Author: iheart11

The Phenotypes of Travelers

Posted on by iheart11

With our lives being displayed prominently on social media, everyone knows about each other’s vacations. Most of us with a decent presence on social media cannot resist putting up at least one picture or status update of a place we are visiting.

I  put up my vacation photographs on facebook, and pay due attention to my friends’ photographs, trying to see where and how they are vacationing (sometimes to get ideas for my next vacation, at other times to feel jealous).

Based on my observations, I think I can categorize vacationers into the following categories:

  1. The “I’ve got to see it all” type

Highly motivated to make the most  of their vacation, they want to cover as much ground as possible and take pictures at every single attraction in the city. They pack their itineraries with as many tours and activities as they can, and are unhappy if they have any free time left.

I humbly state that I belong to this group.

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      2.  The meticulous planner

This person has planned every single activity down to the last detail. Everything is prepaid, and nothing is left to chance. Alternative plans are in place as well.

That’s my husband.infographic-template-with-plane-and-travel-items

       3. The Laissez-faire traveler

Nothing is pre-planned except tickets and accommodation. Everything else is to be figured out at the destination. Usually solo travelers or young couples. These travelers are bold and willing to experiment. They have the best stories to tell.

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      4. The Intrepid Traveler

The ones with a spirit of adventure- these guys are mountain-biking, deep-sea diving, surfing, kayaking or rock-climbing everywhere they go. Vacation is the time to prove their physical grit and stamina.

(My only concern is that their “vacation” sometimes gets prolonged due to injuries sustained during their daredevil activities.)

'These elevators are slow, but it sure beats flying.'

      5. The “I’ve earned my leisure” type

These are people who are exhausted running the rat race everyday and take a vacation just to languish in hotel rooms, bars, by the poolside or the beach. They are not interested in sightseeing, they are just there to get away from home.

People I envy the most because they really have a good time.

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       6. The “fish out of water” type

These are the travelers who are constantly complaining- they love the idea of a vacation, but are very uncomfortable in a new environment. They might compare everything to “back home”. These are the ones who would rock a staycation.

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      7. Ms./Mr. Fancypants

These are the folks who enjoy the finer things in life. They usually have plenty of money (obviously!) and take luxury vacations. They want exotic experiences at every place.

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      8. The “children rule the roost” type

Families with children, who spend most of their vacation fussing over their kids, their naptimes, their food and drink, or chasing them.

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       9. The “All the world’s a poster board” type

These are the photographers who share the magic of their lenses on facebook and instagram. They are busy clicking away, especially at sunset and sunrise!

'Mom, can't we stop to look at the Grand Canyon?'

     10. The “Bleasure” traveler

The one who sits with his mobile phone and laptop on the beach- mixing business with pleasure. More and more common now as no one is expected to unplug..

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I am sure there are many more types, and we can all probably fit in one or the other mold, but I’ll stop here.

So, what kind of a traveler are you?

 

A Fine Balance

Posted on by iheart11

“Don’t confuse having a career with having a life.”
Hillary Clinton

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I think I am kind of a workaholic-some by virtue of my self-absorbed nature, and some by virtue of my chosen career in medicine which involves taking care of patients beyond set hours.

A few years ago, I would have shrugged off the concept of work-life balance completely saying that it was not for someone in my profession. However, with my son growing older and needing more time investment in his learning, and my own stealthily creeping health issues as I age, I have come to recognize that blurring the lines between personal and professional life comes at a cost, a price that I am reluctant to pay.

So I have been trying to devise ways to achieve a work-life balance. Here are some things I have found helpful:

  1. Making a conscious decision to leave work on time.

For me, this has meant using my available time more wisely and working smarter to finish pending work. When I was in training, I automatically assumed that I was not expected to leave the hospital on time, so I made no effort to do so. Result? I was slow and inefficient. Now my aim is to get out on time, so I run a tighter ship.

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(Image: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-you-should-leave-work-time-the-virtue-business-solutions)

2. No work dinners unless necessary.

I stopped going out (Ok, I was never a social butterfly) with colleagues for dinners at fancy restaurants, even though I am invited to one every fortnight or so. Dinner with colleagues might be fun, but there is always some talk about work- you never get away from the workplace!

Anyway, dinner is where the family gathers around the table to share their anecdotes from the day. Period.

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(Image: http://www.tastingtable.com)

3. Resisting the urge to log into my workplace (hospital) computer system remotely from home.

I used to be logged into my hospital system constantly- I would check the status of my patients (or whatever can be revealed by going through the electronic charts) obsessively, and get annoyed if things were being done differently by whoever was working physically in the hospital, sometimes completely unreasonably as I would have no idea regarding the actual condition of the patient.

Plus side: Next day I had a reasonable idea of my patients, and my workflow appeared more streamlined.

Negative side: I never detached myself from my work, even though ostensibly I was trying to do other things.

Now I rarely log in if I am not on home call. It takes me a few extra minutes at work the next day, but at home, I am free.

unplug

(Image: http://www.careerbuilder.ca/blog/2015/07/22/tips-for-unplugging-from-work/)

4. Taking myself at work less seriously.

Don’t get me wrong here- this does not mean I take things lightly at work, but I have tried to get away from the mentality that I am indispensable. Because. I am not. It holds true for most of us who work for an organization. This lets me schedule breaks or take time off to fulfil responsibilities beside work without feeling overwhelmingly guilty.

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5. Spending time in self-care

I thought medicine was supposed to be all-consuming, so I used to pride myself on not finding time to care for myself. Now I am wiser after learning the hard way..

The more time I spend in improving myself, the more productive I become.

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That’s it for now, I hope I keep finding more ways in which to balance work and life!

Life taught me..

Posted on by iheart11

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In January of each year, I look back and try to jot down the lessons I learnt in the last year. Here are some from 2016:

  1. It is not hard to do something once you cultivate the habit. 

I started exercising and reading regularly, and did that for at least 345 out of 365 days. Now I am habitual and don’t find it that hard.

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(Source: http://www.trans4mind.com)

2. You can find time and money for what you are really passionate about.

I can find time for blogging despite my busy schedule. I cannot find time for doing medical research because honestly, I am not as passionate about it.

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(source: quotesgram)

3. Life will throw curveballs and derail your best laid plans. 

While planning for the future is still needed, I try to live more of my life in the moment instead of spending it dreaming about a nebulous future that might shape itself completely differently.

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4. Say what you mean to (and mean what you say). Trying to dress up the truth to make it palatable ends up hurting everyone around. 

Learning this one at work.

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(Source: Quotesgram)

5. A busy life is a better life. 

Being busy keeps me away from social media, overthinking, and getting worked up over small stuff.

quote-busy-loving-life

 

Earth Laughs in Flowers..

Posted on by iheart11

“I must have flowers, always and always.”- Claude Monet

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Needless to say, we all love flowers.

I am not into gardening, nor do I buy floral arrangements for home. However, I do love visiting botanical gardens especially to admire different varieties of flowers. Having visited several prominent botanical gardens in the country, I can easily say that I am fortunate enough to live close to the best botanical garden in the country- the Longwood Gardens.

Longwood Gardens consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows in Kennett Square, PA in the Brandywine Creek Valley,  about an hour away from Philadelphia. They were purchased by a prominent industrialist Pierre Dupont in 1906 to save the trees from being felled for timber. Soon he developed it into a horticultural display to entertain his friends, and today they attract over 1 million visitors a year.

One of the best parts of these gardens is the indoor Conservatory containing more than 4500 plants and trees. The heated conservatory is accessible in every season, with seasonal display of flowers.

We have been visiting Longwood Gardens multiple times a year since we moved to Philadelphia. Infact I can actually create a photo album documenting my 6 year old’s milestones with these gardens as the backdrop!

Without further ado, here are some photographs of the gardens, focusing solely on the flowers:

Orchids on display at the Orchid Festival (Feb-Mar)

Waterlilies (summer)

Voluptuous chrysanthemums at the Mum Festival in Fall; the first photograph shows the Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum (known in Japan as Ozukuri)

Christmas Display

Euphoria over Euphorbia (poinsettia) at Christmas

Dahlias, tulips and more mums

This makes me want to plan my next trip to Longwood Gardens-the Orchid Festival just opened last weekend!

I’ll get richer by spending money

Posted on by iheart11

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“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”

As much as I love traveling, I have to agree that travel is expensive. More so than anything else, I think. Also, unlike buying an object, you cannot have a predetermined budget, as you are likely to run into some unforeseen situation that requires you to shell out money. Over the years, as we travel more, my husband and I have learnt some tricks to save money during our travels. While most of these ideas are not original, they are tried and tested by us.

Here are my favorite tips:

  1. Get a travel credit card from your bank which has zero foreign transaction fee if you travel abroad frequently.best-travel-credit-card(Source: bankbigbang.com)
  2. Plan the beginning  and end of  your vacation on a weekday (especially midweek) as airline tickets are cheapest during this time. Take overnight flights if you have the stamina to avoid spending an extra night in a hotel.labor-day-travel
  3. Travel during off-season if possible (definitely avoid major school vacations).cartoon-offseason-1024x635
  4. Try a new (ish) airline that is trying to advertize. For example, Etihad Airways offers packages for inexpensive layovers at Abu Dhabi, Iceland Air allows you to fly to most major destinations in Europe with a stopover in Reykjavik (believe me, you would not regret a stopover in Iceland ever) at affordable rates. We also did a free tour of Istanbul during a 12 hour stopover as part of a package from Turkish airlines on our way to India.wright-fly
  1. Travel light! The less baggage you have to check in, the better it is, because the fees for checked baggage can add up pretty quickly. Before we had kids, we never checked in any bags- just hauled a carry-on each. I have never packed an extra pair of footwear (usually travel in my sneakers or comfortable sandals). cartoon-travel
  2. Research the area of your interest thoroughly before going so that you know how to save money on transportation and sightseeing. Buying tickets online can help save precious dollars. "Thanks for spending me hours showing me all the brochures...now I think I'll go and buy my tour on the internet."
  3. Choose lodging smartly. Now we do not use bed and breakfast places, preferring the predictability of hotels. We try to look for hotels downtown close to train stations in Europe so that public transportation is always accessible. In the US, we stay in chain hotels in the suburbs because they are cheaper and we always rent a car. 'I know you said this was a four star hotel, but I didn't expect to see them through a hole in my ceiling!'
  4. Eat smart. We try to book hotels with free breakfast. While traveling, breakfast is the most important meal of the day since it is the most predictable. Having a hearty breakfast with coffee at no extra cost is great.  We also buy food from grocery stores when we can (especially if there is a refrigerator in the hotel room). In many parts of Europe, grabbing something from a cafe and eating it on the sidewalk is cheaper than sitting down in the same place to eat. But the brochures says breakfast in bed! Yes, only if you carry your bed down to the dining room!
  5. There is a lot written about how to shop for local goods and haggle for prices in different countries, but my take on it is to stay away from shopping altogether. The world is a small place, and you can have pretty much anything shipped to your home from any part of the world. If you absolutely have to buy some memorabilia, postcards are the best.dubai-shop
  6. Keep your personal tastes in mind when you travel. For example, there are many great art museums in major European cities, but there is no point splurging on a detailed tour of a “must-see” museum that you can barely endure. travel-priorities
travel(Source: pinterest)

(The first photograph is from my personal collection-Iceland)

Intrigued by Islands

Posted on by iheart11

I just finished reading a book titled “The House at the Edge of the Night” by Catherine Banner, the setting of which is a magical island off the coast of Italy (fictional). The novel itself is an epic saga of four generations of a family on the island, spanning roughly 100 years, and is reminiscent of the classic “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

After I had finished the book, I was left with a lingering sense of longing for the place, as if I had just left a Mediterranean island. I started thinking about all the books set on islands that I have read. Starting from classics like “Robinson Crusoe” , “Treasure Island” and Shakespeare’s “Tempest” that I read as a child, to mystery novels like “And Then There Were None” (Agatha Christie), novels chronicling everyday life in real islands such as “A House for Mr. Biswas” by V. S. Naipaul set in Trinidad,  historic novels set in the Caribbean (St. Thomas) such as “A Marriage of Opposites” by Alice Hoffman,  romances set in faraway islands such as “Canary Island Song” by Robin Jones Gunn, and contemporary women’s novels such as the novels set on Nantucket penned by Elin Hilderbrand (“The Rumor“, “The Matchmaker“, “Beautiful Day“, to name a few)- there is a timeless appeal to islands where picturesque surroundings and small close-knit communities provide excellent backdrops for romance, intrigue, human behavior and even mystery.

Remote islands are exotic and exciting by virtue of their seclusion. The idea of a traveler or vagabond falling in love with an island belle is the epitome of romance. Murder on an unknown sparsely populated island-there are limited characters and locations to work with, making the guessing game even more exciting. If you want to add a mythical dimension/ folklore to your yarn, an island is the perfect setting because such tales never leave an island.

This reminds me of a time in middle school when I had first read about Easter Island. I was fascinated by the statue of the Moai and I wrote a story about a young girl traveling to Easter Island who got separated from her group and was led by the Moai (yes, she felt the statues were giving her instructions) to a secret cave which was a mass burial ground. At this point she passed out and was later rescued by her team.

I’ll stop here, and try to find another novel set on a tropical island. I can almost imagine being on that island, the air thick with heat and humidity, the nights fragrant with jasmine, the foliage thick and lush green, hiding insects and lizards within its fold, the streets inundated with music and laughter- in the midst of which secrets are being passed between the characters. (Let me know if you have read such a novel lately!)

 

Me, mine and money

Posted on by iheart11

money-talk

http://www.speakeasyfacilitators.co.za/speak-easy-flash-workshops/the-golden-art-of-money-talk/

“One’s relationship with money is lifelong, it colors one’s sense of identity, it shapes one’s attitude to other people, it connects and splits generations; money is the arena in which greed and generosity are played out, in which wisdom is exercised and folly committed. Freedom, desire, power, status, work, possession: these huge ideas that rule life are enacted, almost always, in and around money.”- John Armstrong

This post is a book review and an article about that one word which makes people squirm in discomfort, look the other way, change the topic, or simply excuse themselves. I am talking about money and our relationship with it.

I recently read a book called “The Art of Money: A Life-Changing Guide to Financial Happiness” written by Bari Tessler, a financial therapist. She starts off by explaining how most people have a relationship with money based on their experiences in childhood, and that colors how they deal with their finances as an adult. Using examples drawn from various people in different financial situations, she encourages readers to identify their unique relationships with money, and how to transform this relationship, and ultimately transform their life.

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This got me thinking about my approach to money and how it differs from that of my spouse. This appears to be a common problem in most families, where it is difficult to discuss finances without causing strong emotional reactions from either side. Many couples just shut off, and prefer not to talk about money,  the question of which still hangs heavy in the air (the proverbial elephant in the room)!elephant.jpg(Source: http://www.etsy.com)

Money has acquired negative connotations throughout the history of mankind, yet success is measured largely by financial worth. This dichotomy makes it difficult for us to choose which side we are on- we neither want to acknowledge the supremacy of money in our lives,  nor do we want to be unsuccessful. I think this is why we have such a hard time dealing with the question of money- because there is always a precarious balance between these two sides of the money coin.

Anyway, coming back to the book, it provides fascinating and interesting insights into human psychology regarding money, and provides you with a roadmap for financial rehabilitation. I definitely recommend this book- it is for everyone, irrespective of how much or how little you make.

Here are some things I learnt about my relationship with money:

  1. I don’t necessarily care for a lot of things that money can buy, but I feel good about  making money as it represents success in life.
  2. I have an anxiety about being in debt, that might not be completely rational.
  3. I am somewhat afraid of investing long-term because it is money I cannot see at present.
  4. I love the thrill that comes with saving money. I give myself a pat on the back when I avoid that unnecessary online purchase or score a great deal.
  5. My attitude had been pretty much the same throughout my adult life- while in college, working for a stipend, or drawing a decent salary.

So, do you think you have the best possible relationship with money?

“Money, which represents the prose of life, and which is hardly spoken of in parlors without an apology, is, in its effects and laws, as beautiful as roses.“ – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

DIY? No thanks!

Posted on by iheart11

dsc_1035There was a time, a few centuries ago, when everything was done by hand. You planted seeds in the fields, tended to the crop, harvested it, milled the grains into flour, kneaded the dough and baked bread out of it. Every family did it. Similarly, you cut and dyed cloth and sewed it into a garment by hand.

Then the industrial revolution came in the 19th century, and mechanization began. Since then, machines have taken over much of our work, and everything is produced in industries at a fraction of its original cost (I read somewhere that in the 17th century, a shirt cost ~$200 to make, thus most people had only two sets of clothes for daily wear.) We have essentially become “deskilled”.

Since the vast majority of us have been systematically deskilled, we have come to appreciate those who can actually display some skill- ergo the rise of the DIY-er.

The internet is full of DIY projects- for your home, garden, kitchen, gifting etc.

You look at pinterest boards, and the artfully  photographed DIY projects inspire you to do something. After all, being creative is mentally stimulating and deeply satisfying.

You start dreaming. You are going to make your friends jealous by showing them how a nerdy girl like you can flex a DIY muscle to come up with amazing crafts.

With all these thoughts in mind, I head to the nearest craft store and start browsing through aisles of crafting supplies for various projects, some of them requiring nothing more than a six -year old level assembly to complete them.

Here’s what I notice-

  1. Everything is very, very expensive.
  2. Choices, choices (confusion, confusion)!
  3. There are such detailed instructions for most projects that the finished product might still resemble an assembly-line product made in a factory.
  4. What I have in mind is not quite there. craft1

Finally, I manage to buy some cardstock, colored pens, jewelry supplies, embroidery floss and cloth for my craft ideas. The bill is larger than weekly grocery purchase.

So I start with DIY jewelry. With some struggle, I manage to create some earrings and necklaces. I wear them the next day, they don’t look that great. While rushing down steps at the train station, my necklace falls apart and the beads scatter. By the time I reach my workplace, one earring is missing one bead.

Well, with repeated efforts, the durability improves to 2-3 wears.

(I have bought carefully curated  mass-produced jewelry pieces (during sales) for less than 10 dollars each that have lasted me years and garnered compliments.)

Then I start an embroidery project with great gusto. I used to be good at it when I was young.

Several months later, it lies forgotten. Hand embroidery takes time, and I have none.

Meanwhile, my cabinets are cluttered with half-used and unused craft supplies. craftermath

Remember the third thing I bought? Now, it is easier to make DIY greeting cards, so I do end up completing that project. (I think this is the only one that is probably less expensive than buying printed holiday cards).cards

My DIY cards showcasing traditional henna patterns

Moral of the story:

  1. DIY is expensive.
  2. Durability is questionable.
  3. DIY takes up a lot of time.
  4. One DIY project is enough at a time.
  5. I prefer to buy things from stores because I love my time and money.diy

(source- Pinterest)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walk the World!

Posted on by iheart11

“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.” Steven Wright

 

Travel is a necessity for me. I probably carry the spirit of travel within me even when I am out exploring my own city. We (my husband and I) have become a fan of walking tours lately, and this is our preferred way of touring each destination.

Here’s why we love (guided) walking tours:

1.  Most tourist places in any major city are located within a radius of a few miles, and walking is the best way to see each attraction. Even if you get on a bus or in a car , movement is slow and you have to constantly keep getting off and on, dragging your camera along (not to mention trying to find parking for your car). Better to just walk.

DSC_0381.JPGWalking on the streets of Oslo, with quotes by Henrik Ibsen (norwegian playwright) engraved on the sidewalk

2. You get plenty of exercise to offset the gourmet meals you enjoy on your vacation. (That’s how we burnt off all our calories from pizza and gelati in Italy! 10000 steps a day- bring it on!)

dsc03327Crossing the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence to burn off calories

3. Many major cities, especially in Europe have free walking tours provided by a local guide. The quality of these tours might be variable, but they are usually fun. Our most entertaining walking tour was a free one in Oslo, Norway where our guide had witty anecdotes on the history and geography of Norway.

dsc_0401The stories we heard with the Oslo Opera House in the backdrop!

4. If you want an in-depth tour to understand the history and culture of a place, there are special tours led by university students of history and archeology. We did such tours in Rome and the Vatican City, and learnt a lot that we would not otherwise have figured out (they tend to be pricier, though).

dsc03121Painted ceiling, Vatican City: Without a knowledgeable guide, we would never had understood art from the 16th century

5. Most walking tours are conducted in smaller groups, and there is plenty of opportunity to ask questions. I myself am not that inquisitive but love listening to other people’s questions and the tour guide’s answers.

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You have to ask questions when something as quirky as this shows up on the sidewalk on a tour of historic Annapolis, MD..

6. There is safety in numbers! Traveling in a group is much safer than exploring a city alone.

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Dusk- Pier 39, San Francisco, CA- safer with people around

7. Having children might appear to be deterrent, but not for us. We have a stroller with a reclining seat in which  our son (now 5 years old)  can sleep. He has been with us on all our walking tours, sometimes participated actively, and often fallen asleep. On uneven surfaces, we just haul the stroller together, each parent catching one end.

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My son had plenty of questions regarding these cannons at the Akershus fortress, Oslo, Norway

8. I strongly recommend trying walking tours in your own city on a free weekend. We did 4 free tours covering 4 sections of Philadelphia one Saturday, and it was the best sightseeing in our own town. (Also it was our first time walking through many areas of the city, because we always drive everywhere.)DSC_0766.JPG

Outside the Rodin museum in Philadelphia

9. In addition to seeing major attractions, you can discover some hidden gems, especially local cafes and eateries. Many walking tours take you through the local markets where the tour guides help you buy authentic stuff at fair prices. DSC04042.JPG

Discovered this hidden gem- the Cartoon museum, during a walking tour in San Francisco, CA; went back later to check it out

So, where’s your next walking tour going to be?

Joyful journaling

Posted on by iheart11

anne-frank

I always picture a day in the future (long after I am gone), when my great-grandchildren go rummaging through my things and find an old dusty journal full of witty stories, anecdotes and poems and marvel at how talented their great-grandmother was. (It’s another thing that I hardly”write” in journals anymore, and my great-grandchildren might not know the meaning of a paper notebook.)

I have read that all successful people write something everyday, and the competitive person that I am, of course I had to start writing too…

There is enough written about the therapeutic effects of journaling. I won’t bore you with those. Here is why I suggest it-

  1. To maintain a legible handwriting (remember I am a doctor and my penmanship has deteriorated over the years..)
  2. To flex some language muscles- sometimes it is difficult to write coherently. (Trust me, it can be useful when you have to help your child with their homework.)
  3. To record important things (because you are not an elephant and won’t remember most things that you should)
  4. To use up those special pens you might have collected as graduation presents.
  5. To realize how illogical your chain of thoughts has been, and to break that.write-why
  6. To read what you wrote later, and be embarrassed by your thoughts in private.
  7. Once in a while, you might actually jot down an idea that is brilliant and helps you move forward.
  8. The time spent journaling is probably time spent away from checking out social media showcasing others’ perfect lives i.e. less time spent getting green with envy.
  9. You feel like a writer (or pretend to be one).
  10. Your journal might be the one area of your life where you do not feel the need to embellish facts or hide the bitter truth. journal-empty