gender-bender

while i'm on a tag-stealing spree... i stole this tag off pixie's...

it's been doing the rounds... and it requires you to list traits of yours that don't fit your gender stereotype.

so, here's my list of sins.

- i don't do fancy romantic dinners very well. i prefer the bar, diner environment more. i love chilling over a beer. and i think diner breakfasts are the best.

- i do not like mush. i hate roses. i hate red heart-shaped merchandise even more. the concept of fancy romantic proposals make me go blech. i do not get "hints". neither do i give them. if i want to say something, i will. and 'nothing' actually means nothing.

- i'm very comfortable in jeans/trousers. i never wore skirt-suits to work. it was always trousers.

- i am quite fond of remote controlled toy cars. and planes. in fact, i love them. i vehemently dislike dolls. barbies included.

- i love telecom. i do understand the technology. what i don't know, i learn it quick. i found it fascinating to decipher how to determine which server had better specifications. or the apps that would work best with droid.

- i was good at programming before i quit it.

- i wouldn't mind spending a day (or more) at home playing video games.

- i don't know how to be 'coy' or ladylike. if i find something funny, i laugh out loud. quite loud.

- i do not get manicures/pedicures, facials or body massages. i don't like them. in fact, i detest salons and go ONLY for the most basic things.

- i do not spend hours getting dressed. it takes me 15 mins to be completely dressed. i also shop real quick.

- i am not weight conscious. i have never dieted in my life. and would rather die than diet. i love eating.

If...

flicked the tag from trish's space...

If I were a month, I’d be December
If I were a day of the week, I’d be Friday
If I were a time of day, I’d be 23.59
If I were a season, I’d be the Monsoons/Spring
If I were a planet, I’d be Venus.
If I were a sea animal, I’d be a whale. *not getting into technicalities of an animal, here*
If I were a direction, I’d be the 'right' direction.
If I were a piece of furniture, I’d be a Bar Stool.
If I were a liquid, I’d be Water.
If I were a tree, I’d be all green & brown and have birds sitting on me... eww!
If I were a tool, I’d be a Hex.
If I were an element, I’d be Mercury.
If I were a gemstone, I’d be a garnet.
If I were a musical instrument, I’d be an electric guitar.
If I were a color, I’d be deep. deep anything.
If I were a emotion, I’d be fleeting.
If I were a fruit, I’d be an apple. in the garden of eden.
If I were a sound, I’d be the sounds of waves crashing on the shore.
If I were a car, I’d be rather driven...!
If I were food, I’d be chicken wings.
If I were a taste, I’d be bitter-sweet.
If I were a scent, I’d be plumeria.
If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be hot pink, sky-high stilettos.
If I were a bird, I’d be a kingfisher.

pwetty cherry on top!

okk... another tag. that i'm doing ONLY coz of the award! and no, she hadn't given this award to me. i liked it. so i well, asked for it! and i stole the image from her blog, in case she said no! *which, she didn't btw!*

pwetty, aint it?

the tag says i'm to write 3 things i like abt myself. and put up a pic i love the most.

part 1 is rather easy. part 2, i'm putting up a pic i like as of now. coz i don't know which pic i love the most.

what i love abt me:

i. i'm genuine. and it's quite evident. i won't ask after you if i don't care. no matter how important you may be to me professionally/relatively. only reason i will care for/about you

is because you matter to me. if i don't like you, i may not be rude to you, but you will know that i'm talking to you because i have to.

ii. i'm a simple, positive, happy person. and i attempt to keep my life that way as well. touchwood.

iii. i am very secure with myself. i wasn't like this always. i have grown over and out of my insecurities. with quite a bit of effort. i understand and appreciate the work it has taken to be me and the people who have made me me. and i realize that i won't let myself stagnate.

picture?

this one has been my fave for a while now. hope you like it as well.

tag-time

oh yes, i've been tagged again.
the li'l insane, li'l nice celestialrays has tagged me.
and yes, this one took quite some thinking.

5 pathetically horrible movies you’ve seen
this one's difficult. there isn't too much i would "hate" other than the recent yrf/dharma productions fare. lemme try.
i. srk acted, YRF or KJo flicks. exceptions being DDLJ, DTPH and KANK. yes, i liked kank. sue me. *this automatically cuts down almost my entire list.*
ii. dostana. blech.
iii. khushi. yeah, i know. i shouldn't have seen such movies, right? but well. this has the honor of being the only movie i've walked out of. before the interval, that too.
iv. marathi movies from the 90s. esp the so-called comedies. blech. of late, i think there have been some good releases here... not that i've seen all. but i try.
v. mango souffle. i really, really did not get this one. i saw it coz it had atul kulkarni.

5 accessories you can create out of food
just create, not wear, right?
i. finger ring. simple, right?
ii. handbag. cut a cantaloupe in half. clean it out. cut a curved strip of the chhilka *i have no patience to think of the english word for that!* and attach it to the semi-circle with push pins. decorate with oatmeal or cornflakes. there you go. designer handbag ready.
iii. earrings. take one cornflake. attach to push-pin. put pin in ear. repeat with other.
iv. belt. tie banana peels together. sexy yellow belt's ready. how many peels you need depends on your girth, entirely.
v. anklet. carrot peels. strung together. you could substitute cucumber peels for this as well. would match with the finger ring as well.

5 places where you won’t be seen dead at

i. Holi celebrations where ppl are playing color. N.E.V.E.R.
ii. at a film shoot. ANY film shoot.
there's no other place that i would avoid with so much passion, actually. i'm okay with being anywhere. depends on my mood, though. and also, the company.

5 people you’d love to hit, anytime, anywhere
i. those who discriminate. ANY kind of discrimination. race, caste, creed, sexuality... pls learn to live and let live.
ii. those who believe that a woman's "purpose" is to marry and reproduce. or those who believe that life is incomplete without marriage/children etc. you get the drift.
iii. those who think it's their duty to meddle in others' lives. and ask questions. MYOB.
iv. those who have the 'i'm-daft-come-hit-me' look on their faces. they're asking for it, actually.
v. i cannot name the 5th person. and i cannot typecast him/her or describe why i so badly want to hit him/her. sorry. there's only so much honesty this space can take.

5 things you’d do to scare anybody
i would be myself. no 5 things needed. i can be very scary if i wish to be.

there. i'm done. will do an update soon. lots happening at this end! :)

tagged...

i was tagged by trish to post 7 random things abt me.

i'm not sure there are 7 such things after 3 years of blogging that regulars here don't know... but it's been a while, i've been tagged, so i shall attempt it.

for the rules, go here.

i. i can switch between immature, child-like girl to wise old woman within seconds.

ii. when i'm not actively involved in a conversation, i almost always look indifferent to what's going on. this may, or may not be true. in any case, you won't be able to figure it out!

iii. i amaze myself with my knowledge of bollywood. i did not know that i knew all of sunita rao's songs or how many movies called pehchaan were released and when. i still don't think i'm THAT interested in this knowledge, but well...

iv. i don't like a lot of ppl. but at the same time, i believe that every individual has something exceptionally good in/about them. i can focus on this good, and get along with almost anybody if i need to.

v. the first time i was reprimanded for something, i was 20 years old. that day, i also got a piece of advice which still helps me. i was told "you need to be very thick-skinned to survive in advertising/media. but don't lose your sensitivity. it'll take you very far. i can see that." i'm not in touch with the prof who said that. but his words remain with me. always will.

vi. it takes very little to make me very happy. i believe i'm a happy person, in general. there are very few days that i am in a funk. and i think i'm rather nice to be around.

vii. i love drifting off. and i find silences comforting. at the same time, i love the "life" of a city. i am still trying to figure out if i'm a city girl or a country. maybe, i'm a bit of both.

there i go. i don't know 7 ppl who haven't done this, and ppl i tag don't necessarily do the tags. so well, if you want to do this, pls feel free to pick it up.

dus ka dum!

so much for a break. gah!
i seriously have zero discipline in my life! anyway, i'm a sucker for tags. and an even bigger sucker for bollywood. so when i glanced upon this on lady K's blog, i HAD to take a break from my break.

here are the rules, copied from kiran's blog:

1. On your blog, provide a link to this page. (http://greatbong.net/book).
2. Then write down your top 10 Hindi movie lines or top 10 English movie lines (You can do both if you want. Only one set is required for the contest). If you cannot think of top 10, make it top 5. Cannot think of even 5? Make it top 3. No problem. Only restriction: no two lines from same movie. This done to make it fair for other movies so that they dont get swamped by Gunda or Loha or Sholay.
3. Tag five friends to do the same.
4. Come over to the comment-space of this post and post your blog’s link so I can go and read it.
Remember: Before starting the tag, paste points 1 and 4 on your blog so that the rules are available to anyone who wishes to pick the tag up from your blog.

so now, i leave you with my top-of mind hindi film dialogs.

:: "mogambo khush hua!" - mr india

:: "yahan beemaron ka ilaaj hota hai, murdon mein jaan nahi daali jaati" - aloo chaat

:: "chal, ab mann mein has ke dikha" - shool *i think*

:: "pyaari nahi, bahut saari baatein karti hai" - sholay

:: "yeh dhai kilo ka haath kisiipar pad jaaye, toh aadmi uthta nahi, uth jaata hai" - damini

:: "mere paas maa hai" - deewar

:: "no if, no but... only jat" - jo bole so nihaal

:: "mere mann ko bhaaya, main kutta kaat ke khaaya" - china gate

:: "main ek baar commitment kar lu, toh phir main apni bhi nahi sunta"- wanted

:: "teja main hoon. mark idhar hai!" - AAA

:: "aap convince ho gaye... ki main aur bolu..?" - jab we met.

i know.. they're 11... but well, i couldn't leave out the last one. and i have to remind myself that i have something VERY pressing to do.. or this could've been top 50!

and as is wont, i tag:

dewey

galadriel

pixie

amey

suruchi

prashanti

one dialog extra, one person extra tagged!

i shall meet y'all post march 8! :)

back with a tag...

since i have nothing new to write... this is my way of saying i'm alive & kicking... erm.. thinking... howdy y'all?! flicked from dewey...

1.What is your current obsession ?

Bejewelled on facebook. Also, Farmville.

2. What are you wearing today?
harem pants. and a new orleans tee with a cat face on it in sequins. happy?

3. What’s for dinner?
Butter chicken, chapatis, sooji ka halva. yeah, mom's here.

4. What’s the last thing you bought?

a faux fur cap with a tail. and metal rimmed sunglasses.

5. What are you listening to right now?

mom talking in the background... 'yeh dooriyan' playing on my laptop... and the hum of the heater

6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
hahahaa... she's a VERY genuine person. am glad our paths crossed.

7. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?

i'm happy right here... :) would be happier if someone paid our rent, though

8. What are your must-have pieces for summer?

sunscreen, sunglasses...

9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?

only an hour? i'd go to hawaii.

10. Which language do you want to learn?

french.

11. What’s your favourite quote?

there are always flowers for those who want to see them.

12. Who do you want to meet right now?
suruchi.

13. What is your favourite colour?

scarlet? black?

14. What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?
a black halter dress with an uneven hem... it was the first outfit vin got for me.

15. What is your dream job?

wild-life photog.

16. What’s your favourite magazine?

Reader's Digest. i don't read mags anymore.

17. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?

digital converter box? i don't know. i have 100 on me... haven't spent it yet...

18. What do you consider a fashion faux pas?

visible lingerie lines.

19. Who according to you is the most over-rated style icon?
freida pinto.

20. What kind of haircut do you prefer?
anything goes. my hair looks the same, no matter how you cut it!

21. What are you going to do after this?

chat with galadriel. like i was before i started doing this.

22. What are your favourite movies?
it's an endless list.

23. What are three cosmetic/makeup/perfume products that you can't live without?

eye liner, chapstick, my burberry perfume.

24. What inspires you ?

depends on which sphere needs inspiration... but mostly, life.

25. Give us three styling tips that always work for you:

i don't use any. being myself helps.

26. What do you do when you “have nothing to wear” (even though your closet’s packed)?

i wear jeans and a tee. with heels.

27. Coffee or tea?

coffee. with milk & sugar, pls.

28. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?

i clam up. go offline. and revisit myself.

29. What is the meaning of your name?

google it, will ya?

30. Which other blogs do you love visiting?

all those you'll find in my comments tab

31. Favorite Dessert/Sweet?

cheesecake.

32. Favorite Season ?

monsoons in mumbai.

33. If I come to your house now, what would u cook for me?

ma's cooking... come over! u'll get whatever you'll want!

34. What is the right way to avoid people who purposefully hurt you?

indifference. i'm a pro at that.

35. What are you afraid of the most?

losing my identity.

36. My Question: Is it possible to be in love with two persons simultaneously??
sure it is.

now, as dewey says... Ya wanna da tag? Take-a da tag!

plus five

prats tagged me to do the 5 things abt me... and considering she's blogged after all these months only to tag me, i shall do it. also, it indulges the vain me! :D
so, here's 5 things abt me, in no particular order of importance.

- i expect a lot from ppl who i'm really close to. but it's never more than what i would do for the person. it's almost always 50-50.
though, the closer you are to me, the more i tend to take u for granted. sure u'll know how much you mean to me. but i expect you to u'stand when i disappear for a while... and re-emerge. i expect you to continue where we left off. and not sulk and whine. i also give you the same space. and if i do anything to upset you, i WILL make up for it. however best i can.

- i believe that all of us, as humans, are extremely selfish. we evaluate pros and cons of most situations and if we think something may be detrimental for us, we avoid it. there are exceptions. but very few act out of their love for random mankind. we bother about "me and mine" mostly.
and i don't think it is a wrong thing. i accept the fact that i am self-absorbed and move on. unless i manage me and my world properly, how can i think of contributing to anything larger...?

- i believe relationships are very complex. and every r'ship has it's own dynamic. i don't take moral stand-points on r'ships and/or affairs anymore. i used to. till very recently. i believe i've come a long way from being a judgemental bitch to understanding that there may be hues that i neither see nor comprehend. and i leave them be. i no longer think of ppl who put themselves down for their partners as doormats. or ppl who have affairs while in a stable r'ship as bitches/bastards. they have their own reasons. i simply don't judge. and i don't know how long this non-judgemental phase will last - but this is as close as i get to saintly! :D

- i know that i will not lose my individuality. i used to be insecure about this. quite a bit. esp when i had just got married. but now i'm sure. it's something that's me. it may change... it may get better or worse. but it will still, quintessentially, be me.

- how patient i am about something depends directly on how beneficial that thing is to me. at least, how beneficial I perceive it to be for me. which is why i seem to lose interest in things rather soon. however, if i really want something, i can be extremely tenacious. to the point of being a pain in the backside for everybody around me. such things are rather few, but they're absolutely worth it!

i also have dottie's domestic horror tag to do... will get to it in a bit.

tag-of-the-month

since i have nothing intelligent or inane to say, i was gonna flick this tag from loca. but before i could do it, prashanti tagged me. so here...

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
my hair's not as bad as i think it is!

2. How much cash do you have in your wallet right now?
$7 and 45 GBPs. i had to find my wallet for this, u know?!

3. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?
floor.

4. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
i dunno. i think it's one of those "i have a special announcement" kinda calls which i don't bother answering.

5. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
real tone: "pls pick up the phone, will ya pls pick up the phone?"
ex-personal fave: real-tone of "aye chhori... zara nachke dikha"
NEVER failed to make me smile when my phone rang!

6. What are you wearing right now?
i'm a very private person. i refuse to answer this! :D

7. Do you label yourself?
i don't understand labels wrt humans. i DO label boxes when we're shifting though.

8. Name the brand of the shoes you currently own?
ALL the shoes i own? i don't think so!
the ones lying here are aldo ankle boots and black reebok sneakers.

9.Bright or Dark Room?
dark.

10. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
prashanti: interesting.
loca: one of my oldest blog-pals! really like this one! :)

11. What does your watch look like?
a mobile phone. that's what it looks like.
the wall clock is square and has a rooster on it.

12. What were you doing at midnight last night?
cleaning the dishes before going to sleep.

13. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
i don't get text mesgs. and i don't r'ber what the last text i got 3 years ago said.

14. What’s a word that you say a lot?
maaaoowwww... or meoowwww... or miaooowww... you get the point, right?

15. Who told you he/she loved you last?
technically, minal.
but a few mins before that... dewey. and when dewey was told that minal beat her at the tag, here's what she said:
"dammit
no she cannot

I LAUUUUUUUUVVVVVVVEEEEEEEE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

maine chillake bola

I win"

so.. there... also, dewey wins coz she tells me she loves me at least 3 times a day. everyday. :)

16. Last furry thing you touched?
eh? my niece's stuffed toy, maybe. i dunno.

17. Favourite age you have been so far?
now's the best time.

18. What was the last thing you said to someone?
in person? seee yaaa... to vin.
online: "muah!" to dewey.

19.The last song you listened to?
rishte... life in a metro.

20. Where did you live in 1987?
at home.

21. Are you jealous of anyone?
erm... no. i'm too self-absorbed to notice anyone else in that much detail.

22. Is anyone jealous of you?
i wouldn't know. are you?

23. Name three things that you have on you at all times?
engagement ring, clothes, footwear.

24. What’s your favourite town/city?
Mumbai.

25. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
no clue! i think when i was at mica, i wrote a paper-waala letter. can't r'ber to whom, though.

26. Can you change the oil on a car?
theoretically, yes. practically, never tried. *i'm theoretically purrfect, u see*

27. Your first love/big crush: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
i don't even r'ber my first crush. *gosh! i'm old!!*

28. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
no. nothing hurts.

29.What is your current desktop picture?
a picture of cottages at saranac lake in winter.

30. Have you been burnt by love?
no. not been "burnt" by anything.

tag-of-the-month

was tagged a long time back by pixie to list down 9 of my most vivid and special memories... i'm doing only the special part today... the ones i r'ber vividly are too random to put down as memories. the mushy nature is due to being alone at home... it tends to make me all senty and nostalgic!  

so, in no particular order... these are my tag-of-the-month moments: 

- walking down marine drive while it drizzled. u haven't lived if you haven't done this. it's just SO special. 

- reaching home from school to an excited dog who'd ALWAYS be happy to see me. no matter what my day had been like.  

- suruchi's house. all the evngs spent there... chatting, bitching, cribbing, whining... mostly, bitching... there was a comfort in knowing she was 10 mins away. and i really really miss that.  

- going off on drives on sundays with the family. EVERY sunday. all four of us. not knowing that this won't last forever. and soon we'd have to make plans just so 4 of us could be under the same roof together. sigh. 

- the 4 days i spent at minal's in 2004, when i was SO unsure of where i was headed in life. 

- galadriel visiting me on my bday last year. she was the first blog-pal i was to meet... and i was quite unsure how i'd live up to my virtual image. i am still amazed by how comfortable we all were with each other! 

- dad calling and telling me that i'd got through to mica. i made him read it out to me. i was afraid he mis-read NOT accepted, as accepted!

- feeling intimidated by the brightness of people who worked with me at c2w. not knowing whether i deserved to be there... with them... in the same room. *this was way back when i wasn't as smart-assed abt myself!*

- saying goodbye to dewey at the bus-stop. she was leaving for india the next day... and i'd be gone from london by the time she got back. *i'm not good with good-byes*

- landing for the first time in the US. and thinking that vin wouldn't be there to pick me up coz he'd acquired cold feet and wanted to back-out! yeah, i REALLY thought he wouldn't turn up and i'd have to figure out a way to go back. i was more relieved than happy to see him there. 

i realized i've already crossed the limit of nine. but i don't think memories is something that can be limited by quantities. which, again, is the reason i blog. to r'ber things... such that i don't need to limit them. and there's a dozen more i'd like to add here... but then again, some are much too private and much too special to be shared. so, for blog & tag purposes... this should do for now! 

see y'all soon. 

tag of the month

pick six, says pix...

so here i am.. .

what i had to do: 

go to the 6th folder in my pics folder.. 

pick the 6th pic.

tell u a story abt it. 

6th folder in my pics.. was "oman"

6th pic there was this. 

this is the fort at barka *a beautiful little village just outside muscat - i think it was an hour's drive away*... made completely with mud.  it's hundreds of years old *this means that i've forgotten how old it is and don't feel like googling!* and in perfectly good condition. it is not, however, open to the public anymore. *i'm guessing THAT is why it's in such impeccable condition.* 

behind it are natural hot water springs. and a valley with little mud houses with absolutely gorgeous colorful doors! the valley had corpses of headless goats. to appease the evil spirits, so they *the spirits* would not devour the cattle or goats owned by the people living there.

brought back memories... this pic. been a while since i saw these pics. remembered how much i'd loved the place... and the warmth of the locals! 

i tag dewdrop, purnima and galadriel... to pick one pic from their albums...and tell us the story behind it. 

tag-time!

this one's from purnima. she forgot to nag me. but i like her. so i'll still do it! :D

Q. The love potion you made tastes terrible. How will you drink it?

A. the same way i drink carrot juice. i won't. 

Q. You can punch a hole in an apple using a straw. How do you think that makes your milkshake feel?

A. insecure?

Q. You've been entered in a shadow puppet contest. What's your best pose?

A. the filmfare trophy one. *what's a shadow puppet contest???*

Q. Do you believe that forks are evolved from spoons?

A. no. forks have evolved from chopsticks.

Q. Your people want to make a statue in your honor. What will it be made out of and what victory will it commemorate?

A. MY people? *tee hee!!!* it'll be made of stirrers. and will commemorate my ability to collect stirrers without becoming an alcoholic.

p.s.: there IS going to be a digital mandir made for me. the prayer/aarti is a secret. shhh...!!! 

Q. In the dream where you show up to school naked, why do you never go swimming?

A. erm... our school didn't have a pool. maybe that's why?

Q. The children are waiting! Please tell them the story about the bald frog with the wig:

A. OUAT, there was a frog. he was as bald as the other frogs. he wanted to be rich & famous and was willing to do anything for it! 

one day, he bought a wig. but he didn't really become the superstar of the frogs, like he'd thought he would. 

so he networked a lot - bonded with the best-known names and hired a good media agency. for the next year or so, they advertised across media about how he was the BEST a frog could get. they called him "reclusive" and a "genius" and they got him international coverage.

eventually, the frogs started idolising him. and he became a star! 

moral of the story: good marketing CAN make stars out of bald frogs. 

Q. You have to dig a hole to China. Where do you start?

A. i start by delegating it. 

p.s: from now, there'll only be one tag a month. stole THIS also from purnima! 

i love me!

ok... i don't have anything of any consequence to blog... but am picking up loca's tag... and listing things i love abt myself. bcoz i want to. bcoz london's making me realize a lot of things. and fall in love. with myself. and with life. :)

i love the fact that i:
:: can smile even when i want to cry. if someone needs that smile. and they matter enough to me. and that smile will be genuine.
:: am an awesome friend to have, once u're in the inner circle. till then, it's a tad confusing... i could be rather self-centered.
:: can be, and/or seem to be, rather indifferent even while being extremely
attached to something/someone. it's not as confusing as it sounds.
:: can be rather entertaining. so if i like u. and u need ur spirits lifted. u can count on me. but well, if u're a friend, u already know that. so cross that out! :D
:: can make myself feel happy. irrespective of everyody and everything.
:: am good at networking. but i like to believe that is because i'm genuine.
:: am not ugly. and i know what suits me. and i carry off stuff rather well. yeah, i love that. i know i'm vain. so?
:: have expressive eyes. for ppl close to me, it's rather easy to know what's going on in my mind.
:: am unpredictable. yeah, despite the point above. that's coz i mostly don't know what i'm going to do till i do it. :D
:: do NOT discriminate. at ANY level.
:: know when to be modest. and when to leave that behind.
:: know how to keep ego away from my relationships.
:: am passionate about what i do for a living. and that i know, that it's not related to where i work. or what i do. it's how i do what i'm doing that matters to me.
:: am not easy. in any sense.
:: am real.

the "beast" is here as well...

the beast from the "now-i'm-on-sabbatical", "now-i'm-not" galadriel is visiting. and wants me to write 6 random things about me. i'm not sure what she - galadriel, not the beast - means by that. and despite some clarifications on gtalk, i'm still confused. as to what is expected from me. but i got the words RANDOM and SIX points. and ABOUT YOU. NOT ANYONE ELSE. so, ok. here goes:

1. i have gone thru bhojpuri songs and videos. and checked for "quality". which essentially meant that 93% of them got rejected owing to visual obscenity or vulgar language or double entendre lyrics. i actually knew lyrics to bhojpuri songs. was an occupational hazard. and no, i don't do that anymore.

2. i want to go to the thames wearing a saree, carrying a ghada and fill the ghada with water. *it being london ka gangajal and all.* and play a recorded remix *the shyla lopez* version of "baahon mein chale aaaaooooo...". recorded, bcoz i can't sing. dewdrop's gonna help me with this. considering that i don't have a saree.. and don't know how to reach the water of the thames! *i can SEE the darned river... but can't get into it. not that i've tried. but still*

3. i stopped going to temples because i was wary of leaving my footwear outside. eventually, i wasn't very sure of the whole concept of "god". but i don't believe in making a scene out of it. if it pleases my mom, or my MIL, i'll do a puja. it doesn't hamper my beliefs.

4. i don't care much for shopping but can spend hours in a supermarket. or a bookstore. i love observing packaging. and i find supermarkets very interesting. i can also spend DAYS doing nothing... i can be comfortable perched at a
corner observing the world go by. and never feel like i've wasted a minute. i am also intrigued by book covers. i r'ber the covers... long after i've forgotten the contents.

5. i'm rather good at maintaining professional relationships. and no, this isn't my superiority complex talking. i really am. *any prospective employers reading?? pls read only this piece!* i am also darned good at spotting typos.

6. i remember random crap that is of no use to anyone or me... like the license plate number of dad's cousin's car. or our old landline number. or the birthdate of a remote acquaintance's kid. or the colour of the wall behind the tv in vin's sis's apartment. or the exact shade of grey that i wanted my room to be. or my first mobile phone number.

i'm supposed to restrict this piece to 6 points. there are, of course, the other points i told u offline, galadriel. but those can't be blogged. and now it's a little past mid-night. and i need to sleep.
pls feel free to take this up as a tag or drop me six random things abt u as a comment. so liberal we are, around here, these days!

T20: the tag

RULE #1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.

RULE #2 Tag 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by continue this game by sending it to other people.

loca tagged me. am not linking to her.. u can reach her blog by clicking on her name in the comments section!

1. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?
figure out what "betrayal" stands for there... and then, if need be, take him out or move on or leave it. *that, in the don corleone way of "taking out"*

2. If you can have a dream come true, what would it be?
i dream of both of us being employed in the SAME country with jobs that we'd like to be in. *YES, i'm very self-centered.*

3. Whose butt would you like to kick?
i have a list, actually. but today, erm... well, can't name the person. he/she reads my blog. but they know that i want to kick them today.

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
travel, buy a house *so i can get my pet*, save the rest. *u thought i'd say "i'll give it away to charity", didn't u? HAH!*

5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
and what good would THAT do me now...?

6. Which is more blessed: loving someone or being loved by someone?
being loved. completely and selflessly. it's empowering. and divine.

7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you love?
hain? wait for what? for him to come home from work???

8. If the person you secretly like is attached, what will you do?
then, it shall remain a secret. where's the rocket science in that?

9. If you could root for one social cause, what would it be?
is peace on earth a social cause? i'd like to root for that...

10. What takes you down the fastest?
that's for me to know and you to guess.

11. what resurrects you the fastest?
a hug from someone i love. it tells me that all will be well. soon.

12. What’s your fear?
that i'll make the wrong decisions and then insist on living the consequences.

13. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
honest, easy to get along with. very genuine. wish i can meet you, gurl!

14. Would you rather be single and rich or married and poor?
if i'm single and rich, why will marriage make me poor? i already have the money don't i? oh wait, u're implying i marry a con-artist who runs off with my money???

15. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
make vin bfast and check mail. *sometimes, simultaneously*

16. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously who will you pick?
neither. i'll pass and wait for the higher love. BLECH!

17. Would you give all in a relationship?
if by all, u mean my individuality, my self esteem... then no. i am incapable of that.

18. Would you forgive and forget someone no matter how horrible a thing he has done?
i don't hold grudges. i believe if someone mistreats me, it's bcoz i let them. and yeah, i never forget either. i may pretend to, but i don't.

19. Do you prefer being single or in a relationship?
i loved being single. and i'm loving being in a r'ship right now.

20. tag 6 people.
galadriel, suruchi, pixie, lavs, pavi, K3.

there, done!

brilliantly urs... :)

i've often said how much i have learned from this whole blogging experience. and that learning just doesn't stop. blog-ville continues to amaze, astonish, humble and, sometimes, turn me to mush!
there've been so many times that i've read through some blogs and wondered if i can ever reach that level. that is why when dottie said she had something for me.. i thought it was a tag. and i was SO touched to see her call my blog 'brilliante'. umm... i dunno why the spelling's so italiano.. but heyy, i LOVE the award!!! and having got it from dottie, it means that much more to me! so, here i go flaunting it! :)here're the rules for this one:
This award is for blogs whose content and design are brilliant as well as creative.The purpose of the prize is to promote as many blogs as possible in the blogosphere.
Here are the rules to follow:
1. When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back
2. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.
3. Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Brilliant Weblog’
4. Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).
5. And then we pass it on!"

And the seven brilliant weblogs I award are:
i. galadriel : i like her design *yeah yeah, i grudgingly approve* and i LOVE the content. read this if you don't believe me.
ii. solitaire: she continues to educate, question, entertain and stir up emotions that are commonly termed as "disturbing". and she manages all her blogs AND a career. awesome.
iii. dottie. she's single-handedly responsible for my baking skills (?) and of course, her parenting tips are something i'm gonna preserve for when i need them.
iv. mayg: love her blog - content AND design. her point of view is just so refreshing! and of course, she ROCKS at her work. i bow to this master.
v. dewdrop : LOVE her writing style. and her. umm.. ur blog design could do with some work, tho gurl! here's to brilliant miaows! ;)
vi. lena : LOVE the designs she picks for her blogs... and love the way she realizes the importance of friendship.
vii. keshi: candid, straight-from-the-heart... love the confidence and the variety of topics she blogs about. every morning, there's a post that makes me think... she MAKES time to blog. and actually reads all ur posts, understands and comments.

there ya go... spread the sunshine, gals!
and dottie... thanks! :)

edited to add: this post also marks the 2nd happy budday of this space. yeah, i've been at this for 2 years. WOW.

flickr me pretty!

flickered this from solitaire.
these are the steps to follow if u wish to do this:
1. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
2. Using only the first page of results, and pick one image.
3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Big Huge Lab’s Mosaic Maker to create a mosaic of the picture answers.

The questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food? right now?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. What is one word that describes you?
12. What is your user name?

my answers? here... go figure!since this is a tag, i tag galadriel, suruchi and K3 to do this!

which character is it, anyway?

my fave literary characters. tag is flicked from dottie. has been twisted to include comics under literature. but honestly, i LOVE comics!

a. cheshire cat. from alice in wonderland. the words of wisdom. the smile that stays on. holistic gyaan at its best. and most simplified. my all time fave character.

b. nina. from preethi nair's beyond indigo. if someone ever made me a protagonist in a book, i'd like to be like nina. who knows her mind. but is confused at the same time. someone who's not scared to defy norms to get what she knows she wants. what i like most about nina...? she's real.

c. batman. LOVED him since i was a child. my fave superhero. the only human superhero, in fact. no superpowers. just human-created gadgets that help him fight evil. and oh, what gadgets!

d. veronika. from veronika decides to die by paulo coelho. It tells the story of 24 year old Veronika, who appears to have everything in life going for her, but who decides to kill herself. it's base around the subject of madness - or what we perceive as 'madness'. around the theme that collective madness is sanity.

e. gandalf. LOTR. THE wizard. amazes me. i'm in total awe of him.

f. howard roark. of ayn rand's the fountainhead. theoretically perfect. someone i'd idolized at some point of time in life. realized that i'd have to be an entirely different me to be like him. didn't think was worth it to change myself that much. but the admiration didn't wane.

g. the little prince. simplifies the most complex, most profound gyaan. and lends his own unique perspective to everything i see.

h. Mo, the pig. from Animals, Inc. The pig who manages to run an entire farm. a great lesson in business. of how it only takes the right leader to have a successful business. simplified. so that even an actual pig may understand it.

i. jean grey. from marvel's X-Men. have always wanted to BE her. :(


okk... i list only 9. coz i like the number! i tag galadriel, suruchi, loca, pix & the newly found "lost on the street" to do this tag. lost's tagged coz last time she asked me why she wasn't tagged. gurl - piece of advice - don't do that. ask galadriel. she still regrets. :)
anyone else who wants to pick up the tag - plz do so.

know me, do u?

k3 tagged me to list down 6 quirks. now i've done this here... but for someone who's quirk faktor is like this, it shouldn't be difficult to do it again, eh?

1. i have to have long showers. like a minimum of 30 minutes or so. otherwise, i don't feel clean.
2. i can survive - happily & healthily - on a pure non-veg diet. i have lived for almost 2 years on a chicken diet. *with eggs, rotis, rice, milk & bread, but primarily chicken* after that, i realized i hadn't eaten any vegetarian food and decided to eat some.
3. i have to check my mails first thing in the morning. even before i brush my teeth. on all weekdays.
4. if something - a thought, concept... anything - gets fixated in my head; i'm extremely restless till it's actualized. this doesn't necessarily mean that i proactively try to actualize it. but i don't rest till it's done.
5. i HAVE to use conditioner after every shampoo. even if the shampoo used is a shampoo plus conditioner. no, it doesn't help. my hair still looks the same.
6. i don't like too much sunlight. i can't see if it's too bright and i'm not wearing sunglasses. i avoid going out into the sun as much as i can.
7. i adapt rather easily. i'm not addicted, per se, to anything. i can live without any & everything. no matter how much i love that p'lar thing. and i can also be happy without it.

oh.. okay... that made it 7. so be it! anyone who wants to do it is free to pick it up.

stori-time

tagged from here...
the original stori - as below... *if u aren't proactive enough to click on the link above!* the tag is to take the stori ahead in EXACTLY 55 words. don't ask me why. galadriel started this. so all questions to be directed to her. no point killing the messenger.

galadriel's stori:
"She wondered if she could ever count each of the twinkling stars in the night sky. The clock in the tower struck 9. She had to get back to reading her text book, ignoring the weird grumbling noises her stomach was making. The flickering orange street light looked like it would go put any minute."

my 55 words:
she considered her options. she cud complete reading before the light died on her. or she cud eat. or of course, she could attempt to count the stars. it was in the midst of this contemplation that her phone buzzed. books aside, hunger aside... she now focussed on the screen. should she answer... she wondered.

and now, in true tag-style... i pass this on to preethi. go on, gurl... play with ur 55 words...