Category: My Tags

As much I want to write a post a day I am not able to find the time:-( When your mind is blank and wondering what to write on, I come across little saviours – Tags! As the brains are not working, these interesting bits zooming past in the blog world help you get out of your hibernation and stagnation!

Saw this interesting tag on IHM, Starry and Suranga’s blogs and had to take it up!

So here are the 10 things I have done which my gender is not supposed to.

1. The first one I guess is obvious – my first love – CRICKET! ‘Hell you do know the game, so you understand what a square cut is, you can actually identify the fielding positions, you can differentiate between spin and swing?’ And on this blog many a times – “Did not know a girl /lady was writing on cricket!” I can challenge, argue and beat most guys when it comes to the knowledge of this game. Yeah modesty on this front is not exactly my forte;-)

The one person who has benefitted the most – MDH. There is never an argument on what to watch on TV when a match is on!

2. I can fix electronic items well – I was an expert at mending VCRs as a kid. I can also change fuse bulbs and tubelights – did that often at home:-)

3. I can be a complete couch potato. I can watch TV for hours lying on my couch without feeling guilty or ashamed of having wasted my time.

4. I’ve rolled down the window of my car and hurled abuses at idiots who tried to act smart on the road – I landed up scaring my friends instead!

5. I can be extremely mean and sarcastic and always have a practical/logical view point to all things 🙂

6. I love going shopping ALONE.

7. I love superhero movies, cartoons and comics. X-Men, Batman, Superman, Star Trek , Heroes, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Transformers – all of them – love them all!

8. I love bikes, I love two-wheelers. I could never own one thanks to being in Mumbai. My parents were petrified of the traffic and I was not allowed to drive one! I made full use of my vacations in Pune – I loved going out on bike-rides!

9. I don’t blush easily – or rather not at all. My first kathak teacher once told my mom – she is a lovely dancer, very graceful but please teach her to blush or feel shy! How will she do the Radha-Krishna dance if she cannot express shyness. My Vahini( sis-in-law) on my engagement and wedding day, “Minu atleast now we need to see how you look when you blush”

10. My best friends from my engineering days are guys! They know me too well. We can talk nonsense – utter nonsense with each other – even today. When I need serious advice or solace I know I can trouble them at any time of the day.  Post heart-breaks, post marriages, post kids – It amazes me how pure, simple, fun and honest our friendship remains till date.

—————————————————————————————-

Honestly I’m just feeling lazy to tag individuals, so will keep the tag open for everyone who reads this – do take it up!

Sagarika – my new friend in the blogworld whose writing I’m becoming a huge fan of, asked me to do this tag. I don’t refuse tags unless I’m dead buried in my offline world. I’m currently but this seemed a nice break to take my mind of a few things! So here goes.

Rules Go Like These ——-
RULE 1- You can only say Guilty or Innocent.
RULE 2- You are not allowed to explain anything unless someone messages you and asks!
RULE 3- Copy and paste this into your notes, delete my answers, type in your answers and tag to your friends to answer this.

Asked someone to marry you? Innocent
Ever kissed someone of the same sex? Innocent
Danced on a table in a bar? Innocent
Ever told a lie? Guilty
Had feelings for someone whom you can’t have back? Guilty
Kissed a picture? Guilty
Slept in until 5 PM? Guilty
Fallen asleep at work/school? Guilty
Held a snake? Innocent
Been suspended from school? Innocent
Worked at a fast food restaurant? Innocent
Stolen from a store? Innocent
Been fired from a job? Innocent
Done something you regret? Guilty
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose?Guilty
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Innocent
Kissed in the rain? Guilty
Sat on a roof top? Guilty
Kissed someone you shouldn’t? Innocent
Sang in the shower? Guilty
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? Innocent
Shaved your head? Innocent
Had a boxing membership? Innocent
Made a girlfriend cry? Guilty
Been in a band? Innocent
Shot a gun? Innocent
Donated Blood? Innocent
Eaten alligator meat? Innocent
Eaten cheesecake? Innocent
Still love someone you shouldn’t? Innocent
Have/had a tattoo? Innocent
Liked someone, but will never tell who? Guilty
Been too honest? Guilty (Always and never learn!!!)
Ruined a surprise? Guilty
Ate in a restaurant and got really bloated that you couldn’t walk afterward? Guilty
Erased someone in your friends list? Guilty
Dressed in a woman’s clothes (if you’re a guy) or man’s clothes (if you’re a girl)? Guilty
Joined a pageant? Innocent
Been told that you’re handsome or beautiful by someone who totally meant what they said? Guilty
Had communication with your ex? Innocent
Got totally drunk on the night before exam? Innocent
Got totally angry that you cried so hard? Guilty

Done! As for my part I tag some fine ladies in the blogworld and whose blogs I thoroughly enjoy! Hope some of them come back from their hiatus with this:-)

Starry, PNA, Suranga,Indyeah, Solilo, IHM,Richa,D,Nova,Sands,MIM,Poonam, and AJ

Starry-eyed how can I not take up a ‘tag’ from you. Her blog is one of my favourites – for her simplicity, straight from the heart talk, for the stuff she has done in her personal and professional life ( I dream of it – someday I hope I can!).

To do:

1. Spend the last chapter of my life doing social service for kids – teaching or funding their education. No child deserves to lose the right to his/her education, no matter what the circumstances. If we educate them, we educate our next generation.
2. Build my own library – Books, music and movies. A must have. I’ve laid the first brick of its foundation.
3. Start a nice homely restaurant. A small one – no branches & no expansion. One that serves your simple home made delicacies, the original recipes of my family – grand mom, mom, mom-in-law, sisters and aunts.
4. Retire at 50 in Goa. I want that dream house so badly – a small bunglow by the beach. Spend the rest of the life hassle-free amidst nature with my adorable GUY.
5. Have kids – Yes it is a must in life. That little one changes everything about your life – it is much needed.
6. Adopt – I want one of my own and adopt another. I so do believe in it.
7. Travel – Europe, USA, NZ, Australia, HK, Bali, Maldives, Hawaii, Brazil, South Africa, Kenya. I’ve made plans and cancelled them but I need to visit these places before I retire. The beauty of earth needs to be explored not just watched in photographs
8. Catch a cricket match live @
   a. Lord’s – England
   b. Sydney Cricket Ground – Australia
   c. Johannesburg – South Africa
   d. Eden Gardens – Kolkatta, India
   e. Chepauk – Chennai, India
9. Start our own venture. Be my own boss and keep my company clear of the “corporate culture”. How, when, what, why – no answers found yet –hence no action taken!
10. Try and learn the maximum I can – Cooking classes, Creative writing, Reiki, Classical Dancing, Salsa, till the day I breathe my last
11. Publish my recipe book – I’ve inherited it from my granny and mother, I do a good job of it!
12. Own a cricket column in a magazine or newspaper – Wishful thinking I know, but what the heck!

The journey so far:

1. I’ve been a good daughter to my parents – It’s the most satisfying feeling.
2. I take pride in my friendships – The ones I’ve nurtured and built.I’ve been true and loyal to each one and loved each one dearly,I still do.
3. Together with MDH, we both have not let my mom or in-laws struggle again in life – Their smile of content and hearts swelling with pride are priceless and remain my most treasured possessions.
4. Been a good mentor to my younger cousins, nieces and the next gen. I feel proud and happy when they seek my advice; even more when their parents set my example before them. The kiddos hate and love me at the same time:)
5. Had my cricket articles published on the internet and newspapers, made it through ‘Harsha ki Khoj’ – Small things that maybe inconsequential when compared to achievements of others but, they still make me beam with pride.
6. Did a fair job at my studies and career, made it to the best colleges and to the best companies – Fairly happy about that.
7. Never thought I’d get back to dancing after I quit grad school – I’m proud I gave my first Kathak Performance last month. I gave Bharatnatyam performances on national TV at aged 6 and 9. I was the youngest in my batch then; I still regret the fact that I never pursued dance seriously.
8. Got my Driving License in Dubai a year before MDH got his. Drove him around – played the official chauffer without complaints; he was so proud of me. I still continue to be the official chauffer for my wonderful ‘Girl Gang’ here! Always wanted to own a SUV since I stepped into Dubai. Our first car is my big baby – my mini-dream come true.
9. MDH and I’ve done our small bit in helping a friend achieve his dream. His journey has just begun but every little achievement of his makes us proud – It’s like we are living his dream! I hope one day he will make the world his own.
10. Got a chance to interact with my only idol till date thanks to MDH – I’ve still preserved his mail in my inbox.
11. I’ve been extremely clear about the principles I’ve been brought up with, no conflicts there ever. I have never compromised on them and I know that sticking to them will pay-off, may be a little late but it will. Ethics come first, everything else follows.
12. My inner strength amazes me every time I’m shaken up. I have realized that I’m bloody strong & independent – that confidence helps me tackle anything and everything that I face in life.

I think I’m becoming a big sucker for these blogworld tags! I came across this one on Average Jane’s blog and had to take it up since it evoked so many lovely memories.

The ‘name taking’ ceremony is a huge and important part of the wedding rituals in a Maharashtrian Wedding. It all started because in yesteryears women never called their husbands by their first name. The husbands would be addressed as ‘Aho’ which means the same as ‘ Aap’ in Hindi. I cannot translate in English because such a tense does not exist in this language!

So the only time one got to address their husband with a first name was through this ‘ name taking’ ceremony. The name had to be taken in a limerick which is known as ‘Ukhana’ in Marathi. This has now become a traditional must at all Marathi weddings.

Creativity is not my forte and hence I did not take the risk of making a fool of myself in front of ten thousand relatives by composing one of my own. Plus I have a husband who writes such wonderful poems that will put many to a shame! So who would want to compete with him!

I borrowed some from my cousin sisters and here is what I churned out. The third one almost had my aunts and sisters banging their heads! The English translations won’t exactly sound the best so get hold of your Maharashtrian friends to read them out to you!

“Chandichya samaila sonyachi vaat
(A) che naav gheun karte jevayalaa survaat”

(The silver lamp had a golden wick, I take A’s name to begin my lunch with)

“Ratnagiriche Aambe ani Goache Kaju
(A) che naav ghayla me kashyala laju”

(Mangoes from Ratnagiri and Cashewnuts from Goa, To say A’s name why should I feel shy)

“Ek hoti Chiu, Ek hota Kau
(A) che naav ghete, doka naka khau”

(Once there was a sparrow, once there was a crow, I’m taking A’s name, so don’t eat my head anymore)

I thought I could give it a shot and here’s is what I came up with today:

Knowing how much I love cricket,
He was the only one to get my wicket,
Neither knew how the playing track would be,
But the partnership is still going strong and approaching 5 years of being together with thee ( i.e MDH)

Before I leave – I had to share MDH’s original compositions as well, yeah I know who the better one is:-)

The first inspired from my participation and selection for ‘Harsha Ki Khoj’ competition – city rounds.

“Shodh shodh shodhile, shevti jhale prayatna safal
Aho, Harsha chi Khoj kasli hi tar majhi Khoj Minal”

(I searched and searched, finally my efforts paid off, who said she is ‘Harsha ki Khoj’, she is my Khoj( discovery) Minal)

‘Talpatya unhat savli sheetal,
Ashyach eka kshani mala sapadli Minal”

(In the scorching heat, there is a soothing shade, in a similar moment I found Minal)

Average Jane thanks so much for this tag and I’m now tagging Sujatha, Starry Eyed, and Poonam. All those who read this are also tagged!

I think I’m getting addicted to this Tagging business. Nevertheless it’s fun. There are couple more to come but we will leave it for some other day!

Here is one I chanced on at Reema’s Blog

1. Q: When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

A: I’m so sleepy!

2. Q: How much cash do you have in your wallet right now?

A: AED 600

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

A: Roar

4. Q: What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?

A: The Harry Potter Theme

5. Q: Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?

A: There are only 2, one is MDH other is Mom(I just changed my phone yesterday)

6. Q: What are you wearing right now?

A: Apart from my formal office wear – my favourite Prada specs!

7. Q: Do you label yourself?

A: No, I don’t like to give people an inferiority complex;-)

8. Q: Name the brand of the shoes you currently own?

A: Formal – Catwalk, Casual – Pepper Tree , Vinci , Viss, Lush, Sports – Reebok

9. Q: Bright or Dark Room?

A: Bright! I’m shit scared of dark!

10. Q: What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?

A: I don’t know, I just chanced on her blog two days back. Of the first impression – interesting!

11. Q: What does your watch look like?

A: It’s a Longines – Round dial – Silver (MDH’s anniv gift)

12. Q: What were you doing at midnight last night?

A: Sleeping peacefully!

13. Q: What did your last text message you received on your cell say?

A: Message from my friend “yes me /mean agreed” after I wrote “you are mean” . Well we both are two of the same kind!

14. Q: What’s a word that you say a lot?

A: Crap

15. Q: Who told you he/she loved you last? (Please exclude spouse, family, children)

A: My school friend

16. Q: Last furry thing you touched?

A: My tiger Jennie and her cub –gabbar

17. Q: Favorite age you have been so far?

A: Age 15 – last year of school and it was special and fun. Life was so much less complicated.

18. Q: What was the last thing you said to someone?

A: ‘Take care’ to my bestest friend in USA after a 45 mins conversation!

19. Q: The last song you listened to?

A: Am listening to Chor Bazaari (the whole day today!)

20. Q: Where did you live in 1987?

A: At Worli, Mumbai

21. Q: Are you jealous of anyone?

A: Tons of people (Come on, I am human after all!)– in an admiring way!

22. Q: Is anyone jealous of you?

A: Yes for sure!

23. Q: Name three things that you have on you at all times?

A: My sarcasm, my wallet & my house-car keys

24. Q: What’s your favorite town/city?

A: Mumbai – Any doubts?

25. Q: When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?

A: In 2000, to my cousin brother – he was my only pen pal. (He passed away in 2001- I still have all the letters he wrote to me)

26. Q: Can you change the oil on a car?

A: Nope

27. Q: Your first love/big crush: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?

A: No idea

28. Q: Does anything hurt on your body right now?

A: Yes, my neck and back!

29. Q: What is your current desktop picture?

A: My company’s official wall paper

30. Q: Have you been burnt by love?

A : Never

Here is a meme I came by at Sands’ blog. For the original tag you need to go to Nupur’s blog and pick it up from there. I thought it was a very interesting tag since I’ve developed a fetish for cooking and food post my move to Dubai. I suggest all of you give it a shot, I had great fun doing this tag!

So here goes, the gist of the tag is as follows…

• Copy the entire list, along with these instructions, into your blog post
• Bold the foods that you have tried
• Strike out the foods you would never try
• Tell us your score in the comments
• If you wish to, make your own list or add to this one.

So here is Nupur’s 100 with my scores!

1. Ripe mangoes
2. Curd rice
3. Chaat
4. Phulka
5. Puran poli
6. Boiled Peanuts
7. Samosa
8. Stuffed baby eggplants – Tried as kid ( no choice right!), can’t have it now!
9. Aviyal
10. Stuffed paratha
11. Masala chai
12. Tirphal
13. Murukku
14. Curry leaves
15. Banana chips fried in coconut oil
16. Jaggery
17. Vada pav
18. Tender coconut water
19. Paneer
20. Madras filter coffee
21. Boondi laddoo
22. Boondi raita
23. Navratan korma
24. Kokum
25. Masala peanuts
26. A home-cooked Indian vegetarian meal
27. Sugarcane juice
28. Sabudana/sago in any form
29. Horsegram
30. Maggi noodles
31. Podi with rice and ghee
32. Roomali roti
33. Bitter gourd
34. Nylon sev
35. Vegetable biryani
36. Thali at a restaurant
37. Plantain flower – Cooked in my house, but will not try it!
38. Undhiyu
39. Nimbu pani
40. Papad
41. Kotthu parotta
42. Panch phoran
43. Drumsticks
44. Indian “French toast”
45. Sarson ka saag – (Find it too filmy to eat along with gajar ka halwa, hindi films have abused these two items!!)
46. Bhakri
47. Pav bhaji
48. Sitaphal – The one fruit you can make me try
49. Glucose biscuits
50. Sprouts
51. Chole-bhature
52. Amla
53. Tomato “omelet”
54. A wedding feast
55. Grilled corn on the cob with lemon juice, salt and chilli powder – (That’s bliss! To be had in rainy season walking along the beach or my favourite Worli Sea-face)
56. Cadbury’s fruit and nut chocolate – Tried do not like, plain is the best!
57. Sai bhaji
58. Solkadi – Tried do not like – yeah call me crazy!
59. Indian-Chinese meal
60. Jalebi
61. Black forest cake
62. Bharwa bhindi
63. Kashmiri saffron
64. Misal
65. Ripe jackfruit
66. Idli-chutney
67. ‘Tadgola’
68. Bhut jolokia
69. Baby mango pickle
70. Meal off a banana leaf
71. Falooda
72. Moong khichdi
73. Bebinca
74. Daal baati
75. Methi greens
76. Basundi
77. Gunpowder
78. Appam-stew
79. Sweet lemon pickle
80. Ridge gourd
81. Bisi bele bhath
82. Coconut burfi
83. Caramel custard
84. Thecha
85. Rasam
86. Baingan bharta
87. Mysore pak
88. Punjabi wadi
89. Chhunda – Sweet Mango pickle.
90. Dal makhani
91. Paper dosa
92. Gongura
93. Hand-churned butter – Malai never but homemade ghee I don’t need anything more with it! Yummy
94. Pakoda – All kinds anytime!
95. Curd chillies
96. Mustard oil
97. Fresh cashews – This is my all-time favourite veggie dish beats all non-veg dishes hands down
98. Tomato pickle – I don’t like tomatoes! Only use them when forced to!
99. Rajma-chawal – Tried but won’t eat anymore
100. Chaas

Score – 80%. I’m rather impressed with myself knowing how fussy I’m with my food habits! I’m more of a non-veg freak than veg hence the score surprises me. It’s like getting a century when you were expecting a duck!

Well here are some more I thought I would add to the list above: ( Just realized that listing foods can be an endless exercise – now waiting for more from some of you folks out there)
1) Pithla
2) Khaman Dhokla
3) Kachori
4) Onion Uttapam
5) Kanda Poha
6) Poori Bhaji
7) Aaloo Bonda
8) Kothimbir Wadi
9) Aaluchi Wadi
10) Ragda Pattice
11) Dahi Bhalla
12) Pachadi
13) Tikhat Shira
14) God Shira
15) Kala Vatana usal ( Black peas curry)
16) Kale Vaal Usal
17) Malida
18) Varan Bhaat
19) Molten Lava – Chilli’s
20) Coco’s Triple Dare Cake
21) World Class Chocolate – Baskin Robbins

It has been 3 years of expat life in Dubai! Although I would have loved to be a regular on my blog I could not, as I was adjusting to a new life and a whole new world of responsibilities!
So blogging took a backseat and I’m not going to promise that I shall be regular at it but I will try again:-)

This is inspired from the “25 not so random things about me”! Over the last few years in my transition from a protected only-child to a wife balancing work and home, I’ve developed a few quirks (‘MDH’ a.k.a. ‘My Dear Husband ’ almost treats them as my OCDs). Anyone who empathizes or sees any similarity is free to take up this tag “20 random quirks” and pass it around

1. I cannot stand a dirty kitchen and a sink with overflowing to-be-washed vessels. I need to clean it up before I sleep every single night, even if it takes me 11.00, 12.00 or 1.00 in the night!

2. My tolerance levels for dishelved wardrobe lasts for 5 days max, it needs to be set in order on the weekend, before the next work-week begins.

3. I hate grocery shopping, if you ask me how the prices of onions or tomatoes or potatoes or any other vegetables compare in Dubai to that in Mumbai I do not know and I do not care

4. I thank the creator of “Home Delivery”. Only after coming to Dubai did I realize that lemons and coriander could be home delivered for as minimum as an amount of AED 1/-

5. I dread cleaning up non-veg stuff a la fish, prawns, meat but the time I enjoy in my kitchen is when I cook these non-veg dishes

6. I get absolutely bored cooking any vegetarian meals, snacks work fine!

7. I hate giving my clothes for ironing to the laundry. I have to iron them and I’ve often re-ironed them even though they had come back from the laundry.

8. I have switched off from tech gadgets like mobile phones, playstations, blackberry etc. I use them for their basic functionalities alone!

9. Everytime I redo my wardrobe I find piles of my favorite clothes I’ve grown out of; I stack them in a bag to give them away someday, I still haven’t!

10. I often store important items in a “safe” place and can never remember it at the time I need them the most!

11. I used to hate it when mom nagged me on my room being unkempt, I now repeat the exact same words to MDH and he hates it!

12. I was extremely fussy about my eating habits and mom hoped it would change when I would have to cook for myself; it has now worsened since I get to decide what to cook and how to cook

13. Cooking and driving are now my stress relievers though I’m thankful I do not need them everyday

14. I miss the public transport system miserably (even though I have my own car). To realize the importance of public transport, try staying in Mumbai and London and then shift to Dubai; it feels like someone chopped off your legs!

15. Offices in Dubai commence at 7.30 -8.00 a.m – that’s too early for me 🙁

16. I’ve become an avid movie viewer but old habits die hard and I still have to read the review before I go for one.

17. My family thought I will not be able to manage cooking for even one person(considering I never cooked at home!), now I do it with ease for 15-20 people single-handedly

18. They tell me that the first scratch on your car hurts the most , but every scratch on my car small or big still hurts equally

19. I don’t mind the shopping, it’s the part of making place for the new things that irritates me the most

20. I hate staying alone, I dread the days when MDH goes off on his business trips!