The 10 Day 'You' Challenge: Day 8 - Eight Fears

Image Source: thadz

Ghosts: Terribly afraid! In fact, even as I was writing this and searching for pics, my heart was racing!

Darkness: Probably connected with the above fear! Much like the infamous Boggart (Check out the link non-HP readers!), shadows start taking on suspicious shapes and menacing figures all around me in the dark! How did i manage to live all by myself for months together? No idea! My husband and I have had several fights on who turns off the lights at night every day (obviously it’s him ;-))

My loved ones dying: I love my life but I am not afraid to die as such although the thought of facing the loss of my near and dear ones, makes my heart grow cold.

Image Source: Hybridsis

Manner of dying: As said, I’m not afraid to die. But if I have to I’d rather take the quickest possible route please. The worst fear is as I have mentioned here, my flight landing in the middle of the ocean and drowning :-(

 Getting bed-ridden/immobile: Be it at a young age due to some god forbidden accident or simply old age, I really don’t want to lie in a bed, depending on someone for every small need, however personal it might be. Given a choice, I would rather choose ethunasia.

Meeting new people: All ye introverts out there - I am one amongst you! I am pretty apprehensive of meeting anyone new, so much so that I'm often perceived to be rude, unfriendly or snobbish. (Although in some cases, this might actually be considered true ;-))

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Creepy-crawlies: Ewwww! Cockroaches, snakes, bugs, worms – all send a cold shiver down my spine. In one of the houses I lived in, slugs would regularly creep in at night into the kitchen through the back door. If you happen to go want a glass of water in the middle of the night, you’d better throw on your spectacles, switch on the lights and keep your senses alert for those slimy creatures!

All my teeth falling out too early: I brush, floss, use mouth wash as well as chew sugar-free gum. I am forever scared that my teeth are going bad and have even had horrible nightmares that they all fell out much too soon!

The 10 Day 'You' Challenge: Day 7 - Seven Wants

Health: No one will ever say that physically I am a strong person. True as it may be, luckily I have never been hospitalised so far for anything (touchwood!). Although I get some minor ailments like colds and headaches, I don’t fall really sick that often. As the saying goes, Health Is Wealth – so I definitely want to be in great health.

Image Source: caltiva

Money: Well is there anybody who does not want money!? If only I had a never-ending supply of moolah! Sigh!

A Self-Cleaning Kitchen: You know all those kitchens/sets that they have on cooking shows? I wish I had a fully stocked kitchen equipped with all manners of useful gadgets, and which also takes care of all the washing up and cleaning chores! I really like cooking – it is only the associated cleaning and washing that deter me!

Image Source: yoshiaka

Travel: Alllll over the world - in comfort and style ;-)

To Always Keep Learning: something new. Oh! There is so much to learn that I’m afraid a lifetime just isn’t enough!

Image Source: arinas74

To Start A Cooking Blog: Would you read it?

To Excel In My Chosen Career: doing work that I love to do!

The 10 Day ‘You’ Challenge: Day 6 – Six Places

 I have dedicated an entire post to the places that have fascinated me. But still keeping to the spirit of this challenge, here I go again!

My School: Image Source - The Hindu

Chennai: = Home. No place like home right? Chennai is where I was born and brought up. The hospital where I was born, the school where I studied, the college that I went to, the church where I got married,  the airport which fills me with gladness whenever my flight touchdowns on the runway – everything is there in Chennai. This is the place where I grew up and I am so glad that my husband is also a Chennaite. Chennai has seen me through lots of ups and downs, successes and failures, heartbreaks and euphoria, laughter and tears. I am not a fanatic and I don’t claim that Chennai is perfect. It has a lot of drawbacks but then which place doesn’t? Afterall you don’t love something/somebody because they/it is perfect. Love is choosing to see beyond all imperfections, isn’t it? That’s Chennai to me.

Burj Khalifa: The World's Tallest (So Far!) Building

UAE: The very first “foreign” place I set foot on, not knowing that one day I would come to live here. I am still getting used to the sand and incredible heat! But this is where my husband and I really started life as a married couple and almost all the memories of my married life are here. So in that sense, it is indeed special to me.

Blue! Blue! Blue!@Rhode Island

Rhode Island: I think this is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

On a gloomy day@Chester!

Chester: this tiny little English city was the very first place where I lived all by myself. Looking back I really don’t know how I managed! I never even used to go for a coffee by myself till then – and then bang! All of a sudden I was living in a home alone, commuting to work alone and managing everything alone! I neither had internet nor had TV for several months. But I hardly ever felt homesick. It all seemed like a daring adventure to me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I guess Chester was the place which gave me the confidence and the assurance that I can depend on myself.

Image Source: HawaiiGuide

Hawaii: My dream holiday spot. Hopefully will make it someday!

My Imaginary Place: A cozy little cottage, surrounded by fragrant and colourful rose bushes, perched on a small hillock, in the sun-dappled shade of rustling tress. The verdant slopes gradually give way to a gently lapping, sparkling ocean, which stretches as far as the eye can see, meeting an azure blue sky studded with little white, cottony clouds. I don’t know where this place is. If you do, you will tell me, won’t you?

Yet Another Award!

Hurrah! Someone thinks my blog is great! And that someone is Ashwini! Thanks so much Ash!

In accordance with the rules of this award, I am supposed to share 7 things about me. Suddenly I seem to sharing toooo much information about me on my blog, no? Also what is this rule with SEVEN facts anyway?! Almost all the tags and awards, state 7 - as though it is a magic number! I am also supposed to pass on this award to other deserving bloggers, and I will do so when the time is right :-) 

For now, here are 7 (more) things about me:

1.       I’ve never stayed in a hostel. The first time that I ever lived away from my home/parents was at 23. 

2.       I hate it when people want to ask/say something serious but are are afraid to ask outright and so end their question/statement with “Haha! Jus  kidding!” or “lol”! If you want to ask/say something then either have the guts to ask it or just shut up!

3.       I also dislike people who endlessly whine and complain about their situation/life/job/family/whatever and yet never do anything about it. Cribbing on and off is fine –everyone does that at times. But If you are constantly unhappy/dissatisfied with something, then please try to find ways to improve the situation. If that is impossible, then you might as well accept your fate, shut up and just deal with it!

4.      The first time I ever went to a disco was when I was 24. I just held a drink in my hand and hung around staring at people dancing on the dance floor!

5.       I don’t see what the big deal is about alcohol. It simply makes me very sleepy. And gives me a headache too.  And tastes bad.

6.       I really wish that girls stop using the Tamil slang word for dude, “macha!” *shudder*

7.       My longest running friendship is with A – we have been friends for more than 24 years! It amazes me at times!

So there we go! Now you know a little bit more about me! Not sure about you but I love all these nice awards. Although I do blog for my own satisfaction, it does feel nice to be appreciated. So if anyone else reading this feels like sending me another one my way, please feel free to do so ;-)

The 10 Day 'You' Challenge: Day 5 - Five Foods

I am taking ‘Foods’ to be mean anything that we eat, be it solids, liquids and anything in between, healthy or otherwise! So here goes!

Image Source: Wikipedia

Chocolate: Dark, brown, white  - absolutely no racial prejudices here – I love ‘em all! All shapes, all sizes, all flavours are welcome. Rich, gooey, tempting! Hmmmmm!

Image Source: Wikipedia

Coffee: I like an occasional cup of tea but I am a Madras girl – how can I not love a tumbler of hot, frothy, aromatic Madras filter coffee?! But then I like coffee in ice cold shakes, lattes, ice creams, chocolates and the whole range. Only thing I don’t like is black coffee – that is a bit too much even for me!

Image Source: Spiceindiaonline

Chicken 65: I think I have already sung paeans to this spicy, crispy, yummy non-vegetarian delicacy here. Enough said. Okay enough with the "unhealthy" choices. Moving on to healthier ones.....

Image source: Dreamstime

Watermelon: My favourite fruit! In the summers, there are very few things which could possibly be more soothing than biting into a cool, sweet, refreshing piece of lusciously red watermelon. Slurp! Many people tell me, “What is there in watermelon? It is 70% just water!”. Which takes me to the next item on my list...

Image Source: Dreamstime

Water: the elixir of life! When I am really thirsty, no cool drink or fruit juice or cola or soda or whatever  can ever satiate my thirst as well as water. Even if I have some juice, after I finish it, I always need some water to stop feeling thirsty. Ah! The simple pleasures of life! And the irony of it is that I love water but I live in the desert! Haha!

The 10 Day 'You' Challenge: Day 4 - Four Books

Hey who made up the rules for this anyway!? Could I just exchange 4 Books with 10 Secrets and write about 10 Books and 4 Secrets instead? No? Wahhh!

Also 4 Books what? 4 Books that made you laugh, made you cry or just made you want to tear out your hair?! I’ve been reading for years and years that it is totally unfair to ask me to pick just 4! There is just tooooo much choice available folks! Okay anyway, after much deliberation and consideration, here are my top 4 special books:

Gone With The Wind: by Margaret Mitchell. This was not difficult to choose really. This is one of my favourites. I’ve seen the movie too and that is also great.  Set amidst the American Civil War, I guess what I like most about Gone With The Wind, is that the heroine, Scarlett is not a regular heroine at all. She is almost like an anti-heroine – selfish, wicked, stubborn and bold. And yet her courage, strength and determination during trying circumstances cannot be missed. The book has all the elements of a love story – war, a beautiful and rich young woman, a rugged, irreverent and handsome young man and circumstances that bring them together, their passions and desires. But I feel that Gone With The Wind is much more than just a simple love story.  My favourite quote from this book is the very last line “After all... tomorrow is another day.”

Tell Me Your Dreams: by Sidney Sheldon.  *Pop Goes The Weasel* When I was read this book years back, I had no idea about Multiple Personality Disorder. Hence I least expected the twists. After reading this book, any other MPD movie that I saw, failed to impress me much. I think it is easily one of Sheldon’s best works.

Harry Potter: by J.K.Rowling. Need I even say more? (Okay technically I know that this is not 1 book but cmon!)

The Diary Of Of A Young Girl: by Anne Frank. I read this book a long time back but it has always stayed with me. It broke my heart to read the journal entries of this young girl, who held so much promise and hope – all to be shattered in a horrible concentration camp. To me it is a story that took place somewhere to someone at some point in time. But to the poor little girl hiding from the Nazis, holed up in a basement with her family, fearing for their lives, this nightmare was everyday life. This diary is a terrible indicator of how cruel and senseless man can be. There is really nothing more to say.

The 10 Day 'You' Challenge: Day 3 - Three Films

Bombay: My all time favourite movie by all time favourite director. What’s not to like in this one? The acting of every character is great, cinematography is beautiful, music is fantastic, the romance is sweet, and the issue is so relevant, even today, 16 years down the line.  When all the death and destruction takes place, I couldn’t help but bemoan “Why? Why all this senseless carnage in the name of religion!” and ARR’s music combined with Vairamuthu’s awesome lyrics never failed to give me goosebumps.  Agreed that the ending is a bit cinematic, but I would rather have a positive ending than a tragic one.  I know this movie was dubbed in other languages but I saw it in the original language and my mother-tongue, Tamil. I don’t know how it turned out in other languages, but it is an unforgettable one for me.

Baazigar: I saw this movie on Doordarshan probably years after it was first released, and promptly fell in love with SRK – and still haven’t fallen out of it yet! And this inspite of not knowing much of Hindi! When he dies in the end I actually had tears in my eyes! Sigh! Official language? Phooey! Watching SRK movies is probably the most important reason that I want to learn Hindi.

Life Is Beautiful: is an Italian movie named La Vita e Bella. According to Wiki, it has won the Grand Prize Of The Jury at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival as well as Best Music, Original Dramatic Score, Best Actor and Best Foreign Film at the 71^st Academy Awards. When I saw this movie, I had absolutely no idea that it was such an acclaimed one nor did I know what it was about. The story revolves around the protagonist, a Jewish Italian called Guido. The first half of the movie is slow, funny and light, following how Guido woos Dora, who happens to be much better off than him.  But she is charmed by Guido's entreaties and they marry and have a son and life goes on. Only they are caught bang in the middle of the Nazi persecution and are packed off to a concentration camp. From here on, the movie takes on a more serious angle. Guido tries valiantly to make his young son believe that all this is just one big game and that they have nothing to worry about. His optimism, wit, determination, resilience and innovation even in the face of such adversity and to the very end is heart-warming. I am a born pessimist and this movie makes me ashamed to be one. The buildup to the climax is tension-filled and the ending is touching and bittersweet.  Since I saw the English dubbed version, understandably the language was a little disjointed. But it is a lovely movie which is sure to tug at your heartstrings and bring a lump to my throat.  A must watch!