Day 30: Names

Day 30: 5 favorite girls names, 5 favorite boys names


For boys:
Vansh
Rishi
Riddhiman
Vedant
Jai




For girls:
Meenakshi
Samriddhi
Malavika
Claudia
Anu


Expect a detailed post soon on the reasons why these happen to be my favorite names for boys and girls.

Day 24: List of My Favourite 10 People

Day 24: your favorite 10 people right now and why

1. Mom: For more details, read this one and and this.
2. AR: My twin sister. We call her SunshineGirl because it aptly symbolizes her cheerful personality. As to why she is my favorite person, one reason- She's Awesome!
3. Daddy Dearest: For being the anchor in my life. How can you not love a person who daily professes, "I Love You Baby. If you have any problems, just give me a whistle."
4. Hubby: My own TDH hunk is just adorable. For special moments that make him sweeter, read here and again.
5. Dimma: Babushkas cannot get nicer and cooler than this.
6. Thatha: For being the best grandpa in the world. I love your smile, your tennis prowess and your trademark Old Spice scent.
7. Amma & Appa- Best parents-in-law ever.
8. Mama: Is it any wonder that uncles are Double mummy when loosely translated in Hindi?
9. Mami: 'coz you twice as nice as Mama
10. BFF: you gals and guys rock!

Day 18: Top Reasons Why I blog and Am Still at it!

Day 18: why you made your blog, why you still have it
The reasons for blogging are listed in Day 3 of this series. But my top reasons for continuing to blog are as below:

1. Blogging is fun.
2. Writing a post every single day takes patience and teaches consistency and the importance of persevering. 
3. It keeps me result-driven. One post needs to get published every day. I usually find that I lapse during weekends; since those two days fly away with Hubs and all our outings and shopping and Skype chats with our large family back home. However, my challenge dictates that I post an article EVERY day. So, I just write my posts beforehand and then press the publish button on the weekends. It's not exactly cheating according to me. I like to call it 'Delivering what you Promise'. It's a lesson from my days as an engineer in a corporate firm. Nobody cares how you deliver so long as you DO. (Subject to the means being legal and civil.) I used to adopt this technique to flee early and get home sooner on Fridays. I  needed the precious hour since I travelled on Friday- so, I'd work extra on Thursday to keep my work up to date. I always delivered, so nobody cared a hoot. 
4. It's free. That alone is an awesome reason to use it to the fullest.
5. I like playing around with the themes, widgets and am looking at web designing aspects as well. So, I get to indulge in my creative and technical streaks. 
6. My typing has improved loads due to blogging.
7. A lot of the questions are introspective and help me discover more about myself. Self-improvement and introspection has never been so enjoyable.
8. I'm a housewife and blogging is a great way to keep boredom at bay while Hubbyji works for our living.
9. Blogging makes me think.
10. I actually have made friends and learnt so much about people I would have never known were it not for Blogger. This kind of platform opens up new vistas of learning that are enlightening as much as they pleasing.

Day 12: Top Ten (Best) Advice

Day 12: the best advice you’ve ever heard, or ever been given


Actually there are some very good ones that I have received over the course of my growing up. Here are my favourites:

1. Smile often. For sure, the best crease your face can sport.
2. When buying clothes, choose taste and comfort over price and fashion trends. Absolutely.
3. Whenever traveling, check for tickets and wallet. You can always get the rest. (I have added cell phone to this list though)
4. There's a silver lining to every cloud. Never found it to be false.
5. Whether it's a glass of water or career, go get it yourself. I can't agree more.
6. If it takes only a minute, do it now. So true and gets so much done.
7. Never touch an unwatched plate or drink. If you are a woman or alone, follow it. You never know.
8. Love yourself. You can't love others when you can't even love yourself.
9. Accept people for what they are and not what they can be. But inspire people to be what they can be and not stay as what they are. 
10. Always tell Mom.

Day 9 : Top Twenty Things That Make Me Happy

Day 9: things that make you happy

1. Books and libraries
2. Being with and Talking to family 
3. Desserts - ice creams, chocolates, custards, jelly
4. Grandparents
5. Junk food
6. Listening to music
7. Nature
8. Milk products - lassi, curds, pedas, milkshakes
9. Beaches, lakes, seas
10. Travelling in a train
11. Nuts
12. Accessories
13. Chatting with friends
14. Weddings
15. Lazy mornings
16. Chandeliers
17. Curtains
18. Flowers vases
19. Elocution competitions and Public Speaking
20. Mehendi

Day 8: Top Seven Things that Make Me Sad

Day 8: things that make you sad

1. Wedding 'bidaai' scenes
2. Missing Home and family
3. Tragic stories or novels with depressing ending
4. News articles about atrocities against women and children
5. Dull, cold, gloomy, wintry days
6. Crying babies
7. Saying goodbye to loved ones

Hollywood and Bollywood Leos

I just Googled actors who are Leos:
Names I gleaned are:
Patrick Swayze
Hayden Panettiere
Matthew Perry
Christian Slater
Antonio Banderas (now we are getting somewhere)
Arnold Shwarzenegger (cool)
Ben Affleck (at least he is famous)
Charlize Theron (good)
Dustin Hoffman (how Fab!)
Halle Berry (great)
Jennifer Lopez (beats BA listed above)
Lisa Kudrow (loved her in Friends)
Madonna
Robert De Niro
Robert Redford
Wesley Snipes

I was getting bit discouraged by the beginning of the list I'd seen. No offense meant. I'm sure the others are equally famous. But, the latter part of the list left me really happy. I share my sun-sign with these amazing people. How grand!

I also Googled Bollywood for the same and here is what I came up with:
Kajol
Rakhi
Saif Ali Khan
Sanjay Dutt
Vyjayantimala
Genelia D'souza

Interesting, no?

My Favourite Material Things

Books- Mad about them
Music- I need that tape or iPod or iPhone.
Notepad and Pen- I frequently get the urge to write, even if it is utter balderdash.
Chocolates
Junk Food- especially Mumbai street food
Peanuts and Nuts
Soft toys
Earrings- the danglier, the better
Bracelets, bangles, rings
Mehendi and nail art
Salads
Chinese clips

List of My Favourite Cartoons

Ok. I admit I'm 25 which is quite old to be listing favourite cartoons. But hey, like Mark Twain said:
Age is just about Mind Over Matter. If you don't mind. it doesn't matter.

So, here goes the list:

1. Love Is... 
2. Family Circus 
3. Calvin and Hobbes 
4. Uncle Scrooge 
5. Alladin 
6. Talespin 
7. The Little Mermaid
8. Asterix and Obelix
9. Mandrake
10. Chacha Choudhary
11. Shikari Shambu
12. Tantri the Mantri
13. Kapish, Chamataka and Doob-Doob
14. The Lost World
15. Mowgli

List of My Favourite Authors

I read this Facebook post on List of 15 favorite authors. I decided to add the response here.

The authors are not listed in any order of preference and I love reading each one of them.

1. Agatha Christie
2. Barbara Cartland
3. Betty Neels 
4. Jane Austen 
5. Mark Twain 
6. Enid Blyton 
7. Bill Bryson 
8. Isaac Asimov
9. Alfred Hitchcock 
10. Nora Roberts
11. Sidney Sheldon
12. Alistair MacLean
13. Robert Ludlum
14. Mary Higgins Clark
15. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle