It’s hard to believe that not only is the new year here, January is almost half way through! I’ve set myself a couple of goals for this year. The first is to focus more on my fitness, and the second is to explore photography.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the horrific recent rape in Delhi has had a traumatic impact on me, like many other people. In addition to feeling sickened by it, it has also brought to the surface my aggressive side — a side which I thought had well and truly receded. When I was in my 20s, I channeled it into kung fu and kickboxing training for a number of years. (I seem to have inherited my father’s genes as he was into boxing when he was young).
In subsequent years, I’ve mellowed out and been more interested in meditation than fighting. However, I admit that lately, I’ve felt like punching things. As an outlet for it, I went to Total Sports in Dadar (Mumbai) and bought myself a punching stand.
In order to balance it out a bit, at the same time, I finally got around to trying out the Surya Namaskar yoga DVD that my neighbour lent me months ago.
Quite frankly, it’s all been a rather large shock to my body, which wonders what the heck has struck it after years of inaction! Now, I just need to find the motivation to keep all this exercise up.
As far as photography is concerned, more and more professional photographers have been coming into my life lately, and I’ve taken it as a sign that I should become interested in it — at least just from the creative angle. Last year, I went on a one day photography workshop offered by Neville Bulsara Photography, to get a new perspective on how to see things differently. It really opened my eyes to the world. When I was back in Australia recently, I bought a DSLR camera. And now, I’m in the process of figuring out how to get the best from it. There’s a lot to learn!
Wishing everyone a magical and rewarding 2013! What do you all aim to achieve?
Let's kick some goals this year!
© 2013, Diary of a White Indian Housewife. All rights reserved. Do not copy and reproduce text or images without permission.
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My sympathies go for that poor thing – the punching stand. :p
I know… and it can’t even fight back.
sometimes it does! try hitting it hard
Ha! Then it falls back, not fights back.
hey ,i started exercising as well ,go for running in the morning around 6,and for kickboxing in the evening after i come back from office,and let me tell u i have never felt so fit and empowered,it’s really addictive
,well,in the evening wat motivates me is that i just remember of a person who i hate the most,and i get the motivation 
,hope u continue the your fitness regime,my advice-keep pushing yourself even if u r not in the mood at the begining,it becomes habbit later. 
Wow, that’s awesome! Well done. I’m really impressed.
It does feel good doesn’t it. I wish I could run, but it’s never been my thing. I used to do aerobics though.
it’s fine as long u keep urself fighting fit,a company can helpful if u r going for running,just concentrate on breathing and try to keep it at a level that u can comfatably talk while running,then increase the speed ,gradually after a month but don’t give up.and hope u r not following the indian diet.
For photography… if you are beginner, the best (IMO) beginner book is. It teaches you the fundamentals of it like I have not seen any single book does.
Understanding Exposure, 3rd Edition: How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera
BRYAN PETERSON
Usually when I want tp learn something new, I just like 5-10 books on that subject, A shot gun approach to learning. Once I got Peterson’s book, I found the other books just noise.
If you already understands the the three parameters of photography, Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO and its relations to one another, then this book may be a good refresher.
And then you have this dslr simulator where you can try out different settings and see what that to your exposure
http://camerasim.com/camera-simulator/
Not sure what Camera you got.. IF its Canon by any chance, then this would give you the choice of lens that you could get and check out the photographs from each of the lens before you throw in money for these lenses.
Say, you want to consider getting the 50mm f/1.8 lens, Whelp just click on that and see what others have done with that lens and how good/bad it is.
I have spent a fortune buying lens because of this link.. tsk tsk
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=141406
It’s the Nikon D 3100… entry level model. It came with a 18-55 mm lens. An friend of mine has got the same camera and recommended it, and he pointed me in the direction of this group for the lens: http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikon18-55/pool/
I can’t even contemplate lenses yet. My head is still reeling from all the settings on the camera that I need to master!
I started with the Nikon too..and then switched to Cannon because of videos but then I hardly use my camera for videos… so the switch was not necessary,
You can’t go wrong with Canon or Nikon ..and even the new Sonys are good too.
Yeah..good pro lens are expensive but the thing is, pro lens tends to hold its value more than the camera… Folks who spent $1500 for a lens 8 years ago are able to sell that lens today for the same $1500. But investing in pro lens before learning to shoot good photography is a waste of money. I have too many lens lying around gathering dust.
Any Nikon lenses you want to sell me for cheap?
I don’t have any Nikon Lens… I returned my Nikon D90 and the 18-200mm lens that I bought with it…right away.
Sorry! If Its Canon I could do something.
But here is the first lens that I would recommend, that is almost pro lens glass but doesn’t cost that much.
The Nikon 50mm F/1.8. Its no more than $130 and its a real fast lens.. Fast meaning, you can take low light photographs without tripod by opening the aperture to 1.8 to get those Bokeh! This lens could also be used for portraits. Its the lowest hanging fruit of lens
That sounds very appealing. I did want a lens with a smaller aperture number than what I’ve currently got.
And here is one of my shots.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-TfAcIydhz_k/TkahUGXbTgI/AAAAAAAAAxI/Y6kIpYunHck/s1152/SF-9711.jpg
Fantastic shot. The water looks especially effective.
You know, I never really appreciated how much goes into making a shot like that until recently. I’ve got a whole new respect for photographers now.
Yeah.. I made a friend of mine drive me 30 miles close to mid night and waited in cold weather (we forgot to bring jackets) to get that one bay bridge (SF) shot. I went, just to get that single shot. I did another one to a single shot of the Coit tower in San Fran. I spent close to 5 hrs and climbed over a building to get a single shot.
Sometimes, I feel frustrated and almost lose interest cause I realize that I can never be good like some of those Pros… particularly when I see something really good and a realization that I have no chance of doing something close to this. .I just lose interest. Something like this.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4LDgwZimgi4/UBADjoMmOrI/AAAAAAAAMb8/zDzPp0ymnsw/s1600/ant+drinking+water.jpg
My gosh, that photo is unbelievable! Just incredible!! I feel discouraged now too…
But you are so dedicated in getting your bridge shot!
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll definitely check it out. I need all the help I can get!!
Madam,
Just curious…which camera and what lenses have you bought? How do you plan to learn photography? I mean, do you have a school in mind? I too love photography, but find it very expensive!
Thanks and Regards
Hi bchap, please see my answer to Manny above regarding the camera and lens. I’m going to learn through books, practice, and picking the brains of my photographer friends until they are fed up with me!
This might sound odd, but I’ve found that martial arts and yoga are very similar to each other, especially in terms of spirituality.
I’ve learned taekwando and shao-lin kung fu, and being aggressive and wishing to harm others is heavily discouraged (those who have these attitudes did not succeed or progress and were often removed from the martial arts school). Physical retaliation in an emergency situation is to be used only as a last resort.
Yoga and martial arts both encourage you to rise beyond your limitations and to be fully present and involved in life, so it’s wonderful that you are getting back into a fitness routine. It will be a fantastic compliment to the yoga and meditation that you practice.
So true! I actually wish I could go back and train in kung fu now, with my current mindset. I studied shaolin kung fu too, and decided to give it up in favour of kickboxing because it wasn’t aggressive enough for me. I think taekwando would’ve been better for me, because forms in king fu and the different animal styles didn’t interest me at all at that time. I wanted to concentrate on sparring.
What a pretty boxer. You look ravishing whether in sari or boxing gear.
Just not when getting out of bed first thing in the morning!
Hi Sharrel,
You don’t need kicks and punches to demolish a guy, only your smile is enough. It’s what we say in Hindi “Akhio se goli marae, larki kamal”
You must be my biggest admirer! ***Blushes****
“Just not when getting out of bed first thing in the morning!”
I think you have an early morning seeing your face in the mirror complex.
Hi Sharrel,
There was a time when Mughals, Afghans , Turks and other Central Asian Tribes killed people and carried away their women. Thus, Guru Gobind Singh, the last Guru of the Sikhs, directed all men, women and children to arms themselves and become warriors to protect their life and honour. It seems that nothing much has changed in India. I am all for women learning martial arts. Time has come for women of India to transform themselves into fierce Maa Kali.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Bodhidharman_(Kung_Fu_Founder)
You come up with some interesting and useful stuff when you’re not ranting about the darn leftists!
Go Sharell! Thank you for your inspiring words and training example!
Yes, all women need to train in self-defense values and effective forward intent when needed. The most peaceful true meditators are actually capable of being the most violent defenders, because we protect from the heart, we punch from the heart. As a certified yoga teacher with many years of additional gym training as well, I realized last year that it was ridiculous that I was terribly lacking in self-defense skills, beyond the basic first rule of avoiding situations via awareness & alertness.
Ever since a local woman was murdered via home invasion and several others attacked by the same fellow last January 1st in my city, I have trained in Ving Tsun kung fu, a female lineage started by the buddhist nun Ng Moy/Mui who came from the Shaolin system but concentrated things along centerline principles (and depicted rather entertainingly in the movie “Wing Chun”). It offers highly effective centerline techniques that cut across weight/physics differentials. In the women’s program at my school, we are taught very some techniques that the general male students only learn after many years.
Also, in Kathmandu, in response the bus gang rape attack on a solitary nun there about 3 years ago, 200 nuns practice Shaolin kung fu in their tibetan buddhist nunnery there. They have guest quarters, if you haven’t visited yet… http://www.drukpa-nuns.org/index.php/guesthouse
I feel that self-compassionate self-defense values should be a part of core curriculum for children. It feels good to know that even though we can’t control the world, and bad things do happen to good people, we can often escape, prevent, and minimize a great many things, as well as be of service with right action for others as well who may need our assistance.
@Mary. I heard about these nuns, they’re fantastic. Thank you for your insight it is very helpful to me.
I think every woman should be physically fit and learn self-defense. What we’ve seen recently is that you can’t rely on the police or on your fellow man. More power to you girlfriend! Now go kick some butt.
Wonder if you committ domestic violence on your husband.
Haha, no, that would be awful! But if he really bugs me, I will chase him away and give him a few “gentle” punches and kicks.
Hi Sharell,
I can relate to how sickened you must feel about the tragic event that occurred in Delhi. So punch and ‘aum’ away. I try to do some yoga at least every second day and I’ve really found it helps me relax. I have one of Eoin Finn’s DVD’s and quite like it. Of course I’m nowhere near as flexi as most of the people, but I just remind myself it’s not a competition, it’s about listening to my body. He’s got some free podcasts on his Blissology website if you’re interested.
As for photography, I think it’s great you’re getting interested in it. My hubby is quite into it and very talented. On our holiday to India last year I found myself really enjoying taking photos and managed to surprise myself with some rather good shots. The key I think is just to practice, and in such a beautiful country like India, I’m sure you’ll get plenty of opportunity to do that. And remember to enjoy it!
India is an outstanding country for photo opportunities, you’re right.
I think that’s part of the reason why I feel so inspired to get into photography — to explore new ways of capturing the beauty of this country.
With this, you’ve set a wonderful example. I hope women and girls draw inspiration from you to begin taking steps to build strength within ourselves.
Wow, thank you so much!
Doing so is very empowering. I don’t like feeling helpless.
Good Luck and Good Look…!!!
Good luck with your resolutions, Sharell! And thank you for the link to the photo tours! My spouse is an avid photographer and we would love to go on one of these when we visit home. Here’s his website http://500px.com/grimescene if you wish to take a look.
Wow ! I’d be too busy gawking at you, to even notice when you ‘d started kicking my teeth in
.
Beautiful
Thanks. I invite you to visit my blog Ajaytao2010@wordpress.com. Browse through the category sections, I feel you may definitely find something of your interest.