Unrandom Updates!

Heylo beautiful peepul! Have I been missing from this lovely space for ages or what? And it's not a very good thing, considering how I've been learning and experiencing and thinking so much that it should be put down. I mean, when I'm 60 and bored and reading my old posts, it would suck if I wouldn't even remember how I changed, right? Plus, one of you lovely readers mentioned how I haven't updated the blog since forever, while wishing me a happy happy birthday, which was so sweet, so this is for you! (For those who don't know, this *very* talented blogger's birthday has just passed. I'm still accepting wishes. *wink wink*)

Back to the point. This is not a very random post, as you intelligent people might have inferred from the title already (duh), even though it's not entirely planned either. I just realized there have been incidents and stuff that should be recorded for future reference, hence, the post. My life's been... what do we call something that seems boring on the surface but isn't? I've been enjoying my work life so far, and I don't mean we party in office all the time (except for the occasional ordering-out food nearly twice or thrice a week, which has very conveniently made me unfit for almost all my clothes!). What I mean is that it's the work I'm enjoying so far. It's kind of cool. Heck, it's very cool! And I say it seems boring because well, normal people won't understand it. It looks boring on the surface, but I love it. So yay! Besides, have I been feeling all mature or what? I so have a separate post ready to talk about the gyaan stuff I have realized. I can't wait to put it down! 

Back again, to this post. (I think I have ODD - Obsessive Distraction Disorder)

# 1: Scoot-ery adventures!

I just recalled after coining this term, that my grandmom used to call Scoot, scootery. :') I know. I inherited my cuteness from her. 

You'd know by now how Scoot forms an imperative part of my life. She is the reason I even reach office (and previously, colleges and tuitions and grocery stores and what-not), and it's obvious that I'd have a range of stories relating to her, some of which I've mentioned before. So for the.... fourth? Fifth time, without any inkling as to what was going to happen, I set out for office. It was 9 am in the morning. (OK, I was late. So maybe ten minutes after that) Just as I reached 1/5th of the distance to reach the metro station, Scoot stopped and refused to restart. Dragging it aside, I tired a few times, not bothering to try the kick-start because it was cold, and who wants to get their feet hurt in such a weather? So after some fruitless tries, it finally dawned on me. Uh oh. I had, as always, ignored mom's warnings and dad's rules, and not checked the quantity of petrol (the petrol indicator is moody, so it's become kind of non-trustworthy). 

Scoot!

Putting the helmet aside (still haven't got a purple one), I opened the rubber seal and peeped inside. *Gulp* The petrol tank was dry. I had no idea how that was even possible. I'd got a lot of petrol for Scoot just some days ago! Or was it weeks? Time passes by so quickly that we don't even realize it. How was I to realize it in the case of petrol, of all things? I called dad, who, after laughing at me first (I heard that, dad -_-), asked me what I'd do now. Since the petrol pump was a little distance away, I figured I'd just drag Scoot there and get it filled up. Dad wished me luck and hung up. See? That's called confidence. ;)

So yeah, donning my bond-avatar in a matter of seconds, I set to work. Got Scoot to cross the road and started walking with it to the petrol pump, which was actually fun. To begin with, I got started on the much-needed exercise in the fresh morning air. Then I'm assuming that the glances I received from random people were appreciative, and not piteous. Since I was anyway late, I decided not to worry and just chill in the winter chill. :P Finally when it was my turn at the petrol pump and the guy opened the tank to fill some in, he looked at me wide eyed. 

'But this is entirely empty!' he said, nearly hysterical. 

Now, why do people worry about strangers so much? I almost wanted to pat him on the shoulder and say, 'It's all right dude. I'm fine.'

'Yeah I know,' I replied. 'I dragged it all the way.' *hides a smile*

I'm sure he must have kept my story to narrate to his friends and family, just like I did. 

# 2: Happy Birthday!

Birthday was cool this year. I think birthdays help us realize the level of closeness we have in all sorts of relationships! Think about it. You get to see your current status of harmony with different people, which of course, keeps fluctuating throughout, but it becomes oh-so-clear on birthdays. That's a different point, though. Beginning this year, I started sharing my birthday with someone else in the family. He's a cute little nephew, who I obviously love more just by virtue of being born on the same day. :P Since it was his first birthday, the family had a grand celebration, and in all of it, I ended up meeting my extended family, all of whom warmly wished me too. To add to that, they had a separate cake and all for me as well, so that was a beautiful surprise. We ended up having a gala time - food, fun, dance, pictures, jokes, chocolates and lots of love!

That's not all. That was also the day when I formally began a year-long mission I've set with dad. We have this idea about exploring Delhi, together, throughout the year and document it all. There is this old gurudwara behind Humanyun's Tomb where I had once been as a kid, and just the memory of it made me love it so much. We went there in the morning and that's the first place we visited as part of that plan. Isn't that awesome? :') If any of you have ideas about how this can be made to work out better, do write to me!

Gurudwara Damdama Sahib, Delhi

# 3: The Candy Kid

There's a house being constructed near my place, on a road that I use every evening. One of such evenings, I spotted a candy-floss bhaiya outside our gate and just for the sake of childhood, got one and started walking to the gurudwara nearby. It took just one small bite to realize that I could never finish it, what with being mentally allergic to sweets and all. That's when I spotted this tiny kid doing something comical in front of this construction house, while a woman in a red sari, presumably his mother, looked on, smiling at him. His eyes found the pink wad of cotton candy in my hands and he stood still, while his mother transferred the smile on to me.

'Will he have this?'

The woman nodded.

The kid nearly snatched it away and with a shout of joy and a tumble of words on top of his voice, went running inside to show it to his siblings. 

The next time I found the candy bhaiya, I got one for the kid. But the kid was not at home, so I handed it to the delighted mother. On my way back, I saw three grown-ups - the red sari woman and another couple, sharing bits of candy and having it. Who says candy's only for little children? :')

# 4: Photographic Happiness

It was a weekend, and I was home. Recalling my pre-MBA days, I picked up a book and my camera and went to the park. It was afternoon, and that time of the year when flowers actually bloom and birds, real birds actually happen to be on those flowers! While I was busy clicking tiny spiderhunters, a group of kids came running from nowhere and scrambled towards the swings, shouting and rejoicing in merriment. After a while, a young girl called out to me.

'Didi! Hamari bhi photo le lo!'

She seemed to be the leader of the group, barely ten years old. I set out to click some candid, and some not-so-candid pictures as the group slowly warmed up to me, and to the idea of getting their pictures clicked. They told me their parents worked 'somewhere just outside the block', and that they're here to play and usually stay till evening. They seemed delighted when they saw their pictures on the camera's screen, so I told them that I'd get some of them printed and get those for them. 

'Didi, isko de dena meri photo. Mai school jaati hu,' said the group leader, pushing forward a tiny girl who matched her features. Her sister, probably.

Smile!

Two weeks later as I made my way into the park with a brown envelope in hand, it was amazing to see how, when the lead-girl recognized me, shouted out for everyone to come over and they all came running up to me. Their excitement was contagious, and you had to look at the restraint and control they had! While I carefully laid down the photos for them to choose, there was hardly any pushing around, and the little ones waited while the eldest handed them the photos in which they featured. The next second, the group leader put her thin arms around me in a hug and asked me to click some more. 

What did I get out of it? Happiness. Was it charity? No. It was just something I felt like doing, at that moment, never realizing how much it can mean to a bunch of kids whose parents are everyday labourers in a city like Delhi. I also saw how these kids, deprived of most things those middle-class and above take for granted, are much more capable of patience and discipline. Can you imagine handing a thin sheet of a picture to a five year old in your family, fully trusting them to take care of it? With the way I've seen so many brutes, I can't do that. But these children did, holding those pieces of paper like they were delicate treasures, which I suppose for them, they were.

# 5: The Work Life

Life as a professional worker is so different from college life, although I realized that it is up to a person to make it different. For me, it's something that suits me more than college, because here, I can really, actually do what I think is right without worrying that much about the mundane things. Probably because I was exhausted by the end of it, I prefer this life way more than college. It's more empowering, it's more satisfying (dealing with sensible people rather than being forced into a classroom with weird people) and it's a lot more about learning. Again, it depends on how you perceive it and how seriously you take it. 

For those of you just out of college, or going to be out of college, I'd suggest you to put in your best, plan everything and do the kind of work you want to, in the way you want to. It might not be possible initially, but if you know where your goal is, that journey would feel great. You'll meet nice people, you'll learn amazing stuff, and trust me, you won't miss the masti in college as much as you think. You might just feel too grown up for all that stuff, like I do these days. I know, I sound like a 35 year old, right? But that's just the truth. And that mostly applies to work. It is now that I feel truly at peace with myself, it is now that I have begun to understand myself, and this is something everyone must experience in order to live happier lives. 

Psst: I have a new blog for my adventures at the work place, but it won't disclose my identity. I got it up more than a month ago, but there are no posts yet. If you'd like to read it too, send me an email and I'll let you know what that is! Provided though, you fill in a secrecy form where you pledge not to disclose my identity, failing which the curse with which the form is bound, would befall on you. (Told ya I'm a witch. If you still don't know how, read my previous post already!) So that's really up to you, and for those really interested.   

# 6: Culinary Crafts

I want to start this point with a LOL, but since that'd be self derogatory, I won't. I'm someone who is so not interested in cooking. I respect it a lot, because that's how I get to eat food in the first place, and some dishes just look like a work of art, but I don't particularly feel inclined towards cooking anything myself. Except recently, sometimes, I do. Don't ask why, because I don't know it myself. So whatever, I liked this page on Facebook where recipes by Masterchef Pankaj Bhadouria are shared, and today, I made this dish called Paneer Hariyali Tikka, except that I added baby corn and mushroom to the mix (umm. Not a very good idea). But it was still yum, so you can check it out too!

The point here was how I managed to make it. For someone who's the nightmare of chefs, it can be difficult. I decided to check for ingredients in the afternoon, so I could get what was missing in the meantime. As soon as I opened the fridge, I realized dad had been to the mandi today, so it was loaded with vegetables. I needed mint and coriander. There were about five different bundle of leaves in front of me. How is someone supposed to differentiate? I knew how mint should smell, so the first bundle that felt like mint was taken aside. I knew how spinach looked like, so that was out. By way of this shortlisting, I was left with one bundle, but that was not coriander. Because coriander leaves have a design, and these were plain. (Stop laughing already, you -_-)

Me: *calls G* What are you doing?

G: Having lunch. 

Me: How are we supposed to differentiate between dhaniya and pudina?

G: *pause* What did you say?

Me: HOW SHOULD I RECOGNIZE DHANIYA?

G: *munches his own lunch*

Me: Dude, I need to cook something for dad and I can't find dhaniya. I'll whatsapp you pictures, tell me which one is that, okay?

G: *bursts out laughing* You're crazy.

Me: -_- Whatever. Sending them soon.

I'm not explaining anymore, since you're probably guffawing by now, or already left the blog thinking what a crackpot I am. In either case, here, take this stare --> -_- and know that I don't care. Huh. 

In the end, this was the result. And it tasted good. ;)

Are you still reading? Are you awesome or what? :') If you reached here, leave a comment so I'll know who all deserve a bone-crushing hug. Until next time, see you! *_*  

PS- Does anyone remember I started a meme called Theandric Thursday? The most ardent follower of it recently posted a TT post. Check it out here.

Oh.... Photography is your hobby?

.... ‘sirf jaanwaron aur phool patton ki photos lete ho ya hamari bhi loge?’ Add a wickedly curious expression with eyebrows raised, more towards one side and you get a complete picture of how ‘people’ near us bechare photography lovers generally act, with no consideration whatsoever. Yes, the concept of ‘photography’ has grown too wide with all those dazzling and amazing digital cameras with so many equally amazing in-built features, and with astounding new software to edit pictures, so that now there are thousands of enthusiasts calling themselves ‘photographers’. I also know and believe that the dear old SLRs your dad still has are the real gems of wonder, simple and beautiful. Besides, ‘real’ photography is learned when you see how shutter and aperture, the two prime mechanics in any camera, work, and you know how to control them and you use them while taking pictures instead of using your favourite ‘Auto’ mode. I’m not criticizing the Auto mode users, which is most of what most basic digital cameras have, but those who only ever seem to click pictures in Automatic, then do Autocorrect on their laptops or the slightly intelligent ones might actually adjust the Brightness and Contrast and Hue (or use those color modes or whatever) and put up those pictures as ‘photography’ done by them.

My camera's lens! :D

Puhleez! Maana you have great devices for your use, but you cannot compare it with what the ‘real’ old photographers do (read use SLRs or DSLRs for that matter, but in Manual mode because they actually know that it’s really possible to be creative while clicking itself! If any of those great people are reading this, they’d know I mean it’s possible to click pictures the likes of which you get after editing. Or even better). I sometimes always feel great when I think about how I learned this beautiful art. I’m even thankful I didn’t own a digital camera back then! Because, I got to learn from a real SLR and a DSLR, understanding the basic mechanics in depth and when I had to practice, all I had was my dad’s three SLRs saved from his young days when photography was his hobby. (I’ve a lot of hereditary characteristics ;))

So, I had about 34 chances because that’s all you’ve got in a roll/film and guess how it helped? I used the manual settings very carefully because once spoiled, you’ve wasted a picture! It’s not like you can delete it and move on. It’s heartbreaking! And I’ll tell you what was heartbreaking. I took all sorts of pictures over a week, all kinds of creative stuff I could think of and gave it for developing. Only 13 pictures turned out, of which just 5 were clear (one of the best one is in a frame on my study table. Proof of hard work, you see). Turned out that there was some problem with the camera since it hadn’t been used for a while (we had started using a Sony Handycam, because of which the poor SLR was neglected). I cried then, seeing all my hopes and possible pictures ruined. But I did learn to respect SLRs. They give you limited chances and because of that, you learn better. :) (Just by the way, I got a semi-DLSR a year after I started learning photography and I use it now. Yeah, with the manual mode).

(Adding a picture I clicked, yes, in manual, using the settings in the camera, so it's not edited with any software)

Coming to what was supposed to be the main point of this whole post (I know I deviated again, sorry, got too emotional ;)), is the way ‘people’ perceive us (the real ones and umm, those who have the delusion of being a ‘photgrapher’ as well. Let’s just be kind enough to consider them too).

Instance # 1: Aim: To photograph the beautiful, red hibiscus flowers in the park. And oh, don’t miss those swift spiderhunters who’d look awesome in your picture!

Eyes squinted, I look through the viewfinder (I prefer using that over the screen. Otherwise you don’t get that photographer ‘feel’ ;)), press my feet against the boundary wall, take in a breath and pause, the right index finger half-pressing the ‘click’ button, waiting for that nanosecond when the bird will pause. Just as it does and my finger presses onto the button waiting for that awesome click, I hear a shuffle of feet and startled, I miss my shot. I look around to see two women looking uncomfortable, but determined, watch me. ‘We saw you moving all over the park with your camera (which is big, by the way. Not very big like DSLRs, but almost, anyway). 'Are you a reporter or something?’ asks the plump one, throwing a glance towards her partner, who nods enthusiastically.

This is how I might look to them,
except that I'd be squinting through
that viewfinder.

Depressed by the thought that I’m that unknown in my own locality, I sigh and say, no. I live here and I’m just photographing ‘Nature’. They give a confused expression. ‘Is this for a school project?’ the other one asks. First, I’m kind of happy at the word ‘school’, because that means I look like a school kid to her! Second, I’m confused. No, I say, it’s because I like it, it’s a hobby. *flashing a smile* Oh, they say, looking at me as if I’m some poor thing with such a weird hobby, which by the way, it is not. Weird, I mean. It’s awesome!

Instance # 2: Aim: Putting up some of the great good pictures on Facebook, because duh! I’m proud of them and I want to show-off let others see them too.

Friends see the pictures, ‘Like’ them, comment with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ (which I like, very very much ;)) and then ask later when we meet, if I can click their pictures too. I’ve never ever tried clicking portraits. It involves talking with people which I don’t like and asking them to give weird poses, which I don’t like either. Okay, it’s not really weird poses. They are normal, and good. But since I never even tried, I say maybe I can, I’ve never done portraits before. A couple of friends finally got me to click their pictures and they were quite happy (I was too). They could have been better with editing, but I didn’t edit on PC. I somehow feel it makes it fake :| Don’t know why, though yes, I do know it’s sometimes needed and desirable too. (I do a bit of that now, though).

This is one of my aunts!

The friends' photo-shoot!

Anyway, we were clicking them in the same park previously mentioned, which attracted the attention of a few fitness-seeking aunties too, who gave us curious stares looks, though thankfully, didn’t say anything. Except that I had a few naughty kids come up behind me and try to peep into the camera to see what I was clicking. Or how. As soon as I turned to them, they flew, literally. (Do I seriously look that dangerous? I meant to ask them if they wanted their picture clicked). But that’s where the difference between the middle class and the poor comes. There was a house being constructed and a couple of labourer ladies who were resting, sat watching us. I knew them. I had passed them maybe a hundred times over the past few months, sometimes giving a sweet or two to the little girl with them who loves to play. They love the camera, which is a wonder for them. They politely asked if I could click a picture of them and when I did and showed it, one said, ‘arre! Dekho, aa bhi gaya itni jaldi! Bahut acha hai’ all smiling, a little bit shy. The other one always asks for a picture of the little girl, which I readily take, since she’s just adorable. (I wanted to give them a couple of prints, but they left before I even knew! :|)

Instance # 3: Aim: Actually, nothing! It’s just something I heard being said.

A neighbourhood lady comes to my Mom, and while chatting (for about 2 minutes, my Mom isn’t much of a talker either), tells her about a ‘professional’ photographer with a ‘real’ DSLR camera who’ll be coming to her place to click some family pictures- for free (since he’s her husband’s friend). She asks if Mom’s interested and if she wants my pictures too. Mom says a mild yes, maybe torn between the possibility that someone might just be able to click a picture of her that she finally likes (according to her, it’s just my dad who’s capable of clicking good pictures of people. We’re just idiots), and that maybe I would like to have a picture clicked too. Yes, I do have fascinating dreams of having my wonderful looking life-size portraits at home, but umm.. I’m too shy for it now. Anyway, Mom asks about the charges and she says, ‘Ohh.. he won’t charge! Wo bada wella hai.. raste me chalte chalte jaanwaron ki photos leta rehta hai. Uski hobby hai na.’

Bass... This is what prompted me to write whatever I’ve written. This is how people see us? Guys! We like clicking pictures, it’s an art. And if someone is being bold enough to go around clicking pictures for their pleasure, I salute them! Best wishes to you, sir! :D

PS- Theandric Thursday is on a short hiatus and I'll revive it when I have more time. :) Can't say anything for sure.. I might just surprise myself by writing it soon! :P

A New Year, New Living; beyond everyday...

I've done it again! Surprised myself, that is- by coming up with this post- when I had intended to abstain from posting on New Year Resolutions, what with the pointless messages (since who has ever fulfilled their resolutions?) and such a busy schedule that I thought I wouldn't get the time to write anyway. I had thought I'll re-post my last year's piece on New Year Resolutions (I resolve to...), however useless it might be! But then, as I unfolded this Saturday's (Dec 24th) issue of Mint Lounge (which I really enjoy reading. That's a different matter I subscribed to Mint to increase my economic and business related knowledge of which I just read the headlines :P), I was hooked to the cover story! It was on how we can make 2012, or our life for that matter, last longer, by engaging in activities that are fulfilling and that will make memories worth cherishing! That was what the whole paper was about. It spanned 14 whole pages, but I read it anyway, slowly, carefully, to take everything in.

Anyway, the point is, I was SO influenced by the things they said, I couldn't help jotting stuff down in my diary and thought it would be even better if I could arrange it into a blog-post! So here are a few points I think are worth trying. Not in a single year people! That wouldn't even be possible, but in our lifetime. These are really simple things, that can make us grow internally, love infinitely and live fulfillingly (I know that is no word, but it had to rhyme!). And yeah, if you aren't capable of reading really long articles, you better stop now :P

1. Mending cracks with a friend

A friend who was with you in Class 1, or someone you loved but lost contact with, over your busy lives and long time periods? It would be so emotionally fulfilling to see them again, to be able to talk to them about the lovely moments we shared. This is something definitely worth trying. They're all in our Facebook friend list, why not give them a visit too? :) I can think of a few names I would love to see again, let's see how this works out!

2. Cut the fast food

Now THAT's gonna be difficult! In these times of pre-packaged foods, what we consume is mostly inorganic and preserved. But, apart from health reasons, we can enjoy our food better when we've taken out hours and our energies to create something (like spices). Though I'm not fond of cooking, I guess it would be worth a try.

3. Freewheeling!

One of my favorite ideas! It says 'ditch the car, get a bicycle'. You may wonder if I'm mad, preferring a bicycle over a car, but yes! I have always loved bicycles and now I guess, it would be quite cool if I could move around in one. For one, I could save on petrol, my pocket money and the environment and two, I would get some exercise! (Dad, I know you'll be reading this! See the hidden request? ;) )

4. Puzzling!

Having to solve a really big jigsaw puzzle, one that could take you months to complete, having the family to sit and work on it once in a while. That sounds fun! We could preserve the puzzle as a sweet memoir, one that would make us remember the time we spent on putting it together. How about a family photo puzzle? :) There were mentioned a couple of websites that could help create puzzles for us.  

5. Creating your own signature scent!

This is something I'm definitely going to try. The recipe for making your own perfume is so simple! We just need some essential oils, base oil, alcohol ad distilled water, along with some creativity and personal taste! It's all about mixing stuff together, adding more of what you like to get your own scent. That would mean visiting the small lanes of old Delhi to reach apothecaries that stock the ingredients. A really simple recipe, that's going to be fun to try. :)

6. Play with Clay

Clay pots are something we made in Art class in school, maybe just once. The uneven surface, the funny shapes and the clay scent, it was all that we enjoyed at that time. But why not now, too? Wouldn't it give us so much pleasure to be able to have our hands around the clay, watching with marvel the shapes we can create? There's a Delhi Blue Pottery Trust that offers a six month course in pottery, and the course fee isn't even exorbitant! If I'm able to get admitted to a good college and have the valuable resource, time, in my hands, I'm definitely going for it. If not now, some other time for sure. It's been added to my list!

7. Going back to the Pen

I am such a hypocrite! Here I am, typing down these words with so much gusto and talking about how we should not let go of the pen. But still, I will try, since these words from the paper were quite influencing- " The written word, as a creative art, was once about individuality of expression. A writer was defined by the kind of pen he used". These words could also be quite depressing for someone like me, who hasn't written an essay with a pen (apart from exams of course!). Even notes in college are photocopies from different books and the subjects too boring to make your own notes. No wonder I'm the only one who finds my handwriting legible. :/ And to think there was a time when I did nothing apart from writing (with pencils, I mean) and drawing. There was a different kind of satisfaction, one that I'm going to renew now. :) 

(anyone volunteer to be my typist??? I'm obviously not going to write down the same things twice!)

8. Back to your Mother Tongue

We've all been raised up to learn English- the most important of all languages, if we don't want to make a fool of ourselves as and when we grow up (though that's a different matter I've discovered now it really doesn't make much difference. You could excel in any language, just be dedicated to your job, and life). And an even different matter that I have always loved English, making faces when I had to learn Hindi at school. But isn't it true that you're kind of recognized by your own culture and regional language too? I remember getting Punjabi-learning books when I was young (and hadn't seen the real world and had too much enthusiasm), but I wasn't dedicated. It wasn't something I had to excel at to get good marks (Don't blame me for this outlook! Point your fingers to the education system here!), hence I still can't read in Punjabi (here goes my reputation :/). But I think I would like to go back to it, and I think you should, too. :) (not to Punjabi, confused people, but to whatever language is your Mother Tongue- Urdu, Malayalam, Tamil, Asamese, whatever!)

9. Climb up rocks..

Considering I always get so excited I could cry, at the prospect of adventure sports, this is one point I would want to work on like crazy! Rock climbing! Forget all the health and body, stamina blah blah reasons they give, I just know I would love to do that, and that's it! (Thank you Mint, for giving names of relevant clubs in Delhi). And I loved this line from the paper- "Climbing is a pensive, personal and challenging sport. The ground is our comfort zone, we are safe on it, and so to take just the first step up a wall, even if roped, is to walk past fear". :)

10. Wildlife Photography

I can say nothing on it except that you probably already know I've been crying out in a hoarse voice since the last two years, begging my parents to take me to some wildlife park, but I still haven't been to any and I'm still crying over it. Not that I am not independent, but not old enough to go on my own (wellll, maybe :P). 2012, Please! Let you be the year I FINALLY get to see the mystical forces of nature and wildlife and of course, to photograph them. ;) Away from city life, into a jungle. Really worth a try! (My Mom thinks I'm mad for thinking like this, but I don't think so. I know we have a 'real' and 'practical' life to live, but we can surely give one day to some senseless desire, that is always much more fulfilling).

11. Plant. Bonsai.

Before I read this, the only thing that came into my mind at the mention of the word "Bonsai" was the extraordinarily yummy pickles made from Bonsai-oranges and gifted to us by Mom's friend's Mom! But the idea that I could have one such plant in my own home is quite interesting. It doesn't even require much space and to see something grow at your own hands, and the final result of so much perseverance, the idea is surely  inviting. :) 

                                 

12. Give a gift that lasts...

It's so tough to think of gifts to give to our friends, relatives and other people you want to present gifts (in some cases you actually don't WANT to, then this point can be ignored). One such idea here, I think, is genius! Find out what the person is really interested in (gardening, photography, art!) and gift them a yearly subscription of a magazine related to their field of interest and one that's not easily available on the stands. That way, the person won't only think of the occasion on which you gifted them, but also of you. (The italicized lines are from the paper. I'm not a plagiarist, just so you know). And this is in no way, my indirect manner of giving you ideas of what you can gift me. I'm not that far gone. :P

13. Build a family tree...

This can be quite challenging, what with the enthusiasm in the family to extend the family as far as possible, spreading across the whole planet! But it would be so much fun too, visiting relatives you haven't seen in months (or years!), and maybe even discovering that the weird guy in your chacha's neighborhood is actually your dad's brother's wife's second cousin! A website, genealogy.com could be of help. I want to try this out! That would take a really long time, considering the huge number of cousins of cousins I have, but if I'm successful, I could have my own huge family tree painting in the living room (I get such weird ideas from fiction. Blame Harry Potter and Sirius Black in this case).

14. Visit a museum a month

Even this is something I've been bawling over. But now I think I am capable of going on my own. I still haven't even seen the National Museum in my own city, just because no one bothers to accompany me! Mom, please don't think it's a direct threat (if at all you will read this), but I'll start off on my own if you don't come with me! Museums can be a wonderful source of knowledge and learning. It's so much better to learn history and about landmark events through art.

15. Breathe!

Usually I'm not a yoga type of a person but I sure am concerned about my health and living peacefully. This one talked about how our breaths actually control our life. I don't have much to say except I'm following this from now on. An excerpt from the paper- "In Sept, WHO reported that with rapid industrialization, India is one of the worst affected by air pollution and an epicenter for lung diseases. Our age is one of short, sharp, half-lung breaths. No wonder, we are so angry all the time. Breathing is the metronome to your day. To control breath is to control life itself. To realign life, begin with one, full, deep, clear inhalation. Breathe, now."

There were 50 such points, of which these 15 are ones I'm definitely gonna give a shot! Apart from these, I listed down a few of my own

- Learn Geography: I admit I'm not so good at it, and it's such a shame considering the fact that I would love to move around the world and discover new places.. Work on it, work on it!

- Record : My scrap-file still hasn't been justified, scraps from papers are still lying around pointlessly. About time I file them properly!

- Learn a new language: Something I've been trying to do since the last two years and almost did this year, but backed out at the last minute. 

- Concentrate: Whatever I will do, I will give my full concentration to it, to be able to learn something valuable. Multi-tasking has its side effects, one of which includes lack of concentration. Take things one at a time. :)

Really, there are such wonderful things, waiting to be explored, and here we are, scraping off the stale days all the time. These things will make memories, and will mark the time we did them, thus making and marking our years, and subsequently, our life. :)

Of course, all this isn't possible in a single year, and these aren't even my resolutions, but things I discovered must be undertaken in our life. These are so simple, so easy and really, just so small, but the happiness and fulfillment they have the power to give us, is too overpowering. I will try these out, will you? :)

Wishing everyone a Very Happy New Year and a life full of enjoyment and smiles. :)
Love, Spread Love, Live. :)

A completely CRAZY day with friends!!!

The alarm clock buzzed the soft, soothing tune (another reason why I always end up being sleepy than ever!) and I carelessly hit the snooze button (the obvious first step). I have no clue if it buzzed again, but I got up with a headache and saw the time. It was 11.53am! Aneesha and Richa (two of my cool buddies) were supposed to reach my place at 12! Not that I expected them to be on time, but still. I should at least have brushed my teeth till then! :P

Anyway, like normal Indian people, they reached an hour late, laughing and smiling and I knew it was a perfect day for some much needed post-exam fun! We chatted and gossiped and laughed and discussed and argued, all while munching chips and gulping down coke. They had even got a couple of scrumptious pastries and surprised me by presenting two beautiful and lovely handmade cards and a small gift! It was apparently my belated birthday celebration! (Isn't the bee just so cute? :D)

  

We are the kind of friends who like to throw away 'formalities' into a large smelly trash bin! We wanted to have fun, and after rummaging in some cupboards, I got out a few old games. The boxes were dirty but we didn't mind a single bit. We rejected chess (not so much fun), the business game (as if we didn't have enough of the business stuff already), tambola (three people wouldn't be much fun for it), speller (reciting the spelling of Czechoslovakia? Nope!) and finally settled on Hangman! Something we played with a million years ago! It was actually fun though, creating names with those plastic pieces, arguing over the score, guessing stupid stuff and clicking pictures (obviously!). 

Hangman, while we played. :)

That was when we realized that we were feeling ravenous. We decided to order in from Dominos. I really don't like talking over the phone with strangers (Thank God for that. It means I wouldn't ever have to resort to working in a call center. Not that I want to, no way!) so Aneesha was the one who called the outlet and ordered two medium pizzas. They already had our home address and number on records, since we frequently order from there. As soon as she disconnected the line and we saw each other, some kind of weird understanding passed, and the three of us immediately decided we don't want two pizzas and in less than a minute, Aneesha called them back and requested for a change.

However, to our surprise, the guy refused! He curtly told us that the order's ready and can't be changed. Hello? We placed the order less than a minute ago! How can it be ready? I took the cell from Aneesha and said, "Hello? Are you going to change the order or not?" (Yeah, I felt very bond-like). He said No, it can't be changed. That flared up the anger in me and I asked him to cancel the order. "We don't want anything from you", I blew into the tiny cell phone. The (shamelessly rude) guy said, "Then we won't accept any orders from you again". "Fine", I yelled and hung up!

We laughed at the idiocity of it all, but we wanted the pizzas! We were hungry, and so much in the mood for pizza that we couldn't let it go! Richa then called from her cell, and like the idiots that we are, we placed the same (changed) order and of course, the guy got suspicious and when we gave the address (which of course, was the same), he refused! That was SO unfair! I mean, just for asking for a change in the order? Dad would obviously take care of it though, I thought to myself, but we wanted the pizzas! We decided to actually visit the outlet, the same one, and gorge on pizzas there! Yes, we are that far gone! But then, that's what makes us crazy. ;) 

We decided to visit the park for the photo session (they wanted their pictures clicked by me! OK, by the camera, which is really good, but still, I was supposed to click, right? I hadn't even experimented with portraits photography, so I wasn't sure I would be able to make them happy). We were totally in the mood to have fun. For once, I didn't feel awkward as I squatted on the ground, to click their pictures from different angles (it was because I am now much more confident, okay? And not because there wasn't a single other soul there, except for a funny looking aunty who stared inappropriately long at us every time she walked past, and of course, some dogs who were basking in the sun). 

 On the slide before the dogs barked!

They posed on different swings and I clicked. Once they were on top of a short slide and I was clicking, when I heard the many barks of the dogs! They were somehow disturbed and chasing each other. I looked around to see Richa's eyes wide with fear. She screamed to God for help (hahahahhaa) and immediately slid down the slide, while I struggled to get out of her way (not much success though, the side of her head hit my camera, which shut off on it's own!). We went crazy laughing out at the situation, while Richa tried to give an explanation. (she said dogs can climb up slides! As if the dogs would leave me, who was on the ground, and go for them, on top of swings! LOL!). We anyway carried on with the session for a while, before Richa completely freaked out when she saw the time! We still had to go to Dominos and she had her tuition class too. (Imagine, tuition in college!). But the photo session made me realize that I CAN click good portraits! We loved the pictures!

Cute pictures, right? :)

We hurried out to find a rickshaw to take us to PVR, a five minute thingy from my place. The rickshaw puller demanded more than necessary, and I wasn't going to take in more unfair stuff than what I already had endured with the pizza guy. We refused to take it and started looking for another one when a frantic dog came rushing at us. Reflexes made both, Aneesha and Richa jump into the rickshaw! I stood there, trying to shield myself from the dog, which I realized was the one that roams around in our neighborhood and whose life I had once saved. Well, kind of. It wouldn't bite me, if it had any manners. I refused to get on the rickshaw because the puller was smirking! At me, at my friends, at the situation! How dare he? He thought we couldn't do without him, did he? I refused to get on it, so both of them got down as well. (Quite some show we put up there). That's what Ego does. It's a very strange, weird and dangerous thing.

We started walking in the hope that we'll find another one, with Richa walking speedily in front of us (wow. She was really serious about her tuition class). However, we did not find anything as we continued walking and soon decided to walk the rest of the length, since now we were so close it would have been stupid if we took a rickshaw! High on adrenalin, laughing and walking fast, we soon reached the doors to Dominos. Smirking, we got in and innocently looked up the menu. Ordering pizza, pasta, coke and chicken wings (that looked extraordinarily yummy from the picture on the menu), we sat down to wait. While our order was being processed somewhere inside the kitchen, we took pictures and wondered who could possibly be the guy who blacklisted my address. We spied on the people who picked up calls for home delivery and soon enough, a guy with spectacles matched our description. He was curt and looked like a strict school teacher. The no-nonsense types. We looked at the name plate and remembered it, in case it came up in the future, I would know.

(That's me, with Aneesha and Richa respectively) 

Our food arrived and we hungrily grabbed it, not bothering with any formalities (like, "you have it first", du-uh!). The chicken wings didn't look as tasty as they did on the menu. We asked them if it was the same thing. It was the strict guy that answered and he offered to get it a little more baked. We agreed and then, it wasn't so bad after all. We finished everything, too full to even move, but we couldn't possibly sit there all day. Or night. Whatever. We left the place but I had a suspicious feeling that they knew. Of course they would, we gave them the same number we used to call them, I realized with a jolt. But whatever, what could they do?

We said our goodbyes and I reached home, immensely satisfied and feeling that intense happiness you only sometimes get when you're really feeling exhilarated! When it's your heart that's happy and pumping like there's no better thing. (well, what else could a heart do anyway?). It wasn't over though. I switched on the laptop and filed a complaint, requesting them to remove our address from the blacklist. Soon enough, Dad got a call and the chief said he'll make sure nothing like that happens again. Ha! Take that you 'no-nonsense' man! :P

It was fun while I transferred the pictures into the laptop and e-mailed them to Aneesha and Richa. I uploaded some on Facebook (of course!) and we again re-lived the moments online! It was an amazing day. It may sound absolutely crazy or totally boring to you, but it was certainly much more to me. We had so much fun, after such a long time. Aneesha and Richa, I hope we always stay such friends, loving each other and continuing carrying out crazy ideas, no matter how old we get. :)