Hello dear readers! This is Miss A. Misra here after quite a while. (I really need to change that intro) I have read a good number of books while I was offline, and one of them includes The Midnight Gang by David Walliams. (please note that I did not buy this book though I have read it. How? I borrowed it from a friend)
I started reading it yesterday and it ended today.
Basically, I had just finished watching the first of “Attack on Titans” and decided that, well. Since I have nothing else to do, I’ll just finish the book real quick.
Firstly, the book is illustrated almost every few pages, which makes it easier to read and more fun for children. The drawings are quite decent and given in just the right places.
Second of all, the plot is very wholesome and sweet. It’s about a gang of children who are admitted in the children’s ward in Lord Funt’s hospital. They set about, fulfilling each other’s dreams in the most creative methods possible. For example. one boy wanted to fly. The children took all the helium balloons in the hospital and tied it to him so that he could float safely up the stairs and after popping a few balloons, float down again. There’s George, who loves eating and had his tonsils removed. Amber, who broke all her limbs because she fell off her bunk (don’t ask me how, I don’t know how.) Then there’s sarcastic Robin, who got some operation on his eyes and has to wear a bandage around them and can’t see. There’s Sally, who is so ill she almost always sleeps and has the tiniest amount of hair left. (I’m serious, almost all the hair on her head has fallen off) Then the new patient, Tom, who got hit by a cricket ball on the head. Together they form the midnight gang who set about at midnight (which is why they are called the midnight gang, as you probably have guessed by this time, it’s pretty obvious to me, but anyway-) And there is also last but not the least Porter, whose real name is unknown, who helps the children in their work. He has a lopsided face and one leg which is shorter than the other, however is very kind and generous even though he has no home of his own. Of course, there HAS to be an evil antagonist in a plot like this, who in this case is the matron, who hates children but takes care of the children’s ward. (???, I’m sorry, that makes no sense to me either, but it is what it is.)
Well, Tom’s parents live abroad and he feels lonely and unwanted because they hardly ever write to him in boarding school. He settles in the children’s ward quite well and even gets entry to the midnight gang (on the condition that he should always push Amber around on her wheelchair because no one else wanted to do so, on account of her being so terribly bossy. But that’s hardly the point, is it?) They have three main missions left to accomplish, Ambers’ (visiting the South Pole) George’s (flying) and Sally’s (living a wonderful life because she feels that since she’s always so ill, it would be a change for her to finally experience something else rather than lying in bed all day). The mean matron keeps trying to spoil their fun, so George puts a sleeping pill in the chocolates she eats at night, causing her to sleep all the time. That leaves the three children free to do whatever.
But they don’t include Sally in these adventures, since she is too ill and fragile. Tom, however, has no major problem with him, so he could join, as I mentioned before. The whole book is basically run on this whole plot.
The third thing I really liked about this story is that there is a whole lot of humour. Sarcasm, irony, simple jokes, or just random circumstances that appear funny to me for no reason,the full deal is packed into the book. However, the ending was rather too sudden, and I felt sad that (spoiler here) Tom just had to leave all his new friends .The reason you will find out when you read the book.Its unfair that everything just ends right when it was getting interesting. But if you think about it, no one can stay in a hospital forever and ever, no matter how ill you are.Atleast it’s not a good thing then.But since I am not discussing serious issues here this book review ends here.
Well, that was “The Midnight Gang” By David Walliams. I hope you liked this article. See you in the next one! Goodbye, signing off~
Blog
Enid Blyton The Biography by Barbara Stoney Book Review
Name of the Book:Enid Blyton The Biography. Its an interesting biography. But I felt it’s not a full one because it doesn’t answer the question about the writing process behind Enid Blyton’s success .Saying that it still is the most lucid,interesting and fast paced book I have read on an author’s life and work.
There appears to be,no end to controversies about Enids work .While we thought children’s books were supposed to be simple and feel good ,her critiques feel they are too simple and dumb down kids literature.
For someone like me whose mother tongue wasn’t English ,I thank God her language was that simple .It helped me fall in love with reading and made me a life long booklover .Her popularity and book sales have few competitions.I feel the only thing that’s keeping her down nowadays (somewhat) are the sanitized new version of her work and the new illustrations which don’t do justice to her vision and that of her original illustrators.But every day her fans keep on increasing as kids who grew up reading her books introduce their kids to those treasures, like I did.
Why I picked up the book?
I was looking for a book to know more about how Enid Blyton wrote.Her books have been the greatest inspiration for me , both as a reader and an author.
My daughter too inaugurated her bookworm life,during COVID lockdown with a stash of Famous Five the complete series which I had gifted her two years back.That marked the beginning of re-reading repeatedly those Enid Blyton stories.
When someone has influenced your life so deeply ,it’s a call of the gut to find out more about her.Someone wise once said -you will find your best teachers in the libraries.People who are no longer there continue to inspire from the world beyond and Enid Blyton continues to make children grow up better,stronger,kinder and more willing to make friends with the world.
The book is about Enid Blyton’s childhood,adult life ,author life and the relationships and influences which shaped her writings .
While it’s difficult to write about authors who are as famous as Enid Blyton, it’s even more difficult to write it in a balanced way.
Barbara Stoney does justice to this while retaining the magic of Enids work.While humans are all shades of black, white and other colors. Some influences are the strongest.That of childhood, seems to determine our course in life.
Will the book give an idea about how Enid wrote?
Not in step by step manner but an overview.She was a visual thinker,interested in children and teaching them.She was sincere with keeping a diary ,her ability to draw and her love for nature, all were behind her famous creativity .She was also an extremely hard worker.
Will the book give an idea about Enid Blyton the person?
Yes .Again to some extent as I haven’t found any other Enid Blyton biography, as kind and empathetic to compare against.It’s a well researched and nonsense free look at the life ,work and inspiration behind Enid Blyton the person,author,entrepreneur,and a woman before her time who was self-made before that word became trending.
Who will love the book?
An Enid Blyton fan who grew up reading her books and remembers the happy days curled up with a Famous Five and wants to know more about her.
Enid Blyton’s childhood,her father’s influence,encouragement,complex relationship with her mother,her friends,estrangements,and the lies she had to tell in her childhood were all part of the great magic known as Enid Blyton.She did more in her time than many people do in 100 life times.A woman before her time and a timeless children’s author .Her influence has shaped and saved many a child’s life ,including my own.
But it doesn’t answer the question about the writing process behind Enid Blyton’s success .Why is that?To know the reason behind that you must pick up the book.
Happy birthday Enid Blyton plus my favorites
Sharing is good Karma!
10 Things for Better Lung Health on World Lung day
25th September is World Lung Day.
Every breathe we take, is what helps us breathe in life giving oxygen.I am a big fan of the calming effect of deep slow respiration .
Your lungs will help you do a lot.You may not feel them daily,but as soon as a cough racks your body ,you can feel the lungs wheezing .
When I was in 11 th Standard I suffered from pleural effusion and before I was diagnosed and treated, I had pain during deep inspiration (breathing in) .That was a classic pleuritic pain,a term I found out when I became a doctor.
What you can do to maintain good Lung Health
Avoiding addictions like smoking.
Exercising and walking
Playing outdoors
Breathing in clean air.
Wearing a mask in polluted location.
Having plants in your home garden/balcony helps to clean up indoor air and prevent indoor air pollution.
Avoiding objects,furniture emitting VOC.
Choosing a lead free paint for your home are all great for keeping your lungs healthy.
Taking precautions while visiting anyone with a lung infections .Wearing a mask is advised.
Maintain cough hygiene.
If coughing for more than two weeks ,please visit a doctor.
Tuberculosis is a disease which has its impact not only on the individual but also on the family and community health.In case of blood in sputum,night time fever with cough for more than two weeks a doctors visit is mandatory.
Anyone with HIV ,needs to take even more precautions as Tuberculosis is often coexistence with HIV infection and can be life threatening.
Other than Tuberculosis there are many viral and bacterial causes of lung infection all of which can be accompanied by fever,chest pain, painful breathing,noisy breathing with or without blood in sputum.
Primary Lung cancer and lung metastasis of cancer from other sites need timely intervention.
Asthma needs lifestyle intervention, timely medication and stopping the Allergic march.Taking care of Allergic Rhinitis in childhood on time can prevent developing Asthma later in life.
Tobacco is not your friend in any form .But it’s especially bad for your lungs.Wishing you good health,good luck and good sense.
Reference :
WHO:NO TOBACCO
https://healthwealthbridge.com/tobacco-cancer-responsibility/
https://healthwealthbridge.com/truths-about-chewing-tobacco/
https://healthwealthbridge.com/cancer-preventionliving-life-meaningfullyhttps://healthwealthbridge.com/gulchewing-tobacco-the-untold-horror-story-of-rural-bengal/
Sharing is good Karma!
10 Reasons I Walk Everyday (Plus My Book on Walking)
How often do you walk or run?
I love walking .I love chatting and walking too .I like it so much that I bought my first treadmill in 2010 , while planning to have a baby.
You might ask how that’s related?
It’s because I knew that going for long walks was going to be tough with a baby in tow.
I knew I wouldn’t be happy without walking.
I love walking so much my husband designed a treadmill desk to mount on my treadmill to help me keep up with blog, stuff while I strolled.
When I am short of time I take short sprints,that’s when I listen to music on my playlist.That’s a different type of high and I love doing that in the mornings before leaving for work.
I like walking so much,that on dates with my husband I still like going for walks.
I love walking so much I wrote a book about my love for walking and how walking, writing and gardening helped me find my own self.Give it a read. It’s free on Kindle unlimited.
I find walking so helpful that I tell all my patients with reflux disease to go for walks post dinner.
I like walking so much ,that on weekends I would rather walk in the fields with my friends than go for movies or shopping.
I like walking so much ,we look for holiday destination where walking is a bliss.
I love walking so much I dream of walking on the beach.
I like walking so much that I had to write on this prompt ,when I saw it .
10 Reasons I Walk Everyday
Walking is one of the best way to stay fit and maintain good cardiovascular health.
Walking helps me feel calmer .It’s a great way to release those lovely endorphins which are great for my health.
Walking helps me look good .
Walking helps me grow stronger.
Walking helps me sleep better.
Walking helps me in digesting food better and prevent reflux.
Walking helps me keep the weight in control when we are traveling .
Walking helps me find my flow state ,when I do my creative work with ease.I am blogging since 2014 and now currently have 1300 plus blog posts on the blog.Thanks to a large part to my walking habit.
Walking helps me with ideation.I love day dreaming while walking.
Walking helps me feel more controlled and in charge of my health.
Having strong legs means I am ready to walk anywhere.Mobility is crucial as we grow wiser and the birthdays add me.I am happy to report it’s been more than 20 years of my love affair with walking and it’s the reason I am never afraid to walk anywhere!
“Above all, do not lose your desire to walk.
Everyday, I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness.
I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.
But by sitting still, and the more one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill. Thus if one just keeps on walking, everything will be all right.”
By Søren Kierkegaard
My new book about the Human body
Human Body for Kids: A Look Inside You (Science for Kids)
Sharing is good Karma!
Leadership Dilemma
Do you see yourself as a leader?
Growing up my mom used to tell me ,
“you must study hard and be disciplined, otherwise how will you set a good example for your sister?”
That was a very interesting parenting method.It worked on me and since having a lovely little sister was the absolute best thing in my life back then.I wanted to be a very good “didi”.
I wanted to be a shining light in her life.
I wanted to be “holier than thou”.
I wanted to have unquestioning loyalty.
Luckily it didn’t quite work out that way and we ended up inspiring each other,helping each other grow stronger ,more educated and finding our own paths in life keeping each other honest and sane.
I believe I have leadership skill and so do you.But whether we can stand up and lead when the time comes for us to fight the right battle ,that will be the true test of our mettle.
The world will be a better place with good and strong leaders .If the world appears not so right ,remember your leadership is representative of your position. If it’s not morally and legally correct it’s not the right leadership.
In the investigation of the heinous brutal rape and murder incident at RGKAR hospital the entire community in West Bengal is protesting for Justice.
But none of our chosen people’s representative were able to answer the questions the people have .
The police heads were unable to lead the investigation fairly .
The CBI submitted in Supreme Court about there being crime scene tampering and deliberate attempts at cover up.In a scenario like this,what kind of leadership would make the people feel safe and help us trust the process of Justice?
That’s the kind of leadership that I would want.
This race for justice is a Marathon not sprint.Its not for the faint hearted or those with weak morals.The first will stop and the next one will deflect/resist/not start or be doing what-aboutery .Bangali’s have been gaslighted for so long that some of us start believing the abuser. That’s the classic technique of narcissistic personalities.No accountability, no regret and will make you feel it’s your fault that they had to beat you up!
#RGKarProtest
Sharing is good Karma!
Art Therapy, Nature Therapy living a Creative life
There’s something about art.Be it writing,singing,dancing, doodling,painting,crafting,sculpting sewing,making furniture or anything creating something always puts me in a place of calm happy.
Growing up I heard a lot about mental health and illnesses arising from it on both sides of the family. That was a driving force behind me studying to be a doctor.While eventually surgery being my favourite subject I did my post graduation as an ENT surgeon, taking care of my mental health has always played a very important path.
I never stopped reading and researching with my own head being a laboratory of sorts.I loved reading from a very young age.That has been a constant companion for me since forever.I don’t want to be without a book anywhere.It stops me from making foolhardy decisions,from being bored.
But writing and now painting has absolutely changed the course of my mind.I almost feel there’s been a chemical reaction inside the brain and I do my professional work better because of it.
Doctors need to be healthy. Just like everybody else.But taking care of illnesses can be physically and mentally taxing .That’s why it’s always better not to be too emotionally involved .Because then rational decisions become difficult.
But how much is caring and when does caring too much start?How will we build that border in the brain?How to switch off the doctor mode and get into the mommy mode?That was unchartered territory for me as a mom.
I felt emotionally raw ,uber sensitive and unable to cope. Didn’t feel I was doing what I studied so hard to become. Felt overwhelmed, underappreciated,overworked,sleep deprived and out of control.That was 2012,2013,2014.I was walking on my treadmill almost daily but no other fun exercise or play time.Story books were possible only when the little one slept and we did art stuff together.
In late 2014, something changed.I started balcony gardening.Life looked better.I had help and support,more than many people.I was working ,but not coping well with sleeplessness and night duties.In fact, I was heading for a collapse.In 2018 both of us resigned from our Government jobs at Malda Medical College. It was a clean cut.I realized dreams change and shift perspective as one grows a few wise brain cells.Its not easy making the sudden shifts which appear as crossroads in life,but nothing worthwhile ever is.
In COVID things took another turn. Homebound I started writing stories and doing more watercolour,mithila art,and while trying to cope decided to renovate the village home. Dilapidated and neglected that home and the garden has changed our lives forever.So the pandemic brought art closer to my life and I grew roots in a mango garden.
But what is Art therapy?When you use art(drawing/painting/crafting/sewing/sculpting/dance/music) in any form to calm the mind down and find your flow its art therapy.Kids respond very well to the calming effect of art .My daughter and I have drawn and painted together since she was two years old. I am so glad I did that because it has made her a much calmer and confident young girl than I ever was.
In 2021 with a few friends we invested in small plots of land to plant trees in.We roamed in mango garden, played in the village fields on weekends.Gift of Green is real.
Mango season means we pick carefully.A few unripe ones for the amer tok or aam dal.Perfect for hot summer days.This is fruit from the Garden we planted in 2022 .Imagine a tree only 2-year-old has started to bear fruits.
It looks difficult until you do it.The journey towards nature is a journey towards wellness.Fruits you grow yourself just taste better.Plus the kids have so much fun participating in this ,that I never have to tell them “don’t cut trees”.
We have come a long way.I started balcony gardening in 2014 and my Balcony Garden helps me during the week.I tried hydroponics too in 2020, but it’s not sustainable for me. During the weekend ,the village gardens are where we hang out.Walking,playing and dreaming
Nature Therapy is not new.It’s not rocket science either.But simple things and simple solutions means people don’t take it seriously enough. The biggest loser in the fast race to unplanned urbanization are the people.We need to focus on making our villages,small towns self sufficient, so that the green is maintained. Inspired by @blogchatter to share the story.
413 literature were identified. It was seen that a lower connection to nature had significant lower mental health benefits.
Mental health disorders which are affected mainly include
- depression disorders
- anxiety
- cognitive impairment
- dementias
- Alzheimer’s disease
- schizophrenia
- Autism
While pharmacological treatment is the first choice for mental disorders to alleviate the major symptoms, many antipsychotics contribute to poor quality of life and debilitating adverse effects. Therefore, clinicians have turned toward to complementary treatments, such as art therapy in addressing the health needs of patients more than half a century ago.More work is needed but the horizon shows hope.
I am the prettiest of them all
…said no flower ever.Lesson to learn -Humility.
Flowers are absolutely stunning and they have zero airs.Imagine humans being that grounded!
It’s difficult to balance self confidence and self-worth while staying humble.Another thing flowers do with grave.
God give me grace and humility.
Something to add to my bedtime prayer routine.Writing this with #BlogchatterHalfMarathan
#gardenwisdom #healthwealthbridge #gardeningmoments
Art therapy Nature Therapy living a Creative Life
Online Art classes you will love
Jenna Rainey art course
7 Ways an Art Therapy Helps me
References
A lower connection to nature is related to lower mental health benefits from nature contact
Chia-Chen Chang # 1 2, Brenda B Lin # 3, Xiaoqi Feng 4 5 6, Erik Andersson 7 8 9, John Gardner 10, Thomas Astell-Burt 5 11 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38509180/
Nature-Based Therapy in Individuals with Mental Health Disorders, with a Focus on Mental Well-Being and Connectedness to Nature—A Pilot Study
Lilly Joschko,1 Anna María Pálsdóttir,1 Patrik Grahn,1 and Maximilian Hinse2,* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9914984/
The Effects of Nature Exposure Therapies on Stress, Depression, and Anxiety Levels: A Systematic Review
Diana Marcela Paredes-Céspedes,1,* Norida Vélez,1 Alejandra Parada-López,1 Yesith Guillermo Toloza-Pérez,1 Eliana M. Téllez,1 Claudia Portilla,1 Carolina González,2 Leany Blandón,2 Juan Carlos Santacruz,2 and Jeadran Malagón-Rojas1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10969128/
