I've Learnt...

...That sometimes it's just fun to let go, let my hair down, and live in the moment without worrying about tomorrow.
...That the streets of Calcutta look beautiful at 3 am. Picturesque. Almost romantic.
...That sometimes, it's possible to have fun with people I've met just minutes earlier.
...That temptation is hard to resist. Yes, really hard.

It's been a brilliantly amazing night. For more reasons than I would wish to mention.

Random Picture Post.

Pickles sitting beside my laptop, with her tongue out.

With Guppy, on Ma's 47th birthday.

Dewdrops on flower, at Tollygunge Club.

Me at Jude picnic, this year. (Courtesy: Sohini)

Tagged by Sohini and Shreya.

25 Random things, facts, habits, goals about myself:

1. The songs I am currently addicted to are "Come On, Eileen" (The Cure), and "Morning Has Broken" (Cat Stevens).
2. I have OCD. And that's not a big secret. I straighten pictures on the wall if they're crooked, I get intensely bothered by dust, and I don't let anyone doodle on my notebook. In fact, I don't doodle myself on my notebook!
3. Cooking is my passion, and I feel incomplete without it. It's like therapy, you know? The kitchen is one of my favourite places to be.
4. I am tremendously scared of heights. Oh, and lizards disgust me.
5. My favourite books are Frankenstein, and Haroun And The Sea Of Stories. I could read them over and over again.
6. I like pink. I look good in the colour. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. *grin*
7. Hypocrisy is a big turn-off for me. There's nothing worse than pretending to be something you're not.
8. My chocolate cakes are awesome, and have gathered quite a fan following. *grin* I'm not bragging, just merely stating a fact.
9. I don't wear a watch. I feel uncomfortable in them. For me, looking at the time on my mobile phone is enough.
10. I have a serious problem with injections and blood tests. I black out when the needle pricks my arm. I'm not too comfortable with the sight of blood, either. And that's putting it mildly.
11. "Ratatouille" - my favourite animated film. That movie was just awesome!
12. Clingyness and being over-friendly make me uncomfortable. I'm a person who needs my space.
13. I'm not very brand conscious, but certain brands I do swear by. For example, I don't wear any other jeans but Levi's, I practically live in Converse shoes! And I adore Nina Ricci perfume.
14. Sushi gets to me. I can't stand the dish. Tried it, hated it.
15. I am quite happy being alone, and doing stuff on my own. Lots of people feel terrifically lonely when left to themselves, but not me. I think I've always been a bit removed, if you know what I mean.
16. JUDE is one of the best things that has happened to me. Literally, a dream come true.
17. I miss my dad terribly. And I hugely admire my mother for what she's made of herself. I'd consider myself fortunate if I could be even half the person she is.
18. If I could visit any one place, it'd be Venice. I've always wanted to go there.
19. I can eat a lot, without putting on weight.
20. In the last one year or so, I've made some really close friends. And I love each one of them, for being so special. You all know who you are. *grin*
21. I'd like to name my daughter (if I have one) - Nayantara, or Mrinalini. I think they're very pretty names. Moplah, are you listening? *wink*
22. I adore the smells of citrus and vanilla. Oh, and new books too.
23. I never go out on Sundays, unless absolutely necessary. For me, it's the day to stay at home. Wild horses wouldn't be able to drag me out.
24. I am obsessed with earrings! I have countless pairs, half of which I haven't even worn as yet, and I still buy more!
25. I have a hot temper, which flares up easily sometimes, making me say the most awful things. (Sometimes, I've even thrown stuff.) But I'm much more in control of it than I used to be.

I'm feeling a little guilty....

Because there is a substantial stack of books lying around that have piled up, and are waiting to be read. I have been promising myself that I shall get around to them soon, but that 'soon' remains a little speck, distant on the horizon.

I shall start by finishing The Picture Of Dorian Gray and Aaron's Rod (>sigh<), and then, hopefully, get to Fury (Salman Rushdie).

It seems all I do nowadays is cook. Made chicken flavoured with coconut milk and dry red chillis the other day, pasta this afternoon, and in the evening- a chocolate-coffee cake, flavoured with cinnamon. Cooking's one of the only things that makes sense to me anymore, and it's wonderful how much better it makes me feel- about life and just about everything else.

Guppy's here for the weekend, and as usual, he's making us all split our sides with laughter with his antics and constant witticisms. I'll be sorry to see him go- he leaves tomorrow.

Pickles has been unnaturally friendly off late, coming and purring on my stomach, leaping into my lap, and even following me about the house. She's such a cute little cat- so furry and so soft. I found this picture of her and myself, (taken a few weeks back) in one of my picture folders. It's one of my favourites. >grin<

I'd been feeling pretty low this week, having to deal with the pain of memories and the realisation that some people have shocking double standards. But I'm dealing with it, and I know I'll be all right. I have my family and friends. I have my cats. I have music. I have cooking. Heck, I even have my Levi's Jeans!
Yes, I'll be okay. >grin<

Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur.

- That means, "Anything said in Latin sounds profound."
Don't believe me?
Here's a list of some of the most idiotic stuff you could say in Latin, translated. Sounds wise and impressive initially, but wait till you read the English equivalent!
Thanks to Rajarshi Sen for being a great Gtalk partner and discussing this with me. *grin*
And also, thanks to the Internet for being a many-splendoured thing. You can literally find everything on it.

Fac ut vivas! - Get a life!
Vacca foeda - Stupid cow.
Aio, quantitas magna frumentorum est - Yes, that is a very large amount of corn.
Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur ad necem - In the good old days, children like you were left to perish on windswept crags.
Anulos qui animum ostendunt omnes gestemus! - Let's all wear mood rings!
Ascendo tuum! - Up yours!
Gradus Anus Rodentum! - Not worth a rat's ass!
Non plaudite. Modo pecuniam jacite - Don't applaud. Just throw money.
Qualem blennum! - What a doofus!
Qualem muleirculam! - What a bimbo!
Bovina Sancta! - Holy cow!
Capillamentum? Haudquaquam conieci esse! - A wig? I never would have guessed!
Caro putridas es! - You're dead meat!
Carpe Cerevisi - Seize the beer!
Cogito ergo doleo - I think, therefore I am depressed.
Cogito sumere potum alterum - I think I'll have another drink.
Da mihi sis crustum Etruscum cum omnibus in eo - I'll have a pizza with everything on it
Vir prudens non contra ventum mingit - A wise man does not urinate against the wind.
And the most brilliant of all...
Estne volumen in toga, an solum tibi libet me videre? - Is that a scroll in your toga, or are you just happy to see me?

The Days Are Going By.

Yes, they are. Pretty quickly. It'll be 2009 before we know it. Tempus fugit, indeed.

I gave a disastrous test on Philology today. Gah to C.L. Wrenn. I nearly fell asleep yesterday, while studying. I'm not joking. It really is that boring. Heart-'wrenn'chingly dull. (What would I do without PJs to sustain me?)

I have been overdosing on Pasta lately- made it in different ways for the last three days straight. And, oh yes, I've been overdosing on cheese too.

Watched 'Serendipity' on Tuesday. I'd seen it before, of course, watched it again after ages. It's a really nice movie. Not your typical sappy romance movie.

And here's a colourful pair of socks Guppy sent me from Delhi. Pretty, yes?

My Epitaph.

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

That sounds uncannily accurate. (I'm a hopeless driver.)
I'm doomed. *wails*

My Obituary.

'What" will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

'Hilarious death' - that sounds about right, but why Kid Rock? I'd prefer to be terribly missed by Pink Floyd, or even Meatloaf. *grin*

I Have Nothing Specific To Say Right Now...

... So I shall tell you why I love Sundays. They are just perfect, to laze around on, and catch up on much needed myself-time. I don't have to study, I don't have to work, I don't have to worry about any responsibilities, I can let go completely, and do as I wish. Sundays are the best days, truly.

And now for some random writing.

Here are my Five Favourite Songs at the moment:

1. The Pretenders - I'll Stand By You

2. The Pogues - Love You Till The End

3. Aqualung - Brighter Than Sunshine

4. Chicago - If You Leave Me Now

5. The Eels - I Need Some Sleep

Yesterday's lunch at Ballygunge Dhaba was fabulous fun. Another restaurant I shall never be able to show my face at again. *sigh* But Happy Birthday to Shreya and Rudrani- may they have a wonderful year ahead.

Also, have come across this absolutely wonderful foodblog: http://www.asliceofcherrypie.blogspot.com/. One of the best blogs I have seen till date- the photography is amazing, as is the writing, and don't even get me started on the cooking! This blog is a true inspiration. Check it out if you can.

And just because I feel like posting a picture, here's one taken last year in December, of me and Obelix.

All for now. Time to get back to lazing around.

I was sketched!

Had gone with Ma to this event at Weavers Studio on Saturday night, was helping out with welcoming the Press, etc etc etc. They're bringing back the Indigo dye, by organising an exhibition called 'Neel'. Anyway, I'm not going to bore you with all that, but just cut to the main part of the story. There was this French fellow who had come, and was sketching everything. After a while he went and sat outside, under a tree, and started sketching random people. I was getting bored inside, and went out for a minute, to get some fresh air. The fellow started sketching me! I wasn't aware of it, I wasn't even looking at him, but my sister called me inside and told me. I was a little freaked out, so I struck up a conversation with him, asked him whether he was an artist or not. He replied, "Beeg artisth!" (Presumably meaning "Big artist!") It was at that very moment that I caught a glimpse of his drawing of me. It looked a bit like this: (I labelled the parts I found rather insulting...)

Maybe he was being sarcastic when he said he was a 'beeg artisth'?

Note: My drawing isn't good (I'm not very artistic), but consider that mine is a Van Gogh masterpiece compared to his!!

The absence of blog posts.

I know! I know!

I haven't blogged in a while. It's just that nothing is inspiring me at the moment.

And I really don't want to write something sub-standard just for the heck of it, just because I haven't written anything in weeks.

When I write, I want to put my whole heart into it.

That's what writing is about.

So, in the words of Alex DeLarge from 'A Clockwork Orange', "Appy polly logies!"

But, NOT "Ubbddy ubddy ubbdy- That's all, folks!"- in the words of Porky Pig!

My Top Ten Favourite Smells

My Top Ten Favourite Smells -

1. Vanilla essence. (wow!)
2. Jasmine flowers. (so refreshing...)
3. New books. (don't you just love the smell of the print?)
4. Freshly baked chocolate cake. (yum!)
5. Old Spice men's cologne. (completely intoxicating!)
6. The air just after it's rained. (very romantic...)
7. Citrus fruit. (unusual, but so nice!)
8. Yardley English Rose. (elegant!)
9. Dove shampoo. (hehe!)
10. Potpourri. (don't tell me you don't know what it is!)

A few quick scribbles

Halfway through 'David Copperfield'. Quite liking it.
It's certainly more interesting than 'Wuthering Heights'!!
19th birthday 9 days away. I feel so old! Waah!
Mom refused to let me keep a kitten I was offered by one of my seniors. Poor kitty. I hope someone takes it in, though.
Speaking of kitties, where's Pickles? She hasn't set paws in the house for around a month. Hope she's okay. I miss her too darn much.
I am now the proud owner of three pairs of silver earrings. Goody- more additions to my collection!
I still like Orkut more than Facebook. There are waaaay too many applications on Facebook. I get a new invitation for atleast 5 everyday! Geez.
Watched 'Run Lola Run' yesterday. Good movie. Different from most.
I wonder how I would look with red hair.