The "Twitter" Phenomenon ! Are you in? 10 Reasons why you too will LOVE Twitter

According to Wikepedia..

Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length. Updates are displayed on the user's profile page and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them.

Did you know :

Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends (delivery to everyone being the default). Users can send and receive updates via the Twitter website, SMS, RSS (receive only), or through applications such as Tweetie, Twitterrific, Twitterfon, TweetDeck and feedalizr. The service is free to use over the web, but using SMS may incur phone services provider fees.

Did you know :

Twitter, created by Cornell student Jack Dorsey, has received extensive visibility and popularity worldwide. It is often described as the "SMS of Internet", in that the site provides the back-end functionality (via its APIs) to other desktop and web-based applications to send and receive short text messages, often obscuring the actual website itself.

Ok now that you get the picture I want to tell you why you too should join the phenomenon. I love twitter and am a twitterholic @Medini. I had to pause my twittering to write this post.

You too will LOVE twitter if :

1. You like to make friends
2. You like to see what someone else is doing
3. You like to say something you are passionate about
4. You like to network with like minded people
5. You like to keep a tab on how your industry twitters
6. You like to engage in conversations
7. You like to waste time - time that you could be working ! :)
8. You like having fun
9. You like to increase your friends circle beyond your zip code

and Lastly # 10 You are a voyeur !

Happy Twittering ! Say hello to me at @Medini

Pilates - What's all the fuss about? I asked a Fitness Guru and A Good Friend

Geeta Wagh - A very good friend of mine and fitness guru first introduced me to Pilates. I remember all she talked about was the "core". I patiently listened and asked her a few questions. Intrigued by the simple looking movements I participated in a beginners session with her. It was an amazing experience. After a few introductory mat exercises I felt longer and more flexible. I was hooked. I went home and ordered a home pilates reformer.

I asked her a few questions.....Here they are, for those of you who are curious about Pilates.

• What is Pilates? : Pilates[PIH-LAH-TEEZ] is a full body system of specific sequenced exercise, performed on the mat, and on spring driven machines more aptly called the apparatus. Pilates exercises are designed to Strengthen, Stretch and Stabilize.

• What are the benefits of Pilates? Benefits are innumerable and varied........it improves core strength, flexibility and stamina. More importantly it realigns the body thus improving posture and gets rid of hidden weaknesses. It is also great for rehabilitation and prevention of injuries.

• How many times a week do I need to do Pilates? Ideally,2-3 times a week for about 45mins -1 hr OR as little as 10 mins 3-4 times a week.

• Can a person lose weight by doing Pilates? Certainly, in 10 sessions you'll start feeling the difference, in 20 you'll see a difference and in 30 you'll have a totally new body. It's a Pilates promise.

• Who can use this method of exercise? Just about anyone from 12yrs and above.

• Will I develop big bulky muscles with Pilates? No.Only lean, toned muscles.

Model Fitness: Lorie Baker's Pilates Routine

Geeta Wagh is a Pilates instructor in NJ and comes from a fitness family in India. Her family has been instrumental in "reshaping" the young and the old alike at their state of the art gyms at Talwalkars.com.

Honeybell...a new generation of fruit

Making a debut in the fruit arena is a new hybrid...the HONEYBELL!

My mother in law decided to send me a case of “honeybells” for our anniversary....Opening the cardboard box was the easy part. There beneath the deep green wax paper lay 24 of the most perfectly bright orange honeybells I had seen. I did not want to disturb their comfortable abode. But I could not resist as any fruit is a weakness of mine, especially any fruit of the citrus or orange-yellow variety. 

Convinced that they were oranges I felt for one that was just right and started to peel it, but it resisted like an angry lover. The skin was smooth to touch and had no rough edges. It fit in my hand like a baseball would fit into a weathered glove. It was heavier than a regular orange and had a unique bell shape on the top. It looked plump and ready to eat. It did not have a very citrusy smell but had a quiet reassurance that said “open me up and I wont disappoint”. 

Seeing its resistance to peeling, I quickly read the card that it came with and was pleasantly surprised to learn that they were meant to be juiced. The card made promises of it being one of the sweetest and juiciest of citrus fruits. The card also said that the HoneyBells were an extraordinary hybrid of the Dancy tangerine and the Duncan grapefruit.  Having never tasted a sweet combination of fruit like that I ran excitedly to my drawer to get my hand juicer and cutting board. Down went the knife right in the middle of the honeybell giving way to an attractive and generous interior. The sections looked deep orange, succulent and ready to be juiced. Placing my juicer above a glass I twisted the half honeybell deliberately. The juice flowed down into the glass as if I was pouring it from a can.  This little half honeybell worked until it was limp in my hand and all the delicious juice was in my glass. I could not wait to take a sip but I patiently waited to juice the other half. After a quick and easy squeeze, I looked at my glass in astonishment....so much juice from this one honebell !!! 

I could not wait any longer, to delve into the  incredible medley of flavors as promised by the card – tangerine and grape fruit One sip and I was in heaven. The cold crisp flavor of the tangerines was layered with a slight lemony flavor of the grapefruit. Unlike a regular orange juice it had a delicate flavor yet was robust and filling. It held its sophistication of being a honeybell. Ok I am glad there are 23 honeybells still in the case!