Living single...

I was thinking about roommates …. Maybe it was because I saw a scrap from my present roommate today. a few scraps above my previous two roommates ..and yea seems like half my testimonials are from people I’ve shared living space with….i’ve been living with flat mates/roommates /housemates since ’98…close to 10 years…. Wow ….I guess roommates tend to take a place higher than acquaintances ..if for no other reason than that they are the ones you get back home to after a day spent with acquaintances… given that fact roommates past and present should ideally stay in your head even while some acquaintances may fade away in memory, .. I thought I’d undertake a project and just list the initials of people I’ve stayed with …

’98 A.M and S.P with S.S. a constant visitor :)
’99 S.M and V.J
’00 A.D and P.
’01 A.D and S.B.
’02-’03 –Parents
Spring ’04 SG
Interim ’04- darn I forget her name :)
Fall ;04 HW
End of the year ’04 –B.P,S.J., S.
Spring ’05- P.K.
Fall ’05- C.M
Spring ’06 S.G and S.G. :) and P.M.
Fall 06’ S.G. and S.D. and S.P (for a day)
Also M.N and S.R, when I first came to ttown…..
Spring ’07- P.P.!!
That’s a long list …interesting activity when you think about it …

100 Greatest Songs Of The '80s

This is why I LOVE VH1.... they do these awesome retro countdowns, and play music videos that aren’t exactly the current hot thing…. I miss that about music channels ( what does a girl have to do to watch some old videos!!) anyway I’m watching the show right now , saw it yesterday as well.. thank goodness people at this site complied a list.. otherwise I would have made one myself !!!!..highlighted are songs I haven’t heard or don’t recall hearing…( actually there are quite a few i havent heard..just havent highlighted them all ;))..Again AWESOME list!!!!

100 Greatest Songs Of The '80s

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(Vh1) "100 Greatest Songs Of The '80s," the five-part program will countdown classics from '80s icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, New Edition, Journey, Guns N' Roses and Duran Duran. With 44, 000 votes received, the list was determined by an online poll at vh1.com where viewers had the opportunity to pick their favorite songs from the '80s whether it was rock, pop, rap or R&B. Join VH1 as it counts down the coolest, gnarliest and most awesome songs of the decade that gave us hip-hop and hair metal. Premiering with back-to-back episodes on Monday, October 30 at 9 PM*, "100 Greatest Songs Of The '80s" brings viewers each tune's back-story told through new, original interviews with the musicians who created them, as well as the legendary artists they inspired. In the tradition of VH1's hit "100 Greatest" specials, the show features archival clips, classic performances, plus exclusive interviews from Chaka Khan, Deborah Gibson, Dee Snider, Jordan Knight, Bananarama, Bret Michaels, Terri Nunn, Darryl McDaniels, Rikki Rachtman, John Oates, Def Leppard, Young M.C., Jane Wiedlin, INXS, Fred Schneider, Joe Perry, Stephen Pearcy, Jack Blades, Barenaked Ladies, Chris Booker, John Cena, Mark McGrath, former MTV VJ Nina Blackwood among many others. Episodes 3 - 5 of the countdown will premiere Tuesday - Thursday at 10 PM*

01 Bon Jovi / "Livin' on a Prayer" 1986
02 Def Leppard / "Pour Some Sugar On Me" 1987
03 Duran Duran / "Hungry Like the Wolf" 1982
04 Michael Jackson / "Billie Jean" 1982
05 Prince / "When Doves Cry" 1984
06 Hall & Oates / "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" 1981
07 Guns N' Roses / Sweet Child O' Mine 1987
08 Madonna / "Like a Virgin" 1984
09 Run-D.M.C. / "Walk This Way" 1986
10 AC/DC / "You Shook Me All Night Long" 1980
11 Journey / Don't Stop Believin' 1981
12 Whitney Houston / "How Will I Know" 1985
13 U2 / "With Or Without You" 1984
14 The Bangles / "Walk Like an Egyptian" 1986
15 Van Halen / "Jump" 1984
16 INXS / "Need You Tonight" 1987
17 Whitesnake / "Here I Go Again" 1982
18 Dexy's Midnight Runners / "Come On Eileen" 1982
19 Cyndi Lauper / "Time after Time" 1984
20 Rick Springfield / "Jessie's Girl" 1981
21 Michael Jackson / "Beat It" 1982
22 The Cure / "Just Like Heaven" 1987
23 Cyndi Lauper / "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" 1984
24 A-Ha / "Take On Me" 1985
25 Go-Go's / "Our Lips Are Sealed" 1981
26 Guns N' Roses / "Welcome to the Jungle" 1987
27 Kajagoogoo / "Too Shy" 1984
28 Wham! / "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" 1984
29 Talking Heads / Burning Down the House 1983
30 Pat Benatar / "Love is a Battlefield" 1983
31 Queen and David Bowie / "Under Pressure" 1981
32 Night Ranger / "Sister Christian" 1983
33 Soft Cell / "Tainted Love" 1981
34 Poison / "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" 1988
35 Phil Collins / "In the Air Tonight" 1981
36 Tommy Tutone / "867-5309 / Jenny" 1981
37 Aerosmith / "Janie's Got a Gun" 1989
38 U2 / "Pride (In the Name of Love)" 1984
39 Modern English / "I Melt With You" 1982
40 The B-52's / "Love Shack" 1989
41 Mötley Crüe / "Dr. Feelgood" 1989
42 The Clash / "London Calling" 1982
43 ABC / "Look of Love (Part One)" 1982
44 Bananarama / "Cruel Summer" 1984
45 Janet Jackson / "Nasty" 1986
46 The Police / "Every Breath You Take" 1983
47 Twisted Sister / "We're Not Gonna Take It" 1984
48 Bruce Springsteen / "Born in the U.S.A." 1984
49 Beastie Boys / "Fight For Your Right" 1986
50 Eurythmics / "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" 1983
51 Ratt / "Round and Round" 1984
52 Dead or Alive / "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" 1985
53 Billy Idol / "White Wedding" 1988
54 Salt-N-Pepa / "Push It" 1986
55 A Flock of Seagulls / "I Ran (So Far Away)" 1982
56 Bonnie Tyler / "Total Eclipse of the Heart" 1983
57 Toni Basil / "Mickey" 1981
58 Culture Club / "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" 1982
59 John Mellencamp / "Jack & Diane" 1982
60 Young M.C. / "Bust a Move" 1989
61 Styx / "Mr. Roboto" 1983
62 Berlin / "Take My Breath Away" 1986
63 Devo / "Whip It" 1980
64 Paula Abdul / "Straight Up" 1988
65 Foreigner / "I Want to Know What Love Is" 1984
66 Depeche Mode / "Just Can't Get Enough" 1981
67 REO Speedwagon / "Keep On Loving You" 1980
68 Public Enemy / "Fight the Power" 1988
69 R.E.M / "It's The End of the World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine)" 1980
70 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts/ "I Love Rock N' Roll" 1981
71 Rick James / "Super Freak" 1981
72 The Fixx / "One Thing Leads to Another" 1983
73 Nena / "99 Luftbaloons" 1983
74 George Michael / "Faith" 1987
75 Prince / "Little Red Corvette" 1983
76 Thomas Dolby / "She Blinded Me With Science" 1982
77 New Edition / "Candy Girl" 1983
78 Blondie / "Call Me" 1980
79 Human League / "Don't You Want Me?" 1981
80 Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock / "It Takes Two" 1988
81 Cameo / "Word Up!" 1986
82 Squeeze / "Tempted" 1981
83 Prince / "Kiss" 1986
84 Lionel Richie / All Night Long (All Night) 1983
85 Robert Palmer / "Addicted to Love" 1985
86 Bow Wow Wow / "I Want Candy" 1982
87 Falco / "Rock Me Amadeus 1986
88 Chaka Khan / "Ain't Nobody" 1989
89 The Pretenders / "Brass in Pocket" 1980
90 Tone-Loc / "Wild Thing" 1989
91 Katrina and The Waves / "Walking On Sunshine" 1983
92 New Kids on the Block / "You Got It (The Right Stuff) 1988
93 Gary Numan / "Cars" 1980
94 The Rolling Stones / "Start Me Up" 1981
95 Debbie Gibson / "Only in My Dreams" 1987
96 Men at Work / "Down Under" 1982
97 The Romantics / "What I Like About You" 1980
98 Bobby Brown / "My Perogative" 1988
99 Wang Chung / "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" 1986
100 Loverboy / "Working for the Weekend" 1981

Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

Well, it’s done then. I just handed in my last assignment for this semester…. Now I have 3 months of glorious summer to look forward to …. Happiness is me !!!!

Wow, I can hardly decide where to start,

I have to get down to reading the books I’ve collected over the course of this past year. Have to complete The Bronze Horseman, Conversations with God , Memoirs of a Geisha ,The World is Flat, Tao of Pooh , Te of Piglet as well as the other books lying in my cupboard. Other books in my reading list would be Love in the time of Cholera , Zahir by Paulo Coelho , I want to read Pirsig once again; also have to read the Fifth Discipline once again, hopefully read some more Maya Angelou , yes I wont be a stranger to the public library anymore ...( reading suggestions welcome )

Get back to working out .

Clean up the apartment!!!

Back to veganism and detox .. yup I think I can do a better job now that school’s out .

Watch TV… watch some good movies … since I got this laptop haven’t seen a movie in like forever.. saw Spanglish on HBO recently though…it’s a good movie ….

Try and improve my blogging skills.
Try and improve my cooking skills ???? Maybe not , not one of the ‘funner’ things on this list .
Travel a bit hopefully.

OMG , return calls and log on to messenger , I’ve been so “swamped” I haven’t gotten back to or called up any of my friends in about 3 months …should do so his weekend …


Watch VH1 or listen to the radio, I know that some good new songs have come out in the past six months !!


I think I’ll miss the long holiday part of student life a lot, though when you have a job you hopefully don’t carry work back home with you, unlike the situation in grad school!!

This reminds me of something a wise bear once said ,“Don't underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.”. Well, I don’t know if this out of context, but I can do a lot of “doing nothing and just going along” for a while.

Of course I will be working over the break. But I look forward to the few “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer” I have in the interim, of course it would take a separate post to go back to the last real “Lazy/Crazy days of summer” , summer break was so much fun during high school!!!

Top movie quotes

I found a listing of the top 100 movie quotes according to the American Film Institute’s Top 100 series, it was based on how much the movie lines have become a part of popular culture…. Here are a few ?? of them ….


1 Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn. GONE WITH THE WIND 1939
2 I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse. THE GODFATHER 1972
3 You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am. ON THE WATERFRONT 1954
4 Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore. THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939
5 Here's looking at you, kid. CASABLANCA 1942
6 Go ahead, make my day. SUDDEN IMPACT 1983
8 May the Force be with you. STAR WARS 1977
9 Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night. ALL ABOUT EVE 1950
10 You talking to me? TAXI DRIVER 1976
11 What we've got here is failure to communicate. COOL HAND LUKE 1967
13 Love means never having to say you're sorry. LOVE STORY 1970
14 The stuff that dreams are made of. THE MALTESE FALCON 1941
15 E.T. phone home. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982
20 Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. CASABLANCA 1942
22 Bond. James Bond. DR. NO 1962
23 There's no place like home. THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939
25 Show me the money! JERRY MAGUIRE 1996
31 After all, tomorrow is another day! GONE WITH THE WIND 1939
32 Round up the usual suspects. CASABLANCA 1942
33 I'll have what she's having. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY 1989
34 You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow. TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT 1944
35 You're gonna need a bigger boat. JAWS 1975
37 I'll be back. THE TERMINATOR 1984
38 Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES 1942
39 If you build it, he will come. FIELD OF DREAMS 1989
40 Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. FORREST GUMP 1994
43 We'll always have Paris. CASABLANCA 1942
44 I see dead people. THE SIXTH SENSE 1999
45 Stella! Hey, Stella! A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE 1951
46 Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars. NOW, VOYAGER 1942
48 Well, nobody's perfect. SOME LIKE IT HOT 1959
49 It's alive! It's alive! FRANKENSTEIN 1931
50 Houston, we have a problem. APOLLO 13 1995
52 You had me at "hello." JERRY MAGUIRE 1996
56 A boy's best friend is his mother. PSYCHO 1960
58 Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. THE GODFATHER II 1974
59 As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again. GONE WITH THE WIND 1939
60 Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into! SONS OF THE DESERT 1933
62 What a dump. BEYOND THE FOREST 1949
63 Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me. Aren't you? THE GRADUATE 1967
65 Elementary, my dear Watson. THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES 1939
66 Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape. PLANET OF THE APES 1968
67 Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine. CASABLANCA 1942
68 Here's Johnny! THE SHINING 1980
69 They're here! POLTERGEIST 1982
71 Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain't heard nothin' yet! THE JAZZ SINGER 1927
75 I have always depended on the kindness of strangers. A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE 1951
76 Hasta la vista, baby. TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY 1991
81 Hello, gorgeous. FUNNY GIRL 1968
83 Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make. DRACULA 1931
84 Oh, no, it wasn't the airplanes. It was Beauty killed the Beast. KING KONG 1933
85 My precious. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: TWO TOWERS 2002
86 Attica! Attica! DOG DAY AFTERNOON 1975
88 Listen to me, mister. You're my knight in shining armor. Don't you forget it. You're going to get back on that horse, and I'm going to be right behind you, holding on tight, and away we're gonna go, go, go! ON GOLDEN POND 1981
90 A martini. Shaken, not stirred. GOLDFINGER 1964
93 Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death! AUNTIE MAME 1958
94 I feel the need - the need for speed! TOP GUN 1986
95 Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary. DEAD POETS SOCIETY 1989
96 Snap out of it! MOONSTRUCK 1987
97 My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 1942
98 Nobody puts Baby in a corner. DIRTY DANCING 1987
99 I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too! WIZARD OF OZ, THE 1939
100 I'm king of the world! TITANIC 1997
________________________________________
Jury members were asked to choose up to 100 movie quotes from a comprehensive list
MOVIE QUOTE
A statement, phrase or brief exchange of dialogue spoken in an American film.* (Lyrics from songs are not eligible.)
CULTURAL IMPACT
Movie Quotes that viewers use in their own lives and situations; circulating through popular culture, they become part of the national lexicon.
LEGACY
Movie Quotes that viewers use to evoke the memory of a treasured film, thus ensuring and enlivening its historical legacy.

100 things....

I stumbled across this blog idea and I thought it would be a cool to introduce myself to my blog audience post 100 random facts about my self ..though I don’t know where I’m going to dig up 100 facts …( this is probably highly narcissist …. But this is MY journal!!!!)… this is going to take a looooong time to read so I suggest you take breaks in the middle… hopefully you wont get lost in all this randomness…


100 things
1. My name is Natasha, I was named after the heroine of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, my mom was reading the book at the time. Incidentally mom wanted to name my younger sister Ayesha so our names sounded similar ,but my great grandmother didn’t like all these newfangled names and insisted my sister be named after a variant of Devi , our family deity… so my sister’s name is Devika ,which is a cool name.. I honestly don’t think I can do as good a job as my mother thinking up kids names!!!
2. My pet name with family is Babli , that was my dads contribution ,I respond with equal enthusiasm to both names, though at times I prefer babli to Natasha.. needless to say I was really excited when Bunty aur Babli was coming out… my sister’s pet name is Babusha ( also thanks to dad)
3. I am a woman.
4. I’m 25 years old.
5. I’m a February baby
6. 80’s child – 1981
7. I believe I show strong Aquarian traits!!! I check my daily horoscope ever so often….
8. I was born at Nanavati Hospital, Vile Parle .Mumbai, India.
9. I am single… out of choice and fate both!!!
10. Hope to marry and have kids …. And I think I can twiddle my thumbs patiently till it happens
11. I spent all of my childhood , 18 years in Dubai, which is part of the United Arab Emirates. Up to the point my dad actually made clear that under no uncertain terms we would be moving , I always believed I would stay there my entire life ….. most of my childhood friends still stay there.
12. I did all my schooling from Kindergarten to the 12th grade at the Indian High School, Dubai.
13. I’m a CBSE product… I’m NOT a CBSE snob , it didn’t help me much the first year of undergrad , and that was entirely my fault….
14. When I opted for science PCMB in the 11th grade ( not completely out of choice ..but in hindsight I am glad I did ) I realized that I was going to have to reprogram my mind to think analytically , ( not a very easy task ) ,but I had to stick with it as I’d topped my school in tenth grade science
15. I can remember all sorts of random trivia and do alright in quizzes .
16. Old friends from the past usually remember me as the girl with the long hair , or the girl who used to win quizzes , or my wacky sense of humor ,yess i do have a sense of humour!!!
17. i would like to get a tattoo done ,but have been dissuaded most times by friends and family
18. I wear four rings on my fingers , some people think it’s way to much bling ,but I’ve grown attached to them now so wont take them off!!!
19. I have two earrings in each ear , body piercing is cool!!!
20. I have a Bachelors in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Sri Dharmasthala Manjunateshwara College of Engingeering and Technology , Dharwad , Karnataka
21. I stayed in a hostel during my four years of undergrad
22. I worked as a Computer Science Lecturer for a year and half at Poornaprajna College,Udipi.
23. The first time I wore a salwar kameez was when I joined undergrad.
24. I had to wear a sari every day to work as a lecturer in India .
25. I have a graduate diploma in commerce from Victoria University of Wellington , New Zealand .
26. Will graduate with a masters in Operations management from the University of Alabama , Tuscaloosa.
27. I will never become an astronaut as I suffer from motion sickness.
28. I’m ambidextrous, I prefer to use my left hand for everything except eating and writing
29. My handwriting is somewhat illegible, it has forever been the bane of my existence
30. My mother tongue is Tulu, I speak to my parents in English , that pretty much says it all!!
31. I’m the elder child .
32. My favorite colors are variants of maroon.
33. I recently learnt the fuchsia looks good on me!!
34. I love to listen to music , pretty much anything goes , but haven’t yet developed appreciation for classical music or gangsta rap.
35. Recently realized that I am a closet country music fan .
36. difficult to list all my favorite songs but some of them are Heaven –Bryan Adams, Waiting in Vain- Annie Lennox/ Bob Marley , a few songs by the Eagles , Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark and Bruce Springsteen’ I’m on Fire ,and many more
37. Like Bryan Adams, The Eagles, Rob Thomas, Richard Marx, Cyndi Lauper, Belinda Carlisle.
38. I like retro hits 90’s,80’s ,70’s ,60’s American/British/Hindi is about as far back as I go.
39. I also like fullto timepass Hindi movie songs and indipop , favorite albums … Dhadkan, Tum Bin also like old Kishore Kumar songs .
40. I get to watch and listen to old Hindi movies and songs because of my mom , she’s a repository of knowledge on 60’s -70’s Hindi movie stuff.
41. Like desi remixes , I also like nusrat fateh ali khan ,and some sufi music.
42. some movies I like are Pretty Woman, Zoolander, Serendiptiy , When Harry met Sally , Hum Tum , Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, Andaz Apna Apna, Padosan …
43. I was an avid reader till the age off 18 ..didn’t get much time to read after that??? So most of my reading at present has been pretty sporadic … and somewhat light .
44. pride and prejudice, books by Lucy Maud Montgomery, books by Louisa may Alcott, Richard Bach , the alchemist , Enid Blyton’s , especially the enchanted wood , malory towers and st. clares series, famous five’s are good but liked the fairy ,gnome and elf stuff better!!, chronicles of narnia , Ruskin bond , simplified Indian history and mythology , Acts of Faith –Eric Segal appeal to me .
45. I like John Cusack ,Aamir Khan , Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson!!!
46. I used to watch a lot of TV , haven’t been watching much the past couple of years
47. I try to watch grey’s anatomy when I can and sex and the city reruns
48. Like the Wonder Years and FRIENDS.. two of the best shows ever.
49. at home in India when I have the tv to myself I usually put on MTV , which pretty much runs hindi songs and trailers back to back. ( I like watching trailers of hindi movies that have songs in them)
50. I like Phalguni Pathak’s music, euphoria is good as well.
51. I like soy milk
52. I don’t mind eating raw fruits and vegetables the whole day!!!
53. I prefer not to eat non veg food when I can .
54. I like going to Qdoba and Jimmy John’s.
55. I like collecting souvenirs from airport duty free’s
56. my favorite meal is Kori Rotti , it’s a mangalorean dish , I have it without the chicken.
57. every time I go out with my parents to eat snacks I end up ordering chaat.
58. I used to like strawberry milk shakes and smoothies , but inclinations towards veganism is putting an end to that.
59. My favorite comic strips are Peanuts followed by Garfield , oh and I like Ziggy!!
60. My favorite cartoon…that’s tough .. I like the Hanna-Barbera ones I guess… Yogi Bear, The Flintstones and the Jetsons.
61. I like Archie comics and Mad magazine, Amar Chitra Katha and Chandamama
62. I don’t like tomato ketchup.
63. I don’t like Mirinda
64. I don’t like Coldplay!!!!
65. I don’t like Shah Rukh khan.
66. I think my favorite genre of movies are probably chick flicks , romance or comedies , maybe historical ones as well …
67. all the other genres bore me …. I don’t have the patience to watch movies these days.
68. I watch the amazing race and america’s next top model on tv.. the only reality shoes I like .
69. I like Anderson Cooper on CNN ( who doesn’t???)
70. I also like Jon Stewart and Bill Maher.
71. I prefer the New York Times to USA Today.
72. The Times of India Sucks, but I don’t like any of the other newspapers in India either.
73. India today, outlook, cosmopolitan .glamour , O magazine and readers digest are magazines I read most often .
74. I like Will Ferrell.
75. One Night at the Roxbury ROCKS!!! Especially for its 90’s soundtrack.
76. I prefer not to have tea or coffee.
77. I’m possessive about my stuff !!
78. One sure way to piss me off--- say something unflattering about someone I care about .
79. I don’t care much for snobs and manipulative people.
80. I don’t like sushi.
81. Sometimes senti movies and cartoons make me cry!!!
82. I do well in standardized tests.
83. I’m accident prone
84. I’ve got butter fingers!!!
85. I don’t particularly like long train journeys.
86. I don’t particularly like airline journeys.
87. I prefer winter to summer.
88. My favorite subject in school the past couple of years has been business strategy .
89. I don’t talk much.
90. but I don’t mind people who do…
91. I think people who’ve stayed with me for a period of time know me quite well , the rest don’t even know the half of it!!!
92. I’m somewhat of a pacifist, I’m firm with my beliefs but I really would much rather not argue with people .
93. I’ve got a good memory .
94. I have a bad habit of completing other peoples sentences !! its very ,very bad …have overcome it to some extent .
95. I don’t know what my height is exactly … its around 5’8 I think.. at times I wish I were a bit shorter …. but its ok … Live with what you’ve got!!!!:)
96. I have a tendency to behave as a goody two shoes and get preachy at times.. I don’t like that…. So I’ve controlled it to some extent.
97. As of now …. I’ve got no regrets, that’s pretty much how I lead my life … I won’t do anything I’ll regret later.
98. Don’t really follow fads, and don’t really succumb to peer pressure….much!!!
99. I wouldn’t call myself an escapist………but I prefer not to get jaded with life .
100. I like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!!


Wow , this took me a while to write ……..

A few of my favorite things.....

These are a few of my favorite things( in no particular order)….
Raindrops on roses ….Sleeping in on Sundays….The Garden Collection Fragrances by Victoria’s Secret….The smell of wet earth after rains. especially in India..Bookstores and libraries …gotta love ‘em, ….Cute stationery .….Actual real mail from friends, I love postcards, cards and letters.. love it when my friends send them , love sending them off as well….The Eagles…I can’t tell you why….well I can… but whatever….
Walking …… Sunsets…..Deserts….Daydreaming…. I have a vivid overactive imagination!! Daydream believer ..that’s me….Peaches and plums……Seeing Stars on a clear night….Musicindiaonline.com and launch!!!! …Surprise birthday parties … just showing up, or just remembering my birthday!!!collecting famous quotes… quizzing ….
FM radio ..who needs ipods anyway!!!!bright city lights!!!
Comic books and magazines ….Public transport…Chaat…Chikki, especially peanut chikki!!!!Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist ….Ok ok give credit where it’s deserved …. I like my laptop!!!!Skirts ….Long drives…. Headphones….Veggie food …Books by Lucy Maud Montgomery
F.R.I.E.N.D.S...Steve Martin..Comedy’s featuring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks
Zoolander..Serendipity…Temple food ….Shopping.....The Wonder Years, Sex and the city... Charlie Brown.... Garfield... …

Post Script- Sorry Gals/Guys... sort of a very random blog entry... but wanted to maintain the overall tone of this blog??!!!

Life's Little instructions- Part 1

I thought I would pen some inspiring stuff in this blog . Life’s Little Instruction book is one of my favorite books , I have two of the series with me right now and a copy at home in India. I love inspirational reading, would say its my favorite genre of books…I’m a sucker for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and recently bought a gift book called “A little book of hugs”, well for as long as I can ,whenever I feel like I’ll post a few instructions from the book in kind of the sequence they occur in the book.. again it’s called Life’s Little instruction Book..it’s by H. Jackson Brown Jr. ,and it’s a gem of a book :)
1. Believe in love at first sight .. ( no harm in believing!!!)
2. Never laugh at anyone’s dreams.
3. When you feel terrific notify your face.
4. Accept a breath mint if someone offers you one.
5. never apologize for being early for an appointment
6. use a travel agent. It costs no more and saves time and effort.
7. never miss an opportunity to ride a rollercoaster
8. never be the first one to break a family tradition (my dad’s favorite!!)
9. Park next to the end curb in parking lots. Your cars have half the chance of getting dented .
10. remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something.
11. take along a small gift for the host or hostess when you are a dinner guest . A book is a good choice.
12. never be photographed with a cocktail glass in your hand.
13. remember no time is ever wasted that makes two people better friends.
14. there are people who will always come up with reasons why you cant do what you want to do .ignore them .
15. when boarding a bus say “hello” to the driver, say “thank you” when you get off.
Source :Life’s little instruction Book – H. Jackson Brown Jr.
Disclaimer: I don’t necessarily follow any of the instructions in this list , but I sincerely wish I did!!!!

Uni Life....

Thanks to Niharika for the forward….reminds me of Welly and applies to Alabama as well…gosh eight years in college…… I’ve been postponing the real world for way too long…...

TOP 10 REASONS WHY UNIVERSITY IS LIKE PRESCHOOL...
10. You cry for your mother.
9. You cross the street without looking for cars.
8. Snack time is a necessity.
7.You bundle up for the outdoors without caring what you look like
because everyone else looks as stupid as you do.
6. You stay at home and play games with your friends.
5. You wear your backpack on both shoulders.
4. You wear big mittens.
3. Playing in the snow is a legitimate activity.
2. You take naps.
1. You look forward to cheese toasties. (I misss toasties..basically grilled cheese sandwiches)


YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN AT UNI TOO LONG WHEN...

You actually like doing laundry at home where the washing machines
work.
Two miles is not too far to walk for a party.
You'd rather clean than study, esp. if an essay's due.
"Oh crap- how did it get so late" comes out of ur mouth at least
once a nite!
Home cooking becomes something u desire, not avoid.
U plan your classes around sleep habits & soap operas,

You know the take out guy by name and don't even need to read the
menu
You go to sleep when it's light and get up when it's dark.
You live for getting post.
Looking out the window is a form of entertainment.
Prank phone calls become funny again.
You start thinking and sounding like your friends and your accent
becomes a hybrid 0f their accents
Highlighters are the coolest things on earth.
Rearranging your room is your favorite pastime.
Rubbish cheap shops are so cool.
The weekend lasts from Monday to Thursday

Sweet Home Alabama Part 2

Alabama Facts and Trivia
1. Alabama introduced the Mardi Gras to the western world. The celebration is held on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent begins.

2. Alabama was the first state to make Christmas an official holiday in 1836…


3. Alabama workers built the first rocket to put humans on the moon (after coming to the states I’ve heard a couple of conspiracy theories about this ..you know who you are!!! But whatever).

4. The pecan is the Alabama's official nut. ( I love Pecans, wish I could eat Pecan Pie more often!!).

5. Many scenes from Forrest Gump where shot at the University of Alabama. Tom Hanks’ character studies here. And that famous run across the Football field takes place in T town’s Bryant Denny Football stadium .

6. The University of Alabama also is home of the Crimson Tide, 12-time national football champions


7. The Birmingham Airport opened in 1931. At the time of the opening a Birmingham to Los Angeles flight took 19 hours.( Isn’ t much better now bro.. took me 24 hours to reach Birmingham from LA, thanks to Delta canceling my flight, and delays.. and this after a 24 hour journey across the Pacific ,needless to say I was pretty frazzled when I reached Tuscaloosa slept for 2 days straight after that I think.. the people who I stayed with thought that was a bit strange( you know who you are !!!) .FYI the flight from LA to Birmingham takes around 5 to 5 and a half hours I think).

8. Courtney Cox- Arquette (Monica from FRIENDS is from Birmingham,Alabama… you didn’t know that did you ???). Other famous Alabamians, Nat King Cole, Helen Keller, Lionel Ritchie!!! The Temptations and Condoleeza Rice .


9. Harper Lee the author of Too Kill a Mockingbird is from Alabama , and is an Alumnus of The University of Alabama.


10. Vivian Malone and James Hood both registered for classes in 1963 to become the University of Alabama's first two black students. This was the final battle to end racial segregation in American higher education. President Kennedy and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, personally negotiated what was to happen in Tuscaloosa that summer, after Gov. George Wallace blocked the doorway to Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama ,symbolically trying to prevent the African American students from entering ( not highly encouraging huh, yeah I learnt all this after I came here because in school they know of their disgraceful history and have spent 40 years to make up for it.. good job too !!!).

11. In 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus and sparks the Montgomery bus boycott which brought Dr. Martin Luther King to leadership in the Civil Rights Movement.


Compiled from the internet…………

100 things to do....(reworked)

100 things to do …….
I’ve always wanted to make a list like this so here goes ……have to admit I had to look at other sources for inspiration, also did go overboard at times, if you don’t dream big ….how are you going to achieve it ??

...So here’s my list of 100 things I want to do in my life ..in no particular order .hopefully should provide me some direction ,and I can strike things off the list as and when they happen ..i may have done some of things I haven’t struck of already..but I want to do them better the next time around so they remain on this list….. disclaimer this list can and will change over time!!!

The first time i wrote this list it was 2 am at night so needless to say i kind off lost track with the ctrl -c's & ctrl v's(LOL)..here is a updated list with no repetitions (i hope) and somewhat attainable!!!!

1. Visit Prince Edward Island Canada.

2. Get something published in a newspaper or a magazine. Done sometime in third grade!!!!
3. Attend an Eagles concert.
4. Drive across America from coast to coast.
5. Say "I love you".
6. Learn to play the guitar.
7. Learn to swim.
8. Actually learn to drive.
9. Visit the United States of America .Done 28th December 2004
10. Be in a movie or TV series ….I guess being an extra is alright
11. Live in New York city .
12. Climb a mountain.
13. Win an award
14. Go around the world atleast once ,took 24 yrs to do it but Done – 14th December 2005.
15. Visit Switzerland.
16. Visit Bora-Bora –Tahiti- Done 28th December 2004.
17. Prepare a five course meal.
18. Buy a house.
19. Get married.
20. Try my luck at the stock market.
21. Join a salsa or funk class
22. Go scuba diving .
23. Learn French.
24. Participate in a demonstration- Done sometime in undergrad.
25. Watch the filming of an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show.
26. Learn to (actually learn to) use a bicycle.
27. Visit Chinatown(preferably in In San Francisco)
28. Fall in love.
29. Send a message in a bottle.
30. Plant a tree.
31. Keep a Journal Done June 2005.
32. Stay out all night partying and go to work the next day without having gone home.
33. See a tornado Done Early 2005
34. Visit Paris.
35. Teach for a living Done July 2002 –ongoing .
36. Write my will.
37. Ride on the Orient Express.
38. Own a laptop –Done February 2006.
39. Own an ipod .
40. Go up in a hot-air balloon.
41. Run in a marathon.
42. Overcome my acute attention deficit disorder.
43. Ride a horse .
44. Become a Radio Jockey (even for a day!!!).
45. Go on a cruise ship.
46. Sky dive.
47. Bungee jump.
48. Be interviewed either for Tv or a local ,national ,international paper-done May 2004.
49. Play tennis.
50. Visit Goa- Done in 2001.
51. Visit an American Indian Reservation.
52. Eat Mexican food !!!! done 2004.
53. Visit the Grand Canyon.
54. Visit an active volcano.
55. Get out of debt.
56. Ride a cable car-done February 2004.
57. Get a bachelors degree in Engineering –done 2002.
58. Get a Masters.
59. Make a road movie.
60. Learn to bartend.
61. Get paid to travel.
62. Read War and Peace.
63. Meet a long lost friend after 20 yrs!!!??!!!.
64. Get paid to say something about movies or music or both.
65. Have kids.
66. See a hurricane-done June 2005.
67. Get a dog done 1998.
68. Make a complete and utter fool of myself.-Done
69. Meet a member of the British Royal Family.
70. Visit a rainforest.
71. Meet some one famous.
72. Travel by myself –Done .
73. Stay in a hostel –done October 1998.
74. See a movie at a drive-in done in Dubai.
75. Come up with a good one-liner.
76. Become a semi-acceptable cook.
77. Visit Egypt.
78. Work as an Analyst.
79. Make a short movie.
80. Go whale watching.
81. Read One hundred years of Solitude and Love in the age of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marques .
82. Fly First Class.
83. Visit Singapore –Done March 2004.
84. Queue for something for at least 24 hours.
85. Make a difference.
86. Go on an Archeological Expedition.
87. Visit a European Castle.
88. Sleep out under the stars on a warm summer's night- Done.
89. Swim in crystal clear waters.
90. See Dolphins
91. Go back to each house I've ever lived in ??? or ok the home where i spent my childhood....
92. Learn a martial art and kick someone’s ass with it.
93. Buy a telescope.
94. Volunteer for a good cause-Done.
95. Watch a prefect sunset at sea-Done.
96. Go fishing.
97. Do something I was always afraid of doing.
98. Sleep in a hammock
99. See Snow.
100. Explore New York’s public library.