A little something about me…

This ‘5 questions’ meme has been going around for quite some time and I thought why not do it too. So Terri sent me some questions to know me better. I don’t like questions that require one line answers, so I was thrilled when she sent me multipart questions that I could answer in length if I wanted to. And you all know how I love to rant 🙂

1. Describe where you live – could be your city or country, your home, your neighborhood, your climate, flowers, trees – whatever you think will give us a good picture of where you call home.
I live in India, probably one of the most colorful places to live in. My city, Pune, also called Oxford of the East was also known as the pensioner’s paradise or retirement heaven, but not anymore. It has become crowded with lots and lots of development over the last few years and I can see it’s heading the Mumbai way soon. I hope that doesn’t happen.

I lived in the “old city” for a long time. Old city literarily means the older part of the city, the core, where the city originated from. Whenever there was any festival, small or big, it was celebrated with gusto. There used to be loud speakers with full sound on every street for any celebration. Our balcony faced the main road and we loved watching Ganesh Chaturthi processions the entire day. It was fun and happening. Now I live in a “Posh” locality, a society with a swimming pool, a club house and a gym. But it’s boring. Even during Holi there is absolutely no noise. People do celebrate it early in the morning but isn’t the way we used to celebrate it. Moreover it’s very quite with no vehicles honking below, no street vendors screaming on top of their voices. But it’s still nice although a little different.
 
India is a tropical country so we enjoy 3 seasons, winter, rainy and summer. And I like it that way. I just wish it would snow though.
 
2. When you were a child, what was your favorite food?  What’s your favorite food now?
I think the favorite past time for most Indians is Bollywood and food. My mom is a very good cook, excellent in fact. When we were young she used to cook everything at home. She even made ice-creams.
 
I used to love pani puri as a kid. It’s basically a snack which you get on road side eateries or stalls. One dish has around 5-6 puri’s in it. But when my mom made it at home, she made so many that we got tired of eating. She doesn’t make them anymore as they are a lot of work and I am not sure I can eat that many now. But the smell of puri’s and mint leaves and boiled potatoes wafting through the house is divine.
During one of our extended family gatherings, one of my uncles taught my mom how to make something called ‘Chicken chilly’. It’s something I love even now. I think it’s a Chinese dish, Indianised though.
 
3. I see on your blog that you like to perform (me too!) – what kind of music do you perform? Do you play an instrument?
I LOVE to perform. There is nothing like performing on stage. I have been performing on stage since childhood, be it school plays, group dances, fashion shows, school band or singing competitions. When I was in the school Band, I used to play a flute. There is nothing more soothing than listening to the melody of a flute. Although I haven’t touched a flute for years, I am sure I can play at least a little even now. It is not something you forget. I have taken part in a lot of group dances in school and college as well. And it was pure fun. Nothing like seeing so many people screaming and shouting and enjoying every moment of what you are performing.
 
I remember when I was in college I took part in an inter college singing competition and I and my friend were supposed to sing a duet. I was so scared. That was the first time I ever experienced stage fright. I think it went well but I won’t be able to forget that feeling ever. I never took any of this to a level higher than schools or colleges because I know I lack THAT kind of talent and dedication.
 
4. What’s the best book you’ve read in the last 5 years? If you can’t narrow it to just one, pick two or three.
eeeks…Isn’t that the most difficult question ever? But if I have to narrow it down I will list the books that come first to my mind.
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
Kite runner by Khaled Hosseini
A thousands splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini
I am sure if I think for even a minute more I can come up with at least 10. So I won’t.
 
5. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last year?  Why did you like it?  What’s the worst one?
I absolutely love watching movies. But I watch so many that I forget which was released which year, so I’ll tell you the ones I watched in 2008, they could be have been released earlier too.
Vantage Point. I loved the concept more than anything else.
Step up to the streets
Madagaskar 2. I am forever a fan of the penguins.
Rab ne banaa di jodi. I could be biased about this one. It’s a Shahrukh khan movie after all. But I did like it.
U, me aur hum. I know many people didn’t like this one. But I loved it.
 
Worst one? Well, when I was in Bangalore, I and J went to watch a late night show. There was this Oscar nominated movie called ‘Death at a Funeral’. So we booked the show for 10.30. During the movie we noticed that all the people in the theatre were laughing except us. I mean how could it be that only both of us didn’t get the humor? We decided that we were very tried and so walked out of the theatre midway. This is the only movie in my entire life that I walked out of.
 
Answering all these questions was fun. I hope you all know me a little better now 🙂
Thanks Terri. You sent me the perfect questions 🙂

A very long post eh? Anyway, if you want to play along just let me know in the comments and I’ll send you 5 questions 🙂