Happy 100th Post, Dear Blog!

Will you savour the chill breeze on your face
without thinking about your ruffled hair?

Will you laugh out loud brimming with happiness,
without feeling too self-conscious?

Will you ever say what you feel instantly,
without the fear of being judged?

Will you express your love with a kiss or hug,
without wondering what others may think?

Will you cry in sadness,
without feeling that you are weak?

Will you express your angst,
without feeling too impulsive?

Live life to its fullest....Happy 100th Post!! :)

Cheap thrills...

You Make a Great First Impression

You can handle almost any social situation with grace, even the tricky ones. Strangers often find you charming and interesting. You are often remembered fondly. Even if you're not naturally outgoing, you can make conversation with anyone if you need to. Whether you were born this way or had to work to get here, you are definitely charismatic. You're popular and well liked. People definitely look forward to being around you. Your social connections bring you a full and rich life. You understand how important it is to make a lasting impression.

What Kind of First Impression Do You Make?

I strongly believe that it is essential that you value, respect and love yourself as a person first, before expecting others to...so sometimes my impulsive behaviour, tendency to get hurt easily, anger, lack of strength in certain situations not only makes me feel helpless but is a huge disappointment in myself!

When I think about it, I feel that I am not there...but definitely getting there...slowly but steadily...I have learnt to keep quiet, certainly with much effort, when i am fuming inside...yet, I do keep quiet! Frankly, i hate myself for doing it but it is the key to survival! Like my Dad says very often, 'Take it all in, absorb it....you will get a chance too! Every dog has its day!'

Over a period of time, I have learnt time and again that you should never take anything for granted, be it relationships, friends or your career. I have heard from a lot of people that when contentment sets in, there is no ambition in you..you are not charged up anymore. You become complacent....on the other hand, I feel when you are content with your life, a sense of calm accompanies that feeling which shows in your happiness and fulfillment that it gives.

It is your life and all said and done, only you can control the way you look at it. You make a choice how you would like to lead it...no skepticism, no negativity...only pure unadulterated optimism....am gonna say this to myself very often....sort of self- suggestion and the positive thoughts in all respects and aspects will work its charm and I will be surrounded by positive energy and good vibes. There, I made a start!

Incentives!

....I have a bad habit! When I have my coffee in the mornings as I read the paper....I forget to put the mug back in the kitchen sink. It just lies there.....For the love of God, I just can't understand how I forget this tiny little detail...( of course, later on if I do notice it, I will put it back at once)

S hates this habit....and repeatedly calls me to put it back. To help me remember, he has incentivised it. Offlate, I get a bonus gesture of affection from him when I do remember to put it back!

Lo and behold! Now i remember everytime!!! :D

...ahem! I am a smart blonde! :D

Yup! I have colored my hair blonde and S calls me 'the golden girl'. :) Everyone looks at me and gives me another look till I turn round the corner and of course, I love the attention!!! S thinks I look totally like a cool babe...what more do I want??!!!

I don't want to think about how my Mom/Dad will blast me for this and my MIL will say politely ' Why did you have to do this? You had lovely jet black hair, why do you want to spoil your lovely hair with chemicals??' ( I had a preview of what is to come, when I streaked my hair burgundy one new year's (2005) for wanting to do something wild. Now, burgundy is a subtle color and shows only in sunlight. What I have done now is nothing subtle!). I am not planning to tell them anything now....they will be visiting me in Feb for the pooja as we move to our own home, I shall deal with it then! I have tried convincing S to say he forced me to color my hair, as if they would believe it!!! He would do it, only if they would believe..

Anyway, its my hair and its not a crime to do something you want to, even if others think its wrong, right? Right! Most importantly, S and my friends love it...and that's all matters!! As long as people go along with what I say...that's all matters!!! :D Incorrigible, you say? I don't care!

P.S - I could not find an image with the exact color I have....so just something that goes with the theme!! ;)
Edited to add: The girl in the picture is definitely ME!

Not 'Idiot' Box, 'Inspire' Box! relatively speaking...

I have heard so many views on TV that it is an absolute waste of time and all that blah!

Personally, I don't think so! There are some lovely programs on TV that not only entertain but also inspire. It touches a chord somewhere deep....a 31 year old guy spoke on a talk show ( more of a debate) about sacrifice that was aired on TV.

He is working as a chef in a big 5 star hotel and got an assignment in Switzerland. He was going to the airport with his parents and sister, when he saw a destitute old man trying to eat a morsel of rice with his little finger with great difficulty.There was very little food in his hands. That guy immedietly left the car, went to a nearby restaurant and bought him some food. He was thinking, how can I not care? How can I be so uncaring and selfish??

He had an epiphany that day and decided not to take that job abroad. Instead, went home, took all the curd rice that was at home and fed that old man. The old man did not thank him, but looked at him for long with tears running down his cheeks. Something changed his whole outlook that day and he currently runs a trust to feed the destitutes on the roads. He brings them to his home, bathes and cleans them and personally cuts their hair!!! He does'nt think twice to touch them and clean them. Hats off to him.

Lots of people help him and he has turned these people around and they work with him as volunteers. If I did'nt watch T.V.... I would never know that such noble souls exist and It made me realize what a blessed soul I am having everything I want....and it incites me to do something for others, in my own way!

Another channel I love watching is 'Travel and Living'. They offer such a wide variety of programs and show different parts of India, where as an Indian myself, have not been able to go. Not to forget the exotic locales in different countries, I would love to travel around the world and that makes me work hard, well not work hard, but atleast work! :D I have always wanted to go to New Zealand since 'Lord of the Rings' and I will definitely go with S...in some time! :) Our grand plans include going on a europe trip on our 10th anniversary. I also want to visit the Golden temple in Amritsar for some reason. I am so intrigued about that place. Lets hope it materialises...

Don't we choose to take good things in life and move on, ignoring the negativities? I think the same applies to television, right?

On a totally different note, S and I went on a picnic and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We drove around pune and went to a place called Lawarde. I packed some lunch from home - puliodarai (tamarind rice), beans curry, curd rice, gongura ( a pickle made from gongura leaves), microwave vadam ( microwaved fryums) and some fruits.

It was a lovely quiet place and both of us loved the peace and quiet, far away from the maddening crowd.

Weekend update....

Yup! weekend is not over...yet here I am blogging, S is off to Bangalore for a week (!!!!!!) for some workshop yet again! I hate it when he has to go away on a weekend.....but at least he will be back for the next weekend....

Yesterday, S and I finally saw 'Jab We Met'. I simply loved the movie coz the characters are an exact replica of S and I. I was very intrigued when I heard from friends that Geet, the character played by Kareena reminds them so much of me......and S endorsed and confirmed that its absolutely true!!! :) The indulgent smile on Aditya, the character played by Shahid, in the movie is exactly how S looks at me....coz I am indeed like her, the yakkity yak types and who is enthusiastic about everything on earth and who is in her dream world!

There is a scene in the movie where shahid asks kareena ' You absolutely love yourself, don't you?' ....and she replies 'absolutely'!!! S and I looked at each other and laughed out loudly!!! ....Indeed, that's me!!!! :D Her character is very endearing, even if i say so myself....now you kinda know why people think I am like that!!!

By now, you have figured that we loved the movie!!! I loved the music too and I am downloading the music on to my mobile from http://www.songs.pk/ A good mix of slow romantic numbers and good beats.....full paisa vasool, as they say!!

We also went to an exhibition, of construction material, engineering and interiors....thanks to my dear friend Srija, who told me about it. It was a whopping Rs.100/- for the entrance, per person! As we went all the way, we did go and it was indeed interesting. We found some interesting options for the house....had a sumptuous meal at Flag's before the movie....we had a lovely and packed weekend!! :)

aoge jab tum sajnaaa, angna phool khilenge....barsega saawan....barsage saawan.....

(courtesy: Jab We Met!)....S, if you are reading this post, this is for you!!!!