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no-flibbertigibbet · 6 years ago

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Whatever You Need, There’s An App For That

With technology as the ruling force in our lives, we’re always in-the-know about all the coolest trends and the latest apps. As women who have to multi-task day in and day out to run households, handle office affairs and maintain the semblance of a social life, any technological advancement that aids and assists in making our lives simpler is automatically a Godsend. Luckily for us, there’s a plethora of new apps out there that are created specifically to make going on with our daily lives a cinch.

Here are my favourite apps/websites that I browse use practically every single day:

1. Uber – Combine the difficulty in getting a kaali peeli at rush hour (or any hour for that matter) in Mumbai and my inability to drive and any app that transports me comfortably and inexpensively from one place to another goes right up on my list. Enter Uber. TBH, I prefer the UX of the app, their cars and their drivers (haven’t had a bad experience yet) to any other taxi service and though they don’t have any exceptional distinguishing feature, I’m an Uber loyalist.

2. Swiggy – From ordering lunch at work on the days I don’t have (or particularly like) my dabba to my midnight cravings, Swiggy is my go-to. I’ve had terrible experiences with other food delivery apps including last-minute cancellations, ridiculously long delivery times and just downright bad service. However, it’s been so far so good with Swiggy. And now they’ve added Swiggy Pop with its assorted range of cheaper than menu price dishes. Sold!

3. Nykaa – It’s got over 1500 brands, including some of the best international ones, and an incomparable range of products across categories like makeup, skincare, hair care, appliances, fragrances and even stuff for men. And they deliver pretty much anywhere in the country in about 3 days tops. For those of you who like to read and learn about the world of beauty, they have a YouTube channel, an online beauty magazine and even their very own social network.

4. StyleNook – While I would have generally picked a more known ecommerce website, I’ve been hooked on StyleNook ever since I discovered it a year and a half ago. Fill out a style profile with your preferences, your sizes and your budget, and get a curated box with 5 specially handpicked items to suit your taste delivered to your doorstep. Try it all on in the comfort of your own home, pay ONLY for what you choose to keep and return the rest. It’s like ordering yourself a fun surprise every now and then – exciting and remarkably simple.

5. Flipboard – It’s important to keep up with all the latest goings-on in the world, be it in the fields of entertainment, science, politics or economics. However, with so many different means of consuming the abundance of information out there, it becomes quite the task to keep up. That’s where Flipboard comes in. Simply choose the topics you’re interested in and Flipboard creates a curate magazine for each. Flip through these stories, read them in detail or even curate your own magazine – this award-winning app has an easy-to-use interface that really manages to keep you on top of your game.

Apps/websites that came close but didn’t quit make the cut

1. Period Tracker, My Calendar – It’s a fun way to keep a track on your menstrual cycle but if you’re like clockwork and don’t need an app to know your dates, this one doesn’t make the cut.

2. Evernote – I used to love this app to make notes and often used it as my own personal diary, but it’s started to hang and keeps prompting me to get the paid premium version. Umm, no thanks.

3. Duolingo – A language learning app that is great to pick up on the spoken basics of a multitude of languages. However, it’s not too strong on grammar so I left this out of the list.

4. Audible – An Amazon company, this app sells quite the assortment of digital audiobooks and audio versions of magazines and newspapers. Perfect for those hours spent travelling.

5. Elevate – This is a great way to sharpen the mind by solving language- and number-based problems. But you need to pay to get access to its Pro levels.

#technology #apps #appstore #ecommerce #websites

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no-flibbertigibbet · 12 years ago

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HOW TO GET RID OF WRITER’S BLOCK

A malady that affects every writer, one that an-apple-a-day can't cure. Neither can a doctor.

It affects every writer at some low point or the other, striking down with a force so unimaginably extreme that the writer in question may succumb to it for good, often resorting to drink, drugs and a multitude of sleepless nights. And no, none of them help. A writer suffering from this particular disease often finds himself caught up in a whirlpool of destruction bringing about a pathetic and not-so-glorious downfall.

Signs that you suffer from the dreaded disorder:

You do not feel like doing anything, let alone writing. Now, this can be mistaken as a sign of clinical depression. I’m not a doctor. It may just be so.

You start to write, forcing yourself to create words on a blank but beckoning sheet of paper. You cancel what you’ve written. You write again. Scratch that. And this goes on for varying periods of time depending on the individual. However, the final outcome is the same. Extreme anger, frustration and ripping apart of that clean sheet of paper that now is a mess of scratched out gibberish.

Your head seems to be swimming with ideas, good ones at that. But they don’t seem to flow out in logical sentences. It’s almost as though your mind and the English language are no longer in sync. Don’t think that’s possible? Maybe you’re not really a writer.

You write. Despite the block. It happens. You feel glad. “Aha,” you think. “I’ve mastered the disease. I beat the bugger. I got the better of it. I WON!!” But did you? You read what you’ve written. Trash! The outcome: Same as that mentioned above. May cause more shreds of paper and a fuller trashcan. If you’re the neat types. However, your room generally bears the brunt of it.

You feel worthless as a writer and wonder what made you think you were good to begin with. Everything that comes out seems to be garbage. Who told you this was your forte? Shoot the little s*&%

All your ideas are done to death. Or somehow seem like they are.

Nothing gives you inspiration. Nothing. And everything that does eventually seems inconsequential.

Sleep evades you. Sleeping pills don’t help. Neither does alcohol.

You’ve forgotten how to bathe. Or eat. Or carry out any basic function that is necessary for the existence of life. But you aren’t dying either. You fail to see the irony in that situation.

Nothing is good enough. It’s all “blah”.

You use the word ‘blah’ as an adjective, verb, adverb, noun, and basically any part of speech that you possibly can. And can’t.

The above list is not extensive and there may be several symptoms that have been missed out. However, most writers tend to display some or all of the above when they are inflicted with the dreaded malady.

Now, the question that arises is: How to get rid of writer’s block? And I, a lifelong patient (on and off, more on than off), have attempted to answer that particular question after much trial and error. So, here goes –

Sleep. Life is always better after some sleep. Considering sleep evades those stricken by writer’s block this is difficult. But it must be achieved. The body will naturally crave rest after days/weeks/a month of sleeplessness. Succumb to it. Even if your mind says it is generating an epic idea and sleep will destroy it.

Just start writing. It may be crap. Hell, it probably is. But once you get into the flow of things, who knows? You may just end up creating a masterpiece. Or something that isn’t trash-worthy. Hopefully.

Go old school. I know writers of today love technology. They claim to love the clickety-clack of the keys as they type away furiously at alarming speeds, almost as though they are in a race against time. Or the computer. Yes, we all want to be digital. But nothing works better than a pen and paper. And if you’re the kind that needs spell check and the thesaurus in Microsoft Word, then you’re not much of a writer to begin with. Rethink your profession. Or invest in the original thesaurus. The book, I mean.

You’ve written something but rereading it makes for pathetic reading? Simple. Don’t read it back. And, by chance, if you do, fight the urges to strike out/delete/rip apart whatever you have written. The finished product won’t be half as bad as it seems now. Most of the time.

Get a second opinion. More often than not, thinking your writing is crap is the mark of any half-decent writer. You will always think it’s below your actual potential and that you aren’t worth anything. Ask someone else to give you their critique. And please, for the love of everything good and pure in this world, do not ask your mother. She will love it no matter what. Preferably go to someone who is insanely critical of you on a regular basis. And someone who understands the intricacies of the language. A sibling or an ex will generally work wonders.

Take a shower. Maintenance of personal hygiene is of utmost importance, for your own well being and for the well being of those around you. You do not want to alienate people. Even if you have begun to believe that the world is against you and your success as a writer. By the way, if this is what you are beginning to believe, you may be suffering from schizophrenia and should probably see a shrink. I’m just saying it could happen.

Eat, especially chocolate. It has been scientifically proven that chocolate releases endorphins that work to generate happiness and an overall feeling of elation. So this will help momentarily, even if what you’re actually suffering from is depression.

Get a change of atmosphere. Go to the places that generally inspire you. Do the things you’ve always wanted to do but have been putting off because you’ve had to write, or think of things to write about.

No matter where you are, have a pen and some paper on your physical self. You never know when an actually epic idea may accost you. Memory can and will fail you, so make a note of it. No one will think less of you because you don’t rely on your remembering skills. Besides, when the idea turns out to be a gold mine, you’ll have the last laugh anyway.

Spend time in the bathroom. This is a personal favorite. It always works wonders with me. Some of my best ideas have been generated in the bathroom. It’s funny that that’s where I come up with the shittiest of things too.

Fall in love. This is about as easy as travelling to the moon. However, it also happens to be the one of the most effective cures. The key here is that you can fall in love with anything. I’m not, by any means encouraging objectophilia or any such thing. I simply mean you can fall in love with a place, food, people, anything. It’s the emotion of love that acts as a remedy. Chocolate generates pretty much the same effect.

I am well aware that a seasoned patient of writer’s block will have probably attempted all of these remedies at some time in their low phase. Try them again. You have nothing to lose, except some more precious time. But you were going to wile that away as it is. So get a grip on yourself, shake of the feeling of self pity which, although it makes you feel like a washed up writer who has potential but isn’t catching a break, is just adding to the problem, and get a move on things. A writer will get washed away with this sickness, a good writer will come around eventually, but a great writer will bounce back with a bestseller just when he seems to have hit rock bottom. You know where you lie.

P.S: Is it ironic that my first written article happens to be on writer’s block? Or is it just a funny coincidence?

P.P.S: If my P.S is what brought this question to your notice, you’re in the late stages of this disease. Get help. Or you’re just someone who doesn't get irony. Or humorous coincidences.

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