Spark of Joy

Stories of my constant learning & continuous improvement
 
Spark of Joy
Book Review, Thoughts

Body Language 101: My Top Takeaways from What Every BODY is Saying

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When I picked up What Every BODY is Saying by Joe Navarro, I thought I’d just learn about how to read a room better. What I didn’t expect was how much I’d start catching the smallest, sneakiest non-verbal cues all around me. Navarro, a former FBI agent, gives you this insider’s playbook to human behavior—whether it’s a twitch, a blink, or even where someone’s toes are pointing. It’s like being handed the cheat codes for reading people. Here’s a rundown …

experience, Thoughts

The shift that changed my everyday

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As someone who has always been loyal to Android phones, the idea of switching to an Apple phone seemed unnecessary and, frankly, too expensive. Why pay more for something that seemed to do the same thing? Yet, after much consideration, I took the plunge and switched to an iPhone. What I found was surprising—more than just a status symbol, the iPhone brought several life-changing benefits that I never expected. Here’s my personal journey from Android to Apple and how it …

experience, Travel

A short trip to Srinagar

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For those of you who know, HackerRank does a mid year break where all the HackerRankers switch off for a week with weekends involved becomes 9 whole days, rejuvenate and come back more energised! Almost like a summer vacation :D. Amazing right? I know, it is such a dream!! Last year I solo travelled to Pondicherry and spent an entire week just chilling by the beaches and cafes, reading books, talking to strangers and walking around every nook and corner …

experience, Travel

Hampta Pass Continued

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Here is the Part 1 of this blog! Part 2 : Summit to the all the way down! The descend was a steep 90 degree mountain and we were going to go zig zag path. While descending we paused to have the packed lunch because the path post that was going to get worser. While having lunch started a crazy hurricain. For most of us it was the first time we were seeing snow fall and it got worse by …

experience, Travel

Hampta Pass

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Part 1: A journey from my worst day of my life to the Summit! How it ALL started? I had signed up for the Valley of Flowers trek that had to start just before COVID hit so that trek was called off. Fast forward a few years and then Raj, I and a few friends were starting to talk about signing up for a trek and didn’t want to do Valley of Flowers as it had become too popular and …

Book Review, Movie Review, Thoughts

Lessons in Chemistry : Book or Series?

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About a few months ago, I wrote a blog on the book Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmu because I just couldn’t keep the book down without completing it. There ain’t any book that I have been more excited for to see on screen. I watched Lessons in Chemistry finally on AppleTV+. I have only heard from people on how any book is better than movie/series and I never was excited for any and this was the first time after …

experience, Travel

Guna Caves

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The recently trending song, Kanmani Anbodu Kadalan which came up in the the trailer of Manjummel Boys, my music apps has the same song on repeat but the repeat is on the cover version by Shahid Khan! The original song is from the Tamil movie “Guna” which was shot in a very popular hill station and a tourist spot Guna Caves, in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India. Situated at an altitude of 2,200 metres, the Guna Caves are a thing of …

Book Review, Movie Review, Thoughts

Echoes and Screens: Audible Moments, Cinematic Stories

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2 things that made me weep like a baby in many occasions; listening to the audiobook “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi and watching “The Man Called Otto” a remake of the 2015 Swedish film A Man Called Ove, which was based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Fredrik Backman. Listening to “When Breath Becomes Air” felt like stepping into the deeply personal journey of Paul Kalanithi. From the promising medical student to the dedicated neurosurgeon, …

experience, Thoughts

Unveiling and Celebrating the Richness of Diversity : Learning from Every Culture, Every Day

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In this blog, I wanted to explore the fascinating tapestry of cultures that shape our world and our interactions. Working alongside colleagues from diverse backgrounds has inspired me to delve deeper into understanding, celebrating, and learning from these unique perspectives. Through my experiences interacting with many many people, I love getting the insights on navigating cultural differences in the everyday. At ever learning what I learn is to reflect on the joys and challenges of embracing diversity, striving to expand …

Book Review

A book that kept me hooked recently : Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmu

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“Lessons in Chemistry” is a book by Bonnie Garmus that blends humor, science, and feminism in a story set in the 1960s. The protagonist is Elizabeth Zott, a talented but frustrated chemist who finds herself relegated to the role of a glorified secretary in a male-dominated scientific community. The best part is that the book is accessible and makes complex scientific concepts understandable to a broader audience. Elizabeth’s dream is to earn her Ph.D. and contribute to scientific research, but …