also become melodious. But does it ever happen? No. It's only noise!
• Eating cake
• Playing hide and seek with my little girl. When I play with her, I also become a child once again. It may sound silly for a grown man to say so, but I do enjoy playing hide and seek.
• Watching the sunset with along with my best friend – a bottle of Coca-Cola

So these are a few of the things that make me happy. What are the simple things that make you happy? Leave your answers in the comments below. 

For more happiness: http://cokeurl.com/96jnc

Positivity Unleashed

I had just lost my job for reasons unknown to me. My wife who was pregnant was living at her mother’s house. We were having a bit of a fight. Nothing too serious, but I was all alone. I started applying for a new job, but in this market, it was almost impossible to land in a good firm. I spent 7 years in my last office. It was my first job and I had never worked anywhere else before. Also, without a job I now had to look for a place which had a more reasonable rent.

One day morning I went to the garden for a stroll near my house. I left my phone at home, since I didn't want to be disturbed. I thought a nice walk alone would cheer me up. Unfortunately it didn't. If anything the walk just made me feel worse. I went back home, more depressed than ever, and contemplating just giving up completely. When I reached home I check my phone and was shocked to see I got 37 missed calls and 49 messages. My wife had gone into labour!

I rushed to the hospital. When I reached, I learnt from my mother in law that I had just become a father of a healthy new-born girl. I couldn't be happier. I went in to see my wife. She was holding our new-born girl in her arms. Never had I seen a more beautiful sight. I didn't take a picture, because it wasn't necessary. I can never forget even a single detail of that moment. I kissed both of them on the forehead. I held the baby in my arms. I never knew that a person could be so little and so delicate. That’s when I forgot about all my worries. I was filled with a new hope. I spent the rest of the day with them, and I must say it was the best day of my life. I was no longer angry at my wife. In fact I even forgot what we were fighting about. It all just seemed silly now. No matter what she did, she more than made up for it that day by giving me my little princess. I would be in her debt forever for that.

It was that day that I decided never to give up.  I was going to be everything I could be. I was going to give life my best. I was going to the type of person my daughter would idolize. I wanted her to look up to me. So I decided to work hard and strive towards a better future.

Within that week landed a job in a better firm than my previous one. I found a new place to live by using Housing.com. (Yup, that's https://housing.com/). For the first time in my life, I knew everything was going to be fine.

---------------------

When I Decided to #StartANewLife

For seven years I saved every rupee so that I could buy a house just for myself. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my parents and loved living with them. But there was a point of time when I felt that I could no longer be a burden on them.  Also, I needed to learn to be independent. I needed to have experience to fend for myself. I had to #StartANewLife.

There was also another reason I had to acquire a house. I was in relationship with this girl in my college (name undisclosed to protect identity). Her parents didn’t like me very much, for reasons best known to them. I thought if I could get a place of my own, it would impress them and they would begin favouring me.

Unfortunately, by the age of 27 I could barely save enough. I checked with brokers and friends to look for a decent flat within my budget. But all the flats were either too expensive or were not fit for habitation. I was frustrated and almost gave up all hope of starting a new life in the city.

Then,  I met my Raj who had recently got married and bought a flat in the city. When I asked him how he could afford to #StartANewLife in the city, he hesitated. After I persisted and begged repeatedly he whispered in my ear, ‘Housing.com’. I immediately checked out the site on my tablet.

It was amazing. Flats at the best possible locations were available at reasonable rates. I ignored Raj the rest of the evening and continued to check out flats on the website. It was convenient to browse and was rather safe. I found a flat I liked and about a month later I found myself living in my new flat! The flat was in a good neighbourhood with schools and hospitals nearby in case I decided to start a family.

I invited my girlfriend and her parents to my house warming party. I showed them around the place. They examined the entire flat in a cursory manner. Finally, they smiled and told me that I had a good choice. I wasn’t sure if they were talking about the flat or their daughter or both. In any case, they were impressed and gave me their blessings.

And that my friends, is how a new chapter in my life started. Now I have learnt to be independent. I am no longer reliant on my parents. I have my own independent identity. I don’t want to offend any of my readers, but I highly recommend all of you above the age of 25 to stop being a parent’s pet and start making your own place in this world.

Don't know where to start? Go to https://housing.com/. 

---------------------

My Baby - Happy and Dry

Outside my building there is a beautiful garden. I take my baby out for a stroll every week. The scent of the flowers, the sound of children playing, the blue sky all just overwhelm her with happiness. But the thing that makes her truly happy are the butterflies. She tries to catch them with her tiny hands. If you saw it even you would agree that it’s the cutest thing you have ever seen. That moment is also the happiest moment of my day.

Truly, there is nothing more enjoyable for a parent than watching his/her child being happy. But there were times when I would take her to the garden and she would still be cranky. I could not understand why. I would try to play with her and make funny faces, but nothing would work. Her mom would also be upset at these times.

One day we were in the park, and she started crying. Kavita Autny, who lived in our neighborhood, came to our rescue. She examined the baby in a cursory manner. We eagerly waited as she continued with her diagnosis. After she was done, she put the baby down and simply told us to change the brand of diapers. She recommended we shift to Pampers Baby Dry Pants. At first we were skeptical. Would changing the brand of diapers really make such a big difference? Nonethelss, we took the advise, because we were desperate. Only a parent will understand how important a child’s happiness is to a parent. My wife brought home the Pampers baby dry pants. They worked like magic! My baby was never upset again.

Whereas, most diaper brands only ensure that their diapers are leak-proof and guarantee dryness on the outside, only Pampers Baby Dry Pants guarantees dryness for the baby on the inside. That is what is truly important. Pampers Baby Dry Pants are a dream come true for those parents who have babies. The Magic Gel in the Pampers Baby Dry Pants locks in moisture so that the baby’s skin remains healthy and dry for a whole of twelve hours.  

Now our baby is happy all the time. A dry baby is a happy baby. And a happy baby is a happy home. So what’s the secret to our baby’s happiness? 1) Butterflies and 2) Pampers Baby Dry Pants

There is a good news for all you out there having babies. There is cureenyl upto 25% off on Pampers diapers on amazon.in. I urge all of you to buy in bulk now. If you don’t believe me you can first try a free sample. Simply go to https://www.rewardme.in/tag/Pampers. Once yor baby goes Papmers. He/she will never want to go back. Your baby’s happiness is only a few clicks away.