Fasting Feasting and the book tag..tee hee!

Its the karvachauth fast today, and yeah I am doing it. I haven't gone the traditional route and am not wearing the usual signs of a married woman. But I AM starving myself to death and praying for A's long life and big bank balance! :P


B/w here is another..what else..tag I found here. Making posts out of nothing is easier for me.:)

1. Favorite childhood book? All Enid Blyton books
2. What are you reading right now? Maximum City by Suketu Mehta
3. Bad book habit? – Reading while lying down
4. Do you have an e-reader? – Nope, and not planning on getting one as well.
5. Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once? One book at a time
6. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog? Yes, I now have a reading/buying list which I am more sure of liking.
7. Least favorite book you read this year (so far)? White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
8. Favorite book you’ve read this year? City of Djinns by William Darymple
9. How often do you read out of your comfort zone? I resist as much as I can but do give in from time to time
10. What is your reading comfort zone? Feminism,Fantasy,Fiction
11. Can you read on the bus? No
12. Favorite place to read? On my bed
13. What is your policy on book lending? I don't lend.
14. Do you ever dog-ear books? Nope
15. Do you ever write in the margins of your books? No.
16. Not even with text books? Ah ok,with highlighters of different colors.
17. What is your favorite language to read in? English
18. What makes you love a book? Simple writing,compelling story and yeah adequate length
19. What will inspire you to recommend a book? A good story
20. Favorite genre? Fantasy
21. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?) – Autobiographies
22. Favorite biography? Haven't read many to single out that ONE.
23. Have you ever read a self-help book? Yeah,didn't help though
24. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)? A palace of Illisions by Chitra Banerjee Divakurni
25. Favorite reading snack? Sandwiches
26. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience – Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
27. How often do you agree with critics about a book? I don't read book reviews often.Just pick up the books on a whim
28. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? Haven't done that yet.
29. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose? Spanish and Bangla
30. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? Yayati by V S Khandekar
31. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin? White Mughals by William Darymple
32. Favorite Poet? None, not a poetry person
33. Favorite fictional character? Howard Roark of The fountainhead
34. Favorite fictional villain? None
35. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation? Chic lit
36. The longest I’ve gone without reading – 2 years
37. Name a book that you could/would not finish- The curious case of the dog in the night time.Way too mathematick-y for me. Though that is the only book my husband read from start to finish in one go.
38. What distracts you easily when you’re reading? My dog's antics
39. Favorite film adaptation of a novel? Godfather
40. Most disappointing film adaptation? Harry Potter films.
41. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?Approximately 5k
42. How often do you skim a book before reading it? Never
43. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through? Haphazard cliche filled plot
44. Do you like to keep your books organized? err..
45. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?Am a hoarder
46. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding? Sea of Poppies by Amitava Ghosh
47. Name a book that made you angry – The princess trilogy by Jean Sasson
48. A book you didn’t expect to like but did? The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan.Very Funny and I kept avoiding it thinking its yet another cricket crap.
49. A book that you expected to like but didn’t? White Tiger
50. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading? Chic lit

How to do NaBloPoMo?

So I took on the NaBloPoMo ,and am in deep soup where posts are concerned..dearth of ideas and creativity are nudging me to cheat and I guess tags are the perfect way! So Yay!! I spent the last 20 mins hopping different blogs to hunt for some easy ones and found this one here

1. Graduated high school.
2. Kissed someone.
3. Smoked a cigarette.
4. Got so drunk you passed out.
5. Rode every ride at an amusement park.
6. Collected something stupid.
7. Gone to a rock concert.
8. Helped someone.
9. Gone fishing.
10. Watched four movies in one night.
11. Lied to someone.
12. Snorted cocaine.
13. Smoked weed.
14. Failed a subject.
15. Been in a car accident.
16. Been in a tornado.
17. Watched someone die.
18. Been to a funeral.
19. Burned yourself.
20. Run a marathon.
21. Cried yourself to sleep.
22. Spent over 10,000 bucks in one day.
23. Flown on an aeroplane.
24. Cheated on someone.
25. Been cheated on.
26. Written a 10 page letter.
27. Gone skiing.
28. Been sailing.
29. Cut yourself.
30. Had a best friend.
31. Lost someone you loved.
32. Got into trouble for something you didn't do.
33. Stolen a book from the library.
34. Gone to a different country.
35. Watched the Harry Potter movies.
36. Had an online diary.
37. Fired a gun.
38. Gambled in a casino.
39. Been in a school play.
40. Been fired from a job.
41. Taken a lie detector test.
42. Swam with dolphins.
43. Voted for someone on a reality TV show.
44. Written poetry.
45. Read more than 20 books a year.
46. Gone to Europe.
47. Loved someone you shouldn't have.
48. Used a colouring book over age 12.
49. Had a surgery.
50. Had stitches.
51. Taken a Taxi.
52. Had more than 5 IM conversations going on at once.
53. Been in a fist fight.
54. Suffered any form of abuse.
55. Had a pet.
56. Petted a wild animal.
57. Had your own credit card & bought something with it.
58. Dyed your hair.
59. Got a tattoo.
60. Had something pierced.
61. Got straight As.
62. Known someone personally with HIV or AIDS.
63. Taken pictures with a webcam.
64. Lost something expensive.
65. Gone to sleep with music on.

Jaata kahan hai deewane

How awesome is this song!

A random tag

Ten hows:

1. How did you get one of your scars? Trying to open a thums up bottle, that fell from my hands and miraculously found my leg.
2. How did you celebrate your last birthday? Watched Sex and the City part 2.There are things that you just do for old time's sake.
3. How are you feeling at this moment? Lost
4. How did your night go last night? Sleeping soundly
5. How did you do in high school? Didn't match upto the expectations of my parents and teachers.
6. How did you get the shirt you’re wearing? Bought it,duh!
7. How often do you see your best friend(s)? Once a year.Come back to India you guys!
8. How much money did you spend last month? Not a lot!
9. How old do you want to be when you get married? Married already
10. How old will you be at your next birthday? 31

Nine whats:

1. Your mother’s name? Meera
2. What did you do last weekend? Visited family for Dussehra.
3. What is the most important part of your life? Sense of self.
4. What would you rather be doing? Reading.
5. What did you last cry over? The thought of giving up my dog.
6. What always makes you feel better when you’re upset? Reassurance from someone that all would be well.
7. What’s the most important thing you look for in a significant other? Honesty
8. What are you worried about? My career
9. What did you have for breakfast? Aalu poori

Eight yous:

1. Have you ever liked someone who had a girlfriend/boyfriend? Yes
2. Have you ever had your heartbroken? Yes.Though I have broken some too..So lets call it even.
3. Have you ever been out of the country? Yes,United States
4. Have you ever done something outrageously dumb? All the freaking time.
5. Have you ever been back stabbed by a friend? Yes,over some stupid notes
6. Have you ever had sex on the beach? Not yet,but workin g on it..
7. Have you ever dated someone younger than you? Yes and married him as well..:P
8. Have you ever read an entire book in one day? Nope

Seven whos:

1. Who was the last person you saw? My lab-mate
2. Who was the last person you texted? My friend D.
3. Who was the last person you hung out with? My neighbor P
4. Who was the last person to call you? My husband A
5. Who did you last hug? My dog Hubble.
6. Who is the last person who texted you? My friend D.
7. Who was the last person you said “I love you” to? My dog Hubble

Six wheres:

1. Where does your best friend(s) live? Boston,Melbourne,New York,Ottawa
2. Where did you last go? Culture room
3. Where did you last hang out? Dhyanchand stadium for the CWG hockey finale
4. Where do you go to school? Loyola Grad School,Chicago
5. Where is your favorite place to be? Chicago
6. Where did you sleep last night? On my bed.

Five dos:

1. Do you think anyone likes you? I hope so.
2. Do you ever wish you were someone else? Yeah,I wish I was someone more content with her life.
3. Do you know the muffin man? Nope.
4. Does the future scare you? Big time
5. Do your parents know about your blog? Nope.

Four whys:

1. Why are you best friends with your best friend?  Because we are so different and yet understand each other perfectly
2. Why did you get into Blogging? To practice and become a world famous writer :P
3. Why did your parents give you the name you have? They liked it
4. Why are you doing this survey? To increase the number of posts on my blog 

Three ifs:

1. If you could have one super power what would it be? Apparition
2. If you could go back in time and change one thing, would you? Yeah, I would still be in Chicago
3. If you were stranded on a deserted island and could bring one thing, what would you bring? A Kindle with tonnes of books on it.

Two would-you-evers:

1. Would you ever get back together with any of your ex’s if they asked you? Duh,NO!
2. Would you ever shave your head to save someone you love? Sure

One last question:

1. Are you happy with your life right now? No,but I am trying hard.

Mai tenu phir milangi~Amrita Pritam

Found it on Indian Homemaker's blog..loved it.

Mein tainu pher milan gi (I will meet you yet again)

I will meet you yet again
How and where? I know not.
Perhaps I will become a
figment of your imagination
and maybe, spreading myself
in a mysterious line
on your canvas,
I will keep gazing at you.

Perhaps I will become a ray
of sunshine, to be
embraced by your colours.
I will paint myself on your canvas
I know not how and where –
but I will meet you for sure.

Maybe I will turn into a spring,
and rub the foaming
drops of water on your body,
and rest my coolness on
your burning chest.
I know nothing else
but that this life
will walk along with me.

When the body perishes,
all perishes;
but the threads of memory
are woven with enduring specks.
I will pick these particles,
weave the threads,
and I will meet you yet again.

-Amrita Pritam.

New Beginnings

After writing the last post, I read up all of the previous ones and noticed that moments of extreme mirth or sadness inspire me to pen my thoughts here. However, life is not all that bad and sun does shine on my a$$ sometimes.So from hereon, I shall try to refrain from making this blog just a rants repository and use it to record my life - good, bad,ugly and the dog all included.

So, hello everyone..errr...again! This is MG reporting live from the GG household. I am gonna be raving and ranting about the spouse (TS) and the dog Hubble (yeah he has no issues about being anonymous online).

Till later then
love
MG

Money Matters

Dude if you wanna spend it, you need to earn it!You hear it all your teenage life from your harried parents and take it in your stride, but it hurts a little when it comes from your spouse. Though I have been big on spending all my life, earning the dough doesn't come easy to me. I wonder why? Am I not a go-getter enough, or am I complacent with the spouse doing the needful. The grad fellowship in the US for 2 years was the only high point in my otherwise sorry monetary life.Even though it was not a big amount in itself, it did pay for my high-end laptop, camera etc in the first couple of months. And I left it all to come to the uncertainties of life in India during the recession. With double MS degrees, I hoped landing a great job would just be a matter of time, but I am still waiting for that elusive offer.

Sometimes I wonder what if I had stayed back and let life take its own course. I would be earning decent moolah and looking forward to advancements in my career. However I am not so sure about my personal life. A long distance relationship was just not our thing is what we decided and after a long struggle of the spouse trying to make it there, I decided to pack my bags and move back. All good. But really?

When money was not a problem, lack of proximity was and now it is just the opposite. The either/ors in life have me flummoxed. Just for once can I not have it all and sleep in peace.