Binggo

Been 2 months since my last update, so thought I should get to it, though I have just 2 more books to add to the list. At this rate, I truly wonder whether I shall get done with all the squares... 10 done of the 25

Finished:
A book with a number in the title: The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency
A book with a blue cover: And the mountains echoed
A book by a female author: C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton
A book with a mystery: D is for Deadbeat
The second book in a series: River of Smoke (Ibis Trilogy)  (*this can ideally be for a book with more than 500 pages too. Let me see if I manage to read something else by year end for that)
A book with a mystery: Tides of Memory by Sydney Sheldon ( that is in memory of my school time forbidden mystery ;) )
A book your friend loves: Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim
A book which is more than 10 years old: The House of Kanooru by Kuvempu
 
Currently Reading:
A book which I heard of online: Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer

To be read
A book at the bottom of the to be read pile: Room by Emma Donoghue
A book set in another continent: Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Update: Reading Bingo Challenge

Having had taken up the Reading Bingo Challenge, I thought I should also share what are the books I have been reading as a part of this challenge. I thought there would be many books which will help me check the boxes, but I decided I shall try to read a different book to satisfy each criteria. And, now I think this has made the deal more difficult for me.

Anyways, here goes...

Finished:
A book with a number in the title: The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency
A book with a blue cover: And the mountains echoed
A book by a female author: C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton
A book with a mystery: D is for Deadbeat

Currently reading:
The second book in a series: River of Smoke (Ibis Trilogy)

Reading Bingo Challenge

This year, I had set myself to just do three things

1. Read
2. Travel
3. Exercise

And I thought why not take up something interesting to do my reading bit :) I am already planning on reading 50 books this year and tracking them through Goodreads.

And now, I am taking up the Reading Bingo Challenge. It sounds so interesting and it shall surely make me hunt for books and read them :)

Want to take it up? Surely do... please leave your blog link or any web location where you plan on keeping a track of the books that you would be reading. I would love to see your reading picks and also, I need to know 'A book your friend loves' . ;)

Blog-A-Prompt, Day 6 : NO

"NO, T!

Please don't do that."

These are the usual lines which I say atleast five times a day.

And what would T be doing? These can be a range of stuff which happens, from water being poured into toys or food being mashed to pulp or climbing on tables/chairs to get iPads and phones or attempting to open the fridge to get chocolates/cheese or fiddling with the door knobs/keys. Recently I was having a conversation with a friend, S, who has a son, a few months older than T, and we were discussing how do we keep these small people occupied through the day. She was saying that taking her son outside, letting him watch some cartoons, then some iPad time is what keeps her day moving and also helps her to get her work done. At this point, I should add that she lives in the US and hence she pretty much manages everything on her own along with her son being at home with her. In India, I have always seen the no iPad, TV time for kids being professed so extensively that the small bits that I do allow T is seen at times by some in a very wrong way. This certainly does leave me in a confused state. S was of the opinion that when teachers and schools now use online medium and videos to impart the same knowledge which was initially done only through a blackboard or books, then why are we, as parents, stopping our kids from being exposed to this medium. T has been sufficiently exposed to iPad (since the age of 11 mo) and now she is pretty much a pro at handling the apps and any new app for her is a matter of 30 mins of discovery time. I usually find a new app for her almost every other week, though her iPad time is restricted to only an hour a day at max. But, I know how much she looks forward to this hour and how she keeps reminding me of the same through the day.

I completely agreed with her, but then when does it come to the point of excess? When is it time to say NO to the online and screen time?

Blog - A - prompt, Day 5: Spicy

Spicy has to be food :) What would be the most spicy dish I would have tried? I have not been to the North east of India, so I have not had the pleasure of trying out the true delicacies in terms of spices. But, nevertheless, the one thing which I love, and it surely is spicy is this particular chilli which my grandmom uses to make the coconut chutney at Trivandrum. She used to have the plant at her place, and when there is a chilli on the plant, then it surely goes into the breakfast chutney.

This chilli is called Kandarimulagu or just Kandari. Here is the wiki link of this particular chilli, it seems its called bird'd eye chilli. This is really small, looks pretty harmless, except for it bright red colour, and measuring 50,000 - 100,000 Scoville units.

Here is an image of these amazing chillies from wiki again

I have not seen so many chillies on the plant at my grandmom's place, but the colour is just the same. Infact I shudder to think if there were so many of them, what would be state of us! They are quite piquant, and a large one would be split in two and used for two dishes, was the norm. 

I wish I could find a plant someplace so that I could have this at my place... more like a memory of my grandmother.

Image Source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iuSM_mY8TIiU7CNeA-nsgjVlWSKFwuTV8g9pYy2NxyJdzS36PyY7lQw1WC0A_NE-YQuniXE15flJiCRm1D_Zv0HEPCEaNmSQ1SQrLj7qc6aGXnsVGIkOGmXyg_CFsOuqUFoxToqExeQ5/s1600/Kanthari+mulaku.JPG

Blog- A -Prompt, Day 4 :Disaster

A day late, but nevertheless!

Disasters for me have been just about all the cooking which I have done , especially when I started cooking. In fact I have written something on this in the past. I think that post would be the best fir for this prompt, an obviously that will also ensure I have this post up quick! Beats me why I didn't think of this before!

Here goes!

Blog-A-Prompt, Day 3 : Monday

This Monday, I made a plan for today, Wednesday.

This plan was made early in the morning on Monday for late night Wednesday. And today, being Wednesday and as the evening approaches, I am happy and thrilled regarding this plan.

A friend calls it ' A girl thingi'... well, that is what it is to be, a girls night out!

Now, the thrill and the happiness can be explained, I bet. I do not know what is it with girl's night outs.. is it just a western fad? But, I certainly do enjoy them so much more and it feels, in a strange way, great to be out. I am guessing this is a feeling which occurs when you have a 2 year old and to top it, one who is a early to bed, early to rise kind.

Now, night outs do seem to have a tendency to end up on dance floors, and that is where I am not too comfortable. I do not mind shaking a leg once a while, but in the usual crowded places, I rather just have my drink and enjoy the music. Lounge music is something which is great in the night, and one which is open to the sky does certainly have its perks!

So here is to a great Monday plan for Wednesday!

Image Source: http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/yanlev/yanlev1209/yanlev120900077/15256187-beautiful-girls-clink-glasses-of-champagne-at-a-party-unrecognizable-people.jpg

Blog - a - Prompt, Day 2: Thirst

The fact is that I did not study at all in college. And, I regret it. I was a top student through school, and somehow the freedom and new country changed things up for me to such a great extend that I just did not have it in me to study. This is something which I have seen happening with so many people in IITs that in some convoluted way, I take solace in the fact that I am not the only one who lost it! Having known this for a while, even after I did graduate from IIT, I did not get myself into the groove, and did not go ahead for any further studies. Now, you may ask, WHY??

The itch to study and prove myself was my main motivation behind the studies, I never could understand what is it that I would achieve if I do go ahead for higher studies, and in my case, that would have been a PhD. A PhD would have taken many more years to complete and this makes it a more difficult decision to make. Once married, I always thought that if I do complete my PhD, where is the time for a kid and a post doctral fellowship at the same time? And who would be willing to come and stay with me in an alien country to take care of my kid? I did not have the answers to these questions, and that would be the primary reason I never was inclined enough to take up studies. But, even today, I think I want to head back to school and study something, make the amends which I have always wanted to do. These thoughts alternate with the reality and have me again at that place wherein I do not know where I am headed.

Circumstances do not always favour, as is now, and the thirst for knowledge shall remain unfulfilled.

Image Source: http://community.bates.edu/s/209/images/editor/club%20events/Open-book.gif

Blog-a-Prompt, Day 1: My true colours

As I sat with my drink yesterday evening, I realized that one of the facts of life is that my true colours are seen only when I am 2 drinks down. I was having a conversation with B earlier in the day that I am a round about sort of person, I find it exceptionally difficult to give a straight forward answer. I might know what the answer is, and what is my opinion, but I invariably try to give it in a diplomatic/ round - about manner. And that changes once those 2 drinks are down.

I sometimes do wonder why is this. Why is it so difficult? What makes it such a wrong thing in my eyes? I do not know whether if this is truly wrong in my eyes, but I think it it more that I have never ever been the one to give a preference in front of anyone. My closest friends would also say that me giving a choice would mean that I really want that, or I am really comfortable with the group. I realized today that there is another aspect to this, it can also mean that I am 2 drinks down!

Recently when I had gone for the bloggers meet at Kufri too, this was an observation which was made by folks who I met just a few hours back. Given that many of us read each other's blogs, but we were predominantly meeting each other in person for the very first time. I speak when I am comfortable, and this comfort comes about when alcohol comes into the picture. Sad, but true! Thats when my true colours manifest themselves! A  drink has a way of making you feel comfortable, feeling confident, these being the very feelings which can have a positive or a negative impact on the situation. I enjoy sitting with friends and conversing, sharing a drink, having discussions, and these are the times where I speak the most and feel light headed I guess, to speak out without the inhibitions!

Good or Bad? I do not know.
But, these are my true colours!

Image Source: http://s3.favim.com/orig/46/beach-colours-drink-pink-summer-Favim.com-417218.jpg

The Delhi - Southie letters

So we have a lot of talk on the blogosphere and the amongst the twitterati on why this open letter was written and why it should not have been written. 

I have read the reply from the Delhi Boy… and also from the Mad Momma… and I still am not sure why she has written this letter. Very evidently someone did tick her off. But, what all she has said there is something which most people know. There is that section of Delhi which she describes, and there is also another which does not fit into any of the categorizations which she has made. 

I have lived in Delhi for 6 years and I have positively loved the city. I love the late nights, the wide roads, the metro, the shopping paradise and I will not fail to add that I do agree it is not the greatest place for a woman to walk about on the streets or take to public transport without thinking twice. The metro has made things better with the women's compartment in the recent times. Anyhow, as everyone says, why judge a book by the cover? How can you say the whole city is so bad if you are going to base your one interaction with a non-so-great punjabhi guy? I have also come across a fair bit of well -read and not - so well - read punjabi folks… but that does not make the community as a whole this way or that. 

I am a true blue Malayalee and I have married a Delhi born and bred UPite. And, I met him at Bangalore, so does that make him any less a Delhite or a UPite? I do not think so. In fact I feel one tends to be more in touch with the roots when you live away from the buzz of community on a everyday basis. This is just my theory, and need not be true in any manner.

Anyhow, another thing which made no sense to me, is the upland English status. Where did you get that from? I know enough human beings who belong to Delhi and who speak perfectly good English, and what would be the idea behind saying that a region produces bad English speakers. Every region in India has a dialect of English and also an accent which needs to go. In fact when many of my friends used to say that I have a tinge of a Malayalee accent, initially I used to take it with a pinch of salt, and many a times, even countered demanding some explanation with examples. But, with time, I have seen that it does not really matter. Everyone has those accents, and the ones who try to camouflage these accents with the American/ British accents sound truly funny to me. What is the harm in being true to your roots? Even some Madrasis have an accent which is quite distinct, so I would not go to the extent of saying that all Madrasis have an accented English! 

There is also some humor which she has ride to infuse, but then hitting on family members is not a great way of doing it. If these are views which are written on a fun note, then great… which to an extend I do think… as you can see from reading the authors comments, but s I said… maybe the humor should have been rightly hit.... 

10 day challenge - One picture

As a grand finale to my 10 day challenge, here is me !

10 day challenge - Two Songs

The past 9 days, I have been posting on the above 10 Day you Challenge. Some of the days have been very difficult and some comparably simpler. This challenge has made me look within and explore what I feel about many of the challenges. 

Music is something which I like, its soothing to the ears and I love some music to be playing in the background when I am at some task. I love to have music playing when I am cooking, reading or just doing some work. 

I have almost never followed music as chartbusters or billboards, I have just been very stagnant in my music likings. I am not the person who has many favorites, so here I will list two songs which hold some importance for me. 

1. 21st century girl - Def Leppard 

This is the song with which I was introduced to Rock as a genre. I still find it most soothing for any situation, soft rock, hard rock, metal…

2. Do you wanna partner - Partner

This is a song from the first movie I watched with B :) on my 25th birthday eve. And this birthday is the day we started dating :)

10 day challenge - Four books

As part of the 10 day challenge which I have taken up, here we are more than half way done. Today's challenge is to list Four books

If someone asked me to rattle off in an instant four of my favorite books, I think these would be it!

1. Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand

2. Choker Bali / A Grain of Sand by Rabindranath Tagore

3. My Name in Red by Orhan Pamuk

4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

10 day challenge - Five foods

I have my favorites, which I can have at any time of the day. 

They are as follows :)

1. Puttu and Kadala

2. Sweet corn and chicken soup

3. Spare ribs

4. Steamed momos

5. A mug of hot chocolate

What are yours? Anything similar?

10 day challenge - Five foods

I have my favorites, which I can have at any time of the day. 

They are as follows :)

1. Puttu and Kadala

2. Sweet corn and chicken soup

3. Spare ribs

4. Steamed momos

5. A mug of hot chocolate

What are yours? Anything similar?

10 day challenge - Six places

This has been my favourite from the beginning of this tag... was looking forward to this day alot. 

I have been traveling a lot in the past year, and I completely enjoy traveling. One of the things I want to do is drive to some place. I am a novice when it comes to driving though I like to believe that its becoming slightly better with time.

I am a beach person, lazing on beaches with a book to read and a swim in between is just something I can do for days. And not to forget the night time partying :) With both these things in perfect alignment is Goa... which I think has been by far my favourite holiday location till date! Been there twice, and can go back anytime! There are so many beaches to visit, and maybe next time I shall also go on the cultural route too.

In spite of all the travel, I have had a vacation/holiday on my mind. And these below are the six places I want to visit. 

Vietnam

Picking water spinach
Image Courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangodavid/24785743/

Spain

Passeig de Gracias, Barcelona
Image Courtesy - http://www.flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore/5237965835/

Portugal

Image Courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ferlomu/4777034030/

Peru

Image Courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/44199467@N00/260089086/

Maldives

Image Courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanomilan/5759891986/

If I really sit down to think of all the places I want to go to.. I think thats going to a huge list. I can even list it out for within India and outside also. :)


Looking at the rest of the days.. I think now the challenge is becoming simpler... :)

10 day challenge - Seven wants

Don't we all want a lot of things? I have so many things which I would love to have.. many of them things which I really do not need, and some others which would just make me go aaahhhhh :) Its all a balance between the logical mind and the emotional mind !

1. Again something linked to my loves, I want to have a beautiful home which I will be proud of. In fact a beautiful home, decorated to my tastes. A garden pruned and cared for and a small patio.

2. Someday, I want to have a pet dog. I have not really thought which breed, maybe a lhas apso, beagle or a cocker spaniel. I love big breeds like german shepherd and danes, but unless I have sufficient space, I do not think I would want to get a big breed.

3. As of now, I want to get back into shape, get into a good exercise regime, even if its not everyday. I am thinking swimming will be an easy option, and with results in the least amount of time. And to top it, I love to swim !

4. I want to go for the Literary fest in Jaipur some day.

5. I want to help cultivate a reading habit in T, so I hope to read to her rhymes, stories and other children's books from a young age.

6.  I want to visit a new place every year, which means I want to go for minimum one vacation to any place within or outside India.

7. I want to sponsor the education of a girl till whenever she wants to study. 

10 day challenge - Eight fears

I thought Nine Loves would be difficult, but I think listing my fears are more difficult. 

1. My biggest fear is losing someone I love so dearly… my parents, brother, B, best friends and now my baby girl, T. 

2. I do not mind dying even the next moment, but I fear being a vegetable and bed ridden. Or for that matter, I think I fear not being able to lead a normal life.

3. I fear for the safety of my girl. I have always wanted a daughter and bring her up to be a strong independent person, but deep within I have fears about the society and its treatment of women.

Apart from these I really do not have any other fears. There might be many things which might have me worried, but those are never the things which will always be at the back of my mind. 

I do not know whether its good or not to have too many fears, but thats how it is. 

10 day challenge - Nine Loves

This was a very difficult list. I had not really given great thought to what were those things which I loved, but by the time I reached Point 9 on the list below... I had a few more to list, and I had to choose between my loves :)

1. My first love is 'love' itself. I feel that is something which helps one to stand ground under any circumstance. If you do not have love in your heart, and if you do not feel loved, I think life can be very tough to live.

2. I love to watch and listen to rains even when they are downpours its all the more nice with the water spraying on your face.

3. I love animals, have been a dog lover all my life, had a cat (Whisky) for 2 years, a rabbit(Nelly) for 1 year and now hoping to get a hamster or an aquarium. 

4. I am a huge fan of shopping. I can spend a lot of time browsing through online catalogues or even weave my way through shops and pick up absolutely nothing at the end of it all.

5. I love footwear and this is one item for which  I think I do end up spending more than what I should be! And heels dominate my shoe rack, and I still think I do not have enough.

6. I love my height. I think this is a very funny thing to love, but its true. I get compliments for it, I am able to carry off many things solely because of my height.

7. I love colorful cushions. Cushions of varying sizes strewn around is what would be a lovely room for me.

8. I love to read though my quota of reading has been greatly reduced in the past years, and is slowly picking up now.

9. I love to travel, and planning trips. 6 years in Delhi had me traveling quite a bit to the North of India, and now 3 years in Bangalore have had me cover various places around. East of the country is where I have not at all ventured to.

10 day challenge - Ten Secrets

I have never done challenges, have been an avid reader of those who do the NaBloPoMo, but couldn't convince myself that I would be able to see it through. 

Today, I saw Preeti's blog and she was doing a 10 day challenge, so I thought why not. So, here we go, initiated into the challenge blogging line! One post every day and the posts will be as per the challenges listed in the picture below.

Ten Secrets

1. I am the kind who would strive to keep in touch, but when some of my friends did not have time I have carefully slunk off and now interact only with those who have the time. 

2. I am a huge fashion addict, though I am slightly timid to try all the hi- fashion out there.

3. How much ever I convince myself that I need a great wardrobe, I never can get myself to buy something over 2000 rupees (except saris), how much ever I try. 

4. I love gadgets, be it phones, laptops, tablets, mp3 players etc.

5. I do not think I can possibly pass a day without sending a sms.

6. I am a bowl of contradictions, love silence but I need to go out a party in a while.

7. I had a very bad college education experience, and a part of me believes that that was solely responsible in shaping me to be what I am today.

8. I am very vain, obsess greatly about my weight and looks. In fact, this was one of my greatest fears during pregnancy, would I be able to get back to shape?

9. Swimming is the only sport for which I will get up at 5 in the morning.

10. I strive to have a beautifully decorated house, but I know I need to go a long way in achieving it.