#Barathon 2018: Day 1: One Too Many

We had a heated argument regarding a prolonged issue at home. I hated myself for saying things I shouldn't have, I wanted to cry out loud, but I didn't want to look like I am weak or I am losing the argument.
So I put on my running shoes and ran out of the house, I jumped down alternate stairs. I ran on the street without knowing which direction I am heading to.

In the mid of a weekday afternoon, running on the street wearing home clothes, running shoes and million stares did not matter. My mind was busy evaluating of what went wrong, we were happy, why did this issue come up, what can I say to convince them that I am right.
Tears stung in my eye but refuse to flow.

I ran a few blocks, I saw kids alighting the school bus, I saw mothers with toddlers, I saw a few cabs, I saw people smiling and helping each other. Seeing people, made me momentarily forget my problems, but I couldn't find an answer to my issue nonetheless, but it didn't hurt that much now.
I wondered, how a few people can have so much influence in my life, that even their simple words could make so much impact to my being.

PC

I asked questions to myself, but couldn't get any answers.

I ran, I ran some more, I reached the garden in the end of the road which had a lot of trees. The flowers bloomed, the kids played. It was a happy place, I could feel my feet slowing down. I stopped to smell the freshly tilled earth, I stood there for a few moments to smell the roses.

I saw a man cleaning old leaves, then I realized, nothing lasts forever, the dried old leaves were green and happy once. Some wind blew them down, and they lie there rotten.
Instantly I got answers to my problems, my family is my forever, and they won't last. I can't stop one issue from ruining my happy place.

So I started running again, but this time with a smile on my face. I wanted to run as fast as my feet could take me. I have made up my mind to apologize and I promise myself that this time we will find a solution without flaring tempers and tears.

My running shoes helped me find gratitude on a day when I thought was the gloomiest.

This post is written for Barathon Day 1 - Theme of Day: Run/Marathon/Sprint/Chase

#CTT Top Indian Blogs

I got the idea for this post after my blog Indian Drama Queen got listed under Top Indian Blogs Directory for the first time in the eight years that I have been blogging.

PC: giphy.com

Thank you everyone, who made this possible and special thanks to the team of Top Indian Blogs.

Today, I feel like a proud mommy. *happy tears*

If my blog was a person, I would have ran towards it with the DDLJ BGM playing and hugged it. 

#DAshTalks He is having affairs :-(

I have to confess, after getting married and coming to this city, I have become technically quite sound, thanks to Awin. But, the flip side of it is.

Now, AWIN IS HAVING AN AFFAIR...actually not AN AFFAIR he is having three AFFAIRS and I know it

He keeps talking to those women. He keeps asking them things and advice. He needs them to remind him about stuff. At times, they even make him laugh. Its so painful at times, when I think that he is busy working in his home office when I suddenly hear him say 

"Hey Cortana, Turn on office room light" 

"Hey Google, play music"

"Alexa, tell me a joke"

I feel so left out. I guess, its time I remind him that I am the WIFE. 

Note to him: You sleep on the couch for the next 10 days*

*and whatever else that might come to my mind later shall be applied 

CTT:10 Irrational things that I worry about

Some irrational things that I worry about

1. When I eat a hard candy, I worry that I might break my tooth.

2. When I show my id at the airport, and the security looks at me, I feel that he might pull me aside and tag me as terrorist and say that my id is fake.

3. When there is turbulence is the flight, I am sure that we are going to crash and die.

4. I close the bedroom door before I sleep, if its not closed I keep staring at it before I sleep, in my head I imagine a ghost walking in my living room or coming in the bedroom through the open door.

5. When I am standing on my balcony and drinking coffee, I worry that if my coffee mug falls and hits someone, I might become a murderer and I can't even run away the people in the opposite building would have seen me.

6. When I go shopping and get into the trial room, I worry that I might get stuck inside a dress halfway through and it would be embarrassing to call someone to help me out of that dress.

7. After sending an official email, I check the "Sent Items" atleast twice to make sure that I have hit the Reply button or the Reply All button.

8. Whenever a dog howls after 10pm, I am convinced that there are ghosts around.

9. When any of my loved ones are travelling, I always feel that they might meet with an accident.

10. When I wear I saree, I am totally convinced that I am going to trip on it and fall on my face and my saree will come off.

What irrational things do you worry about/

#Dashtalks: Ivy Gourd

Background of the conversation:
Ivy gourd is called tondlee in Marathi, tindey in Hindi and Awin hates that vegetable because of its name

Awin: Who names a vegetable Donlee

Me: Its Tondlee

Awin: Tonlee is no good name either, I mean, what this thing is some Bruce Lee Jet Li family or what? Some attitude this vegetable has got

*he continues to rant*

Awin: Look at it, staring at me like a fat worm. Such a dumb looking vegetable

Me: How can a vegetable look dumb?

Awin: If its Donlee, it can look dumb 

Me: Just finish your dinner. Its good for health

Awin looks at the curry on his plate and says I am eating you only because my wife says so, I still think you are a stupid vegetable

*While I smile from the kitchen*

#DAshTalks Is it our Wedding Anniversary?

PC: giphy

Late night, a week before our wedding anniversary

Me: We need to book a table somewhere for this Sunday right?

Awin: Why this Sunday?

Me *with excuse me? Are you serious look* You have no idea, do you?

Awin: Err...I do...*checks Google calendar* Oh....Anniversary? Yes..Yes..Anniversary...What else could it be..Ha Ha...

PS: Now I am wondering, If it wasn't for the Google Calendar, could I have demanded a huge gift for forgetting our anniversary?

#DAshTalks Moti-Waiting Talks

PC

One chilly evening after work, while I was enjoying my green tea, this conversation started to brew;

Me: I was 48 kgs 3 years back...How can someone put on so much in 3 years?  The Google, obviously says I am overweight for my height





Awin *comes close, hold my hand,looks in my eyes and very sweetly says* Hey, You aren't over-weight, You are just under-height. Chill! 

This man knows exactly how to make me smile. It feels so Moti-Waiting now

#DashTalks: Kabali Wife

NOTE: This blog post will be relevant to the Tamil or Tamil knowing reader population

*Me in a filmy mood enters home after work*

Me: Naan vanduten
Tirumbi Vanduten nu
Karthaley epdi poneno apadiye tirumbi vanduten
Pondaati Daaaaa

Awin: *no expression stares as if he doesn't recogonize his PONDAATI*

PS: Non-tamil understanding folks.The above dialog is stolen from the movie KABALI.
Play the video for the original dialog.

Magizchi!

Video courtesy Youtube

CTT: Labels

I am labels

I was born and labelled as my parents daughter

In minutes I was labelled with my religion,my stars, my relatives

Over the years the labels increased

Some labels fell off

Some were ripped that left a mark on me

While some just got into my skin and might stay for life

I am a set of labels for life

So, are everyone else

This post is inspired by one line on Twitter by someone who's name I don't remember anymore

PC

CTT: Reflections

She stood in front of the mirror and saw the reflection of her eyes

So much hurt, in there lies

She put black kohl in one eye and looked up that mirror again
While one eye looked happy, the other reflected her pain

She carefully covered the bruises under her eye

The thoughts of it only made her cry

She applied a crimson red lipstick, for it hid the bloodied red scar

Her smile seems to be lost very far

To the world, she looked happy & shiny as a star

Somewhere deep down happy is the only emotion that her heart yearned for

PC

#DAshTalks Reasons Why He Resigned

Why Awin resigned from his Chauffeur job, yesterday evening #SnobAlert

CTT: Lessons Learnt After My Wedding Shopping

I got married a few years back, and since its the wedding season and a very close friend of mine is getting married. I thought maybe I should wear my "Auntyji" cap and share the top five lessons I learnt after my wedding about wedding shopping

1. I spent all of my savings for my wedding - Bad idea
Keep a budget in mind for everything. Wedding is just one day. Use that money for honeymoon, or beautifying your new home after the wedding day

2. Do not spend too much on heavy sarees and lehengas. It's OK to rent them (if the elders are ok with it)
Trust me, when I say that you are never going to use them again. I haven't worn my wedding reception saree or the other sarees, after my wedding day, simply because they were too OTT for any simple event. They were too attention grabbing for any other wedding.
My mom got my five more sarees for the "just in case" functions which also have been worn maybe once in the first year.

3. Leave a decent margin while stitching those pretty blouses.
I regret not doing that. I have bloated enough to not fit in any of my wedding and pre-wedding blouses. A margin will ensure that you can use those blouses for a while (PS: I am on the verge of giving up on those beautiful embroidery work blouses *sheds tears*)

4. Invest on daily wear outfits, footwear and things.
Buy good kurtis, shirts, a few party salwar kameez, light weight sarees.
You are going to be invited for lunches and dinners at many relatives places on both sides, and obviously you won't be wearing your zari or embroidered heavy outfits. These things will come to your rescue

5. Avoid buying make-up that you don't already use.
You will have a make-up artist coming in for your special day and after that I am sure you won't walk around looking like a Christmas tree, three months after the wedding.
I used to read a lot of articles on what-a-bride-must have things. I got myself make-up things that I don't even know how to use, after a year they just got dumped in the thrash.
Buy, what you use now, buy what you think can be used later too

Those are my top five lessons from Your Very Own Drama Wali Aunty

#DashTalks My New Tech Blog

Last evening, while Awin and I were going back home, I suggested him this brilliant idea which got ruthlessly shot down

Me: I think I should start a tech blog

Awin: What laptop do you have?

Me: Blue Toshiba laptop. 2008 model. Why?

Awin: Enough said.

CONFESSION: 

I am not tech savvy. I do not know the speed of my internet or the config of my laptop.

Only after I got married to Awin, I have started to read Tech related articles. I am a Bollywood buff, ask me any songs, any link-ups, any airport looks, I can tell you

Love Me Like This

PC

Hold my hand when I feel low

Dance with me even if if you don't know how

Keep me safe, while my demons in my head show

Love me when when I feel ugly, because of a few kilos

Kiss me while I am asleep

Hold my tight, when I weep

Listen to me when I talk my heart out

Sometimes, I might sulk and pout

I don't want you to be the perfect one

I want you to make me feel like I am the only one

CTT: Pollution in India

I have had quite a bit of alone time in the past few weeks, and I have taken a fancy to stand at my balcony and look at the vehicles passing by.

This Sunday, while I was standing in my balcony at say around 8 am, enjoying a cup of coffee,a random thought came into my mind.

I started to count the vehicles that pass by that inside street. 

In 45 minutes, on a lazy Sunday morning, I counted an alarming number for 623 cars.

I wonder, if a side street, can have that much carbon footprints on a Sunday morning, imagine the amount of pollution we create all over the city, and the country.

I had a chat with a friend of mine, and she rightly pointed out that, she felt guilty to travel alone in cabs, which I agree, we might reduce some amount of pollution if we car-pooled,or take the public transport.

We cut trees to make buildings. Then we look for greenery everywhere.

Now, a days people go on "road trips"for a breathe of fresh air because everything around is polluted, air, sky, noise, water, soil. Its painful to think, that our kids, the future of this country will be born, breathing the polluted air.

I wish everyone would do their bit to make India a less polluted place.

#DAshTalks Our Aww Moments

The scene goes like this;

Awin was scheduled to travel for almost a month.

A few weekends back, we were relaxing in our balcony with nicely brewed coffee and our respective laptops.
I was searching for "Best Budget Honeymoon Destinations outside India" for a really close friend of mine.

Awin, had a glance of the screen, and with a very "poor me" tone he asked (trying to sound serious which to totally wasn't)

"I am going away for work and you have already started looking for honeymoon places without me?"

before even I could say anything, I had one look at those eyes & went "Awwwww..."

The 'Anything but Books' Tag

I wasn't tagged by anyone for this post, but it was inspired by Soumya of Life of Leo.
The tag is to answer the below questions and none of the answers should involve books.
I won't say I am a book-worm, but yeah! I do read a lot (meaning one book a week), and my choice of books are normally the chilled out, teen, chic books mostly. I do occasionally enjoy, serious thriller books.

I took up this challenge, only because I loved the questions

Name a cartoon(s) that you love.
I can watch all the cartoons that were showed on Cartoon Network in the 90's and the Disney cartoons too.
My favorite character though is DeeDee from Dexter's Laboratory.



What is your favorite song right now?
I am Bollywood junkie. I love the item numbers and the troll like songs.
Today, being Saturday, this one bhojpuri song has been a ear-worm all day. The song is called "Lipstick" (See video)
Otherwise, this one song is on a repeat mode on my playlist for the last four days 
"Abhi Na jao chod kar"


What is something you love to do that your followers would be surprised by?
I love a clean sparking, organized house. I spend a lot of time decluttering, organizing. I get paranoid and sad if my house is not clean.


What is your favorite unnecessarily specific thing to learn about (this can do with books, I guess)?
Undoubtedly, DRIVING. I have a license, I can start a car and that's about it. 

What is something unusual you know how to do?
I can make craft projects out of almost anything around the house.

Name something you’ve made in the last year (and show us, if you can).
Lampshade with threads, Wind-chimes with newspapers, crocheted bags, Warli art on my book, recycled old earrings

What is your most recent personal project?
Wardrobe and cabinets organizing

Tell us something you think about often (maybe while staring out of windows).
There are few things I have been hoping and wishing would happen, mostly I think about them. Its a bit too personal to be shared on a public platform.

Give us something that’s your favorite, but make it something oddly specific, not like your favorite food, but like your favorite food when you’ve been studying for hours and forgot to eat. Or, you know, something like that.
I love to try new starters every time, my favorite moments are the reactions of my brother and husband when they have them.

I am supposed to tag someone to take this challenge up, but no one is coming to my mind now. 
Anyone, who might read can take this up as your personal project and write a post.

Go on, and share your posts on the comments below.

#Barathon 7/7 Deadly Sin: Envy

I can't imagine him with her, kissing good night

Holding each other tight

With pain in my heart, I pretend to smile

Dear, love of my life, I envy her, for encircling her arms around the world that is mine

This post is written for BAR-A-THON 2017 and my Theme for this year is Seven Deadly Sins Click here to read the previous Bar-a-Thon posts June 17th: Gluttony June 19th: Pride June 21st: Lust June 23rd: Greed June 26th: Sloth June 28th: Wrath June 30th: Seven

#Barathon 6/7 Deadly Sin; Wrath

When he forcefully entered her

With every thrust

Her tears turned into pain

Her pain turned into sadness

Her sadness turned into anger

When that anger turned into wrath

She pulled the broken glass near by and castrated that psychopath 

This post is written for BAR-A-THON 2017 and my Theme for this year is Seven Deadly Sins Click here to read the previous Bar-a-Thon posts June 17th: Gluttony June 19th: Pride June 21st: Lust June 23rd: Greed June 26th: Sloth June 28th: Seven June 30th: Seven