I had written this post 5 years back. I thought why not update it and see how the 99 things I love have changed. And looks like for the most part, I’m still the same. I had written this when I was pregnant with M, so thankfully I’ve yet disappeared after becoming a mother. I’m still the same person and I still have the same 99 things I love with some modifications. Read with me, won’t you?

Reflecting on what you love is one of those sure-shot ways of bringing that mischievous, evading smile back on your lips.

Don’t you agree?

Since blue seems to be the colour of the day today, it being a Monday and all, I thought why not make a list of some of my absolute favourite things in the world. Actually, why not jot down 99 of my most favourite things in the world? Sounds good, doesn’t it?

99 things I love

1. My Family for being there for me always. Since the last time this post was updated, I have become a mom to a naughty little girl and I love her to the moon and back. Yes, as cliched as it sounds, she’s my heart though she drives me crazy too.

2. Books – My journey and destination, et al. What would I be without books?

3. Blogging. Where would I be without it?

4. Memories. They give me a foundation to build on.

5. The burn marks on my thighs for they remind me how one sweet adversity brought S into my life.

6. My parents for raising an independent woman in me.

7. My country. It has its flaws, sure, but I can’t imagine being born anywhere else.

8. My job. Yes, it helps me pay for everything and just about anything I want to do. My financial security blanket.

9. Eating out. How much I love doing that!

10. Marrying S. See I’m so good at making important decisions? Okay, back to being modest now.

11. Germany for giving me some wonderful memories.

12. Ginger Tea which makes my afternoons in the office bearable.

13. Music. I get so much work done listening to music. It keeps me focused and drowns out the outside noise.

14. Gossip sessions with my sister. She gets me as no one else does.

15. Holiday in Paris, truly the city of lights.

16. Durga Puja with my family.

17. Chinese and Thai Food.

18. My eccentricities. They make me unique, they make me Me.

19. My home. Love that I have a space to call my own.

20. Being blessed to be living in a part of the world which offers safety and security. Something that can’t be taken lightly at all. Though after corona, I don’t think any part of the world is safe. Not when viruses are spread knowingly.

21. Having had the opportunity to grow up in the northeast of India, Shillong. Unfortunately, I cannot go back there. A home where I cannot go and settle because apparently that is not my place. Sad!

22. That being hurt by certain friends has made me stronger instead of vulnerable and weak. I don’t believe in friendships anymore and it doesn’t even hurt me at all.

23. A clean home. Well, as much clean as possible with the millions of things one has to do.

24. My cook. Well, I let my new cook go just before the world shut down as she wasn’t helping me much. So, it’s just me for now.

25. My maid who makes life so much easier.

26. Fish. Oh well, I’m a Bengali after all.

27. Old blog posts, reading them I can connect with my past-self better.

28. My iPhone. I feel lost without it.

29. Twitter. It transforms the wallflower in me into a social butterfly without actually having to be one. Well, good or bad, I enjoy it thoroughly. I avoid controversial topics on Twitter now after being dragged into nonsensical discussions by some always eager to fight. I just haven’t been raised to go after people who don’t share my belief system and drag them into an ugly fight. Also, I don’t like when someone does the same to me. So, I just avoid all things contentious.

30. My bookshelf which makes me beam with pride at the sheer volume of titles I’ve read. But I’m not done yet! It’s my Kindle library now.

31. Bangalore weather. It’s just awesome.

32. Switzerland. So glad I was able to strike it off my To-Visit list!

33. Being cooped up at home with S, doing nothing when M is finally asleep.

34. Weekends with my sister, again, doing nothing.

35. Being a friend rather than the strict elder sibling to my little sister. Of course, she would rather call me the control freak who is also the voice in her head urging her to be careful always. But I love being that too.

36. Acquaintances I have made through blogging. You have been more of a friend to me than those I’ve met in real life.

37. Adam Levine.

38. Thrillers. How much I love those! And historical fiction.

39. Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock. In fact, Benedict Cumberbatch in any form.

40. French fries. Yes, who doesn’t love French fries?

41. My collection of jeans.

42. Binge-watching our favourite television series with S. Well, after M, it’s just watching something during dinner. It’s mostly Seinfield or Friends rerun.

43. Margaritas. A girl’s got to drink after all. Beer, wine. Anything actually.

44. Getting high on Sangria with my sister.

45. Finishing a book within a day. Well, maybe 3 to 4 days now.

46. Publishing a post. That feeling is indescribable.

47. Reading the comments on my posts.

48. Guwahati, for that, is where my parents live now.

49. My love story. Oh yes!

50. Peaceful holidays in Goa, South Goa to be precise.

51. Taylor Swift. I just love her songs. Old Hindi songs by Kishore Kumar too.

52.  Being lazy. If there were an award for the laziest person in the world, I would win that hands down! Well, there isn’t much chance to be lazy after M, but I still take any chance I can.

53. Patishapta, sweet crepes, a Bengali dish.

54. Food cooked by mom.

55. My hair. Yes, I have grown to love it now.

56. Hibiscus Flowers. They remind me of my grandmother for some reason.

57. My laptop. How can I not love that?

58. My ability to overhear things even if I’m not trying to do so.

59. My afternoon naps on holidays.

60. Evenings spent drinking with S and my sister. And now my brother-in-law.

61. Barbecue nights. Nights where I can order in.

62. Sweet scents that bring back childhood memories.

63. My first overseas travel to Australia, the experience of living alone in a country where I knew no one. Precious.

64. Australian clients. Working with them is so convenient. I’m mostly free after 1 in the afternoon. How cool is that? Now that I have been working with British clients for about 3 odd years, I can say they are not so bad either.

65. My washing machine. Yes, I don’t know what I would have done without it.

66. Songs that have been sung by Kishore Kumar, among my absolute favourites. He has sung a song for every mood.

67. S in front of whom I can be vulnerable. I can fight the entire world, put up a brave face and not reveal my fears in front of anyone knowing fully well that I have him for that.

68. Coriander Chutney, I just love it.

69. Homemade chicken curry.

70. Sizzlers.

71. That I can eat lots of rice and still not put on weight. Touchwood! Well, that has slightly changed. Ageing and all.

72. Cakes on birthdays.

73. That I can make a list and you have the patience to go through it. Thank You!

74. My low tolerance for pseudo-intellectuals.

75. That I neither borrow nor lend and try to manage my personal finance myself. Of course, my management is just saving. I have no idea about diversification. That is S’s department.

76. Shopping alone. It’s therapeutic too. Now, it’s just online shopping.

77. Being able to be something more than just being an engineer.

78. Being a woman. There’s so much to us, isn’t there?

79. Good clothes. Who doesn’t love good clothes?

80. That I’m a feminist and proudly proclaim it, that I don’t stay on the sidelines on such an important issue.

81. Free-lance work that comes my way thanks to my blog.

82. Boiled Eggs. Yes, well, I do love food! Poached eggs!

83. Beach holidays. When will I be able to go for the next one?

84. Restaurant hopping with S.

85. Winters. My favourite season of all.

86. Playing in the snow.

87. Perfumes. I love my collection. Someday I’ll do a post on that too.

88. Internet. It is obvious why, isn’t it?

89. Ordering just about anything online. It saves so much time and effort.

90. My Kindle. After M, my Kindle has been my saviour. Truly.

91. My collection of silk sarees, all gifted by mom. S too, He has just the best choice when it comes to silk sarees. Surprising, no?

92. Rice. I cannot live without rice.

93. Stoles. I love collecting and wearing stoles.

94. River cruises, especially those in Amsterdam and Paris.

95. Dipping cakes and biscuits in tea and eating them. Yes, I’m weird that way.

96. Pineapples. I don’t really like any other fruit.

97. Game Of Thrones, Orphan Black and How To Get Away With Murder. Watch these to know why!

98. Mauritius. I think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

99. Almost a decade of being together with S. The transition from college sweethearts to a married couple. We have so much to see together. I love the adventure we are on. We are parents now. Going to be married 10 years next year and together for 14 this year. Amazing, no?

Wow! It looks like I made the list. It wasn’t easy, I must say.

Thinking of 99 things that you love is not a piece of cake, not at all. I never thought I could actually come up with 99 things but look I did.

Tell me about a few things that would be on your list. And do we have anything in common?