2015 Checklist!

Hello again!

First of all, if you're reading this, let me wish you a very very happy new year. Hope 2014 was a great year for you and even if it wasn't, hope it gave you the strength to see it all through and never give up. Wishing everyone a fantastic 2015!

As for me, 2014 was a year which at the end of it has left me with no major complaints. Every year I sit down on the same date and try to summarize the year that was, realizing how much I learned and grew as a person, but this year taught me how to prioritize my feelings. It taught me to value myself more, to make myself happy and content, to feel accomplishment, and go to bed with a smile on my face. All of this, but not in a selfish way. I really think I deserved that. Almost no one can fiddle with your mind once you start being happy with yourself!

Lets see how I did in 2014, here we go!

1. Lose Weight. Get Fit. Build Stamina. CHECK! Although this change occurred only post late November, I am going to give myself credit for it. I really do feel I have become more fitness oriented, not in the "lose weight" kind of way but more like leading a healthy, fit and strong lifestyle. I workout for 2 hours, 5 days a week and have managed to lose 8 kilograms of pure, unadulterated fat since 22nd November 2014.

2. Run a Marathon: CHECK! Well, lets not call it a Marathon, it was a Walk-a-thon. But I did it. I only did a 5k walk in 55 minutes. But I did it. I have built my stamina way more and can cover close to 10 km now, but I did it. On to bigger marathons this year! :)

3. Travel More with Lover.: FAIL. There is a reason. He moved to my city in September for a project. Since he is now based out of Bombay, it has been quite hectic getting him settled in, and him adapting to the pace of Bombay, while finding a place to stay, managing work, home, maids, cleanliness, bills etc. We just haven't had the time. But he's settled here now, for few months at least, and travel is definitely on the cards.

4. Get a Flying Job.: FAIL. To say that Aviation in India is going through a bad phase would probably be an understatement. As much as I love to fly, I have started to think practically. I am giving myself till the mid of 2015 where I'd focus on flying as my career completely. If nothing happens, I am prepared for a switch.

5. Learn to Let Go: CHECK. I have realized that the more I try to force myself to let go of things, the more I cannot. So I finally decided to go with the flow and I am very happy to report that I am not having emotional breakdowns in the middle of Ghulam Ali Ghazals anymore!

6. Value people who value you: CHECK. I have made it a practice to value peoples' emotions towards me, especially the positive ones. Sure, I have my special someone who I drive crazy with being stubborn and the least understanding person ever, but in general, I have learned to value words spoken by people who know the value of words and feelings.

7. Help the needy. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK.

8. Learn to Listen: CHECK. I must confess, I had the toughest time dealing with this one until after September 2014, but I am learning to listen. I am learning to shut up as well.

9. Write more often. CHECK. I have been fairly regular with my food blog this year. But I can still improve on the frequency of my posts!

10. Learn a new Language. CHECK CHECK CHECK! Oui, you're reading from Mademoiselle Ashrita who has completed her beginners level in French speaking! :) This month I am starting with level 2! YAY!

80% again! Damn! Needed to do better!

Alright, lets set some goals for 2015.

1. To be able to do lunges/squats comfortably with a barbell.

2. To be Bikini ready by the end of December.

3. To start saving money (seriously, I spend everything I earn. Like, everything. Need to be more responsible)

4. Take 2 international trips and 2 trips within India.

5. To take a leap of faith careerwise.

6. Buy a DSLR

7. Take food blogging more seriously.

8. Replace my entire wardrobe (except any 5 items that hold sentimental value)

9. Finish another Marathon.

10. Travel with Lover.

All the best to me, and to you! What are your resolutions this year? I would love to know!

Love, thou art a funny, funny thing indeed.

Here’s why I get in trouble time and again, coz I love. I love love and I love to love. Love for me is not something that is between people who are intimately involved or in a relationship or married, but way more than that. I am the kind of person who would also say “I love you” to friends, or just people whom I love.

But with love also comes a certain degree of possessiveness. And that is fine by me as long as it does not result into over possessiveness or obsession. I also get protective and possessive about everyone I love, which is why I have had hard times when my friends started dating guys and I felt like they were ignoring me for no reason. I was a kid back then. Slowly I learned how things worked and worked my way around it.

But this, this was something special. This was love. Every time I said to you that I love you, I got a warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart. I thought it was the same with you. But there I went assuming and I made an ass out of you and me. So when I saw you say “I love you” to her, I died a little inside, and when I saw her say “I love you too” I died a little more.

It’s funny because we’ve been through our share of hard times and eventually reconciled but now its making me feel whether it was just for the heck of it or was it truly because you missed me?

Now when I even think of saying “I Love You” to you, I cringe a little, inside.

55 Word Story - Theme - Apples

The day he first saw her on webcam, from thousands of miles away, she was wearing a bright green dress. Her cheeks, though, were turning Red. 

“You look like a Green Apple!” he said. 

And there was no looking back. She still thinks of him every time she bakes an Apple Pie in her oven.

Of wishes and hopes and everything else.

2011 has been an interesting year so far. I don't know if it's me who is growing up or whether the world is just more in my face now. I can see so many changes in myself, it's remarkable. Don't know if it is a good thing or a bad thing, but I feel better about myself and about the world so I guess it must be working out for me. Suddenly things which did not matter a lot start making a lot more difference. Like

Hot Pink Pumps
Slutty Red Lipstick
Oh yeah, the Chanel Nail Polish
Dolce Vita Nude High Heels
That Vero Moda Dress
Going for Muesli with Strawberry Milk over Doughnuts for breakfast
Oh, the Skirt I saw at Zara
A Louis Vuitton clutch (First copy would do too, I am not very pricey like that)
All that chunky jewelry
My Kohl, although it stands at the same place as it always did. Right at the top.

Materialism, You may think? I think not. I would settle for something that is not a huge brand. But I did realize the importance of these things. I mean I know I went all out about inner beauty and stuff like that, but if you feel beautiful inside, you gotta make sure you feel beautiful outside too, right?

Why think of something that you would only dream of wearing when you can go ahead and get it? It's mostly about me feeling good for myself. I no longer call women who wear bright red nail polish as sluts. Because I started wearing it too. If you wanna call me a slut for that, go ahead! But it makes me feel good about myself. Why would I want a man telling me how beautiful I am when I know it for a fact myself? So I have decided to go ahead and make doll myself up, for no one else but myself.

Last month I went out and bought a pair of my first ever High Heels. I am not too tall, but I am not short either. 5 feet 7 is a decent height to go with flats OR heels. But I thought to myself, you know what? you need to go ahead and get these pair of heels just because you have always dreamed of it and never really had the courage to try it on coz you felt too conscious. I tried them on, I felt great instantly. The following week I bought them. Best. Decision. Ever.

The next thing I did was to buy me Hot Red Nail paint and a Dark Red Lipstick. I tried it on. I felt good. I did not know I could look so much prettier with a little bit of make up. Now I must clarify myself here, I am still not in favor of cake-like layers of make up on my face. I think I am naturally good looking like that. No concealing needed in that department. A little bit goes a long way, but a little bit of bold goes even longer. So I bought them too. I wore them to a party last week. Best. Decision. Ever.

I bought me some chunky jewelry and decided to make use of my long hair for once by tying them into various hairstyles each day. Not too loud, but people are noticing the difference. More than the people, I am noticing the difference. I am in love with myself, and I fucking love it. The best love is self love, but then again it is like dancing on a sword, you gotta be very careful you do not cross the safe zone or it will end up cutting you.

I try to stay healthy because I love myself. I do not feel like gorging out on junk food anymore. When I do, I go ahead and eat it. But mostly I have been making smart choices when it comes to eating right and living right. Did it affect my weighing scale? Not a lot. Inches? A LOT. Besides, it makes me feel healthier and more motivated.

I think life has taught me many important lessons in the past and I will always use them as my guide towards what not to do and how not to be a major asshole. But the best thing is, since I love myself, I make sure that I am not letting myself down. Do I feel a void? No. Is there a void? Yes. But it doesn't matter. I'll get through it. Let me put on some of that expensive new blush I bought myself and shadow my eyes so that I hide all that behind it. I love myself. I waited for the 6 hours that lasted 45 days, I will wait for the 24 hours which would last 6 months at the same rate. I will wait. Will I be the same? I think not. But I will wait. Let's see how many more materials I stash in my already full closet.

How has everyone been? Has 2011 changed anything for you?

Why I love Christmas...

Christmas holds a special place in my heart since I can remember. It's not just a festival for me, but a complete season. The atmosphere is buzzing with the festive spirit all around the world, and it times the perfect mark for closing the ends and opening new beginnings. Now before any of you start to think why am I so biased towards Christmas, let me clarify... I have my reasons for why I love this beautiful season!

When I was a little girl, I used to write notes to Santa every year and put them up in my socks every Christmas eve, and the morning excitement knew no bounds :) One year I wrote to Santa to get me a big ol' Christmas Tree, and guess what, I got it! :P A 5 feet long artificial tree <3 I have managed to put up a Christmas Tree almost every year since then, and I decorate it with lots of cotton and all those small gift boxes, and bells, and ribbons, everything!

It's funny that even when the time has changed, and decades have passed by, Christmas still manages to evoke the same feeling in my heart, every year, year after year. I found out who my Santa was, and grew up eventually, but the excitement still remains! Add to it, the weather is beautiful this time of the year, and there is no noise, smoke or pollution involved. The carols playing in the background make you wanna smile instantly, no matter how sad you are.

This Christmas is quite different to me as compared to the last few years. It does mark the ending of an end and the beginning of a new season, of love. It marks the beginning of a new person, a new attitude, a new approach, and a new goal. So this December, I put an end to all the misery and promise myself to remember myself, and cherish the people I love. I apologize to everyone whom I have hurt, knowingly or unknowingly, or have spoken badly of. I forgive everyone who was bad to me, and hurt me or made me upset. I do this because, 2010 was a really bad year for most of the people including me, and I hit rock bottom, but now I have nowhere to go, except up. So here I am, starting on a brand new page, with nothing but smiles and love to give, and forget all the pain and sorrow.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a very happy 2011 :)
Me.

Celebrating Monsoon - Love

It has been raining steadily for the whole last week. And it's about time I celebrate the next aspect of rain. The previous one was Inspiration, and this one is Love. Love is incomplete without rains, and rains are incomplete without love. The sweet smell of love and the freshness of the moist air captures our hearts and triggers a beautiful emotion somewhere deep inside. Anyone in love will have a special something to share about rains. Be it with their partner, or even alone.

People have shared beautiful moments associated with rains and the weather, right from sitting by the window to having piping hot "bhajiya" or "pakore" with tea, to taking bike rides or long drives with their loved one, splashing water on each other in the rainy puddles, or even just walking in the rain with an umbrella in the hand but not really using it as a means for covering yourself in the rain, but as an excuse to be sticking close to the one they love. Recently, I even heard from a friend who is happily married that they took the huge decision of standing by each other forever when the whole family was against them and they had met for the last time to call it off, but it rained heavily, and that rain completely changed who they are today to who they could have been today. In my case, it's just looking at the sky pouring down on me and just the feeling of the raindrops on my body makes me feel loved.

If I am speaking of rain, and love, and dedicating a song to all of you, I cannot forget the classic which wins my heart over everytime I listen to it and makes me fall in love all over again every time I watch it. Do watch the video, you will not regret it. Celebrating love this monsoon, bollywood style!

Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua
Movie: Shree 420 (1955)
Singers: Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar

Pyaar hua ikraar hua hai pyaar se phir kyun darta hai dil - 2
Kehta hai dil rasta mushkil maaloom nahi hai kahaan manzil -2

Pyaar hua ikraar hua hai pyaar se phir kyun darta hai dil
Kehta hai dil rasta mushkil maaloom nahi hai kahaan manzil

Kaho ki apni preet ka geet na badlega kabhi
Tum bhi kaho is raah ka meet na badlega kabhi
Pyaar jo toota, saath jo chhoota
Chaand na chamkega kabhi

Pyaar hua ikraar hua hai pyaar se phir kyun darta hai dil
Kehta hai dil rasta mushkil maaloom nahi hai kahaan manzil
Pyaar hua ikraar hua hai pyaar se phir kyun darta hai dil

Raatein dason dishaaon se kahengi apni kahaaniyaan
Geet hamaare pyaar ke dohraayegi jawaaniyaan
Main na rahoongi, tum na rahoge
Phir bhi rahengi nishaaniyaan

Pyaar hua ikraar hua hai pyaar se phir kyun darta hai dil
Kehta hai dil rasta mushkil maaloom nahi hai kahaan manzil -2
Pyaar hua ikraar hua hai pyaar se phir kyun darta hai dil

.....

Here's the video:






Have fun people! And do share your special moments associated with monsoon :) If not share, cherish them for sure! :P

The sky is crying today...

I woke up this morning to a shock. MJ no more. I was bathing when my brother pounded the door of the bathroom to give me the news. I was shocked! MJ no more! What? And then, I cried. [It's very unusual for me considering the fact that I never wept even one single tear when people in my family expired one after the other] No MJ! Are you really gone?...

It's very difficult for me to type all this out. On one hand I HAVE to blog about this. And on the other hand my brother is playing MJ songs on the music system. This is very very difficult...

...You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold...

[You are not alone]

Michael Jackson songs have virtually shaped my life.. My childhood, my teenage, the first CD I ever bought was "The Best Of MJ". It had 2 parts. And the 2 cd's played all the time. I remember when MJ had come to India. I was 9 years old that time, and I used to live very close to the Sports Complex in Mumbai, where his concert was held. My elder brother was a die hard fan of MJ. He was cool 'coz he listened to english songs. He told me and my 5 yr old brother all about it. He used to train us to dance like MJ. It was so much fun! And then, on the day when the concert was to happen, all 3 of us stood on the building terrace, and saw the chopper fly right above us. We were so excited! Jumping, screaming, running, dancing... And the chopper had actually stopped at one spot between our building and sports complex. We actually thought it stopped so MJ could wave at us. Those were the days!

And then we watched it all Live on TV. MJ landed on the stage in a "Spacecraft" and then he came out and gave the best performace I have ever seen of anyone in my entire life. We had recorded it all on a video cassette. All the noise, the blood rush, ladies fainting, enter ambulance, the policemen, every thing. And after the concert was over, the 3 of us played the video cassette in slow motion every single evening, after we returned from school, and practiced all those moves. We never got the moonwalk right, except for my bro who did it almost like that!

That was just the beginning of a love affair. The love affair with pop music. The love affair with a superstar. When I was 13, I still remember, my elder cousin sister had gone to the extent of cutting her wrist with a compass needle to carve "MJ" inside a heart. The carvings on the wall of the terrace of my old building, nothing can erase them. They're still there. I will always love you MJ.

Yeah, so what if he was accused of all the wrong things? So what if he did get into all that? We all make mistakes! He was punished so much because he was so good at heart. The man who shot his documentary actually frauded MJ and released it on worldwide TV. MJ had trusted him. Isn't that wrong? But that doesn't matter. Nothing matters. 'Coz MJ is no more :(

... I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far ...

[Earth Song]

I love you MJ, We love you, Mumbai loves you, and I am sure India does too... And Mumbai skies are crying 'coz we have lost you today. Rest In Peace. This is not the end. You will stay in the millions and trillions and gazillions of hearts of people like us all around the world.

Celebrating Monsoon :)

Hello Everyone!

Well, so finally, the monsoons are here! They have announced themselves with thunders, heavy showers and drizzles in Mumbai. Within a week or two, they should be covering the whole of India.. I guess. I really wanted to post something related to rains. But then I read a couple of posts in the last 2 days and the mood with this rainfall seems to be more sad and depressing as opposed to being relieving and happy [considering that hot summer this year].

It rained heavily in Mumbai this afternoon, and I had my lunch sitting by the window, and it was a treat. To all the 5 senses. I could see the rain fall, I could hear the showers, smell the wet ground, taste the freshness [literally! plus there was food too :|] and feel the rain drops on my skin. An added one or two treats, there was this ultimate relaxing feeling, a twinkle in my eyes, and an automatic smile for someone special. Bliss.

I will be celebrating the monsoon of 2009 on Memoirs. Rains, and the various moods. I will try not to get to the hurtful and depressing part. Many bloggers are taking care of that department very well. And hey, if anything from my side makes any one of you smile, I will be the happiest person :)

I tried to write a poem. I did manage to complete one too. But nothing, nothing can express the relationship between raindrops and life better than a song, which was playing on my laptop continuously for about an hour. I am also adding the video here, because the girl with the honeybee costume in the video is a source of inspiration for me, and if it inspires me, it can inspire any one and every one. I would love it if you watch it! So here I dedicate this song to each one of you... Happy Monsoon!

No Rain - By Blind Melon

All I can say is that my life is pretty plain
I like watchin' the puddles gather rain
And all I can do is just pour some tea for two
And speak my point of view but it's not sane, its not sane

I just want someone to say to me
I'll always be there when you wake
Ya know I'd like to keep my cheeks dry today
So stay with me and I'll have it made

And I don't understand why I sleep all day
And I start to complain that there's no rain
And all I can do is read a book to stay awake
It rips my life away but its a great escape...escape...escape

All I can say is that my life is pretty plain
You don't like my point of view
Ya think that I'm insane
It's not sane... It's not sane

I just want someone to say to me
I'll always be there when you wake
Ya know I'd like to keep my cheeks dry today
So stay with me and I'll have it made

......

Heres the video:



Nanana... I love this song! Whenever I feel low and I listen to this, I am up and running in no time. I feel bad that I neglected this song so much, hence it has made it's place on my desktop now! :P

Celebrating Love with my 50th post :)

Hello Everyone :)

On my 50th post I want to dedicate this song to all those who have ever been in love, are in love, and will be in love, and to all their special someones!

Brad Paisley - Then.
[You know it's dedicated to you :)]

I remember, trying not to stare the night that I first met you
You had me mesmerized
And three weeks later, in the front porch light
taking forty-five minutes to kiss goodnight
I hadn't told you yet
but I thought I loved you then

Chorus

And now you're my whole life
now you're my whole world
I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl
Like a river meets the sea,
stronger than it's ever been.
We've come so far since that day
And I thought I loved you then

And i remember, taking you back to right where I first met you,
You were so surprised
There were people around, but I didn't care
Got down on one knee right there once again,
I thought I loved you then

Chorus

And now you're my whole life
now you're my whole world
I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl
Like a river meets the sea,
stronger than it's ever been.
We've come so far since that day
And I thought I loved you then

I could just see you, with a baby on the way
And I could just see you, when your hair is turning gray
What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more
But I've said that before

And now you're my whole life
now you're my whole world
I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl
We'll look back someday, at this moment that we're in
And I'll look at you and say
And I thought I loved you then
And I thought I loved you then

:)

Never fall in love, always rise with it :D