A really bad attempt at rhyming during the Pandemic...

2021: when birthdays aren’t ‘Less’ than any reason to celebrate!

The emptiness outside screamed at us, but it was voiceless,

Lives that have been turned upside down, seem countless.

The perennial worriers are learning how to be fearless,

Life-from-home helped those reconnect who were faithless.

Masked people still try to look good despite being rendered faceless,

Keeping distances nurtured human connections but they were nameless.

As death came knocking in our neighborhood, the circus of life seemed pointless,

The poorest among us were those without friends and not those who were penniless.

While we try to forget what has happened during this time, finding ways not to get restless,

The lessons learned and the memories created will forever remain priceless.

Why John Cena is not impressive as a maturing pro-wrestler?

I was just seeing the latest Summerslam match which had Roman Reigns compete with John Cena. Though there was nothing too impressive or outright dislikeable about the match, I must say that Cena is not balancing the maturing act too well. Many former and recent superstars from the WWE have run the seasoned course a lot better. However, John Cena seems to be struggling. His 16-time World Champion credentials stand and he still has the physical strength, but largely, he seems a bit lost, and this is why:

1. The boyhood charm is not working anymore

When John Cena started, one thing that caught everybody's attention was his boyish, cute looks. He seemed a bit undercooked and too much of a collegiate wrestler for many, rather than being a serious pro-wrestling contender. However, as things progressed, the same looks became a bit of a signature for Cena. Even when he completed a decade in the industry, the clean-shaven face, and the short, cropped hair, looked the part. Cena seemed blessed with sort of an anti-aging gene - this is what many people had to say and yes, his chiseled physique only strengthened this image. However, now that Cena is clearly a senior in the industry, the hair is thinning, and the boyish charm is not radiating. The hip-hop mad looks are not delivering. In fact, he seems to be oscillating in a state of confused identities. I compare him to Michael J Fox and Tom Cruise - two more faces that refused to age for the longest time but when aging did start showing up, it just did not blend into their persona. Cena seems to be going through something similar. The white sneakers and the Bermuda-like ring attire seem to contradict that along with Triple H, he is perhaps the most experienced ex-champion right now.

Work-from-Home Demands Better, Life-at-Home Behaviors [metabolism] Part 1

It would be stupid to start this discussion by complaining about what the pandemic has done to our lives. This problem is not going anywhere, not for some time at least. Instead of concentrating on the obvious and sounding cynical, I am trying to talk about the things that can be done, in a way that is both practical and effective. The emphasis is not on the usual like what are the top easy ways to boost your metabolism, simply because these are not easy times. Neither does this discussion put the premium on the top 10 ways to rev up your metabolism because here, the goal is to ensure that with the limited means available and the limitations of a life-at-home ecosystem, how can you speed up your metabolism, or at least prevent it from slowing down considerably. Read ahead for some easy tips:

Beakers to Coffee Mugs - mini planters all over...!

It is true that I do suffer from a bit of planter obsessiveness. For starters, I am obsessive by nature and with the work-from-home lifestyle in full gear now, the tendency to overdo, over-commit, overthink, and over-imagine is in full gear. So, the planter thing is in full swing right now. These days, the mind is more likely to convert ex-cups and former bowls into mini planters. These guys have lost their primary motive to carry on. They are no longer trusted with carrying our favorite beverage and are looked down upon, like folks who are about to be sentenced. Just like prison reforms bring about a second chance for many, I represent a new light for them, engaging them in new pursuits, giving some purpose to their now meaningless existence.

The result is everything from, bar beakers and teacups being recycled into mini planters. While I have managed to put a few drainage holes, some remain in their original form, without any reform done for drainage's sake. My favorite plant for these largely indoor planters is the snake plant, particularly in its dwarf form. I am now grooming a collection of such planters that are already in use, some that are up next for use, and others that are being prepped for their second innings. In this form, they will be able to hold up their head for a much longer time, at least until my almost 2-year old toddler does not get handy with them. I have taken the leverage of using a bit of aquarium sand and small, colored pebbles for a slightly artsy touch. Put together, they look creative, slightly cute, and remain highly useful. I am sharing just two images from this collection and promise to keep adding a few more as and when I fill them up with growth-hungry plants...

OTT Review: Marianne on Netlfix [Season 1]

Marianne does everything right to deserve a spot on your watchlist or when you want to pick a show without much planning and are not averse to the idea of a bit of horror. What makes this French OTT series on Netflix so watchable? The simplicity of it and its ability to still engage your mind. There is nothing drastically new about the story here. The essential plot is about a demonic presence that needs the main protagonist to keep writing, to ensure she can keep on harvesting more victims. Yes, the main lead happens to be a famous author in this Netflix series and she is plagued by the presence of Marianne. Some people might opine that Marianne was eventually taken off the show from Netflix France but please don't read too much into it. Not all good shows get the mileage they deserve. This OTT series is scary in parts - that must answer the first question horror genre hunting folks might have - is Marianne scary?

Popcorn Bytes: Netlfix Katla Reviews

This is one of the many European Netflix series which have been well dubbed and presented to the demographic wherein folks like you and me lie - and yes, Katla does perform on most parameters but still, there is something missing. The first couple of episodes give you a glimpse into everything you need to know to understand the primary plot. Some type of volcanic eruption has taken place and due to some volcanic and related energies, something really strange starts to happen. For starters, folks who were considered dead and gone for good start returning. Please understand that these are not zombies. These are people in flesh and every bit the normal they were prior to being buried or dying. As Katla continues to erupt, a couple of unpredictable storylines open up. The most interesting here is perhaps the return of the younger version of a lady who now coexists with her 50-something persona, together. The plot thickens and it is obvious that this town is not going to be normal for some time. 

Kingdom - reigns over most Zombie genre content on Netlfix [and OTTs all around]

This might be blogging about something which already out there but I still could not help myself. This is primarily because Kingdom has been able to do what most other Zombie genre content, in the form of movies, OTT streams, or TV series, has not been able to do in almost a decade - this series blends unexpected characterization of the protagonists, challenges this entire genre with a solid storyline, and does not depend solely on the gore and horror of flesh-eating extras to engage your attention.

 

Some Thoughts about Salads Not Getting Enough Mainstream Attention

It is hard to point out when salads attained the importance they demand these days since every cuisine in the world would have obviously interacted with vegetables and fruits in a just-about-raw state with a little seasoning. Again, the history of cooking wouldn't be impossible without experimenting with foods in a less cooked way. Somewhere down the line, salads became an acquired taste, a dining table vital that is now synonymous with modern living. Nearly every cuisine would realize the importance of including some herbs in their food and the herbal purity is best consumed in a form that is not barbequed or deep fried - making salads an easy medium of catching up with those micro and macronutrients that cannot be included at all times in a rushed lifestyle irrespective of where you are catching up with the deadlines - at home, school, or the workplace.

A Little Bit About Salad History | Salad Evolution

While arguments continue over the Greek or Roman origins of the salad, it is perhaps in the Americas where the art of salad making, dressing, presenting, and consuming took upon a more serious role. There are so many salad history books that were trending in the Americas more than 100 years ago and in today's comparison, it was like hash-tagging the salad, and celebrating every type of salad, ranging from the candle salad to the chef's special salad and salads so elaborate, it would not be wrong to refer to them as a main course or proper food! Through these stages of salad's evolution, something became a bit blurred too. Salads were presented like the native salad, salads in a salad section, salads as a side dish, salad dressings, tossed-up fresh produce, and salads that came in a bowl, on platters, and those fortified with meats and things that were far, far away from being fresh from-the-farm or being herbal.

Best Exercising Tips for People with a Broken Heart

Heartbreak is not just a metaphor. It is an embodied experience. People with broken hearts often describe heaviness in the chest, difficulty breathing, digestive discomfort, and restless nights. The nervous system is caught in a loop of stress: cortisol levels rise, heart rate variability dips, and sleep cycles collapse. Neuroscientists note that romantic loss triggers the same neural pain circuits as physical injury. To the brain, rejection and grief burn as hot as a wound. It is no surprise, then, that the body often becomes both a prisoner and a potential healer in heartbreak. Exercise is usually marketed as “revenge body” or “glow up” after a breakup, but that cheapens its true role. Movement, when chosen wisely, does not punish the grieving body—it restores it. Across history, cultures have used rhythm, breath, and coordinated exertion to move through grief. From the funeral dances of West Africa to yogic asanas in India to the sweat lodges of Native Americans, humans have always worked sorrow out of their bones. For the broken-hearted in today’s gyms, parks, and bedrooms, the challenge is not to sculpt for show but to move for survival. Here are the best exercise approaches for those whose hearts have shattered but whose bodies can still carry them forward.

Content.That.Wins

Why do you need AI-generated content editing?

• AI-generated content can be mechanical and boring to read
• People often refer to it as Wikipedia-type content
• AI-generated is often repetitive and struggles to come up with new ideas
• The first couple of AI copies for one topic might seem genuine but after this, even the paid versions of ChatGPT 4 can start repeating the output
• AI-generated content is often verbose, overwhelming readers with conjunctions and pronouns
• GPT or Quillbot-generated content cannot create the tone you want consistently
• You might end up wasting a lot of time in trying to engineer the prompts or edit the AI copies only to realize that time-savings upfront now, seem neutralized
• Despite SEO integration into AI platforms, the content is not optimally optimized
• Keyword placement is often not in the right areas and some primary keywords might be avoided altogether
• Brand owners cannot feel confident that AI-generated content represents the business and branding tone they prefer
• Branding stories are one example where AI platforms fail to deliver a satisfactory content output
• Many businesses have realized that when it comes to recreating ideas or gathering new angles about the same subject, AI copywriting tools like GPT and Hypotenuse struggle to create boutique content
• AI-generated content cannot work like a ghostwriter which is often what many eBook creators and authors need
• AI-generated content needs a couple of rounds of human, organic editing to sound genuine, read interesting, and be comprehensively optimized

Does AI content editing need any special skills?

• It essentially needs someone who is well-versed in organic editing and has dabbled in all types of digital copy-creation processes
• People who are good with the traditional forms of copyediting and have had more than a fair exposure to using AI tools for copywriting are likely to edit AI content better
• It is good to have your AI content editor familiar with SEO copywriting fundamentals
• It does not need someone who has perfect Grammar and can never go wrong in placing the comma
• It needs someone who has an eye for catching words that typically show up in AI-created content, more so in freeware versions of AI writing tools like ChatGPT
• A well-rounded editor who continues to write & edit and has been gathering the miles as a professional and passionate content creator is likely to be a good choice

What makes AI-generated content editing different from generic content editing?

• More efficiency - AI-generated content should be edited a lot quicker than raw manuscripts or work done entirely by humans
• AI familiarity - a good AI content editor should have worked across multiple AI content creation tools like GPT, Jasper, Copy.ai, Hypotenuse, and Quillbot
• Multi-domain expertise - a good AI copyeditor should not be limited by an industry or vertical. This type of content editing seldom requires subject matter experts
• Editing credentials - editors who have been through the grind, editing at least 7K words a day are more likely to fit the role over editors who claim to create perfect content, amounting to just about 2K words per day...more editing miles make a huge difference!