In India, there is this saying ‘karm karo phal ki chinta mat karo’ which means do your duty without thinking about the rewards. Well, let me just say that it’s easier said than done. It’s been very stressful at work lately. I have worked hard, really hard on some days without even the slightest acknowledgement. When it happens once, it can be ignored. Twice too. Maybe even thrice. But when this becomes the norm, it’s hard to not get affected. So, you can say, I have been a little disappointed. And since most of the posts on the blog also tend to become serious, I thought this is as good a time as any to take up the ‘anything but book’ tag. In fact, if you had noticed, I also did the I’m Weird Because‘ post recently for precisely the same reason.
I have actually been meaning to do the ‘anything but book’ tag ever since Shantala tagged me perhaps a month ago. But I couldn’t get around to it earlier. Still, better late than never, right? So, here I go.
Name a cartoon(s) that you love.
Well, let’s see. When we were young, my sister and I would watch the Cartoon Network the whole day during winter breaks. There wasn’t a cartoon we would leave. Yes, we stayed in glued to the television and we loved it. Till today, that is one of the best memories of my childhood; remote in my sister’s hand, both of us on the bed with the room heater near us while the cartoons kept playing on the television. Johnny Quest, Centurions, Captain Planet, Swat Cats, Flintstones were just a couple that I now remember. Sometimes we would also watch Duck Tales. There were also some Japanese Cartoons that we loved which would come on AXN but I can’t recall the name now. I wish I could be a child again and just worry about what cartoon to watch next!
What is your favourite song right now?
Well, let’s just say when you have a toddler at home, the chances are rhymes keep playing on repeat throughout the day. Believe it or not, I sometimes find myself humming ‘When you’re happy and you know it’ or ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ while walking to the washroom at work or even while fetching something from the canteen. I don’t have the time to listen to any songs these days. At work everything good is blocked so there goes that option too. There is no music on my phone as well because who has the time to add music to iTunes and then get it on the phone? I don’t. The only song which can be called a song and is played at home these days is ‘Lakdi ki kathi’. So, I really don’t have any favourite song right now unless you consider ‘Row, row, row your boat’ as one.
What could you do for hours (that isn’t reading)?
This is a tough one because other than cooking, feeding and taking care of the little one, I’m occupied doing one of the three things – busy at work, writing or reading. I don’t think there is anything else I can do for hours. Maybe watching a movie but then again these days a movie takes days or rather weeks to complete. So, I don’t know, sleeping maybe, if my daughter permits?
What is something you love to do that your followers would be surprised by?
Eating Spicy non-vegetarian food. Does that qualify? I don’t know. You all already know about my love for dipping biscuits in tea and watching FRIENDS repeatedly. So, I don’t think there’s any element of surprise left.
What is your favourite unnecessarily specific thing to learn about (this can do with books, I guess)?
Well, I don’t know. Perhaps, finding more and more books written around the Second World War. I can browse Goodreads or any other book related website for this. Yes, I’m a bit crazy that way.
What is something unusual you know how to do?
Well, does catching a mouse inside a polybag qualify? If yes, then I had done that long back in college while living in a hostel. And I’m not afraid to do that again.
Name something you’ve made in the last year (and show us, if you can).
If this is related to art, then I must tell you that I have not one artistic bone in my body. When I was a teenager, I would watch or rather fleetingly notice my mum work with fabric paint or make flowers out of organdy or colourful stockings but I had no interest in those things. In fact, I was elated moving to high school for not having to pretend to do arts and crafts anymore. So, to answer the question, no. I haven’t made anything that I can tell you about or show you.
What is your most recent personal project?
Well, I’m going to pass on this one.
Tell us something you think about often (maybe while staring out of windows).
That why did I go for engineering. Why didn’t I think about what I wanted to do when I was just a little girl? Why did I not listen to my heart? Well, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that I have a job that lets me be independent and do what I want. But somewhere I’m not sure if this is all that I wanted to do.
Give us something that’s your favourite, but make it something oddly specific, not like your favourite food, but like your favourite food when you’ve been studying for hours and forgot to eat. Or, you know, something like that.
Have you tasted the Chicken Biryani from Meghna? That is one of my favourites when I’m upset or down. And there’s nothing some spicy chicken curry cannot cure. Every weekend, S and I try to take some time out and watch a part of a new movie with some chicken curry and rice. It’s one of my absolute favourite things to do.
Well, that was me. Hope you enjoyed reading it. If not, I promise the next one is going to be a serious post. Feel free to take up this tag and tell us more about you. Leave a link in the comment so that I can read too.
Always imagined you to be an artistic girl. Writing blog posts is an art too. Well, in a way. And I know about your love for dipping biscuits, I can’t do that though. Amazing that you never neglect your blog despite work and a small baby.Keep writing.
Alka recently posted…Death by Buffet
This was fun. You caught a mouse in a polybag? That’s not just brave – you would also need to be very fit and agile. Try putting on old Hindi/English numbers for M. The twins loved them and picked them up almost as soon as they could talk – Sound of Music and Mama mia remain top of their list as also old Hindi film favourites. That way I could get my dose of grown up music too.
Obsessivemom recently posted…Five ways to trounce the anger demon
I used to sing Masoom songs when the kids were little. Catching a mouse – – that give me the shivers. These initial years with a young child can be so exhausting. But it will get better. Hold on to that thought. Naba, have you thought about changing your job?
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I am loving this Anything but books tag. So many new aspects of a person are revealed. I could take some help with catching a mouse in a polybag. If I spot a mouse, I am on top of the bed with the door locked till someone gets the mouse out of the house. I hate them. For music, try out Wynk or Gaana for streaming music. Like you, I have neither patience nor time to copy songs. This works.
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Good to know you a little bit more.
Hey I’m in awe of women engineers especially . There are very few who bravely venture into this field. They will rule the world and so will you. And I’m glad you also find downloading music on iTunes etc a fiddle as I was beginning to think something was really the matter with me. Glad to know you better. I don’t know you at all, but reading between the lines, I think you are a bit too sincere at work hence you feel disappointed when you don’t get what you deserve. Cheer up! In the long run the shirkers HAVE to make way for the workers. You will have the last laugh soon enough
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Meghna biryani! I love it :D, but it fills me up so much that I just drift to sleep after eating.
You caught a mouse in a polybag? Wow, the only things on the planet I’m scared of. Well not exactly scared, but I do find them really icky and can’t bear the sight of them.
As for doing engineering, I used to think about it a lot as to why I became a part of that race. Finally both my mind and I had to give that up and accept that it was done.
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Oh I love eating spicy non-veg food. That is literally one of the things I live for, outside of my family I mean. 😛 And you are right, there is nothing that a steaming hot bowl of chicken curry (or even chicken biriyani) cannot fix.
Also, girl I can totally relate to those nursery rhyme obsessions. But don’t worry, it will pass. And soon you might be even able to complete a movie in 2 -3 days instead of a few weeks. 😀
Btw, I am curious. If you had the chance to go back and do anything you wanted to. What would you pick in place of engineering?
Shantala recently posted…Reading Goals 2017 – Mid-Year Update | #ChattyBlogs July Linky
First I think a bravery award is in order for the mouse catching *shudder* Second I applaud your candidness about things being so in your life while coping with a growing up child. No complaints no whining, just matter of fact honesty.
I don’t have a child but have seen my sister go through th hoops with hers and can empathise with you there.
Cheers
Love spicy food, and I definitely do look back in retrospect at life when looking out the window. Nice to know you a little bit more.
PS: Didn’t the mouse chew its way out of the bag?
Vinay Leo R. recently posted…Anything but books… #MondayMusings
There’s so much about a person that you never know of, until a post like this comes along. I so enjoyed the little bits about yourself that you shared here and I’m already in awe of your mouse-catching ability, something I can never ever do, not even to save my life! About the nursery rhymes, I’ve been there too long so I still hum them sometimes, believe it or not! And, Chicken Biryani is a great pick-me up for me too! Always works, any time of the week. 😀 Jokes apart, I wonder why you cannot change the course of your life by choosing an alternative career option. If you start working towards it now, I can see it happening! Creativity is something you definitely have, Naba…you write such amazing posts—That surely is a sign of creativity, never mind if you are not into crafty stuff. Do give a serious thought to exploring new vistas where you might find yourself more meaningfully engaged. You shouldn’t be spending the best years of your life so stressed out!
Catching a rat in a polybag!! OMG! That’s really commendable and brave of you. I would leave the room and would not enter it till it is taken out and this is when I was a bio student and have dissected hundreds of animals. LOL @ singing nursery rhymes. But it’s a phase and you will get back to listening to real music soon. Good to know a bit more about you through this tag, Nabanita!
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FInally I know little tidbits of Naba the blogger I network with!! I love books on the holocaust and second world war. And am always on the look out for it. U catch a mouse in a poly bag?????????
Ramya Abhinand recently posted…Learning a Sport as an Adult
You caught a mouse?! Whoa! Nice to know a bit more about you.
Re engineering, I do remember in India, the mentality was always engineering or medicine after the 10th. Almost everyone I went to school with chose those paths and some of them are like you right now wondering why. In the end though, it’s never too late to make a change if that’s what your heart desires 🙂
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Awesome – found your post very bubbly and interesting.
Swapna Raghu Sanand recently posted…Shifting home: What this has taught me about my inner journey as a mother
As I went through all the above comments, I can see you are a star, the bravest person among all of us for catching mice in polybags. (Am I exaggerating here? Was it only once, just a mouse in a polybag or was it more than once?) Anyways, once or more than once, it is an act of bravery. When a mouse used to enter our house, my father, my brother and our pet dog were the mouse busters of the house with me and my mother jumping and shrieking on top of the beds. These days, since I have no help, I valiantly kill cockroaches and lizards within a single blow with the broom. Reading this post was fun. I am always up for reading fun posts. Too much of seriousness just gets…too…much.
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