Scottish referendum- from the eye of an altruistic expat

Only few more hours away from the historic #indyref moment in Scotland, and I can already feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach.  I have kept my polling card along with other Id documents ready to be able to vote for the Scottish Independence Reference tomorrow.  It's a history in the making, and we are very glad to be part of this.

Shoo away Cancer!

There's not a single soul who's not apprehensive about cancer.  The very word has such a power that it brings jitters to your whole body. I am no different here. It isn't actually the fear of What-If-I-Get-It syndrome, but it is some kind of a strange feeling that baffles my mind.  One that is daunting, and leaves me with heavy heart invariably when I hear someone say "Do you know, X is diagnosed with cancer"!! 

As I fly

The flight journey and experience is always different and depends on where you sit.  Agree or not?  I am talking about short duration flights (1-3 hours) and travelling in low cost local/ international airlines.  Not the long journey international flights on Boeing or Airbus.

O for "Ode to Blog"

Please click on the photo to view the first post. 

Spin the wheel 5 years ago, I remember the day I started this blog with the motive to jot down my experiences, thoughts and observations, and to record the little things that revolve around my life.  For very many years I have been a silent blogger, just having a couple of loyal friends reading my blog.  This blog had seen me grow in many folds of life - from a single girl to a married women, from an amateur to a bit matured person.  I have improved my writing skills, made good friends and learnt a lot of things in this space. 

My early blog posts had been more of sharing personal experiences, time spent with friends, corporate stuff, about S, my married life etc..Most of my contributions has always been light weight topic - nitty nuts, day to day happenings, a lot related to nature, photography, travel.   

I am very bad with blog challenges - Not regular in my Project 366, so-so in ABC Challenge (which I am still struggling to finish)!  I am not a frequent blogger too.  Every now and then, my blog has posts that say "sorry for my long absence, I was too busy, things have been so tough"....blah ..blah!! To take a step towards blogging regularly, I took up Wordless Wednesdays and Thursday Challenge..Now everyday has become wordless Wednesdays for me! I have regretted that this writing space is transformed into a photo blog!  

I am trying out everything that's possible to keep myself regular to the blog, and to keep myself motivated.  

I owe so much to this blog, and have a great respect towards this space.  Although I don't spend a lot of time on blogging, this is the space I love and look forward to visit everyday.   I've made good friends here and I will treasure this relationship. 

"I love you my blog, you inspire me everyday...muah" 

I would like to thank everyone who support me, encourage me, motivate and inspire me (knowingly or unknowingly).  

PS: Don't be too bothered about that extra-fittings in the photo!!  

10 on Tuesday - 10 favorite career

It's been long long ago since I wrote 10 on tuesday topics. Today is my 10th post of ToT, what better reason to write on this..Decided to write one but was pondering over a good topic when I saw an add popping out of my laptop asking me if I want to change my career.  Viola...thought about my dreams and aspirations. I am very greedy when it comes to choices.  I don't have just one dream career, but countless of them.  What I've done here is attempted to list down top 10 of my dream career(not in any order though). 

To my dear neighbour!

I knew you are normally a nice boy.  I liked it when you got the parcel for me during my absense, and helped me bring that home.  I appreciated the little christmas and new year greeting card that you posted to me.  And that little invitation you threw at us to get some donation for your school and asking us to join the school day.  I totally appreciate all this.  You are a nice boy to your mum.  But I can't find solace staying as your neighbour!

Shoo away the Monday moods

Warning: Here again! I hate saying monday blues! Coz I love blue in any form - blue skies, blue water, and R&B (rhythm and blues genre of music) and the boy band BLUE and blue eyes!  So the word "Monday morning blues" is strictly prohibited here!!

3 years and still running strong!

He is a cricket fanatic; she nearly hates watching cricket for more than 30 minutes. 

He is patient; she is restless.

He is responsible; every bit of her is irresponsible…err…yes….to some extent….

He takes thoughtful decisions; she’s spontaneous.

He enjoys cooking; she hates that very word.  

She loves reading books, and can even shoo away the sleepy eyes when she reads.  For him, books are good sleeping pills.  The moment he sees the book or touch them, he will fall asleep.

She loves watching cartoon, animated movies, while he snores in the theatre (that too wearing a 3D glass!!)

She worship JK Rowling and Harry potter, while he asks who Hermoine is. 

She loves buying clothes, earring and other accessories, while he loves shopping for accessories for his mobile and laptop and ipad…

She is an impulsive shopper, while he stands behind her to let her not to choose unnecessary things :(

She always wants more clothes, handbags, and never satisfied even she has enviable collection of watches.  He is happy with what he has! 

She is completely immature, while he compensates for this.

She always make unrealistic dreams, while he makes those weird dreams come true.

She builds her castle in air, while he makes sure that castle has strong foundations!

She uses her camera to see the beautiful world, while he sees them thought her eyes!

I can keep writing pages and pages more about both of them and the contrasting taste they have.  But did you hear me saying that this contrast in them made a deep bonding!!  

yes...that day...that year!! (*Blush blush)...3 years had just flew away. It feels wonderful and looks like I’ve lived 1000 years with this man…But I want to live another 1000 more years as happy as these 3 years!

 

Every morning I wake up just to see him sleeping beside me;

And I sleep in the arms that I know will never leave me

I want to love him more and more everyday

Throughout my life, and

Grow old along with him!!

I’ve heard few of my friends saying that our career is lost after marriage, that we are just dumped into the world of responsibilities and house chores!  Well, I wouldn’t accept that!

I did all the housing chores, but that did not stop me from learning every day.  I took a 2 year willing break from work, and they were the best times I should say.  For outsider's eyes, I wasted 2 years by doing farming, planting seeds, feeding my fish, and facebooking and all!!

But I did learn a lot:-

learnt a new language, 

learnt to survive in a non-english speaking country, 

became more effective in using my body language for communication, 

learnt to adjust and appreciate the cultural differences around me, 

learnt a lot of history and geography (again!!), 

learnt cooking, 

mastered googling, 

learnt how to take better photography, 

learnt its tips and tricks, 

learnt using Photoshop and paint.net.

I wouldn't say any melodramatic dialogue like "They say, behind every successful man there is women, but behind me, there is this man"

But yes, in everything I learnt, I had S behind me, supporting me in every step I take and make sure he backs me up, makes sure I don’t fall, make sure I travel in the right direction!  What more can I ask for??  He is simply the best!!

 

On the lighter side, he deserves an award of excellence, an award for being patient, and being able to bear with me for 3 years and for the future years to come, and for bearing my food and experimentations, and for being an unpaid model for my photo-shoots :)

PS: Was on a holiday spree celebrating W-day whole of last week, and less did I realize that I again have to clear up the pile of unread posts!! Please bear patiently until I read your posts and comment on them !!

Glamor filled Day!

Think of Valentine’s Day, I relate it to just one word “LOVE”. 

With V’day around the corner, I see all pretty flowers popping out here and there.  Every shop beckons you to buy something or the other for your beloved ones.

After the rain!

The alluring smell of the sand,

When the chill entering my hand

The gushing sound of rain

That faded away all my pain

Mind scouting for a warm place

To get warmth on the face

Wishing to have a hot cup of tea

And to stroll beside the shores of sea!

As I sat on my couch

It was blissful that I can vouch

To watch the rain from window

And the wide spread green meadow!

I sank into my favourite book

Giving the rain another look

Seconds moved into hours

And then I remembered to scour

The vessels I left in the sink

But I thought of having a drink

When I returned back with my glass

I found something shining on the grass

Ah! Rain has decided to stop    

And I saw the water plop

From the trees that stood high

I wouldn’t question the rain why

Because the sun was peeping out

And it decided to scout

The lovely dew drops shining

But I couldn’t stop whining

My laziness to take a photo

That was long back my motto

Took my toy machine

Decided to break my routine

The fresh smell of leaf

Is something no one can beef!

Its pleasing lustre and hue

When the sky was all blue

I started to click my shot

Until I realised that I have had a lot!

See for yourself the result

For it’s more than a reason for me to exult!!

The rain drops that is seated on all the naked stems!

I should have used my macro lens, but had no time to change the lens, and took this with maximum zoom

I've blurred the background here intentionally, but still the shot could've been better!

PS: But I have to say this - the rain today was awfully windy and stormy :(  

Goes without saying, I did not take these pictures today, but on a nice, calm rainy day!

TGIF...Oooolaaalaaaa

Monday come, people say monday morning blues.  Why blue? Why not monday morning green or red?  Blue is such a pleasant & lovely color (and my all time fav one too). 90% of our nature has blue shades, and I still wonder who coined the term Monday Morning blues?

Ten on Tuesday - 2

Having born, brought up and educated in Chennai is more than enough a reason for me to miss this vibrant city!

It's hard to say Good-Bye

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 15; the fifteenth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

Right or Wrong??

Often elders state that a child should be trained as to what is right and what is wrong at the early stage itself. 

Take the pledge

How many of you make sure to drop the litter only on a trash, and not anywhere on the road?

I am not a shopaholic!

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Like any other person (read women) I love shopping - No matter it is scorching sun or lousy rain!  No matter I have some buying list or not! Regardless of how filthy or horde Ranganathan street gets! I simply love it! Strolling on the streets, watching the busy shopkeepers, window shopping, and walking with 1000 other lively shoppers!  It’s an immense feeling altogether! What say?

Towards positivity - Day 7

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The raison d'être for me getting uber excited is nothing complicated.  I’ve kept-up the experiment towards positivity without breaking it.  It’s an immense feeling, a sense of great accomplishment and a moment to wear pride on your sleeve! I am not trying to inflate my emotions here, but that is what I feel this moment!  Over to my last day's positivity!

Wedding, marriage, nuptual knots, cupid play, unconditional love and what else???

One of my friend is not interested in the nuptual knots and marriage. After reading his post, I started questioning myself about the pre and post married life. I interviewed S for his thoughts too. And we came up with good advantages, and with no delay, here they are. 

Facebook Addiction!!

Years back, when I was at the verge of completing my schooling, was I introduced to the fun world of WWW. I, along with my friends created a little yahoo id with a sad underscore to it, not wanting to get into the chat rooms, because you never know the person who is chatting with you. Those days, with the dial up connection, I go to the internet centre along with my friend (ofcourse to share the cost!!), writing mails to all whom you know, creating mail ids on all possible providers... very funny it was.

A little thing called “A”

Does your name start with A?? Then there are 1000 wrong things about it!! What do you say?