Hedonia

Thankful :-)

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:54:50 GMT

i feel so content today. maybe because ive had a mad week - busy and some tantrums mid-week (about not wanting to work!)...

but i am so thankful that my husband is in my life. i am thankful for him, my parents, his parents, his sister and her family... all my friends, my talents, my health, my wealth, my passion, my work and just about everything there is to be thankful for.

i think i am just in prem. with life. all over again.

Current mood for the day

Tue, 05 May 2009 02:48:38 GMT

I seem to have lost that insane urge to jump up and down in happiness - like I used to. Is this normal?
However, today I feel like a nice autumn calmness - that makes me smile from inside, but doesnt motivate me to smile from outside.

Top 15

Tue, 05 May 2009 02:27:06 GMT

Inspired from sampada
This can be a quick one. Don't take too long to think about it. 15 books you have read that will always stick with you. First 15 you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

1. Pride and Prejudice
2. Gone with the Wind
3. The Lady with the Carnations - A.J.Cronin
4. The Enchanted Wood - the first 3 books (no surprises there!)
5. The Blood Line
6. Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less
7. Harry Potter series - all of them
8. The Count of Monte Cristo
9. Little Women - all the 4 books
10. Black Beauty - always makes me howl, esp when ginger dies
11. Like Water for Chocolate
12. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
13. The Mayor of Casterbridge
14. The Life of Pie
15. The Fountainhead (don’t like it anymore - but it will be with me for a long long time)

Songs from one band only meme

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:17:26 GMT

Inspired and taken from yathin

Instructions: Using only song titles from one artist, cleverly answer these questions

Pick a band/artist: Abba (I love I love I love Abba!!)

1. Are you a male or female: Mama Mia

2. Describe yourself: Dancing Queen

3. How do you feel about yourself: SOS

4. Describe your ex boyfriend/girlfriend: Knowing me, knowing you / Angel eyes

5. Describe your current boy/girl situation: Gimme gimme gimme (a man after midnight)

6. Describe your current location: Waterloo

7. Describe where you want to be: Our last summer

9. Your favorite color is: thank you for the music!
(Ok, so I couldn’t think of anything else, but then music is colourless and yet so vibrant, so this totally fit the question!)

10. You know that: I have a dream

11. What’s the weather like: Super trouper

12. If your life was a television show what would it be called: Voulez Vous

13. What is life to you: Slipping through my fingers

14. What is the best advice you have to give: The winner takes it all

15. If you could change your name what would you change it to: Chiquitita

Lived in Bombay - meme

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 03:01:30 GMT

Bombay meme... taken from bomboy ...
(A good follow up to the earlier Ozzie post)

1. Get high on qawwali at Haji Ali

2. Spot a celebrity at Juhu PVR

3. Sit down on the steps of Asiatic Society library

4. Crane your neck to see the Bombay Stock Exchange building

5. Spot a leopard in IIT Bombay campus. If you can’t, then settle for an IITian girl

6. Enjoy a play in Prithvi Theatre

7. Enjoy the NCPA in a play or opera

8. Find some calm around the Banganga tank

9. Haggle for non-antiques in Chor Bazaar

10. Face the high tide on Worli seaface

11. Bet money on race horses at the Royal Western India Turf Club, Mahalaxmi (I dont bet on horses!)

12. Dangle your feet, lean back on your palms and enjoy the sea from the Marine Drive promenade

13. Go for a heritage walk in the Naval Dockyard (first Sunday every month, Indian nationals only)

14. Explore the Sanjay Gandhi national park. A national park in city limits? Oh yeah!

15. Soak in the Victoria Terminus

16. Watch DDLJ at Maratha Mandir

17. Party at Hard Rock Cafe and mourn for a minute the death of mills around Parel

18. Jog on Juhu beach

19. Sit on a tetropod at Nariman Point in midnight till police constables shoo you away

20. Stand still on flyover bridger at Dadar station and watch the crowd whiz by you

21. Find out who is grittier. You or Crawford market?

22. Find the Fort wall

23. Ride the Victoria on Marine Drive.

24. Discover the city’s Jewish connection at Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue

25. Watch sunset over Aksa beach in MadhIsland

26. Discover the underbelly of Bombay in Dharavi

27. Stay for a night at Taj Mahal Palace hotel.

28. Catch the national madness of cricket in Oval Maidan

29. Read a Bombay book (Suketu Mehta’s Maximum City?) in Azaad Maidan

30. Cheer a football match at Cooperage ground

31. Bury your nose in books for hours at Strand

32. Stroll in BombayUniversity

33. Climb the airport wall in Kurla to gain phenomenal views of Boeings

34. Swoon at a concert in Bandra Kurla complex

35. Gaze at the Queen’s Necklace from the HangingGardens at dusk

36. Hunt for antique furniture (real or fake?) in Oshiwara

37. Hike up the Mazgaon Hill

38. Buy books from roadsides around Flora Fountain

39. Envy the private palaces of Malabar Hill

40. Party on a ferry in the Arabian Sea off Gateway of India

41. Take a break from the city. Vasai offers the ramparts of Bassein fort, ruins of Portugese churches and East Indian food

42. Trek in Sahayadris

43. Say hello to the fauna at Byculla zoo

44. Buy a camera from D N Road’s gray market

45. Dare the red light district of Kamatipura

46. Guess what RFID system they use to tag clothes at the Dhobi Ghat

47. Take a power nap at David Sassoon Library

48. Catch movies at art-deco cinemas: Regal (1933), Eros (1938), Metro (1938)

49. Bow your head before city’s famous deities: Mumbadevi, Mahalaxmi, Walkeshwar, Siddhivinayak, Iskcon

50. Dine where Shahrukh Khans and Ness Wadias dine: Olive, Indigo

51. Feel the sufi mysticism at dargahs of Haji Ali and Maqdoom Ali Mahimi

52. Shop at the Bandra boutiques or if they are too expensive, give Hill Road or Fashion Street a shot

53. Gape at famous residences: Shahrukh Khan’s Mannat, Amitabh Bachhan’s Jalsa

54. Discover theatre scene in the city at venues other than Prithvi and NCPA: Sophia Bhabha Hall, Breach Candy; St Andrews, Bandra W; Rangsharda Auditorium, Bandra W; Ravindra Natya Mandir Hall, Prabhadevi; Gadkari Rangayatan, Thane W; Shivaji Mandir; Bhartiya Vidhya Bhavan, Chaupaati; Tejpal Hall, Grant Road

55. Explore the Powai and Vihar lakes

56. Visit the museums: Prince of Wales, Monetary, Modern Art, Mani Bhavan

57. Admire the British era architecture in Fort: Churchgate station, Western Railway headquarters, High Court, General Post Office, Telegraph Office, Police Headquarters

58. Learn about the rock-cut architecture: Elephanta, Kanheri, Mahakali and Karla caves

59. Explore the churches: Gloria Church, Byculla, Portugese; Mt Mary Church, Bandra W, Portugese, 1640; St Michaels Church, Mahim, 1565, rebuilt 1973; St Thomas Cathedral, Flora Fountain, 1718; Wodehouse Church, Colaba, 20th century; Afghan Church, Navy Nagar, Colaba, 1858; Our Lady of Salvation Church, Dadar W, Portugese, 19th century; St John Baptist, Seepz, 1579; St Peter’s Church, Bandra, 1852, rebuilt 1938; St Andrew’s Church, Bandra, Portugese, 1575

60. Check out an art exhibition: Jehangir Art Gallery, Fort; Tao Art Gallery, Worli; Piramal Art Gallery, Nariman Point

61. Buy fish at Sassoon Docks, Cuffe Parade or Dockyard Road, Mazgaon (I dont eat fish!!)

62. Find the forts of Bombay: Bombay Castle, Fort; Castella de Aguada, Bandra; Madh Fort, Versova; Mahim Fort, Mahim; Sion Fort, Sion; Sewri Fort, Sewri; Worli Fort, Worli

63. Buy a vintage bollywood poster in Mini Market or Lamington Road

64. Getaway to the beaches around Bombay: Alibag, Kashid, Murud, Naigaon

65. Travel to places overnight: Goa, Ajanta Ellora, Mahabaleshwar, Pune, Khandala and Lonavala

66. Discover the charm of marble tabletops, bentwood chairs and irani chai at Parsi cafes

67. Catch behind the scenes action at a Bollywood studio

68. Loft the ball for a six in your neighborhood ‘galli’ cricket but make sure you don’t break any window panes

69. Silently stare at the Towers of Silence and Agiaries

70. Shadow the dabbawalas for one full day

71. Walk through a koliwada

72. Ride a vintage lift in a 100 year old building

73. Travel in a local train. How about the Virar Fast?

74. Ride a double decker bus. Isn’t Bombay the only city where they still run them?

75. If you have made it to a penthouse in Bombay, you might as well enjoy the view

76. Drink cutting chai, eat vada pav

77. Gorge on late night sandwiches in Juhu

78. Sip some wine at an expensive seaside restaurant: Vie Lounge, Juhu; Dome, Intercontinental, Marine Drive; Aurus, Juhu; Salt Water Grill, Girgaum Chaupaati; Bayview Bar, Nariman Point

79. Figure what all the fuss is about having a beer in Mondegar or Leopold

80. Jack you car bonnet using a cold-drink bottle and eat kebabs at Bade Miyan in Taj’s back alley
(Been there with friends, but dont eat kebabs)

81. Savour a fine authentic meal of East Indian cuisine at Anant Ashram in Kotichawadi
(Been there, but dont eat sea food)

82. Eat a Gujrati-Marwari thali at Friends Union Joshi club in Kalbadevi
(Does bhagat tarachand count?)

83. Smoke a hookah at roof-top restaurant Koyla in the Arab quarters of Colaba

84. Eat South Indian fare in Matunga

85. Eat pav bhaji, pani puri, bhel puri, sev puri at Girgaum Chaupaati

86. Chew a paan outside Shoppers Stop, Bandra W

87. Indulge yourself with fruity flavors of Naturals ice cream. And if it’s summer, try a cup of alfonso mangoes with malai ice cream

88. Learn out the art of ordering tea in a streetside cafe. “Ek paani kum dena.”

89. Drink Kingfisher, Cobra or Zingaro in your neighborhood look-alike bar of Nightlovers

90. Try the green chilli ice cream at Bachelors
Had strawberries and cream there... but not the green chilli.

91. Swing to some live music as you enjoy your continental meal at Not Just Jazz By The Bay. Do pay attention to the witty hoarding outside as you leave the place

92. Run the Bombay Marathon (Jan)

93. Enjoy the Kala Ghoda arts festival (Feb)

94. Cheer ‘Mumbai Indians’ in an IPL cricket match at Wankhede statdium (May-Jun)
After my time...

95. Get drenched to the bone while biking in the monsoons (Jul-Sep)

96. Sing “Govinda aala re aala” as 40 feet high human pyramids take the prized matka (Aug-Sep)

97. Get lost in the crowds of Ganesh Chaturthi (Sep)

98. Watch thousands of pink flamingos in the mangroves at Sewri (Nov-May)

99. Eat nihari, kebabs and sweetmeats around Masjid on the eve of Eid (Ramzan)
Cant eat kebabs! Not had sweets there cause the meat nauseates me...

100. Run a ‘free hug’ campaign. This is Bombay, meri jaan!

73/100. I could do better! Will wait for Feb 09 to finish most of these...

Meme time - Australian style...

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:13:54 GMT

...taken from n2kaja</lj>

Bold the ones you have done -
1. Heard a kookaburra in person
2. Slept under the stars
3. Seen a koala.
4. Visited Melbourne (I live here!)
5. Watched a summer thunderstorm (sort of, they are not big here)
6. Worn a pair of thongs (i thought they were undies when I first got here... but nah, they are slippers / flip flops!)
7. Been to Uluru (Ayer's Rock).
8. Visited Cape York
9. Held a snake (done that in Bangkok, does that count then?)
10. Sang along with Khe San
11. Drank VB (dont drink!)
12. Visited Sydney
13. Have seen a shark
14. Have used Aussie slang naturally in a conversation
15. Had an actual conversation with an indigenous Australian (aboriginal).
16. Eaten hot chips from the bag at the beach (dont eat potatoes!)
17. Walked/climbed over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
18. Used an outside dunny, and checked under the seat before sitting down
19. Seen Chloe in Young & Jackson's.
20. Slept on an overnight train or bus.
21. Been to Sydney's Mardi Gras
22. Have gone bush-bashing
23. Taken a sickie
24. Been to see a game of Aussie Rules football
25. Have seen wild camels
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Had a Tim Tam Slam (dont eat TimTams! I do wish I could do it though)
28. Ridden in a tram in Melbourne
29. Been at an ANZAC day Dawn Service. (Cant be bothered)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Held a wombat (seen one, does it count?)
32. Been on a roadtrip of 800km or more
33. Seen the Great Australian Bight in person
34. Had a really bad sunburn
35. Visited an aboriginal community
36. Seen a redback spider (i pick them up on a paper and throw them out of the house - cant kill!)
37. Have watched Paul Hogan (hell yeah, crocodile dundee ROCKS!)
38. Seen Blue Poles in person
39. Wandered barefoot in the bush/outback
40. Eaten Vegemite
41. Thrown a boomerang (NO, shit, I shouldve thought of this and done this myself!)
42. Seen the Kimberleys
43. Given a hitch-hiker a lift
44. Been to Perth
45. Have tried Lemon, Lime and Bitters (LOVE IT!)
46. Tried playing a didgeridoo (I thought girls are not allowed to play it?)
47. Seen dinosaur footprints
48. Eaten Tim Tams (Cant!)
49. Been to Darwin
50. Touched a kangaroo (Seen them, but not touched)
51. Visited the Great Barrier Reef (Dying to see it though!)
52. Listened to Kevin Bloody Wilson (haha, no, know of him though!)
53. Killed a Cane Toad (I dont kill animals.)
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre (YEAH!)
55. Have read and own books by Australian authors
56. Visited Adelaide
57. Know the story behind "Eternity"
58. Been camping
59. Visited Brisbane
60. Been in an outback pub
61. Know what the term "Waltzing Matilda" actually means (umm, now i am not sure if I do know the meaning)
62. Gone whale watching. (didnt see any though.)
63. Listened to Slim Dusty
64. Own five or more Australian movies or TV series (The castle, the wog boy, looking for alibrandi - does croc dundee count? hehe!)
65. Sang along to Down Under
66. Have stopped specifically to look at an historic marker by the side of the road.
67. Eaten a 4'n'20 pie (cant eat them!)
68. Surfed at Bondi (Not surfed but I have driven past...)
69. Watched the cricket on Boxing Day (ah, well, in passing, i am not a cricket person!)
70. Visited Hobart
71. Eaten kangaroo (Dont eat meat)
72. Seen a quokka (and cuddled it!)
73. Visited Canberra
74. Visited rainforests
75. Used a Victa lawnmower
76. Travelled on a tram in Adelaide
78. Used a Hills hoist
79. Visited Kata Tjuta (the Olgas)
80. Used native Australian plants in cooking
81. Visited the snow
82. Chosen a side in Holden VS Ford (hahaha, NO!, but its funny... I like Japanese cars!)
83. Visited the desert
84. Been water skiing
85. Read The Phantom
86. Visited Parliament House
87. Gone spotlighting or pig-shooting
88. Crossed the Nullarbor
89. Avoided swimming in areas because of crocodiles
90. Listened to AC/DC.
91. Called someone a dag
92. Voted in a Federal Election
93. Have been swimming and stayed between the flags
94. Had a possum in your roof
95. Visited the outback
96. Travelled over corrugated roads.
97. Hit a kangaroo while driving (luckily no, but seen loads of em hit on the roads)
98. Been well outside any mobile phone coverage
99. Seen an emu.
100. Have woken to the smell of bushfires (thankfully no... )

2 years here, and still going strong!

I am gorgeous.

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:10:56 GMT

Ok, so after moments of randomness and all that, I feel relatively sane. Sometime this afternoon, I decided to check out my blog archives, around the same time of the year, in the past. I kept praying it wouldnt be a depressing entry, and no, they were not.

2007 - This is a private entry I had written. It coincidently mentions the ex boyfriend, but its something I was feeling at that time. Another entry around the same time mentions om shanti om being an awesome film, and me wondering what the hell am I doing in Au.

2006 - There are NO entries in nov. I havent really written a lot since I moved here, and there are many reasons for this, mainly because I am a lot busier managing my own house and get tired easily.

2005 - This is a friends only post, but I am talking about a random boy who met me when I was at work, and he hit on me. Flattering today, as I did not even remember this happened. :-) Reading the comments was nice as well... I miss all you lj people.

2004 - This is the best entry of them all! A model, who I think is gorgeous said she thought I was pretty. Woohoo.

I noticed my current mood, and it made me think. From happy and bored, I have moved towards depressed and scared very often lately. I know that a lot of it is hormones and events that have happened in my life over the years, but it is NO reason for me to not feel pretty anymore. So what if I am fat now, and dress more conventionally. I cannot let the eclectic get away, ever. I used to be a gorgeous head turner, and I guess that girl has got lost somewhere inside me.

So amongst my moments of sadness, I hope to remember this entry, and maybe re-read it in a few years and remember the promise I made to myself. I am gorgeous, and will remain so. I am a good person and I make people smile. I am a good loyal friend, and will always be one.

I am, Ruchi, still the same person you know.

flickr?

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:55:47 GMT

ok, so my flickr is acting up. a lot of pics are not loading...
any idea whats up?

Diwali, and some updates

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:49:16 GMT

I am finally in a good mood to blog some, and update some. I am not going to rant, I am only going to write. Feels different not ranting, but good.

A lot has happened in the last month. Most of it was not good news, but I have learnt to deal with it, block it out if need be, and move on.

To start with, my sister in law (my brothers wife) delivered a baby girl on the 15th of Sep. My niece, Stuti, is gorgeous and I cannot wait to see her in Feb when I go back to India for a visit. A day later, both my sister in laws kidneys failed. I honestly dont know how it happened, but I have heard, ARF, or acute renal failure is fairly common. She was in the ICU and the hospital for a month before she came home, and saw the baby. At the moment, she is on the dialysis machine every alternate day... and we are hoping it will be reversed sometime soon.

I was upset, depressed, angry and jealous. I was just jealous of everyone there who was involved, and helping out. I was all alone here, and not needed physically there. My parents specifically told me not to go back now and only in feb. Sigh! I know where they are coming from, so I cant even be mad. I am only hoping she gets better soon and continues with her normal life.... I've started shopping now for Stuti and little kids clothes are sooo cute!

Somewhere in the last month, my husband has been diagnosed with an eye condition called central serous retinopathy. According to wikipedia – it is a visual impairment, often temporary, usually in one eye, mostly affecting males in the age group 20 to 50 but which may also affect women. The disorder is characterized by leakage of fluid in the central macula, which results in blurred or distorted vision. A blind or gray spot in the central vision is common, along with flashes of light. Sigh! It could be stress induced, so yeah, not stressing anymore. He also lost his job, randomly if I may add, 3 days ago.. but he NOT stressing this time. He has already been for two interviews, and is going to get something in a week. His MBA term and his photography term is almost over so he is more relaxed, and as a result, I am more relaxed.

About me. I have had the flu and laryngitis, and resulting weakness for a couple of weeks. Depression is easy as I am on the pill now and I have to work very very hard to keep it at bay. For the first time in my life, I have said no to going out for movies.

On the positive side, I have been dancing a lot. Had a couple of gigs in the past two months, and am teaching a six week course at CAE. Its going pretty well I think. Woohoo! Dancing definitely lifts me up.. so thats a good thing, right?!

And lastly, am alone for Diwali for the first time in my life. Its just hubby and me. I want to be more enthusiastic and light up every part of my house. Maybe I will. I am not going to be bogged down by anything today!

Failure to launch!

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:45:45 GMT

I am in my last three days at my current job and have plenty of free time to just do, nothing! So I was re-reading my old blog... and omg, I am almost 4 years old!! Apart from that, a very happy birthday to latelyontime
So I have failed my Victorian driving test for 5 times in a row. I am a good driver and I have realized I just panic under pressure. This has never ever happened to me before... not in my board exams, never in anything else... not even when I was getting married. Then why this? I think when they started failing me for "not enough points" (read: 80% when the pass rate is 85%).... thats when the panic reached its height. My life pretty much depends on being able to drive in this country... so as you can see, I dont have much of a life.

That actually has been one of the reasons why I have been depressed in the last couple of years. Work on the other hand... its getting better but still not where I want to be. Because I have stayed away from my field of interest for so long, I am now not even sure if I can do it anymore.... but whatever! I am starting a new job in Aug and have fingers crossed on it. Its a much better role and the money, I guess, at this stage is not important!

I am planning to go back to India for a visit in Feb 09 and am looking fwd to it... I am going to be an aunty soon and am very very excited. I went shopping for baby clothes and they are SO cute that they could make ANYONE clucky... but I think I might hold against that for some more time. *grin* (Don’t tell my in-laws though!!)

Bollywood dancing is terrific. I have been taking some more classes and its so much fun when the students come and tell you how much they enjoyed it. Am going to be taking a full 6 week course later on in the year so have to start planning for it as well. I invited a friend to attend my class 2 weeks ago for the first time time – and she reckons I AM a good teacher!

All for now.. will write more later!

Hope everyone else is doing good!

WTF

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:17:46 GMT

So 17 blasts in Ahmedabad and 9 in Bangalore?

I am not even thinking at the moment... except that this SHOULD not be happening. Dont people have a soul anymore? I have spent the past 3 days watching spirit of unity videos they made in the old days... like Baje Sargam Mile Sur Mera Tumhara and the MIT remake!! I have been terribly nostalgic and all over the place and this is NOT a good thing to add to the mood. Arggh.

I hope everyone and their family and friends are ok.

---

A big thanks to the people who responded to my previous post. I am doing good. I am going to email you sometime. It really made me happy to see you all write in.

Love!!

Writer's Block: Anthropomorphic buddies

Sun, 18 May 2008 12:31:08 GMT

Have you ever named or befriended an inanimate object? What did you call it?

View 501 Answers

I used to talk to the moon. She was called Dee (short for Diana, the moon goddess)....
And I used to sit on the swing on the terrace in my parents house at night and have conversations with her... =)

Personality Test

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:45:51 GMT

This one was pretty accurate...

Your personality type:
Enthusiastic, idealistic and creative. Able to do almost anything that interests them. Great people skills. Need to live life in accordance with their inner values. Excited by new ideas, but bored with details. Open-minded and flexible, with a broad range of interests and abilities.

Careers that could fit you includes:
Actors, journalists, writers, musicians, painters, consultants, psychologists, psychiatrists, entrepreneurs, teachers, counselors, politicians, diplomats, television reporters, marketers, scientists, sales representatives, artists, clergy, public relations, social scientists, social workers.

I've already been an actor, journalist, writer, consultant, teacher, tv reporter, artist, PR person and am a social worker now.
Ive studied Psychology and can dance but cannot play any instrument well.
I am not interested in politics so thats out of the question. I hate marketing and selling things I dont believe in....
Science was never my cup of tea and clergy? Yes, maybe more interest in Jainism....
So whats left?
:-)

Writer's Block: Cooking Lessons

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:09:44 GMT

Who taught you how to cook?

View 500 Answers

My mom.
My husband.
Tarla Dalal.

Mom. She tried to teach me to cook ever since I can remember. Make tea, coffee, rotis, cut vegies, blah blah. And I always rebelled. Thinking I was not going to make a traditional marriage where the girl cooked.

And then I moved to Au. Mom had written a simple recipe cookbook for my brother when he had moved overseas for sometime. And I took the same book here. It greatly improved my Gujarati reading abilities cause most of the recipes are written in Gujarati.

Being a practising Jain, there is not much I can eat and so I started cooking the easy recipes first. Cabbage, peas, dal, rice. Then I started making rotis. Perfect round rotis... thankgod for the practice earlier! Koftas, Dhoklas from scratch, idlis from scratch and just other stuff I cant remember right now. Thank God for me Ma!

The husband. This gorgeous man has been cooking long before me, and I am SO SO SO lucky I married him. Touch wood. He makes me the worlds best pasta (many types), nachos, fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, spicy noodles and banana milkshake. I help, but he makes. And I learn, but I dont cook when he is in the kitchen. Cause he ROCKS! :P

Tarla Dalal.
Amongst all the recipe books I own (about 5), my fav ones are the Tarla Dalal cook books -- cooking in 10 mins, and Jain International Recipes. Pretty good variations of nice worldly stuff... My fav recipe is the mushroom-capsicum veggie and the kali dal.

And I know I am not a bad cook. Kudos to all three! :D

Writer's Block: Coffee Or Tea?

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 02:31:47 GMT

What method do you use to prepare your coffee or tea?

View 500 Answers

Tea (Made with Indian tea leaves)
Put half a cup of water to boil.
Add some ginger, 2tsp of sugar and 1tsp of tea leaves in it and let it boil.
Once the water is boiling, add 3/4 cup of milk to it.
Keep stirring till it boils.
Strain it and pour it in a cup.

*Serve with Indian Parle G biscuits.

Tree Hazard!

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:10:49 GMT

We just got this email at work.... and I think its hilarious!
Work emails! Sigh!!

____________________________________________
From: XXX
Sent: Friday, 21 December 2007 12:53 PM
To: (VIC) Southbank
Subject: Hazard Alert - Ground Floor Courtyard

The tree in the courtyard outside of the staff room has dropped a branch after yesterday's storm and other branches may be unstable. A contractor has been called to address the situation but is unable to attend Southbank until Monday, December 24. In the interim, staff are advised that they should not sit under the tree.

XXX
HR Business Partner

25 things I did in my 25th year

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 06:05:01 GMT

OK so I still have some time to go before my birthday... but lifting the idea off a friend (who lifted it off someplace else) I have made a list 25 new things I did in my 25th year!

1. Malaysia.
This was my first overseas trip with my friends. Had gone for a friends wedding but then travelled a bit and shopped a little in Genting and KL. I also saved some money from my own earnings which was good...

2. Travelling more withing Au. Hobart.
We went there for Diwali this year with my parents and the husband. We knew it was gorgeous, but it really is gorgeous! Its one of the tiniest cities I have ever seen... pretty much walk-able anywhere and quite a pretty picture. An interesting experience was that we missed our flight there (not because we were late/which HAS happened before.... but because we landed up at the wrong airport!! Dont ask. I still laugh about it secretly!!)
(I am also going to Brisbane in a couple of weeks, so technically this is before my birthday, but not writing it until I actually go there!)

3. Camping.
I have always wanted to go camping, and I did. The only little hitch was that we forgot to carry a bed. We had to borrow a single matress which was in a very very bad condition, and cuddle up in that for 2 nights. And it was COLD!!! In the end, I would do it again.

4. Saw a lot of Australian wildlife.
Possums, Kangaroos, Snakes, Koalas, Fairy penguins, Emus, the mutton bird (which fascinated me the most) and a lot more. I love the wildlife here, but I miss the big cats and the elephants. :(

5. Lived alone with a man for the longest time in my life so far.
Ok so I know I am going to live with Mehul for a long long time, but this is the beginning of my marriage and this was the year that I spent with him from Jan 2006 to Jan 2007, only living apart for the few days I was in Malaysia and the few days we went to Sydney. Not bad, eh? And fight record: Minimal. Touch wood.

6. Longest relationship till date.
Its no joke. This has been my longest relationship till date and its still going great. I dont mean this in any other way than what you read. I am only acknowledging the fact that we have been together for 2 years now and he still brings a smile to my face... and will too, for many more years to come.

7. Shifting?
Because I have lived in Mumbai all my life, in one flat with pretty much the same things all around me, shifting was an interesting experience. Moving into another space, buying new furniture, letting go of the old... Teaches me detachment.

8. I taught Bollywood Dancing
Never thought I could / would do it. I have been a good dancer. Mainly because I LOVE dancing. But choreographing and teaching it to someone is an entirely different thing. But Ive choreographed a couple of routines, and taught them well. Had a couple of good reviews (which feels awesome)… The best though was teaching little australian children bolly dancing!

9. I got tipped!
And while I am at the teaching / performing talk, I might add I got tipped for the first time in my life. We were performing in a group and each of us got paid 40$ each for the performance / workshop at a birthday party. And the house…. It was the river facing ivy covered mansion with an 'east gate' entry instead of the 'north gate'….

10. The harry potter history
So I read the first 4 books as a birthday gift (thanks radhi!) when I was in class XII… and read the 7th part in my 25th year. I can tell my kids how it was like. Booking you copy, going in the morning to read it, mehul reading it next to me, and we just read the whole day. Did not really talk to each other. It was VERY interesting. And I hung up on my mom that day…

11. I worked in a call centre
Coming from India, the land of the call centres, I worked in one in Au. And I had a couple of people ask me if I was in india when they called me up… ofcourse this was in my pre-accent days! I cant say I have not enjoyed it. Working for the blood bank is fulfilling in many ways. I have spoken to some very lovely people, met some nice people, made friends and got to know the general geography of melbourne, and the ways of being, talking and dressing, like a Melbournanian. I am loving it.
Want to know something strange? I started my first permanent job on the 14th of Jan, the CNBC job on 14th of Feb and the call centre job on 14th of Mar!!

12. I finally learnt video editing!
Did a three day workshop in FCP editing and cut an interesting piece on some antarctica footage provided to us. I needed it.

13. I realized I get hay fever.
OMG. It’s the most annoying thing ever. Its what you get in spring with an excess of pollen around. Itchy and sore eyes, sneezing, coughing. And my eyes tend to swell up and I loose my energy. Not a very nice feeling.

14. Dealt with death on my own.
I am not sure how we deal with death. But we all do, somehow. I don’t know how I will deal with it when I face it next… but for the moment this was the hardest thing I had to do. I learnt to switch off. Move on. I have not thought about it. Not even sure if I have dealt with it. I mean, I know I will break down when I go to my uncles place. I still do. When I remember the 3am call saying he is no more. It is scary.

15. Lived the longest away from my parents.
So ive never lived away more than a couple of months… and it was a whole year before I saw dad again. And 11 mths before I saw mum. I miss them a lot. :(

16. Everyone visited 'MY' place
My parents, inlaws, sis in law… they all visited my house. Pretty big deal, eh?

17. I failed my driving test….. Thrice!
(….& all in one year too!!)
I have rarely failed in my life. Chemistry in std VIII, term 2, eco and french in jr college. And now I failed thrice in my driving test in Au. I am not ashamed. I know I drive well. I will get there someday!!

18. Been the fattest Ive ever been
Not something I am proud of. I have never been this fat. :(
And it’s the hormones this time. Not me.

19. On the pill
Speaking of hormones. The gynac said I had to take the pill. So I did. And I become hormonia from hedonia. Not an easy thing, I can tell you that.

20. Donated Plasma
Ive donated blood before but you can donate plasma and have your red blood cells returned to your body.

21. Sat in an ambulance for the first time
When we took the husband to the hospital when he was complaining of chest pains. They said it wasnt serious so I was not very worried. Would not liked to have sat in it otherwise.

22. Saw Danny Bhoy and Russell Peters
Very funny. I love stand up comedy. Like totally. Cant wait for the comedy festival next year.

23. Still hid from parents/in-laws to talk on the phone
...And this time it wasnt a boy!

24. Saw the movie trilogies which I have wanted to see for a while.
Indiana jones, Star wars (the old trilogy, and the new one!) crocodile dundee amongst others. Its actually our favourite timepass. We sit on the couch and watch tv. We bought a home theatre system. And I started Buffy from the start and am on season 4 now. Its awesome!!

25. LIVED!
I mean, you get up, go to work (11 hours sometimes), come home, cook, clean, sleep... its a hard life. And I appreciate mom a lot more now.

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:20:17 GMT

I feel lonely.
And there is no one to talk to.

Three weeks.

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:53:54 GMT

Someone died. Go home for three weeks. Someone born. Go back for three weeks. Someone got married. Go to India for three weeks. Someone fell sick. Go home for three weeks. Missing mangoes. Go back for three weeks. Missing the rains. Go to Bombay for three weeks. Missing family. Probably go back home to India for maximum three weeks.

....& such is the irony of our times. I live / will live my whole year waiting for those precious three weeks.
How long will this phase last?

The way you made me feel.

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 04:12:22 GMT

Its a rainy day here. Absolutely gloomy. And like always I am happy and sad.

Happiest when I hold onto the days gone by and my memories with you. Late night phone converastions, early morning messages, group chats, compliments, when you told me you liked me. I am not vain. I just feel loved and pure enough that I too have loved you back. I missed you. I still miss you. You might not know how lonely I can be. You might not know the importance of friendship which is realized only when one is away from everything one has loved, liked, wanted, known and lost.
You might not think about me anymore. You might think I am gone far away.. thrown in my world of matrimony and things which you are far away from. You might not even know what you mean to me.
But i can only say that I am almost alive today, and I smile sometimes when I think of the way you made me feel.
Thank you.

For most of you on my eljay.

Partir, c'est mourir un peu...

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 05:07:39 GMT

My parents left last night. Mum had been here for 2 mths and dad was here for 2 weeks. We travelled, spent time together and had a wonderful time. They loved Melb and Au and loved to see me, my new house.

And now, my house just feels so barren. I have never cried so much before. Not in my wedding and not when I left Mumbai. And this time its like some dam has broken loose. I howled at the airport when I saw my dad, I cried at multiple times yesterday throughout and was walking around like a zombie around the house this morning. There was no mom and there was the extra food she has cooked and stored in the fridge. Enough to make the dam break again.

I love (my) parents. They are the most wonderful people in the whole wide world. (Siblings and partners come close but not close enough!!)

I dont want to be this vulnerable. I know I love them enough but I dont want to cry when the leave and when they are not with me. I get scared of being so emotional. But then this is life. Attachment, love, feeling and all these emotions are a part of life. And my aim is to move beyond them. I believe I am happiest within myself. I only need to practice that belief more often!

In the mean time, partir, c'est mourir un peu... (parting, is to die a little).... and I could not agree more.

For my meh

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 23:42:04 GMT

Ok, I wrote this at work. Was SOOOO bored!! :D Its for my meh.
I aint no shakespeare, but this one means well.
-----

This morning I wanted to write you a song
So beautiful, cause it seems I cant love you more,
And I have not done anything romantic for long,
Except move my shore.

I moved my bags and life
To be with you, my honey,
Cause I could not resist being your wife,
And working hard with you, for the money.

They warned me marriage was no joke,
There would be fights and then we would both see crimson,
But my life is beautiful as we eat and drink but not smoke,
Watch telly and movies and the show and movie of the simpsons!

So all said and done I am a happy wife,
Living my life in harmony with you without any strife.

Sivaji

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 03:14:34 GMT

pic courtesy: sharmi_barmi

So sharmi_barmi, appughar and I went for Sivaji, The BOSS.
Needless to say, I felt at home cumbletely. Tamil movie, friends from eljay, and in Melbourne. What more can you ask for!!
COOOOL...... eh?

ps, apu, I scoffed at the soundtrack earlier, but now I cant get enough of Balleilakka and Vaaji. :P

Moving.

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 03:40:17 GMT

So after months of looking... we are moving into the perfect house this weekend. Yay!
Its a three bedroom house with a huge hall, huge kitchen, a laundry room, nice front yard and back yard and a lock in garage.
Screw the flat mate! :D

Happy B'day...

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 05:43:45 GMT

.... freegeek

Rock on and have a great day.
De Daaru! :D

~~Hedonia~~