Life on a Fast Lane

I really do not think that it has been 5 days since I last posted here. I really wonder where the time flies by. I am not able to read as much as I want to. I am not able to find time to get lost on the internet anymore. I am not finding time to do what I love best these days – pick up books and compare prices on different online book shopping sites. I am totally directionless. Where am I going? My husband gets totally pissed off whenever I ask him this question. He does not understand why I bother with “where I am going” and why can’t I simply go with the flow. But that is not really me. I like to plan things, and when I don’t get to do what I have planned, I get lost.

There’s so much work at office that there is no respite here and when I go back home, there’s a load of work waiting for me. I get free from all the work I do in office and at home, only after 10.30 or 11. Then I am so tired that I am not able to read more than a page, and I doze off! The next day is again choc-a-bloc!

Recently, I “celebrated” my birthday but really I have so much to do and life is running out. My husband thinks I plan way too much. But that’s how I am. And what’s wrong with being organized. I totally understand Monica’s fetish of cleanliness and organizing things. Cleaning is really therapeutic. I remember, in one of the episodes, it said Monica divides her towels into 20 categories! Obviously, that is way too much for even me.
But anyways! That reminds me I miss watching FRIENDS day in and day out!

A whole NEW beginning

I am planning a whole new Blog on which I will recommend books which you must have on your shelf. It is more for Book Stores rather than for individuals because there would be one book almost everyday, so quite difficult for an individual to stack 365 books in a year.
I mean, I do buy books at a high rate but I don’t think others do that too. Plus my experience have been that when you go around looking for interesting books, you get the same ones in all the book shops, then why should one person go to different book shops? Of course, now launching a Book is all together a different ball game. It is marketed aggressively. Suddenly you will find the writers all over the place. Obviously, readers are not fools; they know why certain author has become omnipresent suddenly. For example, suddenly I am finding Jhumpa Lahiri everywhere, in Femina, on News Channels, in Newspapers, etc,etc. Today itself I also found Chetan Bhagat in the newspaper. Actually, he is releasing his third book tomorrow (which has also given an interesting idea for a post).
I am also very kicked about this new Blog because I will try to cover different genres, when I’m recommending books. So I would start with books that I have already read.
I am a bookoholic. I go to any and every book shop I come across to check out books. Then I do a lot of research online and offline to zero down on a book. That done, I either add it to my wish list or just buy it.
I was just thinking if this could be a career option altogether someday - recommending books to the book shop and suggesting what to stock. Then I thought of this Blog. This will automatically increase my reading because I will read and recommend. So hope I do justice to my intent.
Visit my New Blog for more details, and by the way, if I forgot to mention, this Blog continues.

How Colors define & Influence You

I always thought, I’m more attuned towards Blue and Black in colors, but if you see my house, what comes across very strongly is Red and Yellow, and the family.

Red is supposed to denote Optimistic, dynamic, energizing, exciting, sexy, intense, stimulating, aggressive, powerful, energetic and dangerous. I really don’t know all that. It sounds psychological crap to me. To me Red is a rich colour. It immediately accentuates anything wherever you put it. You get a Red curtain, a red rug, a red sofa or even a red bean bag; it becomes an identity in itself.

Another site writes the following about color Red:
Red signifies the attributes of confidence and courage. It inspires boldness in thought and deed. A strong awareness of the physical body is indicated. There can sometimes be so much passion in its energy that when it is displayed it can be perceived as aggression. When the color presents itself in a seemingly coincidental context, it can be the equivalent of a stop sign from the universe. Because of its strong psychic saturation, it needs to be used carefully, especially in a domestic environment, and in combination with a balance of other colors. Also, too much red in the environment can cause feelings of anger, irritability, or impatience.
A simple spell for red: To inspire a sense of bravery, wear a red accessory. Even if the color is not immediately visible to anyone else (a piece of lingerie, a handkerchief, a piece of red construction paper folded in a purse or wallet), you will know that you have this splash of red and will feel more courageous as a result.

I also love Yellow. First reason is that it goes with almost all the colors. Yellow goes beautifully with Red, Orange, Green, Blue and white. We have all our bedroom furniture in Dark Brown, so a yellow curtain and a yellow bed sheet, suddenly creates vibrancy in the room.
I also love Yellow clothes. They look lovely.
Thankfully, Yellow denotes WISDOM • JOY • HAPPINESS • INTELLECTUAL ENERGY.
Like the energy of a bright sunny day, yellow brings clarity and awareness. The shade of yellow determines its effect:
Orange-yellow imparts a sense of establishment. Clean light yellow clears the mind, making it active and alert which is why the high visibility of bright yellow, it is often used for hazard signs and some emergency vehicles.
For years, yellow ribbons were worn as a sign of hope as women waited from their men to come marching home from war. Today, they are still used to welcome home loved ones. Its use for hazard signs creates an association between yellow and danger, although not quite as dangerous as red.
Ah, the psychological crap!

Another color which has become my hot favourite, and I’m dying to use, is Fuchsia.

It is a lovely color whether on clothes or interiors. It enlivens a drab drawing room. I’m planning to bring elements of Fuchsia into my Living Room – in rugs, cushions and some subtle use in curtains.
Interestingly, I found following write-up on Fuchsia:
The color fuchsia can influence both physical and spiritual well-being. It is the flag for nonconformist, innovative, strong-willed, imaginative, artistic, and creative individuals. Depending on how it is received, it can be the color of radiant happiness. It has the qualities of red, plus empathy; it is a mixture of passion and compassion. The negative side of its color influence is that it can create a lazy, laid-back attitude that shuns challenges and responsibilities. For this reason, people who are chronically depressed or introverted should avoid this color. Magenta is ideal for rituals to secure ambitions and financial rewards.
A simple spell for fuchsia: To lift the vibe of your environment, put a sprig of the fuchsia plant into a bud vase. Keep it in the room where you spend a great deal of your time. An object of this color is favorable to use when attempting to make contact with the spirit world.

Different Strokes

My last post was on 19th Feb, so I should quickly round up on what I did all this while:

- IGNOU Creative Writing Classes started and ended. Attended only 2 classes out of 4. Yet to read all the materials which they have sent. We need to write a Project for this course, either a novella, 8-10 articles, 8-10 short stories or poems.
- Bought every possible “Creative Writing” or “Writing” book that I could locate in Crossword and Landmark and also bought one online. Needless to say, yet to read all of them!
- I wrote my first short story, not out of interest and because I had a story inside me, waiting to come out; but because in one of the classes, we were given a subject to write a short story, that too in only 20 minutes.
- My search for a GOOD creative writing course continues.
- One of my best friends came down from Mumbai on one of the weekends – had long chat, went for movie and book shopping. Glad to get back to girlie days.
- Discovered a terrific Book Sale, and ended up buying 6 books!!! Typical of me.
- Spent most of my free time, searching for random books and comparing prices on different Online Book Shopping sites. This is my current favourite pastime.
- Made Book Wish lists on a couple of sites.
- Saw “Race” with friend. Interesting movie but unpredictable in a bizarre way.
- Mum-Dad came for a few days. Just like old times. Bhaiya also joined, and all of us celebrated Holi together. Did not really play Holi.
- Everyone loved our new place, but of course it is rented and not bought. The rates have gone far beyond our budgets.
- Bought entire bedroom set for our Bedroom – Double Bed, 3 door wardrobe, side tables and a dressing table. All in Dark Brown color. Looks amazing. Also bought a slider bed for mum-dad’s room.
- Had also bought a book shelf last month for all my books. (I love it. I love opening it and standing in front of it, in awe. I really own some wonderful books.)
- Went to my home town for my brother’s Griha pravesh. Bhaiya, Gagan and I went together. It was fun! Our first train journey together, wherein he slept most of the time.
- It was exciting to show Gagan Jamshedpur. It was all about paani puris, litti, the first mall I ever saw “Kamani centre”, Bistupur, JSR heat, XLRI and small town appeal! The Damad impressed his in-laws with all the work. He did most of the work when my parents shifted. I’m proud of him!
- My best friend lit up to see my gifts for her – a nice photo frame with one cute pic of her daughter and one pic of both of us from my marriage; and another gift was a coffee mug with her daughter’s pic on it. I am really proud of myself for thinking of such wonderful gifts for her. I admit, the mug’s idea was Gagan’s actually.
- Celebrated the most wonderful birthday of all times. He gave me a beautiful and extremely functional purse, a book, a watch; and a coffee mug with my pic on it and a lovey-dovey message. As Monica says, “I know, I married him for a reason!” He also bought me a shirt and a kurta. And yeah, a quintessential Birthday Cake, with a cute Teddy bear candle!
- My in-laws arrived from Delhi on my Birthday, with some more gifts!
- Went for “U, Me and Hum” with Mum. Bonding time for saas and bahu!
- Some where in the middle, booked a sofa and just received it day before yesterday. It is awesome.
- My “doing-up-interiors” mission is on.
- It is really a task to fight every time somebody wants to hang a calendar like old times! Come on, it is so not stylish!
- That brings me to this day – its 11.40 am and I have not started any work so far. So adieu and will comeback shortly.

I’m here to stay. Taking inspiration from some lines I heard somewhere –
“I keep coming to this Blog, because most of my life is here”

I sign off, with these awesome lines from “The Notebook” inspired “U, Me aur Hum”:

I got a feeling incomplete in my heart,

Don’t wanna go it alone though we can never be apart,

We can never be apart,

U make me feel complete coz you are a piece of my heart

You are the one for me I knew it right from the start

Yeh, we can never be apart,

We can never be apart, we can never be apart.

Apne rang gawaen bin, mere rang mein ghul jao

Apne rang gawaen bin, mere rang mein ghul jao

Apni dhoop bujhaye bin, meri chhao mein aa jao

Oh chalo yoon kare,

Tum, tum bhi raho, main, main bhi rahoon

Hum, hum bhi rahein

Oh tum, tum bhi raho, main, main bhi rahoon

Hum, hum bhi rahein

Teeno mil ke saath chale

Saathi janam janam, u me aur hum.

U me aur hum, U me aur hum.

Apne rang gawaen bin, mere rang mein ghul jao

Apni dhoop bujhaye bin, meri chhao mein aa jao

Jaise baadal paani ka, yaarana hai

Jaise gul aur khushboo ka, dostana hai

Oh jaise baadal paani ka, yaarana hai

Jaise gul aur khushboo ka, dostana hai

Waise hee rahein hum tum

Waise hi jiyein hum tum

Tere mere haathon mein, koi bhi pinjara na ho

Ek duje par apna,

Haq toh ho kabza na, ho har haal mein,

Tum, tum tum bhi raho, main, main bhi rahoon

Hum, hum bhi rahein

When my heart goes on,

Misses a beat, I know its gotta be you girl,

You sweep me off my feet

Sweep me off my feet, oh you sweep me off my feet

And when the blood from my heart

Rushes into my brain, it sends a message to me

To say you are driving me insane,

You know you are driving me insane, driving me insane

Love gives your heart the power, to open up and flower

Calling it every hour, but its refrained, its refrained

Ek din toh who lamha, bhi aana hai

Dono me se ek ne, chale jaana hai

Ho! ek din toh who lamha, bhi aana hai

Dono me se ek ne, chale jaana hai

Baatein yeh sabhi hum tum, jaan lein abhi hum tum

Oh dono mil ke saath mein, aise jeena seekh lein

Taaki jo peeche rahein, usko na ho mushkilein

Oh chalo yoon jiye, agar main na rahoon

Ya tum na raho, hum, hum hee rahein

Jaise saaya saath chale, saath rahein hardum

U me aur hum, U me aur hum,

U me aur hum, U me aur hum,

U me aur hum, aur hum.