Quotable Quotes

That’s how I fell in love with quotes. Reader’s Digest carried a column on some wonderful quotes. I remember reading and memorizing those quotes in my teen years. Even before that, I would always enjoy inspirational quotes which my teachers used to write on the school board.

I always take a moment to ponder on a quote and analyze its deep meaning. Really, quotes are just a few words, but they carry such deep meanings. And once in a while you find a quote that just tugs at your heart. You can totally connect with some quotes; some make you smile, while others leave a lasting impression and bond with us forever.

Over the years, I luckily bumped into people who also had a penchant for knowing and sharing good quotes. Be it my ex-boss who would email me a few chosen quotes, be it friends who would put up beautiful quotes on Facebook, or my dad who would always get wonderful diaries filled with numerous quotes.

Still, good quotes are hard to find. My chosen topic for this month’s group blog activity was “five quotes you love and live by”. I thought it would be an easy affair to write this post as I had chosen the topic. But as I sat down to write this post, of course, just an hour before deadline, all the quotes I knew over the years screamed at me “Pick me, pick me”. After much deliberation, I picked these:

Tough times never lasts, but tough people do!

This is by far my most favorite quote. I love the quote, the poem based on it, and also the book by Robert Schuller. This quote, poem, and book have given me immense strength when I went through a rough phase or when I feel down.

What it means to me?

We all go through ups and downs in life. But when we are going through the down phase, we have to remember that the “up” phase will soon arrive. And while the down phase may not last long, the strong people, who have the courage to keep it going during the down phase, will definitely lasts.

This quote is a reminder to me and my advice to everyone who’s reading this. When you are faced with a difficult situation, just hang in there and good times will meet you soon. I highly recommend the book to everyone.

You have to walk before you run

In one of my previous jobs, we had to attend conference calls with the clients. Our boss handled the conference calls and we girls just sat around pretending to listen.  I wouldn’t follow 80% of what was said during those calls because I couldn’t follow the client’s accent, or I would be far away from the receiver. One fine day, my boss didn’t come to the office and asked me to handle the call. I was truly terrified and unsure if I would be able to handle it. My boss said “You have to walk before you run”. I hesitantly handled the first call, became a tad more confident in the next, and was superbly managing well within the next two months.

What it means to me?

You take one step at a time. If you are unsure of something, start slow. Analyze what’s holding you back. Trust yourself and take the first step. Then the next. And surely, you will be running in no time and then there will be no looking back.

Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

I first heard this quote in the movie “Princess Diaries”. The father has written a wonderful letter to his daughter and he mentions this quote, urging her to let go of her inhibitions and face the world.

The extended version is “Courage is not the absence of fear but the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all. For now you are traveling the road between who you think you are and who you can be.”

What it means to me?

All through our life we are faced with something or the other that makes us pause before taking the next step. We are unsure of our self and find enough excuses from taking that next step. We are filled with questions. Will people mock me if I do this? What if I fail? Isn’t it easy to be where I am now?

But I guess I have realized that the best thing to do is to ask ourselves “What is the worst that could happen if I do this?” If I let go of my fear for a while, surely there must be something great awaiting me. It’s important to realize that something else; our happiness, our life, our future is more important than fear.

On a recent trip we went horse riding with some friends. My stomach developed a tight knot even before I sat on the horse. It worsened when the horse moved. And I was about to shriek when the horse treacherously went down a slope. But before screaming my lungs out, I took a deep breath and asked myself “What is the worst that can happen to me?” Surely, there was a guide who would come to my rescue if the horse galloped away. Surely, I would break a few bones if the horse skidded down. But I may not die. The minute I let go of my fear, I started enjoying the ride. I breathed in the fresh air and enjoyed the nature surrounding us. It was the best 45 minutes of my life. Surely, the horse must also be questioning himself “For how long do I have to carry this horrible weight on my back?”J

Apologizing doesn't always mean that you're wrong and the other person is right. It just means that you value your relationship more than your ego.

I don’t remember how or when I came across this quote. But it totally struck home.

What it means to me?

A lot of times, we spoil important relations because of silly squabbles. We hold on to the little three letter word with an amazing destructive power. Ego. So what if the person who was your friend for 10 years may never talk to you again. Your ego seems more important after a fuming fight.

Well, it always helps to remember that a few harsh words said in the heat of the moment may not be true. In any relation, differences are bound to happen. But it’s always important to learn to apologize before it’s too late. Apologizing doesn’t mean that you are a looser. That you bent down and let the other person hold the triumph card. It means that you valued the relation more than your ego and were ready to take the first step in amending things.

There are three types of people in this world: those who can count, those who cannot, and those who count

When I first read this one, it took me a while to figure out its meaning. But once I did, I totally agreed.

What it means to me?

To me, this quote simply means there are three kinds of people. The first are those who can count numbers; the second are those who cannot count numbers. And the third are those who make efforts to make themselves count/matter to anyone or anything. Their deeds speak more than their words.

This quote aligns with my purpose of life. For me, it’s very important to matter to somebody.

A few other chart busters

• A child gives birth to a mother.
• The only difference between ordinary and extra ordinary is the little “extra”.
• It’s better to wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start.
• Change is the only constant in life.
• All that happens, happens for the best.

I always share inspiring quotes with my friends; I update my Facebook status using these quotes. I also like to add them as my email signature and make sure I change them regularly. After all, it’s just a small way to thank the quotes who teach us so much in such a short sentence. Great things always come in small packages!

Phew, this was a long post but I totally loved writing it. If you have a quote which is close to your heart, please share it with me. I would love to add in my collection.

Purpose of my life

(Ask a guy to choose a blog topic and he will invariably choose something complicated like “Purpose of my life”. Ask a girl to choose a topic and she may choose something uncomplicated like “Top 10 favorite shopping places in the world”. Just kiddingJ. Anyway, the background to this topic is that I and my 3 friends took on the 10 day you challenge and it was fun to complete it together. So we took it a step forward and persuaded 2 more friends to join us. Now the 6 of us will write on a common topic once every month. One of us will choose the blog topic and declare it by the 15^th of every month. We have to publish the post on the month end. Go to the end of this post to view the blog URL’s of my friend’s blogs.)

The first topic, chosen by Pradeep of RTOAC is “Purpose of my life”. Pradeep chose this topic as a tribute to legends such as Steve Jobs and Jagjit Singh who passed away last month. I guess they found the purpose of their life and followed their passion.)

I could have said “I don’t know” and gotten away with it. But Pradeep’s choice for the blog topic really made me think hard. There’s a certain restlessness, uncertainty, and anxiety in me because I am still searching for the purpose of my life. Why was I born? Is there any meaning to my life? These questions haunt me over and over again. A few years back, I met a man in Vivekanand Ashram, Kanyakumari. He had done his B.Tech from IIT, but had left his corporate career to travel throughout India teaching young minds. At that time, I had gotten hyper and wondered why he had wasted an engineering seat. However, as I grow older and hopefully more mature, I understand that maybe he did find the purpose of his life and was happy pursuing it. It was what gave him “nirmal anand”.

I won’t say I am 100% sure about the purpose of my life. But I do know what makes me really happy. It’s not the big, fat pay check (LOL) at the end of every month. A few years back, I went through this phase with my kid brother. He was going through that age where he was more close to his friends and engrossed in his own world. We would often go for entire weeks without talking to each other. No matter how many times I tried to talk to him, he found it boring. I was devastated and depressed with his attitude. I kept feeling that I am the only one who loves him and he does not love me back. When I was really down, I told my concerns to my dad. I said “He doesn’t love me back. He doesn’t do special things for me”. That’s when my dad said “Maybe it’s you in this relation who has to do the job of loving him. You are the giver and he’s the receiver”. Something in dad’s words clicked. I understood what he wanted to say. Now, where is all this leading us? And what does it have to do with the purpose of my life?

The purpose of my life as I have understood it or the things that make me happy are: spreading love and happiness, making my friends and loved ones feel special, and educating and inspiring people. If I am able to make even one person feel special, then I have achieved the purpose of my life. If I am able to help even a single person, then I have achieved the purpose of my life. This may sound very cliché, but it truly makes me happy. I do like to help people and also tend to give unsolicited advice at times.

Sometime back, I helped a friend by simply passing on the contact number of a reputed gynecologist. She was having some trouble and was advised to go for surgery. Luckily, with the treatment of that gynecologist she delivered a healthy baby boy. I was amongst the first people to receive a call from the hospital with the good news. I can’t even begin to describe how happy that made me.

I really love the movie “Lakshya” which depicts a great story of a young boy and how he strives to find the purpose of his life and achieves success in the end. I do believe that whatever you do, you should do it with all your heart. I really like this dialogue from this movie “Tum jo bhi karo, accha karo. Agar tum ghaas katnewale ho, to tum acchese ghaas katon”J

Moral of the story: do whatever makes you happy. And then no matter where you are, or what you do, you will always be happy!    

My blogging gang includes:

• Deepa from Life through the lens of a kaliedoscope
• Sonali from Straight from the heart
• Pradeep from RTOAC
• Bhagyashri from Predictably Random
• Swati from Finding myself (invite only)

While you were sleeping…

(I like to write blog post titles which sync with movie names. I am writing this post to describe my kid’s mischief when we were taking a nap. This is an attempt to write a blog post through her perspective. The title also happens to be a favorite movie starring Sandra Bullock.)

Dear Readers,

My parents are still a bit angry over the stunt I pulled this Sunday afternoon while they were sleeping. But give me a chance to explain.

Now, don’t blame my parents for falling asleep without putting me to sleep. After all, they tried their best to put me to sleep for over 45 minutes. However, I now have very strong opinions about when I should sleep. And 3pm was not suitable enough. Mom and Dad dozed off in two separate rooms, each assuming that I was peacefully napping with the other.

What they did not know was that I got my little hands on a small jar of Vaseline. I am a very keen observer. I have seen how Mom opens the jar, dips her finger in the jar, and applies it over my lips when they get too dry. However, I thought my whole body was a bit dry and thought it would be good to apply Vaseline all over it. So, off go all my clothes. I dipped my finger in the jar and started meticulously applying Vaseline all over my body.

Imagine dad’s surprise when he woke up and saw me without any clothes, covered entirely in Vaseline. I was determined to finish the entire jar when he yanked me from the floor and carried me unceremoniously to the bathroom. All the while, he kept muttering to himself. Thankfully, Mom was still sleeping. Splash, splash a hot bath. Dad used a lot of soap in a vain attempt to get the Vaseline off me. Dad was giving me a piece of his mind all through my bath. Mom woke up because of the commotion. Now, dad really can’t shout at me. After all, I am daddy’s girl. He tries to look serious and raise his voice. But I am really not too scared of him. Mom is an entirely different story. One look at me was all she needed to know what had happened. She started the big fundewala lecture, rolling eyes, all the works. I thought it best to look scared and then quickly dozed off to put an end to her shouting.

Why you may ask did I pull this stunt? Now, I have tried to teach my parents N number of lessons, so that they would keep everything in its right place, far away from my reach. Alas, my parents just don’t get it. Once, mom woke up to a good smell. But there was too much of it. When she turned her head, she saw a cloud of white powder. I was splashing it over myself and over the bed sheets. Well, I got a bit carried away. But why couldn’t she keep it off my reach? Then there was that other time when they forgot to keep the iron on the top shelf. Mom was having her bath and I thought I would iron my clothes. So I plugged in the iron. I did get a bit scared when it turned hot. Imagine my mom’s horror when she came out and discovered that the iron was plugged in and I was sitting right next to it. Do I even need to tell you how she shouted at dad who had forgotten to keep the iron?

Anyway, I really hope that my parents keep all things at a safe place. And I also hope that once in a while they forget, and I get to play with them:)

10 day challenge: one picture and a recap

Finally the day is here. I and my comrades have successfully completed the 10-day challenge. Special thanks to Deepu for initiating this challenge. Big round of applause for Sonali who always posted on time. The rest of us started with much gusto, but we missed a few deadlines and then missing became a habit. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed writing each and every post.

This happens to be my favorite snap. This was taken on my husband's birthday in 2007 in our Louisville apartment. We had invited some 35 close friends for a small celebration. He clicked this snap while we were waiting for our guests.


I love my slight smile, the hair that for once stayed intact, and my general aura in this snap. I always use it when I need a decent close-up.


I would like to recap the lasts nine posts in this post. There were things that I either forgot or didn't divulge. Have fun reading:

1. Ten secrets: I suffer from mint kleptomania. Just kidding. I like to joke that I do. But I can't resist stealing atleast 4-5 mints from restaurants. I steal only one type. The white ones with the red design. Once, a waitress charged us 6$ for an item she didn't tell us about. We assumed it was complimentary by her casual mention. We didn't want to reverse the bill. I picked up 20 mints on my way out just to feel better about the whole thing. I intend to stop doing this. I hope no restaurant owners are reading this.
2. Nine loves: Sleeping. I love sleeping for long hours. There was a time when I used to sleep for 12 hours. Half the day gone. I even slept for long hours during my board exams.
3. Eight fears: In the haste of finishing the post on time, I totally forgot my biggest fear. Visiting dentists. I am so fearful that I wait till the pain gets impossible. I have sacrified 2 teeth, which could have been saved had I gone earlier. I just hate everything about dentists. The smelly clinic, the odd smelling gloves, the drilling noise, the excruiating pain. Yucks! I would prefer having a permanent denture than go through the pain of visiting a dentist.
4. Seven wants: To ride a motorbike wearing all leather gear. I have this vision of myself roaring on a bike wearing black leather pants, black leather jacket, black helmet, and black sunglasses. I have never been able to figure out why I need the sunglasses inside the helmet:)
5. Six places: Surat. Love visiting my aunt who stays there. Visiting her gives me an oppurtunity to sample all Gujrati foods. She always makes undhiyo, which is a treat in itself. Earlier, I would visit her in vacations and just laze around on her sofa:)
6. Five foods: Dadpe pohe! Always has and always will be my favorite breakfast or snack. I can easily gobble up 4-5 plates. Check out the recipe on my food blog.
7. Four books: Tough times never last, but tough people do! This book and the poem have always been a source of inspiration.
8. Three films: Legally Blonde. Totally love Reese Witherspoon in this one.
9. Two songs: Gagan sadan tejomaya. Of course, my husband always covers his ears when I try to match the high notes.

Thanks to all those who took the time to read my posts. Adios!

10 day challenge: two songs

Songs. Music. Lyrics. Wonderful companions during a long drive; cooking for friends and family; late night studies; picnics and parties; putting your baby to sleep.

I am a big fan of old Hindi songs, and an even bigger fan of all of Lata’s classics. I like a lot of new songs as well; but they don’t seem to stick around. Somehow, it’s always oldies which come to mind when playing antakshari. I haven’t heard a lot of English songs. When I was an engineering student, I would stay up late to study for exams. I would tune to the radio and listen to English songs for company. Two songs that would always play and I over the years, I have fallen in love with those. One was “Hotel California”. This always makes me imagine myself strumming a guitar. The other is Celine Dion’s “A New Day has Come”.

This post was an easy one for me; not because I don’t listen to a lot of music, but because I knew which songs I would choose as my favorite two:

Every couple should have a special song for themselves and ours is: Rimzim Gire Sawan  

We both know the entire lyrics of this song and have troubled a lot of friends by singing the entire song: he in his lovely voice, me in my croaking voice.

The second song is one that I heard only recently and completely fell in love with: Saibo from Shor in the City.

The music is very refreshing and this is my type of song with its high and low alterations. Shreya Ghoshal is outstanding, and Tochi Raina supports her with his upbeat voice. The lyrics are sensible and wonderful.

Other songs that I have to mention:

• Third Hindi Favorite: Barse sapne boond boond from Wake Up Sid. This one’s a lose third favorite after Saibo.
• My ideal Bollywood playlist: As far as Bollywood goes, my playlist would contain all songs from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Khamoshi, Devdas, Abhimaan, Sathiya, Sapnay, Roja.
• Marathi: All of Padmaja Fenani’s songs from the album Ghar Nachle Nachle, all songs from the movie Nivdung, majority of Asha’s songs.
• English: Uptown girl, 500 miles (Benny and Joon).
• Telegu: How can a Marathi mulgi love a Telegu song?:) Our group discovered Ringa Ringa and are obsessed with it. So much so, that we found that song with subtitles. During a recent trip, where we drove for 10 hours, we must have heard this song atleast 50 times. My little daughter is an ardent fan and tries to rote it.

Listening to good music always uplifts my mood and leaves me feeling fresh.
I might post mid-week about my favorite photo.

10 day challenge: Three movies

I have cribbed endlessly about writing only five foods and four books. But that cribbing isn’t going to
come even close to my cribbing to write only three movies. Find out why.

My love saga with movies began when I was four. I still remember clutching dad’s hand and going to
watch my first movie: Jack and the Beanstalk. That movie and the story has always been my favorite. My
dad is an avid movie watcher and he has been responsible for getting me addicted to movies. We both
have common favorites, including, but not limited to Amar Akhbar Anthony, Guide, Sholay, Mackennas’s
Gold, Where Eagles Dare, The Guns of Navaronne. We have seen these movies so many times, that we
have lost track.

We did not have Cable TV for a good 24 years of my life. But we did watch a lot of oldies on
Doordarshan. Come summer vacation and we would rent out movies. I still remember all of us watching movies late into the night, with the perfect setting: a couple of pillows under your head and a bag of chips to munch on. Mom also tries to stay up late to accompany us, but she has her own limits and soon sleep in the chair:)

Luckily, the friends I made over the years also loved to watch movies. A certain friend B is a big-time
Salmaan Khan fan, and she has dragged me to all of his movies: good or bad. In my engineering college,
our group would often bunk lectures and catch latest movies at the nearby theatre. How I love all those
memories.

Then came Mr. P in my life; my husband who loves movies so much and goes around throwing movie
dialogues at everyone around him. So much so, that I often complain that he lives in a world of movies
and should come out of the imaginary life and look around him! During our last trip to US from Sep06 to
Dec 07, we watched loads of movies every weekend. We had a set schedule. Go to Blockbuster on Friday
eve, get 2 DVD’s, finish them off, go back on Saturday, get two more, finish them off on Saturday night,
and then watch another one on Sunday. Do the maths!

We watch movies and often discuss them. He made me watch “Memento” and we discussed it for 2
hours after watching it. We often fight about which movies to watch, which ones to order via Netflix.
More than once, I have quietly changed the movie priority and moved my favorites up in the queue.
Once, I even changed the password and refused to share it with him.

It’s not that I like watching only a particular type of films. I have a definite inclination towards feel-
good-romantic-flicks!:). But I can watch all types of movies: action, thriller, comedy, horror, romantic.
Sometimes I just feel like watching a family drama and turn to movies such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi
Khushi Kabhi Gum, Hum Saath Saath Hai, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.

I don’t know if my three comrades have noticed that we have limited options as we approach the end
of this challenge. I mean, I would happily trade three movies with ten secrets. Who would like to divulge
ten secrets, but food, book, and movie lovers would definitely jump at picking up 10 items in those
categories.

How can a girl who watches almost 3 movies every week, pick only three favorites? Anyway, here are
the top ones:

• The Shawshank Redemption: This was an easy one to pick. My husband introduced me and my parents to this movie and we all loved it. My favorite quote from this movie “Hope is a good
  thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies.” Truly, the movie tells the story of a
  man who lives on hope, believes in it, and works on achieving the best in life.
• Father of the Bride: I had a tie between P.S I Love You and Father of the Bride. But in the end, I picked the movie based on dad’s love, his daughter’s marriage, and what the dad endured.
  There has not been a single time when I have seen this movie and it failed to bring tears in my
  eyes. Steve Martin is outstanding in this movie. I always imagine me and my dad on screen
  when I see this movie. The first time I saw it in the US, being miles away from my dad, I had
  cried hysterically. Truly, this movie always reminds me of how my dad let me marry the guy I
  love, and made my wedding day a memorable one.
• Parichay: Inspired from the Sound of Music, our very own Bollywood version touches my heart
  every time I see it. I am not a big Jitendra fan, but he’s acted very well in this one. Then there
  are my favorites: Jaya Bhaduri, Pran, and the lovely kids. The songs are beautiful. The morale
  and the climax are awesome. Be sure to see this movie if you haven’t seen it.

Other favorites include:

• The Ghost and the Darkness: No, this isn’t a horror flick. If you haven’t seen this one, you should definitely check it out.
• The Pink Panther: Absolutely loved Steve Martin in this one.
• Kill Bill 1 and 2, Final Destination 1,2,3
• Romantic flicks such as: 27 Dresses, Sweet Home Alabama, Pretty Woman, Addicted to Love, 50 First Dates, and so on.
• Bollywood Favorites: Dil Chahta Hai, Sarfarosh, Chak De India, Anand, Abhimaan, Khatta Meetha
• Marathi Favorites: Gammat Jammat, Ashihi Banva Banvi, Navri mile Navryala, Matichya Chuli

After seeing so many movies, I and hubby consult friends on which movies to watch. Maybe, we should
open a movie consultancy firm. What say?:)

If you have seen a movie that you thought was outstanding, please leave a comment. We have
exhausted our list of “movies to watch” and would love hearing new ones.

10 day challenge: Four books

Books. The very word conjures up so many memories. I don't remember the first book I read or held, but I do know that my parents instilled good reading habits in me and my brother. I remember them buying Childcraft series for us, which in those days costs 12K. They also subscribed to Reader's Digest, and for years we archived them in the house. In 2000, we discovered magazines dating back to 1993 and realized it was high time to give away some of them. I remember reading novels late into the night, when my father would discover that I was still reading at 1am he would tell me to go to sleep. "Five minutes baba", I would say and continue reading till 4am, satisfied that I had finished the book:)

Our school library also housed a good collection of books. It is through the school library that I fell in love with Nancy Drew, Famous Five, and Secret Seven. Oh! How I loved those cute gangs and their parties with cookies and lemonade.

Then I reached college and discovered Sidney Sheldon, Arthur Hailey, Jeffrey Archer, and John Grisham. I think I have read all of their novels. Of course, my college buddies also introduced Mills and Boons, and I remember reading a few of them and wondering about love and romance:) I still remember spending hours and hours near Churchgate station and picking up books for cheap prices.

I have always been lucky to meet people who are passionate about reading and I often wonder about people who don't like to read. Some people find libraries boring, but for me they are a treasure trove of discoveries. Books have never let me down in my entire life and I consider them to be my best friends. I wonder what my life had been had I not discovered the wonderful world of books and what one can learn from them.

This post is about four of my favorite books. Again, it was very difficult to choose just four amongst the thousands that I have read. But still, here's an attempt:

1. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl: I haven't read a more touching book till date. I was horrified to discover that at an age when I was roaming around freely with my friends, a girl much younger than me had spent years trapped inside a cramped apartment. Anne's writing and its simplicity made me feel as if I was experiencing what she had. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
2. Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer: I love reading this book over and over again. The climax is superb. This was my first Jeffrey Archer novel, and the rest I read didn't match up.
3. Not without my daughter by Betty Mahmoody: An amazing story of an American woman, trapped in a foreign land and her courageous attempt to escape the country with her daughter. I read this pre and post giving birth to my daughter. The latter reading touched me even more than the first one as I could totally connect with the author. The Bollywood attempt at adapting this story (Shakti) totally sucks.
4. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri: I loved all the characters in this book; each and every one is so different, yet so special and convincing. Ashima, the mother who leaves her homeland at a very young age and settles in a foreign land. Accepts staying there, yet, no letting go of her roots. Ashoke, an intelligent professor who loves reading books. Gogol, a true ABCD (American Born Confused Desi) in his earlier years, soon transforms into a total American. Jhumpa hooks her readers right from the first page, wonderfully builds up the story, and leaves them with a satisfying end. Read my review here.

Other favorites include To kill a mockingbird (Harper Lee), The Godfather (Mario Puzo), The Final Diagnosis (Arthur Hailey), The Hindi Bindi Club (Monica Pradhan), 2 States (Chetan Bhagat), and The Client (John Grisham).

See you next week with my list of three movies.

10 day challenge: 5 foods

Ask a foodie like me to list only five favorite foods and she will scratch her head so many times, that finally there would be no hair left on her head. Don’t worry, I haven’t turned bald, but came close to going bonkers thinking of this list.

I thought of looking up the real definition of foodie: a word that everyone throws around a lot lately. So, I googled “define:foodie” and the result was “a person keenly interested in food, especially in eating or cooking.” Do I fit into the definition? Definitely:)

I was not much of a junkie as a child. But I sure turned into one after I joined Ruia for my junior college. If there are restaurants like DP’s, Mani’s in your vicinity, who’s to blame if you start eating outside food regularly? Then there was the vada pav wala outside King George school. Walk a bit further and you reach D Damodar: another favorite snacks place. I and my friends were in love with the samosa, kachori, and sweet pattice. So much so, that I and my best friend B, dreamt of marrying Damu’s son in the hopes of getting a lifelong supply of samosas:)

I am lucky to find a soul mate who also happens to be an ardent foodie. We have tried Mexican, Ethiopian, Chinese, Mediterranean, and Italian. We hope to try Japanese, though we know that there are very limited options for vegetarians.

As I have said before, this list was a toughie. So I finally closed my eyes and thought of five foods that immediately came to my mind:

1. Pav Bhaji: I can’t recollect when, where, how I ate my very first pav bhaji. But I love it so much, that I won’t mind eating it every day for the rest of my life. It’s healthy, as it brings together all important vegetables. My daughter also loves pav bhaji.
If you don’t mind extra calories, try Sardar’s pav bhaji near Tardeo. It’s loaded with butter. I could manage to eat only one pav.
I like the home-made version better than the restaurant ones. I have noticed that restaurants add food coloring to get the rich, red color. I have never eaten street side pav bhaji .

2. Pani Puri and all chat items: It would be injustice to the other chat items if I say that I like only pani puri. So I have to declare that I love all of them. Pani puri, bhel puri, sev batata puri, ragda pattice, dahi batata puri; I am drooling just by writing all this:) I have to admit that till I reached 10std, I couldn’t eat pani puri. Apparently, I couldn’t open my mouth wide enough to gobble down the whole puri. It used to break to pieces, and that’s not how you eat it. I also don’t like chilled pani puri, which is why, I didn’t eat pani puri in Delhi.
For me, the ideal pani puri is the one with small puris (I instruct the bhaiya to choose the smallest puris), hot ragda, and tangy and spicy chutney. To finish off the lovely treat, a masala puri with potato, sev, and spices is an absolute must.
When I was pregnant with my daughter, and supposedly not allowed to eat outside food, I made my mom prepare bhel puri, pani puri, and sev puri at home. There was only one condition from my side and that I was I could eat unlimited:) Of course, the home made chat food doesn’t taste that much great as the one that the bhaiya makes for you. And there’s that old joke that it tastes great only because the bhaiya’s sweat adds flavor to it! Gross, but maybe true!:)

3. Vegatable Pulao and Tomato Saar: This one has been a favorite since childhood. My mom makes the best pulao and tomato saar in the whole world! I just love the combination. Hot, steamy, white pulao, mixed with vegetables such as cauliflower, carrot, and peas reminds me of India’s flag. Top it with some really hot tomato saar: a wonderful blend of boiled tomatoes, coconut, and garlic. This simple, quintessential meal has been an all-time favorite for me.

4. Vada Pav: Now, who doesn’t like this one? Probably no one who has tasted it. I can name at least 10 places in Mumbai where I have tasted really good vada pav. Add to this list the ones that mom makes. Me? I am not much of a frying fan. In the sense, I love eating fried food, but don’t love standing next to the stove, frying stuff for hours. So I make vada pav only once in a while.
We have a vada pav vendor right across the street where my mom stays. And I always used to make my kid brother get vada pav for me. My brother has this photo of me on his digi cam. I am looking really cross, crazy, and irritated because he wouldn’t get vada pav for me when I was pregnant. He always teases me with this photo.

5. Gulab Jamun: I do like sweets, but can’t eat them in unlimited quantities. The one sweet that I can eat limitless is gulab jamun. I have my mom make them for my every birthday and no birthday is complete without eating at least 20 of them:)

There, you have it! Five foods that I can eat over and over again, without getting bored. Five foods that I can gobble in unlimited quantities. I know the limit is five, but I would just like to mention that I also love bhutta (corn), pakoras, mattha (spicy buttermilk), chips, jalebis.

I loved writing this post, though it was a sweet torture. I am surely going to make all the foods listed above in the very near future:)

10 day you challenge: 6 places

I know I am terribly late with this post. I also know that my 3 comrades have finished writing their posts on time. It wasn’t that I was extremely busy over the weekend, but I just didn’t write it. By the time I realized that I hadn’t, the weekend had waived goodbye. Anyway, here’s my post: better late, than never.

6 places for me are 6 places where I have been and liked. If I were to die, I would ask my loved ones to scatter my ashes at these 6 places. Sounds too cheesy, eh? Without much further ado, here they are:

1. Mumbai meri jaan: Yes, Mumbai is truly a jaan (life) for everyone who has spent a better part of their life in it. I had never left Mumbai for a good 27 years of my life. I was born in Mumbai. I did my schooling, college education, graduation, first jobs all in Mumbai. My favorite place in the whole world is my parent’s house in Mahim where I and my brother grew up. As I write this post, I wish I had a remote control which would take me to my mom anytime I feel like, and let me enjoy “maa ke haath ka khana”:)
   I love Mumbai with its noise, pollution, crowd, competition, festivals, train rides. I love the fact that people from so many different castes, religions, backgrounds, cultures gel and stay in Mumbai. I love the enthusiasm of Mumbaikars.
   My heart breaks every time I hear of a terrorist attack on Mumbai. What option does the average Mumbaikar have other than carrying on with their “spirit”? I hope and pray that these stupid terrorists attack stop and that Mumbai is left with peace and harmony.
2. Mulund, Mumbai: “Home is where the heart is”. Even if we are in the US, and happy where we are, a part of heart is in Mulund where we live.
   My aunt lived in Mulund. My earliest memories of Mulund are associated with summer vacations when I and my cousins visited my aunt. We used to stand in her balcony, call out to strangers, and then duck down when they looked up. It sounds so silly now. However, it gave us endless joy at that age. Mulund reminds me of convincing my aunt to give us Re.1, so that the four of us could eat pepsi colas. It reminds me of watching Ajooba, eating chips at 2am, and having stupid fights with my cousins.
   Luckily, we bought a house in Mulund. It is in Mulund that we started our married life together. We learnt to set up our house, take responsibilities, pay bills, buy groceries, and start a family. We are blessed with wonderful neighbors and a superb group in our complex.  We celebrate all festivals with zeal and have a wonderful time together.
3. Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu: I strongly believe in destiny and also that if you truly wish something, it will come true. I had attended a family function, just two weeks before my HSC board exam. As I was hurrying up my lunch and wondering how I would complete the pending studies, the lady sitting next to me mentioned about a camp to Kanyakumari. I had always wanted to visit the southernmost tip of India. My ears perked up and I gathered all the information. Soon, after my exams, I attended a 10-day camp to Kanyakumari by Vivekanand Kendra. It has been more than a decade since I attended that camp. However, what I learnt there, our daily schedule, the places we visited, the talks I shared with my friends, are forever itched in my memory.
   We had a hectic schedule which included getting up at 4am; doing yogasanas; completing chores such as cleaning the library, serving food, cleaning the mess; maintain absolute silence for half an hour; lectures on life and time management by the Kendra people; and indoor and outdoor games. We learnt valuable lessons and interacted with a lot of people. I remember waking up at an obscene hour to see the sunrise. We saw the first rays of sun, saw the sand from three different oceans; and watched in absolute awe and wonder. I want to visit Kanyakumari again, and I want to take my daughter with me.
4. Kodaikanal, Tamilnadu: We went for our honeymoon to Kodai and fell in love with the place. I find it hard to believe that it was five years ago. After much deliberation and wondering if we could afford or whether we should afford a five-star, we booked our stay in Carlton: a five-star resort by K Raheja. It was one of our best decisions ever. The hotel, the food, the weather: everything was just so perfect.
   Ours is a love marriage. So we didn’t go through the whole “getting to know each other” phase on our honeymoon. We are foodies and thoroughly enjoyed the hotel’s buffet. We cycled around the lake. My husband had just finished a photography course and he made me stand clutching pine trees, while he spent 15 minutes adjusting brightness, composure, focus, and what not. Of course, I would have several spectators, wondering what I was talking to a tree, when in fact, I was telling my husband to hurry up. Those are our best memories ever. We took boat rides in all types of boats: paddle boat, motor boat, and the shikara, which made us feel like we were in Kashmir. How I wish I could turn back the clock and relive all those golden moments.
5. Louisville, KY: The first place where I spent major time outside Mumbai. Came to Louisville in Sep’06. Spent a year-and-a-half discovering that I could remain sane without a job. Yes, I was on H4 on my last trip here. Louisville is a quaint, small city in Kentucky, just an hour from Cincinnati. There are lots of Indians in Louisville, which is why; at times it becomes difficult to believe that we are in US.
    My trip to Louisville gave me the opportunity to spend quality time with my husband, start this blog, discover my love for cooking, learn cake decoration, learn how to make bead jewelry, make and nurture friendships, and realize that there are a whole lot of things to do without a job.
   This is our second trip to Louisville. This time Louisville let me realize one of my dreams: work in US.
   I think I would have been lost in a bigger city like Chicago or New York. Louisville is a great place to be.
6. Las Vegas, Nevada: We took this trip in Dec’07 and it has been one of our best trips ever. The first time I saw the strip, my mouth fell open just seeing all the lights. My God, I had never seen so many lights in my life. I loved Vegas with all its grandeur, glamour, and shine. All the casinos are beautiful. I have so many memories associated with Vegas. The Bellagio falls, the gondola ride in Venetian, seeing Phantom of the Opera in Venetian, I would definitely love to visit Vegas again. Now, when I see any movie filmed in Vegas, I smile and feel happy that I got to visit Las Vegas.

I realized after writing my list that out of six, two of my favorite 6 places are in Mumbai, the other two in Tamil Nadu, and the last two in US. I am sure that if I visit Europe or Egypt, I will add them to this list.
Hope you enjoy reading this post, as much as I enjoyed recollecting my memories. See you this weekend with my list of 5 foods. Boy, five is a very, very small number:)

10 day challenge: 7 wants

I am done with my 10 secrets, 9 loves, and 8 fears. It’s time to move on to 7 wants. Well, 7 is a very small number for the things that I want.

There’s stuff that I wish every day, like ready-made homemade food; 16 hrs of sleep; hot, relaxing, bubble baths; no morning rush; no unexpected problems.

Then, there’s stuff that I wish every weekend. Like a robot that will take care of the piled-up work such as vacuuming, laundry, cleaning the furniture, paying bills, organizing wardrobes, cleaning the toilets, checking for grocery, buying grocery, cleaning the refrigerator, ironing clothes, making preps for the coming week. Lots of “me” time for reading and relaxing.

However, this post is going to be about my ongoing wants. I am going to do some cheating with this post and use sub-bullets to cover many wants under one big headingJ I played fair with the earlier posts, so it’s ok if I cheat in thisJ This one’s going to be a long post for the obvious reasons.

1.   To get the same parents, husband, daughter, brother, SIL, and best friends in all future births. I would also add my former boss, AP to this list. I am not even sure if there’s after birth or anything like it. But if there is, then I would definitely like the same set of people in every birth.

2.   To complete all projects that I start: Started a lot of things, finished some. Spent 6 years learning Bharatnayam, didn’t finish it. Spent a good amount of time learning yoga and gymnastics, hardly practice it. Spent some money learning how to bead, still am lazy to bead every weekend. Have lots of wonderful ideas. Don’t have the motivation and energy to execute them. My want would be to finish every important thing that I start. To have boundless energy, motivation, and enthusiasm.

3.   To get serious about my health

a.   Never to have common cold again: I am extremely susceptible to common cold. I get it from anywhere, anytime. I have it for months and months. When I was pregnant and couldn’t take medicines, there was a time when I had cold for whole 2 months. I do not have sinus; it’s just that I catch cold very fast. Spend an hour in the pool, the next day I will start sneezing like crazy. I hate it. I hate having a runny nose, breathing through my mouth; I would want to increase my resistance power and never get the stupid, irritating common cold again.

b.   Start exercising: Not to look slim, but to be fit. I am fed-up of falling sick for stupid things. Need to exercise, stop eating as much junk food, and stop procrastinating going to the gym.

4.   To work on happiness project: I am at that point in my life where at times I think that life has no meaning. What’s the use of slogging, earning all that money, bothering about bills and retirement; if one fine day you are going to go away from this earth? Of course, life is beautiful. But what is the use if we keep worrying?
I learnt about the happiness project and want to adapt it in my life. Not follow it completely, but take the main things. For example, spend half-hour each day to do what makes you happy.

5.  To learn to let go: I won’t and don’t preach “Forgive and forget”. I will never be able to forgive some people who have hurt me immensely. I also won’t preach “Let go of your ego” or something similar. I think everyone should have some amount of ego, or would it be self-respect? But I would definitely like to learn to let go of small things that bother me endlessly. Like a relative’s rude remark, someone not replying to my email, someone’s sarcastic comment. Once something happens and I feel bad about it, it should go away from my mind. Vanish. No pondering, bickering the next day. If I am able to achieve that, my life will be much better.

I also want to learn to stop getting hyper on futile things. What if we reach 15 minutes late, what if we don’t cook today, what if we Learn to take a deep breath and think “what’s the worst that I can happen if I or we don’t do this”? Most of the times the answer is not severe. If I am able to achieve this, my life and those of everyone around me, will be much better.

6.   House stays clean at least for 5 hours after I clean it: I spent 3 hrs last Saturday to clean my apartment’s hall and kitchen. I scrubbed the kitchen cabinets, cleaned the furniture, vacuumed the hall, and mopped the kitchen. All this on a Saturday afternoon when the very creatures (my husband and daughter) who make mess in the house, took a jolly good nap. They were both snoring! Their snores and peaceful sleep aggravated me and gave me extra power to do the cleaning. Once they woke up, husband said something on the lines of “wow, apartment is looking as good as new”. Within the next 2 hours, I saw that the house started returning to its earlier messy state. He kept books here and there; she spilled stuff here and there. Gone was my 3 hrs of hard work. There’s no point in setting rules if no one’s going to follow them. It’s not that they don’t help me. My daughter keeps her toys in her toy chest most of the days. But she’s two and a half; she spills stuff on the furniture and carpet.

It’s not that I am a cleanliness freak. But I do get upset, hyper, and depressed in varying degrees when I see mess in the house. My want is that my house stays clean at least for a decent period of time after I have cleaned it.
7.   Global warming: This one freaks me out and has been a major topic of thinking. Notice how all the weather conditions have become extreme? Extreme heat wave, heat warnings, high heat index. Extreme flooding, rains; regular tornado warnings.

All this, thanks to global warming. I am trying to do my bit to save the earth. I am careful about using water and using power only when it’s necessary. I do not print pages and pages of documents. I switch off lights when I leave a room.
I want everyone to get serious about global warming. If each one of us does his part, maybe we’ll have the Earth as a healthy place for our next generation.

Phew, what a long list!

See you next week with my list of 6 places.

10 day challenge: 8 fears

When I was a kid, I used to accompany my dad to the market to buy vegetables. I often used to get engrossed in the surroundings, while dad paid the vegetable seller. Then dad would start walking ahead. When I used to wake up from my reverie, I would realize that dad isn’t near me. I would start searching for him and get scared thinking that he has left me alone. Very soon, I would find dad standing 10 steps away from me, smiling after seeing my confusion. That one minute would be the longest and scariest of my life. That is my earliest memory of being scared.

In this post, I have jotted 8 things that bother/scare me:

1.   Snakes: Snakes and any other creepy, crawly things scare me. Snakes freak me out; I can’t even watch them on TV. My dear friend G, once played a prank on me. We had gone out on a walk, and while returning home we had to cross a field. It was dark. She knew my fear of snakes. In the most serious expression, she told me that the field was full of snakes and we had to run so that they won’t bite us. I ran the fastest and when I turned back, I saw my friend doubled up with laughter.

2.   Dogs: I am terrified of dogs of all shapes and sizes. They have never caused me any harm. However, I prefer keeping distance from them. I have never petted a dog in my entire life. Once I and my friend were busy talking near her building. A dog came running and sniffed me. I screamed so loudly that 4-5 people came running to see what had happened.

3.   Lightning: Yeah, when the rains pour down, and the sky sparks with lightning, I pray to God that one doesn’t strike me. The stupidest thing that I do is, I close all the curtains in my home in the hope that the lightning will be blocked by closed curtains:)

4.   Life cut short: I am not afraid of death as such. I know it is the ultimate reality and all of us have to face it, one day or the other. What bothers me is premature death. What if I die today? What if I am not able to achieve what I want to? What will happen of my family if I go away today?

5.   Crows: Yucks! I am not scared of crows as such. But of crows hitting my head. Read this to get a good laugh.

6.   Escalators: I feel dizzy on escalators, and try my best to avoid them. I am a bit more confident while riding up, but get terribly scared to ride down. My friends and cousins have tried their best to help me overcome my fear – with no luck. Wait, see the yellow line, and step when it reaches midway. This is the mantra I keep chanting.  I get weird looks as I stand gathering courage, and others wait patiently behind me.
When I was pregnant, I and hubby had gone to @home store, and the only way to reach the lower level was through an escalator. After 5 failed attempts, I approached the store’s security. This was when a huge belly and a worried expression used to help me a lot:P I convinced the security guard to let me use the staff elevator:)

7.   Loneliness: I am a social, outgoing person. I often worry about losing every one of my loved ones, my true friends. I am scared of loneliness.

8.   Horror movies: Well, I am very curious and intrigued to see horror movies. I see them with interest and then get terribly scared. I remember watching the Urmila starrer “Kaun”, siting in the second row. I was so scared later on, that I slept next to my mom for a good one week. The other flick which was quite interesting to watch, but scared me horribly was Jeepers Creepers. Now, on every late right road trip, I am convinced that Jeepers will attack our vehicle.

I realized after writing this list, that 3 of my 8 fears were related to animals or birds. I will have to do something to get rid of those fears.

Next weekend is 7 wants. Well, I want much, much more than 7.

10 day challenge: 9 loves

Okay, so after divulging 10 secrets about myself, it’s time to talk about my nine loves.

Most of my loves have evolved as I grew up. There was a time when I loved watching TV. We didn’t even have cable TV. Only the great Doordarshan, with DD1 and DD2. I used to switch on the TV first thing after entering the house. However, over time, I realized it’s a waste of time and watch limited TV.

The latest thing that’s addictive and fascinating is Facebook. It would be too embarrassing to divulge the number of times I check Facebook in a day.

Here goes my list of 9 loves:

1.   My family: My immediate family, my husband, my closest friends. I absolutely love them. They have always motivated and inspired me and largely contribute to what I am today.  They have also told me I am an idiot, when I behaved like one. They are the pillars of my life. They have accepted me the way I am, and love me for whatever I am.

2.   My baby: She came into my life on a cold December morning and changed it forever. I remember seeing this saying near a signal in Bandra “A child gives birth to a mother”. It couldn’t be truer. She’s taught me to love, care, be responsible, and be patient. Her single smile energizes me like nothing else and sleeping in her arms comforts me like nothing else. I love buying stuff for her – be it dresses, toys, or accessories. I loved dolls as a kid, and God gave me a real one. Unfortunately, my doll doesn’t let me dress the way I want her to. Her beautiful clips come out 5 minutes after I have carefully added them in her hair.
She has also taught me to appreciate whatever my mother did for me. I now better understand why my mom behaved in a certain way, why she took the decisions that she did, and how easy it was for her to those all those sacrifices for me and my brother.
My baby will always be my baby, though one day she will marry someone and go away from me. Sob, sob!

3.   Chips: I am obsessed with potato chips. I can easily devour one whole bag in one go. Once I start eating chips, I cannot control how much I eat. I think I have OCD when it comes to chips. I love Arby’s curly fries.
When I used to have fights with my dad and stop talking to him, he would bring me chips to resolve my anger and make me talk to him. My husband doesn’t buy chips when I fight with him though:(I DO NOT like to share chips with anyone else. I find it hard to share them even with my little daughter. She seems to be fascinated with them too.

 

4.   Beading: I learnt to make bead jewelry during our last trip in US. I didn’t pursue it as much until recently. Beading rejuvenates me and makes me happy. It keeps negative thoughts away from my mind. It gives me immense pleasure to create a beaded piece. I love gifting finished pieces to my friends; I also love to wear my beaded pieces. I hope to launch my bead jewelry business very soon.

5.   Books: Books are a man’s best friend. That’s so true. Books have never let me down.
I am a voracious reader. I can easily gobble up a 250 page book in one sitting. I mostly like to read fiction, self-help, or inspiring books. Nowadays, I prefer reading Magazines because they are easy to read and take less time.
Books traverse you to time and places written in them. My mind took me to Louvre museum after reading Da Vinci code; I had read so much about the FBI building, that I lovingly touched it when I visited Washington DC.
As a teenager, I used to read books late into the night. My dad would get up in the middle of the night and tell me to go to sleep. I would say “5 more minutes” and continue reading till I finished the bookJ

6.   Travelling: I wish I had all the money in the world to visit wherever I want. I dream of touring the entire India. I also aim to visit Europe and Africa. Luckily, I have visited the major tourist spots in the US. I am fortunate to have a husband who also loves to travel. Together, we explore new places to visit, find information about places to see, click innumerable pictures, and cherish our travel memories.

7.   The God of Small Things: Yes, I have read the book. And no, I didn’t like it. I couldn’t connect to the book. But I do love all the small things in life that God has created and I am in awe of them. “What is life if full of care, you have no time to stand and stare”. Life is too small to run after money, be obsessed with your career. We should always appreciate little things in life. Rainbows, the smell after the first rains, dew drops, a beautiful quote are all lovely things.

8.   Writing: I have always enjoyed reading and my love for writing stems from that.  I am glad I discovered the Technical Writing profession and it gave me the opportunity to explore writing. I love writing long emails to my good friends. I have blogged regularly in the past about daily happenings and maintained a food blog. I wish that I write more. I also aspire to inspire people through my writing.

9.   Dance: Put on some really good music, and the next thing you know, I start tapping my feet and swaying myself. I have learnt Bharatnatyam, and my love for dance comes through that training. A good dance, not only burns some calories, but also makes me happy.
I am happy and proud to see that my little one also appreciated good music and sways on the tune.

 The next posts is about 8 fears. That's a tough one.

10 day challenge: 10 secrets

Finally, my dear, dormant blog gets some activity. My friend Dee, passed on the 10-day challenge, where we have to write about a particular topic for 10 consecutive days. Busy (??lazy) as we are, we decided to write on 10 consecutive weekends. So, here’s the post for the first challenge: 10 secrets. Frankly, it’s quite odd to divulge 10 secrets to the whole world, and I wish it was 10 foods instead. Or maybe 100 foods that I like:)

On the other hand, my life is an open book. There’s nothing that my parents, husband, and close friends don’t know about me. I am an outgoing and extrovert person. Ask me something, and most probably I will tell you about it. Anyway, here’s my attempt at divulging some secrets or let me call them facts about my life:

1. I am big sucker for feel good, romantic comedies or romantic flicks. And the ending has to be happy. For me, if it’s not happy, then it’s not the end. I harass my husband every weekend to watch a movie that fits that category. I can watch my favorite movies over and over again. The top ones include: 27 dresses, Sweet Home Alabama, Pretty woman.
2. I am still scared of my dad. There’s no other human being whom I find scary, but if my dad glares at me, or raises his voice, I still feel scared.
3. I love buying plastic containers of all shapes and sizes. I may not freak out to buy any expensive stuff, but take me to Dollar or Wal-Mart, and I start walking towards the aisle where they display plastic containers. I am quite eco-friendly in all other aspects. My husband pulls me away when he realizes that I am heading towards that aisle.
4. I tend to take on more than I can handle at times. Too many tasks, too much work, too many things to do. Then I get stressed out and wished that I hadn’t taken up so many things.
5. I have contradictory feelings about a lot of things. I am quite social and outgoing; yet do love to be alone once in a while. I am hyperactive, yet can let go of some things. I like to take fast decisions, yet procrastinate others for no reason.
6. I have changed a lot over the years. I was a very shy, introvert, low-confidence, silly girl in school. My dressing sense was pathetic (still hasn’t improved much). However, I have observed a lot of people in my life and learnt to be confident. I am proud of what I am today. The only thing I yearn is to be wise and be at peace.
7. I love organizing things. I like to assign places for items, make lists, and arrange stuff. That doesn’t mean that my house is always neat and tidy. I make lists for everything: things to do, shopping list, and contacts list. I love to strike out items as and when I complete them. Earlier, I and hubby used to sit and make a list of things to do on every Saturday morning. It would be a long list with 15 items such as visit the bank, pay the power bill, or fix something. By Sunday EOD, we would complete only 3 out of 10 items. Now we have stopped making a Saturday things to do list.
8. I am jealous of the chemistry between my husband and daughter. She doesn’t even look at me when he’s around. It’s like I feed her, bathe her, play with her, but when daddy gets home, she turns her complete attention towards him. It feels good to see that they are so attached to each other. But sometimes I feel neglected.
9. I can figure out how complicated stuff works, yet never find it easy to operate a coffee machine, open doors (never understand which way they open), turn on faucets (why do they make them so complicated), and how to swipe credit/debit cards.
10. I get extremely irritated when friends, relatives fall out of touch and claim that they are very busy to write back. I think our generation has plenty of communication medium- emails, skype, facebook to communicate with each other. But we have lost the zeal to stay in touch with people or have become to casual. We hide under the disguise of “being busy”. I know I have neglected communication in the past under the same disguise, but I am definitely improving on keeping consistent contact.

The next post will be about nine loves. Stay tuned.